Naruto:Suna Shinobi

[Puppet Name]: Little Boy

[Parameters]:

Height: 1.35 meters

Weight: 29.18 kilograms

Material: Reinforced wood, lightweight composite materials, high-strength alloy

Energy Source: None

Operation Method: Chakra threads with five chakra connection hubs

[Puppet Rating]: B-

[Overall Evaluation]: Auxiliary combat puppet, moderately damaged. When intact, it should possess the combat capabilities of a new Chunin. Manipulation difficulty: Medium.

Hiriito studied the detailed data with growing confusion.

"Can a Genin puppeteer like me really handle a Chunin-level puppet repair?" he wondered aloud.

He recalled snippets of information from his mentor, a Jonin, a few weeks ago. Rumors were circulating about the Puppet Brigade's possible expansion due to the ongoing war.

Grabbing the mission scroll again, Hiriito examined it more carefully.

The task was issued not by a specific squad or individual but by the Puppet Brigade itself. That was unusual.

"Could this mean I've been noticed? Is this mission a test to see if I qualify for the puppet maker training program?"

Hiriito's thoughts raced. Joining the Puppet Brigade was the dream of every puppeteer in Sunagakure. It was a force on par with the Anbu, housing vast reserves of knowledge, techniques, and resources for puppetry and ninjutsu alike.

He glanced at the progress bar at the bottom of his mysterious panel. It remained static at 80%.

"Let's not overthink it," Hiriito muttered, focusing on the work at hand.

Picking up a pencil, he began sketching on a piece of paper. After about ten minutes, he had a comprehensive maintenance and improvement plan.

"The hinge on the left mechanical claw is broken, and the bearing of the right-toothed knife is damaged. Both need replacement."

"The mouth's Thousand Bones ejector is rusted. Use No. 3 acid to clean it."

"The rust likely comes from prolonged use of poisoned senbon, corroding the internal parts. An anti-poison coating should be applied to prevent future damage."

This was Hiriito's first hands-on experience with a Chunin-level puppet. Until now, he had only observed others working with them.

The puppet's intricate internal design was far more advanced than his own creation, Fatty, and featured innovations that left Hiriito intrigued.

"For instance, the chakra hub in the torso's core connects to a sliding mechanism. If any of the limb hubs are damaged, this core can transfer its energy flow. And this glass lens... it likely supports perception ninjutsu."

Pulling out his notebook, Hiriito began documenting these new designs for future study. Without the panel's help, analyzing the puppet's structure would have taken him an entire day. But now, the work could be completed in under an hour.

Hiriito focused on the holographic projection-like panel, modifying the puppet's internal structure to simulate his plans. The panel's perfect simulations allowed him to refine his work to near-perfection within two hours—a feat that would take other puppeteers days or weeks to achieve.

This ability had allowed him to transform Fatty, a mere teaching puppet, into one capable of holding its own in Genin-level combat.

At the same time, in the administrative office of Sunagakure, Elder Ebizo sat behind a mountain of documents. His face was tired, reflecting the burden of managing the village in the absence of the Third Kazekage and Chiyo.

"Hmm? Puppet No. 11 has already been repaired? So quickly?" Ebizo raised an eyebrow as he reviewed the report handed to him by Ishito, the captain of the Puppet Brigade's sixth squad.

"It took just four days to restore the puppet to full functionality. Even if I had done it myself, I wouldn't have been this fast. And the Genin even suggested several improvements," Ishito noted, passing a set of papers to Ebizo.

Curious, Ebizo scanned the report. His sharp eyes widened slightly with interest as he read.

Among the improvements was a modification to the puppet's joint structure and chakra flow nodes, allowing it to switch into a shield form during combat—a concept reminiscent of the Mechanical Shield Seal.

"The modification is basic but effective," Ebizo murmured. "It improves performance by over 6%. And the idea of integrating a defensive transformation shows exceptional creativity."

He stroked his gray beard, his expression softening into one of approval. "This child's work is impressive, even from my perspective. Who is this young puppeteer?"

"He's a Genin named Hiriito, the son of Chunin Sashin. His mother was a civilian who passed away during childbirth. He grew up in the orphanage for ninja orphans and entered the Ninja Academy with only the inheritance left by his parents," Ishito explained.

Ebizo nodded thoughtfully. Hiriito's background checked out—he had no access to advanced puppetry knowledge, making his talent all the more remarkable.

"This child shows promise," Ebizo said. "Add him to the reserve training plan for the Puppet Brigade."

"Yes, Elder Ebizo," Ishito replied, a hint of pride in his voice.

In the quiet of his workshop, unaware of the attention he had drawn, Hiriito continued tinkering with the Little Boy puppet. The spark of his genius had begun to catch fire in the desert winds of Sunagakure.

(End of Chapter 2)