When Qingshui was summoned to the Kazekage building, he was completely bewildered.
Chiyo and Ebizo sat upright, facing Qingshui, while Fukami Senran stood to the side with a serious expression.
I haven't even betrayed the village, have I? Why are they looking at me like I'm on trial by three different courts?
"Ahem, Qingshui, don't be nervous. We just wanted to have a chat with you." Chiyo smiled kindly as she spoke to Qingshui.
Fukami Senran stood behind Ebizo, nodding slightly at Qingshui and even winking, gesturing that he shouldn't worry.
Seeing this, Qingshui felt a little relieved.
"Elder Chiyo, what would you like to know?"
"I want to know what your dream is, and what your Ninja Way is. You don't have to answer the second part, because at your age, you're likely just beginning to establish your Ninja Way, so it's normal to have a vague understanding of it." Chiyo and Ebizo exchanged a glance before she asked.
"My dream, huh... For now, I guess it's to become the Kazekage?"
If I become the leader of one of the five strongest forces in this world, I'll probably gain a lot of Fortune, right?
As for the Ninja Way, that concept is actually quite vague. Naruto says his Ninja Way is to never go back on his word; Orochimaru's Ninja Way is to learn all Ninjutsu, master all truths in the world, and become the ultimate being; Jiraiya's Ninja Way is to achieve peace through mutual understanding between people; the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara's Ninja Way can also be understood as achieving peace through their own respective methods.
Sasori's Ninja Way is the pursuit of eternal art through his Puppets, while Deidara's is the pursuit of ultimate splendor in the instant of an explosion.
Generally speaking, it can be summarized into two categories: first, the reason a ninja learns Ninjutsu, and second, a declaration of a ninja's own self.
It sounds a bit chuunibyo, but in this world, it truly inspires countless ninjas and becomes their motivation to persevere.
It's more like a motto, similar to a belief, that arises from personal influence.
"As for my Ninja Way, it's to keep living, and then do everything I want to do, like creating the strongest and most perfect Puppet."
After some thought, Qingshui chose an answer that was relatively in line with the traditional concepts of the Ninja World.
Ebizo nodded in satisfaction, giving Chiyo a smug look, then spoke to Qingshui:
"Then, in your opinion, what kind of Puppet is the strongest and most perfect?"
"One with incredibly strong, indestructible defense that can provide the Puppet Master with perfect, absolute protection, and destructive power that can annihilate anything."
"So the Fatty Puppet is the prototype you envisioned?" Ebizo chuckled.
"That's right."
"Very good. If anyone else said that, I'd consider it impractical, but you've at least proven the feasibility of your concept with your own work. Now, I have one last question for you."
Ebizo adjusted his collar, his expression solemn:
"Chunin Qingshui of the Sand Village, are you willing to become a joint disciple of me, Ebizo, and my sister, Chiyo?"
"Huh?... Oh, yes, I am!" Qingshui was momentarily stunned, then seeing Fukami Senran's persistent eye signals, he quickly agreed.
Chiyo and Ebizo exchanged smiles.
Taking Qingshui as a disciple wasn't just Chiyo assuring Ebizo that she would protect Qingshui, Pakura, and Baki—the three most promising talents among the Sand Village's new generation—during this war. More importantly, they had both been eyeing Qingshui for a long time.
Both of them were nearing fifty, and it was time to cultivate a successor.
Originally, this successor was Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law, but they were killed by White Fang. Fortunately, Qingshui and Sasori from the new generation had shown the potential to become top-tier Puppet Masters.
Sasori was already Chiyo's grandson.
Now, Qingshui had also formed a master-disciple relationship with them.
As long as these two could grow strong before Chiyo and Ebizo became too old and weak to fight, it would be enough to guarantee the continuation of the Sand Village's Puppet Master lineage for another fifty years and provide protection for the Sand Village.
...
...
For Qingshui, the most direct benefit of becoming Ebizo and Chiyo's disciple was the change in the Fortune progress bar on his status panel.
These two were powerful elders in the Sand Village, second only to the Third Kazekage in status.
If one were to liken the Sand Village to a sect from a Xianxia novel, then Qingshui joining the Puppet Force was like moving from an outer disciple to an inner disciple. Now, he had moved from an inner disciple to an even higher-status true disciple.
In the DC Universe, ever since the deal with Two-Face, Hogg United's influence had grown steadily and rapidly. Their gang members already numbered over a hundred, and the Fortune progress bar had jumped to 57.3% in response.
And after becoming the direct disciple of Chiyo and Ebizo, the progress bar soared even faster than when Qingshui was promoted to Chunin.
In just a short while, it had already leaped to 91%.
It wasn't far from unlocking the next world.
However, it wasn't all good news.
Because in three days, his squad would be incorporated into the frontline forces and depart again to attack the Land of Rain.
These three days were for integrating logistical resources.
"Tonight, ask Sasori to come over to my house for dinner."
Before leaving the Kazekage building, Chiyo invited Qingshui.
"So, what does that make our seniority? Doesn't that make you a generation older than me?"
In the puppet base, Sasori, who was trying to have another match with Qingshui, immediately questioned him upon hearing the news.
"Hey, that's easy! We'll just address each other individually. You can keep calling me what you always have, and I'll just call you my junior disciple from now on, alright?"
Qingshui slung an arm around Sasori's shoulder, chuckling.
Sasori's Byakugan was Qingshui's only answer.
Compared to before, Sasori's expressions were much more varied.
Although he still looked like a cold, aloof young boy, at least his personality wasn't as extreme.
"Qingshui, I thought a lot about what you told me before, and yesterday I asked Grandma about it again."
After their bickering, Sasori suddenly looked serious and said to Qingshui.
"What words?"
Qingshui couldn't recall, as he'd said too many things to Sasori.
"About why the Third Kazekage started the war, and the issues with unequal resource distribution."
Sasori continued, "I asked Grandma the same questions I once asked you, and then I repeated your answers to her. Perhaps it was because of this that she made up her mind to take you as her disciple."
"She said you were the first young person she'd ever seen who could think like a Kazekage at the age of eleven."
This…
Must be a compliment, right?
Qingshui couldn't help but think of a certain weasel who was praised for "thinking like a Hokage at five years old."
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