This puppeteer is a bit... well...

Chapter 61 Working Hours

"So you've been talking for almost 20 days, and there's been absolutely no progress?"

In Fengying's office, Long Er was dumbfounded after hearing the complete results of the negotiation.

"The interests involved in exchanges between nations are numerous, and every small matter requires careful consideration before a decision can be made," the Third Kazekage said with the air of someone who had been through it all. "While diplomacy between ninja villages may not be on par with that between nations, it's still a city-to-city level of interaction. How can decisions be made so quickly?"

"..."

Ryuji opened his mouth as if to say something, but after seeing the Third Kazekage's expression of being a little kid who didn't understand national affairs, he finally shut his mouth.

As the saying goes, they ask for the moon, but you have to haggle.

If this is how business is conducted between ordinary people, how much more so when it comes to the exchange of interests between powerful forces?

Ryuji was not unaware that diplomatic negotiations between nations required caution, but in the current situation, Konoha had no choice, and the conditions proposed by Sunagakure were not unacceptable.

On the contrary, for most people in Konoha, simply sending an envoy to learn about the medical and educational training system was far more acceptable than demanding tangible benefits.

After all, most people can only see what's in front of them and not what's in the future.

When you have absolute initiative, even if you can't reach an agreement, you will never talk for 20 days without making any progress.

Something must be wrong for things to have developed this way.

Ryuji pondered for a moment, then asked, "...Who are the people from Konoha?"

"Jounin Nara Shikaku."

Upon hearing this, Ryuji suddenly realized something.

No wonder he hasn't made much progress for so long; it turns out Konoha Village has sent their chief strategist.

"Let me handle tomorrow's negotiations."

"you?"

The Third Kazekage looked him over suspiciously. "I must admit your talent in puppet design, but diplomatic negotiations require a broad perspective and experience, and..."

"Come on, your people have been negotiating for twenty days and haven't made any progress. You still have the nerve to talk to me about the big picture and experience?" Long Er retorted irritably. "Anyway, this is settled. If I can't reach an agreement by tomorrow, I'll send your people instead."

"……good."

……

As I stepped out of Fengying's office, the sun was high in the sky, and a hot breeze stirred up some dust.

Long Er waved his hand and fanned himself, then strode home.

He had only arrived in Sunagakure today. After handing over the two prisoners, Shiki and Choza, to the village, he went straight to the Kazekage's office.

After gaining a better understanding of the negotiations, we need to settle things on the Loulan side.

"Welcome back, Master."

As expected, the red-haired older sister dressed as a maid opened the door from the inside and waited for him behind it.

Ryuji was not surprised.

Since Red was created, she has never been absent when I return.

Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder: was Hong waiting behind the door while he was away?

Otherwise, how could you always be so punctual?

"Go make me something to eat, and bring it directly to the studio later." Ryuji handed the sand-proof shawl to Hong, and then went straight to the underground studio.

"Yes."

……

On the way back, Long Er had already planned out the order of his work.

Therefore, once he arrived at the studio via the stairs, he quickly got to work.

First, we need to get the work done in Loulan.

That is, to create the Ring of Ugo and the Gate of Life and Death.

The outer ring of the Ring of Ugo can be made with an ordinary furnace; Ryuji had already forged it in Loulan.

The 3D printer needs to print a base plate the size of a regular dinner plate, with a six-pointed star array in both directions, and then the Philosopher's Stone is embedded in it.

This is very simple for 3D printers; it takes less than a minute to complete.

Next comes the Gate of Life and Death...

Ryuji put away the core base plate of the Ugo Ring, and then took out Adamantium, Vibranium, Chakra Metal and other ordinary metals.

Most of them are ordinary metals; Adamantium and Vibranium are only the size of a baby's fist.

This is all of Long Er's inventory, the rewards he received for checking in ten or twenty times under the full moon.

One of them is the hardest metal in the Marvel universe, which cannot even melt the core of the sun, and the other has the ability to absorb kinetic energy.

What Ryuji needs to do now is to melt them together with ordinary metals and chakra metals to create an alloy that is super hard, absorbs kinetic energy, and has good chakra conductivity.

As for the formula for melting them together with other common metals, Ryuji had already deduced it using his observation instrument when he obtained them.

At this point, Long Er inputs the formula into the 3D printer, then inputs the simulation diagram of each part of the Gate of Life and Death, sets the quantity, pours in all the necessary materials, and then presses start.

Immediately, the roar of machinery filled the air, and parts the size and thickness of large bowls were drawn out by a printing pen.

These parts have fasteners on both sides, making it easy to connect them together.

As mentioned earlier, the Gate of Life and Death is a spiral gate. The reason for this is that the entire circular gate is assembled from countless bowl-sized parts, which can be contracted inwards and outwards through the assembly structure and method, thus achieving a gate that opens and closes like a Tai Chi symbol.

Due to limited space in the studio, Long Er took out the pre-prepared rolls and started making and collecting them at the same time, which took several hours to complete.

Looking at the storage scrolls piled up against the wall, Ryuji stretched. "Now, all we have to do is take them back, assemble the door and the Ring of Ugo, and put them into use."

At that moment, the studio door opened.

Hong came in carrying a tray with hot food on it. "Master, it's getting dark, please eat something first!"

Long Er initially wanted to refuse and eat after finishing his next task. However, the aroma of the food made his stomach rumble involuntarily, and he immediately forgot about the idea.

"Let's eat first then."

As he spoke, Long Er took the plate, placed it on the lab table, and began to wolf down his food.

"Master, Lord Rasa just sent word that Amegakure has withdrawn from the Four Ninja Villages Alliance."

"Um?"

Long Er paused for a moment while eating, then continued to wolf down his food, finishing the bowl in just a few bites.

"Snapped!"

Ryuji slammed the bowl back onto the plate, wiped his mouth, and asked, "What does this have to do with me?"

"The person in charge of negotiating with Konoha this time is Lord Rasa. In order to get Konoha to agree to our request as soon as possible, he revealed that Sunagakure already knows about the current predicament Konoha is facing."

"Using pressure to win negotiations is a common tactic, but then what?"

"If Amegakure withdraws, Konoha will face much less pressure, and your negotiations tomorrow may not go so smoothly, Master."

I feel like the number of recommendation votes has decreased after the two chapters were combined, so I'll stick to two chapters a day with 2,000 votes per chapter!

Finally, don't ask why the protagonist doesn't use adamantium or vibranium as armor material; the reason is the same as why Iron Man doesn't use vibranium.

(End of this chapter)