Where exactly is the 'Demon' in the Demon Desert?
The temperature difference between day and night is extreme.
During the day, the scorching sun blazes, and the sand temperature is high enough to burn skin and evaporate moisture rapidly; at night, the temperature drops so sharply it can freeze a person to death.
Additionally, sandstorms frequently erupt in the Demon Desert, with winds strong enough to overturn horses; being caught in one means a slim chance of survival.
There are also various extreme environments: quicksand, sandstorm pits, sharp stone pillars, poisonous cacti, and the threat of giant desert creatures...
The environment of the Demon Desert can be said to be even harsher than the Forest of Death.
The dizzying heat alone is incomparable to the Forest of Death.
Would you rather stay in a humid forest dense with poisonous creatures, or an arid, empty, scorching desert?
Ryou stuck out his tongue from the heat: "Pakura, where have you brought me? I'm dying of heat, hurry up and spray some water for me to drink!"
Even as a member of the Uchiha, a clan of fire, Ryou was panting from the heat.
Yet Pakura could move freely without breaking a single drop of sweat.
Compared to her Scorch Release, this temperature wasn't even worthy of being mentioned.
Far from the Sunagakure, Pakura stopped acting and gave a cold snort: "I just want to heat you to death, you fake. Stop pretending and show your true self!"
"Interesting, I didn't expect you to discover I was an impostor."
Ryou suddenly gave Pakura a weird smile.
Pakura snorted: "Your acting isn't like him at all. I don't know why Grandma Chiyo and Elder Ebizo haven't exposed you yet."
A cold voice answered Pakura: "No, they found out, but their perception was altered by Genjutsu, making them believe this guy is me."
Pakura looked toward Ryou's chest and saw a Red Tail Scorpion emerging from it.
Pakura was shocked: "You are the real Sasori of the Red Sand?!"
Sasori nodded and snorted: "Pakura, after all these years, you're still as stupid as ever!"
"What did you say?!"
Pakura immediately flared up, condensing a Scorch Release fireball in her hand and blasting it toward Sasori on Ryou's chest.
A Ninja Cat suddenly appeared on Ryou's shoulder—it was Candy. It summoned a gourd-shaped Gunbai and used it to directly absorb Pakura's Scorch Release fireball.
"Uchiha Reflection!"
With a shout from Candy, the Gunbai immediately reflected Pakura's Scorch Release fireball back at her.
Pakura hurriedly used Body Flicker to dodge. The Scorch Release fireball hit the desert, erupting into a powerful current of hot air.
Ryou couldn't take the heat anymore, reverted to his original form, and then took off his clothes to cool down a bit.
Pakura looked at the fan weapon in Candy's paws, her pupils shrinking: "The Gunbai Uchiwa!!"
Just moments ago, Ryou had given Temari a toy replica of the Gunbai. It was then that Pakura learned of the Uchiha Clan's divine artifact, the Gunbai that can reflect all Ninjutsu.
And also—
Pakura looked at the high-bridged nose and handsome face of Ryou, showing no surprise: "As expected, it's you, Uchiha Ryou!"
Pakura had already guessed that the one impersonating Sasori was Ryou.
Because Konoha had updated the latest intelligence on Ryou: he had defeated Jiraiya in Sage Mode and possessed the First Hokage's Wood Release.
Pakura had found out this morning.
According to the Hidden Sand's current intelligence, there were two people in the Ninja World who possessed Wood Release: one was Madara, and the other was Ryou.
Madara would never have such a distorted sense of humor as to impersonate someone else to infiltrate the Hidden Sand; this person could only be Ryou, who was weaker than Madara.
Ryou scratched his head, somewhat unable to understand how Pakura's brain worked.
"Pakura, since you knew it was me, why did you come to deal with me alone?"
Shouldn't a normal person report it and call for more Ninja to deal with Ryou?
But Pakura chose to lure Ryou to the Demon Desert alone, for fear that others might get involved.
Pakura snorted: "Uchiha Ryou, I can defeat you by myself."
She pressed her hands together and began refining her body's chakra, converting it into Scorch Release chakra.
Ryou and Sasori, on the other shoulder, glanced at each other, both seeing the speechlessness in the other's eyes.
No wonder Pakura still didn't know she had been sold out by the higher-ups until now?
This woman's brains had all been sacrificed to her chest and her Scorch Release.
Sasori snorted: "I'll kill her later and turn her into a Human Puppet. Someone this stupid shouldn't have a brain anyway; she'll be much better as a puppet."
Ryou shook his head: "She's a bit dim, but that's part of her charm! She's actually quite cute!"
"Candy, Snowy, Nekomata!"
"Present!"
Snowy and Matatabi emerged from the desert, immediately panting for air.
Because the Demon Desert was truly too hot, and a cat's cooling function is quite poor.
They were panting from the intense heat.
Snowy cursed: "Ryou, you son of a bitch, are you trying to assassinate me?"
"Shut up, Snowy!"
Matatabi could still endure it and said to Ryou: "Master, what are your orders?"
Ryou commanded: "The three of you go and set up a barrier. Don't let the Hidden Sand Ninja be drawn here."
"Yes!"
The three Ninja Cats went to set up the barrier.
Pakura shouted coldly at Ryou: "Uchiha Ryou, did you infiltrate our Hidden Sand to steal our One-Tail Shukaku?"
Ryou spread his hands: "Isn't that obvious?"
Pakura snorted: "As I thought, you were sent by Uchiha Madara to capture Shukaku. Was going to Temari's house just now to scout the location?"
Ryou shook his head: "Not exactly. I just simply wanted to meet Karura; she is a great mother."
In the original work, which mother could surpass Karura?
Though they were all equally great, the one who provided the most help to her child was Karura.
Even after her death, the Shield of Sand formed by her chakra continued to protect her child—a different kind of 'Mom-sano'o.'
Her love for Gaara surpassed everything, even her love for her husband.
In the original work, many mothers actually loved their husbands more than their children.
For example, Mikoto in the original work: when Itachi was under double pressure from the Village and the clan, she didn't stand up as a mother to relieve his stress.
She followed Fugaku in everything, essentially becoming an appendage of Fugaku's will.
When Fugaku didn't resist, she followed him and was executed by Itachi.
A mother is the greatest safe harbor; though she may not be able to solve your problems, she is always the one who cares for you most.
Don't tell your mother about your problems; she can't help, and it will only keep her awake at night.
A mother is definitely not someone who would treat you like a beast of burden.
If Karura knew what Rasa did to Gaara in the original work, she would have surely turned against him.
Speaking of this kind of maternal love, the most extreme was Ōtsutsuki Kaguya; because her children took away her chakra, she wanted to kill them to take it back.
The most absolute was Doujin Hinata; while Naruto was working in the Hokage's office, she would often be at home with Boruto...
Back to the topic.
Ryou greatly admired Karura, that great mother, so of course he had to get to know her and perhaps help look after things when Rasa dies.
Thinking about it this way, Ryou was truly a philanthropist.
Pakura spat: "Uchiha Ryou, as if you'd be so kind. Konoha's intelligence says you even killed your own Village comrades."
"A heartless, ungrateful beast with no Village and no home."