Selling the Puppet "Spider"

The blueprint for the "Puppet Core" lay quietly spread across the corner of Shaye's workbench. Every line and every annotation embodied his painstaking effort and wisdom from beyond this world. Yet a blueprint was ultimately just a scene on paper. To turn it into reality, he needed materials, tools, and—above all—money.

The Manufacturing Division provided only standard materials for mass-produced puppets. The application process was complicated, and they would never approve their use for such an unheard-of personal project. The specialty metals required for chakra transmission and the rare crystals used for precise energy balancing were all exorbitantly expensive. His meager Genin stipend was simply a drop in the bucket.

The copper walls and iron barriers of reality stood coldly before his dream.

Shaye's gaze slowly shifted to another creation on the table—the wooden "Spider" lying quietly there. After numerous improvements, its structure had become more stable and its movements smoother. A thought emerged in his heart: perhaps it could become the first key to breaking this deadlock.

That evening, his father Shaliu rarely returned from the frontline units for a rest. After a simple dinner, Shaye did not immediately retreat to his room to study blueprints as usual. Instead, he solemnly brought the "Spider" before his father.

"Father, please look at this." Shaye placed the "Spider" on the table and moved his fingertips slightly. A thread of chakra silently connected to it.

Shaliu looked at his son with some confusion, then at the crude little thing.

The next moment, under Shaye's control, the "Spider" nimbly crawled across the tabletop. It climbed over the bowls and chopsticks, slipped through the handle of a teacup, and even gently tapped Shaliu's finger with one of its forelegs.

Shaliu's eyes widened slightly, and genuine surprise flashed across his face. He was a veteran puppeteer and could see at a glance the ingenious design and exceptional control behind this tiny creation. This was no child's toy. Its practical value for reconnaissance and infiltration could, in certain environments, even surpass that of many cumbersome low-level puppets.

"You made this... entirely by yourself?" Shaliu's voice carried a trace of disbelief.

"Yes." Shaye answered calmly, ceasing his control. "I call it 'Spider.' It is mainly used for reconnaissance and setting small traps."

He paused, observing his father's expression before continuing. "Father, I have recently been trying to design a new puppet energy core, and I need to buy some special materials. But my stipend is not enough. So I was thinking... could I make some more 'Spiders' like this and sell them to people who might need them? For example... your former colleagues, or some of my current classmates, to raise funds?"

Shaye's voice was calm, but his eyes revealed an undeniable seriousness and longing. He did not mention the shocking ultimate goal of the Body Refining Furnace, only the more easily understood "new energy core."

Shaliu fell silent. He looked at his son, at those overly mature black eyes, then at the little "Spider" on the table that seemed almost alive. He realized that his son had truly grown up. He was no longer merely a child in need of protection. In his own way, he was steadfastly moving toward a clear goal. This initiative and ability to solve problems far exceeded Shaliu's expectations.

After a long while, Shaliu slowly spoke. His tone no longer held only concern, but also scrutiny and support. "This 'Spider' of yours is indeed interesting. It should be useful for Genin squads carrying out reconnaissance missions, or for exploring narrow environments."

He rubbed his chin, considering its feasibility. "Setting up a stall and selling them openly is definitely out of the question. That would violate the village's rules. But... transferring them privately on a small scale to people who need them could work."

He looked at Shaye. "I can ask some of my old colleagues from the logistics unit. Perhaps they have children at home who have just graduated and might need one. If any of your colleagues in the Manufacturing Division have younger siblings who have just become Genin, they may also be interested. As for your classmates... you can trade among yourselves in private. As long as you do not make too much of a spectacle, there should not be a problem."

Shaye's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Father!"

"But," Shaliu said sternly, "the price must be fair. You cannot charge whatever you want. And you absolutely cannot neglect your regular work or studies, understand?"

"I understand!" Shaye nodded vigorously.

With his father's support, things became much easier. Although Shaliu had returned to the combat units, the connections he had built over many years in the logistics department remained. Privately, he approached several trustworthy old colleagues and subtly mentioned that his son had made a compact reconnaissance puppet that might be useful for newly graduated Genin.

At the same time, Shaye would occasionally take out the "Spider" and demonstrate it during breaks in the Manufacturing Division. Tota, a Genin from his class, was the first to stare wide-eyed. He had a cousin who had just graduated and was struggling with a lack of reconnaissance methods, so he immediately expressed his desire to buy one.

Among the classmates who had graduated alongside him from the academy, the reputation of Shaye's "Spider" had long spread through their practical sparring sessions. Previously, everyone had merely found it novel. Now that they heard he was willing to sell them, several classmates from fairly well-off families, who also deeply understood the importance of reconnaissance, were tempted. Takumi in particular, though he said nothing, had come to understand the importance of intelligence after carrying out several missions and privately approached Shaye to reserve one.

Shaye strictly followed his father's principles of "small-scale" and "private transactions." Using his free time, he collected discarded scraps from the Maintenance Unit and crafted each one with care. The price of every "Spider" was not high, only slightly above the cost of materials plus a small crafting fee. Yet with his limited demand, it was already a considerable income.

He carefully saved the money he earned, using most of it to purchase those expensive experimental materials and a small portion to acquire more convenient tools.

The clinking sounds of hammering were not merely producing "Spiders" for sale. They were also, bit by bit, laying a foundation in reality for his grand dream. Looking at the growing collection of rare metals and crystals on his workbench, Shaye knew that the trial production of the "Puppet Core" had drawn another step closer.

This path was slow and difficult, but step by step, he was carving it out with his own hands.

(End of Chapter)