The Hyuga Main Family member had been captured. Shang Qi, aided by his armor, found himself locked in a fierce battle with Hatake Sakumo, while Third Kazekage Retsuji fought desperately to hold back Akimichi Torifu. Sunagakure and Konoha forces clashed on the battlefield, neither side yielding an inch; the air was thick with the sounds of slaughter and the chaos of war.
Every charge and every stand was marked by the shedding of blood and sweat. Each flash of Ninjutsu illuminated the resolute faces of the soldiers. Every roar and cry of agony wove together into a tragic symphony of war.
However, the wheels of time turned relentlessly until nightfall, when an ink-black darkness began to swallow the ravaged landscape. The soldiers on both sides were exhausted, their bodies and minds pushed to the absolute limit. Finally, under the cover of night, both sides withdrew. The battlefield was left strewn with countless corpses and broken weapons; blood stained the earth, glistening with an eerie sheen under the moonlight.
Inside the Sunagakure command tent, Third Kazekage Retsuji, Akasuna Uchao, and Shang Qi sat together, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows over their solemn faces.
Retsuji was the first to break the silence. "Capturing a member of the Hyuga Main Family is undoubtedly a heavy blow to Konoha. In the coming battles, those prideful Konoha shinobi will surely attack like madmen. We must maintain tight defenses."
He then turned to Shang Qi. "To think you were able to hold off Hatake Sakumo alone on the battlefield—your rate of progress is astonishing. This victory is yours to claim; I have recorded your service."
Shang Qi mused to himself. With his True Sight Eye having thoroughly analyzed Hatake Sakumo’s sword style and footwork, and with his alloy armor for protection, he had managed to fight the "White Fang of Konoha" to a standstill. He felt his strength touching the threshold of the Kage level; it was time to take the next step.
"I believe that the Hyuga Main Family member is not just a blow to Konoha, but a tremendous boon for Sunagakure," Shang Qi said slowly.
Retsuji narrowed his eyes slightly. "Do you have something in mind?"
"The Byakugan can see through objects at great distances. In Sunagakure, whether it is for locating precious minerals or assisting medical ninjas in treating internal injuries, it is an exceptionally useful ability," Shang Qi analyzed methodically.
"Can you make that rigid Hyuga clansman defect to Sunagakure? Or do you intend to gouge out his eyes?" Retsuji asked with interest.
"The Hyuga Main Family member won't join us easily, but his bloodline can. As long as we feed him special drugs and give him enough time, it isn't impossible for Sunagakure to gain an extra clan." Shang Qi’s voice was calm, as if he were discussing something as mundane as eating a meal.
Upon hearing this, Retsuji’s eyes lit up with excitement. He threw his head back and laughed. "That is a brilliant suggestion. You truly are the one I have high hopes for. Heh-heh-heh-heh..." His laughter echoed through the tent.
Shang Qi continued, "Since I have achieved such a great feat, this should be enough to earn your Magnet Release secret technique, right?" His gaze remained fixed on Retsuji.
"Oh? You wish to emulate the Second Kazekage and cultivate both paths?" Retsuji was slightly taken aback, but immediately summoned a scroll and tossed it to Shang Qi without hesitation. "You have performed so many tricks with the Puppet Technique; let me see what kind of brilliance you can bring to the Magnet Release secret technique."
His eyes held both expectation and a trace of imperceptible madness.
Retsuji then turned to the sullen-faced Akasuna Uchao. "It seems your puppet lineage can no longer keep a firm grip on him, ha-ha-ha..."
Akasuna Uchao’s face turned livid. Gritting his teeth, he said, "You need not concern yourself with the relationship between us and Shang Qi."
With that, Akasuna Uchao stood up and walked out of the command tent without looking back. Shang Qi followed closely behind.
Once outside, Akasuna Uchao stopped and turned around, staring straight at Shang Qi. "Have we not been good enough to you? Or are you planning to defect to the sand-control faction?"
"I am not defecting to the sand-control faction. I am going back to study the Magnet Release secret technique," Shang Qi replied briefly, before turning and heading back to his own tent.
Akasuna Uchao watched Shang Qi’s retreating back, his brow furrowed and his lips moving as if he wanted to say more, but he ultimately remained silent and returned to his own tent as well.
As soon as Shang Qi entered his tent, he ordered his four attendants to step out; he needed to dedicate his full concentration to studying the Magnet Release secret technique.
Magnet Release and the Puppet Technique were both among Sunagakure’s most renowned Ninjutsu. The principle of Magnet Release involved fusing Wind and Earth style Chakra to form a special Chakra with magnetic properties, allowing for the manipulation of iron sand, gold dust, or other magnetic materials. This method of control had similarities to the Puppet Technique but was fundamentally different.
After using his True Sight Eye to thoroughly analyze the Magnet Release scroll Retsuji had given him, Shang Qi brought out the Puppet Technique scroll given to him by Chiyo. This was to be his experiment. Using his Synthesis Hand, he attempted to fuse the two scrolls into one.
During this process, the Chakra in Shang Qi’s body was consumed at an alarming rate. Beads of sweat covered his forehead, and his body trembled so violently he nearly collapsed to the ground.
However, his efforts were worth it. A brand-new secret technique, combining the strengths of both, slowly manifested before him. Shang Qi named it "Manipulation Technique." It allowed him to use his mental energy to control magnetic materials or puppets infused with his own Chakra, and he could even have magnetic materials directly form into a puppet.
Shang Qi had always underestimated the potential of the Synthesis Hand. Until now, he had only used it to synthesize materials by taking their essence and discarding the dross. But this was his first attempt at synthesizing a secret technique. If even techniques could be fused, could he also attempt to synthesize living flesh or energy bodies made of Chakra? This thought swirled in his mind, filling him with excitement.
The next morning, Shang Qi awoke from a bed occupied by his companions. He controlled a spider puppet to quickly capture a few mice and small birds, preparing for a new experiment.
Shang Qi first synthesized two mice, resulting in a super-mouse with razor-sharp fangs and a tunneling ability comparable to a Burrowing Rat. Next, he synthesized two small birds, successfully obtaining a four-winged bird whose speed was breathtaking.
Shang Qi also synthesized a piece of sturdy alloy with the super-mouse, turning it into a rodent puppet with alloy fangs. The puppet retained half of its biological body, possessing both powerful offensive capabilities and flexible mobility.
Just as Shang Qi was conducting these bold experiments with the Synthesis Hand, the Konoha forces began a large-scale assault on the Sunagakure camp.
A flash of irritation crossed Shang Qi’s eyes at having his experiment interrupted. However, he quickly adjusted his state, grabbed the rodent puppet—which he had named "Burrowing Rat"—and the bird puppet he dubbed "Four-Winged Bird," and joined the intense battle without hesitation.