Shimizu also noticed—Sasori lacked actual combat experience.
When an attack threatened to hit him directly, the young boy would become visibly flustered and panicked.
So, Shimizu adjusted his combat strategy.
"Black Secret Technique: Serpent Fangs."
Two conical fangs, honed to an even sharper and more precise shape, shot out from Tom's mouth with a fierce whistling sound, aimed directly at Sasori's head.
Shimizu wasn't worried about injuring Elder Chiyo's precious grandson—after all, two Jonin were watching closely.
But with Sasori's lack of experience, he became flustered. He hastily dodged to the side, barely avoiding the venomous fangs, and his control over his puppet faltered.
Now's my chance!
Shimizu seized the opportunity, maneuvering Tom to shake off White Ant and charge straight at Sasori.
Tom's performance outclassed White Ants. Modeled after a lynx, a highly agile feline, Tom had been designed as a speed-based puppet and was far faster than White Ant.
Previously, Sasori could just barely hold him off using superior control skills. But now, caught off guard, White Ant was easily shaken off. Tom shot toward Sasori like an arrow, leaping straight at him.
"Ugh!"
In a panic and with no puppet to shield him, Sasori quickly drew a kunai to defend himself.
Ishido and Sazan Kamiyama were already prepared to intervene if needed.
Tom tackled Sasori to the ground. Sasori held the kunai horizontally in front of him, lodged between Tom's jaws, while his other hand flicked out chakra threads, attempting to single-handedly call White Ant back for protection.
"You've lost, Sasori."
Shimizu raised his hand slightly and triggered Tom's final mechanism.
Tom's mouth remained open. Inside, mechanical clicks sounded—and then a hidden device extended outward.
A wooden cylinder.
"Inside is the venom sac of a viper. Based on my design, when activated at close range, it can unleash all the venom in one burst. The venom not only burns skin—it also causes nerve paralysis and chakra disruption."
Sasori lowered his gaze.
"I lost. Your puppet… is very well made."
After a brief silence, he added,
"It's better than mine."
Kamiyama and Ishido exchanged a glance, then stepped forward. One separated Sasori and Tom; the other led Shimizu away.
"We knew you were talented at puppet crafting—but we didn't expect this level of excellence."
Ishido slung his arm around Shimizu's shoulders, clicking his tongue in admiration.
"That 'Little Boy' puppet—is that yours, Senior Ishido?"
"No," Ishido replied. "Its original owner was in the same puppet unit squad as me, but he died in battle two months ago. The village bought the puppet back from his family and assigned it to you for repairs."
"I see."
Shimizu nodded in understanding.
"Ahem. With how you and Sasori performed, you'll definitely get into the Puppet Corps. So… how about joining Sixth Squad? If you join, that 'Little Boy' puppet will be yours."
Ishido winked at him, trying to tempt him.
"Sixth Squad? How's that different from the others?" Shimizu asked curiously.
"Technically, all six squads in the Puppet Corps are the same rank. But in practice, each has its own focus."
Ishido pulled Shimizu down to sit on a rock and gave a detailed breakdown.
"At full strength, the Puppet Corps has 150 members. Each squad has 25 people, further divided into five teams.
The first and Second Squad have the strongest overall combat power. They also have the most Jonin and Special Jonin. There are even teams entirely made of Special Jonin or higher, who usually follow Elder Chiyo to carry out the most dangerous missions.
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Squads also have strong average combat power. While they don't have as many high-tier fighters, they often handle critical frontline operations. Traps and explosive tags may kill ninjas, but not puppets."
That… sounded dangerous.
"So what about Sixth Squad?"
"We do those missions sometimes, usually only when we're short on manpower. But mostly, the Sixth Squad is responsible for repairing, building, and developing puppets across the entire corps. It's the best fit for you."
Shimizu was clearly tempted.
"Can I ask around before deciding?"
"Of course! But you'll choose Sixth Squad. That's where you'll gain the most."
Ishido winked again and tucked the scroll away.
"I'll hold onto this for you for now."
DC Universe
Arkham Asylum
Cold blue lighting bathed the glass, casting a heavy, oppressive mood over the silent, sealed space.
"Oh, let me see… not bad. Tonight's dinner actually has half a German sausage. And look—there's bacon under this mushy stew! How fancy."
From the room next door, Black Mask spoke sarcastically, then wolfed down the meal in front of him.
It sounded luxurious—but in truth, the portions were tiny.
The reason? If prisoners were well-fed, they'd have more energy to break out.
He wasn't eating quickly out of hunger or because it tasted good—but because it tasted so bad, he wanted to finish before his tongue fully noticed the flavor.
In contrast, Shimizu forced himself to eat slowly, carefully chewing and swallowing the disgusting food.
He was doing this to aid digestion and absorb nutrients.
He needed the nutrition to refine chakra—to turn it into usable energy.
"Ptooey!"
Black Mask spat into his empty bowl and placed it on the wall-mounted tray locker next to the glass door.
An hour later, staff would retrieve the dishes from the other side of the locker for cleaning.
Shortly after, Shimizu did the same.
"Damn it… when will this crap end? Someone should make that tight-suited bat freak eat this trash too. Am I right, Puppet Freak?"
Black Mask shouted angrily in Shimizu's direction.
"Whatever. Just don't eat bat sashimi when you get out—don't want you getting poisoned."
Shimizu replied lazily, fiddling with something behind his back—in the camera's blind spot.
It was a miniature puppet, barely over two centimeters tall.
Crafted from one of his own teeth, assembled with fragments of nail and hair—a tiny puppet made entirely from parts of his own body.
(End of Chapter)
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