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Chapter 285: Quiet and Beautiful Days
Sky Fortress Deck.
Sunlight poured down, painting the entire Sky Fortress in a warm, golden hue.
On the deck, lush green meadows stretched out. Meticulously pruned flowers of various colors dotted the landscape, swaying gently in the breeze.
A crystal-clear water channel cut across the deck, the stream bubbling as it flowed. The bottom was paved with smooth cobblestones, and several koi swam lazily within.
The scent of flowers filled the air, and birds chirped melodiously.
It was a true hanging garden suspended in the clouds.
Holding Hanabi's hand, Hinata walked slowly onto the deck.
The fresh air, carrying the faint fragrance of blossoms, was instantly refreshing. The warm sunlight washed over them, driving away the lingering exhaustion of the night before.
"Wow—"
Hanabi's eyes widened, her mouth forming a perfect 'O'.
Releasing Hinata's hand, she ran to the edge of the water channel, crouching down to watch the colorful koi swimming about. She then looked up at the sea of flowers swaying in the distance, before finally turning back to Hinata. Her small face was filled with awe and delight.
"Sister! This place is so beautiful! So, so, so beautiful!"
When she arrived yesterday, it was already late. Though she thought it was beautiful then, the darkness and artificial lighting made it hard to see clearly. Now, bathed in bright sunlight with every detail in sharp focus, she finally grasped the absolute beauty of this sky garden.
"Sister, Sister!" Hanabi ran back, grabbing Hinata's hand and shaking it. "How did they make this? How can there be such a pretty garden so high up in the sky? Where does the water come from? Won't the fish freeze? Is it cold at night? How are the flowers planted here..."
A barrage of questions shot out of her little mouth like machine-gun fire.
Hinata couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to gently ruffle Hanabi's hair with extreme tenderness.
"This is all thanks to Uncle Kameda," she replied softly, smiling. "He designed and built it. It really is beautiful, isn't it?"
"Uncle Kameda?" Hanabi tilted her head. "Is that the short, chubby uncle who always smiles so nicely?"
"Mhm, that's him."
Hanabi blinked and was about to ask another question when she noticed Hinata's gaze slightly shift toward the distance.
A second later, a short, chubby figure abruptly appeared right there.
It was indeed Kameda.
He wore his usual genial expression, his friendly trademark smile plastered across his honest face.
After receiving power from Alex, Kameda had leaped from a mere Chunin to an expert at the peak of the Kage Level. The explosive increase in speed, strength, perception, and reflexes had completely transformed him.
But to the current Hinata, a peak Kage Level expert was nothing.
The instant Kameda appeared, Hinata had already perceived him. His high-speed movement was perfectly clear to her, appearing in slow motion.
"Lady Hinata."
Kameda hurried forward, bowing his head respectfully.
However, the moment he raised his head and his eyes met Hinata's, his pupils violently contracted.
An indescribable tremor of terror rose from the very depths of his soul! It was an instinctual fear of life, the involuntary trembling of a lower lifeform facing a transcendent existence!
Lady Hinata's aura…
Kameda's mind was reeling.
He was already at the peak Kage Level. At this stage, he was confident enough to face almost any enemy. Yet, standing before Lady Hinata right now, he felt like a completely ordinary person.
That wasn't a height any Kage Level could reach!
That was…
A God.
Kameda instantly understood.
It had to be Lord Alex.
Only an existence transcending the gods, like Lord Alex, could elevate Lady Hinata to such a realm overnight.
A wave of uncontrollable fervor and reverence surged in his heart.
"Hinata!"
Just then, a crisp voice rang out.
Shion appeared beside Hinata without any warning, simply materialized out of thin air. A cheerful smile adorned her face, showing she was in an excellent mood. Sunlight illuminated her delicate features, her skin incredibly supple and radiating a gorgeous, youthful luster.
Immediately following her, Ryuzetsu, Honoka, and Samui also appeared beside Hinata.
The way they appeared was exactly the same as Shion.
Without any warning whatsoever.
Kameda didn't sense any chakra fluctuations either. They just manifested out of thin air, as if they had always been standing there.
Kameda realized that the disparity in strength was simply too massive, which was why he couldn't detect a single trace of their arrival.
His body began to tremble faintly.
The shock in his heart had reached its absolute peak.
Lady Shion, Lady Ryuzetsu, Lady Honoka, Lady Samui…
The aura radiating from them was exactly the same as Lady Hinata's! It was that same divine pressure that made him tremble, fear, and feel utterly powerless!
Kameda completely understood.
It wasn't just Lady Hinata.
All of them had been bestowed with power last night. They had all… become existences rivaling gods.
As this realization exploded in his mind, an unprecedented fervor and gratitude erupted from the depths of his heart!
How fortunate he was!
Long ago, before those two existences transcending gods had truly risen to power, he had already met them. He was fortunate enough to pledge his loyalty back then, fortunate enough to survive until now, and fortunate enough to witness all of this.
Even more fortunately, he had gone from a Chunin to a peak Kage Level expert!
And if…
If he continued to serve loyally with his life, just as he always had…
If he could perform even better…
Then in the future, might he also gain Lord Alex's favor and be granted power even greater than the Kage Level?
Once that thought surfaced, it could not be suppressed.
Kameda trembled even harder—trembling with excitement, longing, and an inexpressible surge of emotion!
"Kameda," Hinata's voice softly called out.
Kameda snapped his head up, meeting those pure white eyes.
In that instant, he saw a brilliant azure light flash within Lady Hinata's pupils. It was the radiance of the Tenseigan.
Hinata looked at him calmly, the corners of her lips curled up slightly in a gentle smile. Her gaze seemed to pierce straight through his body, seeing straight into his soul, laying bare all of his thoughts.
Including the fierce desire and ambition that had sparked just moments ago.
"Just like before, serve Lord Alex and Lady Konan well." Hinata's voice was soft. "You will achieve what your heart desires."
Kameda jolted violently!
He didn't feel offended in the slightest. Instead, a wave of indescribable gratitude and awe washed over him.
Lady Hinata had seen right through him.
Yet there was no reprimand, no warning. Only this single, gentle promise.
"Yes!"
Kameda bowed deeply, his voice trembling with emotion. "I swear absolute loyalty to Lord Alex and Lady Konan! I would never dare harbor any treacherous thoughts!"
Hinata gave a small nod, withdrawing her gaze.
Taking a deep breath, Kameda steadied his racing heart and spoke respectfully, "Lady Hinata, breakfast has already been prepared. Would you like me to..."
Before he could finish, Hinata slightly sensed the surroundings and nodded. "Bring it up. Lord Alex and Lady Konan will be here shortly."
"Understood! I will arrange it immediately!"
With those words, Kameda's figure instantly vanished.
Peace returned to the deck.
The sunlight was still warm, the stream still babbled, and the fragrance of flowers still lingered.
Shion walked up beside Hinata, stretching luxuriously. Looking like a satisfied kitten, she tilted her head, looked at Hinata, and teased, "Hinata, your skin looks milky-white and incredibly soft. Seems like you were nourished very well."
Hinata's earlobes flushed red, and she shot back playfully, "You're not much different."
Then, looking at Ryuzetsu, Samui, and Honoka, she added, "We're all the same."
The five girls exchanged glances before letting out synchronized, light laughter, everything understood without needing to be said.
Hinata looked down at Hanabi beside her.
The little girl was still crouched by the water channel, wholly focused on the koi swimming beneath the surface. Her small face was filled with curiosity and joy, completely oblivious to their suggestive banter.
Reaching out, Hinata gently stroked Hanabi's hair, her movements as tender as if touching the world's most precious treasure.
"A life like this... is truly wonderful," she murmured softly, a hint of deep appreciation in her voice.
Hearing this, Shion blinked, then smiled.
"Yeah." She pointed toward the sky, where the sun shone brightly and the clouds drifted peacefully. "It really is beautiful. It feels just like a dream."
Ryuzetsu walked over, standing on Hinata's other side, gazing up at the sky as well. Honoka and Samui also slowly stepped closer.
The five figures stood side by side.
The sunlight outlined them with a golden halo. Their five different colors of hair fluttered gently in the breeze, beautiful as goddesses stepping out of a painting.
Hanabi finally looked up. Seeing the scene, she couldn't help but gasp in awe.
"Big sisters, you're so pretty!"
She ran over, hugging Hinata's leg, and tilted her head up to ask, "Sister, what are you looking at?"
Hinata looked down, flashing her a warm smile. "We're looking at the sky."
"What's so interesting about the sky?" Hanabi tilted her head back too, squinting up. "It's so bright..."
"It's beautiful," Hinata said softly. "Because from now on, our days will be just like this sky—clear and everlasting."
Hanabi blinked, half-understanding, and then broke into a wide grin. "Then I want to look too!"
In this moment, the days were tranquil and serene.
Not far away, a spatial ripple gently undulated.
Alex and Konan quietly appeared on the other side of the deck, watching the scene unfold with warm smiles.
"This is what you call quiet and beautiful days..."
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