Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 168 The Plan to Return the Disabled Ninja

Waste treatment plant in Konoha's western district.

In this forgotten corner, a man sits.

Source made.

That retired Chunin who taught Sosuke basic ninja skills and tool manipulation techniques.

He looked older than he had two years ago. His hair was gray and disheveled, like a bird's nest. His empty left trouser leg fluttered in the wind.

He held a wine bottle in his hand, lazily staring at the setting sun.

"belch----"

Since Sosuke completed his apprenticeship, he has been living a life of debauchery with the tuition fees Sosuke gave him.

As a disabled person, what else can he do besides drinking?

"Old man."

A voice interrupted his reverie.

Yuanzao turned his head in a daze.

Against the light, he saw a young man wearing a Jonin vest.

One-eyed, with a calm and composed demeanor.

"Oh—it's Sousuke."

Genzo grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"What? The big boss has time to come to this doghouse?"

"I heard you became a special Jonin?"

"That was luck."

Sosuke sat down next to him.

"Does your leg still hurt?"

Yuanzao patted the severed leg.

"It hasn't hurt for a long time. Your medicine really works."

"However, sometimes on rainy days, it still feels itchy there. It's like my toes are still there."

That's a phantom limb sensation. The nerve endings are still deceiving the brain.

"What if I told you I could give you back a leg?"

Sosuke said calmly.

Yuanzao shook his head and took a swig of wine.

"You mean prosthetics? That's a technology only the top puppeteers in Sunagakure possess; we don't have the chance to enjoy it."

"We have already mastered this technology."

Sosuke made a startling statement.

He took out a set of blueprints.

It depicts a sophisticated mechanical leg. The joints are made of intricate gears, and the leg has hidden compartments.

"This is a tactical prosthetic limb."

"Made of chakra-conducting metal, with an internal mechanism, it can launch thousands of kimonos."

"Most importantly, it can walk, jump, and run like real legs."

The bottle in Genzo's hand fell to the ground and shattered.

For a ninja, losing a leg means losing everything: dignity, strength, and the future.

If I could stand up again—

"What is the price?"

Yuanzao is a seasoned veteran. He knows there's no such thing as a free lunch.

"The price is pain."

"The surgery will be very painful. Anesthesia cannot be used during the nerve reconnection process."

"Besides, this is an experimental model. You're the first human recipient. It might fail. But, the outcome can't be any worse anyway."

"besides----"

Sosuke paused.

"If you regain your fighting strength, you will have to serve the Takaya Trading Company from now on. You will have to go on missions as a ninja again."

"The thing I fear least in my life is pain."

Yuanzao did not hesitate.

"As for risking one's life—"

"If I could live like a ninja again—even if it meant risking my life, I would do it."

"very good."

Sosuke stood up and extended his hand.

"Welcome back, Steel Spider," Genzo.

Genzo grasped that hand.

Konoha Hospital.

All equipment has been debugged.

Tsunade, Chiba, and Shizune were all present.

Yuanzao lay on the operating table. His left leg stump had been cleaned up, revealing old scars.

"This will hurt more than childbirth."

Tsunade, wearing gloves, gave a cold reminder.

"You can bite on this."

She handed me a rubber stick.

-

"No need, come on."

Tsunade didn't waste any words.

"The surgery requires keeping the nerves active, so anesthesia cannot be administered. Be quiet and hold him down."

The scalpel cut open a scar that had healed for many years.

Fresh blood gushed out.

Yuan Zao's muscles were tense all over.

But this is only the beginning.

When Tsunade forcibly inserted the metal connector, coated with slug adhesive, into Genzo's leg bone and nerve bundle.

"Aaaaaah!!!"

The piercing screams could be heard even through the soundproof walls.

That's pain on a neurological level.

The intrusion of foreign objects, the erosion of chakra, and the disruption of bioelectricity.

Yuanzhao screamed incessantly, but he did not faint.

The ninja's will transcended his physical limits at this moment.

Two hours later.

The operation is over.

A black metal leg has already merged with Yuanzao's body.

"Surgery successful!"

Tsunade wiped her sweat and looked at the dial.

"Neural signal connection rate — 98%".

"It's simply a miracle."

Yuanzao lay on the stage, his whole body soaked in sweat.

He looked at the metal leg and had a thought.

Click.

The metal ankle flexibly rotated.

Yuan Zao laughed.

"My legs are back."

However, the rehabilitation process is tedious and lengthy.

Getting a prosthetic leg doesn't mean you can walk like the wind immediately.

The brain needs to re-establish its perception of the left leg.

For the first few days, Yuanzao would stumble and fall with every step he took. His sense of balance was completely disrupted.

The weight and feedback of the metal leg are completely different from the original fleshy leg.

It took him a week to learn to walk normally again. He still has a slight limp, but that's just a matter of habit.

Two weeks later.

He started running.

Three weeks later.

He stood in front of the wooden stake array.

"Let's try it in real combat."

Sosuke stood to one side.

"This leg is not just for walking."

"It contains a specially designed weapon system."

Genzo took a deep breath.

Chakra flowed smoothly into the interior of the metal leg.

"Open!" Genzo shouted in a low voice.

He kicked out suddenly.

Click!

The metal calf guards suddenly popped open.

Three senbones are launched instantly, aided by centrifugal force and an internal spring.

Puff puff!

The three wooden stakes ten meters away were hit simultaneously.

This organization is cunning, insidious, and ruthless.

Immediately afterwards, Yuanzao landed on his heel.

"Stomp again!"

Earth-attribute chakra was injected into the prosthetic limb.

boom!

A large crater was created in the ground. Using the reaction force, Genzo leaped high into the air.

He tumbled in the air, his left leg slashing down like a battle axe.

when!

A sharp serrated blade popped out from behind the heel.

The thick wooden stakes were sawed off directly.

It landed. Silently.

The shock-absorbing pads on the soles of the prosthetic feet absorbed all the impact.

Yuanzao straightened his body.

Although it was just a few simple movements, he regained the feeling he had back then.

No, it's even stronger than it was back then.

He used to be a mortal, afraid of getting hurt and afraid of head-on collisions.

Now, his left leg is a shield, a spear, and a box of hidden weapons.

"How are you feeling?" Sosuke asked.

"marvelous."

Genzo stroked the cold metal.

"This thing—is even more suitable for ninjas than flesh."

"It doesn't feel pain, it doesn't get tired, and it can hide things."

"With this, I'm confident I can kill an ordinary Chunin in seconds."

"very good."

Although Genzo's surgery was successful, Sosuke did not become complacent.

He knew very well that the core of this technology—the biological adhesive that allowed nerves to connect perfectly to metal, namely slug mucus—was in Tsunade's hands. And the surgeon in charge of the operation was also Tsunade.

This means that Sousuke cannot use this technology to convert Konoha's disabled ninjas into his private army on a large scale.

The Third Hokage wouldn't allow it, and Tsunade, with her fiery temper, certainly wouldn't allow him to turn the medical department into his private barracks.

"but----"

Sosuke walked out of the Kikyo-kan.

"Although it can't become a private army, it can become a huge favor."

Mastering this technology grants "priority recommendation rights," which is tantamount to holding the lifeline of disabled ninjas who yearn to stand up again.

Sosuke straightened his collar and walked towards Red Fan Street.

Today, he is going to meet someone.

[The sweet part].

The afternoon sun shone on the wooden floor.

There weren't many customers in the shop, only a few Uchiha clansmen who weren't on missions chatting idly.

Welcome!

-

A gentle greeting.

Uchiha Hazuki, wearing an apron, was wiping the table.

Her hair was piled up at the back of her head, with a few stray strands falling beside her fair neck. Because she had just finished working, there were fine beads of sweat on her forehead, and a strand of hair clung to her cheek.

Upon seeing that it was Sousuke, Hazuki quickly put down the rag and came to greet him.

"Boss, you've arrived."

"Hmm, let's take a look."

Sousuke smiled.

"Are you settling in well at work here?"

"I'm used to it."

Hazuki gave a gentle smile, a smile that came from the bottom of her heart.

"Thanks to you, Quan and I have a secure life. The people in the tribe have also taken good care of me."

"Where's the spring?"

"She's asleep inside."

Hazuki pointed to the tatami mats in the inner room.

"That's good."

Just then, the wind chimes at the door rang.

A one-armed man walked in.

Uchiha Kaito.

"Senior Kaito".

Several young Uchiha clan members saw him and quickly stood up to greet him.

"Mm." Kaito nodded.

"Senior Kaito, please have a seat here."

Sosuke spoke up.

Kaito saw Sousuke.

Haidou held him in high esteem.

He walked over and sat down opposite Sosuke.

"Mr. Sosuke, what brings you here today?"

"I've come to see you with some good news." Sosuke poured Kaito a cup of tea.

"What good news?" Haito took a sip of tea.

"I can make your right hand grow back."

"Smack."

The teacup fell onto the table, splashing tea everywhere.

Haidou doubted he had heard correctly.

"Are you kidding me?"

"I never joke."

"The medical department has a top-secret project that is being personally overseen by Lady Tsunade."

"Chakra-conducting tactical prosthetics."

"Using the latest biotechnology and puppetry techniques, we will create a mechanical arm that can move like a real hand and can even conduct chakra and release ninjutsu."

"Not only that, but the arm can also have built-in mechanisms, such as a senbon launcher or a retractable blade."

77

Haidou's breathing became heavy.

He wouldn't believe it if anyone else had said that. But it was Takaya Sousuke!

"Really—can you unleash ninjutsu?" Kaito asked the most crucial question.

As an elite Chunin who lost an arm, he had long since mastered hand seals with one hand. However, with one hand, the chakra transfer is limited, and the power of the released ninjutsu is not as great as with two-handed hand seals.

"I didn't ask about hand seals at all," Sousuke assured.

"But this kind of technology must be very expensive, right? After all, it was Lady Tsunade who did it herself—"

Kaito calmed down.

"It's extremely expensive. The materials alone for one arm cost five million taels. Moreover, the surgery is performed by Lady Tsunade herself, and her appearance fee is astronomical."

"However, Takaya Shokai is the biggest sponsor of this project."

"I have a few priority experimental slots available. I can give you the first one."

"Why?" Kaito asked, puzzled. "I'm just a Chunin. I have no money and no power."

"Because you are an Uchiha. The Uchiha are my allies, and I want my allies to be strong."

"Furthermore, Senior Haidou, you are highly respected in the clan. If you can stand up, it will be a great hope for those clansmen who are also injured."

"Consider this money a loan to you."

Haidou's eyes were a little moist.

"Mr. Sosuke—Kaito will remember this kindness."

"You're welcome. Get some rest today and make sure you're in good shape. Tomorrow morning, go to Konoha Hospital to have surgery with Lady Tsunade."

I've already informed them.

"good!"

Haito left without even having dessert. He couldn't wait to get back to his best condition for surgery.

"He's so impatient."

Sousuke smiled.

He stood up and greeted Hazuki.

"Well then, I'll be going now."

"Ah—your collar."

Hazuki suddenly spoke up.

Sousuke looked down and noticed a small tea stain on his collar from the teacup that had just been splashed from Kaito's cup.

"Let me wipe it for you."

Hazuki took out a clean white handkerchief and leaned close to Sousuke.

Sosuke smelled the scent of frankincense on her body and the fragrance of camellia oil in her hair.

"It's alright, it's just some tea."

"No—you're the big boss, it's not respectable to have marks on your clothes."

She was focused, her eyelashes lowered, and her breath gently brushed against Sosuke's neck.

The wiping lasted for about ten seconds.

"alright."

Hazuki withdrew her hand and let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Thanks a lot."

Sousuke smiled.

"Is Quan about to wake up? Go check on the child."

"Yes—yes."

Hazuki bowed and turned to walk into the inner room.

As she reached the door, she couldn't help but look back.

Sosuke did not linger.

He pushed open the shop door and left.

He was well aware of Hazuki's thoughts. In this cruel world, women's instinct to rely on the strong is for survival.

But his mind wasn't on that.

The current focus is on continuing to use tactical prosthetics to curry favor.