"Hanzō-sama, the intelligence unit's reconnaissance range is limited. If we get too close to the bases established by Suna in the Land of Wind, not only will we alert them, but it might also..."
Inside the command tent, Amanagi furrowed his brows, shifting his gaze from the sand table to Hanzō. Even without finishing his sentence, Hanzō already knew what the outcome would be.
Hanzō's eyes remained fixed on the sand table in front of him. Suna had established multiple bases within the Land of Wind. Capturing these bases wouldn't just cut off their supply and support routes, it would also secure a geographic advantage, making future battles significantly more favorable.
However, as Amanagi mentioned, reconnaissance by the intelligence unit came with high risks.
Footsteps interrupted Hanzō's thoughts. He looked up, turning his eyes toward the tent entrance.
Amanagi also glanced that way. Who would interrupt them at a time like this?
Could something have happened?
A puppet made of wood pulled aside the tent flap.
Although the material looked simple, just plain wood, the joints were crafted with impressive precision, moving with a fluidity not at all inferior to a human being's.
A strange-looking wooden puppet entered their line of sight.
Amanagi's entire face twitched.
Was this some kind of prank?
He glanced at Hanzō from the corner of his eye.
Who would pull a prank on the Salamander right now?
Wouldn't they get beaten until they coughed up blood?
A familiar figure jumped out from behind the puppet.
"Shiratori?"
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. If it was Shiratori, then he probably wouldn't get beaten bloody. He let out a sigh of relief.
Immediately after, Mizu and Tetsuma also entered the tent.
"Hanzō-sama!"
The two saluted in unison.
Hanzō nodded, his gaze falling on Shiratori.
"Are you well rested?" he asked in a deep, stern voice.
To someone unfamiliar with him, it might seem like he was in a foul mood, but Shiratori knew better, this was just how he was.
To expect Hanzō to show gentle concern was like expecting him to do a handstand and eat dirt.
"Yes."
Shiratori nodded firmly and ran to Hanzō's side. With his movement, Number One also followed suit.
The puppet trailed behind him, running up to stand before Hanzō. It raised its wooden hand and gave Hanzō a little wave.
"..."
Hanzō stared at the puppet before him, eyes filled with caution.
"Who are you?" he asked seriously, staring down Number One.
Shiratori looked at Hanzō, was he not fully awake?
Even if he couldn't distinguish between friend or foe, surely he could tell it wasn't human?
"Sensei, it's not a person," he explained.
"Not a person?"
Amanagi circled Number One while scanning it from head to toe like some kind of sensor.
"Could it be... a puppet?"
He suddenly stopped in his tracks, a strange idea popping into his mind.
A flicker of surprise crossed Shiratori's eyes. He thought, Wow, Amanagi's pretty sharp!
Shiratori nodded at him, then walked to Number One's side and formally introduced it to Hanzō and Amanagi:
"This is a puppet I made. Its name is Number One."
Number One nodded and gave Amanagi a little wave.
Amanagi's jaw nearly hit the floor. He glanced at the calm, composed Hanzō and thought, As expected of Hanzō-sama, so unfazed...
"How come I don't see any chakra threads?" he asked cautiously.
Shiratori gave him a smile.
"Number One can be controlled without chakra threads."
Even though he had already suspected it, hearing confirmation made Amanagi's eyes go wide in shock.
"..."
He swallowed hard, extended a trembling finger, pointed at the wooden puppet in front of him, and looked at Shiratori.
"How do you even know how to make puppets?"
The boy gave a bright smile and asked in return, "Do you remember the last time I secretly left Ame to find Chiba-nii?"
Amanagi recalled the event.
"Of course I do. He said you even had a run-in with a puppet master from Suna. Don't tell me you learned their techniques during that encounter?"
His pupils dilated as he stared at Shiratori in disbelief.
Shiratori nodded.
Amanagi suddenly felt a wave of dizziness.
"After seeing the puppet master, I became very interested in making puppets. I started working on it back in Ame."
Shiratori scratched the back of his head a bit sheepishly.
"I even made some modifications so the puppet can operate without chakra threads..."
Amanagi stared blankly. He had already been shocked so many times today, he didn't even have the energy left to react.
Only now did Hanzō finally recover from his massive shock. A sharp light flashed in his eyes as he stared at the puppet in front of him.
"What are you using to control the puppet?"
He was intrigued.
Without using chakra threads, for a puppet to move on its own, it must rely on some sort of special power.
He shifted his gaze to Shiratori. He noticed something odd in his expression.
Shiratori glanced nervously at both Amanagi and Hanzō, his voice dropping slightly:
"It's my cursed energy..."
Before either of them could respond, he quickly added, his words tumbling out, "I can control my cursed energy, I won't hurt anyone!"
Hanzō paused. He finally understood why Shiratori had shown that anxious expression earlier.
The boy was worried everyone would reject him because of his cursed energy.
"I'll use my cursed energy to protect everyone! To protect every single person in Ame!"
Shiratori's lips pressed together, his voice carrying quiet determination as it reached the ears of Hanzō and the others.
[Affection detected]
[Multiple sources: +2000 points each]
[Total accumulated: 8,000 points]
[Energy transferred to Rika]
[Development progress: 87.2%]
Hanzō reached out and gently patted Shiratori on the shoulder.
Shiratori looked up at him, his eyes clear and transparent, allowing anyone to instantly see his intentions.
"Sensei, I can use my cursed energy to create even more puppets!"
"One more puppet means one more helper. The puppets can also replace our comrades on dangerous missions."
"That way, everyone can stay safe!"
In those earnest eyes, Hanzō saw nothing but hope and determination.
[Affection detected]
[Multiple sources: +3000 points each]
[Total accumulated: 12,000 points]
[Energy transferred to Rika]
[Development progress: 88.4%]