dognovel Chapter 577 Benefit
Chapter 577 Benefit
Kakuzu paused for a moment. He recalled Zhang Hai's earlier joking remark about establishing an organization. This time, he didn't speak, but simply gave Zhang Hai a deep look before turning and walking away. His figure quickly disappeared into the yellow sands outside Sunagakure.
Not long after Kakuzu left, Ebizo appeared beside Zhang Hai like a ghost. With a meaningful smile, he asked, "Little friend, it seems you've made your decision?"
Zhang Hai turned around with a polite smile on his face. He bowed very politely to Hai Laozang and respectfully said, "Of course, hello teacher."
Upon hearing this, Ebizo was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! I haven't even asked you your name yet, and you're already calling me 'teacher'!" He laughed heartily, clearly enjoying Zhang Hai's form of address.
Zhang Hai casually picked a name: "Oh, my name is Heitu." He knew in his heart that he could not easily use the identities of "Zhang Hai" and "Baiyun" now, otherwise it would bring unnecessary trouble.
Ebizo smiled and praised, "Kurotsuchi? That's a good name, it sounds reassuring!" He stretched out his hand, hovering it in mid-air, and said with anticipation in his eyes, "Come on, welcome to Sunagakure!" Clearly, his only requirement for teaching puppetry was that Zhang Hai had to join Sunagakure.
Zhang Hai was incredibly perceptive and instantly understood Hai Bizang's intention. He smiled slightly, extended his hand, and grasped Hai Bizang's hand, his tone carrying a hint of sincerity and determination: "It's my honor."
From then on, Sunagakure gained a young puppeteer named "Kurotsuchi". He wore the iconic headband of Sunagakure and kept his identity as "Zhang Hai" deep in his heart.
Zhang Hai displayed astonishing talent from the very beginning of his puppetry training. His long, powerful hands moved with extraordinary dexterity when manipulating chakra threads. His mastery of the puppet threads reached a near-perfect level, as if those incredibly fine threads were extensions of his body. He could instantly master multiple basic puppetry techniques and control them simultaneously with fluid movements and effortless switching, much to the delight of his instructor, Hai Laozang.
"This child's talent even surpasses that of my sister and me!" Hai Laozang exclaimed more than once, his eyes filled with admiration and anticipation for Zhang Hai.
Zhang Hai lived a secluded life in the village, rarely venturing out and almost never concerning himself with village affairs. His life revolved entirely around learning puppetry. In addition to practicing under the guidance of Hai Laozang, he also devoted himself to studying all the books related to puppetry, absorbing knowledge and enriching himself.
From these ancient texts, Zhang Hai learned that the origin of puppetry can be traced back to the time of the Second Kazekage, Shamon. It was later developed and perfected by Monzaemon before it was truly applied in battle. Among them, the most powerful puppets are the "Chikamatsu Ten," each of which is said to possess Kage-level strength. Currently, they are controlled by Chiyo.
From this, Zhang Hai deduced that Chiyo hadn't used her strongest puppet technique during her last battle with Hanzo, thus concealing her true strength. This gave him a deeper understanding of Chiyo and the potential of puppetry.
A puppeteer's strength is usually proportional to the number of puppets they control. Ancient texts describe it as, "One finger can control ten puppets." This vividly illustrates that, theoretically, the number of puppets a puppeteer can control can be infinitely increased. As long as the puppeteer's chakra reserves and mental strength are powerful enough, they can control more and stronger puppets. This further convinced Zhang Hai that puppetry is a profession with limitless potential.
However, Zhang Hai was also keenly aware that a puppeteer's weakness lay in the fragility of their own body. No matter how powerful the puppet, if the puppeteer's body was attacked, everything would be for naught. Therefore, in his spare time from learning puppetry, he never neglected to hone his swordsmanship. He knew that only with a strong body could puppetry unleash its true power.
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Hai had been in Sunagakure for over two months. This was the place he had stayed the longest outside of Konoha. Ebizo had originally set a year-long study plan for him, but Zhang Hai had mastered all the material in just two months, and even exceeded it in some aspects.
Ebizo's greatest skill lay in puppet making, not puppet manipulation. This suited Zhang Hai perfectly. Zhang Hai harbored great ambitions; he not only wanted to learn existing puppetry techniques but also hoped to create a flying puppet. He believed that a flying puppet would possess unparalleled advantages on the battlefield, playing a crucial role in reconnaissance, ambushes, and support.
With this thought in mind, Zhang Hai decided to ask Ebizo, hoping to gain some inspiration from him. He went straight to Ebizo's office, but when he opened the door, he found the office empty. A thought struck Zhang Hai, and he guessed that Ebizo had probably gone fishing at the oasis near the village again, which was his only hobby.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, a boy of about six years old, with red hair and exceptionally handsome features, appeared at the door. His big eyes looked at Zhang Hai curiously, and he asked in a childish voice, "Big brother, are you looking for Grandpa Hai?"
Zhang Hai was slightly taken aback. The boy had the distinctive red hair of Sunagakure, but his features were exceptionally refined. He crouched down, a gentle smile on his face. "Yes, little friend. Do you know where Grandpa Hai went?"
The boy shook his head, then introduced himself: "My name is Scorpion. Grandpa Hai and Grandma Chiyo are no longer in the village." He paused, his tone tinged with innocence, but then said something that made Zhang Hai's heart skip a beat: "Because... there's going to be a war."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hai felt a sense of unease. He remembered that Chiyo had discovered the weakness in Hanzo's poison last time, and logically, Sunagakure should have gained the upper hand. Why, then, was it that they were "about to fight" again? Had the battle become stalemate again, or even worsened? He couldn't help but wonder, was Hanzo too strong, or Sunagakure too weak? Or perhaps both?
"The one that's going to start a war... is Konoha Village!" Sasori's childish voice exploded in Zhang Hai's ears like a bolt from the blue.
Zhang Hai's heart skipped a beat. Konoha! It was Konoha! He instantly realized that this wasn't a minor skirmish between villages, but a full-scale war between two great nations! This meant that he would have no chance of receiving guidance from Ebizo anytime soon. An overwhelming sense of frustration welled up inside him; he hadn't expected to encounter such a sudden situation so soon after settling down in Sunagakure.