"There's another way—we can sneak in and investigate based on the general direction of that massive chakra source we sensed."
After explaining the first plan, Itachi paused for a moment before suggesting this second option.
"Curious to know why Mukade is staying in this country?"
Kagetsu said to Baki as he stepped forward and gently patted Itachi's head. Asuma, standing nearby, puffed his cheeks slightly in protest.
Baki nodded seriously. Based on the clues tracked by the Suna Anbu, it was clear that Mukade had hidden intentions in Roran.
Now that this involved a huge chakra source as well, Baki felt a growing sense of danger. He definitely wanted to find out what Mukade was planning here.
After deciding on the plan, the group immediately sprang into action.
First, they confirmed that the powerful chakra—or rather, energy—was located deep underground.
They were currently inside the country's complicated, maze-like underground drainage system. Without a good sense of direction, it would be easy to get lost down here.
Fortunately, with Kagetsu leading the way, they didn't lose their bearings and quickly found the correct route that brought them closest to their target.
After leaving the maze-like drainage system, they continued forward. Along the way, they could vaguely see a large number of earthen puppets.
These puppets patrolled the area like soldiers, keeping watch and monitoring a group of ragged prisoners dressed in tattered uniforms. They whipped them, forcing them to work nonstop in what looked like an assembly factory.
Seeing Kagetsu stop in his tracks, Baki asked instinctively.
"The source of that chakra… it's right beneath this factory," Kagetsu said, pointing downward from the shadows where no one could see them.
On the assembly lines, puppet limbs were constantly being put together and assembled into complete bodies, then set aside in neat rows.
Judging by how fast the process was, as long as they had enough materials and energy, the number of puppets this factory could produce would be unimaginable.
A single puppeteer could only control a limited number of puppets. Producing this many clearly meant it was all part of a much bigger plan.
Baki looked down at the puppet factory and instantly came to the same conclusion. His expression turned even grimmer.
He no longer saw Mukade as just another missing-nin. The man had dangerous ambitions.
If these puppets were fully utilized, they could easily wage an entire shinobi war. And once that war began, Sunagakure in the Land of Wind would be the first to suffer.
Given how weak Sunagakure currently was, just imagining an attack from that puppet army sent a chill down Baki's spine.
"Can we destroy this place?" Baki asked urgently.
To him, no matter what Mukade was planning, this factory was clearly the core of everything. No matter what, he had to take it down—along with Mukade.
He had already noticed something.
The way these puppets operated and were controlled was very different from the puppets he knew. If they wanted to track down Mukade through the puppets, it would be nearly impossible.
"Destroying the factory once won't help. It'll only buy us some time. If we want to end this for good, we have to find Mukade and deal with him directly."
"But the surface is crawling with patrolling puppets," Baki added, fully aware of the current situation above ground.
"I want to take a look at that chakra source," Kagetsu said with interest.
"Whatever Mukade's plan is—whether it's starting a war, conquering the ninja world, or something else—that place is likely the core of it all.
If anything happens there, he'll have no choice but to show himself to stop it."
Baki nodded silently. He agreed with Kagetsu's reasoning. Just like how if something were to happen to the One-Tail, the current Kazekage—no matter who it is—would have to rush in to suppress and resolve the issue.
"That device is drawing power from the underground energy," Kagetsu pointed to a large millstone-like contraption, being pushed endlessly by figures like prisoners.
"Do we keep sneaking in, or risk alerting them?" Baki asked cautiously, looking toward Kagetsu.
As the strongest member of the team and with their cooperation going smoothly, Kagetsu rightfully held command—even over Baki, who had recently been promoted to jonin of the Sand Village.
Shadows wrapped around them once more, and the group slipped silently deeper into the darkness.
As they drew closer to the core of the underground energy, they encountered more and more puppet soldiers. The tension in Baki's heart grew heavier.
It was clear that even the power Mukade had revealed so far was beyond what he'd imagined.
No wonder the Sand's pursuit squads kept disappearing without a trace.
In a place , unless the Kazekage himself came, even a team of jonin might not make it out alive to report back.
Avoiding the puppets, Kagetsu and the others finally arrived at a vast, ancient underground chamber.
Four towering stone statues stood at each corner of the space, and in the center, there was a glowing purple pattern resembling a giant eye.
Around the eye were countless complex and tightly packed runes.
But what drew their attention even more than the eye or the runes were the sudden figures that appeared below. They seemed to have been spit out by the eye itself, emerging abruptly into the underground space.
"Is that... a space-time ninjutsu?"
Baki also noticed the sudden appearance of those people. The way they showed up immediately made him think of the mysterious and unpredictable Yellow Flash.
But in the next moment, when he saw the forehead protectors they wore, Baki instinctively looked toward Kagetsu. Even Itachi and Asuma also turned to look at him without thinking.
"Did Konoha send more ninja along with you?" Baki asked as he stared at the four figures below, frowning slightly.
A four-man squad—standard formation for ninja teams. One captain, three team members.
"No, they didn't." Thanks to his memories, Kagetsu had a faint impression of these four people. Under Baki's suspicious gaze, he stepped out of the shadows and revealed himself. He said to Baki, "But we can just ask them directly."
"Who are you?" Updates are released by NovєlFіre.net
The voice startled the ninja below. One of them, who seemed to be the squad leader, looked up toward the source of the sound, his hands already starting to form hand seals.
"As Konoha shinobi, you mean you don't recognize the Fourth Hokage's student?"
Baki and the others jumped down from above and appeared in front of the alert four-man team. Even though they were face-to-face now, the four still held their guard.
While mocking them, Baki also began to doubt who these people really were.
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