At this moment, the enemies hiding in the shadows could no longer sit still. One after another, they revealed themselves, warily regrouping, the fear in their eyes unmistakable as they stared at Neji.
These covert operatives had been their trump cards. Yet before they could even act, they had been taken out with ruthless precision.
"Well done, Neji!" Might Guy laughed heartily.
Those hidden enemies had initially made the Konoha group hesitant to act rashly, but Neji had not only identified them with startling accuracy he had eliminated them outright.
No one knew exactly how Neji had done it, but there was no denying that he'd just removed a massive threat.
"Neji, you should rest. Leave the rest to us," Kurenai Yuhi said with concern.
Neji had just been through a major battle, and now, having taken down so many more enemies, his chakra had to be nearly depleted or so they assumed.
In truth, the fight with Gaara hadn't drained him as much as it appeared. Neji still had a decent reserve of chakra left.
But he said nothing. Without protest, he moved to the rear, standing at a distance, eyes fixed on the clash of titans unfolding nearby.
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, Orochimaru was already locked in intense battle with Hiruzen Sarutobi. What's more he had already summoned the First and Second Hokage using the Impure World Reincarnation.
But something felt off. Orochimaru didn't seem to be fighting with full force. It was a subtle feeling Neji picked up on it was as if Orochimaru were merely going through the motions, holding something back.
Neji had witnessed their fight before, in a different timeline those battles had been brutal, a deadly exchange of jutsu without restraint. Every technique was a kill shot. It had been a clash where only one could walk away.
Now, however, Orochimaru was using basic jutsu. They were powerful, yes but nowhere near the scale Neji had expected.
"Wood Style: Nativity of a World of Trees!" Hashirama Senju roared.
In an instant, the interior of the formation was transformed into a sprawling forest. Branches twisted and writhed, lunging wildly toward the Third Hokage.
Hiruzen dodged nimbly, using Fire Style to incinerate the encroaching branches, but Tobirama Senju had no intention of giving him room to breathe.
"Water Style: Crushing Wave!"
A tidal surge crashed forward like a tsunami, dousing the fire jutsu in seconds.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Hiruzen quickly raised a defensive wall to block the water, but in the end, he had no choice but to summon Enma to the battlefield.
"I don't know what Orochimaru's playing at but it's not my concern."
As long as he had the strength, even if Ōtsutsuki Kaguya herself showed up, he'd bring her down.
[Host: Hyuga Neji]
[Age: 13]
[Chakra Nature: Fire, Earth, Water, Wind, Lightning]
[Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan (Purified)]
[Taijutsu: Gentle Fist, Eight Trigrams Palms Rotation, Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, Eight Trigrams Air Palm, Twin Lion Fists, Eight Trigrams Guardian Sixty-Four Palms, Sakura Impact]
[Ninjutsu: Basic Three Techniques (Transformation, Substitution, Clone), Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, Mystic Palm, Summoning Jutsu (Tools), Aura Suppression, All-Crushing Ash Bone, Mental Sphere, Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu, Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet, Earth Style: Earth Wall, Flame Bullet, Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, Serpent Jutsu, Eight-Headed Technique, Great Serpent Substitution, Chakra Scalpel, Mind's Eye of the Kagura, Rabbit Hair Needle]
[Overall Strength: Elite Jonin]
After glancing at his status panel, Neji nodded with quiet satisfaction. Without even realizing it, he had already mastered so many jutsu. This this was his true wealth.
Boom! Crash!
A sudden roar rang out, startling everyone.
Looking up, they saw a massive three-headed serpent wreaking havoc in the distance. Even from far away, Neji could see sparks dancing across one of its heads.
At the same time, dozens of figures darted across rooftops all of them now in motion.
"They're moving faster than I thought." Neji's eyes narrowed. Before Guy and the others could say anything, he darted toward the commotion.
On the way, he passed scores of fleeing civilians, and more ninja than he could count holding the line against the invaders from the Hidden Sound and Hidden Sand.
Though the surprise attack had caught Konoha off guard, panic hadn't overtaken the village. After all, Konoha's strength was still formidable, and its foundation unshaken.
While Hiruzen didn't know the true identity of the Kazekage, he did know that Orochimaru was inside the village. The ANBU had been secretly mobilized in advance.
Now, they surged forth from the shadows, intercepting the enemy, while Chunin helped evacuate civilians to safety. The entire village moved with practiced precision.
"Konoha's strength is indeed formidable… it's a pity it's no longer what it once was."
Neji moved like a phantom, and soon arrived near the colossal serpent.
Countless Konoha shinobi were hurling explosive tags and unleashing jutsu in an effort to stop it, but the beast's hide was like armor thick and unyielding. Their attacks barely left a scratch.
Worse, atop the walls, several Hidden Sand shinobi rained down projectiles, targeting Konoha's forces. The casualties were mounting.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
Neji soared into the air, unleashing a stream of blazing fire that struck one of the serpent's heads, bursting it into a mess of blood and flame.
Now that he had the strength of an elite jonin, he wasn't helpless like the others. Taking down a giant summon like this was difficult but not impossible.
"Everyone, get back!" Neji shouted, not giving the serpent a moment's rest. His fingers flew into another sequence of seals.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Jutsu after jutsu bombarded the giant serpent, pounding it into the ground.
But Neji knew these attacks hadn't done enough.
As he prepared to strike again, dozens of kunai whistled through the air toward him. He didn't need to look he already knew where they'd come from.
The Sand shinobi on the wall.
With a calm breath, he activated the Eight Trigrams Guardian Sixty-Four Palms, deflecting every projectile in a swirling shield of force. Then he shot toward the wall like lightning.
"What a pain."
He'd wanted to deal with the serpent first but it seemed he had to deal with these distractions first.
"Enhanced Strength!"
Boom! Crash!
His speed was so great that the air itself trembled. A thunderous shockwave erupted as he landed.
The section of wall where the Sand shinobi had stood was reduced to rubble.
Their bodies were shattered by the sheer force.
"What?!"
The others stared, stunned.
They hadn't even seen what happened just one blow, and those shinobi had been crushed.
For the first time, a sense of awe crept into their hearts as they looked at Neji.
"Let's finish this quickly," Neji muttered, turning back to the wounded serpent.
From his hand, a dark brown bone spear extended, aimed directly at the beast.
"All-Crushing Ash Bone!"
With a sharp whistle, the spear flew straight toward the serpent.
"Hm?"
The serpent watched the small bone dart closing in, curling its lip in disdain. Such a tiny thing what could it possibly do? Even if it pierced its flesh, it would barely tickle.
Unconcerned, it stared at the bone and flicked its tongue mockingly at Neji.
As if to say, "That's it? That's your big move? Pathetic. Even if I let it hit me, so what?"
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