Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 367 Ninja Beast Mutation
He could clearly feel that the total amount of chakra in his body was soaring at an alarming rate, increasing by nearly 20% in a short period of time, and it was still growing.

His chakra level already exceeded that of a regular Kage, and he was currently advancing rapidly towards becoming a Chatonra. Once the Magnet Release modification was fully completed, becoming a Chatonra was almost a certainty.

Of course, if you include Samehada and the chakra core, he would have been a Chakra user long ago. But those are ultimately external forces. The fundamental thing is to increase his own chakra reserves. Only with enough chakra can he have a greater chance of mastering Sage Mode. With his top-notch sensory abilities in the ninja world, he should have met the requirements for mastering Sage Mode.

Feeling the surging power within him, Umino Sasuke nodded in satisfaction: "Once the Magnet Release bloodline modification is completely completed and the total amount of chakra stabilizes, we can begin training in Sage Mode."

The plan to cultivate Sage Mode will be postponed for now. The most important thing right now is to take advantage of the few days of free time during the trip to the Land of Rivers to quickly develop and stabilize the newly awakened Magnet Release bloodline limit.

He has already planned to officially begin his Sage Mode training once he has settled the truce agreement with Sunagakure.

According to information intercepted and analyzed by Yamashiro Midoriya from Konoha's intelligence department, there are undercurrents behind the signing of this ceasefire agreement, which is far from being as simple as it seems on the surface. This is one of the reasons why he agreed to go in person. How could he possibly sign such a traitorous treaty and make himself the "Li Hongzhang" of the ninja world?

Over the course of more than a day, Umino Sasuke consumed a large amount of wind and earth attribute secret medicines almost without regard to cost. Under the efficient absorption of the Gluttony Technique and the catalysis of the Magnet Release bloodline limit itself, his body modification process advanced rapidly, and his control over Magnet Release became increasingly profound.

It is estimated that the Magnet Release bloodline limit will be fully developed and mastered on the way to the Land of Rivers.

Feeling that his control over Magnet Release had improved even further, he finally stopped training, used the Flying Thunder God Technique, and silently appeared in the Land of Waves, then went to Hiruko's laboratory.

At this moment, Hiruko was exhausted and unkempt. Logically speaking, having successfully absorbed the bloodline limit of the Dark Release ninja Nakayoshi, his strength had greatly increased, and his energy should have been even more vigorous. However, at this moment, his hair was disheveled, his eyes were sunken, and his gaze was filled with bloodshot veins and a kind of almost insane obsession. He muttered to himself while looking at the data on the experimental table, occasionally scratching his hair in frustration, appearing extremely dejected.

Hearing footsteps, Hiruko jerked his head up and saw it was Umino Sasuke. He practically jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his tone filled with obvious complaint and resistance: "You're rushing me again?! I've already said it, the bloodline fusion drug is simply impossible to succeed. The ferocity and instability of the tailed beast's flesh essence is the root of the problem. The ninja world simply cannot find a perfect stabilizer to neutralize it and ensure its safe fusion. Rushing me won't help; this is a scientific law!"

He clearly thought that Umino Sasuke had come to urge the development of the bloodline fusion drug again, so he was unusually agitated. He obviously did not know that Umino Sasuke had already secretly and successfully developed the finished product using the miraculous "stabilizer" of the God Tree Leaf.

Looking at Hiruko, who was almost obsessed, Umino Sasuke chuckled inwardly, but remained outwardly calm. He even deliberately sighed and followed up on Hiruko's words, saying, "Alas, it seems I was indeed too impatient. Since even you say so, after so long of research without any breakthrough progress, it seems this project has truly encountered an insurmountable bottleneck."

Hiruko paused for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his bloodshot eyes. This was not like Boss Umino's style. In the past, he had been the most dedicated to this project, investing resources without hesitation. Why would he give up so easily today?
Sasuke Umino's tone carried a hint of helplessness: "Fine, since we still can't develop it, it seems like it's really hopeless. Maybe this path was wrong from the start. Let's just stop this project for now. We've already done a good job with the existing attribute-specific medicines. We should be content with being able to mass-produce Jonin."

"Stop the project?!" Hiruko was completely stunned. Had the sun risen in the west today? Boss Umino was actually going to voluntarily stop this cutting-edge project that he had placed high hopes on and invested heavily in? This was simply unbelievable!
His mind raced, and he immediately thought of a possibility: They're short of money?! It must be that they've encountered difficulties developing the Land of Whirlpools, and their cash flow is in trouble, so they have to cut this project, which, although promising, is extremely expensive!
The thought of potential funding cuts immediately alarmed Hiruko. The bloodline fusion drug project could be halted, but his other experimental projects could not be stopped, as they also required massive amounts of funding.

“The project can be stopped!” Hiruko said hurriedly, his tone even carrying a hint of pleading. “However, my other experimental funding cannot be cut off. The improvement of the Oni-Garra Technique, the strengthening of summoning beasts, the expansion of the application of Hashirama cells... these projects are all at a critical moment. Once the funding is cut off, all our previous efforts will be in vain!”

Sasuke Umino chuckled inwardly, but put on a "troubled" expression and began to complain about being broke: "Hiruko, you don't know, the development of the Land of Whirlpools is a bottomless pit. Terracing, resettling immigrants, infrastructure construction... everything costs money. The Land of Waves' finances are very tight right now. Kakuzu keeps telling me he has no money. I have no choice. Why don't you go and apply to Kakuzu yourself?"

Looking for Kakuzu? The thought of that financial manager who was always clutching the ledger and wishing he could split every penny in half sent chills down Hiruko's spine. Going to Kakuzu would cost money; it would be better to hope that the experimental equipment would generate its own revenue. Compared to that tightwad, although the big boss Umino was deep in thought, he was always much more generous when it came to investing in scientific research.

In order to save the precious experimental funds, Hiruko gritted his teeth and finally revealed his "trump card," which he had originally planned to refine further before using.

"Wait! Boss!" Hiruko hurriedly called out to Umino Sasuke, who was about to leave. "I admit that the ninja-specific version of the bloodline fusion drug is indeed difficult to overcome in the short term, but—"

He took a deep breath and said quickly, "I believe the bloodline fusion potion used on summoning beasts will be completely successful, and the difficulty will be very low!"

"Oh?" Umino Sasuke paused, turned around, and showed a perfectly timed look of interest on his face. "Used by summoning beasts? Tell me more about it."

Seeing that Umino Sasuke seemed to be attracted, Hiruko perked up and quickly explained, "The biggest difficulty for ninjas taking non-bloodline fusion drugs lies in the stable absorption of the drug's effects, as well as the risk of terrible rejection reactions and malignant gene mutations. The human body is relatively fragile, and the requirements for gene stability are extremely high."

“But summoning beasts are completely different!” Hiruko became more and more excited as she spoke. “First of all, the physical strength of most mid-to-high-level summoning beasts far surpasses that of human ninjas. Their digestive and absorption abilities and their tolerance for pain are extremely strong. Secondly, the genes of summoning beasts are inherently diverse, and they have an extremely high tolerance for ‘oddities’! In fact, some seemingly malignant mutations may actually be a form of enhancement for them, such as growing more heads, becoming larger, having thicker shells, or developing certain special poison glands... These may not be a problem for summoning beasts at all, but rather an increase in their combat power!”

As Sasuke Umino listened to Hiruko's explanation, his eyes grew brighter and brighter. Indeed, the human body has its limits. Not everyone can be like Kinkaku and Ginkaku, devouring the flesh of the Nine-Tails and still be alive and kicking. But summoning beasts, especially the powerful ones, have naturally strong bodies and can withstand far more damage than humans. Using relatively crude and not fully stable semi-finished drugs to strengthen summoning beasts is entirely feasible!

"Brilliant!" Sasuke Umino clapped his hands in admiration, a delighted smile spreading across his face. "Hiruko, you truly are a genius! This idea has definitely opened up a new world!"

He immediately seized the opportunity and said, "In that case, this project deserves a lot of investment. Even if the Land of Waves is in a tight budget, we will tighten our belts to support your research! Not only will the funding for this Summoning Beast Bloodline Enhancement Project not be reduced, but I will also increase the investment for you!"

Upon hearing this, Beiliuhu was overjoyed. His previous dejection vanished, and he instantly became full of energy. He patted his chest and guaranteed, "Don't worry, boss! With funding, I guarantee I'll have preliminary results for you to review within half a month, no! Within a week!"

"Good! I admire your enthusiasm!" Sasuke Umino waved his hand and immediately wrote a note. "Take this to Kakuzu and withdraw ten million ryo as start-up funds and preliminary research expenses for the project!"

"Ten million taels?!" Hiruko took the slip of paper, stared at the number on it, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets, and his breathing became rapid.

This was an unprecedentedly huge sum of money! He was so excited that his hands were trembling. He immediately created a shadow clone, grabbed the note, and rushed off to find Kakuzu, while his main body instantly rushed back to the experimental table and began frantically calculating and designing.

Sasuke Umino looked at the revitalized Hiruko and nodded in satisfaction. Only by keeping this mad scientist dangling money around could he maximize the value of his research. The Summoning Beast Legion Strengthening Plan, if successful, would be of extraordinary significance. It would not only strengthen the power of the Sound Village, but also have a huge impact on the three clans of fish, birds, dogs, and beasts.

Having dealt with Hiruko, Umino Sasuke left the laboratory and once again used the Flying Thunder God Technique to arrive in the Land of Whirlpools.

The Land of Whirlpools is undergoing rapid and dramatic changes.

A large number of Sound Ninja and recruited wandering ninjas were put into the great cause of land reclamation. In particular, the Earth Release ninjas became the main force. They used Earth Release ninjutsu to efficiently transform the terrain and create neat and spectacular terraced fields. Their work efficiency far exceeded that of ordinary manpower.

These ninjas earned a lot of mission points by completing missions, which could be exchanged for various ninjutsu scrolls, ninja tools, and even precious attribute-enhancing medicines, so they were very motivated.

The high intensity and frequency of ninjutsu use did not hinder their training; on the contrary, it greatly improved their chakra control and ninjutsu proficiency, and even produced many talents with exceptional abilities in specific ninjutsu.

More importantly, this large-scale, organized collective labor has greatly enhanced the cooperation capabilities of the Sound Village's army, especially the Fire Release Battalion, which has been able to carry out joint spellcasting on a considerable scale after carrying out "burning mountains and clearing land" missions many times.

When Sasuke Umino arrived, he happened to witness a spectacular scene: dozens of Sound Ninja Fire Release Squad members were lined up in neat rows, simultaneously forming hand seals at their captain's command.

Fire Release: Continuous Flames Burn the City!

boom--! ! !
The towering flames converged into a blazing sea of ​​fire, sweeping across the land like a roaring fire dragon, instantly turning vast swathes of weeds and shrubs into ashes. Its power was no less than that of an S-rank fire-style ninjutsu. Although it was still somewhat inferior to the combined fire-style techniques of the old Konoha clans, the Uchiha and Sarutobi, it was already a force to be reckoned with in the ninja world.

Similarly, the Wind Release Battalion and the Water Release Battalion also gained great experience in land reclamation and water conservancy construction. The Water Release Battalion, in particular, with its numerical advantage, could even rival the Fire Release Battalion in terms of the combined power of its Water Release techniques.

This large-scale development of the Land of Whirlpools not only fundamentally solved the food problem for the future population, but also comprehensively honed and enhanced the strength of the Sound Village, laying a solid foundation for its future large-scale military operations. Once the hills and mountains of the Land of Whirlpools are all transformed into terraced fields, the population it can support will increase exponentially, and millions or even more people will no longer be a dream. With a sufficient population and a continuously developing economy, the Land of Whirlpools even has the potential to develop into a major power comparable to the Land of Water.

Although the Land of Water has many islands, its arable land is not abundant, and its total population is far less than that of the Land of Fire. This is one of the reasons why Kirigakure has long implemented the "Bloody Mist" elite policy. After all, with limited population and resources, it can only follow the route of elite troops. If Kirigakure had the population and resource foundation of the Land of Fire, it probably would not have gone to the extreme Blood Mist policy.

Therefore, population and resources are always the core indicators of war potential. If this trend continues, it is not an unattainable dream for the Land of Waves to surpass the Hidden Mist Village, which is constantly weakening due to isolation and internal strife, and become a new maritime power.

Sasuke Umino toured the area and was very satisfied with the progress of the development of the Land of Whirlpools and the Village of Sound. He did not interfere too much, and once again used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to the secret room in the Leaf Village. He continued to take the elemental attribute medicine to accelerate the final fusion of Magnet Release and the modification of his body.

Time flies by.

Sasuke Umino finally emerged from the secret room, his aura becoming even more profound and weighty. With each blink of his eyes, a magnetic force field flowed, indicating that he had essentially developed most of his Magnet Release bloodline limit.

Outside the secret room, Mito Kadada, Kosengoku, and Kamui Shun had been waiting for a long time.

Upon seeing Umino Sasuke emerge, Mito Kadota immediately stepped forward and respectfully reported, "Clan leader, everything is ready. Monk Bunfuku has also been released from Konoha Prison and is ready to depart for the border of the Land of Rivers at any time."

“Very good.” Sasuke Umino nodded. “Let’s go.”

He personally led the team, including Mitomonda, Kosengoku, Kamiya Shun, and a large battalion of fully armed Umino clan soldiers, escorting the monk Bunpuku, who was sitting in a specially made prison cart, looking weak but with a peaceful look in his eyes. The procession left Umino clan territory and passed through the streets of Konoha, attracting the attention and discussion of countless villagers.

Ordinary people were excited to hear about the signing of a ceasefire agreement, but the well-informed Jonin had complex expressions in their eyes when they saw Umino Sasuke personally escorting the Jinchuriki to the signing ceremony. Some were excited, some were regretful, and many were even angry.

Uninhibited all of this and led his team out of the village gates with a blank expression.

As the team set off, another elite battalion composed of members of the Hokage's direct ANBU, led by Captain Mitarashi Shishou, followed closely behind, responsible for covert surveillance and responding to emergencies.

Sasuke Unno sensed Mitarashi Shishou's aura and sneered inwardly. Hiruzen Sarutobi indeed had ulterior motives. Instead of sending the powerful and intimidating Hatake Sagumo, he sent the slightly weaker Mitarashi Shishou. Was it because he was worried that Hatake Sagumo's prestige was too high? Or was there another calculation?

However, this is for the best. If it were Hatake Sagumo who came, given the fearsome reputation of Konoha's White Fang, Sunagakure probably wouldn't dare to play any tricks. But now it's Mitarashi Shishou who has come, which has given some people the courage to take risks.

As the group marched, Umino Sasuke silently left behind a shadow clone to continue overseeing the group and escorting Bunpuku, while his main body instantly locked onto the coordinates and unleashed the Flying Thunder God Technique.

The next moment, his figure appeared in the Land of Wind, on a barren sand dune.

Almost the instant he appeared, the sand next to him suddenly exploded, and a figure wearing a headscarf, with dark skin and dressed as an ordinary sandman pounced out like a cheetah, thrusting a kunai straight at Umino Sasuke's back. The action was ruthless and sharp, and the timing was extremely precise, clearly indicating that he had been lying in wait for a long time and was highly vigilant.

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Umino Sasuke didn't even turn around. He grabbed the other's wrist with perfect precision, and with a slight exertion, the "sandman" immediately felt his wrist go numb and the kunai slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

“It’s me,” Umino Sasuke said calmly.

The "sandman" stiffened abruptly. Upon hearing the familiar voice, he immediately stopped struggling, raised his head, and revealed an ordinary face disguised by the Disfigurement Technique, but his eyes were exceptionally bright and spirited.

"Captain!" He lowered his voice, unable to hide his surprise. This person was none other than Senju Nawaki, who had infiltrated the Land of Wind to conduct reconnaissance.

Having undergone extensive training and battlefield experience in the Iron Wall Anbu, Senju Nawaki has long since shed his youthful naiveté and impulsiveness, becoming calm and capable. His strength has steadily reached the Jonin level, and he has even served as the vice-captain of the Iron Wall Anbu, becoming Umino Sasuke's right-hand man.

This signing of the Sand Village agreement is of great importance, and Sasuke Unno is worried about it. He specially sent him to infiltrate the Land of Wind to investigate. For safety reasons, he not only equipped him with the Shadow Clone Technique, which is good at infiltration and disguise, but also left the Flying Thunder God mark on him in case of emergency.

"How is the situation?" Umino Sasuke released his grip and asked directly.

Senju Nawaki quickly composed himself and reported with a grave expression: "Captain, something's not right. According to my investigation over the past few days, the high-ranking officials of Sunagakure, especially Elder Chiyo, have been making frequent moves. Under the pretext of strengthening border security, she has secretly transferred a number of elite ninjas from various places to the Land of Rivers, including many Jonin. This is definitely not just for signing a security agreement!"

He paused, his tone filled with deep worry: "Captain, I suspect that old woman Chiyo has ill intentions. She may very well want to repeat the incident where the Kinkaku and Ginkaku troops of Kumogakure attacked the Second Hokage, launching a surprise attack during the signing of the contract. You must be extremely careful!"

After hearing this, Sasuke Umino remained calm, as if he had expected it all along.

He patted Senju Nawaki on the shoulder: "Your analysis is very good, Nawaki. You've made great progress. Chiyo could indeed be blinded by hatred, but she's not a reckless madwoman like Kinkaku or Ginkaku. She deeply loves Sunagakure and wouldn't do something like killing a Shadow to shake the foundation of the village. The most likely scenario is that she has persuaded the Third Kazekage to join forces and launch an attack during the signing of the agreement, trying to gain more leverage and even reclaim the One-Tailed Jinchuriki."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "However, you don't need to worry. I have my own arrangements. Leave the matters in the Land of Wind to me. You have done an excellent job. From now on, you should focus on monitoring the area around the Land of Waves and within Konoha, especially the movements of certain high-ranking officials in Konoha."

"Yes, Captain!" Senju Nawaki had absolute trust in Umino Sasuke and nodded immediately upon hearing this.

“Alright, we shouldn’t stay here any longer. I’ll take you back.” Umino Sasuke said, placing one hand on Senju Nawaki’s shoulder and quickly forming a Tiger hand seal with the other.

"The Flying Thunder God Guides Thunder!"

With a flash of spatial fluctuation, Senju Nawaki's figure vanished instantly from behind the sand dunes of the Land of Wind.

The next moment, in the underground secret service base of the Land of Waves, spatial ripples spread, and Senju Nawaki's figure was accurately teleported over. He shook himself for a moment, then immediately threw himself into his new work.

Meanwhile, Sasuke Unno sensed the coordinates again and immediately activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.

The next moment, he appeared in an extremely hidden sand cave, where another shadow clone of his was lurking, specifically responsible for closely monitoring the movements of Chiyo and the Third Kazekage.

Upon seeing the main body arrive, the shadow clone nodded, said nothing more, and immediately vanished in a puff of white smoke, instantly transmitting all the surveillance memories and intelligence from that period back to Sasuke Umino's mind.

Sasuke Umino closed his eyes, quickly processing this information flow. A moment later, he opened his eyes, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Just as I expected. Chiyo has gathered so many elites, even deploying human puppets. What a grand display! Is she trying to give me a 'surprise'? Let's see who gives whom a bigger surprise!"

His figure slowly blended into the shadows, like the most patient hunter, beginning to personally monitor the final moves of the Sand Village's high command, awaiting the arrival of this signing ceremony that was destined to be anything but peaceful.

(End of this chapter)