Chapter 64 : PUPPETS 

---

Chapter 64 : PUPPETS 

As I ran and fought off the approaching puppets, my fourth clone suddenly dispelled, flooding my mind with its memories. The clone had been investigating the matters concerning the underground Dragon Veins, and the information it uncovered was invaluable.

" Four Hours Earlier…"

My clone cautiously made its way through the dimly lit basement of the castle, where the Dragon Veins were rumored to be. The air was heavy with an eerie chill, and the darkness seemed almost alive, pressing in on all sides. I activated my Eager Eyes, and my vision sharpened, turning the darkness into a brightly lit room.

"Thap, thap, thap." The sound of my footsteps echoed in the confined space as I descended the seemingly endless stone staircase. After what felt like an eternity of walking, I finally reached the bottom—a massive underground chamber. The room was dominated by an enormous hall filled with caves, from which chakra threads emanated in various directions. 

A normal shinobi would have been paralyzed with fear upon entering such a place, but I pressed on, my resolve steeling with each step.

As I made my way toward the center of the chamber, I passed numerous gates and side tunnels. Suddenly, a metallic clanging noise echoed through the chamber—"Tung." The sound was eerily familiar, and a sense of dread washed over me. 

"Could it be?" I thought, my mind racing as I cautiously approached the source of the sound.

I entered a smaller tunnel that branched off into several others. The sound grew louder, sharper. Finally, I reached a small chamber where the source of the noise was revealed—a puppet, its movements jerky and unnatural, was mining ore from the walls. The sight was unnerving, but what truly sent chills down my spine was the realization that the sound wasn't coming from just one puppet.

The air was thick with the cacophony of iron striking rock, and with my Observation Haki, I could sense around 20 puppets mining the ore in nearby tunnels. However, I knew these were only the ones within my sensory range—there were undoubtedly many more out of reach.

"System," I called out, desperate for some assistance. 

[The function is currently locked.] The system window pops up with a locked sign came up with a window.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath. "Is there any other way to scan the area?"

[You could explore the area manually, but it will take a considerable amount of time.] The system suggested.

"Seems like I have no other choice," I said, resigning myself to the task ahead.

If I killed the puppet in front of me, it would alert all the others. I needed to gather more information before making any moves. The clone ran tirelessly for two hours, weaving through the network of tunnels and chambers, piecing together a map in its mind. 

By the end of the exploration, the clone had counted nearly 100 puppets engaged in mining operations. These weren't ordinary puppets—they were ancient, their faint breaths of life indicating they were created long ago, likely using actual humans as the base. 

Finally, the clone reached the most remote tunnel, where a massive entrance loomed ahead. The clone entered cautiously, and what it saw left it speechless.

"Damn, this is…" The words escaped me as I took in the sight.

A vast hall spread out before me, filled with a monstrous machine that processed the mined ore. The metals were melted down, refined, and then used to construct new puppets. However, I could tell these newly constructed puppets were not as powerful as those made from living beings—they lacked the raw strength and vitality.

These puppets remained inactive, likely because controlling them required a great deal of mental energy. Anakouzanu must be conserving the for when he needed overwhelming force.

Back to the Present…

As I continued to process the memories, my resolve hardened. I knew now that we were dealing with an enemy who had planned meticulously, who had prepared an army of puppets that could only be unleashed by a mind powerful enough to control them all.

This was no ordinary threat. Anakouzanu had grown far stronger than I had anticipated, and the situation was far more dire than I could have imagined.

-----