An intelligence upgrade on the forbidden jutsu barrier and the appointment of a technical adviser

The air in the office seemed to have been sucked dry by that Crystal.

The wisp of sealed purple chakra writhed slowly inside the Crystal like a living venomous insect, silently proclaiming an utter malice.

Shikaku Nara stared at the Crystal, his brow knotted. He had always prided himself on seeing through Nine-Tenths of any situation, but the object before him lay beyond his knowledge.

"Human Puppet..." Shikaku's voice was a little dry. "A forbidden jutsu from Sunagakure, supposedly lost long ago."

The Anbu Captain kneeling on the floor bowed his head even lower, not daring to respond. A forbidden jutsu of this caliber was no longer a matter of intelligence gathering. It was war.

Baishi shifted his gaze from the Crystal to the Anbu Captain.

"Abort the mission." His voice held not a ripple of emotion. "All squads are to withdraw twenty li and switch to Silent Observation. Without my orders, no contact of any kind with the target is permitted."

"Yes," the ANBU operative replied.

"Also, everything reported today is to be classified at the highest level of secrecy. It goes from you to me, and no further."

"Understood."

"You may go."

A dark shadow flashed, leaving only Baishi and Shikaku in the office. It was as though the ANBU operative had never been there.

Shikaku picked up the Crystal from the desk and examined it closely.

"Lord Hokage, I'm afraid this is far more complicated than we anticipated."

Baishi said nothing. He walked behind his desk and sat down, interlacing his fingers as he watched Shikaku quietly.

"Scorpion's Nest"... Sasori of the Red Sands." As Shikaku linked the two names, his expression grew graver. "If this smuggling outpost really is connected to that S-Rank Missing-nin, then our opponent is no mere trading company or noble."

"It's the