It was the end of December, with ten days remaining until the First Hokage’s inauguration ceremony in Konoha.
White snow blanketed the Land of Night.
Especially in the eastern border regions, the entire area had fallen into a climate of extreme cold.
In front of the tall stone gate at the main entrance of the Shogun’s Manor, a group of people stood ready for departure.
Yayoi was fully armed, wearing a black Ninja bodysuit underneath and a full-body iron armor suit over it.
Even the shoes on his feet were made of leather with high defensive capabilities, covered in armor plating.
This iron armor was crafted entirely from high-strength Chakra metal, possessing both extreme toughness and defensive capabilities, while also effectively conducting the wearer’s Chakra.
The creation of this armor not only involved Yayoi’s Chakra treatment but also incorporated the top-tier craftsmanship of the Land of Iron.
It was an armor-type Ninja tool specifically designed for Ninja combat.
It was also extremely comfortable and lightweight to wear, lacking the bulk and restrictive feeling of ordinary armor.
“Oh my, you look truly imposing today, my husband.” Seeing Yayoi in such an uncharacteristically dignified outfit, it was as if he had instantly switched styles; his entire being was filled with a sharp, exposed majesty.
For Kicho, who had never seen Yayoi dressed this way, it was undoubtedly a brand-new experience.
To this, Yayoi merely nodded.
After all, it was an important ceremony, and he would be meeting many Daimyo from other countries, so he had to be formal and dignified.
Not only Yayoi, but Kicho, as the General’s wife, had naturally also dressed with great care.
She wore a purple and white kimono made of precious silk, with a brightly colored pink outer cloak draped over it.
The exquisite gold and jade ornaments on her person were also much more numerous than usual.
She wore white tabi socks and low-heeled black geta on her feet, which complemented her magnificent attire perfectly, blending together seamlessly.
However, Yayoi knew that beneath these magnificent clothes, Kicho was still wearing a layer of Ninja bodysuit.
Although she was attending as the General’s wife, she had not forgotten her original identity as a Ninja.
In Yayoi’s estimation, before Kakuzu obtained Earth Grudge Fear, it would likely be very difficult for him to defeat Kicho; it would probably be a six-to-four split.
According to Kicho’s revelations, among her peers in the Hyuga Clan, there were at least several others at her level.
However, in terms of the purity of her Byakugan, she was likely the one with the best ocular power.
At this moment, the two stood together, majesty and beauty combined, like a golden boy and jade girl.
Moreover, as a General, it was naturally impossible to travel on foot during such a formal outing.
It was a mobile carriage crafted from wood with excellent toughness and hardness.
The wood used to build the carriage was selected from a special Chakra tree and blended with other Chakra Materials.
This type of Chakra tree could absorb surrounding Chakra very well; therefore, wood selected from it could effectively withstand the impact of Ninjutsu.
Outside the carriage, jingling gold and jade ornaments were hung, adding a touch of magnificence and nobility.
The interior space was ten times that of a standard carriage, capable of accommodating four or five people to rest inside without feeling crowded.
The overall structure also focused on defense and secrecy.
The bottom of the carriage was fitted with protective Chakra steel plates, capable of blocking bombings at the level of Explosive Tags.
The most amazing thing was that this mobile carriage was not pulled by horses.
Instead, it was driven via an operating platform at the front, outside the carriage, which had something like a console installed.
It was encased in steel, with internal mechanisms connecting to eight wooden rollers underneath the carriage frame to provide propulsion.
The ones operating these drive mechanisms were naturally not Ninjas or samurai, but a group of hulking, humanoid Puppet warriors clad in pitch-black heavy armor.
Compared to the Ghost Puppets in the underground space of Tenshukaku, they had more distinct facial expressions, were more aesthetically pleasing, and possessed a very strong sense of oppression.
Each Puppet warrior was the size of two Ghost Puppets, standing over two meters tall.
The equipped katanas had also been adjusted in length and width; even for a boulder several meters high, it was believed that these Puppet warriors could easily cleave it with a single strike.
Because of their massive size, they could be used not only for offense but also served a defensive function.
They stood beside the carriage with numb, hollow, and eerie expressions.
Yayoi simply raised his hand and then gave a gentle wave.
His materialized Chakra, like soft balls of dough, rushed toward these Puppet warriors and, with precise technique, was injected into the mechanism interfaces of the Puppet warriors, merging into them.
Immediately, the eyes of the Puppet warriors lit up with a red, ghostly glow, and their hulking, tall bodies slowly straightened up, coming to life.
“Do you not need Chakra threads to control them?” Kicho felt amazed.
She only saw Yayoi fling out his materialized Chakra to activate these Puppet warriors, which surprised her a little.
Generally speaking, materialized Chakra that left a Ninja’s body would evaporate very quickly, effectively being consumed, and could not be preserved for long.
“Activated Chakra can maintain the characteristic of ‘existence’ for a long time, so even if it leaves the body, it can be used to control Puppets.
The drawback is that the precision drops a bit; it cannot fully unleash the Puppet’s capabilities, and it cannot be too far away—it will fail beyond thirty meters.
But for traveling, this is sufficient.” Under normal circumstances, operating Puppets in this way was undoubtedly much more convenient.
However, if they encountered a powerful enemy, controlling them with Chakra threads would yield better results.
Puppets like Irori, which could already operate completely automatically and refine their own Chakra, were naturally an exception.
“I see.” Kicho nodded, but she remained curious about Yayoi’s abilities.
Due to time constraints, she did not ask on the spot.
Moreover, peeling back the layers to slowly explore his secrets was actually more fun.
There were sixteen activated Puppet warriors; eight were responsible for operating the mechanisms to drive the carriage forward, while the other eight were responsible for scouting and guard duty.
In addition, one hundred fully armed Ninjas and two hundred samurai proficient in Chakra swordsmanship followed, led by Irori.
As for high-ranking officials like Kakuzu, Kurobei, and Orochi, they remained behind to be responsible for the operation of the Shogun’s Manor.
With the strength-boosted Kakuzu in charge, plus the various defensive measures he had left behind within the Shogun’s Manor, Yayoi was not worried that any problems would arise at the Shogun’s Manor.
Furthermore, the eyes of all countries were currently fixed on the Konoha Ninja Village in the Land of Fire; many conflicts had subconsciously died down, and they had begun to consciously retreat to defend, avoiding the emergence of any disputes.
The group soon left Yomi City and traveled along the main road, heading south toward the Land of Fire.
On the road, the carriage remained steady, and the interior space had no sense of vibration or tilting, making it feel as if Yayoi and Kicho were walking on flat ground.
If they encountered any obstacles on the road, the other eight Puppet warriors would directly draw their long swords, cleaving through boulders and giant trees, violently and quickly clearing the obstacles from the road.
Due to the extremely high strength of the Materials used to create the Puppet warriors, they possessed a high level of Taijutsu themselves, capable of suppressing ordinary Ninjas.
Combined with swordsmanship, their combat power was further strengthened.
Without needing the accompanying Ninjas and samurai to intervene, these Puppet warriors could solve most of the problems on the road.
“It’s truly amazing to be able to move so steadily and quickly.” In the carriage, Kicho picked up her teacup and began to drink tea.
Feeling the mobile carriage moving at high speed while remaining perfectly steady, it seemed no different from how Ninjas traveled.
“Because it was specially crafted.
Actually, this carriage could also be modified to operate automatically.
But using Puppet warriors to drive it looks more imposing.” (Inspired by Sasori’s Hiruko, but a super-sized version of Hiruko.) Yayoi also drank tea and set down his cup.
As the top Puppeteer of the current era, many of his Puppet creations could actually operate automatically, but he could not control them at will to unleash the full performance of his creations.
In his view, this was a very imperfect aspect.
Moreover, automation did not mean excellence; after all, except for special Puppets like Irori, the automatic technology of conventional Puppets was actually substandard.
Irori’s automatic technology was special and not universally applicable.
“Indeed, seeing these Puppet warriors at night would probably give someone quite a fright.” Kicho also smiled, deeply impressed by the appearance of these Puppet warriors.
The two-meter-tall hulking bodies, the glowing red eyes, combined with the pitch-black heavy armor, made them look like the ghost warriors that often appeared as villains in horror plays.
Anyone with weak nerves would certainly be scared by these terrifying Puppets.
Furthermore, under Kicho’s keen observation, this carriage was by no means simple.
Rather than a mere mode of transportation, it was more like a mobile military fortress.
It wasn’t very obvious from the outside, but many parts of the interior had clearly undergone mechanical modifications.
The carriage itself was an extremely dangerous Puppet, a weapon capable of combat.
The journey to Konoha Village was almost entirely without incident.
Seeing such powerful guards and the carriage moving like a land-roaming behemoth, the bandits in the surrounding area would instinctively stay far away, not daring to entertain the thought of blocking their path.
After a five-day long journey, the Land of Night’s procession finally arrived at Konoha Village.
This was mainly because the party needed to rest along the way; otherwise, they could have arrived much sooner.
Moreover, considering they had plenty of time, Yayoi was in no rush, making the trip feel more like a leisurely excursion.
Sometimes, when passing through certain towns, he would deliberately stay for a while to accompany his wife, Kicho, in exploring the town and buying interesting trinkets to keep as collectibles.
“Is this Konoha Ninja Village?
I didn’t expect it to be so large.” The tall walls that were previously under construction had now been completely finished.
Entering through the main gate of the Village, Kicho slightly pulled back a corner of the carriage curtain with her hand, catching a glimpse of the endless cluster of buildings within the walls.
Important roads had also been constructed quite smoothly, allowing the carriage to travel steadily upon them.
Some infrastructure also had a high degree of completion, possessing the prototype of what a prosperous town should look like.
The residential area naturally couldn’t compare to Yomi City, but for a Village, it was quite extravagant.
Especially since some parts were still under expansion, it had not yet reached its final form as a Ninja Village.
Yayoi also turned his body slightly, scanning the scenery outside.
It felt vaguely familiar, reminiscent of the Village from his memories.
In a few more years, it would become the Konoha Ninja Village he was familiar with.
Upon entering Konoha Village, there were designated personnel there to receive them.
Arriving around the same time as Yayoi were delegations from several other countries; some were led by high-ranking officials, while others were led by the feudal lords themselves.
The person responsible for receiving the Land of Night’s delegation was a Ninja from the Senju Clan.
He was a man in his thirties, with a scar on his face left by battle.
His ability to conceal his Chakra was very strong, making it difficult to directly determine his strength.
However, observing his composed and measured Aura, he was likely an elite within the Senju Clan.
“My Lord Husband, this person is named Senju Huijian.
I’ve heard that the scar on his face was left during a battle with the Uchiha Clan.
He is one of the Senju Clan’s powerful representatives.
His skills in Genjutsu and Ninjutsu are average, but he is extremely skilled in Taijutsu and has mastered the forbidden technique known as the Eight Gates.” Inside the carriage, Kicho whispered to Yayoi, explaining the basic information about this Senju Clan Ninja.
The reason Kicho knew all this was thanks to the Hyuga Clan’s intelligence network; powerful families like the Senju Clan were naturally key subjects of the Hyuga Clan’s attention.
As a powerful Senju Ninja, Senju Huijian’s information was naturally recorded in the Hyuga Clan’s intelligence files.
Especially since this powerful Senju Ninja had also learned a forbidden technique with immense power, he could not be ignored.
“The Eight Gates, you say?
The power of that technique is quite extraordinary, and it is also quite suitable for the Senju’s Sage Body.” Yayoi nodded slightly, elevating his assessment of Senju Huijian another level.
Yayoi was not at all unfamiliar with the Eight Gates technique.
This was a forbidden technique that appeared in the original work, and in this Sengoku era, Yayoi had coincidentally encountered a Ninja who used the Eight Gates.
For the Eight Gates technique, the first three gates were the safe zone; the risk of increasing Chakra was within the Ninja’s tolerance.
Starting from the fourth gate, each gate opened would increase the load on the body exponentially.
Conversely, the explosive power would also increase unreasonably, making it a unique skill capable of staging a comeback from a desperate situation.
However, this forbidden technique could not be sustained.
Overuse would consume the user’s physical health, affect their lifespan, and could also lead to disability, causing the user to lose their talent as a Ninja.
The Ninja he had encountered could open the Eight Gates up to the sixth gate.
Although he was the one who emerged victorious in the end, it had taken some effort.
It was also from that person that Yayoi obtained the Eight Gates forbidden technique, though the technique was incomplete, recording only the method to open the first six gates.
Under the guidance of Senju Huijian, the Land of Night’s party arrived at a residential area consisting of rows of courtyard-style houses.
Each residence had a vast interior space, capable of accommodating the delegations from various countries.
There was more than twenty meters of space between each residence, which could effectively protect the privacy of the various delegations.
By the time Yayoi and his group arrived, some of the courtyards were already occupied.
It was evident that some countries’ delegations had already begun taking action, frequently interacting and making contact with other countries.
With officials from various countries carrying the will of their feudal lords, or the feudal lords themselves attending, this was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for direct negotiations between nations.
Even the Land of Night needed to interact with other countries; they could not afford to be insular.
Thinking of this, Yayoi knew he would be busy for the next few days.
Opportunities for the high-ranking officials of various countries to gather peacefully were rare; if they missed this chance, who knew when the next one would be.
Getting off the carriage with Kicho, Yayoi let out a soft sigh.
Traveling while sitting inside the carriage was still a bit too tiring; he felt as if his body had rusted.
As expected, he wasn’t really used to this mode of travel.
But to maintain his status, he had no choice but to endure it for now.
After all, if he, the General, were to walk over and be seen by people from other countries, he would be laughed at, and it would affect the nation’s dignity.
Others might think the Land of Night was so poor that they couldn’t even afford to prepare a carriage.
As for the carriage being used at this moment, it had undoubtedly become a beautiful sight in the eyes of the various delegations.
Wherever it went, it frequently attracted attention.
With a main body as massive as a land-roaming behemoth, and a gorgeous, exquisite exterior, it possessed protective functions without compromising the beauty of the carriage itself.
Equipped with sixteen burly and strong Puppet warriors, and accompanied by an elite guard unit composed of both Ninjas and samurai, they marched in neat formation with a composed Aura.
Such a display undoubtedly showcased the Land of Night’s formidable national strength.
Aside from the great powers, it was estimated that no other country could have such an imposing and magnificent display.
After all, one’s display was almost synonymous with national strength.
This was an unspoken fact among all nations.
Because they had just arrived, Yayoi did not need to communicate with personnel from other countries for the time being.
Before he and Kicho stepped into the courtyard, a portion of the Ninjas and samurai entered first to conduct necessary scouting work.
Upon entering the courtyard, it was evident that the structure had been built less than a month ago; the traces of construction were still very fresh.
Although Konoha had tried their best to improve the living quality of the courtyard, it was generally quite average.
It wasn’t that there was a problem with the quality or comfort, but rather that the landscaping and layout of the courtyard were a bit monotonous and had not been meticulously polished.
Thinking about it carefully, this was normal; after all, Konoha Village was a newly built Village, so a lack of history was inevitable.
Fortunately, the personnel from various countries did not come here to enjoy themselves, but rather with important missions.
Konoha’s attitude was very proper, and their service was as attentive as possible without being perfunctory, which was enough to satisfy the personnel of all countries.
“Leave half the men to stand guard, and the remaining half can move about freely.
For the next few days, you may take turns rotating shifts.
Furthermore, do not cause any trouble.” After making arrangements in the courtyard, Yayoi gave instructions to the accompanying Ninjas and samurai.
“Yes.” The Ninjas and samurai replied.
“Irori, would you like to move about freely as well?” Yayoi asked, inquiring about Irori’s thoughts.
“No, no need.
My duty is to protect Father, so moving about in this courtyard is fine.” Irori smiled and shook her head, declining.
“Alright then.
You can relax here; there’s no need to keep your body so tense.” Yayoi nodded and turned to return to the master bedroom to rest.
Although it was still afternoon and the sky had not yet darkened, his body was quite exhausted from the journey.
He would have to interact with personnel from other countries tomorrow, so he needed to rest up and conserve his energy in advance to avoid feeling sleepy and being rude later.