This was actually a terrifying concept.
Because the number of Genin was so huge.
"Is it possible to create even stronger Puppets?"
Chiyo asked Sasori.
"It is, but with current technology, the cost is too high. It's fine for small-scale deployment, but for large-scale, the losses would outweigh the gains."
Sasori's words had two meanings.
One was that it wasn't feasible now, but might be in the future.
The other was that the dwarf already had the conditions for large-scale deployment.
Whether it was continued research and development for the next generation of products, large-scale deployment of this Puppet, or production lines, it all required Chiyo, the head of the Puppet Force, and the Third Kazekage's approval.
Thinking of this, Sasori glanced at Qingshui, his expression a little hesitant.
"What's wrong, Sasori?"
Chiyo noticed the unusual look on her grandson's face.
"It's just one thing that's not easy to resolve right now."
"What problem?"
Chiyo asked, concerned.
She couldn't think of any other drawbacks.
The shock Qingshui and Sasori, one her disciple and the other her grandson, had given her today was simply too immense.
She knew they were thinking of establishing their own school of thought, becoming the next masters of Puppetry like the Second Kazekage and Monzaemon.
She also believed that with Qingshui and Sasori's talent, there was a good chance they could achieve this, but she never expected this day to come so soon.
They should at least be thirty or forty years old, right? Chiyo felt that if she could witness it in her lifetime, she would be incredibly lucky.
But now, one was not yet fourteen, the other not yet twelve, and they had caused such a stir while others were still just Genin, or hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy. Chiyo couldn't help but feel shocked.
"It's just… Qingshui invested all the funds in our squad, besides the daily salaries, into the research and development of new Puppetry, and even paid a portion out of his own pocket. So, I followed suit and took out a good amount of money from my family's savings…"
Sasori said, a bit embarrassed.
"It's fine. How much?"
Chiyo said, unconcerned.
She had been a ninja for decades, completed countless high-level missions, and accumulated a lot of money. Her son and daughter-in-law had also left behind a substantial inheritance, making her assets among the top few in the entire Sand Village.
A little money spent was just money spent.
"I took out almost half of the family's money."
Sasori chuckled awkwardly, rarely showing anything but his usual aloof expression.
Having grown up in luxury, he didn't care much about money, but he knew his family had a lot.
He felt that burning through almost half in less than a year was a huge amount.
But it was precisely because of Sasori's massive financial support that their research and development speed was so rapid. Otherwise, even with Qingshui pointing the direction based on technology from another world, it wouldn't have gone so smoothly.
Chiyo paused.
"Sayama."
"Elder Chiyo!"
Sasayama of the Sand was still calculating how much half of Chiyo's family savings would be. When Chiyo called his name, he immediately snapped out of it and stood at attention.
"Go quickly to the Kazekage Building and invite the Third Kazekage here."
Chiyo looked at the two Puppets, then at the production line.
"Tell him that my good-for-nothing disciple, along with my grandson and the entire Sixth Squad, has come up with something else extraordinary."
Chiyo paused, then added:
"Something even more remarkable than the previous canal, something that can further enhance the Sand Village's strength and foundation."
Sasayama of the Sand immediately took the order and headed to the Kazekage Building to invite the Third Kazekage.
Only then did Chiyo turn to look at Sasori and Qingshui.
"Sigh, that small amount of money, I'll shamelessly ask the Kazekage for it later. What you've done is truly here, and the Third Kazekage will certainly not refuse this compensation. Moreover, he will definitely find a way to allocate funds for the research, experimentation, application, and popularization of your work."
At the same time, inside the Kazekage Building.
Rasa was holding a document, reporting to the Third Kazekage.
The Third Kazekage, on the other hand, rested his chin on one hand, silently evaluating Rasa's recent performance.
As Rasa's teacher, he greatly hoped Rasa would learn from the last incident and show improvement.
But Rasa had disappointed him again.
The Third Kazekage couldn't be sure if Rasa had learned his lesson, but he could tell that Rasa had been very eager to do something recently to atone for his past mistakes and prove his capabilities.
But in some matters, due to a lack of personal ability and prestige, Rasa often resorted to overly extreme methods.
If such a person were to become the leader of a faction, their position would certainly be unstable.
"Also, Third Master, the Anbu training facility is quite dilapidated now. I was wondering if we should renovate and rebuild it."
After Rasa finished his report, he put away the documents and respectfully addressed the Third Kazekage.
"How much are you asking for?"
The Third Kazekage asked.
"Not much, just one hundred million ryo," Rasa replied.
Two years ago, it would have been quite difficult for the Sand Village to come up with one hundred million ryo. After all, finances were tight, and the entire village needed money. Without large-scale wartime plunder, they would have had to rob Peter to pay Paul, just barely getting by.
But now, with the Sand Village emerging victorious from the Second Great Ninja War, mission quotas had increased, there was a continuous stream of revenue from the canal, and compensation from Konoha. The Sand Village was experiencing its wealthiest period since its founding.
Rasa estimated that the village's current reserves exceeded two billion ryo.
"Sigh..."
The Third Kazekage rubbed his temples, looking troubled.
He probably knew what Rasa was trying to do.
Rasa's style of getting things done was bound to affect his reputation and prestige, so he was trying to secure some benefits for the Anbu to salvage it.
"Rasa, you should know that while the village still has a significant amount in reserves, much of it is already earmarked. We just obtained a large number of Sealing Jutsu from Konoha. To research a seal that can consistently suppress a Tailed Beast, the Sealing Squad's budget cannot be cut. Furthermore, the village's barrier hasn't been maintained since the First Kazekage established it, so it definitely needs repair.
Otherwise, within twenty years, the village's protective barrier will fail. If the enemy breaches the First Line Gorge, you know what the consequences would be.
And the Medical Squad, which is just being established, also needs a lot of money. You should know how much advantage the Medical Ninja trained by Tsunade gave Konoha on the battlefield. Now, every village is pushing for progress in this area, and we absolutely cannot fall behind.
And the Ninja Academy needs to expand its enrollment this year..."
Before the Third Kazekage could finish, an Anbu knocked on the door.
"Lord Third, Jonin Sasayama of the Sand reports that Elder Chiyo requests your presence at the Puppet Force. She says she has extremely important results to report."
The Third Kazekage's spirits instantly lifted.
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