Just as Kawanishi had expected, the Hidden Sand Village reported last night's explosion the next morning. Among the fifty-six unfortunate victims was the male teammate who had expressed his desire to report the truth to the Kazekage. Furthermore, the Sand Anbu discovered a large quantity of ritual items at the blast site, including a faceless idol and a Jashin symbol painted in blood.
Consequently, it was officially determined that this was a terrorist attack orchestrated by followers of the Jashin Religion. However, because the explosion caused the entire building to collapse, the Anbu ninjas could not determine who had planned and executed the act.
Upon hearing this news, Kawanishi and the other squad members broke out in a collective cold sweat. They were not fools; they understood exactly what this event signified. Predictably, Rasa, as the Fourth Kazekage, was enraged once again. He ordered the Anbu to purge the entire Hidden Sand Village, declaring that not a single believer of the Jashin Religion would be tolerated!
Furthermore, no villager or ninja was permitted to follow this terrifying cult. Just as Kawanishi and the others worried about being discovered, the marks on their palms miraculously vanished. To say they vanished isn't entirely accurate, as they had merely submerged beneath the surface of the skin. As long as they consciously willed them to appear, the marks would resurface.
This allowed the believers like Kawanishi to breathe a sigh of relief. After all, the Jashin symbol was quite distinctive. If they couldn't hide it, they would never survive the Anbu's investigation. As for proactively informing the Kazekage about the Jashin Religion? After experiencing last night's explosion, Kawanishi believed no one would continue to take such risks.
If the explosion had been an isolated incident, it might have been called a coincidence. Conversely, this explosion was saturated with traces of the Jashin Religion. It could only be described as a clear warning to the believers. However, Kawanishi found it somewhat baffling. Was it really worth making the Hidden Sand Village go on high alert against the Jashin Religion just for one warning?
Beneath the Kazekage Building, Rasa looked at the object before him with a grim expression. Standing beside him was the Hidden Sand Village's elite Jonin, Baki.
"Lord Kazekage, this was discovered during last night's explosion. To capture this creature alive, the Anbu sacrificed one person, and two others were seriously injured."
Baki provided a brief introduction. Before him and Rasa stood a massive iron cage. Inside, a monster was restrained by numerous heavy chains. It featured a hideous mouth full of sharp teeth, tattered fleshy wings on its back, and countless limbs protruding haphazardly from its sides. Coupled with its green compound eyes, it looked like a monstrous insect with poorly expressed genes.
Rasa looked at the monster, his face heavy. "Is this thing's strength truly that formidable?"
One must remember that Anbu ninjas are the cream of the crop, handpicked for their skills. At the very least, they possess the strength of a Special Jonin. Yet, three such elite ninjas were lost to this single creature? Rasa couldn't help but feel the sting of the loss.
Baki nodded solemnly. "Although part of the sacrifice was due to the requirement of capturing it alive, its strength indeed exceeds that of some Special Jonin. First, its limbs are incredibly sharp, surpassing ordinary steel. Furthermore, its body contains immense vitality, and it possesses venom sacs capable of releasing poisonous gas."
As the Kazekage, Rasa instantly understood Baki's train of thought. "You mean we can study this creature and turn it into our... material?"
"Lord Kazekage is wise." Baki offered his praise without hesitation.
Although the Land of Wind is a Great Nation, its natural resources are quite scarce, especially regarding high-end materials like specialized weapons or chakra metal. Even with money, it is difficult to purchase these in bulk from other countries. However, if they could successfully study and breed this monster, it would provide the Hidden Sand Village with a new supply channel. The creature's exoskeleton could serve as material for weapons or puppets, and the venom sacs could be used to extract toxins.
Of course, this was still just a concept. Realizing it would require extensive research. For starters, figuring out how to make the monster reproduce was a significant challenge. After a moment of thought, Rasa finally gave the order. "In that case, draw a team from the research center to study this creature."
"Yes, sir." Baki nodded, then added with slight hesitation, "Lord Kazekage, Lady Chiyo's expertise in Medical Ninjutsu and Puppetry is formidable. If we could obtain her help..."
Though Baki didn't finish, Rasa understood. Chiyo was a former high-level advisor of the village. However, after her grandson, Sasori of the Red Sand, defected, she became completely disheartened. She chose to live in seclusion with her brother, Ebizo, and has remained there for over a decade.
Rasa thought about it but ultimately shook his head. "Let's not trouble Lady Chiyo for now. It won't be too late to tell her once we have results. Even if we asked now, she might not come back."
Baki considered this and nodded. "Understood."
After Rasa and Baki left, a figure quietly appeared in the room. He was shrouded in a heavy hood. Only upon reaching the cage did he slowly remove the hood, revealing striking red hair and a face as delicate as porcelain.
If any veteran of the Hidden Sand Village were there, they would immediately recognize him. He was once the genius ninja the village placed its highest hopes on, a candidate for the Fourth Kazekage. He was also the village's current S-rank rogue ninja: Sasori of the Red Sand.
He examined the monster closely, a trace of obsession gradually appearing in his eyes. "What a creative creation..."
He raised his hand, his fingers dancing in the air as if manipulating a puppet. The monster's compound eyes swiveled rapidly, and its limbs slowly retracted as it entered a pre-combat stance. This caused the expression on Sasori's face to become even more excited!
To a genius puppet master like Sasori, the beast before him wasn't a monster. It was a puppet—an incredibly creative puppet! It was just that the materials had been changed from steel to flesh, and the chakra threads had been replaced by something far more creative: genes and instincts engraved deep within the creature's body.
"The Jashin Religion?" The young man looked at the Jashin symbol on the monster's forehead, his lips curling into a smirk. "Interesting."