I simultaneously traverse countless worlds

Chapter 66 Meeting with Hiashi Hyuga

"Hello, Mr. Hiashi Hyuga!"

Looking at Hiashi Hyuga, who was sitting in front of him but exuded an aura of impending violence, Li Mo understood the reason for Hiashi's furious gaze upon seeing Li Mo's arm around Hinata's waist. His Byakugan seemed to be transforming into a fiery gaze. Out of consideration for his father's anger and Hinata's feelings, Li Mo quietly released her and introduced her: "You can call me Li Mo, the highest-ranking officer of the Shinobi Alliance. Hinata is now my lover..."

Li Mo's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, extinguishing Hiashi Hyuga's anger. He stared at the man opposite him with his eldest daughter in disbelief, but upon closer inspection, he couldn't think of any reason why the other party would lie.

To those in the allied faction, the Ninja Alliance was a mysterious behemoth. Most lower- and mid-level ninjas only had a superficial understanding of it, far less than the civilians who had been infiltrated by the Ninja Alliance's propaganda teams. At most, they knew that the Ninja Alliance's ninjas were very strong and needed to be on high alert when they encountered them in battle. No one would ever claim that the Ninja Alliance was much stronger than themselves in every aspect.

In this regard, all parties in the united camp reached a tacit understanding. Neither the daimyo and nobles nor the Kage and high-ranking officials of the ninja villages wanted their subordinates to know too much. If the poor, who were regarded as talking animals, knew and fled, the daimyo, nobles, and ninja villages could barely tolerate it, since it was a better outcome than them gathering together to rebel. However, if the ninjas, who relied on military force, knew too much and lost their will to fight and ran away, then they could not tolerate it.

As one of the most powerful families in Konoha, Hyuga Hiashi, the head of the Hyuga clan, naturally knew many things that ordinary Konoha ninjas did not. For example, the Ninja Alliance was stronger than the Allied Forces in terms of economy, technology and industry. Otherwise, the various parties in the Allied Forces would not be so wary and dare not take the initiative to start a war. They would also be honest in doing various smuggling and other business with each other in private.

However, even the three major ninja villages of Konoha and a group of smaller ninja villages did not know the true situation of the highest-ranking officer of the Shinobi World Alliance. Hyuga Hiashi himself was even less aware of it, but thinking about the grand treatment he had just received, he began to believe it!

"Hinata, you... it seems you're doing quite well with Li Mo!"

Hiashi Hyuga looked at Li Mo very seriously. He noticed that this cheap son-in-law who had taken his daughter away had clear eyes that gave him a feeling of facing a calm sea. After looking at him for a while, he turned his attention to his daughter and said with a complicated expression.

To be honest, Hiashi Hyuga's efforts over the past few years to find his eldest daughter were not only driven by his concern about the outflow of the Hyuga main family's bloodline, but also by his care for his eldest daughter. Otherwise, from a ninja's cold-blooded perspective, a few years would have been enough for Hinata Hyuga to be presumed dead... or presumed dead.

This is no exaggeration. The original Naruto anime may seem like a shonen manga, but in reality, ninjas are mercenaries who do things for money and even kill people.

Therefore, the ninja's style of doing things is always bloody and cruel!

In the original Naruto storyline, when the protagonist Naruto Uzumaki and his classmates graduated, it had been almost ten years since the war began. The newly recruited rookie ninjas had all gone through missions ranging from simple to difficult, and had become accustomed to combat and bloodshed.

However, right after the Fourth Shinobi World War ended, when Konoha and Kumogakure were bleeding each other dry, the ninjas who went to the battlefield were far more ruthless than those in peacetime. They believed in killing their opponents without hesitation. Even if the enemy surrendered or captured an enemy ninja, unless he was a high-ranking ninja or a skilled medical ninja, the fate of captured ninjas from opposing villages was generally not good.

Previously, Hiashi Hyuga was so concerned about the safety of his eldest daughter that he went so far as to drag his allies into putting pressure on the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, because he knew the value of the Byakugan bloodline limit to other ninja villages. Especially when Hinata Hyuga was still a woman, it was not surprising at all that she was captured by the Hidden Cloud Village and used as the mother of the Byakugan bloodline limit, and it would not have surprised other ninjas that she had been imprisoned for so long.

Now, Hiashi Hyuga is very pleased to find that although his eldest daughter was taken by Li Mo, that wild boar, his daughter Hinata Hyuga is in a very good condition. It's just that his Byakugan might have been disguised and turned blue.

"...Father, Mo and I are doing very well. Look, my Byakugan bloodline limit has successfully evolved into the Tenseigan!"

Faced with her father Hiashi Hyuga's sigh, Hinata Hyuga, who hadn't seen her parents for several years and whose memories of them were somewhat hazy, stared at Hiashi Hyuga for several seconds before speaking. She gave a general account of her situation with her man, and then boasted about her evolved bloodline limit. Her opened Tenseigan radiated a deep blue light, like the purest and finest sapphire.

"Byakugan? Evolved into Tenseigan?! This..."

Upon hearing Hinata Hyuga's words, Hiashi Hyuga initially didn't quite believe them. However, when he saw his eldest daughter unleash her Tenseigan, he immediately felt the powerful suppression emanating from her bloodline and had no choice but to believe her.

The Naruto world is jokingly called the world of the Otsutsuki bloodline, and that's no exaggeration. All the named bloodline limits in the ninja world are related to the Otsutsuki bloodline. For example, the Hyuga clan's Byakugan bloodline limit is actually inherited from Otsutsuki Hamura, the second son of Kaguya Otsutsuki, who was once sent to guard the moon. It's just that the Hyuga clan came to the ninja world from the moon a thousand years ago.

In reality, the potential of the Ōtsutsuki Hamura lineage is no less than that of the bloodline left by Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, who claimed to be the Sage of Six Paths. For example, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo's descendants include the Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki clans, while Ōtsutsuki Hamura's bloodline includes the Hyuga and Kaguya clans. However, although the Hyuga clan's Byakugan is known as one of the three great dojutsu, compared to the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, the Byakugan has almost no potential for further advancement.

The reason is very simple: the Hyuga clan's system of main and branch families turns most of its members into slaves who can be enslaved. Furthermore, the clan practices endogamy, and its Byakugan is completely based on outdated practices. Even if there are geniuses, they are easily perceived as a threat by the Hyuga main family and suppressed.

Even for Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga clan, it was difficult to change the Hyuga clan's system. For example, the Byakugan bloodline limit was a time when it was very suitable for reconnaissance. Even though he vaguely knew from some ancient books in the clan that the Byakugan might have an even stronger evolution, it was really hard for him to make up his mind to change it. Moreover, how to make the Byakugan evolve into the Tenseigan was also a huge problem.

Now, Hiashi Hyuga could truly see the bloodline suppression brought about by his eldest daughter's shining blue Tenseigan. This was a feeling that no fake could bring, and it filled him with a strange sense of pride!

"Well then, Father-in-law, besides our family matters, let's get down to business..."

Seeing Hiashi Hyuga's excited expression and his cautious inquiries to Hinata about the Tenseigan, Li Mo patiently waited for a while, sipping tea and helping Hinata fill in the details. Only when Hiashi Hyuga's emotions had stabilized and Hinata felt they had run out of topics to discuss did Li Mo look at Hiashi Hyuga and prepare to talk to him about the important matter he had just thought of.

That's right, Li Mo was planning to talk to his father-in-law about how to influence the Hyuga clan's stance in Konoha. He also wanted to deliver a message from Yamanaka Ino to one of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and to make more thorough preparations before the start of the great war!

"Business?"

At this moment, Hiashi Hyuga realized what was going on. He looked at Li Mo, who had been taking advantage of his beautiful little cabbage for several years without sending a single message back to the Hyuga clan, and his expression was slightly complicated. He clearly understood the serious matter that Li Mo was talking about.

"That's right, I think my father-in-law should seriously consider the Hyuga clan's current stance. By the way, I've also taken in a group of Hyuga branch family members!"

Seeing the change in Hyuga Hiashi's expression, Li Mo knew that he had already anticipated this. In fact, he should have been mentally prepared when he secretly went to the border market to look for his daughter. However, Li Mo still spoke up with a wicked sense of humor, making it clear that the Hyuga family should make a choice and change their mind.

"I...I understand..."

This time, Hiashi Hyuga's expression was truly conflicted. He was naturally unwilling to betray Konoha, but when he looked at Li Mo and Hinata Hyuga, he remembered the current situation and had no choice but to sigh helplessly.

If he could, Hiashi Hyuga would very much like to directly refute this topic. However, he could hardly influence the entire Hyuga clan's stance on matters such as betraying Konoha and the Hyuga branch family. Although he was the head of the Hyuga clan, there were still several elders of the main Hyuga clan above him who were still alive. All major matters of the Hyuga clan had to be discussed with them. Otherwise, even if he was the head of the main Hyuga clan, he could not ignore the interests and positions of the other members of the Hyuga clan.

Now, Hiashi Hyuga understands that the Hyuga clan may truly undergo a huge change this time. And between the two major forces of the Shinobi Alliance and the Allied Forces, he doesn't know whether the Hyuga clan will be reborn or completely decline after making its choice...

Chapter 67 Pre-war meeting

Li Mo patiently persuaded Hyuga Hiashi to calm down, and then had Hyuga Hizashi, who was staying in the Nijigasaki Administrative District, bring people over and show him around the Nijigasaki Administrative District and several major cities. After that, Hyuga Hiashi had no more worries.

joke!

Hiashi Hyuga's previous concern stemmed from his knowledge of the general strength of Konoha and the Allied Forces, but a lack of understanding of the Shinobi Alliance's strength. Even if he knew the Shinobi Alliance was powerful, war is not a matter of strength guaranteeing victory, especially since the Allied Forces had a larger population and more ninja forces overall.

However, after observing the Ninja Alliance's Rainbow Island, Water Island, and several former port cities of the Land of Wind, Hiashi Hyuga realized that the Ninja Alliance's overall strength far exceeded his imagination. It was not something that could be understood simply by looking at some intelligence reports; it was something that one had to witness firsthand to gain a general understanding of industrialized power. It was the overwhelming force of an industrialized nation over semi-industrialized or even agricultural nations.

Even though the industrialization on the side of the Ninja World Alliance is, strictly speaking, a combination of chakra power unique to the Ninja World and industrialization, the situation on the other side of the alliance is far worse, consisting of multiple factions, feudalism, and semi-industrialization. The contrast between the two is extremely dire.

To make a more appropriate comparison, the Ninja World Alliance is roughly equivalent to the Second Prussian Empire during World War I, while the Allied Forces are like Tsarist Russia during World War I. However, since this was not a true World War I, the Ninja World Alliance did not have to worry about England, which had naval superiority. On the contrary, the Ninja World Alliance was the one with naval superiority. The Allied Forces were really just a small, disassembled version of Tsarist Russia.

After all, Tsarist Russia during World War I had a population of over 100 million and a universally recognized Tsar to mediate (the consequences of failed mediation and defeat in war were simply a change of Tsar). However, on the united front, while the daimyo of the three major powers might discuss matters with each other, they would not claim to be inferior to the other two daimyo. Even the three major ninja villages were like this. The small countries and ninja villages each had their own agendas and were only temporarily united because of the Shinobi World Alliance.

In the past, even as the head of the Hyuga clan, Hiashi Hyuga would have been somewhat aware of this situation. However, before Tsarist Russia was defeated by the Second Prussian Empire, the title of the European Gendarmerie was still quite intimidating. The allied forces consisted of three major powers and three major ninja villages, along with a dozen or so smaller countries and ninja villages that cheered them on. If they had gathered an army of hundreds of thousands, most people would have thought they were very powerful.

However, when Hiashi Hyuga saw the powerful weapons of war and the elite ninja army of the lowest-ranking Chunin on the Shinobi Alliance's side, he understood that if the Shinobi Alliance and the Allied Forces went to war, the Shinobi Alliance would inevitably have an absolute advantage, which would be an overwhelming advantage over the Allied Forces in all aspects except for the size of the population and resources.

After parting ways with Hiashi, Li Mo spent two more days sightseeing with Hinata Hyuga and Ino Yamanaka before returning to the command post on Water Island. The first thing he did was prepare for the Supreme Command meeting before launching the war against the Allied Forces!

………………

"Report! The 30,000 ninja troops in the desert war zone are ready to attack. All kinds of heavy weapons, equipment, logistics and medicine are ready. They are expected to launch an offensive against the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain within 12 hours!"

"The navy can immediately deploy three steel warships and fifteen 10,000-ton cargo ships, which are expected to transport 10,000 ninja soldiers and logistical supplies in one trip!"

"Within 24 hours, we can mobilize the entire ninja army; within 48 hours, we can mobilize the second echelon of reserve ninja, police, and reserves; and within 72 hours, we can mobilize all first-level reserves. Currently, our material reserves are sufficient for three months of total mobilization. If we only mobilize the second or first echelon, we can guarantee an even longer period of time!"

"If it goes into a full-scale war, factories and farms will all be under military control, and commerce and other aspects are expected to be greatly affected. If it is only a partial mobilization, the impact should not be too great."

"The intelligence agencies' agents planted in the three major powers and a group of smaller countries can be activated at any time..."

In the former capital of the Land of Water, now the largest city in the Water Islands under the Ninja Alliance, Li Mo sat in the main seat of the conference room, listening to reports from the various combat staff officers about the Ninja Alliance's current war preparations.

Without a doubt, Li Mo had no intention of following the example of Zhuge Liang, who worked himself to death while managing all the major affairs. Since taking over the Rainbow Country, he had already begun to train officials at all levels. For example, the Ninja Army had established professional departments such as the Staff Department, Medical Department, and Logistics Department. Even though it started as a makeshift team, after more than ten years of continuous training, the Ninja Alliance's Ninja Army had become highly professional.

This is not simply to say that the Ninja Alliance's ninja army is professional and has strong combat power. More importantly, the Ninja Alliance provides comprehensive support for the ninja army in all aspects. Just by selecting and training children of school age from more than 20 million people, it has trampled on the training systems of individual ninja villages that rely on ninja clans and ninja schools. Perhaps those ninjas with superpowers are stronger individually, but the vast majority of ninjas in the ninja world are still normal people. Moreover, the Ninja Alliance's ninja army training is a layered system that separates elite ninjas.

Not to mention, the Ninja Alliance has abundant supplies of various kinds, which means that the professional ninja soldiers of the Ninja Alliance can disregard the need to do missions and earn bounties. They are based entirely on 24/7 professional training, and with just a little bloodshed, they become extremely elite ninja soldiers. Coupled with large-scale equipment of chakra armor and a large number of chakra heavy weapons, it can be said that they have already crushed the old ninjas of the Allied forces in all aspects.

Previously, Li Mo was hesitant because continuing the war with the three major ninja villages would likely deplete his core strength, and he might even die from overeating. After all, he wasn't one of those ninjas who only cared about killing and didn't consider ruling. To defeat and annex various countries and major ninja villages, he needed to consider many things.

However, after several years of preparation, Li Mo is now confident enough to annex the three great nations, the three great ninja villages, and a group of smaller forces. So, the matter of Hyuga Hiashi has made him prepare to conquer the entire ninja world!

“Very well, then I command…”

Upon hearing the reports from his various staff officers, and combining them with those from his shadow soldiers and trusted confidants, confirming that his current forces were completely capable of overwhelming his opponents, Li Mo stood up abruptly. Looking at Mei Terumi, who was sitting to the side, and Tsunade, Pakura, Orochimaru, and others who were attending the meeting via projection using the Illusionary Body Technique, he decisively ordered: "Next, arrange a feint attack in the desert theater to contain the main force of the opposing coalition. The naval fleet is preparing to maneuver in the waters between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning. The landing force is preparing to board and depart according to plan!"

At this moment, Li Mo did not specify his target, but no one present was a fool. They were either outstanding martial arts masters at the Super Shadow level or Shadow level, or elites who had stood out from tens of thousands of people. Naturally, they understood that Li Mo's target was definitely not the enemy's strong defenses, but their weakness.

After all, no matter how incompetent the allied forces were, they still understood the need to build defenses along the border. In particular, the Land of Fire, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Rain did their utmost to set up multiple lines of defense and stationed regular ninja troops from their respective ninja villages. Even though they did not have the technological level of the Shinobi Alliance, they still managed to build relatively solid border defenses in conjunction with their participation in the three Shinobi World Wars.

Li Mo wasn't stupid. Sending his men to charge headlong into the enemy's lines was less efficient than choosing a more suitable target. Although he hadn't explicitly stated it, everyone else in the conference room guessed that a landing operation was about to begin.

"Yes, sir!"

Faced with Li Mo's order, no staff member raised any objection but responded in unison. They had already formulated multiple battle plans, and it was just a matter of which one their boss would choose. Moreover, amphibious operations were nothing new to the Ninja Alliance. Back in the Kirigakure era, they had conducted coastal raids, so they had accumulated a lot of experience in amphibious operations.

Subsequently, the operations staff quickly began planning, anticipating the mobilization of regular ninja forces and a feint attack in the desert theater. If it were to be a landing operation, preparing ships and supplies in advance would also be essential!

……

After the advisor in the conference room made a perceptive request and left, Li Mo looked at the true core figures of the Shinobi Alliance present, including Tsunade, Mei Terumi, Pakura, Orochimaru, and Nagato Uzumaki, who were also the five Kage-level powerhouses of the Shinobi Alliance.

In the ninja world, the phenomenon of one person defeating an entire army is not unique. Not to mention Otsutsuki Hamura and Otsutsuki Hagoromo from a thousand years ago, the Warring States period of the ninja world alone recorded many powerful individuals who defeated an entire force with their own strength. The most typical examples are the two god-like figures, Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. When they were alive, they dominated the entire ninja world.

Of course, in Li Mo's view, there were probably very few super-Kage level ninjas recorded during the Warring States period of the ninja world. After all, that level was not something that normal ninjas could achieve through hard work. There should have been some quasi-Kage or even Kage level ninjas. However, in the current ninja world, super-Kage level ninjas are the top combat power. Even if they encountered the resurrected Sage of Six Paths, super-Kage level ninjas would have a fighting chance. Kage level ninjas and those below that level are just high-level cannon fodder.

Even though the Ninja World Alliance established by Li Mo has Kage-level powerhouses who are like nuclear weapons, they could even wear down the Ninja World Alliance by using guerrilla warfare. After all, even the Third Raikage, who was overwhelmed by the Iwa Ninja army, was actually unwilling to retreat and the reinforcements from Kumogakure were blocked. But if a Kage-level powerhouse wanted to use decapitation or guerrilla tactics, it would be truly helpless without a powerhouse of the same level to stop them.

Seeing Orochimaru and the three beautiful women with whom he shared a close relationship, besides Nagato Uzumaki who was hiding his presence, Li Mo nodded, then hung up the ninja world map and pointed it directly towards the Cloud Village in the Land of Lightning:

"My first goal is to destroy the Hidden Cloud Village!"

Chapter 68 Target—Kumon Village!

"Kumon-Ninja Village?"

"Indeed, the relationship between Kumogakure and Konoha and Iwagakure is terrible, and their behavior is also very arrogant, even within the Allied Forces!"

"But most of the ninjas in Kumogakure are still in their own village..."

Upon hearing Li Mo's words, Tsunade, Mei Terumi, Pakura, Orochimaru, and the others looked at the ninja world map with some surprise. Apart from Nagato Uzumaki, who did not know much about the situation in Kumogakure, the others all expressed their opinions on Kumogakure.

Without a doubt, including Yekura and Terumi Mei, regardless of whether they had fought against Kumogakure, they all believed that Kumogakure was the kind of village that acted very tyrannically. In other words, Kumogakure revered force and displayed it very directly. They might be a little more disciplined when dealing with the other four great ninja villages, but when it came to the smaller ninja villages or single ninja clans in the ninja world, Kumogakure's style was no different from that of the arrogant America.

Of course, this doesn't mean that the other four great ninja villages, besides Kumogakure, behave much better. Even Konoha, the top of the five great ninja villages, has also betrayed its allies and subordinates quite a few times. But at least Konoha and the other three great ninja villages still have some face to maintain on the surface. Kumogakure, on the other hand, doesn't care about face at all.

In the original Naruto storyline, when the Hidden Cloud Village failed in its attempt to abduct Hinata Hyuga, it was able to grit its teeth and threaten to continue the war to demand that the Hidden Leaf Village hand over the head of the Hyuga clan. However, the Hidden Leaf Village's F4 tacitly approved of this outcome, which led to the Hyuga clan having to force Hizashi Hyuga of the branch family to commit suicide as a way to end the conflict. The Hidden Cloud Village did not stop there, and continued to plunder ninja clans and even small ninja villages that possessed secret techniques or bloodline limits. Their behavior was extremely arrogant and domineering.

Under the wings of Li Mo, the wind god winged dragon, the way the Cloud Village acted in the ninja world changed somewhat. It joined the alliance with the Rock Village, the Leaf Village, and a group of smaller ninja villages, and did not plunder or exploit those smaller ninja villages. However, it did not change much in terms of doing things its own way. After confirming that the Leaf Village and the Rock Village would not allow them to extend their hands into the two great powers, it had no intention of sending ninja troops to join.

It has to be said that the situation in the allied camp is truly speechless. The daimyo of the Land of Lightning greatly approved of the actions of the Hidden Cloud Village. After some negotiations with the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, the Hidden Cloud Village was allowed to serve as a second-tier reinforcement. In addition, some technology was exchanged with the two major countries, which resolved the internal disputes within the allied camp.

The Land of Fire and the Land of Earth didn't pursue the matter further. If they were in the Land of Lightning's position, they would probably prioritize their own interests as well. Sending ninja forces to other countries would only be possible if their own conditions were met!

"As for the Hidden Cloud Village, it can only mobilize about 30,000 ninjas right now, of which 15,000 are regular ninja soldiers, stationed along the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, as well as several important ports in the Land of Lightning. The number of ninjas maintained by the village is certainly considerable, but it is also the limit..."

Once Li Mo and the others had finished their discussion, he placed several markers on the map of the Land of Lightning and revealed the troop deployment information within the Hidden Cloud Village.

Logically speaking, the military deployment of the Cloud Village should be top secret, but those present were not surprised at all.

Putting aside the fact that few places in the ninja world are qualified to claim secrecy, the mobilization of regular ninja troops in Kumogakure is very difficult to conceal. It's one thing to hide a dozen or a few dozen people, but how can the mobilization and deployment of tens of thousands of ninja troops be kept secret for so long?

Especially in locations such as the borders and ports of the Land of Lightning, the tens of thousands of ninja troops stationed in the Hidden Cloud Village are supplied by the Land of Lightning. It is unrealistic to expect those people in the Land of Lightning to keep it a secret. Even their colleagues in the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth are in the same situation. The fact that the ninja troops are stationed there is almost public information.

At best, the deployment of the strong and elite ninjas of the Cloud Village is classified information. You might be able to know the approximate number of Cloud Village ninjas stationed in a certain area, but detailed information about the truly strong and elite ninjas will not be given to the people of the Land of Lightning. However, for Li Mo, knowing the intelligence information that the Cloud Village is trying so hard to hide is simply giving an order to the Shadow Soldiers, and detailed intelligence will be sent over immediately.

In any case, the troop deployment and strongman traces of the Cloud Village were meaningless to Li Mo. Similarly, top-secret information such as the defense deployment maps of the Leaf Village and the Iwa Village were reported directly by the Shadow Soldiers in real time!

"As for the Hidden Cloud Village, not to mention the few near-Kage level shinobi they've dispatched, the Fourth Raikage and eight Jinchuriki are all in the village, which makes things a bit tricky!"

Upon hearing the news from Li Mo, Tsunade, who had experienced the Second Shinobi World War, frowned as she looked at the map of the Land of Lightning and pondered the news. She still took a cautious approach to the large ninja village of Kumogakure.