Outside Konoha, in an underground laboratory…
"Toshi-san, come out quickly!"
The space trembled suddenly, and Genya appeared in the laboratory along with the others in an instant.
Immediately after, Genya's anxious and urgent voice rang out. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his eyes were filled with worry.
Neji's mother hung in the air, barely breathing, weakly lying on the ground. Her face was pale as paper, devoid of any color, and her breath was faint, like a candle about to be blown out by the wind.
The injury to her soul was severe—a deep, penetrating trauma. Without timely and effective treatment, her life was only a matter of time.
Years ago, Neji's mother had suffered brutal torture, leaving her soul deeply wounded.
At that time, Toshi relied on his own abilities to pull her back from the brink of life and death.
But now, she was once again trapped in a soul-damaged abyss, and the situation was even more critical than before.
"Toshi-san, come out quickly!" Neji also spoke in panic, his voice filled with uncontrollable anxiety.
His eyes were wide, staring at his mother's lifeless face, his hands trembling slightly without him realizing it.
At this moment, he had only one thought: no matter the cost, he had to save his mother.
"What happened?" Toshi hurried out of the room, his steps quick. But when he saw Neji's mother lying on the ground, barely alive, his voice immediately filled with shock. "Neji, what's going on? What happened to your mother?"
As he spoke, he quickly moved forward, crouching and carefully channeling chakra into her body.
His gaze was focused and heavy, as if he could sense every tiny change within her through the chakra.
As the chakra flowed into her, his expression grew more serious.
Neji had been gone only a short while, yet he had returned with his mother barely clinging to life, and… she was clearly being kept alive by Wood Release chakra.
The Wood chakra was like a thin but resilient thread, barely sustaining her fading life.
But he could keenly feel that the woman's soul had already scattered like willow fluff in the wind, on the verge of completely disintegrating.
If it really came to the point where her soul completely shattered, this woman wouldn't even qualify to enter the Pure Land.
"Toshi-san, don't ask about the reasons. Just tell me—can you heal Neji's mother's injuries?" Genya Uchiha urged, noticing that Toshi was still asking about the circumstances.
If Toshi couldn't help, he would have to think of another way, perhaps even seek out Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was skilled in the Reanimation Technique and had deep knowledge of the soul. Maybe he could find a way to save Neji's mother.
"Neji's mother's soul is already on the verge of shattering. In the past, I might have truly had no way to help. But she is from the Hyuga clan, so perhaps there's still a chance!" Toshi said, studying Neji's mother's injuries seriously.
His eyes carefully examined her body, leaving no detail unnoticed.
"If there's a way, then heal her immediately!" Genya frowned, his tone urgent.
If Neji's mother could be cured, it would be perfect.
"Shouldn't I first check the condition of Neji's mother's soul?" Toshi glanced at Genya, explaining seriously.
His gaze was filled with professionalism and focus. At a critical moment involving life and death, there was no room for carelessness.
"Unfortunately, while her injuries were caused by the Caged Bird Seal, it is also precisely because of the Caged Bird Seal that her soul is restrained from completely collapsing. My method is to remove the Caged Bird Seal and imprint the Lotus Seal… but… I'm worried that when the Caged Bird Seal is removed, her soul might dissipate as well."
Toshi spoke seriously, each word carrying heavy weight.
It was indeed a thorny problem. If he had enough time to study, he might find a solution. But Neji's mother didn't have much time left. Every second wasted increased the risk to her life.
"Toshi-san, you must save my mother!" Neji's voice was full of desperate pleading.
His voice trembled slightly as he fell to his knees before Toshi, eyes brimming with tears that threatened to spill over at any moment.
"Sigh… If we don't restrain her soul while removing the Caged Bird Seal, then… your mother is very likely to die!" Toshi sighed and helped Neji up, speaking seriously.
"So this is very dangerous!"
Toshi had no choice but to clearly explain the pros and cons of the situation.
Up to this point, he still didn't have complete confidence that he could save Neji's mother.
This was a race against the Shinigami, and every step was filled with uncertainty.
"If it's just stabilizing the soul, I might be able to do it!" Genya suddenly spoke, his tone serious and firm.
There was a look of confidence and determination in his eyes, as if at this moment, he had become the last hope for saving Neji's mother.
Everyone present couldn't help but turn their gaze to Genya.
Although Genya stood quietly in place, a soul form slowly materialized beside him, identical to him in every way.
The soul radiated a mysterious and powerful aura, as if it came from another hidden world.
"A… a spiritual soul form!" Everyone present was shocked when they saw Genya like this.
From the soul form, they could feel a terrifying pressure, as if even a single blink from the soul Genya could make their own souls tremble uncontrollably.
The pressure was like an invisible mountain, making it hard to breathe.
Genya was incredibly strong.
"With Genya involved, there's actually some hope of success!" Seeing Genya's current state, Toshi finally allowed himself a small sigh of relief.
He had always trusted Genya's strength completely.
If even Genya and he together couldn't save Neji's mother, then there might truly be no hope.
Next, Toshi began to imprint the Lotus seal on Neji's mother.
His hands moved swiftly through a series of hand signs.
Strange, glowing lights radiated from his hands, slowly enveloping Neji's mother.
Meanwhile, Genya's soul form floated quietly nearby, ready to provide help at the critical moment.
His spiritual form focused intently, eyes locked on Toshi's movements, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
For a moment, the entire underground laboratory was unusually silent. The silence was like the surface of a lake at midnight, without a single ripple.
Everyone held their breath, quietly observing every move of Toshi and Genya, as if even the slightest sound might shatter the tense and crucial atmosphere.
Even when Deidara and Kimimaro entered afterward, they were affected by the oppressive tension, instinctively falling silent, standing to the side with concern and worry written across their faces.
Konoha… the Hyuga clan's territory!
"Lord Hokage, what should we do next?" Someone cautiously stepped forward, their voice heavy with concern after seeing Deidara and the others leave.
They stood at the entrance of the Hyuga compound, bodies trembling slightly, eyes filled with fear and hesitation.
It was as if their feet were nailed to the ground, unable to step forward. They feared it might be a trap set by Deidara and the others.
After all, there was Konoha assassin involved, and no one knew what dangers might be hidden inside.
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, his gaze deep and solemn, as if pondering something.
He hesitated.
After all, he had not seen Neji or the others emerge. To rush in blindly could lead them straight into an enemy ambush, putting them at a disadvantage.
In such a complicated situation, he had to act cautiously, avoiding any impulsive decisions that might bring danger.
"They've all left…" Just as everyone wavered, Hiashi Hyuga was the first to charge in.
Moments earlier, using his Byakugan, Hiashi had already seen what was happening inside.
Neji had already left.
As the head of the Hyuga clan, he needed to check on the current situation within the compound.
****
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/AniScout