Over the course of a single night, Naruto Uzumaki successfully acquired the secret technique scrolls of both Sunagakure and Konohagakure.
These were the two villages he was most reluctant to resort to force with, which is why he left them for last.
Now that everything had gone smoothly, the weight on his heart could finally be lifted.
Reflecting on the past three months, Naruto realized that his interactions with the Five Great Shinobi Villages had been achieved through five entirely different approaches!
His journey to Kumogakure was a contest of strength.
His visit to Iwagakure was an exchange of interests.
His time in Kirigakure was a repayment of kindness.
His dealings with Sunagakure were a gift of friendship.
And his return to Konohagakure was met with the affection of his elders.
Each of these approaches was a microcosm of the bonds that tied the shinobi world together!
They also determined how he would interact with the Five Great Shinobi Villages in the future.
Back in Amegakure, Naruto immediately secluded himself in his study to inventory the scrolls he had obtained.
With so many scrolls in hand, it was clear that his training needed to follow a specific order. Given his prior basic knowledge of mechanical assembly, Naruto decided to strike while the iron was hot and delve into Sunagakure's Puppet Techniques!
"The Puppet Techniques of Sunagakure" were originally created by the Second Kazekage, Shamon, and later popularized by the first puppet master, Monzaemon Chikamatsu. Over time, the art was refined and passed down through masters like Chiyo and Ebizō, eventually reaching its pinnacle under Sasori of the Red Sand!
Puppet Techniques are divided into two major domains: Creation and Control.
Simply put, Creation refers to the ability to develop puppets, while Control refers to the ability to maneuver puppets in battle.
Only by mastering both domains can one be considered a top-tier puppet master.
However, Naruto's Six Paths Technique granted by the Rinnegan gave him a unique advantage—he could remotely drive puppets using chakra without the need for chakra threads. This alone set him apart from the rest!
Thus, he only needed to focus on Creation, without worrying about Control.
"So, the joints can be constructed this way? Indeed, this design greatly enhances both mobility and durability!"
Naruto immersed himself in the study of Puppet Techniques, working tirelessly. Before he knew it, he had already sketched out blueprints and, using parts disassembled from the Asura Path, assembled a brand-new Mecha Naruto!
By evening, Konan arrived with dinner.
Naruto, brimming with excitement, exclaimed, "Hey, Konan-nee, do you know something?"
"What is it?" Konan responded calmly, placing the tray on the table.
Naruto said, "I think I'm starting to understand Sasori of the Red Sand's puppet artistry! Even though I'm stronger than him, I can't help but admire him. What should I do?"
Konan picked up a meat bun from the tray and handed it to him. "Eat first, then talk."
Naruto took a big bite, nearly finishing half in one go. "Hey~ Konan-nee, how about we... Ura Ura Ura—"
Thud thud thud! Naruto choked, pounding his chest.
Thud thud thud!
Konan handed him a glass of water and patted his back. "Swallow it slowly before you speak."
Gulp! Naruto swallowed the meat bun and finished his thought: "How about we recruit Sasori too? I want him to be my assistant!"
Konan handed him a napkin, her gaze shifting to the Mecha Naruto standing nearby. "Is this your creation? I heard you designed one while traveling to Sunagakure as well."
Naruto grinned. "Ah, that's right! But while that one was just a concept, the one you see here is my debut work—Mecha Naruto: Prototype Unit-01!"
"Is that so?" Konan responded indifferently.
"And look at this—my grand vision!"
Naruto slowly unfurled a scroll before her, revealing a series of design blueprints!
Mecha Sasuke, Mecha Hinata, Mecha Sakura, Mecha Kakashi, Mecha Madara, Mecha Obito, Mecha Tsunade, Mecha Raikage—all meticulously planned!
Konan remarked, "They all seem to be your old acquaintances."
"Ta-da! Check this out!" Naruto opened the scroll to its final section, revealing a rough draft of Mecha Konan!
Konan's face, half-hidden behind her high collar, betrayed no emotion. Her already dull eyes seemed to lose their remaining light.
Naruto gestured enthusiastically at the curves on the blueprint. "Konan-nee, could you share your body measurements with me? I'll need those parameters for the design!"
After a moment of silence, Konan replied with a surprising statement: "Don't you already know them?"
Naruto tilted his head. "???"
Konan shook her head. "Forget it. I'll measure them later and let you know."
The puppet-play interlude came to a temporary close. Konan gathered the empty dishes and suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, did you find Icha Icha Paradise during your trip to Konoha?"
Naruto smacked his forehead. "Oh! If you hadn't reminded me, Konan-nee, I'd have completely forgotten."
He pulled out the small orange-covered book from a drawer, hesitating. "Do you really want to read it, Konan-nee?"
"Of course," Konan replied earnestly, already taking the book from his hands. "Not only do I want to decipher the code hidden within, but I also want to understand the ninja way and spirit that Jiraiya-sensei sought to convey through this work."
"I'll head back to my room to read now. Don't stay up too late—get some rest."
With that, Konan left the room, leaving Naruto scratching his head.
"That book was practically Hinata's and my teacher in enlightenment. The ninja way it conveys is practically the antithesis of the Three Ninja Prohibitions. But then again, Konan-nee probably counts as someone who's been through it all, right?"
Meanwhile, in Konohagakure, night had fallen.
Sakura Haruno walked toward the Hokage's office.
These past weeks had been filled with endless setbacks for her.
First, her mission to track down Sasuke ended in failure. Then, she received the devastating news of her parents' deaths.
To make matters worse, her parents had died during Sasuke's attack on Konoha.
The person she loved most had killed the people she was closest to.
The pain was overwhelming, like a tidal wave drowning her.
Tsunade, understanding her disciple's turmoil, decided that Sakura was unfit for missions in her current state and granted her some time off.
But as the days passed, Sakura found that idle time only deepened her sorrow, leaving her unable to move forward. She decided to request a return to active duty.
Standing outside the Hokage's office, Sakura raised her hand to knock but paused when she heard voices from within.
Kakashi: "That's right. Naruto came to me last night and asked for that thing."
Tsunade: "That boy has no interest in such frivolous things. What could he possibly want it for?"
"I was curious too, but Naruto explained it to me."
Kakashi paused, as if gathering his thoughts.
"Jiraiya-sama has been resurrected! Naruto used the Rinnegan's forbidden technique to bring him back!"
"What?!" Tsunade slammed her hands on the desk, her eyes trembling. "When did this happen?!"
Kakashi: "Recently. He spent nearly two months recovering Jiraiya-sama's body from the ocean near Amegakure and successfully revived him. Before Naruto left, he said you could visit him anytime."
By the time the conversation ended, Sakura Haruno had already disappeared from the corridor.
End of Chapter
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