Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

The Land of Wind
Hu~hu~
The fierce wind, carrying fine sand, can erode any life, yet when it sweeps across the golden dunes, it leaves no trace of its presence.

"Squeak!"

Several figures strolled across the scorching yellow sand, leaving behind a trail of fleeting footprints.

Taking advantage of a brief respite from the sandstorm, one of the figures removed the cloak covering his head, revealing short, silver-gray hair.
"Thank you, Xiu."

Sakumo Hatake gazed at the faint green in the distance, his eyes filled with gratitude.

“Aren’t we good partners? Ah Qi.”

Upon hearing this, Xiu, who was leading the way, turned around and gave him a bright smile.

"I will definitely keep my promise to you!"

"If Father hadn't led us the wrong way, we would have already arrived at our second grandfather's house."

At this moment, the little burden-like figure following behind him raised its head and stared expressionlessly at the heroic Xiu.

"Ahem. Scorpion, children shouldn't interrupt when adults are talking!"

Hearing his eldest son's complaints, Xiu scratched his feverish face, slightly embarrassed, and then reached out to rub his son's red head vigorously.

"And where did I lead you astray? Isn't Loulan over there?"

"If we had turned left half an hour ago, we would have arrived at our destination by now."

Unfortunately, Scorpion was an incredibly earnest child from a young age. Even with his father's suggestive glances, he still fairly pointed out Xiu's previous wrong decision.
"My child, I'm just trying to give you more experience and training. When will you ever understand my good intentions?"

Seeing that his mistake of leading the wrong way had been exposed, Xiu simply stopped explaining and openly admitted it, but the reasons he gave seemed quite convincing.

Scorpion: "Stupid old man." (_)
"You brat, don't forget your mother isn't with you right now."

"Uh"

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of panic flashed across Scorpion's expressionless face.

"Hmph~ We're spending the night in Loulan tonight, you don't want to sleep alone, do you?"

Xiu noticed his son's unusual expression and snorted smugly. Despite Scorpion's usual mature demeanor, he was actually terrified of the dark and needed someone to be with him to sleep peacefully at night.
"I'm sorry, I was wrong, Father Banzai."

Fearing that Black Scorpion would ultimately succumb to Xiu's tyranny, he feigned loyalty by raising his small watch.

"That's what father and son are like."

Sakumo Hatake, who witnessed the scene of the father and son being kind and filial, was filled with envy. If Yoruha could really give birth to a new life safely, would he also be able to have a son who was 80 years old at a time?

Thinking about it this way, he suddenly felt a tiny bit excited.

"Xiu, what kind of person is the Second Generation Lord?"

Sakumo Hatake had two purposes for this trip.
First, he consulted Shamon, the greatest puppeteer in the ninja world, about the treatment (repair) of YoRHa.
Secondly, he inquired about an old matter: who exactly was the mysterious person he encountered who controlled the two angelic heart puppets?

Of course, it would be best if Shamon could solve Yoruichi's problem, then he wouldn't need to bring up the second question again.

"Lord Shamen is a very serious person. When you meet him, please don't say anything casually. Just leave everything to me."

When the name Shamon was mentioned, Xiu seemed to recall some unpleasant memories. His previously smiling face instantly fell, revealing that he had suffered many setbacks at the hands of the Second Kazekage in the past.

But it makes sense, considering he was the most talented puppeteer in Sunagakure before Sasori was born, how could he not have received guidance from Shamon?

"Grandpa is clearly very kind."

"Little Scorpion, this is all an illusion. When you get to a certain age, you will find that adults are all wearing a mask that no one can see through."

Xiu reached out and rubbed his eldest son's bewildered little head, speaking with a sigh as he subtly glanced at Hatake Sakumo behind him.

Unfortunately, Shuo Mao was preoccupied with his "cyber wife" and didn't notice Xiu's strange gaze.

"I understand, I'll be careful then."

"That's good. If we hurry, we might still make it in time for dinner."

Xiu resumed his previous cheerful demeanor, reached out and put on his cloak, and was the first to plunge into the sandstorm sweeping in front of him.

"Can you still hold on, Little Scorpion?"

Following closely behind, Sakumo Hatake looked at the diminutive figure swaying precariously beside him and asked softly,

"I'm fine, Uncle Qi."

Scorpion raised her resolute little face, gritted her teeth, and shook her head.

Although Sasori learned swordsmanship from Sakumo Hatake, the two did not have the title of master and apprentice, and usually addressed each other as uncle and nephew.

"Don't be stubborn, let me take you away."

Glancing up at the gale-force winds before him, Sakumo Hatake chuckled and grabbed Sasori in one swift motion. With Sasori's tiny arms and legs, he'd probably be swept away to meet the Sage of Six Paths in the blink of an eye.

"Whoosh!"

Before the words were even finished, and before Sasori could protest, Hatake Sakumo's figure transformed into a streak of light and pierced into the deep yellow sandstorm, catching up with Xiu's figure in a few flashes.
Did they catch up so quickly?

Out of the corner of his eye, Xiu caught sight of Hatake Sakumo with his son. His face showed no joy, only a strange heaviness.
Although he only learned chakra manipulation a few years ago, Ah Qi's current strength and abilities are nothing like those of a half-baked, incompetent ninja.
Xiu took a deep breath. He refused to believe that his partner of many years was a traitor within the enemy nation.

I hope I'm just overthinking it.

"Little Scorpion, that's not like a man at all!"

"Next time I will definitely cross the sandstorm by myself."

Sasori, who had been placed on the ground by Sakumo Hatake, straightened his disheveled clothes expressionlessly, his tone full of certainty.
“You said the same thing last time, and you even had the audacity to say, ‘I’m going to tell Little Bug about this adventure!’”

"Well!"

The father's mocking imitation was so lifelike that it instantly turned Scorpion's face into a bright red, matching his hair.
"Urusai! Baka otōsan!"

Such a shameful secret must never reach Xiao Chong's ears. The little scorpion, with its red and warm skin, raised its tiny fist to strike its father's knee, but Xiu dodged it with a laugh beforehand.

"Haha, little scorpion, you're not good enough to ambush your father!"

Sakumo Hatake, who was watching the classic scene of fatherly love and filial piety with a smile, suddenly looked at the green sea of ​​trees not far away, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Someone's coming."

"Ok?"

Sure enough, a few seconds later, several armored guards escorted a voluptuous figure wearing a thin veil, who appeared in their field of vision.
Sakumo Hatake warily observed the guard before him, whose aura was not weak, and quietly reached for the White Fang short sword at his waist.

"Aqi, don't be impulsive, they're one of us."

Xiu raised his hand and patted Sakumo Hatake on the shoulder, signaling him not to get agitated.
"Your Majesty Sana, it's been a long time."

Xiu greeted the woman in the guard center with a broad smile.
"I'm here to pick up Scorpion Sauce. As for you, you'd better not come here often."

The voluptuous woman with red hair removed the thin veil from her face, revealing a fair and delicate face that exuded a mature and charming allure. Her watery eyes glared at the smiling Xiu with disdain.
She stepped forward, ignoring the other's struggles, and scooped up the delicate-faced little boy, Scorpion, taking a deep breath of his breath. A satisfied smile immediately appeared on her pretty face.

"Scorpion Sauce, aren't you going to greet people?"

"Aunt Sana."

With a look of utter despair, Scorpion let out a soft, whimpering cry.
"Call my sister."

"You're older than my mother, how can you be so shameless?"
"Sister Sana~" (_ゝ`)
"That's more like it! I've prepared lots of your favorite snacks, so eat as much as you want later!"

"Do you have Honey Ice City?!"

"Wrapped!"

"Sister Sana, here I come!":.ヽ(*`).:

"who is she?"

Following behind several guards, Hatake Sakumo nudged Shu, who was lying next to him with his hands under his pillow.
“Sana, Queen of Loulan.”

"Is she the legendary Queen of Loulan?"

Hatake Sakumo's pupils contracted slightly. During his years of infiltration in the Land of Wind, he had heard many stories about the legend of Loulan. This nation, which had grown from a single city, possessed strength and wealth comparable to the capital of the Land of Wind.

The legend of the Loulan Queen is even more exaggerated. It is said that she possesses the power of the dragon vein that has been passed down for thousands of years, and her strength is unfathomable. Even the Third Kazekage had to give her some respect.

"She's just a despicable woman who abuses her status to humiliate others at will."

Xiu muttered to himself, having been tormented by Sana a lot as a child. But before he could finish speaking, a seductive voice interrupted him.
"What are you saying, Xiu?"

"No! I'm currently telling Ah Qi about your great achievements~"

"You'd better not let me find out that you're saying anything behind my back that's detrimental to unity."

Sana averted her gaze, her eyes initially cold, then instantly switched to a doting smile as she gently ruffled the little head of the scorpion in her arms.

"Scorpion-chan, how about staying a little longer this time?"

"I still need to cultivate myself."

"It's just cultivation, why don't you let Uncle Shamen teach you? Following your good-for-nothing father will only delay your progress."

"I!"

Faced with Sana's direct attack, Xiu, who was called a piece of trash, could not tolerate it. The bulging veins on his forehead showed his anger at this moment.

So what if she's the Queen?
So the Queen can ride on his head and poop and pee?
I control my own life!
"Ok?"

"I'm useless~ I'm useless~"

Having witnessed this dramatic change of expression, Hatake Sakumo couldn't help but roll his eyes dramatically.

"It seems you two have a good relationship."

"Alas, the past is too painful to recall."

Xiu waved his hand with a sigh, his handsome face filled with regret.

As they spoke, the group arrived at a magnificent city gate, where a bustling crowd was constantly coming and going, creating a vibrant and prosperous scene.

"Let's go, Uncle Shamen is chatting with an old friend. I wonder if they've finished catching up yet."

"An old friend? Who is it?"

Xiu asked curiously, "There are probably only a handful of people in the entire Wind Kingdom who can be called an old friend by Shamen."

"Friends from abroad, please get on the bus."

To avoid unnecessary disturbance, Sana put on a thin veil beforehand and led Hatake Sakumo and the others into a pre-arranged carriage.
"arrive."

After an unknown amount of time, the carriage suddenly came to a stop. Hatake Sakumo curiously peeked out and saw a majestic ancient tower standing before him.

"here it is?"

"A place for the second generation of adults to retire."

Xiu, with practiced ease, handed over his ninja tool pouch to the guards of the ancient tower, a member of the Baolong clan. Hatake Sakumo followed suit, handing over the only ninja tool he carried, the White Fang.
"Remember what I told you before, don't say anything carelessly."

Just before entering, Xiu reiterated the rules once again, showing that the Second Kazekage was indeed a dignified old man.
"This feeling."

As Hatake Sakumo stepped into the ancient tower, a familiar energy surged towards him—the very energy he had used to create the core components.
“This is the dragon vein. Ordinary people can’t get in. If it weren’t for me vouching for you, you would never have been able to get close to this place in your entire life.”

"Thank you, I..."

Deeply moved, Hatake Sakumo clenched his fists. As the saying goes, sincerity begets sincerity, and he suddenly felt extremely sorry for Shu, who had always trusted him.
"Shh~"

Just as Sakumo Hatake was about to say something expressing his gratitude, Shu's expression suddenly tightened. Following his gaze, he saw a glaringly bright light bulb in the large reception room ahead.

So flashy!

"come yet?"

Uh?
Can light bulbs talk?
Hearing that weathered voice coming from the "light bulb," Hatake Sakumo looked bewildered at Shu, who was standing beside him with his head hanging low.

"Hello, second-generation grandfather!"

Scorpion, who had been harassed by Sana the whole way, seemed to have seen a savior. He struggled to break free from her grasp and ran to the seemingly "third wheel," but actually bald, Shamen, where he obediently bowed.
Upon hearing this, Hatake Sakumo narrowed his eyes, barely managing to make out the true form of the "light bulb." It was a tall, bald old man with a lifelike blue dragon crawling on his face. He exuded a strong sense of majesty, making people afraid to look him directly in the eye.

"He's the second generation?"

"Nonsense, what else could it be but a light bulb?"

Xiu couldn't help but roll his eyes, while his eyes darted around looking for the "foreign friend" Sana had mentioned, but he found nothing.
"build!"

"Come on~ come on~"

Upon hearing the summons, Xiu scrambled to the Shamen's side, a fawning smile plastered on his face.
"Greetings, Grandmaster!"

Because he lacked hair and eyebrows, aside from some loose skin, Shamen didn't actually look much different. He squinted his beady eyes and looked Xiu up and down before asking in a deep voice, "..."

How is Ebizo's health lately?

"Old Deng's figure is very robust; I feel like I won't outlive him."

Xiu nodded with a forced smile, his humble demeanor causing Hatake Sakumo's eyes to twitch in the distance. He hadn't expected this guy to have this unknown side.
Having received a satisfactory answer from Xiu, Shamon turned to look at Hatake Sakumo.
"Is he the master knife maker you mentioned in your letter?"

The scrutinizing gaze lingered for a few seconds on his disguised, authoritative "silver" face, a strange glint appearing in his ashen eyes.
"Ling Lingqi greets the Second Generation."

As Sakumo Hatake bowed his head in greeting, his heart tightened. Under Shamon's gaze, he felt as if he had been stripped naked and had no secrets left. Was this the aura of a veteran Kage-level powerhouse?
"Ling Lingqi? An interesting name."

Shamon stared at Hatake Sakumo for a few seconds, a strange smile subtly creeping onto his lips.
"I heard you have a question you want to ask me?"

"I'd like to ask you some questions about the Angel Heart Puppet, Second Generation."

With the long-awaited success within reach, Hatake Sakumo could not hide his excitement. In front of Shamon, he recounted the whole story of Yoriha's pregnancy and preparations.

Of course, because Scorpion was present, he deliberately omitted the details of their in-depth conversation.

"Wait, stop!"

As the plot grew increasingly absurd, Shamon's dignified expression finally crumbled. With a wave of his hand, a hurricane shot into the sky, interrupting Hatake Sakumo's incessant ramblings.
"You said you got the puppet pregnant?"

"I know this is unprecedented."

Hatake Sakumo nodded with a bitter expression. It seemed that this was the first time Shamon had encountered a situation like this. Was there really no hope for YoRHa?
"Well, that's a kind of thing."

Unexpectedly, Shamen suddenly changed the subject, his gaze drifting towards the half-closed room behind him, and continued in an inexplicable tone.
"Actually, it's not without precedent." (End of Chapter)