Sasori still wanted to retreat to the back and let Mukai explain what had happened.
To his surprise, Mukai used a quick Body Flicker Technique to appear behind him and even gave him a push.
With no other choice, Sasori haltingly recounted the whole story to Granny Chiyo.
It had been a long time since Granny Chiyo had heard Sasori say so much.
She nodded kindly, showing none of the decisive ruthlessness she displayed on the battlefield,
nor, of course, the commanding presence she had shown when she slammed the table and berated the Kazekage's faction at the village meeting.
Pakura had seen both sides of Granny Chiyo with her own eyes.
Only after Sasori finished did Granny Chiyo put away her smile and turn to Mukai.
"Good child, you really are a good child who can create miracles!
Don't worry about those dangers. I'll protect you just as I protect Sasori.
But this matter is important, and it could even affect the village's future policies.
Could you refine some here and let me see?"
Mukai wasn't trying to swindle subsidies, so he nodded and used electrolysis to refine some metal again in front of Granny Chiyo.
More than half an hour later, looking at over a hundred jin of refined iron and more than ten jin of Chakra Metal,
Chiyo checked them repeatedly before finally believing what she saw.
Chakra Metal with a conductivity of a full forty percent!
Had this child really refined it just like that, using Lightning Release?
Watching her grandson Sasori and Pakura work together in perfect sync, Chiyo nodded inwardly.
She thought for a moment, then said directly,
"Jonin Pakura, from now on, you'll officially be the team leader for Sasori and Mukai!
I'll find you another suitable teammate, and in a year, you'll all take part in the Chunin Ninja Exams in Konoha together!
As for the Chakra Metal Mukai produces, I'll trade it with the village in my name. Is that acceptable to you?"
That was exactly what Mukai had wanted.
There was nothing better than having Chiyo, a village elder, as a great tree to shelter him from the wind and rain.
It was far better than a Genin with no backing like him negotiating terms with the village on his own.
Ever since they returned from Amegakure and Granny Chiyo saw the change in Sasori, she had indeed come to regard Mukai as one of her own children.
Mukai nodded seriously.
"With you here, Elder Chiyo, handling the Chakra Metal this way is naturally the safest option."
"You and Sasori grew up together, and you're each other's best friend.
I'm old now, and I don't know how much longer I can protect you.
But don't worry. As long as these old bones of mine are still standing,
no one will be allowed to covet what's yours!"
Chiyo's words revealed some of her imposing presence as one of Sunagakure's top experts.
She learned how much Chakra Mukai could currently produce, and that, at his limit in a single day,
he could only refine metal like this three times. Even that was astonishing.
In exchange, Mukai made requests beyond banknotes and puppet-making tools:
One was for himself: a chance to enter the place where Shukaku was sealed and undergo a trial to sense and guide Magnet Release through Shukaku's power!
The other was for Sasori: the puppeteers' secret technique, the Ten Fingers Number!
Although the Ten Fingers Technique was also one of Sunagakure's forbidden techniques, as long as they contributed enough to the village,
Granny Chiyo could teach it herself once they had authorization, so it was nothing much.
But Magnet Release and the trial at Shukaku's sealing site were another matter entirely!
This was the only chance to obtain Magnet Release in the village!
All this time, that path to obtaining power had been firmly controlled by the Kazekage's faction!
Chiyo said, somewhat puzzled,
"Mukai, the Ten Fingers Technique you're seeking for Sasori isn't difficult to obtain.
The technique is mainly too difficult and places high demands on the puppets being controlled.
That's why it became one of the village's forbidden techniques. As long as your contribution is sufficient, it isn't hard to get a chance to try it.
But Magnet Release and Shukaku's trial are no simple matter.
With Chakra Metal as a bargaining chip, I can certainly secure you such an opportunity.
But having the opportunity alone doesn't mean you can learn Magnet Release.
The Kazekage has assessed basically every youngster in the village who has Wind Release and Earth Release Chakra.
Only those he approves have a chance to enter Shukaku's sealing site for the trial.
But very few have succeeded in obtaining Magnet Release.
Given your intelligence and the abilities you showed on the outpost mission, I'm not worried about the other tests.
It's just that your Chakra attributes are wind and lightning. Without Earth Release Chakra,
no matter how gifted you are, you won't have a chance to comprehend Magnet Release.
I'm afraid this opportunity won't be of any use to you!"
Elder Chiyo's words laid out the reality in the village.
The Third, who had honed Shukaku's Magnet Release ability into his own Kekkei Genkai and was hailed as the strongest Kazekage,
had held the village's new generation of talent entirely in his grasp from the start.
That was especially true of the long-established ninja clans in Sunagakure.
With their family foundations, they were bound to produce ninja more easily.
And resource-poor Sunagakure could only take the elite route, so it had never had many ninja.
Naturally, taking a piece of that pie was no easy task.
Hearing this, Mukai held out his hands, precisely controlling a small whirlwind in his left hand and a dancing arc of electricity in his right.
Then he flung away the whirlwind and the arc,
and formed a little clump of earth the size of a grain of rice and a ball of water the size of a finger.
"Elder Chiyo, although I don't have much Chakra right now,
my talent lies in precise Chakra control.
With that talent, developing new Chakra attributes is only a matter of time.
Please believe me. My talent isn't limited to creative ideas for making mecha.
Our group can't let Magnet Release remain in the hands of those ambitious schemers forever."
Granny Chiyo glanced at the bewildered Pakura and the unperturbed Sasori,
and was even more impressed by Mukai's strength and insight.
So Mukai is the brains of this little group!
Jonin Pakura, you can't just develop your figure without developing your brain!
Big boobs alone won't do!
Pakura was somewhat baffled by Chiyo's gaze. She looked down, but her view was blocked, and she couldn't see her feet.
She didn't know why Chiyo was looking at her like that.
Chiyo paid no attention to the silly girl.
She weighed the pros and cons for a long time before finally speaking.
"You really are a different kind of child. We can't rush this matter; let me work on it slowly.
For now, your first priority is still to improve your own strength.
Without overwhelming strength, you can't accomplish anything with wits alone.
The puppet mecha you and Sasori made are a very good idea.
They provide a fine direction for puppeteer equipment.
There's a reward for that too!
But the puppet mecha still have many shortcomings. Do you have any ideas for improving them?"
Holding a piece of Chakra Metal, Mukai said,
"We didn't have money or resources before,
so the Mountain God Mecha Prototype and the Zealot Mecha were both very clumsy. We only made them for practice.
Now that we have Chakra Metal, Sasori and I can soon work out plans for further improvements.
Please rest assured, Elder Chiyo."
Since the child had a mind of his own, Chiyo felt reassured.
What she needed to do was secure more benefits for the two children.
And give them more time to grow.
"All right, you can stay here without worrying. I'll send someone to supply the workshop with the tools it's missing.
Leave the rest to this old woman!"
Just as Chiyo was about to leave, Mukai suddenly said,
"Oh, right, Elder Chiyo, could you assign us a mission that takes us into Amegakure?"