Gin was different from both Kuro and Aka. While her body appeared lifelike, it was actually a synthetic frame… from her muscle fibers and skeleton down to the most basic cellular structures, everything was composed of artificially manufactured materials.
Outwardly, she appeared slender and tall, around 180 cm. In reality, her muscle density was a hundred times that of a normal human, her weight approaching 200 kilograms. Her physical strength would require three adult elephants combined to match.
Such physical characteristics... if possessed by a normal human, they would likely be unable to even extend an arm.
Currently, Ryuji could not use Sage cells to fundamentally transform his own body, nor could he create an effective biological backup body. However, he could manufacture a synthetic frame like this.
Furthermore, a synthetic frame built with Sage cells would possess far superior physical functions, significantly increasing its power.
However,
Creating such a frame required a large quantity of Sage cells. To proceed, Ryuji first needed to cultivate them.
'I hope I can get this done before the delegation leaves for Konoha.'
This trip to Konoha wasn't just for study; he also intended to place his own agents. If he were exposed, he would have to fight his way out.
As for the possibility of Konoha refusing Sunagakure's terms? Ryuji didn't even consider it.
And, as events unfolded, they matched his expectations exactly.
…
Soon, two days passed.
Ryuji had just finished constructing the cultivation chamber for the Sage cells and was preparing to begin cultivation when a message arrived from the Third Kazekage via their mental link: Konoha had agreed to all of Sunagakure's conditions, with one added stipulation… the return of Akimichi Choza and Aburame Shibi.
Ryuji readily agreed.
If nothing unexpected happened, Sunagakure and Konoha would have a fairly lengthy period of friendly relations. Improving ties a bit early was not a bad thing.
As for Konoha pretending to agree but actually teaching nonsense or being perfunctory in their instruction of knowledge and techniques... well, no one was a fool.
Sunagakure's personnel in medicine and education might be inferior to Konoha's, but they possessed a solid foundation. They could still distinguish good from bad.
If Konoha wasn't worried about Sunagakure reversing its stance mid-course, they could certainly try such tricks.
However, even though the negotiations had concluded...
Sunagakure released Choza and Shibi, but assembling the delegation required careful selection and would take some time.
After all, they were going for study. They needed to send specialists who were also intelligent.
While the Third Kazekage was selecting personnel, Ryuji took the opportunity to fly his mechanical bird back to the former Roran.
Before going to Konoha, he absolutely had to finalize matters there. Only then could Sunagakure's team continue construction in his absence.
Of course, before leaving, Ryuji didn't forget to instruct Aka to oversee the cultivation of the Sage cells.
He still wanted to try upgrading Gin's body before departing for Konoha.
…
The mechanical bird was fast. Departing in the morning, he arrived by noon.
From a distance, he could see Sunagakure's Shinobi excavating the foundation... over two hundred Shinobi using Earth Release to dig, creating a massive, dusty scene of impressive scale.
The blueprints for the Mechanical City covered an area of over 3,000 square kilometers. To allow for future expansion and other needs, additional surrounding space was also designated.
Therefore, they needed to excavate an area exceeding 2,000 square kilometers.
To support a city primarily constructed of steel buildings, spanning over 3,000 square kilometers, the foundation needed to be at least a kilometer thick.
But with the Ugo Ring, only about 500 meters would suffice.
Considering the Dragon Vein was located deep underground, to prevent the excavation process from disturbing it, they needed to dig deeper… at least around 800 meters.
Even for Shinobi, this was a massive undertaking. In just five days, completion was impossible.
When Ryuji entered Roran and sought out Ebizo for a progress report, he was told: "Based on the current pace, it will take at least two months to complete."
Sunagakure's shinobi were more proficient in Wind Release. While there were individuals skilled in Earth Release, and one or two were quite capable, none were on the level of someone like Onoki. Performing feats like moving mountains or creating them with a single Ninjutsu was simply beyond them.
"Two months..." Ryuji pondered.
Until the foundation excavation was complete, the Ugo Ring could not be activated.
Otherwise...
Once the earth solidified, even Ninjutsu would have difficulty digging through it, and any excavation would instantly revert.
This diplomatic mission to Konoha would take at least six months.
While, as a Sunagakure's high-ranking figure, he might not stay in Konoha the entire time, it was uncertain he would return within two months.
If he couldn't return in time to install the Ugo Ring into the foundation, subsequent construction phases would be stalled.
But entrusting the Ugo Ring's use to someone else made him uneasy.
"Only one way, then," Ryuji muttered to himself, devising a plan.
During the journey to Konoha, he would leave behind Scarab puppets as signal relay stations. Then, via his mental network, he could swap consciousness with a puppet in Roran to perform the operation.
He just wasn't sure if he had enough Scarab puppets. The distance from Konoha to Sunagakure was considerable… about three days of travel for a Shinobi.
The maximum connection range of his mental network was around 300 kilometers, a distance a car from his previous life would cover in just over two hours.
There was also the risk factor.
To do this, he would have to leave the Ugo Ring with a puppet in Roran... but none of the puppets currently stationed there were particularly powerful, and there was no time to create a new one now.
If someone attempted to steal it, even with a consciousness swap, operating effectively would be difficult.
This worry was perhaps excessive.
No one knew of the Ugo Ring's existence, so no one would come to steal it.
Having reasoned it out, Ryuji gave Ebizo a few instructions and headed to the Dragon Vein chamber.
He first dismantled the original Dragon Vein seal, then replaced it with his own newly developed one... after two days of analysis and simulation by the Observation Device, he had successfully developed a new seal.
It also operated by establishing a link between an individual's life signature and the earth's ley lines for control, but it allowed for freely changing the designated controller through specific formulas, without requiring any blood relation.
It's worth noting that when Sara sensed her connection to the Dragon Vein vanish, she was deeply unsettled for a long time.
She feared that, having lost her sole value, they would discard her now that her usefulness had ended.
Fortunately, in subsequent interactions, the attitudes of the Sunagakure's personnel showed no change. This finally allowed Sara to truly believe Ryuji intended to accept them, not merely use her, and she began genuinely integrating into Sunagakure.
After dealing with the seal, it was time for the Gate of Life and Death.
Before leaving Roran last time, Ryuji had prepared the installation interfaces on the designated wall. Now, he only needed to assemble the pre-fabricated components piece by piece.
With worker puppets handling it, the task would be completed in three days.
…
Three days later, looking at the metallic circular door that could smoothly spiral open and closed, Ryuji nodded in satisfaction.
While a vulnerability still existed, as someone could simply break through the surrounding wall, this flaw would be eliminated once the Ugo Ring was integrated with the foundation.
Afterward, Ryuji gave Ebizo some final instructions and returned to Sunagakure via his mechanical bird.
The delegation members had been selected the previous day. Now, they were only waiting for him, their leader.