I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 693: Those who have a clear vision and aspirations for the future will never die of heart.

"This is... the Byakugan? Hokage-sama, you have quite a few secrets."

Seeing the eye that was open on Tatsuma's forehead, Sasori simply moved closer to Tatsuma. Tatsuma did not stop him and let Sasori admire it. After all, in the Byakugan's vision, there was no difference between Sasori looking at it from afar and looking at it up close.

"Was it a transplant? I've read some of the papers you and Orochimaru wrote. It seems you two are quite familiar with organ transplantation technology. Is this your finished product?"

"But as Hokage, isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to transplant the village's bloodline limit? Won't you be condemned? By the way, those bloodline limit abilities you possess, were they also transplanted?"

Scorpion raised his hand, seemingly wanting to touch Tatsuma's Byakugan, but after being stared at by Tatsuma's eyes, he reluctantly withdrew his hand, though his face still showed great curiosity as he continued:

"I've also tried making bloodline limit ninjas into puppets. Although they can use bloodline limit abilities, they can't match your flexibility. In fact, the whole work is full of the stiffness of the previous era."

"My Byakugan and other bloodline limits are not transplanted, but are my own talents."

Tatsuma spoke up, realizing that if he remained silent, Sasori would keep nagging. Sasori, even more puzzled, said, "I have never seen a ninja possess multiple bloodline limits."

"That's because you're still young and inexperienced."

"Do you think there's any potential for combining bloodline limits and puppetry? If I could find the 'core' of a bloodline limit and forge it into a puppet module, wouldn't I be able to use multiple bloodline limit abilities?"

"That's true, but bloodline limits exist within gene fragments, and gene fragments rely on complete gene chains to avoid collapsing. Your idea is good, but with your conditions, I'm afraid it's impossible to achieve."

"Can you help me?"

"."

Chenma's lips twitched as he said, "Is it possible that we're not partners at all, but rather rivals, and that I'm the one who wants nothing more than to get rid of you?"

"What does it matter? Actually, if I had the chance, I'd like to turn you into one of my puppet creations. It's just something we both pursue, so what conflict would there be between us collaborating?"

Scorpion said this as if it were perfectly natural, seemingly not finding anything wrong with the two opposing sides reaching a cooperation agreement.

Tatsuma paused for a moment. Actually, he was also the kind of person who didn't mind cooperating with his opponents. However, compared to Sasori, he still had some bottom line. Even if he wanted to cooperate, he would be more tactful.

He thought for a moment and said, "I haven't been involved in this kind of research for several years. If you really want to know, I suggest you go to Konoha and ask Orochimaru. He knows more than I do."

"I see. But if I go to Konoha, I'm afraid I won't be able to escape."

"Shouldn't you be using puppet clones like this time?"

"It's a puppet, but that doesn't mean it's not my original body. I no longer have an original body; this is my original body, only it has become a puppet. If it were left behind, it would be a huge problem for me."

Upon hearing this, Chenma glanced at Scorpion and asked, "Then your physical puppet should have a core, right?"

"Yes, I do. Do you want to destroy it? That's a bit difficult, after all, I have more than just this one core."

"I was just asking. I figured it out myself. How could someone like you put all your eggs in one basket?"

Chenma withdrew his gaze. For a fleeting moment, he did indeed consider killing Scorpion and his core directly, but in that instant, he realized that Scorpion had no reason to be so naive.

Tatsuma even thought that Sasori in the original work didn't just have one core, but like those legendary Edo Tensei, Sasori had actually let go of his resentment at the last moment of the battle, so he simply stopped living.

But the scorpion still harbors great ambitions and has a clear vision for the future. Killing the scorpion now might not necessarily kill it, or even...

After abandoning his physical body and puppet form, Sasori will become even more difficult to resist, and killing him will also cause Sasori to completely antagonize Konoha and himself, Sakamoto Tatsuma.

Rather than that, it would be better to maintain the current state where good and evil are not clearly distinguished.

Moreover, he has already found a way to counter Scorpion's new puppet technique.

"Where did you learn this kind of surgery? You have a real talent for medicine, young man, for implantation surgery that doesn't require opening the brain."

After taking in the controlled puppets around him with a blew-eyed look, Chenma sincerely exclaimed that pieces of black rod fragments were being implanted into the skulls, and that the sharp edges did not damage the surrounding organs.

It was incredibly unwise of Sasori to become a puppeteer. This kid should have gone down the path of a medical ninja—no, not a medical ninja, but a surgeon.

"Thank you for the compliment. I also learned from you. I watched the organ transplant videos you shared many times, and I went through countless dissections and live dissections before I could barely complete these surgeries."

Sasori smiled shyly, then said, "It seems that my technique still has a big flaw. It can be seen through with just the Byakugan. It seems that it is impossible to completely infiltrate your Konoha with this technique, after all, there are so many Byakugan ninjas in your Konoha."

"It's one thing to see it, but it's another to figure out how to solve it. Even in Konoha, no more than five people can perform this level of removal surgery."

"Your technique, besides mine, is something no one else could have independently deciphered and solved. You're truly a genius."

Tatsuma clapped his hands together and formed the Si Mudra. Vines sprouted from the ground and pierced the samurai's necks or mouths and noses. Tatsuma then fell into deep thought.

If these black rod fragments are removed, under the current conditions, it will inevitably cause some damage to these samurai. Although he can repair them with medical ninjutsu later, that would be too cumbersome.

Therefore, Tatsuma chose a direct approach: to absorb the black rods directly. The black rods were products of Yin-Yang Release, and their essence was an incredibly stable chakra structure.

It is chakra, which Tatsuma can disintegrate and erode, and then absorb using Wood Release.

As the seal changed, streams of chakra emanated from the tips of the vines. While sensing the structure of these fragments, it attempted to decompose them. Soon, even the stable black rod fragments showed signs of degradation.

At this moment, the vines also enveloped the fragments, and the scattered fragments turned into chakra, which was absorbed into the vines. With thousands of people doing this at the same time, Tatsuma had no intention of paying attention to the chakra that was being extracted.

until

"It's done."

Tatsuma's unfocused eyes refocused, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"Ding~ Special talents [Creation] (Sage of Six Paths Limited Edition) +10%, [Genesis] (Sage of Six Paths Limited Edition) +10%, Pick up?"

"Um?"

Upon hearing the system's announcement, Chenma was taken aback. He hadn't expected to acquire the Yin-Yang Escape talent in this way. He had originally thought he would receive the reward of eight basic talents, or the puppetry talent from Sasori.

But he never expected it to turn out like this. Could it be that the system determined that the main body of this technique was Yin-Yang Escape, which originated from the Sage of Six Paths and was inherited from the same lineage, rather than a puppet technique dominated by Sasori?

"It seems you've ruined all my parts."

Scorpion spoke up with a hint of resentment. Tatsuma didn't answer immediately, but instead, after acquiring the talent, he began to digest the knowledge that had suddenly appeared.

After a while, Tatsuma sensed the chakra stored within the vines and said, "Would you like to accept my employment?"

"What is the content?"

"Do not harm Konoha ninja or officials of the Land of Fire."

"And the payment?"

Tatsuma opened his hands, each containing a ball of chakra—the separated state of Yin-Yang Release chakra. He said, "I will return these products of Yin-Yang Release to you."

"Didn't you say you couldn't do it?"

"I can't manufacture something like this because I can't refine chakra to that level yet, but if I already have the raw materials, then..."

Tatsuma clasped his hands together, then slowly pulled them apart, revealing a black rod about the thickness of a cane and a foot long. He grasped the rod, shook it, and asked, "How is it? Is this reward reasonable?"

"I still feel like I got the short end of the stick."

"No, it's about cutting losses."

Tatsuma corrected him, and Sasori thought for a moment and said, "It will take some time. After all, there is someone in your village that I want to kill, and I will not give up on this goal."

"Five years, five years. Unless you can upgrade your puppetry technique again, your current puppetry technique will no longer pose a threat to Konoha. That's my goal."

What Tatsuma wants to avoid is Sasori's current methods. Once he solves this problem, or Sasori upgrades his puppetry technique again, then whether Sasori makes a promise or not will be meaningless.

Scorpion thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Then it's five years. But during this time, you have to guarantee that Konoha will not put a bounty on me or hunt me down, otherwise I can retaliate reasonably."

"It's settled then."

Tatsuma handed the black rod in his hand to Sasori, saying, "A complete Yin-Yang Release artifact should be helpful to your puppetry."

"Um."

Scorpion doesn't deny that if Tatsuma produces another bunch of fragments, he might not choose to cooperate, because he doesn't lack fragments; his previous employer gave him quite a few.

"What price would I have to pay to find out who hired you to stop me?"

"I can't give you the information you want to know, because I don't know it either."

Scorpion tucked the black rod into his pocket and said, "However, he will indeed make a move against Konoha. I heard that you were the one who created the opportunity for them. I'm leaving now. If you want to hire me in the future, publish some papers that interest me. I'll come to you then."

After saying that, he turned and left, his small body quickly leaving the warm period created by Tatsuma's fire-style technique and disappearing into the snow under the moonlight.

Tatsuma pursed his lips, withdrew his gaze, the Byakugan on his forehead disappeared, and his chakra surged within him. He shouted, "Wake up, all of you!"

The technique he had stolen from Tobirama Senju immediately jolted the samurai awake. Ai rubbed his eyes and asked, "When did I fall asleep?"

Tatsuma ignored him, glanced at the thoughtful Shikaku, then appeared beside Mifune and asked, "Admiral Mifune, are you awake now? Ai and I need to pass through; will you allow us?"

Mifune shook his head and muttered, "How could I be so stubborn?"

It took him a while to fully regain his senses before he said, "I can lend it, but..."

"If you want any benefits, go talk to Ai. I'm going back to the village now, so I won't keep you company."

(End of this chapter)