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Chapter 286: Ino's Surprise
Konan wore a flowing, light purple gown today. It was a stark contrast to her usual combat attire, giving her a much softer, more delicate air. Her pale blue-purple hair cascaded down to her waist, dancing lightly in the morning breeze. A faint smile graced her lips, and she looked remarkably relaxed.
Alex stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in a simple white robe. His gaze swept over everything on the deck. Lush green grass and murmuring streams surrounded them, while the rich scent of blooming flowers filled the air. The girls, with their vibrant hair colors, stood bathed in the sunlight, looking as beautiful as a painted masterpiece.
"It seems they are adapting well," Konan said softly, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly.
Alex nodded, his gaze landing on Hinata. She was looking down, smiling gently as she chatted with Hanabi.
"Let's go." Alex stepped forward.
Konan followed, and the two walked side by side, strolling along the water channel toward the center of the deck. Kameda had already arranged breakfast for them. A long dining table sat in the middle of the pavilion, draped with an elegant white cloth and set with exquisite tableware. The aroma of food intertwined with the floral scents in the air, making it incredibly appetizing.
"Lord Alex! Lady Konan!" Kameda hurried over as soon as he spotted them from a distance. A broad, earnest smile plastered his face as he bowed so deeply his waist nearly touched the ground. "Breakfast is ready. Everything was prepared according to the traditional flavors of the Land of Rain," he said, carefully observing Konan's reaction.
Konan nodded and walked slowly to the table, her eyes falling on the familiar dishes. The herb-roasted fish unique to the Land of Rain, clear soup simmered with local wild vegetables, rice cakes dusted with special spices, and the sweet treats she loved most as a child.
The air was thick with a familiar scent. It was indeed the taste of her childhood, the taste of her homeland.
Konan's eyes flickered slightly. Though she quickly regained her composure, Alex caught that momentary lapse of focus. He didn't say anything; he just gently squeezed her hand.
Konan turned to look at him. Meeting his gentle eyes, her smile widened, and she squeezed his hand back. Some things simply didn't need to be spoken aloud.
"Lady Konan, please take a seat," Kameda offered attentively, pulling out her chair.
As Alex and Konan sat down, they looked toward the other end of the deck. Hinata, Shion, Kaguya Otsutsuki, Ryuzetsu, Honoka, and Samui were walking over with Hanabi in tow.
"Everyone is here," Konan noted quietly.
As the girls approached, they greeted Alex and Konan. Hanabi dutifully echoed their greetings, but her eyes were glued to the food on the table. Her little nose twitched constantly, and she was practically drooling.
"It smells so good..." she muttered under her breath.
Hinata gently patted her head. Hanabi immediately stood up straight, trying her best to look well-behaved, but her gaze kept drifting back to the table.
Amused by the little girl's antics, Konan smiled gently. "Have a seat, everyone. Make yourselves at home."
They all took their seats. Just then, three more figures appeared at the edge of the deck. Ino Yamanaka, Mei Terumi, and Mabui.
Ino was wearing a light green casual outfit today, looking exceptionally fresh and bright. Mei wore a flowing aqua-blue dress that perfectly accentuated her mature, captivating charm. Mabui retained her usual capable aura, but she too had changed into slightly more relaxed attire.
"Lord Alex, Lady Konan," the three greeted respectfully as they approached.
"Sit down," Alex gestured with a nod.
Kameda immediately had someone add extra chairs and tableware, allowing the three to join the table. Sitting down next to Hinata, Ino turned to her friend out of habit, opening her mouth to speak—but she suddenly froze.
Hinata was looking off to the side, talking to Hanabi. The morning sun illuminated the side of her face. Her already beautiful features seemed to be coated in a soft, radiant glow.
Hinata's skin... Ino blinked and looked closer. Hinata had always been fair-skinned, but today, she seemed even paler—almost snow-white. It wasn't a sickly pale, but a healthy, lustrous sheen, like flawless white porcelain, warm and delicate. Her long hair shimmered slightly in the sunlight, adding an indescribable, ethereal quality to her entire presence.
Ino's gaze lingered on Hinata for a long time. She felt like something was entirely different about her. It wasn't a change in her physical appearance; Hinata still had the exact same facial features. But in her every movement, there was an addition of something Ino had never seen in her before.
It was... a certain allure. Yes, that was it.
It wasn't deliberate or artificial, but a natural, mature feminine charm that simply radiated from her. Even the simple act of leaning down to put food on Hanabi's plate carried an indescribable softness and languid grace that made it impossible to look away.
Ino's brain couldn't quite process it. Is... is this still the same Hinata I know? Was this the girl who used to blush just from speaking, who would get nervous just making eye contact with Naruto? The same resilient kunoichi they had reunited with after she was taken by Akatsuki? And now, overnight... her entire aura had undergone a drastic transformation.
And there was something else! Ino suddenly noticed another detail. Hinata's aura... No, more accurately, her sheer presence. The invisible, oppressive weight of a true powerhouse radiating from her.
As the heir to the Yamanaka Clan, Ino was incredibly sensitive to chakra and auras from a young age. Sitting right next to Hinata, she could feel it clearly. The presence Hinata emanated was so immense it made Ino's heart pound. It wasn't an intentionally projected pressure; it was just a natural byproduct of her existence, as simple as breathing. She felt like a dormant volcano—calm on the surface, but anyone could sense the apocalyptic power slumbering within.
Ino had only ever felt a presence like this from one other person. Lady Tsunade.
No... Ino's pupils contracted slightly. Stronger than Lady Tsunade. Much stronger. But how is that even possible?! Ino almost blurted the words out loud.
When she spent time with Hinata yesterday, she could tell her friend was powerful, but definitely nowhere near this level. An explosive growth of this magnitude was absolutely impossible to achieve through a single night of training. It was almost as if... she had been completely replaced. No, as if she had evolved into an entirely different species.
A tempest of shock raged in Ino's mind. Her gaze drifted subconsciously toward Shion.
Shion was sipping her soup with a bright smile. The languid posture and the sheer allure in her movements were night and day compared to yesterday. She was already gorgeous, but today she possessed an undeniable, captivating charm, blooming like a vibrant flower.
Then she looked at Ryuzetsu. The usually stoic former Anbu from Kusagakure was sitting quietly. Yet, she was radiating the exact same heart-stopping presence as Hinata. Her movements as she picked up her food were unhurried, carrying a composed, elegant grace. Her brow was softer, having lost much of its usual cold edge.
And Honoka... the red-haired Uzumaki girl. Her aura had changed too. She was calmer, more poised, possessing a mature, gentle warmth that shouldn't belong to a young girl.
Finally, Samui.
Ino's heart skipped a beat when she looked at her. Samui had always been the most mature of the group, with a stunning figure and an icy, alluring temperament. But today...
She was just sitting there quietly drinking juice, but her posture, her expression, everything dripped with a lazy, seductive charm. When she tilted her head, the line of her neck was breathtaking; when she casually tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, the gesture held a fatal attraction.
Ino felt her own face growing hot. These changes... were way too obvious.
. . .
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