Island Reclamation

Even though Neji only landed four blows against Zabuza, each palm strike was infused with a significant amount of chakra. After those four strikes, Neji had already depleted half of his chakra, fully embodying his "strike first, strike hard" fighting style.

When facing strong opponents, Neji didn't like to waste time with prolonged probing. Compared to the veteran Jonin Zabuza, Neji was already at a significant disadvantage in terms of chakra reserves. Further cautious exchanges would make the outcome uncertain. Seizing the advantage of information asymmetry to defeat the enemy in one move, without giving them any chance to recover, had always been Neji's combat style.

Watching Zabuza slowly regain consciousness, Neji hadn't quite figured out how to deal with him. Zabuza wasn't some innocent lamb to be easily manipulated; he was a venomous snake, capable of striking back if one wasn't careful. However, initiating communication to understand his thoughts wouldn't hurt.

Zabuza, now conscious, didn't start shouting about not giving in or anything similar, as that would have been beneath him.

Neji tentatively asked, "How about becoming my subordinate and working for me?"

Receiving no response, only a look as if he were an idiot, Neji wasn't annoyed and continued, "Or would you prefer to be killed and your body left to rot in the wilderness?"

Still no response, but the look in his eyes held a hint of sorrow, yet remained resolute. Neji realized then that Zabuza was unwilling to be his subordinate, nor did he want to die disgracefully. Neji changed his approach, "Help me establish a stronghold on an island and maintain its security for five years. After five years, you'll be free. Consider it payment for your life."

This proposition made Zabuza less resistant, and he began to ponder it carefully. Firstly, establishing a stronghold wasn't difficult for him. Secondly, protecting it for five years wasn't too long a period, and it was far better than losing his life or becoming someone's subordinate.

After a moment of hesitation, he nodded in agreement!

As Neji had expected, the man wasn't completely inflexible. However, Neji wasn't sure about his character. Would he flee halfway through? It was a distinct possibility!

Neji didn't hide his thoughts and asked directly, "How can I trust that you won't go back on your word?"

Hearing Neji's question, Zabuza was taken aback. Indeed, as a rogue ninja, his credibility wasn't exactly high. He also didn't want Neji to plant any strange seals on him. This was a difficult problem.

Neji shifted his gaze from Zabuza to Haku, saying, "How about leaving him here as a hostage?"

Both Zabuza and Haku were stunned. After their initial shock, they both fell silent.

Zabuza and Haku had been together for two to three years, and it would be a lie to say they had no feelings for each other. However, considering it wasn't asking Haku to die, but merely to stay by Neji's side, and since they were both men, nothing else could happen.

Without much hesitation, Zabuza agreed and instructed Haku to stay with Neji, awaiting his orders. He also requested that Neji not harm Haku and grant him freedom after five years.

This was not a major issue. In five years, at his current growth rate, Neji estimated he would reach the Kage level. At that point, he wouldn't need to be so cautious, so he nodded in agreement!

Shortly after, Yun Lin and his group returned. To Neji's surprise, each of them was laden with bags and bundles, looking like beggars. This was only offset by the fact that each item was quite valuable.

After ordering them to discard the bulky items, he roughly assessed the value at around five million Ryo. He didn't pay much attention to it and let them keep it as funds for building the stronghold.

Besides Haku, Zabuza had three Chunin and seven Genin subordinates who were not present at the manor that day. To expedite the construction of the stronghold, they had delayed their departure. They waited until Zabuza gathered all his subordinates before heading to the next target together.

The next two targets were resolved without any complications. In fact, Neji didn't even have to lift a finger; Zabuza handled them himself. The group was further augmented by four Chunin and twelve Genin.

Jonin were quite valuable and not encountered easily, especially among these low-tier bandits and wandering ninja.

Thus, Neji's group, consisting of one Jonin, eight Chunin, and twenty-three Genin, along with Neji himself and Haku, totaling over thirty people, set off. After about a day, they arrived at a peninsula Neji had chosen.

This peninsula was surrounded by sea on four sides, connected to the mainland by only a very narrow road. The peninsula spanned about a thousand acres, with lush vegetation and a pleasant environment (if one ignored the abundant snakes, insects, mosquitoes, and ants).

Neji was very satisfied with the peninsula. He intended to build another home for himself here. He then presented his requirements to Zabuza and his group, which made Zabuza's mouth twitch incessantly!

A twenty-meter-wide bluestone road, half-meter-high drainage ditches, the construction of a freshwater reservoir, a three-story palace, and so on. Hearing these demands made Zabuza want to curse.

Damn it, when he first heard about establishing a stronghold, he thought it would just be a few thatched huts. This wasn't a stronghold; it was practically a small city!

Fortunately, he had nearly thirty ninja with him, and Neji had provided fifty million Ryo in funds. With a little more from his own pocket, it would probably be just enough. He comforted himself, thinking that having something to do was also good!

Neji stayed on the peninsula for another two days, writing down all the necessary details and handing them over to Zabuza, the chief construction captain. With that, the first step of the "Nest Building Plan" was taken, and Neji quietly returned to Konoha.

This trip had taken about seven or eight days. Arranging for nearly thirty people to build a stronghold for him was quite smooth, and he had even brought Haku, the young boy, back. However, Neji was once again troubled about how to arrange for Haku.

Before he could figure it out, Neji disguised Haku as an orphan and took him in. Since Haku had no household registration and his origins were unknown, there was no way he could enroll in the Ninja Academy or work in any official Konoha department; the background checks would simply not pass.

However, living a simple life in Konoha as an ordinary person was quite feasible. Konoha did a decent job in terms of general inclusivity. The Root division was an exception! That was an extremely radical organization. Neji himself sometimes avoided the Root bases when he had to go out!

Neji couldn't fathom Hiruzen Sarutobi's mindset, allowing Danzo to run Root like that without intervening, or perhaps the Third Hokage himself was in a difficult position and couldn't manage it!

However, this had nothing to do with Neji. As long as Root didn't bother him, he didn't care if Root harmed others or Konoha.

Neji, from the bottom of his heart, had never truly acknowledged the Hyuga Clan or Konoha!

It was already good enough that they weren't constantly plotting his destruction! After all, if he couldn't deal with the anomaly that was Kaguya himself, he would still have to rely on Naruto and Sasuke.

If Kaguya really destroyed this planet, he wouldn't benefit either.