Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

With a huge spitting mark on his forehead, Handsome Scorpion struggled forward step by step through the yellow sand. He really wanted to curse this bastard middle-aged man to death, but all his verbal attacks were a waste of energy. They would only increase his burden, making him thirsty and tired, and would do nothing else. Moving forward with a heavy load in the yellow sand was completely different from moving on flat ground. With the equipment weighing over a hundred pounds on his body, every step he took sank into the sand, making progress extremely difficult and consuming several times his usual energy. So even though he was angry, he didn't argue with this smug-looking middle-aged man. He gritted his teeth and moved forward step by step. He vowed that as soon as he successfully lost weight and regained his ten-pack abs, he would immediately kill the Kazekage, then make him into a unique Magnet Release puppet before finally killing this bastard!

When hatred and resentment reached their peak in his heart, they transformed into an invisible force that propelled him forward several more meters...

482. Dark Guard Guy: Young Master Scorpion's body seems a bit weak!

"That's right! How can you see a rainbow without experiencing wind and rain? No matter how difficult or dangerous the obstacles you encounter, as long as you keep the fire in your heart burning and don't let it go out, turning all hatred and resentment into motivation, that's how you can climb higher and go further... Young Master Kudo? What's wrong? Are you not incapacitated? You weren't like this just now...ヾ(^?^)?"

Seeing that Handsome Scorpion had struggled for another ten meters, Masato smiled and looked at Kudo Yusaku, who wasn't much ahead of Handsome Scorpion. Although this kid was also sticking out his tongue like a husky, his condition was obviously much better than Handsome Scorpion's. Although his speed had decreased, he didn't struggle as much as Handsome Scorpion and could still move forward steadily.

He wasn't mistaken; this kid's physical talent was absolutely top-tier. While comparing him to the handsome Scorpion, who was five or six years younger, wasn't quite right, the fact that he could endure such a long time on his first attempt at weightlifting and was still going strong meant that if this kid went to the draft, he'd be a sure lottery pick. As long as he doesn't get too injury-prone, becoming a superstar wouldn't be a problem. ヾ(^Д^*)/

"...I can still hold on! (T_T)"

Kudo Yusaku gritted his teeth and persevered while tears streamed down his face. He couldn't help it; this first lesson was just too intense. Although he had endured three months of carrying a huge bundle from Konoha to the village, it had only been a few days! His strength hadn't even recovered yet, and now he was immediately putting on those morbidly heavy weights and running in the sand. It was just too exhausting.

He had considered that strengthening his physique and learning the Eight Arts would be a very arduous process, and he was mentally prepared. After all, such formidable physical skills had been passed down for countless years and no one had ever been able to fully master them, which showed how difficult it was. However, in order not to let his parents risk their lives to have a second child, he could endure no matter how tired or bitter it was.

However, once a person reaches their limit, their resolve wavers, and the ambition they once held onto vanishes. Their heart is currently wavering. If they give up now, they can comfortably return home and lie in bed, avoiding this torment. They already have a perfect physique with ten-pack abs; they don't need to diet like this genius scorpion. The books also say that excessive exercise can leave hidden injuries that will erupt later in life, leading to death. Those who overexert themselves in their youth generally don't live past sixty...

But the thought that if I gave up, all the suffering I had endured in the first three months would have been for nothing made me determined to hold on!

Thinking of this, Kudo Yusaku suddenly felt his legs regain strength and that he could do it again. He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and charged forward.

"Hey, not bad! If you want to learn the Eight Gates Formation, you first need to get your body in good shape. Young man, I have high hopes for you... Nephew, look at him, and then look at you. He's only six years older than you, and he can still sprint. Don't let your uncle look down on you! ヾ(^Д^*)/"

Shindou increasingly felt that it was such a wise choice to trick his disciple into learning the Eight Gates Formation and to create a weight loss plan for handsome Sasori. Looking at handsome Sasori, who was exhausted like a husky, he could watch this scene for as long as he wanted without getting tired of it.

"....(▼へ▼メ)"

Handsome Scorpion didn't say anything, but instead suppressed his anger and channeled it into motivation, propelling himself forward step by step.

Damn it, when I'm his age I'll leave him in the dust! (▼へ▼メ)

"Lord Shindou, Lord Kazekage is looking for... hiss... Young Master Sasori? Σ(⊙▽⊙a)"

Just as the handsome Sasori was racing the tortoise with Kudo Yusaku, a member of the Anbu appeared next to Masato. He had just finished speaking when he turned around and saw the scene not far away, and he gasped. When he saw the figure of a chubby little boy, he almost bit his tongue.

As a low-ranking member of the Anbu whose daily work consisted of standing guard beside the Kazekage and acting as a messenger, he naturally recognized the Sand Village's super genius grandson, who was the apple of Lady Chiyo's eye. He was also aware of the changes in the grandson's physique over the past six months. However, this physique didn't have much of an impact on a puppeteer. Moreover, although he had gained weight, his top-notch good looks were still there, so it didn't matter if he was fat. In fact, he was quite cute. Although Sasori was very handsome before, his personality was too aloof. Now, he inexplicably had a more approachable and friendly demeanor.

But the young master Scorpion was no longer the aloof man he used to be. He was soaked in sweat, panting and running forward like a silly husky. He was completely different from his usual self, and I almost didn't recognize him. Moreover, the young master Scorpion's ferocious expression made it seem like he was carrying a mountain on his back, but there was clearly nothing on his back.

It seems that Young Master Scorpion's body is a bit weak! Running in the sand is very tiring, but it's nothing for ninjas. If he were to run, he could run all day without even panting. But Young Master Scorpion has only run for a short while and he's already panting like a husky.

Hmm, it's necessary to give Lord Jie a suggestion: make sure Young Master Scorpion gets more nourishment...

"...Looking for me again? I just got home and rested for two days. Do you know what it's about?"

Masato asked somewhat unhappily. He had only been back for two days and had finally had some time to spend with his nephew.

Based on his past experience, it was never a good thing that Sunagawa and Ebizo asked him to go to the cliff of the Wind Shadow Tower.

"...I don't know, but it seems Lord Jie went to Fengying Tower this morning for some business. He seemed to be in a hurry. After Lord Jie left, Lord Fengying asked me to come and find you at Fengying Tower..."

The underling in the ANBU shook his head. Competition for ANBU positions is fierce, so those who work in the ANBU, especially those who follow the Wind Shadow in and out, have very lucrative jobs. Therefore, they must adhere to the principle of listening carefully to what they should listen to and never listening to what they shouldn't. He knew that something big might be happening when he saw the anxious look on Handsome Scorpion's father's face from the shadows. Naturally, the less he knew about such things, the better.

Otherwise, it would be tragic if we were caught in the crossfire and sent to guard the frontier.

"...Sigh, I want to see what these two are up to this time. My nephew's exhausted later, could you take him home for me..."

Shindou nodded knowingly. After Sasori's father left, Sunagawa and Ebizo immediately contacted him... This information gave him some ideas. Could it be that something went wrong with the Iron Golems? (⊙_⊙)

483. It's not that they're not capable, it's that they have a terrible teammate.

Come to think of it, he hadn't really paid much attention to the iron golems since he came back. After he tricked Aying into advertising for him and getting things started, he left, leaving the rest of the work to Handsome Scorpion's father. In his opinion, it wasn't wartime, so even if the puppeteer army's combat effectiveness decreased, it wouldn't be a big problem. Besides, Handsome Scorpion's father was quite steady; as long as he kept things in check, it would be fine. Even if things got a little out of hand, he could just stop it in time.

So when he came back and saw that there was only one souvenir in Handsome Scorpion's toy room, and all the other metal items that he had smashed to pieces were gone, he knew that Handsome Scorpion's father's business had been booming for the past six months. He also didn't hear Handsome Scorpion's father mention any problems, so he didn't bother to pay attention to those things and focused on making a weight loss plan for Handsome Scorpion.

Now that his underlings in the Dark Guard said that before he and Ebizo went to Sunagawa, Sasori's father had been to the Wind Shadow Pavilion, he couldn't help but think of this incident.

Doesn't Handsome Scorpion's father have any plans to contact him?

...

What Zhen Dou didn't know was that Handsome Scorpion's father was indeed observing those people according to his plan. Just kidding! The puppeteer army was the main force of the village and also the apple of his mother's eye. How could he let his guard down?

After Shinto left the village for two months and sold the last piece of scrap iron, he kept an eye on the puppeteers who bought the metal almost every day, but he didn't notice anything unusual. Everyone's mood was normal, and they didn't whisper to each other during work hours. The topic of discussing iron golems was only discussed after get off work when they would meet up to sit down and study together. He didn't find anything abnormal at all. Moreover, the puppeteer unit was usually very busy, and he couldn't just keep watching without working. He was a responsible person and never took a paycheck without doing any work. Since there was nothing wrong there, he decided to put it aside for the time being. Anyway, those who bought the metal were all members of the puppeteer unit. Although he didn't usually go to the grassroots level, he had a good grasp of the puppeteer unit, and if anyone had a problem with making iron golems, he would know immediately.

However, while the puppeteer unit operates under unified command during wartime, in peacetime they go on missions in small groups with their teammates. Although the puppeteer unit provides a stable salary, in the Land of Wind, where the economy is exceptionally developed and even buying a fish requires carrying gold dust, that salary is merely symbolic and hardly enough to support them. Moreover, being a puppeteer is an extremely expensive profession; the annual maintenance and puppet costs alone amount to a huge sum. Therefore, during times without war, they team up with their friends to complete missions and earn money. Not many people stay in the puppeteer unit to work and clock in. So, when his underlings are injured by the enemy during missions, he doesn't care much. After all, being a ninja is a high-risk job, and even in peacetime, every village loses a few people every day; injuries are just the norm.

He was only shocked when Ah Ying found him with the data sheet, realizing the gravity of the situation...

So, the first reaction of Handsome Scorpion's father was not to tell his older brother, but to find his uncle who could save both of his lives. After Handsome Scorpion's father left Fengying Tower, Ebizo and Sunagawa racked their brains over this matter, but still couldn't think of a good solution. The only solution was to let time allow those puppeteers who had gone crazy to calm down and discover the drawbacks of the iron golems themselves.

But that's obviously impossible. If it's not stopped properly in time, and it goes on for a while, the puppeteers of Sunagakure will be wiped out. They were lucky this time that they were only injured and didn't die. Do they think they can be so lucky every time?

So, having racked their brains for countless hours without coming up with a good solution, the two decided to give up entirely. They brought the instigator over, dumped the problem on him, and told him to figure it out himself. If he couldn't, they could all just die together and go down to the first abbot to seek justice. It wasn't that they weren't capable; it was just that they had a terrible teammate who was constantly holding them back.

Ebizo and Sunagawa had even prepared arsenic. Since that bastard couldn't think of a way, the two of them worked together to force him to drink it down his throat, and then they each drank a bottle in one go!

.....

"boom!"

"You never let me get a proper rest, and I'm still getting paid like the Jonin squad leader. Tell me, what happened this time? Stop scrunching up, you're making your eyes disappear. Your eyes were already small to begin with..."

The door, which had been replaced less than two hours earlier, had once again fulfilled its mission and shattered into pieces. When Masato walked in, he saw Sunagawa and Ebizo frowning, their deep crow's feet almost squeezing their eyes shut.

"Snapped!"

"See? You created this mess, so you have to clean it up yourself!"

The two, who were already prepared to die together with the bastard, didn't give him a kind look. Ebizo even grabbed the data sheet that Handsome Scorpion's father had brought and threw it in front of him, saying with a livid face.

"...Hey! I thought it was something serious. You're all so worried about such a small thing. What will you do when the world ends? It's just a few injuries, what's the big deal? People die every day, especially since this is a great revolution. Survival of the fittest, natural selection. Give the families of the dead a pension and a grand funeral. Waive the medical fees for the injured, and give them some workers' compensation, isn't that enough? I'm not trying to criticize you, but I've wanted to say this for a long time. Back when I was in the Dark Division..." "When we were just getting by, it was one thing to not get workers' compensation, but now it's been 38 years since Sunagakure was founded! You two, it's been over a decade, and now your underlings don't even have basic security. Tell me, is this acceptable? Because of your words, so many people risked their lives, and in the end, those who died were simply given the title of hero, while those who were injured, you couldn't even bring them a couple of pounds of fruit! Seeing those parents burying their children, losing husbands and sons, and then falling into dire financial straits, doesn't your conscience hurt...?"

As Masato got more and more into the story, tears welled up in his eyes. He couldn't pull himself out of the act and, with a sob in his voice, he made Ebizo and Sunagawa feel incredibly ashamed.

Even the secret agents hiding in the shadows were deeply moved. Lord Shinto is truly a great man who speaks up for the people!! (〒︿〒)

484. Is it that your brain has cheated or your intellect has gone astray?

Ebizo and Sunagawa exchanged a guilty glance.

yes!.

How come they haven't realized this problem all these years? Now, thinking of those lonely elderly people who have lost their sons, those orphans and widows who have lost their fathers and husbands, my heart is instantly filled with guilt. I've forgotten my previous plan to follow that bastard down to find the first justice-seeking leader. All that's left in my heart is a deep sense of guilt towards those lonely elderly people, orphans, and widows...

"It's never too late to mend your ways, now that you've realized your mistakes. Take some fruit and a little platinum and visit each family to offer your condolences to those who risked their lives for the village. We could also establish a workers' compensation agency to strengthen the village's cohesion. That's all for today. I'm very pleased that you've come to your senses..."

Looking at Sunagawa and Ebizo, who were filled with shame, Masato figured they wouldn't be able to get over it for a while, so he gave them some time to calm down.

"etc..!"

"We can deal with this tomorrow; you should take care of your own business first!"

Just as Shinto turned to leave, Ebizo stopped him with a start and said irritably.

"Yes! Let's get your business settled first!"

Upon hearing Ebizo's words, Sunagawa realized what he meant and quickly nodded.

Good guy!

I almost got fooled by this bastard and almost forgot about the important thing. Establishing a workers' compensation agency is important, but that can be done anytime. The most important thing now is to solve the mess this bastard has made.

"Hey! How difficult is that? You're the Wind Shadow, and you're also a Grand Councilor. You two have been in power for so many years, you're highly respected. The reason those guys are so superstitious about the Iron Golem is simply because they believe in A-Ying's high status in the puppetry circle, and that his words carry weight. But the puppeteer circle is just a small circle. Can A-Ying's status compare to yours? Of course not! If you just get a few reputable puppeteers to jointly write a statement saying that the Iron Golem's core technology isn't mature enough, and has many flaws that make it vulnerable to enemy attacks, then those who have been injured will see your statement, recall their beatings, and calm down to realize their mistakes..."

Masato stared at the two of them speechlessly. He couldn't understand whether these two had lost their minds or their intelligence had gone astray. Why did they have to make such a simple thing so complicated?

"!!!"

"That's it... all done? (⊙_⊙)?"

Ebizo and Sunagawa looked at him blankly, feeling... that it might be a solution, but coming from this bastard, it seemed too simple, making them feel unreliable.

"How complicated do you think it can be? Humans are brainless primates; do you think they'd want to be wronged twice? It would be best to bring Aunt Chiyo along and have her sign and stamp something, wouldn't that solve it? So many authoritative puppeteers have signed and sealed it; those people aren't stupid. At worst, we can just parade A-Ying through the streets to make him forgive our mistake, right? Anyway, he's the source of the rumors. At worst, after the parade, we can put him in Jie's position. Don't you always say there's no suitable person to inherit your position? Jie is also the boss..." "You're not young anymore. Staying there all the time won't lead to anything. Those who know might be okay, but those who don't might think, Brother Sunagawa, you're deliberately suppressing my uncle's descendants. Ten years ago, he was already the head of the puppeteer unit, and ten years later, he's still in the same position. It's bound to raise suspicions! Look at Hiruzen Sarutobi now. The moment Tsunade left Konoha, a deluge of criticism immediately followed. Brother Sunagawa, can you... handle it? I heard that Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't go home for a while, and his son almost disowned him."

After Masato finished speaking with his hands outstretched, he deliberately raised an eyebrow at Sunakawa, mentioning Hiruzen Sarutobi's recent experiences.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had a really tough time recently, but he was on his way and didn't know the full story until he returned to the village. He overheard some timber merchants from Konoha talking and learned that Hiruzen had been blocked by Konoha villagers and was too afraid to go home. The shop he frequented in a certain district was also affected and almost went bankrupt because of the angry villagers' spending. If Hiruzen hadn't paid for the villagers' purchases, the shop would have really closed down because of Hiruzen.

In short, Hiruzen Sarutobi had a very miserable time recently, and he almost became a laughing stock in the ninja world.

"I'll go find Lady Chiyo right away..."

Upon hearing Masato mention Hiruzen Sarutobi's tragic fate, Sunakawa could no longer contain himself. After giving a brief explanation, he vanished from the Kazekage Tower and raced towards the Miyako clan.

joke!

Hiruzen Sarutobi is now a laughing stock in the ninja world. Although there is some healthy competition among the Kage, he doesn't want to compete with Hiruzen Sarutobi in this regard. Moreover, the Senju clan has declined, and apart from Tsunade and her brother, there is no one left. Hiruzen Sarutobi has been the leader of Konoha for so many years, and his reputation has made him as secure as an old dog. He doesn't care how much blame he takes.

But he can't do that. The Miyako clan may seem to have declined, but in reality, they have been at the top of the village for many years. Their influence in Sunagakure is much greater than that of the Senju clan in Konoha now!

If word got out that he was suppressing the descendants of the first generation, he'd definitely be subjected to public criticism and denunciation by the villagers...

Thinking of all this, Sunagawa quickened his pace, showing no signs of being in his forties and approaching fifty.

The two guards below, seeing their Lord Fengying moving with such speed and grace, still as robust as ever, no different from a young man, couldn't help but exclaim that Lord Fengying was still vigorous despite his advanced age!

"...Let's do as you say!"

His partner had already left to fetch his sister, so what could Ebizo say? When his sister arrived, he would have to figure out how to fool her without letting her know what had happened to the puppeteer. Since he had promised his nephew, he naturally had to keep his word.

However, although this scoundrel has a penchant for being unconventional, he does sometimes have unique insights. For years, he's been observing and evaluating newcomers, trying to find a successor, but none of them have satisfied him. He never even considered his own nephew…

485. Rope Tree: Brother-in-law, I want to eat meat!

Forty years in Konoha, thirty-nine years in Sunagakure.

Inside a casino in the Land of Fire.

"Sis, let's cut back a bit, or we'll starve...╥﹏╥"

Compared to the plump figure he had when he left Konoha a year ago, Nawaki, now emaciated, tearfully lamented to Tsunade beside him.

One year!

A whole year has passed, and the happier he was when he left the village, the more he regrets it now.

For the past year, he and his sister have been traveling the world, traversing every corner of the Land of Fire. Wherever there was a casino, they went. Initially, they had a little money. Tsunade, the former director of Konoha Hospital, received a high monthly salary. Despite her gambling addiction and inevitable losses, she rarely used her own money in Konoha over the years; her gambling funds were primarily sponsored by Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and others…