Before long, Neji and his team received their scroll it was a Heaven Scroll.
"Neji, I think you should hold onto this," Tenten suggested.
All three of them were strong, but Neji was the most powerful by far. The Hyuga Clan's taijutsu was both offensive and defensive, making him the most reliable person to safeguard the scroll.
"Alright. Let's go."
With that, the three of them stepped into the Forest of Death.
"Five days to reach the tower and we'll need to get an Earth Scroll from another team along the way."
Tenten rubbed her forehead, worried. The Forest of Death was massive, and time was tight.
"Don't worry," Neji said calmly. "They'll bring it to us."
"What? Neji, did you not sleep enough?" Tenten frowned in confusion.
"If everyone's destination is the tower," Neji continued, "then there's no need for us to chase them down."
"Oh!" Lee clapped his hands, realization dawning on him.
"I see. So we just need to wait in ambush near the tower," Tenten concluded.
"Exactly," Neji confirmed.
"In that case, let's hurry over there and set up," Lee said, eyes gleaming. "I can't wait to go up against some strong opponents!"
"As expected of Neji," Tenten said admiringly.
Just then, Neji suddenly stopped and turned his head. "Tenten, Lee you two go on ahead and wait for me at the tower."
Before either could respond, he vanished, leaving them both confused.
Deep within the Forest of Death, Neji moved swiftly from tree to tree, scanning the surroundings in search of Naruto and his team.
"That's odd. They did enter from this direction so where did they go?"
Boom!
A deafening explosion shattered the silence, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
Neji's heart stirred. Without hesitation, he moved carefully toward the source.
As he drew closer, the heat intensified. He could feel a surge of wild, chaotic chakra emanating from the area.
A few moments later, Neji arrived but the smoke made visibility poor.
"Byakugan!"
Activating his Byakugan, Neji finally saw the scene clearly. Naruto was on the ground, completely drained it looked like the Nine-Tails' power had been sealed away again.
Sasuke, however, was still fighting fiercely, matching Orochimaru blow for blow with the help of his Sharingan.
"As expected of the Sharingan... I'm becoming more and more interested in your body, Sasuke," Orochimaru said with a sinister smile, his tongue licking across his lips in that sickening way that made Sasuke recoil in disgust. Remembering how frozen with fear he had just been, Sasuke's fury only burned hotter.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sharp sound of kunai clashing echoed through the forest, sparks flying with each impact. Gradually, Sasuke began to read Orochimaru's movements, a cold smirk forming at the corner of his mouth.
"I've seen through your patterns."
Sasuke spun his kunai in his hand and slashed down with fierce precision.
Their weapons collided again and again. Orochimaru found himself slowly pushed into a defensive stance.
"What?!" Orochimaru's eyes widened in surprise.
"What's wrong? Is that all you've got?"
On the sidelines, Sakura brightened with hope. "Amazing... Sasuke is actually suppressing that monster."
To her, Orochimaru wasn't even human. Apart from having a humanoid appearance, everything else about him was grotesque and unnatural.
She looked down at Naruto, who lay unconscious beside her, and breathed a sigh of relief. If Sasuke had failed too, she wouldn't have known what to do.
Watching from a distance, Neji frowned slightly. With the support of his [Little Sister Protection System], he had naturally included Sakura in his considerations. One more ally was always better than one less.
But her current behavior displeased him. In every battle, she relied entirely on Sasuke and Naruto never daring to step in herself.
That personality... needed to change.
"Let the Sound Ninja trio live a little longer."
By now, Sasuke had fully gained the upper hand. He controlled the tempo and stayed on the offensive. But it was all an illusion. Orochimaru hadn't taken a single injury he was simply toying with Sasuke.
"No wonder he's a child of fate... He awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan without even the trauma of Haku's death," Neji muttered.
He genuinely admired Sasuke's potential. Though if he knew how Sasuke actually awakened it, he might've taken those words back.
Thud! Ssshhk!
Catching Orochimaru off guard, Sasuke kicked him hard and sent him flying, then threw a kunai straight into Orochimaru's hand.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
Boom!
Orochimaru was pinned to a tree as a jet of fire burst from Sasuke's mouth and engulfed him completely.
"Did... did we win?"
Sakura stared at the sea of flames, her voice full of hope.
Sasuke didn't answer. Something didn't feel right. And he was right Orochimaru emerged from the blaze, his outer skin charred away to reveal a terrifying, inhuman face.
"Damn it!" Sasuke muttered bitterly.
His chakra reserves were nearly depleted. He could barely stand. At this point, the only one left with any ability to fight was Sakura.
"I... I have to... protect Naruto and Sasuke!"
Her hands trembling, Sakura stepped forward and raised her kunai, pointing it shakily at Orochimaru.
"Don't... don't come any closer."
But Orochimaru was done wasting time. His neck stretched like a serpent's, slithering toward Sasuke before he sank his fangs into the boy's neck.
A cursed mark, shaped like a three-tomoe Sharingan, burned itself into Sasuke's skin.
Watching all of this, Neji let out a quiet sigh. This was the fate of the two children chosen by destiny.
He could have stepped in to stop Orochimaru but there was nothing to be gained from doing so. And since Sakura wasn't in any real danger, there was no reason to help Naruto or Sasuke.
"You'll come looking for me, Sasuke."
With those words, Orochimaru vanished into the night.
From beginning to end, Sakura had made no difference at all.
Neji shook his head slightly. Seeing that Orochimaru had retreated, he silently followed, taking extra caution with every step.
Orochimaru was cunning. Even with Neji's power enhanced by techniques like Ash-Killing Bone and oppressive aura he would still need to be careful.
Besides, he had other plans in mind.
Night fell on the Forest of Death. The air was still, yet filled with the murmurs of wild beasts. Towering trees surrounded them, casting long shadows. Even Neji, calm as he was, felt a slight twinge of tension.
Soon, Orochimaru stopped on the branch of a massive, ancient tree.
Neji's heart skipped a beat. Had he been discovered?
But it turned out to be a false alarm. Orochimaru hadn't noticed him. Instead, he looked like he was waiting for someone.
Suddenly, the faint rustle of footsteps approached. Neji turned to look and saw a white-haired young man step out from the dense undergrowth and walk up to Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru-sama, you summoned me?" Kabuto asked respectfully.
Orochimaru's burned, grotesque face still clung to the remnants of his disguise, unaware or unconcerned about how terrifying he looked.
"Mm. Go inform Dosu and the others... I want them to kill Sasuke."