Hanabi held Kaguya's hand, leading her across the expansive Central Square and making their way straight toward the tallest temporary command building in the Holy City.
Kaguya's pace remained slow and graceful, but her pure white eyes quietly observed her surroundings.
Along the way, whether the ninjas were hauling massive stone blocks or laying down water channels, the moment they saw them—especially upon seeing Kaguya being led by the hand by little Hanabi—they instinctively stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads in deep reverence.
This awe was entirely different from the terrifying dread people once felt toward the 'Rabbit Goddess'.
This was absolute submission built upon a brand-new order, a profound respect for their superiors and the members of the Akatsuki.
"Big sister is up there in the main hall!" Hanabi pointed at the towering stone steps ahead, her tone brimming with pride.
However, when the two stepped onto the top-floor open-air command deck, the scene before them made Kaguya's footsteps pause for a fraction of a second.
In the center of the vast hall sat an enormous sand table detailing the layout of the Holy City. And standing at the very front of the table, hands resting firmly on the edge as she commanded the entire operation, was Hinata.
The Hinata standing there was entirely unrecognizable from the gentle "big sister" that Hanabi always spoke of.
She wore a finely tailored, elegant robe, her long purplish-black hair pinned up high, revealing a pale, slender neck. She wasn't intentionally releasing any chakra, but the terrifying life force and natural pressure belonging to a Six Paths level powerhouse shrouded the entire hall like a bottomless, invisible abyss.
"The Earth Style foundation for the second engineering team is off by three inches on the west side. This will cause the drainage channels to backflow in the later stages."
Hinata's voice wasn't loud. It was cool, calm, yet carried the unquestionable, absolute authority of a supreme ruler.
A faint blue divine luster swirled deep within her pure white eyes—the physical manifestation of power elevated to its absolute zenith.
"Orochimaru." Hinata lifted her gaze, letting it fall lightly upon the left side of the hall.
The once-dreaded, chilling Orochimaru—who had terrified the entire ninja world—was currently dressed in a gray chief engineer's uniform. Hearing his name, he immediately stepped forward, bowing so deeply he didn't even dare look Hinata in the eye.
"My deepest apologies, Lady Hinata... The failure in supervision was entirely mine." Orochimaru's voice carried a deeply hidden, instinctual tremble.
"Tear it down and rebuild it within the hour." Hinata calmly retracted her gaze and looked to the right.
"Lady Tsunade, the medical logistics and drug rations exceeded the budget by ten percent yesterday. Although Lord Alex stated that costs are not a concern, the depletion of resources cannot be left as an unaccounted mess. I want to see a detailed itemized list by tonight."
The former Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, stood among the crowd with her arms crossed.
Being singled out by Hinata, the notoriously hot-tempered Konoha Princess didn't throw a fit. Instead, her expression turned solemn as she bowed her head to receive the order. "Understood. I will personally review and submit the details this afternoon."
Such absolute dominance! Such unshakeable composure!
At the edge of the hall, Sakura and Tenten—who had rushed over to find their friends during a break—were staring at the scene in dead silence.
Both held their breath, their eyes filled with nothing but profound shock, deep envy, and an incredibly complicated mix of emotions.
Sakura looked at her master, Tsunade, bowing submissively to Hinata. Then, she looked at her best friend, Ino, who stood a half-step behind Hinata, confidently holding a folder to record the directives. A tangled mess of feelings twisted in Sakura's chest.
Even though Ino didn't possess Hinata's terrifying Six Paths pressure, she stood tall, her eyes sharp, confident, and radiant. It was the composure that belonged only to the absolute core ruling class of the Holy City—truly standing 'above all but one.'
Even the guards maintaining order around the perimeter were entirely made up of elite members from the Hyuga Clan.
By following Hinata, the Hyuga Clan had completely ascended, turning from sparrows into phoenixes.
Those Main House and Branch House members who used to have to tip-toe around Konoha's upper brass could now walk the streets of the Holy City while former Kage from other villages politely greeted them.
This was the benefit of joining the Akatsuki.
Or rather, this was the privilege of being the women by the God's side.
"Sakura..." Tenten swallowed hard, lowering her voice. An undeniable trace of bitterness and wavering leaked through her tone. "Do you think... we somehow missed out on something massive?"
Sakura bit her lower lip, her emerald eyes flashing with a chaotic storm of thoughts.
Back in Konoha, she and Ino were rivals. They were best friends on equal footing. Hinata was the timid, introverted girl who always hid behind the crowd and blushed whenever she spoke.
But now?
Now, they stood at the absolute zenith of power. A single sentence from them could force world-renowned powerhouses to bow their heads.
Meanwhile, she and Tenten were stuck as minor squad leaders for the construction teams, ending every day covered in dirt and grime.
Joining the Akatsuki... The thought surfaced uncontrollably in Sakura's mind.
If I lower my head now... is it still in time?
"That will be all for today's meeting. You are dismissed." At the sand table, Hinata finally issued the order to adjourn.
"Yes, my Lady!" The gathered powerhouses bowed perfectly in unison before retreating respectfully from the hall like a receding tide.
It wasn't until all the upper-level management was gone that the suffocating aura of a ruler instantly vanished from Hinata's body.
She turned around and saw Kaguya and Hanabi at the door. Her previously cold and stern brows instantly curved into warm crescents, her smile as gentle as a pool of spring water.
"Hanabi, Lady Kaguya, what brings you two here?"
"You were so cool just now, big sister!" Hanabi ran over and threw her arms around Hinata's waist.
Hinata's cheeks flushed slightly. She embarrassedly patted her sister's head before looking at Sakura and Tenten, who were standing rigidly nearby.
"Sakura, Tenten, you're here too. Please, sit down. I'll have someone pour some tea."
"N-No, no need for the trouble!" Sakura waved her hands frantically, stuttering.
Even though Hinata had reverted to her usual gentle, approachable self, the scene of her suppressing the entire hall was just far too impactful. Sakura and Tenten felt an instinctual dread; they couldn't dare joke around and roughhouse with Hinata like they used to.
Sakura's eyes darted around. She suddenly grabbed Ino, who was just about to put away her documents. "Ino, you... come out with me for a second. I have something to ask you!"
Without waiting for an answer, she dragged a bewildered Ino out of the hall and down a quiet, empty corridor. Tenten quickly scurried after them.
"Hey, hey, hey! Not so rough! This uniform is really expensive!"
Ino swatted Sakura's hands away and smoothed out her collar. Though she complained verbally, she couldn't hide the smug, triumphant satisfaction dancing in her eyes at being envied by her friends.
"Ino? Why is your face so red?" Sakura keenly noticed something was off and leaned in suspiciously. "Are you hiding something from us?"
"N-No I'm not!"
Ino reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She jerked backward, her hands flying up to cover her burning cheeks as her eyes darted around nervously.
Seeing the relentless, interrogating glares from Sakura and Tenten, Ino knew she couldn't brush this off without an explanation.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her violently pounding heart. The corners of her lips curled into a mysterious, deeply alluring smile.
She leaned in close to Sakura's ear and, using a voice so soft only the three of them could hear, whispered a single sentence.
"Want to know the secret to how Hinata got so strong?"
Ino's gaze grew incredibly profound, her eyes rippling with the sensual, mature charm of a fully bloomed woman.
"That is a secret only those who have truly joined the Akatsuki... those who have become 'one of us' are allowed to know."
Sakura and Tenten froze in place.
Looking at the flush spreading behind Ino's ears and the sultry look in her eyes, even if the two didn't understand the exact mechanics of the act, a woman's intuition made their hearts skip a shameful, frantic beat
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