Naruto Dream Fulfillment Master!

Chapter 514 The Kazekage's Hunt Order? Target: Orochimaru

Scorpion walked slowly to the nine puppeteers and stopped.

His gaze swept over the nine faces one by one, finally settling on the human puppets draped in dark red robes beside them. He said without any politeness, "I heard that you bunch of good-for-nothings can't even figure out the most basic controls for human puppets?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the training ground froze.

The nine puppeteers looked at each other. One of them wanted to explain, his lips moved, but he held back in the end.

If someone else stood in front of them and cursed them like that, they might not be able to tolerate it.

But the person in front of him was Sasori of the Red Sand, and all the puppets beside him were made by him.

If you rush into an argument at this point, and say something wrong, you'll lose more than just face.

After a brief silence, the middle-aged puppeteer standing at the forefront of the three teams stepped forward and solemnly bowed to Scorpion.

"Lord Scorpion, you've misunderstood."

He remained respectful, but did not lose his composure despite Scorpion's earlier rebuke.

"It is our honor to be able to use the puppets you made yourself. After receiving the materials, we did not dare to slack off and began to familiarize ourselves with the internal structure on the same day."

"The basic control of these puppets is not difficult. What really makes us unsure is that there are several additional nodes in their bodies. Those nodes can transmit chakra feedback, but we can't activate them."

"We dare not regard them as useless structures. With Lord Scorpion's expertise, since you deliberately left these nodes, there must be a reason for it."

"That's why we dared to invite you here, hoping to get your guidance so that these puppets can unleash their true power on the battlefield."

Scorpion glanced at him with a hint of surprise.

This kid knows how to talk. In just a few words, he covered up Ma Ji's flawed excuse and even shifted the blame to the fact that his design was too advanced.

More importantly, the other party didn't just use nice words to appease him.

When selecting these ten human puppets, Scorpion had considered the issue of their interconnection, and the extra nodes in his body were left for this purpose.

Kankuro first selected the Ice Release puppets, and then Maki reorganized the remaining nine into three groups based on their abilities.

The fact that these people were able to discover the node in such a short time shows that they have indeed done their research.

"You guys do have some discerning eye," Scorpion nodded. "My artwork is certainly not as simple as it appears to you."

Upon hearing this, the nine puppeteers immediately composed themselves.

The middle-aged puppeteer at the front stepped back to his original position, his gaze fixed on Scorpion's hands.

The two puppeteers next to him, who had once worked under Scorpion, also became focused.

Kankuro quietly found a spot where his view wouldn't be obstructed and stood still.

For the puppeteers of Sunagakure, the opportunity to witness Sasori of the Red Sand demonstrate his puppetry techniques is one they might only have once in their lifetime.

"Look carefully, you fools."

Scorpion raised his hands, his ten fingers naturally spread apart.

"I'll only demonstrate once."

Two slender blue chakra threads emerged from his fingertips and connected to the cores of the two human puppets in the arena.

The moment the connection was completed, the two previously motionless puppets simultaneously raised their heads.

With a soft, synchronized click of the mechanisms, they shifted and moved to opposite sides, quickly separating by half a body length, and now stood side by side facing the thick earthen wall at the edge of the training ground.

The entire movement was clean and efficient.

"The reason I call human puppets art is not just because they are more flexible than ordinary puppets."

"They retain their chakra core and meridians from when they were alive. As long as the operator's instructions are accurate enough, the techniques that could be used when they were alive can be reproduced after death."

Suddenly, the puppet on the left opened its jaw first, and a suppressed roar came from inside its chest cavity.

The next moment, a violent torrent of wind gushed from its mouth, spreading forward along the sand.

The fine sand along the way was swept into the air, instantly forming a wind tunnel that stretched forward.

Just as the wind stabilized, the puppet on the right opened its mouth, pulled by the scorpion.

A burst of intense flame shot out along the air duct.

As soon as the flames entered the air duct ahead, the fire instantly rose several meters high.

The fire waves, which were still clearly visible at their edges, quickly spread to both sides, carrying scorching hot winds across half of the training ground, and crashed heavily into the earthen wall in the distance.

A loud bang followed immediately.

The wall was first burned red, and then large sections of soil and rocks collapsed inward under the high temperature and wind pressure.

When the scorpion stopped its spell, a charred pit several meters wide had appeared on the spot. The sand and soil around the pit had been scorched into a dark red hard shell and were still emitting heat.

"This is a combined technique between human puppets."

Sasori clenched his right hand, and the Fire Release puppet immediately closed its jaw.

The wind puppet on the left maintained its position for another half a breath, sweeping away the remaining flames in the field before finally stopping.

The nine puppeteers stared in disbelief, some still contemplating the charred hole in the wall, wondering what the consequences would have been if that attack had landed in the enemy ranks.

Some people didn't look at the wall at all, repeatedly recalling the order in which the two puppets activated their cores.

The middle-aged puppeteer who spoke first looked down at the puppet beside him, as if he had finally figured out the problem that had troubled them for a long time.

"So those nodes weren't activated by the manipulator alone—"

"First, the cores of the two puppets must be brought into the same chakra rhythm, and then the techniques must be coordinated with each other through the corresponding nodes."

A younger puppeteer nearby couldn't help but remark, "This is no different from a real ninja performing a complex ninjutsu."

If they can master this kind of coordination in actual combat, the combat power that these three squads can unleash is far greater than the sum of the nine Jonin-level human puppets.

Sasori said calmly, "The so-called combined technique is not about you throwing out several ninjutsu at the same time."

"First, assess the situation. The wind gains power from the fire, and the fire gains momentum from the wind. Even with combinations of other attributes, there is still a specific order."

"Also, don't use the methods for manipulating wood on human puppets again."

"When guiding, don't just focus on the puppet, but sense the meridian nodes that are preserved in their bodies, and let the chakra flow along the original meridians on its own."

The nine puppeteers listened with great interest.

Some people couldn't help but raise their hands and imitate the scorpion's finger gestures.

Kankuro watched intently, his gaze never leaving Sasori.

Over the next half hour, Scorpion dissected the workings of these puppets layer by layer, pointing out several areas where mistakes were most likely to occur.

After finishing his explanation, Sasori retracted the chakra threads connecting the puppet to the human.

That concludes the theory.

"The rest, practice on your own. Don't make me look down on you."

"yes!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Scorpion!"

The nine people responded in unison and with great force.

As soon as they finished speaking, they immediately dispersed into their original three-person groups, each leading a puppet to occupy a corner of the training ground, and began to adjust the core and linkage nodes according to the method that Scorpion had just explained.

The soft hum of the machinery quickly filled the spacious area.

The first group tried to reconnect the Wind Release and Fire Release, but the flames were torn apart by the excessive wind pressure as soon as they were released.

The person in charge of the Wind Release puppet immediately reduced their chakra output, and the other person also postponed the casting time.

The other two groups also began to try it out. One group practiced switching the positions of the three puppets, while the other group rechecked the core and linkage nodes.

Scorpion was originally ready to leave, but after watching for a while, he still stood in the same place.

The puppets would be handed over to Sunagakure free of charge. Besides going with the flow, Sasori also harbored some intention of testing the waters.

He wanted to see what the village had become after he had been gone for so many years.

Have the puppeteers who remained in the village completely forgotten what their ancestors left behind, and are they just living off their past achievements with a few old puppets?

Is the entire Sand Village already rotten to the core, with only the path of relying on the Tailed Beasts remaining?

These nine people weren't particularly outstanding, but at least they were willing to put in the effort.

Those two young Chunin who used to work under him are now capable of standing on their own, and they haven't forgotten everything they learned back then.

The Sand Village group isn't completely beyond redemption yet.

"These puppeteers are pretty good, aren't they?"

A steady voice came from behind.

Scorpion turned his head and found that Maki was already standing at the entrance of the training ground.

The wind blew in from outside the door, ruffling the headscarf on his shoulders, but he didn't approach immediately. He just watched the three squads practicing from half of the training ground.

"Maki."

Scorpion turned around, crossed his arms, and asked bluntly, "What exactly are you trying to do by arranging all this?"

The smile on Maki's face faded.

He stepped closer and glanced at the nine puppeteers who had already grasped the basics of the linkage.

"If you think this group of people is acceptable, as long as you are willing to stay in Sunagakure, this newly formed Sunagakure puppet army can be put under your command."

"Their future training and grouping will be decided by you."

"Them?" Scorpion glanced at the nine people practicing and scoffed, "They're not qualified to be my subordinates."

Once activated, the Crimson Secret Technique: Hundred Machine Manipulation allows Sasori to control hundreds of puppets and conquer a country single-handedly.

Bringing along this group of still-uncoordinated people in actual combat might actually distract him from taking care of them.

Maki remained silent for a moment after hearing this, and finally sighed softly.

"I understand, with their current abilities, they certainly don't meet your standards."

"I arranged this exercise today so that you could see with your own eyes that there is still hope for Sunagakure—the people I really wanted you to lead were not just these nine."

"Speak your mind." Scorpion stared coldly at Maki.

"I hate it when people waste their time. You've put in so much effort, you can't have just asked me to teach them a lesson."

Machi met his gaze, took a deep breath, and finally stopped beating around the bush.

"Lord Scorpion, I hope you will stay this time."

"I hope you will accept my proposal and I will formally recommend you to the village to become the Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure."

"The selection of the Fifth Kazekage is not something I can decide alone, but as long as you are willing to agree, I will do my best to handle your identity issues and the resistance from the village's higher-ups and the daimyo."

"As you have seen, the village is in a terrible state now. The Fourth Hokage has fallen for Orochimaru's scheme. Elite ninjas suffered heavy losses in the recent war. Sunagakure needs a powerful enough Kage, and also someone who can deter other ninja villages from making any rash moves."

Maki stared at Sasori and said seriously, "This request is indeed sudden, but I didn't act on impulse. You gave the village ten human puppets, and yesterday you and your companions rescued Gaara. Whatever your reasons for doing these things, the results have at least proven that you have the ability to sit in that position."

Scorpion was indeed somewhat surprised.

On his way to the training ground, he had guessed a bit from Kankuro's clumsy probing, and his dream last night had also stirred up a bit of competitive spirit in him.

If someone like Orochimaru can become Hokage in his dreams, why can't Sasori of the Red Sand become Kazekage?

He just didn't expect that Maki would actually dare to put this matter out in the open.

"are you serious?"

"Yes."

Now that the matter had been made clear, Machi stopped hiding it.

"After Lord Rasa's death, I temporarily took over the village's daily affairs. At first, I thought that with the experience and connections I had accumulated over the years, I could at least hold the situation up until the next Kazekage took office."

"Later I realized that the position of Kage was not something a ninja of my caliber could possibly hold."

"But you are different. If Sasori of the Red Sand were to sit in that position, Sunagakure would once again have a Kage who could deter external enemies. When the Daimyo and the village's ninja clans make decisions, they will at least consider your worth first."

Scorpion knew that Maki was telling the truth.

The fact that Sunagakure did not immediately fall into chaos after Rasa's death is enough to prove that Maki is not lacking in ability and responsibility.

But he was ultimately just a Jonin, able to keep the village running, but unable to fill the power gap left by the Kazekage.

Scorpion originally thought this was just a political deal where both parties got what they wanted.

Maki's words made him realize that what the other party was offering was not just an empty title that required wearing a divine robe, but a responsibility.

He never intended to stay long, so he couldn't just agree casually.

If it were Orochimaru, that snake would probably accept all the praise and trust without batting an eye, but whether it would ultimately take responsibility is another matter entirely.

"Stop dreaming, Maki." Sasori shook his head and said, "I won't stay in Sunagakure forever."

"I have my own path to walk and higher pursuits. The position of Wind Shadow is not worth confining myself here."

Scorpion looked up at the earthen wall in the distance that was still emitting heat.

"To you, the Wind Shadow is the pinnacle of the village; to me, it's just another cage."

"If you really need someone to take that position, you'd better find someone else as soon as possible."

Maki originally thought that Scorpion's actions in the past few days were enough to prove that this former genius still had some attachment to his homeland.

Unexpectedly, it still wasn't enough to make him stay.

"Yeah----"

Machi said something in a low voice, then quickly regained his usual composure.

"The current Sand Village is really lacking a Kage."

"Without a strong enough person standing at the forefront, the village can maintain its appearance, but when faced with major events that require taking risks, no one can command the obedience of everyone."

"Lord Scorpion, can you believe it?"

"The Sand Village, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, can't even avenge the Fourth Kazekage."

Upon hearing this, Scorpion finally turned his attention away from the earthen wall in the distance.

"To avenge Luo Sha?"

"Rasa died at Orochimaru's hands, didn't he?"

"That's right. We checked the clues left at the scene after the war. He was the one who infiltrated the village yesterday and tried to kidnap Gaara."

Maki gritted his teeth and said, "First, he murdered Lord Rasa, impersonated the Kazekage, and used the entire Sunagakure as a pawn to attack Konoha. Now he's set his sights on Gaara."

At this point, Maki took a half step back and bowed solemnly to Scorpion.

"I have to thank Lord Sasori for this. If you and your companions hadn't chased after him in time, Gaara would probably be in Orochimaru's hands by now."

"Just doing it on a whim."

Scorpion waved his hand and said, "Continue talking about Orochimaru."

"Lord Scorpion, you seem to care about him quite a bit?"

"It's just a few old scores."

Scorpion's answer was nonchalant, clearly offering no explanation. Maki wisely refrained from pressing further.

"I've always wanted to kill Orochimaru to avenge Lord Rasa. There are still many ninjas in the village who once followed Lord Rasa, just like me."

"But I can't convince the ninja clans in the village."

"They believe that Sunagakure has just suffered a major defeat, and the most important thing right now is to recuperate. Sending out the village's remaining elite forces to hunt down an S-rank rogue ninja will only make Sunagakure weaker if they fail."

Machi did not say that those people's judgments were entirely unreasonable; on the contrary, it was precisely because they were reasonable that he found it even more difficult to refute them.

"I am just a Jonin. I have no right to ask the entire village to gamble with me, nor do I have the power to command everyone's obedience."

"If a powerful enough Kazekage were to step forward and personally lead the pursuit of Orochimaru, we would truly have a chance to avenge this."

Scorpion did not respond immediately, but a thought quickly became clear in his mind.

If he becomes the Kazekage, he can legitimately mobilize the power of Sunagakure and form a special team to hunt down Orochimaru.

The battle in the desert last time still haunts him.

Kimimaro was merely a pawn in Orochimaru's game, yet he alone forced Orochimaru to produce the Third Kazekage puppet.

After fully releasing the curse seal, that kid directly confronted the Sand Iron Realm Law with the Dance of Early Ferns, and neither of them could gain the upper hand for a short period of time.

If Orochimaru himself were added to the mix, Sasori wouldn't be entirely confident of keeping that vile snake alive.

However, if the intelligence, tracking, and combat forces of Sunagakure can be mobilized, the situation will be completely different.

No matter how weak Sunagakure becomes, it is still one of the Five Great Ninja Villages.

Orochimaru killed Rasa and attempted to kidnap Gaara, making him an enemy that Sunagakure had to eliminate.

Scorpion did indeed have thoughts about the position of Kazekage, but the interest aroused by his dream and his competitive spirit was not enough for him to give up his freedom.

He had long since become indifferent to power and status.

But Orochimaru's reason was just too convincing.

The old grudge between him and that stinky snake had been brewing for far too long, and a few days ago he was tricked by the other party again.

If one were to become the Kazekage, one could leverage the power of Sunagakure to approach them in the name of the Kazekage.

Thinking about it this way, the Wind Shadow position, which was originally like a cage, seems to have become more useful.

Scorpion was silent for a moment, then looked at Maki again.

"If Sunagakure also intends to hunt down Orochimaru—"

"Well, I'm not entirely uninterested in this Wind Shadow."