In a tree not far from Orochimaru and Hinata, Hao Shuai sat on a branch, grinning as he watched everyone.
He was the one who'd just teased Orochimaru.
"Hao Shuai-kun~~"
"Big Brother Hao Shuai~~"
Seeing that it was Hao Shuai, the Konoha 9, who had been tense just moments before, immediately relaxed. Kiba even plopped down on the ground.
Hao Shuai had been more than ten meters away, but in the next instant, he appeared inside the protective barrier.
"?!"
Orochimaru, on guard, was shocked to see Hao Shuai suddenly disappear and reappear. Was that the Body Flicker Technique or the Flying Thunder God Technique? No, that can't be right. I didn't even sense a fluctuation in Chakra~~
Hao Shuai had no idea that his Teleportation had startled Orochimaru. Just then, he was stroking Hinata's silky hair and asking with concern, "Little Hinata, are you hurt?"
He'd already scanned her with his Divine Thought and confirmed that she was unharmed, if a little disheveled. But he still needed to ask after her; that was something he'd learned from countless experiences.
"I-I'm fine," Hinata said, her face flushed. "It's all thanks to the necklace Hao Shuai-kun gave me."
"That's good." Hao Shuai ran his hand over the necklace around Hinata's neck, withdrew the protective barrier, and infused it with another stream of pure magical energy.
The necklace was a rechargeable protective item. One charge could activate the protective barrier twice.
And even if the barrier was broken both times, there was no need to worry. The nano Vibranium protective suit inside the necklace would instantly cover her body.
With Vibranium's defensive strength, it could hold out long enough for Hao Shuai to come to the rescue.
Nowadays, this kind of necklace had become standard issue for Hao Shuai's women. Each had