After seeing off the Konoha delegation, Yakushi Kabuto approached Hyuga Gakuya and reported,
"Everything is ready. We can activate the puppet production line the moment you give the word."
Gakuya was in high spirits. He knew his efforts hadn't been in vain.
"Let's go. I want to see my puppet army with my own eyes."
Together, Kabuto and Gakuya stepped into the elevator of the underground Otogakure research facility, descending deep below the surface. When the doors opened, they arrived at a massive underground factory. Row after row of production lines stretched out in perfect order.
This enormous space had been carved out using Gakuya's Tenseigan. The complex was fully outfitted—lines assembled, puppet workers prepped—everything ready to go at a moment's notice.
Gakuya gazed out at the impressive scale of his mechanical creation, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. Then he gave the order to the researchers beside him:
"Start it up."
"Yes, sir! Powering on now..."
Ten minutes later, the production line roared to life. The whole facility trembled from the force, the thunderous grind of machinery echoing endlessly.
The line used a hybrid system powered by electricity and thermal energy, sourced directly from magma beneath the ground. Gakuya had used his Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion to cleave open vast stretches of earth, redirecting magma flows to fuel the plant.
As for the labor force—tireless, round-the-clock puppet workers handled everything.
Minutes later, the first batch of war puppets rolled off the line. They came in a variety of forms, each model painstakingly designed by the R&D teams.
(T/N: An R&D team is a specialized team focused on researching new technologies, ideation, and creating new solutions or improving existing ones.)
Gakuya and the others moved into the warehouse. There, he activated one of the war puppets by condensing a spiritual orb with his Tenseigan.
"Jump," he ordered casually.
The puppet, equipped with a tachi and shield, instantly leapt into the air.
(T/N: A tachi is a type of sabre-like traditionally made Japanese sword.)
"Squat."
It obeyed.
"Dance."
The puppet began to move erratically, swaying in an awkward, rhythm-less way.
Gakuya was clearly pleased. He withdrew the spiritual orb—generating them placed a strain on his own mind. Unless absolutely necessary, he preferred to keep the number of active puppets under strict control.
"Not bad at all. Kabuto, I'm satisfied with these."
"I'm glad to hear that, my lord. But if I may ask... with so many puppets, won't operating them all at once put your health at risk?" Kabuto asked, concerned.
Everything they'd built was rooted in Gakuya. If anything happened to him, all of Kabuto's ambitions would go up in smoke.
Gakuya chuckled and replied lightly,
"I know my limits. I wouldn't risk my life for nothing. I already have a few leads on how to power them without relying on myself."
He was referring to two possible sources: the Dragon Vein and the giant golden Tenseigan on the moon.
The Dragon Vein was sealed beneath Rōran. Its power could only be tapped within the borders of that ancient city—unless Gakuya found a way to extract and move it to the Land of Fields, he'd essentially be putting the puppet army's fate in someone else's hands.
That's why the moon's golden Tenseigan—left behind by the Ōtsutsuki—was his true goal. Gakuya had already put two backup plans into motion.
First, he sent his "loyal" (albeit scheming) partner Black Zetsu, along with a swarm of White Zetsu, to locate the underground spring that connected Earth to the moon.
Second, he was watching the two girls—Hinata and Hanabi—who each carried fragments of ocular power. For the last surviving member of the Ōtsutsuki on the moon, Toneri, to awaken the Tenseigan, he would have to steal their Byakugan.
But Gakuya had eyes on them at all times. The moment Toneri appeared, he'd blast him into dust with a Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion and claim the Tenseigan for himself.
...
Then Gakuya turned to Kabuto and asked,
"With Konoha's recent funding and our savings over the years, plus materials imported from the Land of Iron, how long can we keep the production line running? How many puppets can we build?"
Kabuto gave a vague estimate,
"After subtracting the funds needed to maintain the Land of Fields and Otogakure, we should be able to produce around ten thousand war puppets across various models."
Gakuya shook his head. That number didn't sit well with him. Black Zetsu had a hundred thousand White Zetsu—he needed at least that many himself.
Sure, in a battle of Kage or Six Paths-level powers, these would just be fodder. But if plans changed, he could always spark a full-blown shinobi war.
And when it came to funding a nation, there were only two real paths: cut spending or increase revenue.
Cutting costs? Not happening. Otogakure's research teams were constantly applying for grants—new projects, experimental tech—draining the treasury dry. Financial officer complained to Kabuto daily.
So the only option left was expanding revenue.
The Land of Fields had already reached its limit under Kabuto's "Science Revitalizes the Nation" doctrine. Without territorial expansion or a population boom, there was no more room to grow.
And the quickest way for a state to make money fast?
Borrow like a cartel.
That's what Gakuya had in mind. Let other nations lend the money—but unlike them, he had no intention of paying it back. Once he'd gathered the leaders for a grand summit, he'd simply have Uchiha Hikari unleash Yachihoko and turn them all into loyal dogs.
Of course, he needed a proper excuse. Something that looked respectable on the surface to fool the great nations.
That's when the idea came to him: he could form a "federal government," pulling in the smaller surrounding countries to form a new unified nation. Under the pretext of joint military development, he could funnel their money straight into his own hands.
It would look like a federation, but behind the curtain, Gakuya would be pulling every string.
The best time to initiate this plan? Right after the war between Iwagakure and Konoha. It would give him the perfect stage to build a reputation and claim leadership through the conflict.
Come to think of it, Gakuya was genuinely grateful to Konoha for creating this opportunity.
...
Once the plan was fully mapped out, Gakuya shared it with Kabuto.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Perfect. We'll start with the Land of Iron—major steel producer and key supplier of raw materials. Then move to the Land of Waterfalls—they've always been neutral, and their resources are abundant."
He was already picturing the endless stream of money flowing into the Otogakure labs.
Gakuya issued his next command:
"Good. But before that, we need to earn our reputation in this war. Mogi Shinobu, deploy to the Land of Grass."
A tall, imposing man following behind the two immediately responded,
"Understood!"
Mogi Shinobu, once the head of the Mogi Clan from the Land of Fields, now served under Gakuya—completely brainwashed. He possessed elite jonin-level skill and had impressive command ability. After undergoing modifications in the research lab and receiving Sage Art Curse Marks, he was now on the verge of Kage-tier strength.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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