Chapter 76: If the Process is Shattered, the Result Must Be Better
Three days later.
What was Hiiro Rinko, who had single-handedly caused over 2,500 casualties to the Konoha army, earned the infamous moniker 'Scarred Red,' and undoubtedly been placed on Konoha's most-wanted list, doing?
He was lying on his stomach on a bed, wearing only his underwear, stuck full of needles like a hedgehog.
Even with the Reversed Cursed Technique, his Chakra pathways and tenketsu had mostly recovered, but the deficit from his total Chakra exhaustion couldn't be replenished quickly.
His Yin Release Chakra core had burned out while assisting his Cursed Energy in casting curses, but his Yang Release Chakra core, thanks to the Seven Essences Unlocking Gates, was still salvageable.
Taking this opportunity, Rinko planned to readjust and optimize the circulation routes of his Yin and Yang Chakra, and simultaneously solve the Yin-Yang balance issue that had been troubling him.
The external mimetic nerves—Ether Lines—hidden in his hair precisely inserted slender silver needles along his Chakra pathways one by one to regulate the flow. Then, they rolled up a nearby report and turned the pages for him, replacing his temporarily immobile arms.
These Ether Lines were a product of the same lineage as the neural link system installed in his large puppets, adjusted for different usage scenarios.
Although the initial design prototype was 'Etherlight,' in the Naruto world, Rinko couldn't produce the "Fifth Imaginary Element: Ether."
While Yin Release had the characteristic of "creating form from nothing," creating specific matter at will required an insanely high precision of Yin Release.
Honestly, just trying to brute-force a Susanoo with Yin Chakra volume felt easier than that. (X)
So, considering materials science and application range in the Naruto world, Rinko drastically restructured the design concept.
He stripped the nervous system from a living creature, processed it with Yin Release Chakra, stretched it to micrometer dimensions, wrapped it in Chakra thread fibers, and soaked it in Yin Release Chakra for a long time to ensure its conductivity and strength for 'spiritual power.'
Not only could it replace Chakra threads to control puppets, but its physical strength and ductility were also greatly enhanced.
Rinko chose to connect it directly to his cranial nerves. This allowed him to manipulate these Ether Lines more adeptly, expand his sensory range and spiritual influence, and even use them as auxiliary heat sinks when his Split-Thinking was running at full capacity.
He had even started trying to use this thing to cast ninjutsu.
To be honest, by this point, it had little relation to the prototype. But since it was the source of inspiration, Rinko kept the name.
As the core operating system for large puppets, the neural link system didn't pursue flexible movement or other functionalities, only maximum transmission efficiency.
Although Rinko's design of large puppets had some personal preference involved, it was mostly based on the situation.
Suna only possessed the One-Tails, and they were completely blind in the field of large summoning beasts. In this regard, Suna's disadvantage was huge.
Although the combat power of such large creatures couldn't be measured by numbers, for the vast majority of ordinary ninja, any large ninja beast was a disaster difficult to counter.
Countless examples of this could be found in previous battles.
Given that large ninja beasts could also master ninjutsu, the armaments carried by large puppets weren't much of an advantage. And as machines, puppets were inevitably inferior to biological creatures in reaction speed and movement flexibility.
In this situation, Rinko's solution was...
Panoramic Screen Human-Machine Integration System. (X)
Correction: a puppet frame closer to the human body structure, and a direct neural link operation method.
Directly transmitting the brain's thoughts and reactions to the puppet, although there would still be inevitable latency, was the best solution currently available.
At this moment, Rinko was reviewing the final data downloaded before detonating Shukaku Type-Zero, occasionally using the Ether Lines to pick up a pen and make notes.
Because all the stats of Shukaku Type-Zero were set according to Rinko himself, it was basically unusable for normal people. So now he was adjusting it—installing G-force dampeners, adjusting the transmission rate of the neural link system, limiting the return flow of information data, etc.
Anyway, downgrading a 'performance monster' to a 'normal unit' was always easier than upgrading a piece of junk to a god-tier machine.
This was also Rinko's experience. If it felt like a waste, he could just set the 'original functions' as some kind of last-ditch final output release mode.
"Working on high-end tech again, genius?"
With a squeak, Chiyo pushed the door open and entered with her usual teasing smile. In the past, back in the village, she often came to Rinko's workshop to 'disturb' him like this.
However, for Rinko, whose Yin Release level had risen again and who could now read emotions slightly, Chiyo's forced casualness was a bit too pathetic.
He 'saw' clearly how long she had paced outside before composing her expression.
"Since I'm preparing to leave the front lines, I have to leave something behind."
Not exposing his adoptive mother's disguise, Rinko responded as usual.
"This is the modification plan for Unit 01. The corresponding components are prepared in advance. Adjust it according to the instructions here, and find a Jōnin in the Puppet Corps, and they should be able to pilot it."
"And this, a summary of key points for communicating with Shukaku. With Master Bunpuku there, coax him a little, and that big Tanuki will be willing to help."
After handing the modified large puppet pilot manual to Chiyo, Rinko took a small booklet from a scroll on the cabinet. "Remember to apologize to Shukaku for me later. Blowing up the puppet modeled after him... he'll probably sulk for a while."
"Then... ah, seems there's nothing else to leave. By the way, did we get any secret techniques or Kekkei Genkai stuff from the prisoners?"
"We sure did. The Nara Clan's Shadow Imitation secret technique. Just right for you to see if you can learn it."
Chiyo made exaggerated sound effects as she pulled a small booklet from her robe and handed it to Rinko, showing off.
"Wow, amazing. There's actually something useful?"
This wasn't just playing along; Rinko genuinely didn't expect to dig up something good from this batch of prisoners.
"Great. Once my Yin Release efficiency recovers, I'll try practicing it and see what's up."
"...Sorry."
The forced smile gradually dissolved. Chiyo lowered her head, stroking Rinko's mottled curly hair with pity, and suddenly apologized.
As the pinnacle of Medical Ninjutsu in Suna, how could she not see how much her adopted son's body had aged? When they found him, his Chakra was almost exhausted, and even now, he had barely recovered.
"Uzumaki have long lives. I might not live to old age anyway, so using a little bit doesn't matter."
This conversation of 'I know you know, and you know I know you know' was too awkward, but they couldn't switch to a more normal state.
Rinko's teaching skills had improved with the Barrier and Sealing Corps, but his skill in comforting others was as bad as ever.
In fact, Rinko, who was only now slowly finding the feeling of 'home' here and often had to maintain extreme emotions, was the one who needed comfort more.
He was quite clumsy at expressing positive emotions.
"You child... you always say such pessimistic things so casually..."
"Probably because I've never been a very positive person. Otherwise, as an Uzumaki, I wouldn't be so good at Yin Release, right?"
Chiyo fell silent.
"...Do you really have to go?"
After a long silence, she lowered her head and whispered.
Hiiro Rinko had applied to leave the front lines citing 'poor physical condition.'
The command naturally agreed. Rinko had achieved enough results, and considering the effects of the equipment he prepared, many felt he would create greater value staying in the rear than on the battlefield.
But Chiyo knew Rinko wasn't going back to Sunagakure.
There are more important things to do than 'revenge.'
When Rinko said that back then, he probably didn't just mean letting her command the troops. And the "thing he was better at" wasn't just a solo attack on a Konoha stronghold.
Only now did Chiyo realize it.
Reincarnation Jutsu. Although he mentioned it casually like a joke when returning to the base, it was obvious that neither Chiyo nor Rinko treated it as a joke.
After all, 'Reincarnation Jutsu' had precedents in this world. Senju Tobirama's Impure World Reincarnation, used with mutually multiplying explosive tags, was infamous. And Rinko himself was a genuine otherworld reincarnator.
"You know you can't stop me now."
Closing his eyes and feeling the touch in his hair, Rinko admitted this frankly. "And you have no reason to refuse, right, Old Hag?"
"How could there be no reason?! After losing Yūsa, I don't want to lose a second son!"
"Yūsa was my big brother too."
The Cursed User who lost his family pierced the heart of the mother who lost her child with these words.
"If you're worried about me, you should work harder on commanding Suna."
With a smile on his lips, Rinko tilted his head to look at Chiyo, understating his 'sophistry.' "The more pressure you put on Konoha, the safer I'll be acting alone, right, Mom?"
"...Don't call me that... knowing I can't refuse... don't make me even more despicable, Rinko..."
She should have kept him as a mother, because she didn't want to lose another child.
She should have ordered him as a commander, because Suna couldn't afford to lose his bloodline.
But as Rinko said, deep down, Chiyo truly hoped Rinko could find a way to bring Yūsa back.
How could this contradiction and torment not make Chiyo feel powerless?
She was an Elder of Suna, the inheritor of the Puppet Master secrets, but now she felt she could do nothing.
"What are you saying? Even if we talk about being despicable, it's my responsibility."
Pushing the needles out of his body, manipulating the Ether Lines to wrap a blanket around his waist, Rinko sat up, gently embraced Chiyo's shoulders, and whispered like a demon.
"It was me who forced you to use the other Suna ninja as chips on the table to buy time for me to find a way to resurrect Nii-san."
Temporarily refined Yin Release Chakra mixed with Cursed Energy, turning into a beguiling curse.
"This is my selfishness. It has nothing to do with you."
Responsibility, professional ethics, moral baseline as a human, personal feelings... if one can't balance these, the ninja life will drive them crazy sooner or later.
Everyone is actually a prisoner of their own emotions. When entangled in thoughts and sensibilities, no one has time to care for others.
But in human interactions, all love and hate are just shackles confined to appearances. Love and hate, joy and anger, often cannot find their source in blind venting; only 'caring' itself is visible.
Just as Chiyo was conflicted now, just as Rinko put aside the war situation and chose to act alone, just as he used such extreme means to twist Chiyo's mental state.
Of course, this method carried the risk that 'although the problem is solved for a while, it will intensify later,' but that development is often the result of surviving that period without solving the source of worry.
But since doing nothing else and just internally consuming oneself wouldn't lead to any good result, why not try some emergency measures first?
Rinko wasn't arrogant enough to want to go directly to Konoha village to steal the Impure World Reincarnation. His target was actually Konoha's Spirit Transformation Technique (Reika no Jutsu).
Coincidentally, the Elite Jōnin who mastered the Spirit Transformation Technique was active on this very battlefield.
A solo raid was stealthier and more 'Ninja' than commanding a large-scale army movement.
"If the process is shattered, then the result must be better, right?"