Early the next morning, Neji hurried to Tsunade's residence, determined to persuade her once again.
Without warning, Shizune burst out of the building, calling frantically, "Lady Tsunade! Lady Tsunade!"
The moment she saw Neji, she rushed toward him in a panic.
"Neji! Have you seen Lady Tsunade?" she asked urgently.
"Tsunade is missing?!" Neji exclaimed.
"Yes! After I got back last night, we drank together. But when I woke up this morning, she was gone," Shizune explained, waving her arms in distress.
In a flash, Neji pieced it together. Tsunade must have gone alone to face Orochimaru, deliberately leaving Shizune behind for her safety.
Alone, still haunted by her fear of blood, Tsunade would be in serious danger.
Individually, Orochimaru and Kabuto couldn't defeat her, but together especially if they summoned a Thousand Snake Army their chances grew dangerously high.
Without Jiraiya, she was truly vulnerable.
Neji didn't wait for Shizune to finish. He took off in a sprint, racing across the plains.
Realizing what Neji had inferred, Shizune followed close behind, shouting, "Tsunade must be confronting Orochimaru!"
As a high-ranking jonin, Neji's taijutsu granted him exceptional speed. In mere moments, he arrived at the outskirts of Sand Street.
He shut his eyes and raised two fingers activating his Shingan Technique. A wide expanse of land unfolded in his perception like a drawn map.
It didn't take long for him to locate Tsunade.
With another burst of speed, he raced across the field.
Tsunade knelt amidst the chaos, visibly trembling. Blood stained her hands, and panic clouded her expression.
Kabuto had closed in, chakra scalpel drawn and aimed at her.
Neji moved without hesitation.
"Eight Trigrams: Empty Palm!"
A shockwave of force erupted from his strike. Kabuto sensed the incoming blow and blocked, but the impact still hurled him backward, gouging a furrow through the earth as he slid.
Before Kabuto could recover, Neji closed the distance, delivering a crushing back kick to his arm.
Kabuto dropped to one knee, the ground cracking beneath him as dust swirled in the air.
For the first time, he truly felt the terrifying weight of raw taijutsu power.
"So this is... the killing edge of taijutsu," Kabuto gasped, cold sweat beading down his temple.
"No wonder Orochimaru chose such a remote place to meet."
He staggered to his feet, raising his chakra scalpel again, ready to counterattack.
But Neji struck first with a sweeping kick, launching Kabuto straight through a rock wall.
Turning back, he gently lifted Tsunade into his arms, shielding her with his body as he faced down both Orochimaru and Kabuto.
System message registered:
[Host embraced Tsunade. Reward unlocked: Guardian Technique.]
Guardian Technique: A powerful battlefield medical sealing art that activates rapid regeneration while allowing continued combat. Incredibly chakra-intensive. Reduces lifespan.
Neji felt a brief swell of pride, but his focus remained on Tsunade.
Her blood phobia had frozen her in place. The trauma of losing Dan and Nawaki still haunted her.
Orochimaru studied them, his expression unreadable.
"So, she came with you, Neji," he murmured. His tone carried a mocking lilt, but also a hint of caution.
Among all shinobi, Neji radiated something dangerous.
It wasn't just his chakra it was something deeper, darker. Almost necrotic in feel. A presence that made Orochimaru's skin crawl.
He remembered that bone-pulse technique Neji used once. It had left a mark.
Even now, though Orochimaru understood its limitations, he remained wary.
Neji stepped forward, placing Tsunade gently behind him, his white eyes glowing.
Orochimaru smirked. "I didn't expect you and Tsunade to be this... close."
Neji answered coolly, "If you'd harmed her, you would have known pain beyond death."
In a blink, he surged forward, leaping over Kabuto's crumpled form and heading straight for Orochimaru.
"Kabuto! Move!" Orochimaru barked.
But it was too late.
Neji struck first.
He unleashed the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists chakra surging into the form of two lion-shaped gauntlets that exploded with force as he struck.
Orochimaru scoffed.
"You underestimate me. Even without hands, I am one of the Legendary Sannin. Tsunade is more dangerous than I am."
Neji didn't answer.
His sudden assault had caught Orochimaru off guard, but his instincts kicked in just in time.
He twisted to evade while Kabuto sprang toward Tsunade.
____________________________
Enjoying the story? Leave a review or comment, and help hit150 Power Stones to unlock a bonus chapter!
Read 35 chapters ahead on
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a.