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

Chapter 62 Black and Negotiation

"Yeah?"

Ryuji smiled noncommittally at Kurenai's concerns. He handed her the plate and said, "Amegakure's withdrawal has indeed relieved a lot of pressure on Konoha, but it hasn't changed the overall situation at all."

Konoha Village lacks the capacity to fight on two fronts simultaneously. As long as the enemy on the other front doesn't become a single small ninja village, the situation remains unchanged.

"Since Master is aware of this, then I am relieved."

"The negotiations will be resolved soon," Ryuji said, taking a corpse out of the scroll and placing it on the lab table, where he began to examine it.

Seeing that its master had returned to his work, Hong stopped disturbing him and quietly left the studio.

Hearing the door close, Ryuji focused his attention on the corpse.

The owner of this corpse was one of the ten elite ninjas who participated in the last attack on Sunagakure by the Four Ninja Villages Alliance.

To create a chakra radar by studying the sensory principles of sensory ninjas... This was an idea that Ryuji had come up with a long time ago.

but.

What he needs to do now is not to study the sensory principles of sensory ninjas, but to create sensory puppets.

Researching chakra radar won't be something that can be done in a short time.

But he is about to go to Konoha to create a Wood Release ninja and replace someone from Konoha.

Due to the special nature of Wood Release, the identity of the person being replaced cannot be taken lightly; it is best if they are a member of the Senju clan.

This is where sensory-type ninjas come in handy.

Anyway, the body is here. As long as it's well preserved, we can study it anytime.

However, sensory-type ninjas are urgently needed.

Although Sunagakure also has sensory ninjas, their numbers are too small, and each one has their own mission.

Long Er didn't want to delay them.

Furthermore, one's actions need to be kept secret, and it's best to be the only person involved in the operation.

The process of creating the puppet is the same as the one used to create the Third Kazekage.

However, this time Ryuji didn't need the original owner's identity, so he made subtle adjustments to his body structure and cellular composition, making him a black-haired, black-eyed, well-proportioned, and plain-looking boy.

In terms of memory, it is quite simple. Apart from common sense about this world and ninjutsu, it only has loyalty to its master, which has shaped it into a taciturn, meticulous, observant, and absolutely loyal person.

Looking at the boy who sat up from the platform, Long Er smiled slightly. "From now on, you'll be called Hei."

"black……"

The boy murmured the name, his blank gaze gradually hardening. "I understand, Master."

……

The next day.

In the reception room of the Fengying Building.

"Hello, Mr. Shikaku." Ryuji extended his right hand to the man opposite him. "I am Ryuji Ayaki, a Jonin from Sunagakure, and I am in charge of today's negotiations."

With his pear-shaped haircut and green vest, Nara Shikaku's attire is almost identical to his manga counterpart, but he is now a teenager in his early twenties. His resolute face has gained more drive and lost some of its composure.

Looking at this boy who was much younger than himself, Shikaku was slightly surprised, but he quickly hid his feelings.

"I am Nara Shikaku, representing Konoha in this negotiation."

The two shook hands and then sat down on either side of the conference table. The genin in charge of miscellaneous tasks brought tea and snacks.

Ryuji stretched out his right hand to block the table. "We don't need these things."

The genin paused for a moment, then looked up at Ryuji with a puzzled expression.

Shikaku also showed a surprised expression.

He has been representing Konoha to negotiate with Sunagakure for more than ten days. Every day he talks with the people of Sunagakure from morning to night without tea or snacks. I'm afraid he will have to talk until his throat is hoarse in a few days.

(Is this guy trying to distract me with unfavorable external factors, causing me to make the wrong judgment in the negotiations?)

Seeing their confusion, Ryuji smiled slightly and explained, "This negotiation will be over soon, so we don't need these things."

Thus, the ninja left the meeting room carrying the tray.

Shikaku didn't say much, but he became more vigilant, thinking that this boy might not be as easy to deal with as he seemed.

"Mr. Shikaku, before we begin negotiations, I'd like to state my position."

"Um?"

Shikaku looked puzzled and waited for what was to come.

"Although I am still a boy, I am already the leader of the puppet army."

"Is that so?"

Lu Jiu was slightly surprised, but that was all.

In the ten days or so he had been in Sunagakure, he had learned that the Sunagakure leadership had recently undergone a major reshuffle, and that the newly appointed leaders were generally young.

While it's still astonishing that someone in their teens became the leader of the village's elite force, it's not that remarkable.

What puzzled Lu Jiu was why the other party brought up his identity at this time.

Does he intend to use his status to intimidate others?

Thinking of this answer, Shikaku couldn't help but laugh.

Fortunately, he was rational enough and had strong self-control, so he didn't actually laugh.

Otherwise, this negotiation might end before it even begins.

He straightened his posture and complimented her in an envious tone, "Mr. Aya is truly young and promising. To be appointed to a high-ranking position in Sunagakure at such a young age."

"Just lucky."

Long Er said these words, but there was not a trace of schadenfreude on his face.

He crossed his arms, rested his chin on his hands, and looked at the brilliant strategist opposite him with a faint smile. He continued, "Although it was just luck, I am also a member of the roundtable meeting and am qualified to propose strategic intentions that are beneficial to the development of the village."

"That's natural. No matter what, Mr. Ayagi is definitely sitting in that position."

"That's right. Whether it's luck or real ability, I'm now in this position and qualified to make suggestions at meetings..." As he said this, Long Er's lips curled up slightly.

Seeing this, Shikaku felt a chill run down his spine and had a bad feeling.

"My first suggestion at the village's strategic meeting was to ignore the benefits offered by Konoha and use our strength to obtain everything we need."

After all, money can only make the village stronger temporarily, but it cannot solve the fundamental problem. What our Sunagakure village needs is land that can support more people.

Upon hearing this, Shikaku's heart sank.

The other side is a pro-war faction, and they do not want Konoha and Sunagakure to reach an agreement. Any conditions that fail to meet Sunagakure's demands could cause the negotiations to break down.

But why?

Why did the Sand Village send a pro-war faction to negotiate?

Have they lost patience with these negotiations?

However, when Shikaku recalled the previous negotiations, the other party's negotiators did not show any signs of losing patience.

What went wrong?

"I didn't have a handover with Luo Sha before accepting the negotiation mission, so I don't know where you were in the discussion. Let's start over!"

Shikaku's thoughts returned to reality. He looked up at the boy with a confident smile, his heart growing heavier.

"Then let's renegotiate!"

"Bang!"

Ryuji slammed a piece of paper on the table and said forcefully, "These are the conditions that Sunagakure initially proposed. Konoha can accept them or refuse them, but I am not prepared to compromise. I will now go and prepare for the deployment, which will probably take three days. If Sunagakure does not get the desired result after three days, then Sunagakure will unleash this storm after the calm!"

After saying that, he ignored Lu Jiu, who wanted to say something, and got up and left the conference room.

Thank you to Gentleman Starry Night, Driving Rain, and Call Me Zhong for the donations. I am very grateful.

Finally, I recommend my friend's new book, "The Man Behind the Empress".

Wu Qiong, a newcomer to the workplace in a modern city.

Wu Zhi, the newly enthroned empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

When a male and female empress from two different time periods begin to swap bodies every other day.

"You were amazing yesterday. Are you free tonight...?"

Looking at the beautiful woman in front of him, who was biting her lip and blushing slightly, Wu Qiong was completely dumbfounded.

【Muzhi! What have you done with my body?!】

…………

"Your Majesty! While we admire your rebuke of the Xiongnu envoy, ... but women can ruin a nation!"

Wu Zhi was completely dumbfounded as she looked at the ministers kneeling in front of her.

【Wu Qiong! What did you do with my body?!】

This book is also known as "What Did You Do with My Body?", "Your Workplace, No, Your Empire", "It Wasn't Me Who Seduce You", and "Tie the Dog Up and Let It Suffocate".

The author is a pseudonym for a big shot, a ruthless writing machine. The plot is explosive, the pacing is smooth, and it's worth reading. It will be recommended on Sanjiang next week.

(End of this chapter)