"Useless! They're all useless!"
The Raikage grabbed the intelligence report from the Land of Snow and began reading it.
Unfortunately, it only detailed some basic information.
Just as the reconnaissance team was about to obtain the confidential intelligence, contact was cut off without any warning.
Before their secret stronghold in the Land of Snow was completely destroyed, those elite ninjas had fought to the death to send back only those two desperate words.
"An entire elite squad was actually wiped out in the obscure Land of Snow?!"
The Raikage's chest heaved violently.
Like an infuriated beast, he exuded an astonishing, murderous aura.
"And they only sent back those two words in the end?"
"Are they playing a joke on me?!"
Nearby, Mabui, acting as his secretary, withstood the immense pressure and calmly analyzed the situation to advise him.
"Raikage-sama, please calm down."
"According to previous intelligence, that 'Northern Alliance Mutual Aid Association' is not simple."
"They seem to possess some kind of new biotechnology."
"The former daimyo of the Land of Snow, Koyuki Kazahana, had also secretly developed new chakra equipment and possessed a decent military force—yet they were overthrown overnight."
Mabui's tone was grave.
"That place has very likely become a stronghold for some powerful rogue ninja group, and they possess quite formidable military strength."
"Acting rashly might—"
"I don't care what kind of rogue ninja stronghold they are!"
The Raikage's eyes were bloodshot, his killing intent boiling.
"Those who kill Kumogakure's people must pay a price in blood!"
"No matter who it is, I will tear off their leader's head and hang it at Unraikyo to feed the eagles!"
"Big brother calm down watch out for sneak attacks~"
Beside him, Killer Bee struck an exaggerated pose and chimed in with a rap rhythm.
"Let me go and smash them to pieces ya fool, ya bastard"
"Shut up!"
"You stay put and guard the village, and watch out for a surprise attack from Ōnoki!"
Raikage Ay took a deep breath, forcing down the urge to take action himself.
As the Kage of a village, he could not easily leave.
But a cold, sharp light flashed in his eyes.
"Those cowardly rats hiding in the shadows aren't worth us brothers taking action, nor do they warrant deploying a large force."
"Go and call Yugito."
A moment later.
A tall female ninja with long, light brown hair pushed open the door and walked in.
She was Yugito Nii, the near-perfect Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
"Raikage-sama, did you summon me?"
Yugito crossed her arms, her posture proud.
"Yugito, take the Third Assault Squadron, about a hundred people."
The Raikage pointed to the snow-covered corner of the map, his tone freezing cold.
"Go to the Land of Snow."
"No matter what kind of monster or rogue ninja is hiding there—"
"Burn their base to ashes, seize their technology, and bring back that brat who stole the Nine-Tails."
Yugito glanced at the map, a confident and cruel sneer playing at the corner of her mouth.
"Understood."
"I'll make them realize that some people... are not to be provoked by rats like them."
Land of Snow, Research Center.
Leaving the Cursed Seal Center, Naruto took the newly loyal Sai and Shin toward another exit of the base.
This was a massive underground production workshop.
Thousands of workers were tirelessly operating on the assembly lines.
"Naruto-sama, welcome."
Yakushi Kabuto, wearing a smart white research lab coat and holding a tablet, had already been waiting for a long time.
His gaze swept over Sai and Shin, and he smiled slightly.
"It seems we have gained two more outstanding compatriots."
—
Looking at the massive machinery around him and the endless stream of parts being produced on the conveyor belts, Sai's eyes flashed with a shock he could hardly conceal.
This scale of industrial production was something they had never seen before.
"How is the progress?"
As Naruto walked, he looked at the various components passing by on the conveyor belt.
"Very smooth, but we've also run into some minor bottlenecks."
Kabuto led everyone through the busy production line, finally stopping in front of a display platform illuminated by spotlights.
Standing there was a breathtaking iron creation.
It was a set of heavy, fully-enclosed armor with rugged, sharp lines, painted entirely in a white-and-grey snow camouflage.
Standing two and a half meters tall, the armor featured wide, heavy shoulder plates and was cast almost entirely from metal.
A red tactical visor was embedded in the helmet's eye area, and a faintly glowing, glass-like energy core was embedded in its back.
From a distance, it looked like a steel giant, overflowing with an aesthetic of violence and power.
"This is the improved [Mass-Production Type Chakra Armor - Mark I]."
Kabuto tapped the heavy breastplate with his finger, making a dull thudding sound.
"We eliminated the flashy and impractical functions from the original, such as the burdens of flight and snow-sliding."
"All the saved costs were put into defense and chakra amplification."
Kabuto turned to look at Naruto, a fiery passion flashing in his eyes.
"I must say, the blueprints you provided, Naruto-sama, are simply a stroke of genius."
"That structural design called Power Armor perfectly solves the weight-bearing problem."
This was a blueprint Naruto had obtained from the forum, trading his insights on infusing Conqueror's Haki with a user named [Golden Throne].
It was a complete, stripped-down set of Space Marine Power Armor blueprints.
Although limited by the ninja world's current materials science and energy technology, this armor was slightly inferior in battery life and impact resistance.
However, it still provided an overwhelming advantage over the existing manual workshop crafts of the ninja world.
"Once you put it on, simply channeling chakra into it will automatically form a chakra shield strong enough to withstand a C-rank ninjutsu."
"Moreover, with its modular design, even if the defensive core overheats and is destroyed, you can just pull it out and replace it to keep fighting."
"Most importantly, this equipment can easily grant a genin the strength to rip tigers and leopards apart with their bare hands."
Shin, who had always felt inferior due to his frail body, stared at the armor, a sickly flush rising on his pale face.
He couldn't help but ask.
"This thing... the cost must be very high, right?"
"If it were anywhere else, yes, very high."
Kabuto smiled, a hint of shrewdness in his eyes.
"But here... as long as we control the mineral veins and assembly lines, the most expensive part is nothing more than the core mixed with a tiny amount of chakra metal."
"Therefore, we have ruled that after a soldier dies in battle, the armor's core must be recovered as a priority, unless... it self-destructs."
With that, Kabuto led everyone to the weapon testing area.
He picked up a glass orb about half the size of a fist, filled with blue liquid.
"This is the Ice Crystal Bomb."
"This is an improvement based on the technology of the former Snow ninja, Fubuki Kakuyoku."
"Upon hitting a target, it releases a massive amount of extremely cold chakra, bursting into thousands of ice spikes for indiscriminate area damage."
Kabuto pointed to a nearby hand-held launcher with an exaggerated shape and a thick barrel.
"Paired with this launcher, individual soldiers can possess formidable long-range destructive power."
Finally, Kabuto walked over to a weapon rack.
Slotted there was a heavy, 1.5-meter-long shinobi blade, looking somewhat similar to the Executioner's Blade.
As Kabuto channeled chakra into it, the blade instantly lit up with a white glow, exuding a cold, sharp edge.
"This sword is infused with a golden ratio of chakra metal."
"Simply channeling chakra into it will enhance its lethality."
"In the outside world, each one of these would be worthy of being enshrined as a family heirloom."
"But here, it is mass-produced."
Kabuto put down the weapon, looked at the terrifying individual equipment before him, and concluded.
"Of course, an ordinary person's body cannot bear the weight and recoil of this kind of armor."
"So only enhanced soldiers who have been injected with the serum and unlocked the first stage of the Gene Lock are qualified to wield it."
Looking at the equipment before them, which resembled a steel monster, Sai and Shin's breathing grew rapid.
Even Sai, who was usually emotionally detached, was conquered by its domineering appearance.
Not to mention Shin, who had always yearned for a strong body.
The equipment before him was simply the embodiment of violence, a divine tool to make up for his physical defects.
"Naruto-sama—"
A longing light shone in Shin's eyes, his voice trembling.
"Do we... have a chance to wear it?"
"Of course."
Naruto pushed up his glasses, looking at this steel legion that was about to take shape, a cold glint reflecting in his eyes.
"Once you have finished being injected with the enhancement serum, you can go ahead and conduct testing and training."
"As for the designation of this unit—"
"Let's call them... the Destroyers."
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250 POWER STONE = BONUS CHAPTER
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