"Madam, I apologize," Neji said quickly, his tone urgent yet controlled. Time was slipping away. The Hidden Grass Village ninjas were closing in, and every second counted.
He advanced swiftly toward Madam, his hands moving with precision. In a decisive motion, he unbuttoned her collar, exposing her smooth, pale shoulders, and bit her firmly, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips.
"Ouch!" she cried, her voice a mix of surprise and pain.
Outside, a tall Hidden Grass Village ninja charged forward, followed by dozens more. They approached the small wooden house where Neji had taken refuge.
"Scatter and surround!" Long Lin commanded sharply. His voice carried the authority of someone who had seen countless battles. The Hidden Grass Village ninjas immediately split into four coordinated teams. One advanced directly, while the other three flanked and encircled the house.
The house trembled with a dull thud as Neji punched through one of the walls and launched himself into the air, moving at lightning speed.
"First, Third, and Fourth Teams, follow me! Second Team, stay and check the scene!" Long Lin ordered, sending three teams in pursuit of the black shadow fleeing from the building. Chaos erupted across the Hidden Grass Village as ninjas from all directions scrambled to join the chase.
Meanwhile, six members of Team Two approached the small wooden house with caution. The special jonin at the forefront pricked up his ears, listening carefully. The building was silent except for the soft sobbing of a woman inside.
He snapped his fingers, and two Hidden Grass Village ninjas silently leapt onto the roof, flanking the entrance that Neji had just torn open. The remaining jonin and ninja cautiously pushed the door inward.
Inside, the room was modest: a simple bed, a table, and the body of Katsushiro, lying motionless in a pool of blood. Madam sat nearby, her clothing disheveled, shoulders partially exposed, and tears streaking her face. The sight was distressing.
"There are no enemies!" the special jonin breathed in relief—until he noticed Katsushiro sprawled in blood. His expression immediately shifted.
"You two, find a medical ninja," he ordered. The two ninjas on the roof nodded and activated the Body Vibration Technique to quickly move away.
The special jonin turned to Madam, frowning. "How many enemies remain?"
"One. He already escaped." Her voice was tinged with subtle anger. She had relied on him to protect them, yet after biting someone, he vanished faster than anyone else.
"One?!" The jonin's brows knit in confusion.
Before he could process the situation, a sharp scream cut through the air. Lightning-like hands shot out from beneath the ground, clamping around his ankles. He shuddered; the attack had come from nowhere, leaving him little time to react.
Gripping his kunai tightly, he thrust downward with all his strength.
Buzz!
Neji's palm erupted with deep blue electricity, sending a powerful stream of Chidori through the jonin's body. The current pierced violently through the jaw, exited the top of his head, and lashed upward to the ceiling. The Chidori retracted into Neji's hand with an explosive sound, like thousands of birds screaming in unison.
With a flick of his hand, the lightning fragmented into thin, needle-like senbon. They streaked toward the three Hidden Grass Village ninjas inside the house.
Lightning Release: Chidori Senbon!
By combining his Byakugan with this technique, Neji targeted vital points with deadly precision. One by one, the ninjas were struck and collapsed, lifeless.
Madam's eyes widened in shock. "You… didn't leave?"
"I don't have time to explain." Neji's tone was firm, focused entirely on the task at hand.
"Give me your daughter! I'll carry you both—let's go now."
Neji had already bit Madam to absorb chakra and conserve his own. Outside, the Hidden Grass Village ninjas had already surrounded the area. Moving through them would be nearly impossible—especially with both Karin and her mother in tow.
The figure that had escaped earlier was a Lightning Release clone, created to distract the enemy while Neji's main body used the Mole-like Hiding Technique to move underground. His plan was to eliminate the hidden ninjas guarding the house and whisk the women away before reinforcements could respond.
"Madam, hold on tight!" Neji warned. The clone's durability was unknown, so he needed to ensure their escape before the Hidden Grass Village could react.
In a flash, he shot from the wooden house like an arrow released from a bow. Aboveground, the clone drew attention, forcing the hidden ninjas to focus their fire elsewhere.
Neji raced down the street, spotting a Dango Shop ahead. Without hesitation, he smashed through the glass and darted inside.
"Block all exits! Don't let him escape!" shouted one of the pursuing ninjas. Within moments, dozens of Hidden Grass Village ninjas surrounded the shop, ready to trap him.
One ninja attempted to seal Neji with Earth Release Ninjutsu, but Neji had already prepared a counterattack. Meanwhile, Long Lin observed the scene from a distance, frowning with suspicion. He had underestimated the intruder's strength. After witnessing countless corpses at the Grass Root outpost, he knew this ninja was no ordinary combatant—either a notorious rogue or a top-tier shinobi from one of the Five Great Nations. Neither possibility reassured him.
Yugito, transformed into a black cat, approached the Dango Shop cautiously. Her instincts told her Neji was under threat. Despite his skill, he was still young, still learning. She climbed a large tree, surveying the shop and plotting the best escape route for him.
Once ready, she reverted to her true form, forming a series of hand seals. Her cherry-red lips whispered the command.
Fire Release: Great Flame Annihilation!
A massive fireball erupted, far larger than any conventional jutsu. Flames surged toward the shop with terrifying force.
"Third and Fourth Teams, stay alert outside! First Team, pursue me!" Long Lin barked. His team moved to intercept Neji, unaware of the massive firestorm descending from above.
Reacting instinctively, Long Lin channeled a quarter of his chakra and executed Great Waterfall Technique, colliding with the raging fire. The impact created a dense, blinding steam cloud, immediately engulfing a wide area. Visibility plummeted, and numerical advantage became irrelevant.
He knew that pairing Great Fire Annihilation with Great Waterfall Technique would generate thick mist, concealing movements and giving Neji the chance to escape. It was a risky gamble, but the alternative—letting the fire devastate his men—was unacceptable.
Inside the steam, a hidden ninja cried out, "Captain! Where are you?!"
Long Lin's expression remained stern. "Everyone, hold your positions! Do not move!" he ordered. The elite Hidden Grass Village ninjas surrounding the Dango Shop were trained to fight in coordinated teams; without sight, reckless movements could invite deadly attacks.
As the steam swirled around him, Long Lin executed another series of hand seals. His voice barely rose above a whisper.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
A gust of wind tore through the mist, dispersing it and restoring visibility. The battlefield, though chaotic, was momentarily clear—a brief opening in which Neji could make his next move.
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