Bathed in an electrifying aura, Neji's form glowed with an intensity that made even the most experienced Hidden Grass Village Jonin gasp.
"Bathed in lightning… is this… Lightning Release Chakra Mode?" one of them muttered, disbelief and fear mingling in his voice.
"No… impossible!"
The Elite Jonin of the Grass Village stared at Neji in stunned silence. He remembered the legendary Lightning Release techniques of the Hidden Cloud Village, but subconsciously, he refused to believe a Hidden Leaf Ninja could possess such power. Even within the Hidden Cloud Village itself, only a handful of ninjas had ever mastered Lightning Release Chakra Mode. For a Hidden Leaf ninja to wield it… it seemed unthinkable.
Neji's eyes narrowed. Anger simmered within him. He had deliberately refrained from using Lightning Release Chakra Mode until now. There were two reasons for this. First, the mode consumed enormous amounts of chakra. With his current reserves, he could maintain it for only about three minutes—a short time for such overwhelming power, yet enough to turn the tide of a battle. Even an Ultraman-sized being could manage only three minutes at full intensity.
Second, he had to maintain the guise of framing Konoha. If he revealed Lightning Release Chakra Mode, or worse, used Black Lightning, any observer could connect these secret techniques directly to the Hidden Cloud Village. Now that he had eliminated the majority of his enemies, the risk of exposure had minimized—but he had to act fast.
He counted the remaining targets in his mind. "Six Grass Ninjas," he murmured. "I still have forty percent of my chakra left, and I can maintain Lightning Release Chakra Mode for only a minute and a half. I must end this now."
Taking a deep breath, he focused his chakra. The azure lightning on his right arm darkened until it was pitch black, radiating an aura of pure cruelty. The Elite Jonin froze at the sight.
"I'll stall him!" he yelled to his comrades. "You all retreat quickly and find Long Lin!"
Before anyone could react, Neji appeared before the injured Special Jonin. His Black Lightning-infused arm lashed out like a living thing, coiling around the Jonin's neck and lifting him effortlessly into the air.
"Bastard! Let him go!" The Elite Jonin's bloodshot eyes burned with rage.
A cruel smile formed on Neji's lips. With a slight squeeze, the Special Jonin's neck snapped, bending unnaturally. The sound echoed across the battlefield, horrifying those who witnessed it.
Buzz!
The Elite Jonin's fury doubled. Drawing his ninja sword from his back, he charged at Neji, striking with deadly intent. But Neji had no intention of engaging him directly. Instead, he activated Body Vibration Technique, moving with impossible speed to overtake the remaining Grass Ninjas and extinguish their lives with surgical precision.
Body Vibration Technique had two variations: one physical, the other spatial-temporal. Physical Body Tremors were mastered by many ninjas and involved rapid movement to avoid attacks. The spatial-temporal version, however, was rare, allowing the user to manipulate space and time to move faster than the eye could perceive.
Under Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Neji's body responded with extraordinary speed. His physical Body Vibration was now twice as fast as in normal conditions, leaving the Grass Ninjas unable to react. They could only watch in horror as he decimated their ranks. Within moments, four more had fallen, leaving only the Elite Jonin standing.
Neji's chakra reserves had dwindled to twenty percent. He glanced at the Elite Jonin, who returned the stare with equal intensity. Without hesitation, they launched themselves at each other.
Two piercing wind howls cut through the night air, shattering the leaves on the ground. Black Lightning surged through Neji's body, colliding with the Elite Jonin's Chakra-coated sword. Sparks flew as steel met raw chakra. Blood dripped from Neji's hand, but he maintained his grip, refusing to yield.
The Elite Jonin's mind raced. This Lightning Release technique—Black Lightning—was an advanced secret of the Hidden Cloud Village. How could a Hidden Leaf ninja possibly know it? Doubt and confusion clouded his mind, but Neji gave him no time to think.
He clenched his palm tightly, releasing nearly ten percent of his chakra in a concentrated burst.
Lightning Release: Chidori!
Black lightning surged like serpents of death, wrapping around the Elite Jonin. His body convulsed as the shocking current robbed him of control, rendering him helpless.
"You will be my servant," Neji whispered, extending his hand. Focusing the remaining mental energy in his mind, he executed the Curse Wheel Heart Sealing Technique, asserting complete control over the Elite Jonin.
Once the technique took hold, Neji released Lightning Release Chakra Mode, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. His chakra was nearly depleted, and his breathing came in ragged gasps.
The Elite Jonin, now under Neji's control, stood before him. Hatred and defiance had faded, replaced by obedience. This was the first time Neji had used the Curse Wheel Heart Sealing Technique on a living person, and the experience deepened his understanding of the method.
The principle of the Curse Wheel Heart Sealing Technique was reminiscent of high-level Shadow Clone Jutsu. By separating chakra and mental energy from the body, it created an independent entity that could be manipulated like a puppet. Unlike Shadow Clone Jutsu, this method allowed complete control over a living opponent. Not even Sharingan, Byakugan, or the Ōtsutsuki clan's ocular powers could detect or counter it fully.
Neji studied his new "puppet." The Grass Ninja's calm expression shifted into one of respect. Moments later, he knelt on one knee.
"Master!" he declared.
"Rise," Neji commanded. Satisfaction flickered across his features as he read the memories of the Grass Ninja through the chakra sphere implanted in their body.
A slight frown crossed Neji's brow. As he anticipated, the Box of Paradise had been taken three years ago by Mui to Hozuki Castle. Yugito's efforts would be in vain. Despite this setback, Neji delved deeper into the memories, seeking hidden information, techniques, or intelligence that could benefit him.
The Hidden Grass Village specialized in selling intelligence. Their secondary objective was to secretly learn jutsu from other nations. Neji could exploit both.
Suddenly, his eyes widened with excitement. An unexpected opportunity had arisen. He realized that, based on the timeline, his targets should already be in the Hidden Grass Village.
"Katsushiro, take me to see that mother and her daughter," he ordered.
"Yes, master," came the obedient reply.
…The Hidden Grass Village, divided during the Sengoku period into the militant Grass Root faction and the pacifist Grass Flower faction, had long struggled with internal conflict. The Grass Root controlled the northern region, while the Grass Flower dominated the south. Neji had infiltrated the northern Grass Root headquarters.
Meanwhile, in the southern district, Yugito prepared her own infiltration.
A sleek black cat leaped from the roof, sliding through a narrow window with effortless grace. In an instant, its fur shimmered and transformed into a black samurai outfit. Yugito had successfully used the Transformation Jutsu to infiltrate the office undetected.
Her eyes glimmered in the darkness as she carefully surveyed the room, approximately thirty square meters, containing bookshelves and a large desk. The shelves were filled with scrolls, most of them ordinary elemental jutsu scrolls, which did little to interest her.
She approached the desk, inspecting a locked cabinet. With a flick of her finger, she extended a cat-like claw, expertly unlocking it. Inside were treasures of knowledge:
Uchiha Style Kenjutsu Scrolls
Sunagakure Basic Puppet Techniques
Explosive Swing Bloodline Limit Research
Yugito's eyes gleamed. Each scroll held techniques and knowledge that could turn the tide in future battles. With careful precision, she began to study them, ensuring that the Hidden Grass Village's secrets would soon fall into the hands of those who deserved them—her allies.
The stage was set. Both Neji and Yugito, operating in different parts of the Hidden Grass Village, had begun the first steps of a campaign that would reshape the balance of power. The night was far from over, but the first blows had already been struck, echoing across the shadows of a village steeped in secrecy.
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