Chapter 87

Nara Shikaku closed the scroll, rubbing his temples with a weary sigh.

"Orochimaru, please recount the details of what happened. I need to report this to the Hokage."

Orochimaru began to explain the events involving the elite troops. Hatake Sakumo's command was sound, and Nara Shikaku's battle plan had no flaws. No one anticipated that Iwagakure would unleash such a well-orchestrated ambush.

It caught everyone by surprise.

"Ah!" Nara Shikaku sighed, his voice heavy with regret. "We didn't see this coming."

"Iwagakure really had their sights set on you all."

Their target wasn't merely an elite unit—those were expendable to a degree—but Konoha's rising stars were a different matter altogether.

Although losing an elite unit was painful, Konoha could eventually train a new one. However, losing even one of their geniuses would be a devastating blow. Iwagakure had aimed high, attempting to eliminate not one but three formidable talents.

Shaking his head, Nara Shikaku pushed his frustration aside and turned back to Orochimaru.

"Shinki mentioned that you contacted him through one of his puppets. How did that work?"

It was clear that many were still unaware of Shinki's capabilities. Orochimaru couldn't help but smirk.

"I studied one of Shinki's puppets after disassembling it. It's incredible that he can imbue life into a puppet. While researching it, I wondered if it could be controlled remotely."

"..."

Nara Shikaku stared, dumbfounded. Imbuing life into a puppet? And remote control? What kind of technique was this?

Orochimaru continued, "Shinki's puppets are remarkable. They can be remotely controlled, communicate, and even act as surveillance tools. They are incredibly powerful."

He then detailed the events of Shinki's daring rescue. Nara Shikako, initially burdened with the weight of their losses, felt a glimmer of hope.

"You're saying that Shinki might have at least a thousand of these puppets?"

"And some as strong as jonin-level shinobi?"

What kind of genius was this? He had been quietly sitting in the camp, supposedly as just a medical ninja, holding such an ace.

Recalling Shinki's words, Orochimaru chuckled, "Shinki claimed he's merely a medical ninja with no means of self-defense, so he needed more puppets for protection."

Self-protection? Nara Shikaku knew better. Shinki's abilities were anything but ordinary; they bordered on legendary. If anything, calling him the second coming of Tsunade wouldn't be an exaggeration. And yet, here he was, playing the role of a "weak" medical ninja.

Nara Shikaku felt a pang of envy and admiration. Shinki's strategy was brilliant.

"Do you think we could deploy Shinki's puppets on the battlefield...?"

A new idea sparked in Nara Shikaku's mind. Why send living shinobi into harm's way when the puppets could do the fighting for them? The village's ninjas were precious; if a problem could be solved with puppets, it should be.

Orochimaru's eyes lit up. "If each squad had a few of Shinki's puppets..."

The excitement was palpable. Nara Shikaku slapped the table, his eyes gleaming with determination.

"Shinki's right—he needs to be protected. The village should never allow such a genius to be exposed to unnecessary risks!"

Where others might think of sending Shinki into combat, Nara Shikaku believed Shinki was too valuable and should be safeguarded. His puppets alone could turn the tide of battle without risking Konoha's shinobi.

Puppets capable of fighting, defending, and exploding would wreak havoc on the enemy's morale. And the added bonus of using them as communication hubs was a tactical breakthrough.

"Orochimaru, go get some rest. I need to contact the village immediately. This must be handled with the utmost importance."

Orochimaru nodded and left, pleased with the direction things were heading. He hoped the village would act on this, solidifying his role as Shinki's exclusive collaborator.

Nara Shikaku wasted no time. He sent an urgent message to Konoha, addressing it to both the Third Hokage and Tsunade.

Before Shinki even woke up, the scroll had already reached the village.

The Third Hokage's eyes widened as he read the scroll. He dropped it on the desk with a loud thud, staring blankly for a moment before picking it up again for a closer read. If it hadn't come from Nara Shikaku—a man not prone to exaggeration—he might have thought it was a joke.

Unlike the astonished Hokage, Tsunade was much calmer. Shinki had already hinted at some of his capabilities, so she wasn't entirely surprised. She even had a few of his puppets in her possession.

"Lady Tsunade, the Hokage requests your immediate presence."

An Anbu agent appeared at her door. The urgency in his voice was unmistakable.

The Third Hokage, now fully grasping the implications of Shinki's puppets, couldn't remain idle. Just as Nara Shikaku had anticipated, he saw the immense potential.

There hadn't been a minister in the Anbu before, as the highest rank was captain. But with Tsunade's leadership, the position of minister was established, and she became the first to hold it.

"Old man, what's the rush?" Tsunade asked as she walked into the Hokage's office, casually taking a seat on the sofa.

The Third Hokage looked at her, eyes clouded with mixed emotions. He knew she was aware of Shinki's skills but had never mentioned them.

"Tsunade, Shinki's puppets... you know how exceptional they are, don't you?"

When Shinki had started collecting corpses of powerful creatures for puppet materials, Tsunade had helped facilitate those transactions and even profited from the task. She had also secured various materials for him, so there was no way she could feign ignorance.

"Yes, I know. Shinki has been making puppets for a long time."

Tsunade spoke nonchalantly, "After all, he's just a medical ninja who needs protection. It's only natural for him to create some means to defend himself. I even helped him get materials."

"....."

The Third Hokage's face darkened at her calm tone.

"Tsunade, you know what I'm asking."

So, now you recognize the urgency?

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Just get to the point, old man."

"I need Shinki to share his puppets with the village. The village could greatly benefit from them."

As expected, the Third Hokage was trying to secure these valuable assets for Konoha.

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