NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: Chapter:7
"This is pretty easy," Hiriito muttered.
An hour later, he emerged from the forest with precisely 15 kilograms of materials. Lynx bones and white ironwood made up most of the weight—3.4 kilograms and 9.8 kilograms, respectively. The rest consisted of additional materials, like plant juices to be used as adhesives.
Training Ground #1 encompassed the entire Wind Emerald Oasis and a vast Gobi Desert surrounding it. In its center was a large training square equipped with public facilities: wooden dummies for taijutsu training, targets for throwing practice, and 80 basic processing tables arranged for this specific exercise.
"In two hours, I expect each of you to produce a finished puppet that meets our standards," Sunagami Sayama announced, standing with his hands behind his back as he surveyed the 80 puppeteers. "After that, you will form pairs and demonstrate your puppets' abilities in combat."
At his command, the puppeteers quickly got to work, including Hiriito.
First, he began processing the materials. He crushed herbs and mixed them with water to create a solution. Then, he split the lynx bones into smaller parts, roughly filing them and submerging them in the mixture.
"This step is crucial," Hiriito thought. "If the lynx's bones lose freshness, their chakra conductivity will drop significantly. They'll be the core of this puppet."
Next, he began cutting, processing, and drying the white ironwood. At the same time, he polished the lynx's claws and the snake's fangs he had collected earlier.
As Hiriito worked, his mysterious panel began updating:
[Puppet Name]: ? ?
[Comprehensive Parameters]:
Height: ? ?
Weight: ? ?
Material: White ironwood, reinforced bone material...
Energy Source: None
Operation Method: Chakra threads
[Puppet Rating]: ?
[Overall Evaluation]: A puppet in the making…
On the left side of the panel, the materials he had gathered were neatly listed. The panel allowed him to freely simulate assembly in his mind, giving him a clear picture of the finished product even as he worked.
[Puppet Name]: Unnamed
[Comprehensive Parameters]:
Height: 60 cm
Weight: 14.20 kg
Material: White ironwood, reinforced bone material...
Energy Source: None
Operation Method: Chakra threads
[Puppet Rating]: D
[Overall Evaluation]: A small, agile puppet with the combat capabilities of a mid-level ninja academy student but numerous design flaws.
"Not good enough," Hiriito thought. Closing his eyes, he began refining the design within the panel.
He lengthened the puppet's tail to improve balance, replaced its leg joints with ball bearings for enhanced flexibility, and optimized the mechanical structure for smoother chakra flow. After making adjustments, the panel updated:
[Puppet Name]: Tom
[Comprehensive Parameters]:
Height: 60 cm
Weight: 14.26 kg
Material: White ironwood, reinforced bone material...
Energy Source: None
Operation Method: Chakra threads
[Puppet Rating]: C-
[Overall Evaluation]: A small, agile puppet with excellent maneuverability and the combat power of a new Genin. Though effective, it still has minor design flaws.
"Tch. Not bad," Hiriito thought with a smirk. "I've managed to create a Genin-level puppet in just two hours!"
Of course, his success was partly due to the high-quality materials he had collected. Had he been given more time or a higher weight limit, he might have attempted crafting a B-level puppet.
To the other puppeteers, however, Hiriito's behavior looked strange.
While they were busy processing materials or sketching designs, he stood completely still, eyes closed, as though in a trance.
Sasori, the red-haired boy among the group, glanced briefly at Hiriito before turning back to his own work.
"I see… He's trying to simulate the design in his head instead of sketching it," Sasori thought.
Sasori had attempted a similar technique himself. Though efficient, it carried risks—errors during production could force corrections mid-construction, wasting precious time. For Sasori, the best approach was to draw a design first, identify flaws, and refine the puppet accordingly.
Others dismissed Hiriito's behavior as either an attempt to show off or sheer inexperience.
Sunagami Sayama, however, was less forgiving.
"How dare a puppeteer skip the design phase?" Sayama muttered under his breath, his brow furrowed in displeasure. Even as one of the Sand Village's top ten puppeteers, he would never dream of crafting a puppet without a detailed plan.
Ishito, standing beside Sayama, was equally puzzled.
"Could I have misjudged him? Or… is this boy truly an unprecedented genius?" Ishito wondered silently.
Meanwhile, under the watchful eyes of the Jonin, Hiriito opened his eyes.
"Time to build," he murmured.
With practiced precision, he began assembling the puppet. His movements were fluid and deliberate, almost mechanical, as though every step had already been planned in his mind.
Sayama's initial displeasure turned to surprise.
"This…" Sayama muttered.
Even without a finished product, the completeness of Hiriito's design was obvious. Sayama's sharp eyes could discern it immediately.
Incredibly, Hiriito completed the puppet in under an hour—spending only 30 minutes processing materials, a brief moment designing, and just over 20 minutes constructing the final product.
Of the other puppeteers, only a few had moved on from material processing.
Except for one.
Sasori.
The red-haired boy's puppet was already more than halfway finished.
(End of Chapter 7)