Chapter 493: Hinata
"Ne... nothing much."
Tiny steps trod on the soft and fluffy snow, leaving delicate and neat footprints one by one.
The size, depth, and distance of each footprint were actually exactly the same, without any deviation.
Hinata moved gracefully, walking slowly, and answered simply.
"I was thinking, the Land of Snow is really a paradise away from the disputes of the ninja world."
She smiled.
Haruno Sakura followed behind, pursed her lips and smiled faintly, but said nothing.
She slightly lifted her chakra, walking on the snowflakes all the way. Her delicate steps actually left no trace on the snow. The snow behind her was extremely smooth, as if no one had ever walked on it.
"But, how long can this tranquility last?"
Hinata sighed and said softly.
Entering Anbu greatly broadened Hinata's horizons. Now she was no longer an ignorant and immature rookie girl, and could also see the turbulent undercurrents hidden under the calm surface of the current ninja world.
As a reconnaissance ninja with decent taijutsu and sufficient self-protection ability, Hinata had performed many highly difficult and dangerous missions, including patrolling the border and monitoring enemy countries.
Among them, the most dangerous missions were all related to Akatsuki.
In fact, with the successive disappearance of Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki, the major countries that originally dismissed Akatsuki's existence had begun to change their attitudes rapidly, and the atmosphere in the ninja world became increasingly solemn.
No matter what Akatsuki collected Tailed Beasts for, they definitely didn't catch them for charity; sooner or later, Akatsuki, having accumulated enough power, would jump out from the shadows and turn the ninja world upside down.
"Don't worry too much." Sakura walked up, stood side by side with her, patted Hinata's shoulder and said, "If the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up."
"Haha..."
Hinata smiled mockingly, glancing at the unconscious girl beside her.
"Tall people... aren't you talking about yourself?"
"Eh...?!"
Haruno Sakura was stunned, her cute confused expression making Hinata laugh for a while.
She thought about what Sakura said when lying on the bed chatting with her that day before coming to the Land of Snow.
"You said before that you and Sasuke traveled to another world..." Hinata breathed out white mist and said slowly, "Akatsuki over there launched a war against the entire ninja world after collecting most of the Tailed Beasts."
Unlike Tsunade, Hinata trusted her friend's words more and accepted this matter very quickly.
"Presumably, the Akatsuki of our world also has this plan, right? So if we don't take strict precautions, a war affecting the whole world might really come..." She smiled bitterly and shook her head, "But I feel that if Akatsuki's leader is really as powerful as you said, then I'm afraid it's too late to say or do anything now."
Dense water vapor was exhaled with the words, blurring the vision in front, making the world hazy.
At some point, light snow began to fall from the sky. Hinata reached out her hand, watching the snowflakes fall one by one on the girl's warm palm and melt away.
Regarding the future, Hinata was somewhat pessimistic.
To put it bluntly, with Pain's power to raze a village with one strike, which of the Five Great Ninja Villages could confront him?
Unless a five-village joint Allied Shinobi Forces was established, otherwise a single ninja village—perhaps except the current Konoha—who could stop them from forcibly abducting Tailed Beasts?
However, so far, the Allied Forces was just a concept remaining on paper.
In front of a great enemy, countries were still intriguing against each other, distrusting each other.
The ninja world is doomed.
The white-eyed girl walked a bit further, climbing up a small hill, looking at the endless white wasteland in front of her, her mood heavy.
Haruno Sakura followed closely behind her.
The ninja world is doomed... but ultimately not finished yet.
She knew more things, even knew that Pain was likely not the final BOSS...
The situation in that world was even more severe than here; but that was the world of the original manga. Given the nature of mainstream shonen manga, hot blood and victory were the themes, and the final ending would definitely be a comedy.
Since an even worse situation could be turned around, then one could also have confidence in the situation here.
"Stop thinking blindly."
She walked behind the black-haired girl, dusted off the snowflakes on her body, and comforted.
"Didn't we agree, no matter how bad the situation is, there are tall people... um, that is me, to hold it up? I will protect everyone."
"Although, I'm not even as tall as you, Hinata." The pink-haired girl gestured and told a cold joke.
Hinata looked back at her helplessly.
"After all, I am the eldest lady of the Hyuga Main House, not some flower in a greenhouse. I should be the one protecting others." She laughed and said seriously, the gloom on her face swept away, "I'm different from the Hinata of that world!"
That day, hearing Haruno Sakura recount her experiences in that world, Hinata was surprised that her otherworld self had such a weak personality.
With comparison, she realized more what kind of person she should be—she was different from the Hinata of that world.
"Don't underestimate you of that world," Haruno Sakura refuted, "She also had the courage to fight Pain head-on for Naruto!"
Saying that, she giggled.
"Hehe, turns out Hinata, you have such deep feelings for Naruto!"
Hinata's small face blushed.
Quickly scolded: "What nonsense! That was the Hinata of that world, not me here... My personality and that Hinata's are worlds apart, how can they be confused?"
"Hmph," Haruno Sakura curled her lips, "Who knows?"
Hinata turned her head and rolled her eyes at her grumpily.
"Don't just talk about me, what about yourself? Who do you like?"
"Me?" Sakura was stunned, widening her innocent eyes, "When did I like anyone?"
"Fufu." Hinata pursed her lips and snickered, "You said it yourself, Sakura of that world confessed to Naruto."
"What a bold move!"
Haruno Sakura's expression froze instantly.
"What does Sakura of that world have to do with me! She likes whoever she likes." Sakura's face was flushed, her left hand couldn't help touching her cheek, murmuring, "I can't control her, she isn't me."
"Oh~"
Hinata dragged the ending sound, looking at Sakura with a thoughtful look.
"Originally you didn't like Naruto... then you like Sasuke!" She concluded with a smile, "Everyone sees it!"
"Don't mess with matchmaking, okay!" Haruno Sakura was anxious, waving her hands repeatedly to deny, "I'm innocent with him!"
Afraid Hinata wouldn't believe it, she added: "I don't like him, don't spread gossip!"
Hinata chuckled.
Clearly showing disbelief.
"Really!" Haruno Sakura couldn't laugh or cry, looking into the distance and saying, "Such a ninja world... is in a time of swaying in the wind and rain, where do I have the mind to be romantic with others? Honestly, I have absolutely no interest in dating boys."
"So, Sasuke... is just a friend!"
"Friend!"
She emphasized fiercely, stressing the word.
After speaking, Haruno Sakura turned her head slightly and saw Hinata looking at her with a strange look, staring until she felt creeped out.
"You... what?" Haruno Sakura felt uncomfortable all over, "Is there a problem?"
"Only one problem."
Hinata put on a serious look.
"You said you have no interest in boys, which means... you like girls?" Hinata held back her laughter and said, "Tell me! Who do you actually like, choosing Ino, or Haku?"
"Or... choosing me?"
Saying that, Hinata blinked playfully and threw a wink at Haruno Sakura.
Haruno Sakura's blood rushed to her face instantly.
"Hi—na—ta—!"
"Ah ya ya!" She pounced on her, brandishing her claws, "I'm going to perish together with you!"
After a while of playing around.
Result Haruno Sakura was exhausted and couldn't do anything to Hinata.
After all, as a clone, her actual age was only dozens of days, her body only underwent simple training, so her taijutsu naturally couldn't compare to Hinata who had studied Gentle Fist for ten years.
"Hehe, save your strength." Hinata stood leisurely aside, arms crossed, saying calmly, "Just your fancy fists and embroidered legs can't do anything to me."
"Cough cough." The clone panted, supporting her knees, rolling her eyes at her.
"Hmph... wait for my main body to come and deal with you!"
"Then you, a clone, shouldn't force yourself!" The white-eyed girl walked over, gently patting her back, helping her smooth her breath while laughing, "Alright, not messing with you anymore."
"Talking business. Sakura, these few days, accompany me to practice Hokuto Shinken!" Hinata said seriously.
"Hm?"
"Even if you want to be the tall person, I can't drag you down, right?" Hinata looked into the distance and said lightly.
Always practicing hard, with Haruno Sakura's help, and having mastered Hokuto Shinken, her strength was outstanding among her peers.
If not for a few super-standard figures in her generation, Hinata could also be called a genuine genius girl.
Whether out of pride in her heart or support for her friend, she would never allow herself to become a burden to be protected. Even if it was just insignificant support, Hinata hoped to share some pressure for her friend.
"I can't just look at your backs while I linger behind!"
She turned her head, looking at Haruno Sakura with bright eyes.
"Hm?" Haruno Sakura was stunned, then laughed.
"Then, I'll agree for the main body!"
Three days later, Haruno Sakura's main body arrived in the Land of Snow.
When the clone was retrieved, Hinata still felt a bit strange—the clone's personality was subtly different from the main body, Hinata always felt another friend of hers suddenly disappeared.
However, this was nothing.
Like Koyuki Kazahana, she didn't even notice that the pink-haired girl who came to chat and joke with her daily routine had changed.
In the ice and snow of the Land of Snow, apart from cultivation, nothing else would disturb the two girl ninja daily.
In just half a month of concentrated cultivation, Hinata completed the practice of the fourth punch of Hokuto Shinken and broke through to the fifth punch.
As a sister chapter to the Eight Inner Gates, although Hokuto Shinken had a very domineering name, the actual effect was much gentler than the Eight Inner Gates. Even performing up to the fifth punch would not cause too serious a physical burden on the user.
—As a price, its amplification effect was not as significant as the Eight Inner Gates.
Already at the Jonin level—Hinata at this time was roughly only weaker than Neji when he died in the original work—after exerting Hokuto Shinken to the extreme, she could even fight back and forth with some elite Jonin.
There were no major events after that.
Days passed quietly in cultivation in the Land of Snow and preparation for Star God Mode.
Looking at the time, it was late September, about time to go back.
Haruno Sakura bid farewell to Koyuki and returned to Konoha with Hinata.
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