The Main World.
Spring, Year 30 of Konoha.
Deep within the Royal Palace, Country of Roran.
At the end of the corridor stood an inconspicuous alloy door. It bore no markings, only a tiny identification number engraved in the upper-left corner of its frame-L-07. Yōsa pushed the door open and stepped sideways inside. Light spilled evenly from the rune arrays overhead, illuminating the entire space without a shadow.
The room was small, roughly half the size of an ordinary council chamber, but more than twice as tall as a normal room. A sand table floated in its center, its edges inlaid with Magnet Release runes. Its surface displayed a miniature terrain map of the entire Country of Roran-deserts, oases, mountains, rivers, and defensive fortifications.
Pakura followed Yōsa inside and closed the door behind her. Her steps were light, half a pace behind his, and she stopped behind him to his left. Her gaze swept over the miniature models on the sand table-they were neither wood nor stone, but metal. Grayish-white, unpainted, and sharply angular, each was smaller than a palm, yet its structural details were clearly visible.
Yōsa walked up to the sand table. His hands remained still as his gaze swept over it first. He was examining the distribution. Five types of models stood on the table, corresponding to five numbered zones, neatly arranged at even intervals. He did not turn around, merely spoke in an even tone, as though stating facts that had already been verified.
"Sand Soldier Infantry Puppets. Mass-produced, designated as the main frontline force. Two meters tall, with lightweight alloy frames. Both arms contain rapid-fire Wind Release Senbon launchers, with short sand-blade knives at their waists. Their role is suppression through sheer numbers, combined with mass charges using Performance of a Hundred Puppets. Double-layer torso