CH - 138 Screws?

After his bath, Sasori examined the peculiar green attire he now wore. His face remained impassive as he observed the unfamiliar garments. They may not be the most aesthetically pleasing, but they offered ease of movement and comfort, which he couldn't deny. Yet, he couldn't help but feel increasingly perplexed about the Rain Village's true motives. First, they provided food, followed by hot water, and now clothing. What was their endgame?

Sasori's frown deepened as he noticed the rising commotion in the camp. More people were being brought in, adding to the chaos. However, after a moment of contemplation, he decided to disregard the matter. "It doesn't concern me anyway," he thought with indifference.

His primary objective was to find the materials he required for his puppeteer work. Everything else was of little consequence to him. In truth, even though he has the puppet of the Strongest Kazekage, he has no intention of crossing paths with the leader of the Grass Village or the ninja world's demigod. With this in mind, he was on the verge of departing when a stern-looking ninja from the Grass Village approached.

"Is everything organized?" the Grass Village ninja inquired, snapping Sasori from his thoughts. "If you're ready, bring your identity registration with you and follow me."

Sasori pondered what was happening. Were they being relocated to a different site? Given the current location's appearance, it didn't seem suited for experiments. The thought that they might be shifting people elsewhere for such purposes crossed his mind, and a faint, cold smile played on his lips as he decided to quietly follow the group. The mysteries surrounding the Land of Rain were piquing his curiosity.

However, after a couple of hours, when they reached a building not far from the camp and saw the spacious structure, Sasori's frown deepened. This place had a faint laboratory-like aura, but it was far more open than he had anticipated. Why weren't they concerned about being discovered?

Despite his initial surprise, Sasori swiftly regained his composure, his icy smile returning. He murmured to himself, "Interesting." It appeared that the Land of Rain had more layers of complexity than he had initially thought.

Sasori couldn't help but wonder about the Grass and Rain Village ninja's intentions concerning the multitude of ordinary people. If their plans turned out to be intriguing, he might consider assisting them in his own unique way. However, if the situation didn't pique his interest, he wouldn't hesitate to take matters into his own hands, even if it involved destroying the place.

For Sasori, the pursuit of the art of eternity was paramount, and he wouldn't allow anything or anyone to hinder his goals. As he entertained these thoughts, a Grass Village ninja, who appeared to have held a brief discussion with the overseeing figure present here, approached.

"You all remain here. The personnel on site will take care of the rest. I'll be heading out," the ninja stated before departing without further concern for the bewildered and lost civilians. He had his own responsibilities to attend to, and the events at this location were neither his concern nor his duty.

Sasori observed the departing ninja without worry, shifting his focus to his surroundings. However, it did strike him as surprising that they required such a large number of ordinary people, and it seemed like the camp was continually sending more in. This operation was far more extensive than he had initially imagined.

At that moment, while he contemplated what kind of human experiment Rain Village was gonna do, a figure suddenly appeared before him, extending a hand towards him. Sasori's caution surged as he wondered if he had been discovered.

His eyes snapped into focus as he looked at the outstretched hand, and his right hand tensed, ready to take action. However, the person placed something in his hand. Sasori's puzzled expression deepened. He recognized the object, it was a screwdriver, even the same type, he uses for making his puppets.

However, He couldn't understand, what he meant by handing over this screwdriver? As his confusion grew, the Grass ninja in front of him spoke earnestly, "The factory hasn't commenced operations yet. Some equipment has just been delivered. Today, we'll be handling this equipment first. You need not worry, your task is quite simple. Just follow the provided instructions to screw in some screws."

Sasori remained silent, examining the screwdriver in his hand. He couldn't help but be bewildered by the situation. The renowned master puppeteer from the Sand Village, a figure famous throughout the ninja world, was being asked to screw in screws?

What had happened to the grander plan, the potential human experiments, and the mysterious agenda he had envisioned? All that mystery and ..that's it? To screw in screws? His initial expectations come crashing down heavily.

He was on the verge of throwing the screwdriver away in frustration when the Grass ninja admonished him, "Young man, why aren't you getting to work? Have you learned to be lazy at such a young age?"

His tone turned serious as he continued, "You need to be diligent at your job because that's what earns you your food here. If you don't work earnestly, you won't be provided meals."

The Grass Village ninja emphasized, "You see, job openings are quite scarce right now. If you're late, you might miss your opportunity. Cherish this chance to screw in screws. Furthermore, the leaders of our villages are nearby, so they might come for an inspection later. So, work hard, and don't bring shame upon us!"

Upon hearing that the leaders of the Grass and Rain Villages were nearby, Sasori's face stiffened. He reluctantly accepted the screwdriver and approached the equipment. He realized that now wasn't the right time to expose himself. He decided to observe for a few days, suspecting that this mundane task might just be a smokescreen, and that this spacious building likely held more secrets.

As he tightened the screws, Sasori couldn't help but wonder about the motives and intentions of the Grass and Rain Villages. It was clear that there was more to the situation than met the eye, and he was determined to uncover the truth behind their actions. In the world of shinobi, one couldn't afford to be careless, and Sasori was no exception.

…

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Akihiko, that renowned puppeteer of the ninja world was diligently tightening screws on some equipment.

In contrast, Akihiko stood before a unique and momentous sight in the Grass Village. While the Rain Village was engaged in cleaning and reconstruction efforts, the Grass Village was abuzz with activity. Today marked the launch of the highly anticipated 'Thunder Train,' a moment of great significance. As the leader of the Grass Village, Akihiko couldn't afford to miss this historic event.

The place was bustling with Rain and Grass Village ninjas, and photographers had been dispatched to capture this milestone. It was the first collaborative project between the Grass and Rain countries, and the inaugural test run of the Thunder Train, making it a momentous and lively occasion.

Akihiko couldn't hide his curiosity when he spotted the unexpected presence of Hanzo. He inquired, "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in the Rain Village, overseeing matters over there?"

Furthermore, Akihiko knew that Hanzo had borrowed a substantial sum of money from Kakuzu. It puzzled him that Hanzo was wandering about here rather than focusing on how to repay his debt and make money in the Rain Village.

"And just a reminder," he added with a sly grin, "If you don't pay your debts on time, don't be surprised if Kakuzu comes knocking on your door personally."

"Debts? What debts?" Hanzo responded, feigning confusion.

Akihiko was left speechless by Hanzo's nonchalant reply. Was this guy seriously planning to avoid repaying the money he owed? Could he truly be thinking that he can default on Kakuzu? He couldn't help but remember Mubuki. During this period, Mubuki had been away from the village, seemingly avoiding his debts.

Akihiko was about to press further, but Hanzo, seeming as carefree as ever, simply waved his hand and continued, "Oh, it's just a small sum, not a big deal. Besides, I've already made up my mind... I'll pay it back."

Hanzo briefly hesitated, changing the subject, "I just couldn't miss such an important event. I have plenty of time on my hands. I'm genuinely intrigued by this... what do you call it... 'train.' "

However, As they eagerly awaited the arrival of the Thunder Train, all eyes were fixed on the horizon, yet it remained out of sight, building their anticipation.

"It's here!" Suddenly, a sound drew their attention, and all eyes turned toward it. They witnessed a sleek, long machine rapidly approaching. It was remarkably fast and produced a distinctive 'gurgle-gurgle' sound.

"Is this the Thunder Train Akihiko was talking about? It's undoubtedly impressive," Hanzo pondered as he observed the speed of the train.

As everyone observed the approaching Thunder Train with a mix of curiosity and enthusiasm, Akihiko, the leader of the Grass Village, couldn't suppress his confusion and asked, "Why is it green, by the way?"