In the woods.
Neji's speed continued to increase.
However, he discovered that every time he improved, Masahiko would also improve accordingly, always managing to stay just a step ahead of him.
Even though his Byakugan could perceive the enemy's movements, if his speed couldn't keep up with his opponent's, even the strongest perception would be useless.
Neji gritted his teeth and continued to refine his Chakra to strengthen his bones, but his speed still wouldn't improve.
Had he reached his limit?
At that moment, a prompt came to his ears: "Increase the amount of oxygen in your breathing, and try to enhance your body's vitality through oxygen."
After a while, Masahiko and Neji stopped for a break.
Neji hadn't been able to immediately master the introductory stage of the Seven Heavenly Breaths.
Additionally, although the transplanted cells possessed the Shikotsumyaku ability, the effect was far inferior to that of Masahiko or Kimimaro. Even so, it was still a significant improvement for Neji.
Especially the Byakugan——
Now, Neji could not only see the tiny Tenketsu, but he could also easily control his Chakra to gather it into needles.
He could even trigger his bones to generate tiny bone needles.
"If you can fully master the techniques I've mentioned, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to defeat a Special Jonin or even some Jonin," Masahiko assessed.
Neji was silent for a few seconds before asking, "What about Hiashi Hyuga?"
"You can't beat him."
Masahiko shook his head.
Hiashi Hyuga was older, after all, and his body was in its prime. Unless the thirteen-year-old Neji resorted to a sneak attack, he couldn't win in a direct confrontation.
Neji pondered for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Masahiko asked.
Neji clenched his fists, then lowered his head: "At the very least, if I die, it will be in rebellion against fate, not for the sake of the so-called Main Branch."
"Since I've decided to help you, I will respect your choice. However——if you want to walk this path, it is destined to be much harder."
"I have no regrets!"
"Then you must be careful. When you use Shikotsumyaku, your Chakra will adhere to your bones, making it easily detectable by the Byakugan."
"Yes!"
Neji watched as Masahiko dissolved into bubbles and vanished, knowing that he was just a Shadow Clone.
His real teacher was probably busy with something else.
Anbu——
That day, his teacher had indeed revealed himself on purpose.
Incredible!
It turned out that even when Masahiko was still at the Ninja Academy, he had already been working for the Anbu.
Neji was filled with emotion.
He finished his run and returned to the compound, only to see an uninvited guest at the gate.
Hyuuga Himon.
He did not intentionally slow his pace.
"Neji, wait!"
Hyuuga Himon called out to him.
Neji turned his head to look at him, his expression indifferent: "What is it?"
"Where did you go?"
"Training."
Neji replied.
He took a step toward the gate before turning back slightly, "Himon-senpai, would you like to check my Cursed Seal again?"
"No need. You've misunderstood; I was just worried about you."
Hyuuga Himon replied.
However.
Veins were bulging on his face, clearly indicating he had his Byakugan activated.
Neji nodded slightly, thanked him politely, and then walked into the house.
Hyuuga Himon sighed softly and headed toward the Main Branch.
Ever since the incident that year, the Main Branch had been keeping an increasingly strict watch on Neji.
Land of Waves, Gato Company Headquarters.
Gato sat on the sofa, looking arrogant: "Mr. Zabuza, as long as you work for me, I have plenty of money for you!"
Zabuza looked at him with icy eyes.
A few seconds later, he nodded slightly: "Of course. Taking money to do a job is the duty of a Ninja."
"Those previous losers all bragged about how great they were, but they all failed in the end."
Gato said with dissatisfaction, "I hope you are truly strong enough. If I'm not satisfied, I won't give you that much money!"
"Rest assured, once I take the money, I will complete the mission for you."
Zabuza replied indifferently, "If there's nothing else, I'll be going."
"Hmm."
Gato nodded.
Zabuza left the Gato Company with Haku.
Once outside, Haku couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Zabuza——are we really going to help someone like Gato?"
"As Ninjas, we do business for whoever pays us."
Zabuza's gaze was icy.
Haku lowered his head slightly: "Yes!"
"Let's go."
Carrying his giant blade on his back, he walked away from the Gato Company.
However.
Just as they were leaving the street, a layer of mist shrouded the area.
"How pathetic!"
"After leaving the Hidden Mist Village, the Demon Zabuza is even willing to take on jobs like Gato's."
A strange, eerie, layered voice came from the mist.
Zabuza frowned: "Who are you?"
"That is not important. What is important is——I have seen your future."
The voice drifted from the mist.
Zabuza tried hard to sense the enemy, but he couldn't detect the opponent's tracks.
His expression was grim.
Haku stepped in front of him and whispered, "Mr. Zabuza, I will cover our retreat——"
shuriken flew in from all directions.
Just as Haku was about to perform a Jutsu, a wall of water rose up first. Zabuza grabbed Haku's hand: "Go!"
He retreated with Body Flicker.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
This time——
It was fuma shuriken!
There were over a dozen huge shuriken, hidden in the mist and controlled by Chakra Threads, attacking from all sides.
By now, Zabuza had retreated to the edge.
The mist was relatively thin here.
However.
When he slashed through with his blade——
It missed?
Zabuza was immediately surprised, only to see layers of ice walls rising all around him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the unseen area, the fuma shuriken were cutting through the ice, shattering the ice layers in an instant.
Bang!
Finally, four fuma shuriken broke through the ice.
Fortunately——
At this moment, Zabuza swung his giant blade back around and attacked again.
A horizontal slash.
One by one, the fuma shuriken were slashed to pieces and turned into smoke, leaving only one that was knocked away.
shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu.
And the other was——
Genjutsu?
He frowned, only to see the mist receding.
"If this is the extent of your strength, your only future is death!"
A voice came from the fog, and faintly, there was the roar of thunder.
After speaking, the opponent quietly retreated into the mist.
On the other side of the trench.
On a small island, Kurosuki Raiga was panting heavily.
Not far in front of him, a Ninja in a black robe, holding a blade, was walking forward leisurely, bathed in lightning.
"The game is over."
"Kurosuki Raiga, for a Ninja like you, there is really no need to exist in this world."
Kurosuki Raiga didn't speak, crossing the blades in his hands.
Intense lightning intertwined between the blades.
But the next second, blinding white lightning gathered in front of him and reached him in an instant.
Kurosuki Raiga immediately retreated, the lightning orbs between his blades erupting and roaring out like a dragon, but under the opponent's palm——
His lightning was meaningless, as if he were just adding water for the opponent to take a Shower.
Kurosuki Raiga's eyes were filled with terror.
This is—
Hidden Cloud Village, Lightning Release Armor!
He retreated rapidly, but how could he compare to the power of the Lightning Release Armor?
Boom!
A hand chop.
The blinding white lightning cut him in two like a blade.
Before he died, Raiga's eyes were still filled with terror and disbelief—as a Hidden Mist Rogue Ninja, what right did he have to make the Raikage personally take action?
At this time, Ranmaru, controlled by the Shadow Clone, approached from the sea. "Looking" at the corpse before him, he showed no emotional fluctuation.
"My Lord, do you need me to dispose of his body?"
"Rest assured, I will arrange a funeral for him."