Chapter 36: It's All Because Big Sister Taught Me So Well
If he had defeated her with only ten percent of his strength, did that mean at full power, he could take on ten of her?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
Neji didn't bother to argue.
He took a deep breath, and his chakra began to boil, instantly activating his Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
The brilliant blue electricity enveloped his body, and the powerful aura it emanated made Rin's heart pound.
"The Lightning Release Chakra Mode... you've actually learned it?"
"Not just the Chakra Mode, but also the Black Lightning developed by the Third Raikage."
Neji's eyes narrowed, and black lightning erupted from his palm, dancing like a swarm of violent, venomous snakes.
"..."
Rin's eyes widened. If Neji had used either of those techniques from the start, she wouldn't have stood a chance.
"No wonder you look down on the Yotsuki clan," she said, her voice filled with a sense of defeat.
He had real power. Was it his fault for being arrogant when she was the one who was weak? There was no logic in that.
"You've misunderstood," Neji explained. "I have no intention of looking down on the Yotsuki clan."
"But earlier..." Rin began, but her words trailed off.
Neji thought for a moment. "I understand the clan head's intentions," he said, deciding to be direct. "I refused because it would be unfair to me, and it would be unfair to you."
In the 21st century, any independent-minded person would refuse such a proposition. Any compromise would only be for the sake of personal gain.
"Is that the only reason?" Rin asked, looking at him in disbelief.
Neji glanced at the bewildered look in her eyes and sighed inwardly. There was a tragic, thick barrier between them as well. The very essence of a shinobi was to be a tool, to prioritize the mission above all else. This philosophy had been passed down from generation to generation, becoming the common sense of all ninja. The First Hokage's Will of Fire had been the first time anyone had treated shinobi as people. But that, too, had become corrupted over time.
Neji took two scrolls from his storage pouch and handed them to her. "Rin, these are my notes on the Lightning Release Chakra Mode and Black Lightning. They might be of some help to you."
"Something so valuable... for me?" Rin asked, a little embarrassed.
Seeing the shy, bashful look on her face, Neji's expression stiffened. There was another, more practical and heartbreaking reason he hadn't mentioned. The women of the Yotsuki clan... just weren't his type. So why should he force himself?
A few moments later, the others arrived.
Samui rushed to Neji's side. "Neji, are you alright?"
"Did you win, boss?" Rin's companions asked eagerly.
Neji rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "I didn't win, but I didn't lose either. It was a draw."
Rin's expression was a little unnatural, but she went along with it. "It was a draw."
"No way. The boss didn't win?"
"But she didn't lose either."
"But... that kid's only six."
"That's true."
The Yotsuki girls whispered amongst themselves, their words sharp and cutting. Rin was ten years older than Neji. If she had won, it would have been expected. But to lose would have been a huge embarrassment, something that would have made her a laughingstock in the clan.
By saying it was a draw, Neji had lost nothing and had saved her face. What was not to like?
"Rin, let's just let this go," Samui said with a sigh of relief. She took Neji's hand and quickly led him away.
Rin stood on her tiptoes, watching Neji's retreating back. She rubbed the two scrolls in her hand and murmured to herself, "When he's not being annoying, that little brat is actually kind of cute."
As they walked, Samui said, a hint of surprise in her voice, "You fought Rin to a draw. You're pretty capable."
Neji tickled her palm. "It's all because my big sister taught me so well."
A faint smile touched Samui's lips. Then her expression turned stern. "Neji, I never taught you to be a flatterer. Did you learn that from Yugito?"
Neji felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead. "Yeah," he said, going along with it. "She taught me."
A short while later, they arrived at a quiet, secluded reservoir. Neji looked at the waterfall cascading down the cliff face and the man-made forest that surrounded it. Such scenery was a rare sight on the high plateaus of the Land of Lightning.
They took out a tarp, a blanket, and other camping gear from a storage scroll and quickly set up a small campsite.
Then, Neji held up a fishing rod. "Come on, let's go fishing."
Samui took the rod, her voice a little hesitant. "Neji, just so you know, I don't know how to fish."
She knew how to spear fish, catch them with her bare hands, and even blast them with jutsu, but she had never learned how to use a rod and reel.
"It's easy," Neji said. "Just put the bait on the hook, throw it in the water, and wait for the fish to bite."
He led her to the edge of the reservoir and took out a long bench from another scroll. It was a long bench, but he had deliberately chosen a short one. It was a tight squeeze for two people, which was just what he wanted.
Samui didn't think much of it and squeezed onto the bench next to him. She put the bait on the hook, cast her line, and waited.
Within a few minutes, Neji had already caught three fish. Samui, on the other hand, had had her bait stolen three times.
She lost her patience, threw her rod on the ground, and huffed, "Is my bait rotten or something? I'm done."
"Are you admitting defeat?" Neji nudged her with his knee, a mischievous grin on his face.
"What defeat? We weren't competing," she said, looking confused.
"As a fisherman, the moment you pick up the rod, the competition begins," Neji said, a completely serious expression on his face.
Seeing him so earnest, Samui couldn't help but laugh. "Alright then, what's the deal?"
"If you lose, you have to face a punishment," Neji said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"A punishment? Tell me more," she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"A softer seat."
With that, Neji plopped himself down on her lap.
Samui froze. She was about to push him off, but when her hands were on his waist, for some reason, the push turned into an embrace.
Feeling his warmth so close, she suddenly felt her face flush.
A few minutes later, she laughed. "Giving up so soon? You haven't caught a single fish since you switched to the 'soft seat'."
"It's not my fault," Neji grumbled, burying his face in her chest. "You're distracting me."
"The rod is in your hands. How am I distracting you? It's your own fault for being no good at this, and you're blaming me?" Samui teased.
I'm no good?
Neji was furious. He took a deep breath, silently chanted a mantra to clear his mind, and focused on his fishing.
A short while later, Samui looked at the bucket of fish in astonishment.
"So many?"
It was as if the fish in the reservoir had lost their minds. They were practically jumping onto his hook. He had caught seven in less than two minutes.
Neji shook his head proudly. "Impressive, right?"
Samui just found it amusing. Such a strange and competitive boy.