"Creating puppets must take a lot out of you, right?" Yushi asked.
He looked at Haruki with concern. Haruki's words considered everyone, except himself. He was still just a child.
Hanzo's heart sank as he looked at the puppet before him. He had clashed with Chiyo of Sunagakure dozens, if not a hundred, times. Even as a novice in puppet jutsu, he could tell how mentally and physically exhausting it was to create a puppet.
"It's fine." Haruki immediately said.
Under Yushi's gaze, he was too embarrassed to lie and spoke truthfully, "Creating puppets does consume my strength…"
"But!"
Haruki quickly raised his head, looking at Hanzo and Yushi. "Everyone in the war is working hard. Compared to that, what am I? Everyone can give their lives for Amegakure, and so can I. Compared to fighting Sunagakure on the battlefield, creating puppets is not hard at all."
[Ding!]
[System detected Hanzo's Nostalgia Value +3000]
[Your Cursed Spirit Choso's rank has increased to 52.5%]
[Ding!]
[System detected Hanzo's Affection Value +3000]
[Ding!]
[System detected Yushi's Affection Value +3000]
[Ding!]
[System detected Yuma's Affection Value +3000]
[Ding!]
[System detected Miozawa's Affection Value +3000]
[Currently collected Affection Value +12000, your Accompanying Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 89.5%]
"Good!"
Hanzo's heart was stirred with various emotions. He was proud of Haruki, yet also pained by the contributions he, as a child, had to make to Amegakure.
"Sensei!"
Haruki looked at Hanzo with shining eyes and said, "I want to join Miozawa's trap unit so I can have the puppets scout for information while luring Sunagakure ninjas into traps. That way, no one has to put themselves in danger."
Miozawa immediately looked at Haruki, his fists slowly clenching, and he lowered his gaze, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes.
As the trap unit, they would indeed no longer have to put themselves in danger, but the role of having to face danger would shift from them to Haruki.
Hanzo's gaze fell on Miozawa. With Haruki's puppets, the trap unit would indeed no longer need to put themselves in danger, and even the intelligence unit's safety would be greatly enhanced.
However, conversely, Haruki was very likely to be exposed on the front lines of the battlefield. Haruki could easily become the target of all.
Seeing that Hanzo had not answered for a long time, Haruki's eyes darted around, and he immediately said, "Sensei, I know you must be worried about my safety, but I have curses around me to protect me, so nothing will happen to me."
Hanzo immediately remembered another matter. He looked at Haruki and asked, "I heard Isoname say that a new curse appeared on the battlefield this time?"
Haruki pursed his lips and nodded seriously. "It's a curse that appeared suddenly. This is the first time I've known of its existence. Its power is very great, somewhat difficult to control…"
His voice suddenly became firm and powerful. "But don't worry, sensei, I will control it."
Hanzo looked at Haruki, his heart filled with satisfaction. His hand rested on Haruki's shoulder as he said, "Sensei trusts you."
"Thank you, sensei. I won't disappoint sensei." Haruki looked at Hanzo with teary eyes, filled with emotion.
Hanzo's heart felt warm. Ever since Haruki appeared by his side, he had experienced the feeling of having family.
"I agree to you joining Miozawa's squad." Hanzo looked at Miozawa, his intention clear in his eyes.
"Hanzo-sama, rest assured, we will definitely protect Haruki."
Receiving the signal in Hanzo's eyes, Miozawa immediately knelt on one knee and solemnly pledged.
Haruki was entering the front lines for their safety, so they would naturally protect him with their lives. Haruki's value far outweighed theirs. He was Amegakure's hope. No matter what, they would protect him.
Hearing Miozawa's assurance, Haruki's smile remained unchanged, but he grumbled internally, 'In the end, I'll still be the one protecting them.'
However, he knew that these ninjas' desire to protect him was sincere, it was just that their strength was limited.
After Hanzo gave Miozawa some instructions, Haruki left the camp with Miozawa.
Miozawa stood beside Haruki, and they walked towards the squad gathered at the camp entrance.
Haruki was in his mind, formulating a plan, when he heard Miozawa beside him once again earnestly assure, "Haruki, don't worry, we will definitely protect you."
Haruki looked up at Miozawa. Miozawa, who had given the assurance, was expressionless, but his eyes were exceptionally sincere.
"I will protect everyone too." Haruki showed off his smile, which he had practiced in front of the mirror.
The curve of the corners of his lips and the brightness of his eyes in this smile were the most infectious.
Therefore, Haruki named it Skil — Critical Smile.
[Ding!]
[System detected Miozawa's Affection Value +2000]
[Your Accompanying Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 89.7%]
Miozawa stood in front of the trap squad, his gaze sweeping over the familiar faces in the squad, and said, "From now on, Haruki will join our operations. Always be mindful of Haruki's safety."
"Yes!" The ninjas of the trap squad said in unison.
Their excited gazes fell upon Number One behind Haruki. For Hanzo to make the decision to let Haruki accompany them indicated that Haruki's puppet jutsu was real. Haruki could truly create puppets that didn't require human control.
This was just too amazing!
"Depart!"
At Miozawa's command, the ninjas of the trap squad marched in formation towards the Land of Wind.
Meanwhile, Haruki was riding on a broom, flying high in the air.
Number One effortlessly followed behind Miozawa, its movements no slower than the ninjas', and as a puppet, it felt no fatigue.
Haruki observed the situation ahead from high in the sky while conceptualizing his puppet plan.
Now that he possessed Mai's Construction, creating puppets no longer required raw materials.
After constructing various puppets with Cursed Energy, he could use Yaga's technique Cursed Corpse to obtain a group of obedient and self-acting puppets.
It was so satisfying to have different types of techniques.
Not only that, Haruki also thought of another use for Momo's Tool Manipulation.
Since Tool Manipulation could temporarily imbue objects with a "Soul" or "Will", couldn't he use it on the battlefield to make the enemy's weapons attack themselves?
Life was getting more and more promising.