Boom!
A wave of force slammed downward, sending leaves rustling violently as everything in its path was crushed without mercy.
"Ah!"
Kin turned her head just in time to see the incoming attack. Her face twisted in fear. Before she could even raise a hand to defend herself, the blast hurled her into the air.
"Die."
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame"
Neji was poised to finish her off, but at the critical moment, he suddenly pulled back. He let her crash to the ground, unharmed. A cold mechanical voice had interrupted him.
"Host has engaged in battle with Kin Tsuchi. Reward: Chakra capacity increased by 20%."
Though the voice was emotionless, the message struck Neji like a revelation. In that instant, something clicked in his mind.
So this, too, is a path to strength.
He who does not seize opportunity wastes it. Even the tiniest advantage adds up over time. If benefits could be gained with minimal effort, why would Neji ever pass them up?
With a flicker of movement, Neji appeared before Kin, gently lifting her chin with one hand as he sank into thought.
She had no particularly special abilities. At best, her physical prowess was approaching chunin level. Yet, for Neji's current needs, she was a perfect fit.
He had already mastered a wide array of jutsu, but his chakra reserves and other fundamental attributes hadn't kept pace. He could feel himself becoming lopsided in his development.
Despite having learned many powerful techniques, his overall strength had yet to reach its full potential. He had barely touched the level of special jōnin, all because his physical capabilities weren't up to par.
As someone with real ambition, Neji understood the importance of balanced growth. Kin, with her decent strength but lack of uniqueness, could serve as a supplement to that gap.
As if to confirm his theory, the system's prompt echoed again:
"Host has lifted Kin Tsuchi's chin. Reward: Chakra capacity increased by 10%."
Neji nodded in satisfaction. Killing her now would be a waste. Better to squeeze out every drop of usefulness first.
Kin stared at the boy in front of her, delicate and cold-eyed. Panic churned in her chest. She trembled uncontrollably, too afraid to move, unsure what he planned to do to her.
Not far away, Dosu Kinuta's eyes were wide with disbelief. What had he just seen? That terrifying, battle-hardened boy… seemed to be flirting with Kin?
True, Kin was indeed attractive. Classic beauty long black hair, straight-cut bangs, porcelain complexion. But in this world, no one had ever dared to act as boldly as Neji just had.
Dosu scoffed inwardly, full of contempt for Neji's actions, though he kept his face expressionless.
"This is my chance. My chance to live."
Muttering under his breath, Dosu was about to speak when a kunai came spinning out of nowhere, growing larger and larger in his vision.
Thud!
The sound of steel piercing bone, followed by a spray of blood and brain matter.
"Almost forgot about that one," Neji said flatly, clapping his hands clean. He dragged Kin over to where Sakura lay.
"Host has rescued Haruno Sakura. Reward: Chakra Scalpel acquired."
Chakra Scalpel: Concentrates chakra into the hand, capable of severing muscles and chakra pathways. Highly destructive.
"N… Neji, did you… kill them all?" Sakura asked, voice trembling.
She hadn't been with the team during the Land of Waves mission. This was the first time she had seen death up close. Her mind struggled to process it.
Neji's expression turned solemn. "Sakura, this is the way the world works. There's no absolute right or wrong."
"Even if someone is good, if they're on the wrong side, their fate changes. That's the reality."
And besides, Dosu wasn't a good person to begin with.
"Think about it. If I hadn't shown up, what would have happened?"
Sakura fell silent, his words cutting deep. If Neji hadn't arrived…
A few moments later, she looked up, eyes filled with resolve. Neji saw it and knew she understood. He turned to leave.
But just then, Sasuke stirred and began to wake. Perhaps because nothing had triggered intense anger, the Curse Mark hadn't activated yet.
Still, fate would not be denied. The wheel of history was already in motion.
The moment Sasuke laid eyes on Neji, his fighting spirit surged. He stood up, determined to challenge him.
Neji sneered. "With your measly two-tomoe Sharingan? You're too full of yourself."
"Hmph, all you can do now is run your mouth," Sasuke replied coolly.
That man's gift was truly extraordinary. I can feel it this power coursing through me. Every cell in my body is burning with energy.
He reached up and touched the back of his neck where the Curse Mark lay. A twisted smile spread across his face. Black markings began crawling across his skin, covering half his body in seconds. A dark, ominous energy radiated from him, making even Naruto and the others uneasy.
Kin, on the other hand, turned pale with shock.
"The Heaven Seal… So Lord Orochimaru has already been here. But if he gave Sasuke the Curse Mark, why send the three of us at all?"
What she didn't know was that to Orochimaru, they were merely disposable tools. The three of them had been nothing more than practice dummies for Sasuke. Even if they managed to escape, they'd still end up as sacrifices for his forbidden Reanimation Jutsu.
"I see now," Neji said, his voice dripping with disdain. "So you've figured out how the Curse Mark works. But you still underestimate me."
He released a pulse of invisible energy. The aura of power around him instantly eclipsed Sasuke's dark aura. Everyone nearby felt its crushing pressure.
This wasn't killing intent. This was the natural force of a superior being.
"Sasuke, maybe we should" Naruto started hesitantly, trying to defuse the situation.
But Sasuke was far too inflated with pride. He bared his teeth in a wild grin. "Now that's more like it. Beating weaklings does nothing for the Uchiha name."
Neji's face remained blank. To him, Sasuke was nothing more than a clown. With one hand, he continued to drag Kin behind him. The other hand gestured mockingly at Sasuke.
The message was clear: I'll fight you one-handed.
Sasuke had never suffered such humiliation. He roared and charged forward.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
"Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
Flames spread in every direction, sealing off all of Neji's possible escape routes. A massive fireball barreled toward him.
"Not a bad tactic," Neji said coldly. "But pointless."
To him, this level of attack wasn't even worth dodging. Even without using his Byakugan, Sasuke's speed was laughably slow.
"Monster Strength."
Neji threw a punch. The air itself shuddered and compressed as his fist flew forward. In the blink of an eye, a visible shockwave of force shot toward Sasuke.
The fireball and flaming shuriken shattered on impact, blasted apart without resistance. The shockwave barreled forward like an unstoppable spear.
Sasuke's face froze in disbelief just before the blow landed squarely on it.
Boom. Crash.
Crack after crack echoed through the forest.
The sheer force of Neji's punch sent Sasuke flying to the distant horizon, smashing through a line of towering trees.
Neji blinked. That might've been too much. Did I kill him? But I was holding back…
"Sigh, if only my physical capabilities weren't holding me back. With my current strength, I'd already be jōnin-level," he muttered to himself.
"Sasuke!" Naruto finally snapped out of his shock and sprinted after his teammate.