After her discussion with Candle Nine Yin about the Six Paths Treasured Tools, Satsuki secluded herself in the castle laboratory. She wasn't only reorganizing the future laboratory to be rebuilt at the Ryūmyaku, but also refining her plan for creating the Hyūga clan—laying it out into a workable process.
Regardless, creating a brand-new clan required one thing above all: enough resources to allow for trial and error.
Following the castle and laboratory expansions, her funds had already been depleted by more than half. While she had a stable supply of test subjects from the Senju clan, the material she now needed at minimum had to be trained ninja. Even in the Warring States period, ninja corpses were valuable—and an expensive resource.
"In any world, scientific research needs massive funding before it can produce results," she thought, rubbing her temple as she reviewed the puppet-compiled financial report for the castle.
"The fastest way to raise funds, besides trade, is to take bounty missions."
Though her dealings with the Senju clan brought in millions of ryō monthly, the time frame was too long for her liking. In this era, A-rank bounties could fetch millions, while the rarer and far more dangerous super S-class bounties could reach tens of millions.
An S-class missing-nin was vastly stronger than an A-class—by later standards, A-class was jonin level, while S-class could be near or at Kage level.
Nobility was another potential source of funds. "I've already used my noble status to seize control of several major cities, and their treasuries have been sitting untouched. It's about time I made use of them."
The Heavenly Wheel Reincarnation technique could only control a limited number of human puppets, so she wouldn't waste one on menial tasks like these. For the daimyō negotiations, she sent a squad of puppet samurai—those daimyō were already bound by her control seals, so puppets could handle it.
"As for the bounties, Ranzuki can deal with them. It'll be good experience for her as well."
Through the Giant Tenseigan's communication, Satsuki summoned the waiting Ranzuki, who soon arrived in the main hall.
Seated in the master's chair, Satsuki looked down at Ranzuki kneeling respectfully. "I have some tasks for you," she said calmly.
At her mental signal, a maid puppet brought forward intelligence scrolls from the Senju's Iga settlement—records of super S-class bounty ninja. There were fifteen scrolls in all.
"Only fifteen super S-class bounties?" Satsuki was mildly disappointed. In this era, true powerhouses were rare creatures indeed. She casually drew one scroll and opened it.
"Oh, a familiar face."
The scroll detailed the bounty for the leader of the Kaguya clan—Suzuki Kaguya.
It was her first time seeing this "character sheet" style dossier, complete with ability descriptions, danger assessments, and other relevant intel.
After scanning Suzuki Kaguya's abilities, Satsuki quickly formed an assessment: his strength likely rivaled that of Uchiha Tajima with Mangekyō Sharingan activated. The report also made no mention of the bone-related bloodline disease.
Judging by his listed skills, his natural talent surpassed that of Kimimaro in the future. He also appeared to wield both Wind and Earth nature transformations, suggesting he might be even more formidable than Kimimaro with the Cursed Seal of Earth.
As the current head of the Kaguya clan, Suzuki Kaguya had surely found a way to manage the clan's hereditary bloodline disease. It was no wonder—being of Ōtsutsuki descent, the Kaguya clan had had generations to address such an ailment.
Kimimaro's generation had fared far worse. Even a rare genius had died to the disease before reaching his peak—tragic indeed.
Now, before her stood a fully matured Kaguya prodigy. Yet Satsuki had little interest—there was too great a gap between them. As a sparring target for Ranzuki, however, he was ideal.
"Suzuki Kaguya—this will be your first target. You are not to use Tenseigan Chakra Mode. His life or death is irrelevant. Bring the bounty to Kiyomaru."
"Yes, Lady Satsuki." Ranzuki accepted the scroll and vanished from the hall.
This puppet was exceptionally gifted. As her only puppet capable of entering Tenseigan Chakra Mode, Ranzuki's aptitude placed her among the very top of this era—good enough to absorb natural energy on her first attempt without guidance and enter Sage Mode.
That set Satsuki's standards for future puppets extremely high. Any who could not match Ranzuki's talent were unworthy of becoming Heavenly Wheel Reincarnation puppets. Yet Ranzuki's case was rare. She had already spent months screening for materials with the same potential, consuming hundreds of elite test subjects with no match found.
This project had become her second-largest drain on funds.
Restricting Ranzuki from using Tenseigan Chakra Mode was simply to avoid the sages recognizing her connection to Satsuki. Sage Mode alone would suffice for most situations.
With the task assigned, Satsuki infused her Tenseigan with Ōtsutsuki chakra, sweeping her awareness over the castle.
The fortress now neared completion. From its beginnings on the mountainside, it extended all the way to the foot, built in layered Japanese style. Watchtowers, research facilities, factories, transport routes, and puppet maintenance bays were all concealed within structures that seemed ordinary from the outside.
The patrols were still primarily Tenseigan-controlled puppets, granted limited sentience by her chakra. Over a thousand could be counted openly.
Some handled daily patrols, others renovations and expansions, and others maintained barriers and their energy supplies. Research puppets recorded data in the laboratories; worker puppets produced supplies for the Senju and Uchiha; repair puppets maintained the entire puppet force.
This vast operation was the culmination of her plans since obtaining the Tenseigan.
"The castle is now self-sustaining. The security puppets have reached chunin level under my chakra infusion. Security is solid. If trouble arises, I can return instantly with space–time ninjutsu."
Satisfied with her assessment, she closed her eyes to rest—when suddenly, the system's main quest display shifted in her mind:
"Main Quest Update: Become the strongest being in this world (Progress: ???) – prerequisite achieved. New quest unlocked: Assemble the most powerful force in this world (Progress: ???) – prerequisite achieved. Reward: Time–Space Medal ×1."