Though it was a quip, Shinji wasn't wrong. If not for the strength of a Kekkei Shinra, Kaguya Otsutsuki, the Progenitor of Chakra, certainly wouldn't have been so easy to talk to.
And successfully recruiting a Kekkei Mora made the combat power in Shinji's hands significantly more abundant.
A Kekkei Mora was roughly the peak of the Shinobi World; individuals like Shinji or Shibai Otsutsuki, who reached the level of Kekkei Shinra, were the true outliers. This was why Shinji had been so conflicted before about whether to throw Urashiki Otsutsuki to the God Tree as a sacrifice.
Every Kekkei Mora was a precious combat asset that even the current Shinji found difficult to mass-produce.
For the next few days, Shinji stayed at the Research Institute, participating in the Barrier Project.
With the existing example of the magic barrier from the Hexagon World, the Barrier Project of the Shinobi World had a precedent to follow. Combined with the fact that everyone participating in the planning was an elite of the Shinobi World, the Barrier Project began to take shape after several days of repeated discussion.
At the meeting, Amado pointed to a display screen and spoke: "Our current plan is to draw inspiration from the magic barrier of the Hexagon World. We will set up nine critical nodes across the Shinobi World. Using these nine critical nodes as support, we will perform a comprehensive reinforcement of the Shinobi World."
Sasuke asked: "That many?"
Before Amado could answer, Shion took over the conversation: "It won't work with fewer. Our nodes are different from the Mage Towers of the Hexagon World. Besides being able to strengthen the spatial barrier, they must also strengthen the continental plates. If we only set up six, the pressure on each node would simply be too immense."
Sasuke muttered: "So that's how it is!"
Amado continued: "We will subsequently develop a barrier that can cover the entire Shinobi World. These nine nodes will also be the nodes supporting the barrier, so at that time, each node will require the deployment of at least one elite Barrier Squad!"
Tsunade said: "There's no problem regarding manpower. I can requisition them from other shinobi villages in the name of the Hokage!"
Shinji reminded her: "Pay attention to secrecy!"
Tsunade nodded: "Don't worry, I will find suitable excuses to cover the troop movements!"
At this moment, the advantage of Tsunade's status as Hokage became apparent.
If the Research Institute moved troops, it would be difficult to keep it a secret once the scale became large. But if Tsunade, as the Hokage, secretly requisitioned shinobi from various villages under various pretenses, the secrecy could be greatly improved.
Amado continued the introduction: "At the nine critical nodes, we will also drive a reinforcement spike seventeen thousand meters long into the ground. This task is the responsibility of the Engineering Squad."
Sasori, as the leader of the Engineering Squad, took over the conversation and began the explanation: "These reinforcement spikes consist of one main spike and over a thousand auxiliary spikes. Formulas will be inscribed on them. When activated, they can release over twenty types of ninjutsu, including Magnet Release and Earth Release. Within a range of tens of thousands of kilometers, they will provide a stabilizing and reinforcing effect on the continental plates!"
Shinji looked at the screen. If these reinforcement spikes were placed at all nine critical nodes, forming a reinforcement network to cover the area and supplemented by large-scale ninjutsu, the reinforcement effect might be even better than the equipment used by the Lampbearers in the Hexagon World last time.
Then, Shinji raised an eyebrow: "What about the issue of secrecy?"
For such a massive project, the required manpower and resources were countless. Once the scale increased, the difficulty of maintaining secrecy would rise geometrically.
Sasori laughed: "I will manufacture the reinforcement spikes in separate parts. Each factory will only produce one specific component, and no workers will be allowed to leave the factories until the great war ends! As for the installation phase, our Engineering Squad prepares to fully activate puppets!"
Clearly, Sasori was completely isolating the three stages: design, production, and installation. The design team only handled design, the production factories only handled parts, and the most important installation phase—which required understanding the equipment's function—would be handled entirely by Tenseigan puppets. This would maximize the prevention of information leaks.
...
"Very good!"
Shinji nodded, approving of Sasori's arrangements.
After Sasori finished his introduction, Amado spoke again: "The Barrier Squad and the Engineering Squad don't seem to be problems for now. The real difficulty is that once these nine critical nodes are activated, they will certainly attract the enemy's attention. Therefore, we need sufficiently strong combat power to guard them."
Shinji tapped his finger lightly on the table, falling into thought.
In his current hands, besides himself, there were three Kekkei Mora: Karin, Hikari, and the newly recruited Kaguya Otsutsuki. There were six Six Paths level combatants: Toneri Otsutsuki, Shion, Sasuke, Naruto, Neji, and Kimimaro.
If distributed, guarding nine critical nodes wouldn't be a problem.
But in a war like this, spreading combat power evenly was clearly foolish. Especially for a Kekkei Mora, who could contend with a Hegemon within the spatial barrier, wasting them on guarding a single fixed node was very inefficient.
Whether considering reasonable combat arrangements or for the sake of secrecy, it was impossible for Shinji to announce the list of personnel guarding the nine nodes now. So he said: "Proceed with the plan first. As for the combat power to guard the critical nodes, I need to consider it!"
"Understood!"
Amado responded.
Shinji asked again: "Is there any news from Orochimaru's side?"
Tsunade shook her head: "We arrested dozens of Orochimaru's subordinates, but we haven't tortured his whereabouts out of them."
Amado said: "Orochimaru is himself a Six Paths level combatant, and there's a suspected experimental subject with him. The threat they pose to us is too great. I suggest resolving the risk he represents before the great war!"
Shinji nodded slightly.
The guarding of the nine critical nodes would distribute the vast majority of the combat power in Shinji's hands. If an uncertain factor like Orochimaru remained outside, the variables would amplify infinitely for Shinji, who still had to face the Hegemon. Therefore, he also knew he had to resolve Orochimaru before the decisive battle.
It was just that Orochimaru's current state was very strange. Not only could Eida's Senrigan not peer into his location, but even Shinji's perception could not lock onto him, as if he had vanished from the Shinobi World into thin air.
"Should I resolve him in the past?"
A thought rose in Shinji's mind.
Since he couldn't find Orochimaru now, Shinji could completely return to the past and find Orochimaru at some point then. This would be an easy task for him, and then he could personally deal with Orochimaru.
As long as Orochimaru was resolved in the past, the Orochimaru of the current time node would be erased by the timeline. However, if he did that, Shinji would have to bear the backlash of unpredictable results brought about by the convergence of the timeline.