Journey to Konoha

At the end of December, ten days remained until Konoha's First Hokage inauguration ceremony.

Snow blanketed the Land of Night.

Especially in the eastern part of the country, the entire region had fallen into an extremely cold climate.

Before the towering stone gate at the main entrance of the General's Residence, a group had already finished preparing for departure.

Yayoi was fully armed. Beneath his armor, he wore a black ninja bodysuit, while a full suit of iron armor covered the outside.

Even his shoes were made of highly defensive leather reinforced with armor plates.

This armor was forged entirely from exceptionally strong Chakra Metal. It possessed tremendous toughness and defensive power while effectively conducting the wearer's chakra.

The creation of this armor had not only undergone Yayoi's chakra treatment but had also incorporated the craftsmanship of the finest artisans from the former 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.

"My, you look so imposing today, dear husband."

Seeing Yayoi dressed with an unfamiliar air of majesty, as if he had instantly switched styles, Kicho felt that his entire person radiated a sharp and commanding presence.

For Kicho, who had never seen Yayoi dressed like this before, it was undoubtedly an entirely new experience.

Yayoi merely nodded in response.

After all, it was an important ceremony, and he would be meeting many daimyo from other countries. He had to dress formally and solemnly.

It was not only Yayoi. As the general's wife, Kicho had naturally dressed with great care as well.

She wore a purple-and-white kimono made from precious silk, with a brightly colored pink outer robe draped over it.

There were also far more exquisite gold and jade ornaments on her body than usual.

White tabi socks and low-heeled black wooden geta adorned her feet, complementing her luxurious attire perfectly.

However, Yayoi knew that beneath those gorgeous clothes, Kicho wore 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 acquiring Earth Grudge Fear, Kakuzu would have had a difficult time defeating Kicho. It would probably have been a sixty-forty fight.

According to Kicho, there were at least several others in the Hyuga Clan of her age who stood at the same level as her.

However, in terms of the purity of their Byakugan, she was probably the one with the strongest eye power.

At that moment, the two stood together, majesty and beauty intertwined like a golden boy and jade maiden.

And as the general, Yayoi naturally could not travel on foot during such a formal occasion.

It was a mobile carriage built from wood with exceptional toughness and hardness.

The timber used to construct it had been selected from special Chakra Trees and blended with other chakra-infused materials.

These Chakra Trees could absorb the chakra around them exceptionally well. As a result, the wood taken from them could effectively withstand the impact of ninjutsu.

Gold and jade ornaments chimed from the exterior of the carriage, lending it even greater splendor and nobility.

Its interior was ten times larger than an ordinary carriage compartment. Four or five people could rest inside without feeling crowded.

The overall construction also prioritized defense and concealment.

Protective chakra steel plates had been installed beneath the carriage, capable of withstanding explosions on the level of Explosive Tags.

Most remarkably, the mobile carriage was not pulled by horses. Instead, a control platform had been installed at the front of its exterior, with something like a control console mounted atop it. Wrapped in steel, it contained mechanisms connected to the eight wooden rollers beneath the chassis, which propelled it forward.

Naturally, those operating the mechanisms were not ninjas or samurai, but a group of humanoid Puppet Samurai with burly builds and heavy black armor.

Compared to the Ghost Puppets in the underground space beneath the Tenshu Tower, they possessed more distinct facial expressions, making them more visually striking and far more oppressive.

Each Puppet Samurai was as large as two Ghost Puppets, standing over two meters tall.

The length and width of their samurai swords had also been adjusted. Even boulders several meters high could probably be effortlessly cleaved apart with a single strike.

Because of their massive size, they could be used not only for offense but also for protection.

They stood beside the carriage with stiff, hollow, eerie expressions.

Yayoi merely raised a hand, then gave it a gentle wave.

His materialized chakra surged toward the Puppet Samurai like soft lumps of dough. With precise control, it entered the mechanisms' connection ports and fused into them.

At once, red ghostly light lit up in the Puppet Samurai's eyes. Their tall, burly bodies gradually straightened as they came to life.

"They don't need Chakra Threads to be controlled?"

Kicho was astonished.

She had only seen Yayoi fling out his materialized chakra and activate the Puppet Samurai, which surprised her.

Normally, materialized chakra separated from a ninja's body would dissipate rapidly, meaning it had been consumed and could not be preserved for long.

"Activated chakra can retain the quality of 'existence' for a long time, so it can control puppets even after leaving the body. The drawback is that its precision declines somewhat. It cannot fully bring out the puppets' capabilities, and it cannot be too far away either. Beyond thirty meters, it becomes ineffective. But for traveling, this is more than enough."

Under normal circumstances, operating puppets this way was undoubtedly much more convenient.

However, if they encountered a powerful enemy, controlling them with Chakra Threads would still produce better results.

Irori, a puppet that could already operate completely autonomously and refine her own chakra, was naturally an exception.

"I see."

Kicho nodded, but she remained curious about Yayoi's abilities.

Because of the time, she did not ask him on the spot. Besides, slowly unraveling a secret piece by piece was more enjoyable.

There were sixteen activated Puppet Samurai. Eight operated the mechanisms and drove the carriage forward, while the other eight were responsible for scouting and guarding.

In addition, one hundred fully armed ninjas and two hundred samurai proficient in chakra swordsmanship accompanied them, all under Irori's command.

As for high-ranking officials such as Kakuzu, Kurobei, and Yuroketsu, they remained behind to oversee the General's Residence.

With the strengthened Kakuzu stationed there, along with the various defensive measures Yayoi had left within the General's Residence, Yayoi was not worried that anything would happen.

Furthermore, the attention of every country was now focused on Konoha in the Land of Fire. Many disputes had unconsciously quieted down, and countries had begun deliberately pulling back their forces to avoid further conflicts.

The group quickly left Nightview City and followed the main road south toward the Land of Fire.

On the road, the carriage remained perfectly steady. There was not the slightest sensation of shaking or tilting inside, making Yayoi and Kicho feel as though they were walking on level ground.

If they encountered obstacles along the way, the other eight Puppet Samurai would directly draw their long swords and split apart boulders and massive trees, violently clearing the road with swift efficiency.

The materials used to make the Puppet Samurai were incredibly strong, granting them formidable taijutsu abilities that could suppress ordinary ninjas. Combined with their swordsmanship, their combat power was further enhanced.

The accompanying ninjas and samurai did not need to act. These Puppet Samurai could handle most of the problems along the road.

"How incredible. It can move so quickly while staying this steady."

Inside the carriage, Kicho picked up a teacup and began drinking tea.

Feeling the mobile carriage speeding along without the slightest jolt, she found it seemingly no different from how ninjas traveled.

"It was specially made. Actually, this carriage could be modified to operate automatically as well. But having Puppet Samurai drive it looks more imposing." (The inspiration came from Sasori's Hiruko, except this was a massively enlarged version of Hiruko.)

Yayoi also drank his tea before setting down his cup.

As one of the foremost puppet masters of the era, many of his puppet creations could actually operate automatically. They simply could not be controlled as freely as he wished, nor could they fully display all their capabilities.

To him, that was an extremely imperfect aspect.

Moreover, automation did not necessarily mean excellence. Aside from special puppets like Irori, the automatic technology of ordinary puppets was actually substandard.

Irori's autonomous technology was unique and could not be universally applied.

"Yes. Seeing Puppet Samurai like these at night would probably give people quite a fright."

Kicho smiled as well, deeply impressed by the appearance of the Puppet Samurai.

Their burly two-meter-tall bodies, glowing red eyes, and full black heavy armor made them resemble ghostly samurai that often appeared as villains in horror plays.

Anyone with weak nerves would definitely be frightened by such terrifying puppets.

Moreover, with Kicho's keen perception, she could tell that the carriage itself was no simple thing. Rather than a tool for travel, it was more like a mobile military fortress.

It was not particularly obvious from the outside, but many places inside had clearly been modified with mechanisms. The carriage itself was also an extremely dangerous puppet, a weapon capable of combat.

There were almost no setbacks on the road to Konoha.

Seeing such a powerful guard force and that moving carriage resembling a gigantic land beast, the bandits in the area instinctively kept far away, not daring to entertain any thoughts of blocking their path.

After five days of long-distance travel, the Land of Night's delegation finally arrived at Konoha.

The main reason was that the group needed to rest midway. Otherwise, they could have arrived even sooner. Since they still had plenty of time, Yayoi had not hurried. Instead, the journey had taken on something of a sightseeing nature.

Whenever they passed through towns, he would sometimes deliberately stay for a while, accompanying his wife Kicho as she explored the streets and bought interesting trinkets to add to their collection.

"So this is Konoha? I didn't expect it to be so large."

The towering walls that had still been under construction before had now been completely finished.

Upon entering through the village's main gate, Kicho slightly lifted a corner of the curtain inside the carriage and immediately saw the endless clusters of buildings beyond the walls.

The important roads had also been paved quite smoothly, allowing carriages to travel steadily over them.

Various basic facilities had likewise reached a high level of completion, giving the place the beginnings of a prosperous town.

Its residential area was naturally smaller than Nightview City, but for a village, it was remarkably vast. In particular, some areas were still being expanded, and it had yet to take on the final form of a ninja village.

Yayoi also leaned slightly to the side and cast a few glances at the scenery outside.

It carried a familiar yet unfamiliar feeling compared to the village in his memories.

In a few more years, it would become the Konoha he knew.

Upon entering Konoha, they were greeted by dedicated reception personnel.

Several delegations from other countries had arrived at roughly the same time as Yayoi's group. Some were led by high-ranking officials, while others were personally led by their daimyo.

The person responsible for receiving the Land of Night's delegation was a Senju Clan ninja.

He was a man in his thirties, with scars on his face left behind from battle.

His chakra concealment ability was extremely strong, making it difficult to directly judge his strength. However, judging by his calm and measured bearing, he was likely an elite of the Senju Clan.

"Dear husband, this man's name is Senju Haima. I heard the scar on his face was left in a battle against the Uchiha Clan. He is one of the Senju Clan's representative powerhouses. He is ordinary in genjutsu and ninjutsu, but he is exceptionally skilled in taijutsu and has mastered the forbidden technique known as the Eight Gates."

Inside the carriage, Kicho quietly explained the basic information about the Senju Clan ninja to Yayoi.

The reason Kicho knew these things was thanks to the Hyuga Clan's intelligence network. Powerful clans such as the Senju Clan were naturally among the Hyuga Clan's key targets for attention.

As a powerful Senju ninja, information about Senju Haima had naturally been recorded in the Hyuga Clan's intelligence files.

Especially since this powerful Senju ninja had learned a forbidden technique of tremendous power, he was impossible to overlook.

"The Eight Gates? That technique's power is no joke, and it is quite suitable for the Senju Clan's Sage Physique."

Yayoi nodded slightly, raising his evaluation of Senju Haima another level.

Yayoi was not unfamiliar with the Eight Gates technique at all.

It was a forbidden technique that had appeared in the original work, and during this Warring States Era, Yayoi had happened to encounter a ninja who used the Eight Gates.

The first three gates of the Eight Gates were a safe zone. The risks of amplifying chakra remained within a ninja's tolerance.

Starting from the Fourth Gate, the burden on the body increased geometrically with every gate opened. Correspondingly, the explosive power gained also increased to an unreasonable degree, making it a supreme technique for fighting back from desperate situations.

However, this forbidden technique could not be sustained for long. Excessive use would consume the user's health, shorten their lifespan, and could even cripple them, causing them to lose their ability to serve as a ninja.

The ninja Yayoi had encountered could open the Eight Gates to the Sixth Gate. Although Yayoi had ultimately won, it had still taken some effort.

He had also obtained the forbidden Eight Gates technique from that man, though it was incomplete and only recorded the methods for opening the first six gates.

Led by Senju Haima, the Land of Night delegation arrived at a residential district filled with courtyard houses. Each residence had a spacious interior that could accommodate a delegation from another country.

Each residence was separated by more than twenty meters, which protected the privacy of the delegations well.

When Yayoi and the others arrived, some of the courtyards were already occupied.

It was apparent that the delegations from some countries had already begun moving about, frequently meeting and interacting with people from other nations.

With officials from every country carrying the will of their daimyo—or the daimyo themselves—present, this was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for direct negotiations between nations.

Even the Land of Night needed to communicate with other countries and could not remain isolated. Thinking this, Yayoi knew that he would have plenty to do in the coming days.

There were not many opportunities for the upper echelons of various countries to gather together peacefully. If he missed this one, he had no idea when the next chance would come.

After getting down from the carriage with Kicho, Yayoi let out a light breath. Sitting inside the carriage while traveling had been a little too exhausting. He felt as though his body had rusted.

Sure enough, he was not accustomed to this way of traveling.

But to maintain appearances, he could only endure it for now.

After all, if he, the general, had walked here on foot and people from other countries saw him, he would be ridiculed. It would also damage the nation's prestige. They might think the Land of Night was so poor that it could not even afford a carriage.

As for the carriage they were currently using, it had undoubtedly become a striking sight in the eyes of the various delegations. Wherever it went, it drew frequent attention.

Its enormous body resembled a land beast, while its splendid and exquisite exterior combined defensive functions without compromising the carriage's appearance.

It was also accompanied by sixteen tall and robust Puppet Samurai, along with an elite guard force of ninjas and samurai marching in orderly ranks with a steady, imposing presence.

Such pomp and circumstance undoubtedly displayed the Land of Night's formidable national strength. Aside from great nations, probably no other country could boast such a grand display.

After all, pomp was almost equivalent to national strength.

It was an unspoken fact understood by every nation.

Because they had only just arrived, Yayoi did not need to communicate with people from other countries yet. Before he and Kicho entered the courtyard, some of the ninjas and samurai went in first to conduct the necessary inspection.

Once inside, it was apparent that the courtyard had been built less than a month ago. The traces of construction were still fresh. Although Konoha had tried its best to improve the living conditions, the overall place was rather ordinary. It was not that there were issues with quality or comfort, but the courtyard's scenery and arrangements were somewhat plain and had not been carefully refined.

Thinking about it carefully, that was only natural. Konoha was a newly established village, so a lack of accumulated character was inevitable.

Fortunately, the people from various countries had not come here for pleasure, but with important missions. Konoha's attitude was proper, and it had done its best to provide attentive service rather than being perfunctory. That was enough to satisfy the delegations.

"Leave half the men behind to stand guard. The other half may move about freely. Over the next few days, rotate shifts. Also, do not cause trouble."

After settling everything in the courtyard, Yayoi gave instructions to the accompanying ninjas and samurai.

"Yes."

The ninjas and samurai responded.

"Irori, do you want to go out and move around freely as well?"

Yayoi asked Irori what she wanted to do.

"No, there's no need. My duty is to protect Lord Yayoi. It is enough for me to move around within this courtyard."

Irori smiled and shook her head in refusal.

"All right, then. You can relax a little here. You don't need to keep your body so tense."

Yayoi nodded, then turned and returned to the master bedroom to rest.

Although it was still afternoon and the sky had not yet darkened, the journey had left him rather tired. He would need to meet with people from other countries tomorrow, so he needed to rest well in advance to avoid becoming sleepy and making a discourteous impression.