Hyuga Shuzen exchanged a few words with Aburame Yorochi, and seeing that it was about time, they began their journey.
As the daughter of the Main Family being married off, Hinata Kicho was inside the carriage at the very center of the procession, moving at a steady, unhurried pace under the guidance of the group.
Surrounded by a joint guard of Ninjas and samurai, she was protected with seamless precision.
Hyuga Shuzen looked at the Ninjas and samurai sent by the Land of Night and nodded slightly.
These guards had become a completely unified whole.
Setting aside their strength, the fact that they could quickly and effectively form such a tight formation showed that these Ninjas and samurai must have undergone rigorous training; they were not mere window dressing that would crumble at the slightest touch.
Although, in Hyuga Shuzen’s eyes, this force could be crushed head-on.
When the gap in strength is too great, any formation is meaningless.
The only one who caught Hyuga Shuzen’s eye was probably their leader, Kakuzu.
He was very young, and his strength would not be considered weak even within the Hyuga Clan; he was capable of holding some relatively important positions.
‘It seems this is not a country that relies solely on one person to maintain its deterrence.’ Hyuga Shuzen silently gave a positive evaluation of the Land of Night.
The procession traveled for several days, and at dusk, they finally reached the border of the Land of Fire.
Crossing the wilderness ahead would lead them into the Land of Night.
Just then, under the lingering glow of the setting sun, a bone-chilling cold descended along with the night.
Hyuga Shuzen sighed.
The moment he sighed, the sounds of “swish, swish, swish” rang out one after another.
A dozen black shadows leaped out from the surrounding dark corners, aiming directly at the palanquin in the center of the procession.
Clearly, their assassination target was specific: Hinata Kicho, the future wife of the General of the Land of Night.
“Rotation!” Hyuga Shuzen was a beat slow, only then choosing to counterattack the assailants.
To say he was a beat slow was actually incorrect; Hyuga Shuzen had already prepared to strike, merely gathering power in secret.
After all, trying to launch a sneak attack under the eyes of the Byakugan was simply too foolish.
Hyuga Shuzen leaped to intercept, spinning in mid-air as a massive amount of Chakra surged through his body, erupting into a blue stream of air.
In the blink of an eye, a Chakra sphere over a dozen meters in diameter, driven by the rotation of his body, directly swept all dozen assailants into it.
Screams were incessant as the fierce storm generated by the spinning Chakra sphere violently tore at the assailants’ bodies.
For a moment, blood splattered everywhere.
Hyuga Shuzen stopped spinning, and a dozen mangled, bloody bodies lay scattered, devoid of any life.
This powerful Elder of the Hyuga Clan had killed over a dozen capable assassins with just a single move.
Boom!
An explosion rang out abruptly behind him, startling everyone present.
The carriage at the center of the procession was suddenly blown apart by some kind of attack.
Wearing a white furisode kimono, Hinata Kicho seemed to have sensed something in advance; without hesitation, she leaped from the smoke and splintered wood of the explosion into the air to one side.
Amidst the bursting smoke and wood fragments, a figure dressed as a Ninja swung a Ninja blade toward Hinata Kicho’s chest.
The sharpened Ninja blade had sliced open a part of the fabric on the sleeve of Hinata Kicho’s right arm during the previous attack.
Holding the spiritual sword Kumokiri, Hinata Kicho had already drawn her blade as the Ninja pursued her.
Clang!
The sound of metal rang out in the air.
Borrowing the force, Hinata Kicho’s body drifted backward like a willow catkin.
The Ninjas and samurai of the Land of Night reacted one after another, swarming the assailant.
“It bypassed the detection of the Byakugan and the insects.
This ability to mask presence and Chakra—is it a special secret technique…
or an unknown Bloodline Limit?” A cold light flashed beneath Aburame Yorochi’s sunglasses.
Being able to bypass the Hyuga’s Byakugan and the Aburame’s insects to attack an important target was somewhat surprising, but upon reflection, it was not impossible.
In the chaotic Sengoku era, the one thing there was no shortage of was all sorts of bizarre techniques and Bloodline Limits.
“His body has great research value.” “Mm.” Hyuga Shuzen nodded, acknowledging Aburame Yorochi’s assessment.
“Move aside.” Aburame Yorochi spoke, and the Ninjas and samurai surrounding the assailant quickly dispersed.
Aburame Yorochi extended his arm forward, and his black sleeve opened.
Rumble!
It was not a swarm of insects covering the sky, but a colossal centipede, entirely blood-red, covered in dense, hooked claws, resembling a giant red dragon.
It first crawled on the ground, then launched itself into the air, circling the sky before violently rushing toward the assailant, opening a gaping, bloodthirsty maw.
With a massive body over two meters wide, its size was terrifying.
‘This guy is still as insidious as ever, specifically sealing his Summoning Technique within his sleeve…’ Hyuga Shuzen felt wary of Aburame Yorochi’s attack method.
When they had fought in the past, he had almost been caught out; if not for his Byakugan seeing the abnormal Chakra fluctuations in advance, he likely would have been heavily injured by a single blow.
“Ah!” The assailant could not dodge in time and had a bloody arm torn off by the dragon-like centipede.
“Damn it!” The attacking Ninja looked deathly pale, staring at the giant red centipede that was the size of a small hill, unable to believe that this was also the Insect Control Technique of the Aburame Clan.
This was not at all on the same level as the Aburame Clan Ninjas he had faced in the past.
Too dangerous, this man who played with centipedes!
He glared fiercely at Aburame Yorochi in the distance, as if to remember today’s humiliation, and then fled without looking back.
But after only a few steps, his body stiffened, and he fell straight down.
In the moment he fell, he saw it.
The wound on his severed right arm was, he knew not when, covered in dense, black insects.
They had silently squeezed into his torn wound, continuously injecting toxins that paralyzed his nerves.
“When!?
Could it be that centipede…” The attacking Ninja suddenly realized something, but it was already far too late.
An intense sleepiness washed over him, and he involuntarily closed his eyes, falling into a deep coma.
“Leaving a large number of insects in the centipede’s body, and then using the centipede’s attack to leave the insects on the wound…
Your methods are still so insidious.” Hyuga Shuzen also felt a bit of scalp-tingling dread.
No matter when he saw the techniques of the Aburame Clan, he just couldn’t get used to them.
They were simply impossible to guard against.
The only things that could guard against the Aburame Clan’s secret techniques in advance were the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan and some special sensory secret techniques.
“This way is more efficient.” Aburame Yorochi calmly accepted Hyuga Shuzen’s compliment.
“Release!” Subsequently, he formed hand seals, and the giant red centipede that had been lingering on the ground, crawling and leaving a deeply recessed track, lost its trace in a burst of white smoke.
“Kicho, are you alright?” Hyuga Shuzen walked over to his daughter.
“I’m fine, Father.
The clothes can just be mended later.” Kicho pointed to the torn part of her sleeve; the cut was not large, and if one didn’t look closely, it wouldn’t be noticed at all.
Hyuga Shuzen nodded.
“As expected of my daughter, to still be able to dodge calmly in that situation.” Hyuga Shuzen’s words affirmed Kicho’s strength and vigilance.
To be able to avoid danger based solely on intuition when the Byakugan was ineffective clearly showed she had mastered his essence.
“After all, teaching me not to rely excessively on the Byakugan in battle is your instruction, Father.” Kicho lowered her head and smiled slightly, appearing somewhat embarrassed.
Hyuga Shuzen also smiled, finally setting his mind at ease.
On the other side, Kakuzu had people tie up the unconscious attacking Ninja and ordered the medical Ninja in the team to stop the bleeding on his wounds, to prevent him from dying before interrogation.
After finishing, Kakuzu walked over.
“It seems we need to speed up our journey from here on.
Apologies, Madam, for letting you be startled.” “No, not at all.
After all, no one expected the enemy to be able to bypass the perception of the Byakugan and the Aburame Clan’s secret techniques.” Kicho smiled understandingly, speaking in the tone of a future General’s wife, and did not place any blame.
Since the carriage was destroyed, there was no time to rush the construction of a new one nearby.
Moreover, no one knew if there would be a second wave of attacks.
Therefore, everything henceforth would be simplified, and they needed to head to the capital, Yomi City, as quickly as possible.
Ninjas were beings that prioritized efficiency; on the contrary, after leaving that slow-moving palanquin, Kicho’s mood actually improved quite a bit.
She hadn’t really liked that slow, plodding way of traveling before.
The rest of the journey was very smooth.
They didn’t encounter a second wave of attacks all the way until they arrived at Yomi City.
Either there were no more attackers, or the person behind the scenes felt that nothing could be accomplished and didn’t intend to waste effort.
Regardless of which it was, it allowed everyone who had successfully arrived at Yomi City to quietly breathe a sigh of relief.
This state of traveling with a tense body could wear down one’s patience over a long period.
“Is this Yomi City…” Looking at the tall, thick, and orderly, stable metropolis before her, even Kicho, who had seen much of the world, was slightly distracted.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t been to large cities; she had even been to the capital of the Land of Fire more than once.
However, the smooth roads, clean streets, pedestrians and children with healthy complexions, and the many novel items sold in shops that she had never seen before—these were things she had never seen in the capital of the Land of Fire.
Although the capital of the Land of Fire was more magnificent and its commerce relatively developed, due to the ignition of the flames of war, the people there could only barely scrape by.
Even so, compared to other great nations, the capital of the Land of Fire was far ahead.
But compared to Yomi City, it seemed to be lacking something.
“Yes.
Lord Yayoi spent the past few years pacifying the chaos across the country, one by one.
Plus, this place is not the center of the continent; war…
in this country, is something from many years ago.” Kakuzu said with deep feeling.
He was one of the earliest veterans to follow Yayoi, watching step by step how this newborn country got on the right track.
It was very difficult at the beginning, but Yayoi led by example, facing the difficulties and dilemmas of the front lines time and time again, taking the lead in solving various problems.
Under the influence of such an atmosphere, the entire country naturally developed a strong centripetal force, fearlessly paving the way forward.
Sometimes, to inspire people and mobilize enthusiasm, you don’t need too many rewards; rather, by creating a fair platform where they can receive their due rewards, you can make talent flock to you.
“Next, everyone, please settle down here at the State Guesthouse.
Specific wedding matters still require some preparation work.” Bringing everyone to the State Guesthouse, Kakuzu let the members of the Hyuga Clan settle down here with peace of mind.
“Thank you for the trouble.” Hyuga Shuzen nodded, leaving it to Kakuzu to make the arrangements.
Kakuzu left, and the Clan Chief of the Aburame Clan, Aburame Yorochi, followed Kakuzu, intending to formally pay a visit to his future superior.
Although the Aburame Clan had already successfully migrated away from the Land of Fire, these matters were not being handled by him as the Clan Chief; it just so happened that the Hyuga Clan’s wedding procession was taking place, so he had continued to stay in the Land of Fire and returned together with Kakuzu.
“Lord Yayoi is a very gentle person.
As long as you do not intentionally offend him, he will not take many things to heart.” On the way to the Shogun’s Manor in Yomi City, Kakuzu began to introduce some precautions for meeting Yayoi to Aburame Yorochi.
Although Yayoi had few taboos, Kakuzu didn’t know much about Aburame Yorochi and was afraid that he might accidentally cross Yayoi’s bottom line somewhere.
After all, while Yayoi’s gentleness was one side, the coldness on the other side also left a deep impression on Kakuzu.
That was a General of the Land of Night who would show no mercy and exterminate his enemies.
Aburame Yorochi was a future colleague, and he didn’t want to make the relationship so awkward.
Aburame Yorochi listened silently, roughly knowing how to get along with General Yayoi from now on.
Stepping into the Shogun’s Manor, it was a completely military-controlled area.
The tall surrounding walls sealed the inside from the outside, with Ninjas and samurai patrolling incessantly, and tall towers and pavilions rising one after another.
But Aburame Yorochi could tell that many of the buildings were not built for enjoyment at all, but were military structures; only a small portion were living and entertainment buildings, intended to relieve the pressure accumulated by the Ninjas and samurai during their daily routines.
Clearly, that General, Oda Yayoi…
had turned his own residence into an airtight military fortress.
Passing through the outer court, they walked toward the inner court.
What surprised Aburame Yorochi was that the defense here was much weaker than the previous places.
Did he not value his own safety?
No, it was probably out of confidence; possessing powerful strength himself, he probably didn’t need such things at all.
The most powerful person in the Land of Night was the General himself; if the General himself couldn’t solve it, then no matter how many people came, they would just be meaningless sacrifices.
Therefore, it was enough to keep only the necessary messengers and miscellaneous personnel stationed here.
They arrived at the Tenshukaku, which was also the only building in the inner court that faced the outer court.
It was a pavilion eighty meters high.
From here, the layout of the Shogun’s Manor could be taken in at a glance.
Bringing Aburame Yorochi to the top floor, Kakuzu turned and left.
“Please come in.” Accompanied by the sound of a voice from inside, Aburame Yorochi took a deep breath and stepped inside.
It was an open space about seven meters high and several hundred square meters in area.
He inadvertently scanned the furnishings and layout here; it didn’t seem very particular, with very few flashy and impractical decorations, prioritizing convenience above all else.
Therefore, most of the things placed here had practical uses.
He then quickly shifted his gaze directly ahead, looking at the black-haired young man sitting upright in front of a large desk.
He had a delicate appearance and didn’t look like a General in charge of a country’s military and politics.
He was wearing loose, gray-blue casual clothes, and his posture while working looked like that of a literary worker holding a pen.
But from the fact that his body could support the loose casual clothes, it was evident that the seemingly slender body was actually filled with terrifying explosive power.
In terms of Taijutsu, he was probably also a quite terrifying person.
‘The insects are restless.’ Aburame Yorochi’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched slightly and then slowly relaxed.
Subsequently, Aburame Yorochi imperceptibly scanned the girl in the blue kimono to the side.
She was very young, looking sixteen or seventeen years old, her flawless, beautiful face so exquisite that it seemed distorted, possessing a dreamlike quality as if carved by hand.
She looked very gentle, but that bone-chilling aura inadvertently flowing from the girl’s purple eyes made Aburame Yorochi’s nerves tense up subconsciously.
‘The insects tell me that they feel nothing from this girl, but she is extremely dangerous…
If I move rashly, I might be instantly crushed.’ These thoughts flashed through Aburame Yorochi’s mind in an instant, but his face still revealed very little emotion, and he bowed to Yayoi without changing his expression.
“Nice to meet you, General.
I am the Clan Chief of the Aburame Clan, Aburame Yorochi.”