https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-697-Captain-Daigo-Are-You-Awake-/12946415/
Chapter 698: Changes
Chapter 698: Changes
Rain Country, Six Paths City.
At noon, after finishing his training, Nagato Chojiro went to the laboratory to find Scorpion and invited him to have lunch together at the Shinsei Canteen.
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Scorpion was different. His position in Shinsei was rather delicate, and aside from Nagato, he didn't have many friends to talk to. If Nagato wasn't around, Scorpion would undoubtedly have to eat alone.
Nagato had once lived a solitary life, wandering aimlessly. During that time, he felt that there was no place for him in the entire Ninja World, and even amidst the bustling streets, he was enveloped by an infinite sense of loneliness.
At that time, Nagato was still in the Rain Country, surrounded by its people. Scorpion, on the other hand, was in a foreign land, and it was only natural that he felt lonely.
Nagato simply hoped that Scorpion, who had experienced similar hardships, could feel a little better. After all, Nagato now had the capacity to help others.
S
"These ninjas are so stupid, struggling to learn such simple operations. I was way beyond this level when I was seven years old."
As they ate, Scorpion couldn't help but vent about the Shinsei ninjas learning technology in his laboratory.
"After all, their foundation is weak, and you are a genius," Nagato said.
There weren't many ninjas in Shinsei who were skilled in puppetry, and this was also a blind spot in Yu Sheng Mu Yue's knowledge.
"That's true, but fortunately, they are diligent. Otherwise, they wouldn't have made any progress in puppetry in this lifetime," Scorpion said after some thought.
Although they didn't possess his talent, Scorpion had to admit that the Shinsei ninjas learning from him were very hardworking.
"Do you want to go for a walk in the city?" Nagato asked after they finished eating.
"Six Paths City is much more prosperous now than before, and there have been many changes."
Scorpion had come to Shinsei during the Youth Martial Arts Tournament and had only worked at the construction site for a short period at the beginning. After that, he had mostly stayed within the Shinsei residence and hadn't ventured outside.
During the Youth Martial Arts Tournament, Six Paths City could be described as a well-developed town. However, after Shinsei seized the opportunity presented by the Ninja World War, the city's development accelerated rapidly. Its size had expanded to over ten times its original area, and its prosperity was no less than that of the Rain Country's capital.
"How prosperous can a backwater place like this be?" Scorpion scoffed.
"But it's worth taking a walk. Maybe we'll find an opportunity to escape."
"Then let's go." Nagato nodded, not paying much attention to Scorpion's mention of escaping.
Ever since Scorpion was brought to Shinsei, Nagato had been the one taking care of him, witnessing his transformation.
At first, Scorpion had indeed tried various methods to escape from Shinsei, but after realizing the futility of his efforts, he became despondent. Then, he chose to face the situation head-on and actively tried to behave well to reduce his sentence.
Now, Nagato occasionally saw Scorpion in good spirits due to various reasons.
This Scorpion might leave Shinsei after serving his sentence, but he would never run away prematurely.
After that, the two of them began strolling through Six Paths City.
"It's a bit more prosperous than before, but that's about it," Scorpion commented.
"Actually, you also have a share in the development of this place, Scorpion," Nagato suddenly said.
Scorpion proudly raised his head, thinking that his skills should have earned Shinsei a considerable amount of money.
"Do you remember this place? The construction site you worked at was responsible for building this house," Nagato said, pointing at a building.
Scorpion's face darkened slightly. So, this was the 'contribution' he was talking about? Perhaps there were indeed bricks he had laid.
"I was just joking. Your contribution to Shinsei is far greater than building a single house," Nagato laughed.
"Have you ever been told that you have no sense of humor? This isn't funny at all," Scorpion retorted without holding back.
"Is that so?" Nagato looked a little disappointed.
Indeed, he hadn't told many jokes before. Back in the Akatsuki organization, he was usually the one who needed to be cheered up.
"Okay, it's a little funny, but not much. Maybe someone with a low sense of humor would laugh," Scorpion amended his statement.
"That's good," Nagato relaxed.
Who wouldn't want to be a relatively humorous person? Nagato sometimes fantasized about having excellent joke-telling skills and making Xuan Nan burst into laughter.
"Scorpion-sama."
As the two continued walking through Six Paths City, someone suddenly called out to Scorpion. Scorpion turned his head towards the source of the voice.
There were very few people in Shinsei who knew Scorpion's name, aside from the high command and the ninjas learning technology or those who had undergone surgery.
A Shinsei ninja waved his prosthetic limb at Scorpion and greeted him as he jogged over to the two of them.
"He insisted on asking me to accompany him on a walk to digest his food."
Scorpion explained, "Well, Mr. Scorpion, you don't seem to frequent Six Paths City much. If you get hungry in the evening, you can head to the west side of the city. There are many street food stalls there at night, and there's a particularly good tempura place." The Shinshu Ninja enthusiastically offered.
This was the first time he had seen Scorpion outside of the Shinshu headquarters, so he assumed Scorpion rarely ventured out and was unfamiliar with Six Paths City.
"Oh, and if you like ramen, you must try the one on the commercial street. It's a must-visit!"
"And..."
"I understand," Scorpion quickly interjected, not used to such enthusiasm.
At that moment, Chojiro smiled and spoke, continuing to guide Scorpion forward.
"Are all the people from the Rain Country this enthusiastic?" Scorpion asked.
It was just after lunch, and they were already discussing food.
"His name is Sousuke," Chojiro replied. "When he's not on a mission, he loves to visit various restaurants and street food stalls to try different cuisines. He's really passionate about it."
Scorpion's expression showed understanding.
"But he's not like this with everyone. He's being so friendly to you because you're Scorpion. You saved his ninja career." Chojiro said earnestly.
For a ninja, both arms and legs are indispensable.
If an ordinary ninja lost an arm or broke a leg, they would no longer be able to continue their ninja career.
"If he couldn't be a ninja anymore, he might still be able to contribute to Shinshu in other ways, but he wouldn't have the same income to enjoy food and drinks freely."
Scorpion remained silent, deep in thought.
He had many reasons for learning puppetry, including seeking revenge for his parents, his genuine interest in the art, and even the idea of practicing it for fun.
However, he had never considered using puppetry to save others.
When Scorpion first encountered puppetry, the information he received was that it was a combat-oriented ninja technique.
"So, I'm truly grateful to you, Scorpion, for developing this technique. It would be such a waste if years of hard work were to be abandoned due to an accident." Chojiro sighed.
Even the most skilled medical ninjas couldn't regenerate a lost arm, but Scorpion's puppetry could restore a ninja as long as their head remained intact.
"It's just a small contribution to the Eternal Arts," Scorpion shook his head.
The prosthetic technology was merely a byproduct of human puppetry, and not even a particularly advanced one at that.
The core of human puppetry was the chakra core, a technique that could grant ninjas eternal life.
"But it's significant for Shinshu, the Rain Country, and even the entire ninja world."
Chojiro didn't understand puppetry, but he knew the impact that prosthetic technology could bring. There were always some who lost limbs due to various accidents.
Scorpion didn't argue with Chojiro, as he was only praising him.
The two continued their stroll through Six Paths City, and when they passed by a takoyaki stall recommended by Sousuke, Scorpion curiously bought and tried some.
"It's not as good as he said," Scorpion commented.
"In the end, eating is just a means to obtain the necessary nutrition for survival. The human body is such an inconvenient thing."
"Maybe it's a matter of taste. I disagree with your view. Enjoying delicious food is an indescribable pleasure." Chojiro refuted seriously.
He still vividly remembered the happiness and satisfaction he felt when he first tasted the ramen made by Mu Yue.
"Scorpion, you might feel this way because you haven't found the right cuisine for you."
"The place I grew up in is much more prosperous than the Rain Country, and I've tasted many renowned dishes in the ninja world. I didn't find them enjoyable." Scorpion didn't back down.
"That's because those weren't true delicacies. If you've tasted real gourmet food, Scorpion, you wouldn't think that way."
"I'm being underestimated. What food can compare to eternal life?"
Scorpion didn't believe that those so-called gourmet foods could change his mind.
Chojiro opened his mouth but ultimately decided against speaking.
He had confidence in Mu Yue's cooking, but he didn't want to make promises lightly.
After all, Mu Yue was not only the leader of Shinshu but also the new Hokage of Konoha, and he was sure she had many responsibilities. He couldn't bother her with such matters.
As the two debated, they didn't notice a passerby buying street food on the street who, upon seeing them, showed a fleeting look of surprise before quickly regaining a neutral expression.
"He's walking with a disciple of the Ninja Master, and they seem to have a close relationship. It seems he has truly joined Shinshu," the Sand Hidden spy thought.
The most well-known representative of Shinshu to the outside world was Son Ryouka, who, after Enohana, had the potential to become the strongest in the ninja world.
The second was Chojiro, who not only had the unique status of being Son Ryouka's disciple but also held the title of the first genius in the ninja world.
The interaction between Scorpion and Chojiro didn't seem like that of mere collaborators but rather close companions.
The Sand Hidden spy discreetly finished his snack and swiftly sent the gathered intelligence back to the Sand Hidden Village.
PS:
The first update was a big failure.
When writing today, my head felt strange, like it was swelling, making my already slow pace even slower.
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(End of Chapter)
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