41-45

Chapter 41: Back to the Base 

Shindai and Obito were hauling Kakashi and Rin back to the Leaf Village's base. On the way, Shindai double-checked with Kakashi, "Hey, Kakashi, you totally said earlier that you guys didn't see any of my fight, right?" 

Kakashi, looking defeated, replied, "Yeah, yeah, I got it. When we report back, I'll say we escaped from the Cloud ninja chasing us, and you weren't involved. Happy now?" 

Shindai nodded, pleased. "Good. But you gotta make sure I get some credit, too. You know I need to build up some achievements if I want to join the Leaf. You can say something like I fearlessly found you guys when you were hurt and then managed to get you all to safety. Oh, and when we're almost at the base, Obito, give me Kakashi. I'll carry him." 

Kakashi, Obito, and Rin's faces immediately darkened. This guy was shamelessly brazen. 

Obito, confused, asked, "Shindai, if you want credit, wouldn't reporting that you killed those three Cloud ninja and saved us get you more? Why fake it?" 

Shindai, exasperated, said, "Obito, you're such a knucklehead! I'm doing all this for your sakes!" 

Not only was Obito stumped, but even Kakashi and Rin were a bit bewildered. How did this suddenly become about them? 

Shindai cleared his throat and started to, well, explain (definitely not trick them!). "Think about it, guys. If I'm with you, then I'm part of Minato's squad, right?" 

Obito nodded. "Yeah, you're part of Team Minato now." 

Shindai snapped his fingers. "Exactly! If everyone knows how strong I am, they'll want to give me all these super difficult and dangerous missions. And since I'm on Team Minato, you guys would have to come along on those tough missions too. Wouldn't that put you all in danger? So, not letting anyone know my true strength is for your own good. Get it now?" 

Kakashi and Rin's eyes were now totally deadpan. Just say you're lazy and don't want to fight, don't drag us into your excuses! 

However, Obito looked genuinely touched. "Oh, I see! Shindai, you're really a good guy!" 

Shindai patted Obito's shoulder, sticking out his tongue and roaring with laughter. "Of course! Wahahaha!" 

Hearing Shindai's crazy laughter and Obito's gullibility, Kakashi and Rin simultaneously twitched their lips, their expressions full of disdain. 

Arrival at the Base 

Soon, they arrived back at the Leaf Village's base. Kakashi noticed that a lot of people were missing from the base. He figured Guruku must have already delivered the intel, and the Leaf ninja here had already mobilized. 

Shindai was now carrying Kakashi. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "I brought Kakashi, Obito, and Rin back! We're all severely injured! Someone help us, quick!" 

Obito's face turned beet red. He whispered to Shindai, "Shindai, stop yelling! It's so embarrassing!" 

Shindai, feigning bravery, retorted, "Embarrassing? We're bleeding for the Leaf, this is an honor!" 

Kakashi couldn't help but retort, "You're not even hurt!" 

Shindai immediately shot back, "No, I am! I got a really serious internal injury saving you guys! You just can't see it!" 

Rin stepped in. "Alright, stop yelling here. Let's get Kakashi to the medical ninja for treatment. Obito needs his injuries looked at too." 

Shindai, still carrying Kakashi, followed Obito and Rin towards the medical area. It was located in the southeast part of the Leaf Village's base, bustling with medical ninja tending to the injured. Most of them were hurt during missions. 

Rin chatted with a medical ninja for a bit, then came back to Shindai and the others. "Alright, follow me." 

The three of them followed Rin into a tent. Rin directed Shindai to put Kakashi on a bed. She also told Obito to lie down on another bed. 

Shindai pointed to himself, puzzled. "Where do I lie?" 

Rin's Byakugan nearly rolled out of her head. "There are only two beds here, and you're not even injured, Shindai. Just stand for a bit." 

Shindai was about to argue that he was injured when a medical ninja entered the tent. Rin said to the medical ninja, "Please treat Kakashi. He has many serious external wounds. I've done some emergency first aid to stop the bleeding. I'll take care of Obito's injuries." 

The medical ninja nodded and immediately went to Kakashi, unwrapping his bandages to reveal shocking wounds. The medical ninja began cleaning Kakashi's wounds, then started healing him with green chakra glowing from their hands. Rin also started treating Obito. 

Obito's cheeks were flushed. Rin is personally treating him! Her hands are so soft! This is amazing! If it could be like this every day, he wouldn't mind getting hurt every day. 

But then, a buzzkill appeared. 

"Obito, you look so creepy right now. Are you thinking about doing unspeakable things to Rin in your head?" 

Obito's face instantly turned bright red. He yelled, "Don't talk nonsense! I'm not doing anything!" 

Before Rin or Shindai could say anything, the medical ninja nearby complained, "No loud noises in here!" 

Rin also looked annoyed as she said to Obito and Shindai, "Medical jutsu requires intense concentration. If you two want to bicker, do it after the treatment is over!" 

Shindai and Obito, looking like scolded children, immediately fell silent. After all, doctors are sacred, and you shouldn't offend or disturb them. 

After a few minutes of treatment, the medical ninja frowned at Kakashi, who was trying to sit up. "The treatment has just begun! Don't move!" 

Kakashi said seriously, "I know, but I need to confirm something." 

Kakashi wanted to confirm if the intel had been properly conveyed. He had been completely drained of energy earlier, but now, thanks to the medical ninja's treatment, he had regained a little strength. So, he had to confirm it immediately. 

Kakashi asked the medical ninja, "Is Lady Tsunade at the base?" 

The medical ninja replied, "Yes, Lady Tsunade is in her tent." 

Kakashi looked at Shindai. "Shindai, come help me up. If the intel reached her, Lady Tsunade should know." 

Shindai stepped forward and helped Kakashi off the bed. However, when Kakashi stood, his legs gave out, and he almost fell to the ground. 

"Uh... looks like you can barely walk. I'll help you get there." 

Kakashi, aware of his physical state, nodded. "Alright, thanks for the trouble." 

Chapter 42: Tsunade 

Shindai helped Kakashi out of the tent, and with Kakashi pointing the way, they headed towards Tsunade's tent. 

The journey was pretty short; Kakashi said they'd arrived after just a little walking. 

Kakashi, still weak, called out, "Lady Tsunade, Chunin Kakashi Hatake has a report!" 

But Kakashi's voice was too faint. There was no movement from inside the tent; it seemed she hadn't heard him. 

Kakashi coughed and called out again, but still, nothing. 

Shindai couldn't just stand there. He practically bellowed, "Lady Tsunade! Shindai, a member of Minato Namikaze's squad, has an urgent report for you!" 

A few seconds after Shindai's shout, the tent flap opened. 

"Whoa! That's... big!" 

Because of Shindai's height, he couldn't see her face at first, only things he probably shouldn't have. 

Suddenly, Shindai felt a chilling wave of killer intent. 

He looked up and saw veins throbbing on Tsunade's forehead. She was glaring at him, clearly annoyed. "What did you just say?" 

Shindai felt a shiver run down his spine, straight to his head. He jolted, then quickly tried to explain, "Uh... I said Lady Tsunade is so tall and magnificent! Truly worthy of being one of the Legendary Sannin of the Hidden Leaf!" 

Bonk! 

Shindai was on the ground, frantically rubbing a huge lump on his head, tears welling up in his eyes from the pain. 

Tsunade blew on her fist, scoffing, "Listen, kid, next time it won't just be a lump on your head!" 

Kakashi, no longer supported by Shindai, swayed precariously, looking like he might collapse any second. 

Tsunade noticed Kakashi's pale face and the blood seeping through his bandages. She frowned, her hands clenching into slightly trembling fists. 

Just as Kakashi was about to fall, Tsunade reached out, grabbed the back of his collar, and pulled him into the tent. 

After rubbing the lump on his head until it didn't hurt as much, Shindai shamelessly followed them inside. 

Kakashi was placed on a small cot, covered by a black cloth to hide the blood. 

Then, Tsunade began to treat Kakashi with her medical ninjutsu. 

While she was healing him, Kakashi reported to Tsunade, "Lady Tsunade, when we were monitoring the Cloud Ninja encampment, we found out they plan to attack our base in an hour. The Cloud Ninja should be on the move towards us right now. I sent my ninja hounds back to report, but I'm not sure if Lord Jiraiya and Lord Orochimaru have received the intel yet." 

Tsunade replied, "Don't worry about it. Jiraiya and Orochimaru have already received the intel and have left the base with their forces. They set up an ambush beforehand, so even without your report, nothing would have gone wrong." 

When Shindai heard Tsunade say that, he instantly got annoyed and grumbled, "What?! If it wasn't important, why did you send us to monitor them in the first place?! That's like... wearing pants to fart! Totally unnecessary!" 

Tsunade and Kakashi both turned their gaze to Shindai. 

Shindai felt their stares were pretty intense. He shrunk his head down and mumbled, "Okay, okay, I'll shut up." 

After a while, Tsunade stopped her medical ninjutsu and told Kakashi, "I've mostly taken care of your injuries with the Mystical Palm Technique, but you've lost a lot of blood, so you'll need to rest for a while." 

Shindai excitedly pumped his fist. "Rest for a while? Yes! That's awesome!" 

Tsunade and Kakashi's eyes landed on Shindai once more. 

Tsunade's gaze on Shindai grew increasingly dangerous. She asked Kakashi, "Is this brat from the Hidden Sand always so irritating?" 

Kakashi nodded. "Yeah, pretty much." 

Shindai panicked and immediately retorted, "Hey, Kakashi, how can you say that?! Who was it that went through all that trouble to rescue you and help you escape from the enemy? It was me!" 

Tsunade looked Shindai up and down, her eyes full of interest. "Oh? Kakashi was seriously injured, and you rescued him? So, you're stronger than Kakashi?" 

Shindai instantly deflated, chuckling awkwardly. "No way, I just said I helped them escape. I saw my chance when the Cloud Ninja were careless, grabbed Kakashi, and just ran. That's how I saved him." 

Tsunade narrowed her eyes as she looked at Shindai. 

She had already heard about Shindai from Jiraiya. 

So, Tsunade knew that Shindai was a secret agent and stronger than Kakashi and the others. 

Tsunade glanced at Kakashi, and Kakashi subtly shook his head. Tsunade immediately understood. 

Tsunade scoffed, "So you're just a kid who only knows how to run away, huh? How boring. Alright, help Kakashi leave." 

Shindai obediently walked over to Kakashi, glared fiercely at him, then helped Kakashi up and out of Tsunade's tent. 

Five Kilometers Outside the Hidden Leaf Outpost 

Jiraiya and Orochimaru stood together, waiting for the Cloud Ninja to walk right into their trap. 

When Shindai and his team left to monitor the Cloud Ninja encampment, Orochimaru had already arranged for many shinobi to set up ambushes and placed sensory ninja in very secluded spots for constant observation. 

Just as Tsunade said, even without Kakashi's intel, the Hidden Leaf outpost would have been safe. 

The reason they sent Kakashi's team to observe was mainly to see if the Cloud Ninja had any other movements planned. 

After all, the idea that the Cloud Ninja would raid the Hidden Leaf outpost was just a guess based on the map Shindai saw; it wasn't a confirmed fact. 

Jiraiya looked into the dark forest and said, "According to the intel brought by Kakashi's ninja hound, the Cloud Ninja should be arriving soon." 

As soon as Jiraiya finished speaking, a ninja ran up and reported to Jiraiya and Orochimaru, "Lord Orochimaru, Lord Jiraiya, we've found something! A large number of unknown personnel have appeared ahead of our ambush positions." 

A cruel smile played on Orochimaru's lips. "Don't make any rash moves. Wait until they enter the designated area, then act immediately. No need for prisoners, just kill them all!" 

The reporting ninja's expression visibly changed. He looked at Orochimaru with a hint of fear, then immediately lowered his head. "Understood!" 

Jiraiya asked, "Are you really not going to leave any alive to interrogate for intel?" 

Orochimaru said coldly, "There's no point. These ninja probably don't have much intel on the Hidden Cloud Village, at most they'd know a few Cloud Village strongholds in the Land of Hot Water. Killing them all and throwing their bodies in front of them is the only way to make them feel pain. That's what has meaning. After we've intimidated them like this, the Cloud Ninja won't dare to make any more rash moves." 

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. While he knew Orochimaru's order was correct, he still felt a little uncomfortable with Orochimaru's ruthless methods. 

So, Jiraiya said no more and waited for the battle's outcome. 

Chapter 43: Undercurrents 

The Cloud ninja, completely unaware their plan had been seen through, had already walked right into the Leaf ninja's ambush. The moment they hit the designated spot, the Leaf ninja sprang into action. Exploding tags, shurikens, kunai, traps, and ninjutsu hidden beneath the ground unleashed a devastating assault on the Cloud ninja. 

In an instant, explosions erupted everywhere, and screams filled the air. The Cloud ninja were stunned; they had come to ambush the Leaf's base, but they were the ones who got ambushed! After the initial, fierce onslaught, a huge number of Cloud ninja were dead on the spot. Fewer than one-fifth of them were still alive. Out of a hundred or so Cloud ninja, only about 20 remained. 

"Retreat! Retreat, now!" the Cloud ninja screamed, desperately trying to pull back. 

But Orochimaru had given strict orders: every single Cloud ninja here was to be eliminated. With only about 20 scattered Cloud ninja left, they posed no real threat. The Leaf ninja immediately gave chase. 

Time ticked by. For the Leaf ninja, it didn't matter how fast or slow time went; they were the hunters, and the Cloud ninja were the prey. For the Cloud ninja, however, every second felt like a year, being hunted down was an unbearable ordeal. 

As dawn approached, the pursuing Leaf ninja regrouped and returned to Jiraiya and Orochimaru, who were waiting. 

One ninja reported, "We killed 92 Cloud ninja in this battle. We've confirmed 9 escaped, and there might be a few others we didn't notice who also got away." 

Orochimaru frowned slightly. "Even with the element of surprise and letting them get deep enough, 9 still managed to escape?" 

Faced with Orochimaru's question, the Leaf ninja didn't dare to speak. 

Jiraiya chuckled. "That's already pretty good. Only 9 got away. It's really hard to wipe them all out, and there might have been some Cloud ninja who are just really good at escaping. This is a huge victory for the Leaf, you know!" 

Orochimaru didn't press the issue; it was more a question of curiosity than a reprimand. He then commanded, "Gather the bodies of those Cloud ninja. Collect all their usable supplies and equipment, then dump the rest in the wilderness about 30 miles from here." 

"Yes, sir!" The Leaf ninja immediately followed Orochimaru's orders. 

Two Days Later 

At the Cloud Village's base in the Land of Hot Water, the future Fourth Raikage, now an A-rank ninja and the Third Raikage's son, Ay, slammed his fist on the table in a fit of rage. The table instantly shattered into pieces under his heavy blow. 

"Those despicable Leaf ninja! How dare they!" Ay was panting heavily, clearly furious. 

The current commander in the Land of Hot Water was the Cloud Village's Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer Bee. His expression was equally grim; losing nearly a hundred Cloud ninja at once was something no one could stomach. 

Ay's face was contorted with anger. He said to Killer Bee, "Let me lead a squad to attack the Leaf's base!" 

Killer Bee said gravely, "Don't be reckless, Ay. Minato Namikaze is constantly harassing our Cloud ninja in this area. Our priority right now is to deal with him. We can't keep letting him mess with us." 

Ay fumed, "So, we're just going to let this go?!" 

Killer Bee's expression darkened. "For now, we have to hold back. The Third Raikage said the entire ninja world is on the brink of an all-out war. We can't be the ones to spark it, or other villages might target us. We'll put this debt aside for now. When the full-scale war begins, we'll collect it from the Leaf ninja!" 

Meanwhile, in the Sand Village 

The Third Kazekage had received a reply from "Shindai." Reading the letter, the Third Kazekage was pleasantly surprised. "Oh? He's already gained Minato Namikaze's trust and is now trying to gain Jiraiya's? I never expected Shindai's undercover talent to be this good. He's truly impressed me." 

While the Third Kazekage was pleased with Shindai's successful undercover operation, someone else had already set their sights on him. 

In Sasori's Underground Workshop 

Sasori was meticulously working on a corpse, blood splattering onto his face. This body was that of a ninja Sasori had killed. He was now modifying it, preparing to turn it into a human puppet. This wasn't Sasori's first attempt; he had experimented several times before. However, all his previous human puppet creations had failed. This time, though, Sasori was confident he would succeed, or rather, he already had. He had overcome the most difficult part of creating a human puppet: the chakra core. 

The chakra core, the most crucial part of a human puppet, had been successfully created. Now, Sasori was working on the mechanisms for this particular human puppet. Sasori had already named this first soon-to-be-successful human puppet: Hiruko. 

"Father, Mother, don't worry. Once I've finished making Hiruko, I'll go kill that Kazekage who neglected his duty and caused your deaths. I'll turn him into a human puppet too..." Behind Sasori stood two puppets, a male and a female, as if watching him. These were the first two puppets Sasori had ever made, crafted in the likeness of his parents. 

Back in the Leaf Village 

In his office at the Hokage's tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi had a massive headache. The consequences of snatching Shindai were already manifesting. 

The Tsuchikage of the Stone Village, Onoki, had sent a letter condemning the Leaf for stealing their Magnet Release bloodline limit ninja. If the Leaf didn't hand him over, the Stone Village would declare war. 

Hand over Shindai? The Leaf Village had no Magnet Release ninja before; Shindai was their first. If they handed him over, what about the Leaf's future Magnet Release ninja? But if they didn't, the Stone Village would declare war on the Leaf. That would be the spark for a full-scale war. If the Stone Village declared war on the Leaf, the Sand Village would surely follow suit and attack the Leaf alongside them. Then the Leaf would have to face simultaneous attacks from three major ninja villages. 

And the Mist Village... The Third Mizukage's "Blood Mist" policy had turned their ninja into battle-crazed fanatics; they might even jump into the fray. The Leaf couldn't afford to be targeted by four major ninja villages at once, no matter how strong they were. 

Did he really have to hand over Shindai? Hiruzen Sarutobi was reluctant. He still hoped to use Shindai to establish a Magnet Release ninja unit for the Leaf. 

Hiruzen Sarutobi, puffing on his pipe, pondered his options. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him. Hiruzen Sarutobi thought of a viable solution, and his face instantly broke into a wide, joyful grin. 

Chapter 44: It's Practically Written on His Face 

Hiruzen Sarutobi had come up with a plan that would both allow Shindai to stay and address Onoki's challenge from the Hidden Stone Village. 

Hiruzen immediately penned a letter and summoned a ninja. 

"This letter must reach Jiraiya or Minato as soon as possible." 

"Yes, sir!" 

The ninja took the letter and left the Hidden Leaf immediately, heading towards the Land of Hot Water. 

Three days had passed since the last battle. 

Shindai was currently sprawled on his bed, legs crossed, humming a tune. 

He didn't even know what song it was, just that he'd heard Pakura hum it, and the melody sounded pretty cheerful. 

Due to his "high-intensity" battle the day before yesterday, Shindai was "tired," so he'd been holed up in his tent, not going anywhere. 

As for food, he had Obito. Obito basically came to his tent every day, so he just asked Obito to grab something for him. 

Meanwhile, in Kakashi's tent. 

With the Cloud Ninja situation resolved, Jiraiya, having heard about Kakashi's injuries, came to check on him. 

"Kakashi, how are you doing? Are you alright?" 

After three days of rest, Kakashi's face wasn't as pale as before, but he still looked a bit weak. 

Kakashi leaned against the edge of the bed and replied, "I'm okay. After Lady Tsunade's treatment, I just need a few more days of rest." 

Jiraiya nodded. "That's good. When I saw your ninja hound come with the report that day, I figured you might have run into trouble. I immediately sent a squad of ninja to rescue you, and soon after, I heard you'd already returned to the outpost. Good, it's good that you're safe." 

Kakashi recalled that day, still feeling a bit shaken. "If Shindai hadn't come back to save us, we might have truly been in deep trouble." 

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Came back to save you? You didn't all retreat together at first?" 

Kakashi's mouth twitched as he remembered Shindai vanishing in a flash at the start. He answered Jiraiya, "No, at first, when the Cloud Ninja discovered our position, before I even finished telling everyone to retreat, Shindai just took off. Later, we were pursued by three Cloud Ninja and got caught in a tough fight. I was severely wounded, and Obito also got a pretty bad injury. If Shindai hadn't shown up, we would have been wiped out. Shindai came back and killed those three Cloud Ninja, and that's how we were saved. But at first, Shindai wanted to hide his identity. He covered his face and his puppet's face with two black cloths, but Obito immediately exposed him. Shindai was still debating whether or not to reveal his strength. I told him I'd help him keep it a secret and that we could only escape if he killed those three Cloud Ninja. That's when Shindai truly started fighting. Those three Cloud Ninja were no match for a serious Shindai at all. He quickly took them down one by one, then successfully led us to retreat." 

After hearing Kakashi's description, Jiraiya's expression was subtle, a slight smile playing on his lips. 

Jiraiya stroked his chin. "Since Shindai ran away but still chose to come back and save you, it means he considers you his comrades. And then, because of his spy identity, he didn't want to reveal his strength..." 

Kakashi interrupted Jiraiya. "Uh... Lord Jiraiya, Shindai not wanting to reveal his strength probably isn't because of his spy identity. It's more likely he's simply afraid of trouble, afraid of fighting, afraid of danger." 

Jiraiya's hand, which was stroking his chin, suddenly froze. The atmosphere in the tent became a little awkward. 

Jiraiya chuckled dryly. "It seems Shindai is quite... quite cautious, isn't he? But this also means that despite his extreme caution, he was still willing to come back and save you after running away, which proves this child is someone who values his comrades." 

Kakashi nodded in agreement. 

In that situation, Kakashi was ready to sacrifice himself to give Obito and Rin Nohara a chance to survive. Even then, Obito and Rin's chances of survival weren't high. The fact that Shindai, who had run away, came back, truly showed he considered them comrades. Otherwise, Shindai could have completely ignored them. 

Kakashi reminded him, "Lord Jiraiya, please don't let him know about this. The official story is that he took advantage of the Cloud Ninja's carelessness and rescued us from them." 

Jiraiya nodded. "Mm, I understand. Even though Shindai considers you comrades, he's still a spy for the Hidden Sand Village. I'll play along where I need to, until the day Shindai becomes a Hidden Leaf ninja." 

Suddenly, Jiraiya changed the subject, a somewhat perverted smile spreading across his face. He asked, "Kakashi, so you're saying Shindai has already met Tsunade?" 

Kakashi almost couldn't process Jiraiya's sudden question. He paused before answering, "Yes, he has." 

Jiraiya's smile grew wider and more perverted. "Kakashi, you rest well. I won't bother you anymore. I'm heading out." 

After leaving Kakashi's tent, Jiraiya immediately went to Shindai's tent. 

Seeing Shindai sprawled on the bed, humming, Jiraiya greeted him, "Well, well, looking pretty relaxed there." 

Shindai shot up from the bed, practically fawning as he helped Jiraiya to a chair by his arm. "Lord Jiraiya, you personally came to visit me! It truly touches this injured man's heart! Lord Jiraiya, I'm not trying to play the victim or boast, but I've been in agony these past few days because I bravely and fearlessly rescued Kakashi and the others from the Cloud Ninja. During our escape, I suffered severe internal injuries, cough, cough. But! Even though I'm injured, I have no regrets! Because I am a part of the Hidden Leaf! When my comrades are in danger, even if it means sacrificing myself, I will rush in without hesitation to save them! Cough, cough, cough!" 

Shindai acted as if he was coughing up a lung, looking incredibly weak. 

Jiraiya's eye twitched. 

When Shindai had sprung from the bed and rushed over to help him sit down, he certainly didn't look weak. And who with severe internal injuries has such a rosy, glowing complexion? 

"Not playing the victim? Not boasting?" It was practically written on his face! 

Jiraiya seemed to catch Shindai's bug. He coughed, then said, "Shindai, I heard from Kakashi that you were clever and intelligent. You took advantage of the Cloud Ninja's laxness, rescued the severely injured Kakashi, and successfully retreated with Obito and Rin. You did very well. The Hidden Leaf will remember your contribution." 

Hearing Jiraiya say that, Shindai immediately grinned. As long as he got credit, it meant he was one step closer to joining the Hidden Leaf. Once he joined the Hidden Leaf, he could go undercover in the village itself. He'd been worried if Kakashi was just messing with him, but it seemed Kakashi was pretty on the ball. 

Chapter 45: I Have a Dream 

Jiraiya just finished praising Shindai for his bravery in saving his comrades. 

Then, Jiraiya pulled a chair over from the side, effectively swapping roles, and somewhat ingratiatingly pulled Shindai to sit down. 

Seeing Jiraiya like this, Shindai's first reaction was caution. He was a professional at being a sycophant himself, so Jiraiya's fawning attitude definitely meant he wanted something. 

Shindai immediately stood up, chuckling dryly, "Lord Jiraiya, what are you doing? What kind of person am I to sit next to you?" 

Jiraiya grabbed Shindai's arm and, with a bit of force, pulled him back down. "Hey, Shindai, what's that supposed to mean? You don't need to be so formal usually. Kakashi told me you've already met Tsunade, right?" 

Shindai paused, then instantly understood Jiraiya's meaning. He breathed a sigh of relief. So it was about that. He thought Jiraiya had some serious business to discuss. 

Then, a slightly lewd smile spread across Shindai's face. He raised an eyebrow at Jiraiya. "Yes, I have. So... Lord Jiraiya wants me to make a puppet now?" 

Jiraiya patted Shindai's shoulder with relief. "Shindai, you truly understand me! So, can you do it?" 

Shindai shook his head. "No, I can't." 

Jiraiya looked confused. "Huh? Didn't you just say you've met Tsunade?" 

Shindai sighed. "Lord Jiraiya, I already have the complete production process in my mind, but I don't have the materials." 

"Oh, is that all? Just make a list of what you need, and I'll get it for you!" Jiraiya thumped his chest, looking like he had it all handled. 

"That's fantastic! With the materials, it'll only take three... no, two days, and I'll be able to create a lifelike puppet that can comfort Lord Jiraiya's heart on lonely nights!" Shindai's grin was almost reaching the back of his head. He was going to get some kickbacks! Jiraiya probably didn't know much about puppets. He could overstate the material costs by several times and add some unnecessary materials, and Jiraiya would never know! 

And there was another important matter he could ask Jiraiya about while he was at it. 

Shindai rubbed his hands together, a little embarrassed. "Lord Jiraiya, actually, I've always had a dream." 

Jiraiya's eyelid twitched. Shindai suddenly bringing up a dream out of nowhere immediately made Jiraiya cautious. He'd encountered this many times before. In certain establishments, when the ladies suddenly started talking about their dreams, it usually meant they wanted him to spend more money. Shindai was acting exactly the same. 

But Shindai wasn't one of those ladies, so he definitely wasn't trying to get Jiraiya to spend money. Still, he clearly wanted something. 

Jiraiya tentatively asked, "What kind of dream?" 

Shindai, with a longing expression, began to explain, "Lord Jiraiya, being a ninja isn't actually my dream. It's just because I possess the Magnet Release kekkei genkai that no matter how weak I am, I have to be a ninja. My real dream is to be a scientist. I want to create technology that can bring convenience and happiness to everyone in the shinobi world. Sadly, the Hidden Sand Village doesn't value technology; it's quite underdeveloped. The entire village has very few places with electricity, so even if I have this dream of being a scientist, I can't achieve it there. I heard that our Hidden Leaf Village has extremely advanced technology, Lord Jiraiya. Could you perhaps provide me with some basic technological data so I can study it and pursue my dream?" 

When Jiraiya heard Shindai's request, he was surprised it was something so simple. Just some basic technological data? He could decide that himself; he could just give Shindai whatever he wanted. After all, in Jiraiya's eyes, Shindai would eventually be a part of the Hidden Leaf, with no turning back. Even if Shindai didn't want to, they wouldn't let him leave. 

So, Jiraiya readily agreed. "Alright, I'll give you those documents along with the materials." 

Hearing Jiraiya agree, Shindai immediately started flattering him. "Lord Jiraiya, you're so kind! You truly are my idol! You're practically a role model among idols, a legendary, top-tier idol! You're the best idol ever!" 

Shindai actually wanted Orochimaru's technical data, but it would be a miracle if Orochimaru ever gave it to him. Besides, Shindai's current foundational knowledge was very poor. Even if Orochimaru gave him the technical data, he wouldn't understand it. Shindai's current knowledge was limited only to puppets. Although the Kamunazuki was equipped with a drive, control system, and power system, Shindai had developed this using the very limited technological data available in the Hidden Sand Village, which he obtained from the Third Kazekage. It was outdated, had many flaws, and was quite impractical. 

Therefore, Shindai needed the Hidden Leaf's basic technological data to learn. Shindai believed that even the Hidden Leaf's basic technical data would be quite advanced and enough for him to study for now. As the saying goes, "Learning has no limits, and knowledge is power." Shindai wanted to learn, and learn hard! He loved learning! 

Jiraiya left satisfied, and Shindai also lay back on his bed, content. 

It was clear that Jiraiya was quite eager and excited. Because what they had just discussed the day before yesterday, Jiraiya already brought the materials and the basic technological data Shindai wanted today. 

As for the materials, the ones Shindai requested weren't rare at all; they were all common materials. For the basic technological data, Jiraiya asked Orochimaru. Orochimaru didn't care about basic tech data, either; Jiraiya asked, and Orochimaru gave him a copy without even asking why. 

After gathering everything Shindai needed, Jiraiya eagerly handed the items to Shindai. 

Jiraiya asked Shindai, who was just as eagerly looking at the scrolls in his hands, "Shindai, how long will it take to finish?" 

Shindai confidently declared, "Lord Jiraiya, I'm a professional when it comes to making puppets. I said two days before, and it will be two days. Come back the day after tomorrow at this time, and I guarantee it'll be ready and waiting for you!" 

Jiraiya nodded expectantly. "Alright, Shindai, you get to work. I'll come see you the day after tomorrow!" 

After Jiraiya left, Shindai wasn't in a hurry to make the puppet for him. It wasn't a combat puppet, just a regular one. Shindai could make it in just one day, so there was no rush. 

Right now, Shindai was engrossed in the basic technological data Jiraiya had brought him. There were many scrolls, and the content was quite difficult to understand, but Shindai savored it, diligently trying to decipher it bit by bit. 

Just as Shindai was absorbed in his reading, Obito walked into the tent and, seeing the materials scattered on the ground, asked curiously, "Shindai, what's all this?" 

Shindai, still lost in his reading, casually replied, "These are materials Lord Jiraiya asked me to use to make him an inflatable doll." 

Obito grew even more confused. "An inflatable doll? What's that? Something like a balloon?" 

At this point, Shindai snapped back to reality. Seeing it was Obito, he immediately grumbled, "Why don't you knock when you enter my tent?!" 

Obito turned to look at the tent flap, then turned back to Shindai, shrugging his hands. "I would if I could, but it's just a piece of cloth. I can't exactly knock on it, can I?"