A Provocative Journey to Improve Relations

Time flies by, and before we know it, it's already December.

Hinata has been staying at home researching Medical Ninjutsu lately.

The basics of Medical Ninjutsu are relatively simple; you can learn them from the medical ninjas of the Hyuga Clan.

During a mission to investigate the Otogakure a few months ago, Hinata collected some of Kimimaro's blood, intending to bring it back for research.

Hinata only recently remembered this matter.

But when it came to actually starting the research, Hinata realized that she was completely clueless and had no idea where to begin.

Orochimaru's base should contain Kimimaro's complete research data, and Hinata plans to find an opportunity to go and investigate it again.

However, even if Hinata obtained Kimimaro's research data, she would need a foundation in Medical Ninjutsu to understand it.

The village was very peaceful during this period.

Hanabi has begun the final stage of training the Rasengan. Once she masters the Rasengan, she will be able to train Hinata's Twenty Gods Vacuum Attack.

The other Konoha members who participated in the Chunin Ninja Exams with Hinata have also been busy with missions and training lately.

Everyone has their own things to do and their own goals to achieve.

Hinata only recently found her life's ideal and has been working hard towards it.

Hinata's first movie has been released and has received widespread acclaim. The movie's box office is also rising steadily, and Konoha should be able to make a lot of money.

For this reason, Tsunade has already begun planning and preparing to film a second movie, Hinata has also handed over her newly written script to Tsunade.

Hinata's heart is still a little flustered.

It's that kind of tension you feel when you've done something wrong and are afraid of being discovered.

And it's also a bit exciting.

Hinata believes that she is essentially a good person, but because everyone has a different perspective and their own sense of justice, they have completely opposite perceptions of things.

Just like Kaguya Otsutsuki.

If she could abandon the 'Infinite Tsukuyomi' plan and stop creating White Zetsu from living people, she could still be the hero who quelled the war a thousand years ago.

In the courtyard, Hinata lay swaying on a rocking chair, with the Wind God and Thunder God standing on either side of Hinata, like the most loyal knights protecting Hinata.

The Wind God dragged a tray, Thunder God fanned Hinata with a fan.

Even though it's already December, Konoha's climate is still mild and sunny, and it's even a little warm at midday.

"Ah--"

I took a sip of hot tea... Life is truly as lonely as snow.

'Whoosh!'

"Stop!"

The cat-faced Anbu Body Flicker Technique appeared in front of Hinata, only to be immediately lifted above the heads of the Wind God and Thunder God. The two men clenched their fists, one preparing to strike her head and the other her stomach.

If Hinata hadn't intervened in time, this Anbu would have died in the line of duty.

Hinata sternly lectured, "This habit of your Anbu is very bad. If I hadn't saved you just now, you would have been killed by my men who mistook you for an enemy."

Anbu: "..."

The Anbu entered through the main gate of the Hyuga residence. The reason he appeared using the Body Flicker Technique was because he was in a hurry to get there.

"I'll be more careful next time!"

The Anbu said solemnly, "Hinata Hyuga, the Lord Hokage wants you to report to the Hokage Building immediately."

After saying that, the Anbu disappeared in Body Flicker Technique, without even saying a word of thanks to their savior.

Hinata snorted, "The Anbu has been completely corrupted by power."

What is meant to be will be; what is meant to be will be.

Hinata has been staying home for so many days, but it's finally time for her to get busy again.

"You two take good care of the house."

"Understood, boss!"

Hinata drove to the Hokage Building and walked all the way to the Hokage's Office.

Tsunade stared at Hinata and said in a calm tone, "You've been having a lot of fun lately!"

Hinata scratched her head sheepishly. "I was thinking!"

"When I'm at home eating, my mind is at its most active."

Tsunade scoffed, "Are you admitting it without being asked?"

Hinata: "..."

Hinata looked around the office and noticed that Kakashi was there too.

Could it be some kind of mission?

Clearing her throat, Tsunade said seriously, "Our negotiations with Sand Village are nearing completion, and the relevant compensation issues have been settled. Therefore, I need you to go to Sunagakure to retrieve the war compensation funds... We have considered the candidates and unanimously believe that the two of you are the most suitable."

Kakashi glanced at Hinata, thinking that Hinata was probably the only truly suitable person for the job.

Hinata captured Sunagakure, the One-Tail Gaara, Temari and Kankuro, two Kazekage girls, and Baki, an Elite Jonin Sand Village... It's easy to imagine how deep Sunagakure's resentment towards Hinata was.

But looking at it from another perspective, isn't Hinata also a kind of deterrent to Sunagakure?

Kakashi's task was to observe, to see who within Sunagakure truly harbored hostility towards Konoha, and who whose attitudes could be changed.

Perhaps Kakashi's ability to keep Hinata in check and prevent Hinata from doing whatever she wants in Sunagakure is also a factor.

However, Kakashi seems to have forgotten that he is also the son of White Fang...

There was an old woman in Sunagakure who hated him so much she wanted to grind her teeth.

Although Konoha and Sunagakure have re-formed an alliance, Sunagakure is only doing so out of necessity, not because they genuinely want to ally with Konoha.

Sunagakure is currently in its weakest period since its founding.

The Fourth Kazekage was killed by Orochimaru, and a large number of elite ninjas were lost in the Konoha Crush Plan, leaving Sunagakure severely weakened.

It's been almost five months since the Chunin Ninja Exams ended, and Sunagakure still hasn't chosen Fifth Kazekage.

This is almost becoming a laughing stock in the entire Shinobi World.

In an unprecedentedly weakened state, Sunagakure could only tearfully agree to Konoha's excessive demands, allowing Konoha to do as it pleased.

Konoha was well aware of Sunagakure's true attitude towards them, Tsunade sent Hinata and Kakashi to Sunagakure to further assess the Sunagakure's stance.

Tsunade rested her fingers on the table, looked at the two of them and said, "I heard that Hinata, Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari have a pretty good relationship. Some time ago, Hinata and Kankuro even exchanged gifts representing the friendship between Konoha and Sand Village... You can use this to improve our relationship with Sand Village."

"In addition, Sunagakure has also proposed to learn from Konoha's advanced talent training system and medical ninja training system... The higher-ups and I have agreed to their request."

"Kakashi, you're in charge of selecting suitable talents from Sunagakure and bringing them back to Konoha..."

Kakashi understood.

The so-called 'suitable talent' is actually someone who doesn't harbor too much hostility towards Konoha, and whose status is relatively important, capable of influencing the attitudes of the Sunagakure leadership.

Otherwise, the war reparations from Sunagakure could have been delivered by the Sunagakure's ninjas themselves.

After a pause, Tsunade finally said, "Alright! There's no time to lose, you should set off immediately."

With Kakashi around, Tsunade didn't need to give too many instructions; Kakashi could handle this kind of thing perfectly well.

As for Hinata...

Besides intimidating Sunagakure, Hinata's role also lies in her relationship with Gaara. However Hinata, Tsunade's main objective is to train Hinata and expose Hinata to more international affairs.

Otherwise, if Tsunade sent someone else to Sunagakure, there wouldn't have been so many things to be careful about.