The Tsukamoto sisters, Nao and Kaori, stood among the Kazegake's guard.
With both of them covering an eye each, they seemed to be an inseparable pair. Injured in similar manners yet still bearing the same deadly beauty.
However, no one had figured out that they carried the Sharingan in those eye sockets. It was an unimaginable concept.
After all, the Land of Wind was preoccupied with a more terrifying rumor.
—The jinchuriki of the Ichibi had been kidnapped.
By who?
No one knew. With the recent fragmentation and Sunagakure's demilitarized state, suspicions were being thrown around like a hot potato.
Perhaps only the Kazekage had the most accurate suspicion.
"Any reports on contacting that merchant?" Rasa spoke with his brow furrowed over a document he was reading.
Tsukamoto Kaori shook her head. "Amai has vanished from the Land of Wind."
Tsukamoto Nao continued after her. "However, our spies in Kumo have reported on a new and upcoming merchant selling high-quality Fuinjutsu weapons and items."
Nao then placed a bundle of explosive tags on the table.
"Upon requesting them to bring back a sample, there is a high likelihood that either Amai or someone from his organization has appeared in Kumogakure."
"..." Rasa fell into contemplation. "Has this occurred anywhere else?"
Kaori and Nao shook their heads. "Negative, Kazekage-sama."
"Sigh,"
Rasa's breath was heavy. Although he could not completely understand the intentions of Amai and the organization behind him, he felt that they were similar to him.
Valuing only what has value before shedding off useless endeavors.
Recalling the pair of items Amai had left for him, he spoke up once more.
"How's that coming along?"
Nao and Kaori glanced at each other.
"Kumohiko-san has made progress with studying Sasori's works," Nao reported. "According to him, acquiring that has given him wings. He should be done soon."
Rasa nodded. "That's good, that's good."
Nao and Kaori bowed before exiting the office. With Kaori growing close to becoming a jounin, their workload had grown. Nao was also amassing a large amount of skills, pushing her body to its limit.
From Medical Ninjutsu to Puppetry, she dabbled in anything Rasa could supply her with.
'Hopefully, they don't notice anything yet.'
Despite being satisfied with the changes occurring in Suna, Rasa closed his eyes in frustration.
'That damn meddling Danzo.'
The offer was too tempting.
'I wonder if Konoha knows?'
***
In a workshop deep beneath Sunagakure, hiding even deeper than the core of the Real Mirage Formation, a young man was working tirelessly.
Operating on his own body, not even a drop of blood was going to waste as he poured different cells and tissues into himself. He carved out routes where blood could flow, guided by arteries made out of white goo.
His body, which was half a puppet and half-human, differed from Sasori's complete transformation.
—Badump. Badump. Badump.
Three different hearts were pumping liquids through his body. Blood, white goo, and a foul-smelling purple liquid. Each one flowed in their own channels, completely separate from each other yet still functioning as a whole.
Furthermore...
—Blink.
Eight eye sockets were carved into his skull, with four sockets currently filled.
His first pair of eyes were normal despite the ominous glow of dark chakra. However, the other pair were a clear anomaly.
A pair of Sharingan was staring into his body, analyzing its structure and aiding his endeavors. His eyes, which were bloodshot with the purple liquid, seemed strained.
However, despite not being an Uchiha, he was using this pair of Sharingan for an extended period of time.
—And with great prowess as well.
Kumohiko worked, using his numerous limbs and sub-limbs in perfect tandem. Using the Eye of Insight, everything came naturally. No careless mistakes nor any miscalculations were birthed from his movements.
His body grew ever more perfect, approaching the lofty standards he set for himself.
—Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in," Kumohiko said, still focused on his task.
In came a boy wearing a Bunraku — a puppeteer's costume — and purple facepaint bearing sharp points and triangles. Looking curiously at the older puppet master, Kankuro blinked.
"...Kumo-sensei. How long until you're done with your adjustments?"
"I'm almost done with this one. It should make the conversion between normal chakra and dark chakra more seamless." Kumohiko answered, gesturing with a spare limb for Kankuro to come closer and watch.
"How long did this one take?" Approaching with light footsteps, Kankuro's interest was fully piqued.
"As of this moment? Eighty-four hours, fifty-three minutes, and four seconds."
Hearing the prompt, calculated reply, Kankuro was truly in awe.
Kumohiko wasn't someone famous in Sunagakure until recently. Having been selected from the clan by the Kazekage himself, he had a skillset that Kankuro wouldn't have attributed to being valuable.
However, Rasa seemed to see through it.
The moment Kumohiko was given a pair of Sharingan, he instantly delved deep into the world of puppetry. Having been a medical-nin with a focus on scholarly practices, he hadn't delved too much into puppets and combat.
Now, though?
'This growth is just too crazy...'
For a moment, Kankuro was jealous of Kumohiko's growth. The only thing stopping him from pursuing the same path was his own principles — which had long been hammered into his system from a young age.
In the original, Kankuro had earned Sasori's praise and even influenced him because of the principles he held.
To him, puppetry wasn't this — this abomination of organic and inorganic. He held a purer view. One that shunned even the Edo Tensei which Sasori bore in the world of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Unfortunately, this was what Sunagakure needed.
Kumohiko was Rasa's trump card. Someone who wasn't just a lethal powerhouse — but also a source of newfound knowledge and practices.
Despite being young, Kankuro understood this.
'Kumo-sensei is a symbol of something new... Something greater, perhaps.'
A new line of puppetry that could create waves throughout the barren Land of Wind.
Had Suguru been aware of such research being done, he would've laughed. Sunagakure was essentially creating mechanical cyborgs. As to how they even came up with such things was beyond him.
Even the de-militarization of Sunagakure had flown over his head.
The butterfly effect was simply too powerful.
He was, quite literally, on the other side of the world.
***
"...Someone is talking about me,"
Rubbing his nose from a recent sneeze, Amai reassumed his professional smile. Kumogakure was an excellent place for weapon-related businesses.
They were all starved for his products. So much so that he even received a request from the Raikage's office.
'A couple of hundred Fuinjutsu smoke bombs...'
Had Amai been alone, such an order was nigh impossible. Especially since his Fuinjutsu smoke bombs weren't so easy to make — he had to use needles to manually draw the Fuinjutsu seals on tiny flakes of dust and paper.
Luckily, with his recent successes in the Human Clone Chakra Farm, his reserves had grown. This allowed him to refine his production line.
In essence, he was a pro at this seal drawing already. Years upon years worth of experience had poured into his brain.
Perhaps even the title of Fuinjutsu Grandmaster would soon be appropriate for him.
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