Chapter 953: Conservatives: Hyuga Hinata!
Chapter 953: Conservatives: Hyuga Hinata!
"Shikamaru, Lee, and Chouji!"
Hinata greeted them with a high ponytail, exuding confidence.
After breaking free from her 'Crown Princess' fate, Hinata underwent a dramatic transformation.
Only her appearance and eyes remained unchanged; otherwise, Shikamaru wouldn't have recognized the confident figure before him as the same girl who used to speak timidly and blush at the mention of Naruto.
Hinata's acting skills were truly astonishing.
Back in Konoha, she had managed to deceive everyone.
"Hinata!"
Shikamaru responded with a greeting, but said no more.
Their current relationship was awkward, and it was better for both of them to avoid conversation.
Unfortunately, he didn't know that Tang Ping was eager to witness their awkward interactions.
With Hinata Hyuga leading the way, the team advanced at full speed and soon arrived at a valley surrounded by a stone wall hundreds of meters high.
Layer upon layer of light flowed, enveloping the entire valley.
A barrier?
Shikamaru instantly realized that these lights were not ordinary; they formed a barrier.
What surprised him was the speed at which it was erected.
It had only been a few days since the other party landed, yet they had managed to set up such a large-scale barrier, which was indeed unexpected.
Moreover, on the cliff tops, there were cannons and shuriken guns, transforming the valley into a war fortress.
The Scorch Sun Nation's leadership didn't think such measures were necessary, as their strength far surpassed that of Akatsuki and the Allied Forces.
However, they took precautions just in case.
Preparing these defenses only wasted some time, energy, and resources.
But if they were ever needed, they might just save lives.
After entering the valley, Shikamaru looked up first.
Near some crude temporary air towers, numerous massive airships hovered, blocking out the moonlight.
Spectacular!
These airships, produced by Sky Keep Castle, had always been coveted by various countries and shinobi villages.
The problem was that the Scorch Sun Nation refused to sell them, and even their use was extremely cautious. They had also engraved numerous confidential seals on them, preventing other powers from copying their design.
It was impossible for other nations to replicate these massive airships.
They couldn't copy the anti-gravity barrier, chakra core, or the materials used, nor could they imitate them. They had to abandon imitation and think of other strategies.
To obtain intelligence on these airships, various shinobi villages had secretly clashed with the Scorch Sun Nation numerous times, but all attempts ended in failure. They could only glean some improvement ideas from their encounters.
Given the importance of these airships, it was no wonder that Shikamaru couldn't help but take a few extra glances.
Not only him, but Lee, Chouji, and others on the team also focused their attention on the airships.
As for the Kirov Airships?
Although various powers had heard of them, they had never been seen, and their impact was not as impressive as these transport airships.
"We're here!"
Soon, the team arrived at a giant metal warship, and Hinata Hyuga was the first to step onto the metal deck.
Scorch Sun Nation!
It served as the command center.
Facing this, Shikamaru didn't dare to examine it closely, fearing misunderstandings.
He was well aware of its importance.
There were only a few of these ships in the entire Scorch Sun Nation, and they rarely made public appearances, indicating their high value.
Upon boarding the Scorch Sun Nation ship, they saw a large pile of supplies on the outer deck, and the bridge lights were bright, indicating that they were awaiting their arrival.
Lights!
These were not rare, but they were powered by electricity generated from the ship's chakra core.
Soon, the group entered the command bridge.
The Scorch Sun Nation's bridge, after some rearrangement, had become a temporary command center, appearing bright and spacious with a 'sci-fi' atmosphere.
However, there weren't many people present at the moment; even when added together, they didn't reach double digits.
Although the Scorch Sun Nation's leadership had mostly arrived, they didn't deem it necessary to receive a single messenger like Shikamaru with great fanfare. Therefore, only Tang Ping, Uchiha Meika, Uchiha Shizuka, Hyuga Aozuki, Izumi, Naruko, and Karin were present.
Ambassador Shikamaru, who had been observing carefully, noticed the absence of any 'Konoha' members.
The only exception was Hyuga Hinata.
There was no need to worry about accidentally saying something like 'friendly fire' when they met.
For Hinata, ever since her father's death, she no longer considered herself a 'Konoha' person, so there was no fear of friendly fire.
In fact, she believed that a village as decayed as Konoha needed to be purified by the Scorch Sun Nation's will.
Yes, she was considered a 'conservative' in this regard.
She disliked the radical faction for not being radical enough, finding them too conservative instead.
In other words, it was only because of Tang Ping's restraint that the Scorch Sun Nation, under the influence of its will, hadn't already 'purified' the Ninja World. It was unlikely that they would have waited until now.
"Lord Tang Ping, I come with the Alliance's orders to understand why the Scorch Sun Nation has invaded the Land of Lightning!"
Shikamaru spoke in diplomatic terms, acting as if he were merely following protocol.
Indeed, this was diplomatic jargon.
The Alliance was well aware of the Scorch Sun Nation's reasons for their arrival, but they wanted to use this to gain the upper hand.
In the Ninja World, might makes right.
Therefore, even if the Scorch Sun Nation suddenly landed, the Alliance would not directly intervene but would first try to understand their intentions.
Try replacing them with another power.
If a small Shinobi Village dared to invade the Land of Lightning at this time, the Cloud Ninjas would swiftly deal with them.
"I think the scenery here is quite nice, so I came to take a look. We're not invading, so don't spread false rumors!"
Tang Ping, seated in a chair prepared for him, responded with a playful tone.
Although he disliked small talk, it didn't mean he couldn't engage in it.
His words left Shikamaru speechless.
He never expected Tang Ping to reply in such a manner.
Enjoying the scenery?
Who brings an army to enjoy the scenery?
Shikamaru felt a wave of frustration but dared not expose Tang Ping.
It was useless!
Tang Ping wouldn't bother reasoning with him, and regardless of whether he believed it or not, this was the reason he provided.
"Lord Tang Ping, do you have any other purpose besides enjoying the scenery?"
Shikamaru decided to be straightforward.
His mission was to understand the Scorch Sun Nation's objectives, and if he couldn't get an answer, gathering some intelligence on the side wouldn't hurt.
"Please tell the Five Kage that before the Ten-Tails' Power appears, we are allies!"
Tang Ping didn't bother with Shikamaru's wordplay and directly gave him a reassuring answer.
As long as the Ten-Tails' Power didn't come into existence, his Scorch Sun Nation would not act against the Alliance.
In other words, if the Alliance could deal with the Akatsuki Organization, they could completely ignore the Scorch Sun Nation.
Given Tang Ping's strength and status, publicly stating this carried weight, and there was no need to worry about him going back on his word.
It was the best reassurance! There was no need to fear a surprise attack from the Scorch Sun Nation while they were engaged in a fierce battle with the Akatsuki.
However, the premise was that the Alliance had to win!
"Lord Tang Ping, it seems you don't have much faith in the Alliance's victory?"
Shikamaru furrowed his brows and probed further.
"That's right. I believe the Alliance cannot stop the Akatsuki's plans!"
Tang Ping rested his right hand on the back of the chair, supporting his leaning body, and casually shared his assessment.
It wasn't that the Alliance was weak; they simply couldn't stop the birth of the Ten-Tails' Power.
Only the Ten-Tails' Power could unleash the Infinite Tsukuyomi, release Kaguya, who was sealed on the moon, and have her re-seal everything.
This was the Sage of Six Paths' goal.
Even with Naruto, the Alliance couldn't prevent the Ten-Tails' Power from appearing.
Shikamaru didn't argue or debate; he simply noted this point and carefully observed the interior of the bridge.
After completing his official duties, it was time to attend to his personal matters.
(End of Chapter)
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