Chapter 404: Kabutack
In the end, Tobitake Tonbo decided to spend some time wandering through the Hidden Sand Village to experience its unique local flavor. In truth, there wasn't much local flavor left that he hadn't seen; he still had Shadow Clones stationed in the Sand, though he hadn't dispelled them yet to receive their accumulated experiences. It was a nice change for his original body to experience things firsthand rather than relying on the memories of a clone.
It had to be said that the development of the Hidden Sand was deeply intertwined with Konoha. Many of their advancements had been borrowed or adapted from Konoha's templates. They were following the lead of the most advanced.
"This is..."
Tonbo soon came across a massive factory. The area it occupied was even larger than his own Technical Development Bureau. However, while the scale was grand, the buildings were quite sparsely distributed, which was a stark contrast to Konoha's dense layout. Perhaps this was simply the result of having vast land with few people; in the desert, space was the one thing they weren't lacking.
Here, Tonbo saw numerous puppet manufacturing plants. They specialized in mass-producing puppet components, which were then sent elsewhere for assembly. It was a remarkably advanced operation.
"This is our Hidden Sand Puppet Development Bureau. It will continue to expand until it surpasses your Konoha," Kankuro said proudly. It was already larger than Konoha's Technical Development Bureau; in Kankuro's mind, total world leadership was only a matter of time.
It had to be noted that since the establishment of the Ninja Association, an incredible amount of puppet-making talent had emerged. Many retired veterans couldn't resist joining in to help develop new designs. This collaborative environment had sparked a technological boom. Unlike the old days, where ninja hid their techniques for fear that an exposed trump card meant a death sentence, the current era of peace allowed researchers to focus solely on science. For puppet enthusiasts, it was a golden age.
"Ah, Kankuro! Your mecha has entered the final phase. Do you want to give it a test run?"
Just then, an elderly man out for a stroll spotted them and walked over. It was Ebizo. With the world changing so rapidly, even he couldn't stay in seclusion; he wanted to see the new world for himself.
Kankuro's face lit up with joy. "What perfect timing! I'm definitely going to test it. Do you all want to see my ultimate achievement?" he asked Tonbo and the others.
"Let's have a look. I'm curious about the Sand's puppet development," Tonbo said. Gaara nodded and followed behind the eager Kankuro.
"Wait for this old man, my body isn't what it used to be..." Ebizo trailed behind step by step, watching the young men pull ahead. "The youth today are so much more energetic than in my day. Sister, did you see that? The Shinobi world has finally entered peace. Ninja can actually discuss their vital jutsu with one another. Compared to the old days when everything was hidden in the desert, this is truly wonderful... Ah, Sister, you're in the Pure Land, so you probably can't see this. But I'll be joining you soon enough. When I do, I'll make sure to learn everything about these changes so I can report back to you." Ebizo's eyes sparkled with the wonder of a child looking at a lollipop.
Inside a massive building within the Puppet Development Bureau, Tonbo's eyes immediately landed on a puppet as large as the Nine-Tails. Well... a mecha.
The Giant Kabutack...
When Tonbo saw the shape of that mecha, his vision nearly went dark. How can it look so much like that...?
"Hahaha! Cool, right? I specifically used a red, custom-made anti-chakra paint. And those big eyes—I modeled them after Shukaku's. The legs use the Hidden Sand's most advanced tech; it can roll on wheels or walk on feet!"
Kankuro looked at the mecha with intense excitement, showing it off to Tonbo. "Hey, Captain Tonbo, what's wrong?" Seeing Tonbo staring blankly at the mecha, Kankuro thought he was struck speechless by awe and waved a hand in front of his face.
"No, I just didn't expect you to have this kind of... talent. Was this your idea?" Tonbo felt even worse being called Captain Tonbo in front of this thing.
Kankuro scoffed. "What do you mean 'this kind of talent'? Is there anyone in the world with more puppet talent than me? I'm the world's number one puppeteer!"
"Right. The 'number one puppeteer' who can't even pass the One-Star exam," Tonbo retorted.
Kankuro's face darkened. "That's just because the Ninja Association's standards are too high! Once this puppet is complete, I'll be a One-Star puppeteer for sure—maybe even Two-Star!"
"Unlikely. At a glance, it's not fully refined yet. You still have a long way to go. But the idea isn't bad. Making puppets giant-sized is interesting, though I wonder if your chakra is enough to control it."
While technology in the Shinobi world was decent, puppets still relied on chakra threads for manipulation. Giant puppets hadn't been popularized before because, aside from the massive cost and questionable combat efficiency, the chakra requirement was the biggest hurdle. Controlling something that size was beyond most people.
"Heh, did you forget the inspiration your son gave us during our village exchange? He suggested using the chakra devices from the Land of Snow to store and accumulate chakra. With that, I can focus on precision control. I don't need to have a chakra pool as massive as Gaara's," Kankuro explained, looking even more smug. This wouldn't stop a genius like him.
"Is that so? I don't recall that. I must not have been involved," Tonbo mused. He realized he must have been busy researching Kaguya's dimensions at the time. Besides, it wasn't exactly top-secret information; his son had already mastered the Land of Snow's technology long ago.
He wondered how an Otsutsuki would deal with a mecha. They probably could. After all, he had heard that Sasuke's Susanoo had been pierced right through by a single kick from a certain opponent. He knew the defensive power of a Susanoo well, and this mecha wasn't even in the same league. For now, it probably wasn't enough to challenge the top-tier threats, though its raw defense likely rivaled a first-stage Susanoo.
"I'm going to test it out! You guys wait here," Kankuro said, unable to wait any longer.
Nearby, many working ninja were looking at the mecha with excitement, slowly clearing away the scaffolding and supports surrounding it. They greeted Kankuro as he approached.
"Thought you went to meet Captain Tonbo! You really couldn't wait, could you? It's just finished—come and give it a try!"
Kankuro leaped up to the mecha's chest area. "Let's show them what I can do!" He connected his chakra to the internal device. A hatch opened in the chest, and he stepped inside. He was determined to steal the spotlight today.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!