Chapter 277: Schemes
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Watching the Konoha Ninjas vanish into thin air, Karin Uzumaki couldn't help but gulp.
It would be a lie to say she wasn't scared of this Neji guy.
Of the many other reasons, one main reason was his chakra. It was blank. She couldn't sense his chakra at all, as if he didn't exist in front of her. Karin had sensed many gentle chakras, along with some very evil chakras too. But this was the first time she had found someone who came out blank to her senses… honestly, it scared her.
There were many people self-proclaiming to be a God, and many had powers to somewhat back that claim. But this guy? He was beyond anything Karin had expected to ever see.
Now she couldn't help the bitter feeling she felt when Sasuke left her. Well technically he didn't leave her, it was Tobi– or rather Madara– but still, Sasuke could at least have told the masked man to retrieve her. But he didn't. If he did, perhaps Karin wouldn't be in such a dangerous situation.
She didn't know the details of what Neji would do to her. Perhaps he would just read her memories and hand her over to Kakashi– but she wasn't sure about that so her worry was endless. Maybe he would judge her karma or something before throwing her into hell. Was there hell in this place?
Karin sat in a corner of the room, beside Tsunade who was keeping an eye out for her, and watched as Jugo closed his eyes while standing in front of Neji, and around a minute later his body turned into particles of light, slowly vanishing from the realm of reality and rushing out of the palace. A hologram screen in the air showed as Jugo's soul found himself amidst the crowd of souls in heaven, blinking and looking around before he released a heavy sigh.
That made Kirin shudder. Most other people probably wouldn't notice– but since Jugo had managed to enter heaven, it meant he had died, and he died by praying to Neji. Which in turn meant that Neji, with a single thought, could kill anyone who believed in him– who prayed to him, didn't it?
That was a horrifying power. Karin's fear just kept increasing.
Next was Kiba and Akamaru who also closed their eyes and tried to pray to Neji, but to no avail. Neji explained that just praying won't do, a person would need to believe in Neji as well. Believe, as in, believing in a God.
It seemed that– though the Inuzuka boy had seen the same things she did, and accepted that this really was heaven, it was still hard for him to accept and pray to Neji as a God. She understood the reason. Sure, Neji was a God, but accepting that didn't mean anybody would be able to just pray to him as one. For example, the Izuzuka Clan worshipped a Dog God their whole lives, so it was hard for Kiba to change his views all of a sudden.
Around an hour later though, Kiba did succeed. Akamaru succeeded right with him, proving the Dog's loyalty to the young man. Then only Ino Yamanaka remained.
"Uh," Ino smiled awkwardly when all attention fell on her. "What happens if I can't succeed even after an hour?"
Neji stared at her.
—-
Ino shed many tears in the last three days since she found out about Konoha's destruction. Everything else was a blank in her head as she could only wish that her family were among the few people who survived the assault.
Turns out, that wasn't the case.
However, she was deeply relieved upon realising at least everyone had gone to heaven. She wasn't a little girl, she knew both her father and mother had killed dozens, as they were people who lived through wars. Sure, the people they killed weren't entirely innocent– but taking a life was still a grievous sin. So for those people to end up in heaven, rather than hell? She couldn't be more happy.
In the heat of it, she had decided to join her parents by raising her hands, abandoning her comrades who wished to rebuild the village. However, in the few hours that passed since then, and now that her comrades were finally gone– she somehow regretted her decision.
No, maybe saying she regretted that 'decision' would be wrong. Rather, she regretted the fact that she didn't have the same option to choose from as Sakura did. In the last few hours, she had talked around and learned some things from Sakura. Like why was Sakura living in this palace, while everyone else was down below?
Turned out her longtime friend and rival had won the lottery once again.
Sakura could live here, relish in the benefits of heaven, yet she could also interact with the mortal world. Basically, she could see her parents anytime she wished and at the same time interact with the people alive as well. Only because she sucked Neji's dick before Ino got the chance to.
So, with such an option on the side, Ino obviously didn't want to wish for the less beneficial one. If she could experience all the heavenly benefits, yet at the same time do what a normal, living person would get to experience too, then she didn't mind sucking some dicks– especially Neji, who she admittedly had a crush on for a while anyway.
Problem was, she couldn't outright say it. The girls in the palace will see her as a greedy bitch, and sure they were right but how could they relate to her while they already were Neji's fuckmates? So, she decided to play smart.
By saying she couldn't believe in him as one should in a God. She actually could, to be honest, the things she had seen him do were just divine. But he wouldn't know about that, right?
Ino noticed Sakura giving her a knowing frown, but she acted as if she couldn't notice it.
"Is that so?" Neji said, a flat look appearing on his face that almost made her nervous– did he see through her? Or perhaps would he send her back to Konoha? He just shrugged. "Oh well. You can keep trying, Sakura will help you. Right, Sakura?"
Sakura flinched at that and even opened her mouth to say something– probably to blow Ino's cover, because Ino could tell the girl had seen through her tactic, they were close enough to read each other's thoughts, after all. But once Ino gave her a short pleading look, the pink-haired girl closed her mouth and sighed. Sakura had changed, as Ino had expected. Previously she would never share her man– even the thought of that angered the girl. Yet now, she was sharing Neji with most of the girls here (excluding, probably, Tsunade, Kurenai, and Arima. Probably). So Ino was sure Sakura wouldn't backstab her, if their longtime friendship stood for anything.
Sakura nodded. "Alright."
"Good. Take care of that Karin girl too," Neji said and gave the red-haired, glasses-wearing, skinny woman sitting beside Tsunade. He frowned, starting to chew on his lips as he muttered, "Weird how all the girls who liked Sasuke are falling on my arms…"
Ino noticed Sakura blinking at that information. Indeed, Karin had a crush on Sasuke, Ino learned about that in the few days she spent with that girl. That reminded Ino of herself back in the day. Ino exchanged glances with Sakura, and both of them understood the situation without any words.
Three girls, two of them who once had a crush on Sasuke, and one who still has to this day. Neji had grouped them together, for some reason. She didn't know men that well, but Ino had to guess, she would say Neji would love to have three of them at once. She guessed the feeling of superiority that came from fucking three girls at the same time who was once in love with another guy was sweeter than necter.
…Oh well, if that helped capture Neji's attention, then Ino didn't mind manipulating that Karin girl into submission. Besides, it seemed fun, sharing a bed with Sakura. Though more than anything, she wanted to see Sasuke's reaction if he ever saw that scene.
— - —
With that done, Neji was free now.
Sakura, Ino, and Karin went out in the garden, while Temari, Tenten, and Samui went out to the training gym located in one huge room in the palace. Kurenai and Mirai were in their room, both asleep while hugging each other, and Tsunade and Shizune were still in the living room with Hanabi, Arima, and Hinata.
"That was it." Neji said as walker over to Hinata. "I am done with the work here, so it's up to you when you want to go see Naruto."
"Let's go right now."
"Alright." Neji nodded, grabbing her hand, even as she flinched, and prepared to leave.
"Can we watch?" Hanabi asked, sitting beside her mother who honestly looked worried.
"Keep her safe if that boy really attacks her, alright Neji?" Arima asked, looking at him carefully. She had become much calmer around him now, since she wasn't treated badly at all in the few days she's been staying here.
"Be careful," Tsunade said, while Shizune just inclined her head from beside her.
"I thought you would want to come as well," Neji said while looking at Tsunade. "Naruto was kinda like your grandson, right?"
Tsunade sighed. "As you said, he 'was'. Not anymore, right? You said to yourself, he's not the same as before."
"And you believe me so easily?" Neji asked with a smile. "I am a big big liar, you know."
"And here I was trusting you~" Tsunade sighed exaggeratedly before giggling. "Just be careful."
"We will be watching!"
"I suggest you don't," Neji gave Hanabi a short warning because the sight wouldn't be pleasing to her at all. Then he teleported from his spot in a flash of white light.
Truthfully, he was really annoyed with Hinata. But at the very least, this will wake her up.
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