Returning to Sunagakure, Ryuji didn't rush to see the Third Kazekage. Instead, he went home first.
Kuro was practicing Ninjutsu in a nearby clearing. Although Ryuji had implanted a great deal of Ninjutsu knowledge into Kuro, it wasn't the specific Ninjutsu his predecessor had mastered. He needed practice to truly grasp them.
Fortunately, Ryuji had witnessed the predecessor's techniques, so the Ninjutsu given to Kuro were also Lightning Release. While the specific Ninjutsu were different, Ninjutsu ultimately boiled down to Shape Transformation and Nature Transformation.
Mastering these two aspects made learning new Ninjutsu relatively easy.
Kuro's body was born from the predecessor's cellular division, possessing the physical memory for practicing Chakra Nature and Shape Transformations. Combined with the implanted Ninjutsu knowledge and understanding, relearning other Ninjutsu of the same nature was progressing at a remarkable pace.
It was similar to Uchiha Itachi… learning at a glance.
However, that was just learning. To use them skillfully in combat required further practice and experience.
Ryuji didn't intervene. He went directly to the underground workshop.
He first checked the cultivation progress of the Sage cells. The quantity was only enough to create a forearm.
He immediately frowned, muttering, "It seems upgrading Gin's body before leaving for Konoha is impossible."
Gin's strength was only at the level of an Elite Jonin. However, her body's construction and the Ninjutsu she possessed were widely applicable and powerful, giving her a favorable match-up against most opponents.
Therefore, she could hold her own even against a weaker Kage-level opponent.
If her body could be upgraded with Sage cells, she would undoubtedly step into the true Kage tier.
But time was insufficient, and there was nothing to be done about it.
"I'll have to replace it in Konoha!"
Ryuji sighed with some regret, then began packing away various research equipment and materials into storage scrolls.
He planned to set up a temporary laboratory in Konoha. Many non-taboo experiments could be conducted there. For taboo experiments, he could swap consciousness with Aka and return here to perform them.
Yes, the plan was solid!
Half an hour later.
The items to take were packed. Daily necessities for the trip to Konoha had been prepared in advance by Aka.
Wearing his cloak against sun and sand, Ryuji stood at the doorway, instructing the maid, "Aka, I leave the house in your care."
"The meaning of my existence is to protect this home. As long as I live, not a speck of damage will come to it. Please set out with peace of mind, Master."
"Mhm!"
Ryuji nodded and, accompanied by Kuro, headed for the Kazekage Building to meet the delegation.
Regarding Aka, Ryuji was completely at ease.
If some trouble occurred at home during his absence that even Aka couldn't handle, him being there likely wouldn't make a difference either.
Because Aka was stronger than him even when he wore Armor.
That was precisely why Aka was always left to guard the home.
…
One hundred Sunagakure's Shinobi stood in a perfect ten-by-ten square formation on the plaza in front of the Kazekage Building.
Their postures were ramrod straight, their gazes fixed forward, looking up at the figures on the building's balcony. Not a single person spoke; the only sound in the plaza was the whisper of the wind and sand.
"So, are you satisfied with the delegation members this time?"
Standing by the balcony railing, the Third Kazekage glanced at the red-haired youth beside him.
Ryuji scratched his head, responding tactfully, "Aren't we going to study medicine and education? This group doesn't look much like Shinobi involved in those fields at all."
Not only did they not look like education or medical ninja, even regular mission-taking Shinobi rarely carried such an aura. At a glance, they appeared to be elite combat specialists.
"You didn't know?" The Third Kazekage looked at Ryuji with a surprised expression.
"Know what?" Ryuji asked, perplexed.
"Most of Sunagakure's Medical-nin are puppeteers!"
'Ah!'
Ryuji was momentarily speechless.
Due to the size limitations of puppets, the power of the mechanisms they could install was quite limited. Therefore, puppeteers enhanced their lethality by applying poison to their weapons.
In other words, every puppeteer was also a toxicologist, proficient in pharmacology, and had at least some involvement with Medical Ninjutsu. Each was a killing doctor.
Ryuji had taken a different path, hardly studying poison at all, so he had subconsciously overlooked this point.
And puppeteers were elites capable of fighting multiple opponents of the same level, so this kind of aura wasn't surprising.
"This delegation consists of twenty teachers, fifty Medical-nin, forty-six of whom are puppeteers, twenty guards, and ten Genin for miscellaneous duties."
"..." Ryuji was speechless once more.
'Out of fifty Medical-nin, forty-six were puppeteers... most of them were experts in pharmacology and human anatomy. The number who could perform the most basic Healing Technique probably didn't exceed five.'
'Just how little did they value Medical-nin?!'
The Third Kazekage ignored Ryuji's expression and continued, "You are the leader of this delegation. Assisting you with team management are the siblings, Karura and Yashamaru. You can go directly to them with any matters."
"Understood."
Ryuji took a deep breath and stepped forward to stand beside the Third Kazekage at the railing.
Looking down at the crowd, he announced loudly, "I am Senki Ryuji, head of the Puppeteer Corps, and the leader responsible for this diplomatic mission to Konoha."
Upon hearing this, a stir rippled through the ranks below.
Ryuji wasn't surprised.
He was only fifteen, having become a Jonin merely half a year ago. Although he'd had the reputation of a genius puppeteer since childhood...
Reputation was reputation; strength was strength. For Shinobi, most believed in seeing to believe.
The Yellow Flash had wreaked havoc across the battlefields of the war, his fame so great that enemy commanders had issued orders to flee upon encountering him. Yet, some still wanted to test him upon sight.
Let alone Ryuji.
However, he was prepared.
For others, building prestige was difficult. For him, it was simple.
But,
Before he could even act to establish his authority (show off), the stirring quieted down. Everyone below looked straight at him, their gazes filled with fervor and excitement.
'Wait, what's going on?'
Ryuji was somewhat confused.
In truth, Ryuji still hadn't fully grasped the magnitude of his contributions to Sunagakure, nor his fame within puppeteer circles.
Setting aside the prestige gained from intimidating the enemy in the previous war and achieving an overwhelming victory in the negotiations...
The pioneering puppet design concepts he had proposed since his time at the Academy had influenced countless individuals.
Sunagakure's Academy had incorporated his proposed theories into textbooks. A new generation of puppeteers had grown up influenced by him.
The Logistics Division had cataloged the practice puppets he built into the armory. Although no puppeteer to date could operate them fluidly, the functions and design concepts showcased by those puppets never failed to amaze.
Countless puppeteers, upon seeing these puppets, had sparked with inspiration, designing more powerful puppets suited to themselves.
Puppeteers in Sunagakure were deeply grateful and held Ryuji in high esteem, believing his contributions to the puppeteer profession were on par with those of the First Puppet Master, Chikamatsu Monzaemon.
Some ardent admirers even believed he had surpassed Monzaemon.
Half of this delegation were puppeteers, and puppeteers were an elite, respected profession within Sunagakure.
Seeing the puppeteers in the group hold Ryuji in such reverence, the others, though not yet clear on his exact capabilities, also accepted him as their leader.
'Not sure what's happening, but it seems to be developing positively.'
Ryuji muttered to himself internally, straightened his back, and shouted with firm resolve, "For this mission to Konoha, I demand everyone strictly adhere to the rules. No unauthorized leaving of the group. After arriving in Konoha, no unauthorized private disputes with others."
"Of course, if someone provokes you, hit them hard. But do not kill."
"If you can't win, come find me."
"Yeah!!!"
"Move out!"