Inside the cave, Sakura and Chiyo face off against the hunchbacked, armored figure of Sasori . Chiyo reveals a shocking secret: the figure they see is not Sasori ’s true body, but rather a puppet named that Sasori controls from the inside.

This episode is a major turning point for Sakura , proving her growth under Tsunade’s tutelage and marking the start of one of the most technical battles in the early Shippuden series.

In , titled "Hiruko vs. Two Kunoichi!" , the rescue mission for Gaara splits into two high-stakes battles as the rescue team finally infiltrates the Akatsuki hideout. The Chase: Naruto and Kakashi vs. Deidara

The puppet is a walking fortress, equipped with a poison-coated iron tail and hidden projectile launchers.

Because Chiyo is a legendary puppet master herself, she uses her chakra strings to control Sakura ’s movements like a puppet. This allows Sakura to dodge Hiruko ’s lightning-fast, lethal strikes that would otherwise be impossible for a human to track.