Chapter 62: Sasori's Collection
Shiden hadn't refrained from killing Sasori out of mercy, but because they needed him alive to create an antidote for their poisoned comrades. Capturing a puppet master alive meant a good chance of extracting information through interrogation.
Facing a puppeteer who'd lost both arms, Shiden showed no mercy or carelessness. She swiftly slashed Sasori's gear off his body before stabbing his shoulder and dragging him from his original position.
Immediately, Ishiro moved forward and, facing the incapacitated Sasori, rapidly cast over ten sealing techniques, completely sealing his chakra flow and sensory perception.
Shiden and the others watched Ishiro's cautious approach with raised eyebrows. Was it really necessary? Sasori didn't even have arms anymore!
But how could they understand Ishiro's caution? This was someone who would become a Kage-level threat in the future. He could never be too careful.
Noticing their confusion, Ishiro explained seriously, "I remember a piece of intel mentioning a genius puppet master from Sunagakure. Chiyo, one of Sand's elders, has a grandson known as Sasori of the Red Sand, characterized by his distinctive red hair. If my guess is right, this is Chiyo's grandson. If we hand him over to the village, I'm sure the village can negotiate a favorable deal with Sand. Think of the huge rewards and contribution points we'd gain. Being careful is essential."
The others instantly understood Ishiro's reasoning. After all, their previous S-rank mission had significantly improved their strength. The thought of another such reward was almost too good to be true.
Considering Rain Country's instability and their recent experiences, Team 18 packed up all of Sasori's puppets, and Ishiro left a clay clone behind to clean up the traces of battle. The team swiftly left the battlefield and headed back towards the Land of Earth border outpost.
Seeing Sasori, now armless and helpless, captured by Team 18, the shinobi at the border outpost breathed a collective sigh of relief. Although the poison hadn't acted up yet, it remained a ticking time bomb. With the puppeteer captured, the village would certainly obtain the antidote.
Most shinobi remained stationed at the outpost, while seven or eight severely poisoned individuals, along with another Anbu team, accompanied Ishiro's group back to the village.
Upon returning, Team 18 immediately reported to Captain Owl. Hearing the full account, especially that they'd captured Chiyo's grandson, Owl wasted no time bringing Team 18 directly to see Onoki himself.
Meanwhile, Sasori was promptly placed in the Anbu's high-security prison, reserved for the most dangerous captives.
Onoki and his advisors became visibly excited upon learning that Team 18 had captured Chiyo's sole heir. Better yet, Sasori himself had initiated hostilities, meaning Iwagakure had acted purely in self-defense. The advisors instantly forgot about the visitors present, openly discussing how best to leverage Sasori in negotiations with Sand.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Onoki coughed loudly to interrupt, "Alright, enough of that. Since Team 18 is here, let's first discuss their rewards."
Ishiro and the others, slightly embarrassed by the open discussion earlier, perked up immediately at the mention of rewards.
An elderly male advisor smiled warmly at the four shinobi, "Sasori already has quite a reputation as a genius in Suna. They've started calling him 'Sasori of the Red Sand,' recognizing his extraordinary potential. You've done remarkably well, capturing him before he could reach his prime. We'll grant you another S-rank mission completion. Additionally, each of you can make one special request—such as applying to learn ninjutsu or promotion in rank."
Hearing another S-rank reward, Shiden managed to stay composed, but the younger trio's smiles stretched from ear to ear. When they heard about an extra special request, their excitement peaked. Ishiro, especially, couldn't help grinning foolishly.
Seeing their expressions, the four village advisors laughed heartily.
Onoki shook his head and chuckled, "Alright, go back and think carefully about what you need the most. Then inform the exchange office. Dismissed!"
"Yes!" Team 18 and Owl vanished from Onoki's office with the Body Flicker Technique.
"Hmm?" Onoki and one advisor simultaneously let out an intrigued sound.
"What's wrong?" another advisor asked curiously.
Onoki, with a pleased expression, said, "It's Ishiro, that boy... When he used the Body Flicker just now, I realized he's broken through."
"Oh?" The other advisors were surprised, "Ishiro broke through? Last time returning from Rain Country, he hadn't achieved it yet."
"Indeed," Onoki said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Though slightly behind Ikura, he's certainly outstanding. Especially since Ishiro excels in mental strength. Achieving a breakthrough at such a young age means he has an extraordinary future ahead."
…
Ishiro, unaware he'd revealed his breakthrough with a simple Body Flicker, only felt slightly puzzled when Captain Owl stared at him with a strange expression upon returning to Anbu headquarters.
When Team 18 returned to their usual training area, they immediately discussed the mission rewards.
Shironeko said first, "I've heard the village has a special area that might help ninja beasts absorb natural energy and become sages. I'll request to send Dango there."
Little Stone agreed, "I've heard about that too. It's highly secretive though; no one knows its exact location."
Ishiro blinked in surprise, "Huh? You want Dango to go there? I could just take him myself."
Shironeko was astonished, "What? You know where it is and can actually enter?"
Only then did Ishiro realize that what was normal for him—returning to that place—was a secretive mystery for everyone else. Thankfully, he rarely talked about his private life, limiting the leak of any information. He decided to be more cautious from now on.
After thinking for a moment, he replied, "I used to work in the Barrier Team. I've been involved since its inception, and I actually live inside that area now. Let Dango stay at my place after work from now on."
Shironeko was ecstatic, "Really?! Ishiro, quick, tell me—is there really a chance for Dango to absorb natural energy by living there?"
Ishiro laughed awkwardly, recalling that he himself had originally proposed this idea merely as speculation. Even Onoki probably had no solid evidence yet.
Shaking his head, Ishiro explained, "Actually, the place just has denser natural energy. Other than that, it's no different from outside. The whole natural energy absorption idea is still just an upper-level speculation."
"Oh..." Shironeko looked somewhat disappointed. Her fighting style heavily relied on Dango. If Dango became stronger, she'd also benefit significantly.
Seeing her downcast expression, Ishiro comforted her, "It's fine. It doesn't cost anything anyway. Just let Dango stay at my place for now—we can always try it out first."
Shironeko quickly agreed, smiling again and immediately discussing excitedly with Dango.
Little Stone turned to Ishiro, asking, "Ishiro, what special request are you going to make?"
Ishiro considered briefly, "I actually want to learn a few B-rank ninjutsu. But since we can only make one request, choosing just one ninjutsu feels wasteful."
Little Stone nodded, "You're right. Maybe waiting until you're eligible to learn A-rank ninjutsu would be better—then you could request an A-rank jutsu."
In Iwagakure, C-rank ninjutsu could easily be exchanged with contribution points. However, anything above B-rank required special village approval. This time, Team 18's special request essentially provided this privilege.
Having learned from previous experiences, Ishiro planned to consult Captain Owl's opinion again. Professional matters required professional guidance, after all.
Before that, however, Team 18 had one more important matter—handling Sasori's collection. Sasori was destined to become the strongest puppet master in the shinobi world, and even now, his techniques and puppets were first-class. Iwa lacked puppet masters, making Sasori's collection exceptionally valuable.
After examining Sasori's belongings, Team 18 decided to turn in all puppets and poisons to the village but carefully copied several of Sasori's scrolls for themselves. Most were research data on puppets—though incomprehensible to the team, the techniques and puppet control methods detailed were valuable references, especially for future encounters with puppet users.
Unfortunately, Sasori's collection of ninjutsu scrolls was minimal, consisting only of two Wind Release jutsu, which only Shiden could use, albeit rarely.
The poison and medicinal scrolls, however, caught Ishiro's attention. Remembering how excited his former team had been upon finding similar medical notes, he knew these would benefit the village significantly.
After appraising everything, the exchange office awarded Team 18 a total of 7,000 contribution points. Ishiro's share amounted to just over 4,000 points.
Satisfied with his considerable earnings, Ishiro smiled brightly, feeling ready to finally consult Captain Owl on his next step.
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