22. Ishigami Hara's Puppet Manipulation Technique!

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From the moment he left the village until now, Ishigami Hara has always harbored doubts about Nawaki's situation. From their first encounter to the present, everything now seems to be explained clearly.

Without even needing to think too much, Ishigami Hara now has a reason to blame all of this on Shimura Danzō.

While Danzō may not openly contact them, at least not in the current time period, passing on information about Nawaki would be easy for him to accomplish without exposing himself.

This is where Ishigami Hara's foresight comes into play. If it were anyone else, even Orochimaru or the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, they likely wouldn't have considered this possibility.

At most, they might have concluded that their confidentiality measures were lacking. If they dug deeper, they might suspect that Konoha had been infiltrated by too many spies from other villages.

As for suspecting Shimura Danzō, Orochimaru may have had some inklings, but without evidence, exposing a high-ranking advisor would be nearly impossible, even for a disciple of the Third Hokage.

And if he was wrong, it could provoke retaliation, which wouldn't be worth the risk.

Given Orochimaru's obsession with immortality, he would certainly avoid putting himself in unnecessary danger.

In this way, Orochimaru's trajectory in the original storyline may be explained: after Nawaki's death, he saw through Konoha's darkness and subsequently embraced it, even losing his love for the village. This would provide a logical explanation for his future actions.

However, none of this matters to Ishigami Hara, and he is entirely indifferent to it.

At this moment, the behavior of the male and female puppeteers upon seeing Nawaki in the field clearly confirmed Ishigami Hara's suspicions.

It should be said that Nawaki's lineage is noteworthy. Even though he is still a teenager, being the grandson of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, is more than enough to attract attention.

This time, the attack by the Sunagakure Shinobi is undoubtedly tied to his identity.

Nawaki appeared nervous in the face of these two puppeteers. After all, he was just a rookie who had recently arrived on the battlefield. Facing two Jōnin-level puppeteers naturally put him under immense pressure.

Especially after hearing the male puppeteer's words, Nawaki's expression shifted dramatically, and an ominous feeling began to grow in his heart.

Clank, clank...

The distinct mechanical sound of the puppet's gears echoed as a massive gecko puppet lunged forward like a tiger. Its abdomen suddenly opened, revealing a hollow compartment inside.

Upon closer inspection, the compartment was lined with sharp, fine blades. It was clear that anyone caught inside would meet a grisly end.

At the same time, the female puppeteer controlled a bat-like puppet, which descended from the air with its wings spread wide. From the tips of its wings, thin but strong steel wires extended, each tipped with small hooks, clearly meant to ensnare an opponent.

The two puppets, one above and one below, rushed at Nawaki simultaneously. Several remaining Sunagakure Shinobi assisted from the sides, instantly cutting off any chance of retreat.

At that moment, Nawaki felt a wave of desperation.

No matter how high-spirited or proud he was, he was still just a Genin. Facing such a dangerous situation, it was remarkable that his legs didn't buckle under the fear.

Without a second thought, Nawaki dodged sideways, barely avoiding the gecko puppet's strike. He quickly formed hand seals, and a large ball of fire erupted from his mouth, targeting the bat puppet swooping down from above.

Boom!

The explosion echoed as the flames made contact, and Nawaki used the brief distraction to escape immediate danger.

However, this was only a temporary reprieve. The real danger still loomed, as he remained trapped within the Sunagakure Shinobi's encirclement.

"Damn it!"

Nawaki cursed under his breath, scanning the area for a weakness in the enemy formation. But after a moment of searching, his frustration only grew.

"Come with us, little brat!" the male puppeteer ordered, his voice filled with a hint of excitement.

"You're dreaming!" Nawaki snapped back, quickly forming seals once more.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

Gurgle!

The ground beneath everyone's feet rapidly turned to mud, especially affecting the gecko puppet, which began to sink into the newly-formed swamp.

"Hmph!"

The male puppeteer scoffed, unimpressed by the move. The swamp might stall the puppet for a brief moment, but it wasn't enough to neutralize it.

In his eyes, it was just a futile attempt to buy time. "Don't worry about hurting him, just capture him," he ordered.

The other Sunagakure Shinobi grinned in response, and immediately rushed toward Nawaki.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The fight broke out.

No—more accurately, it was a one-sided assault. The Sunagakure Shinobi ninjas surrounded Nawaki and attacked without using any powerful jutsu.

After all, they wanted to capture him alive.

As long as Nawaki survived, even if he was injured, their mission would be considered a success.

In this situation, even though Nawaki's chakra reserves were stronger than the average Jōnin, his lack of combat experience was becoming painfully clear.

At first, he managed to hold his ground for a few exchanges, but he soon found himself at a disadvantage. "Damn it!"

Frustrated, Nawaki tried several times to form hand seals, but each attempt was quickly interrupted by his attackers.

"Damn it!" he shouted again, feeling cornered.

While Nawaki wasn't afraid of death, he understood the gravity of the situation. He couldn't allow himself to be captured by the Sunagakure Shinobi, knowing that his special identity would make his capture a significant blow to Konoha.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from not far away. "Here it comes."

The Sunagakure Shinobi were startled by the sound, but what shocked them even more was what happened to Nawaki next.

"Huh!?"

Nawaki suddenly felt his arms and legs move in ways he hadn't expected. His body seemed to respond with unnatural agility, making extraordinary movements that helped him dodge the enemy's attacks with ease.

"What's happening?" Nawaki thought, momentarily confused. He was about to resist when he heard Ishigami Hara's calm voice in his mind.

"Don't resist."

At that, Nawaki immediately relaxed. He had complete trust in Ishigami Hara.

His body moved on its own, his hands forming a series of seals while still dodging the Sand Shinobi's attacks. In mid-air, as if on instinct, he struck one of the nearby enemies with a finishing blow.

"Water Release: Surging Sea!"

A torrent of water materialized instantly, engulfing the man in front and sweeping away three others behind him in the process.

Using the momentum from the water wave, Nawaki effortlessly escaped the circle of enemies and landed beside Ishigami Hara.

At this point, the male puppeteer glared at Ishigami Hara with a tense expression, his gaze fixed on Hara's raised left hand.

The reason became clear: each of Ishigami Hara's five fingers had chakra threads extending from them, connected directly to Nawaki's limbs and lower back.

"Puppet control technique? And this level of chakra thread..."

For some reason, a sense of unease spread among the Sunagakure Shinobi. Seeing Ishigami Hara manipulate Nawaki with such skill left them feeling unnerved, as if they had suddenly lost control of the battle.