"Alright, in a bit, go to my tent and take the scrolls from the second chest on the left. They were prepared for your future studies. I'll be busy soon, so let me tell you the sequence of hand seals to unlock the chest's seal."
As Chiyo spoke, she demonstrated a complex hand seal sequence with more than twenty signs in front of Hardy.
"Spend the next couple of days preparing with your teammates. The village is short on manpower. When we surround and attack Tsunade and Kato Dan, Konoha will surely send reinforcements. I'll mobilize the main forces to intercept them. With the high-level combatants from both sides tied up, the three of you together should be able to contend even with jonin. You'll play a significant role on the battlefield."
"I understand," Hardy nodded to her.
With the puppet Formentor, his combat ability far surpassed that of an ordinary chunin. Baki and Yakura were also talented new-generation chunin with impressive abilities. Combined, the three of them could indeed put up a fight against a jonin.
As long as the opponent wasn't someone like Orochimaru or Jiraiya.
"If things become untenable, you three are permitted to retreat and ensure your own safety. If you all grow, you'll become far more than just jonin."
Chiyo patted Hardy's shoulder and left to convene a strategy meeting with Rasa and Karura.
...
Chiyo's tent was located near the center of the camp.
The room's furnishings were not particularly tidy.
In the midst of war, Chiyo, as Suna's commander, clearly had little time to organize her room, and no one else dared to touch it—including Hardy.
What if he accidentally misplaced an important document and Chiyo couldn't find it?
Not to mention, many items in the room were personally sealed by Chiyo and couldn't be touched carelessly.
Several large chests sat on the left side of the room, beside two unfinished puppets.
They appeared to be human-shaped puppets made from materials mimicking the human body—likely classified as human puppets.
One male and one female: the male with red hair, the female with gray hair. These should be the "Father" and "Mother" puppets created by Sasori.
In the original timeline, Chiyo did indeed modify these two human puppets into top-tier puppets, and together with Sakura Haruno, defeated Sasori's Third Kazekage puppet.
Stepping past the two puppets, Hardy approached the second large chest. After forming the seals, he pressed his hands onto the seal on the chest's surface.
Chakra was released in the prescribed sequence, and the seal on the chest faded away in ripples.
"Click—"
The sealing technique was undone, and the chest opened automatically.
Inside were four scrolls. Hardy picked up the top one and glanced at it.
It was a collection of Chiyo's personal notes on training Wind Release. The next scroll contained some Black Secret Technique training methods and personal experiences Chiyo had compiled specifically for Hardy.
The third scroll was the Shadow Clone Technique—a jutsu known by many, arguably the most practical in the ninja world, though not exactly easy, classified as a B-rank jutsu.
The last scroll also recorded a jutsu.
To be precise, it was a sensory jutsu called the Pulse Perception Technique.
Unlike conventional sensory jutsu that focus on range, this one wasn't primarily used for reconnaissance.
It was originally developed by Monzaemon to better control puppets—a supportive sensory technique. Its principle was similar to the ancient legend of pulse diagnosis with hanging threads.
By altering the nature of chakra threads in a specific way, one could sense every subtle change inside a puppet through the threads, enabling extremely precise puppet control.
That was its main principle, but it also incorporated methods from mainstream sensory jutsu to enhance perception.
In Sunagakure, this jutsu was a prerequisite for learning many other techniques.
For example, Chiyo's White Secret Technique. Mastering only the Black Secret Technique could bring a puppeteer to jonin level, but only by mastering this sensory jutsu could one utilize chakra threads to the fullest—controlling a puppet perfectly with just a single thread.
For any puppeteer, this technique could raise the upper limit of their puppet control skills.
Even ordinary puppeteers, if they mastered just the basics, could elevate their puppet manipulation to a new level.
Moreover, the technique wasn't limited to puppetry.
Such fine sensory ability could also be applied to medical ninjutsu. Techniques like the Extraction Technique required a ninja to possess sub-micron-level perception and cell-level control to forcibly expel toxins or foreign matter from the body.
Of course, this jutsu was not easy to learn. Chiyo's only requirement for Hardy was to reach the entry level.
"Tsk, looks like I'll be busy for a while. Good thing I have two clones to help with the training."
The Shadow Clone Technique actually offered a similar effect, but when a clone was dispelled, the original would instantly receive all of the clone's memories and sensations.
It was said to be an unpleasant experience.
If a shadow clone was decapitated in battle, the original would experience that sensation for a split second.
That's why the Multi Shadow Clone Technique was forbidden—only someone like Naruto, with the Uzumaki clan's constitution, could endure the fatigue from multiple clones training simultaneously and withstand the pain when clones were dispersed in battle.
Ordinary ninja, at most, would be like Kakashi Hatake—only those with strong enough nerves would dare use shadow clones as decoys in battle.
For now, Hardy had no time to train these jutsu and could only seal them away for later study when the opportunity arose.
An hour later...
Most of the Sand Ninja stationed in the Land of Rain had already received orders to begin setting up an encirclement.
Not long ago, the Stone Ninja had also received a letter from Shima Tsugio, and began mobilizing their forces to assist the Sand in holding back the main forces of Konoha and the Rain.
The Sand deployed over two thousand ninja, and together with the Stone, established an extremely tight blockade.
Their aim was both to completely cut off any chance of Tsunade and Dan Kato's team breaking through, and to intercept any Konoha or Rain ninja attempting to rescue them.
The Stone clearly understood the impact that eliminating Tsunade and Dan Kato would have on the battle. The forces they committed were in no way inferior to those of the Sand.
Hardy's squad and a group of other Sand ninja were deployed on the southeastern edge of a dense forest.
There were more than seven hundred Sand ninja here in total, and the commander happened to be Kazekami.