As a spectator, Neji had watched quite a "good show." Since the battle had taken place in the backyard and was not large in scale, it had caused no damage to the inn and did not affect Neji's stay.
He stood up and straightened the wrinkles in his clothes from squatting. Just as he was about to return to his room and continue training, his movements caught the attention of the three below.
Asama Sandayu gave Neji a slight bow and said, "I am Asama Sandayu. May I ask what brings you here, friend?"
Seeing that the other party had taken the initiative to speak and had a decent attitude, Neji did not act arrogantly. He returned the bow and said, "I am Neji. I came here to stay the night. I heard fighting outside, so I came out to take a look."
Neji continued, "Since everyone is unharmed, I was just about to return to my room and go back to sleep."
From Neji's actions and expression, Sandayu judged that Neji was most likely a ninja as well, and probably not a weak one. Otherwise, he would not have remained so calm upon seeing both sides fight. He must have had something to rely on.
Since the other party had no intention of clashing with them, Sandayu would not deliberately stir up trouble either. He politely replied, "Since you are preparing to return to your room and sleep, I shall not disturb you further. Farewell."
Hearing the conversation between Sandayu and Neji, Kazahana Koyuki, who was immersed in grief, also raised her head and glanced at Neji several times. Seeing that he was about the same age as her, she did not pay much attention and silently adjusted her emotions.
Neji had no other thoughts either. He returned to his room, completed his chakra extraction for the day, then rested and fell asleep.
Seeing that everything had been made clear, Chunin Rokuda did not linger and left the inn that very night.
After seeing Rokuda off, Koyuki and Sandayu felt somewhat saddened. Rokuda was a decent person and fairly capable. More importantly, they had spent over half a year together and had grown somewhat attached. After this parting, they would likely never meet again.
Nothing happened that night. Early the next morning, Neji got up, ate breakfast, and left the inn. Koyuki's group had already departed ahead of him. It had merely been a chance encounter, and Neji did not care much about it.
After packing his things, he headed toward his intended destination, the capital of the Land of Hot Water.
The journey passed without incident, and Neji successfully arrived at the first base he had established.
After years of development and Neji's continued investment of funds, the base had been built up fairly well.
Since it had initially been intended only as a place to research Natural Energy Purification, Neji had merely instructed Zuo Mu Duanlong to purchase equipment and had not required him to develop any power of his own.
As a result, the base still consisted of the original group. Fortunately, under Zuo Mu Duanlong's training and with sufficient financial support, his clansman Zuo Mu Qi Feng had recently advanced to Jonin. That counted as good news.
Now that Neji had left Konoha and no longer had the protection of a great ninja village, he had to handle many matters himself. He needed a group of subordinates to work for him, which gave him the idea of cultivating his own power.
Neji happened to possess High-Concentration Natural Energy Compression Fluid, which could be used to strengthen his subordinates. While it might not allow every subordinate to master Sage Jutsu, prolonged immersion could still enhance their physical constitution.
Over the past year, while compiling the Shennong Encyclopedia, Neji had discovered that one type of plant contained slightly more Natural Energy than other plants. Only after extensive research and comparison did he realize that Natural Energy could dissolve into the sap secreted by this plant.
This plant was called Jingtianlian. Its leaves resembled those of a succulent, while its branches were like sandalwood—hard and sturdy. It grew in temperate regions. Its current market output was not high, but since demand was also limited, supply and demand had remained balanced.
This sap could also promote physical enhancement to a certain degree. The medicinal baths Neji had purchased from the Nara Clan contained the sap secreted by this plant.
To study its properties, Neji mixed a certain amount of High-Concentration Natural Energy Compression Fluid with the sap and pressurized it. After some time, he discovered that the Natural Energy liquid had disappeared—or rather, fused with the plant's sap.
The originally rather violent Natural Energy liquid was insoluble in water and certain common solvents, making Natural Energy difficult to use directly. However, after fusing with Jingtianlian sap, it became much gentler.
When Neji replaced ordinary Jingtianlian sap with sap fused with High-Concentration Natural Energy Compression Fluid for medicinal baths, he found that the effects of the baths improved by at least fivefold.
Such an astonishing increase was a qualitative change. It completely surpassed every medicine on the market used for long-term physical enhancement and was even stronger than certain forbidden drugs.
If an ordinary child soaked in this medicinal bath year-round, then even without training in any ninjutsu, they could likely defeat an average Chunin with their body alone upon reaching adulthood.
This would also become the foundation for him to build his power and acquire wealth.
After thinking everything through, Neji summoned Zuo Mu Duanlong's group to the meeting room.
The Zuomu Family's three members were Duanlong, Qi Feng, and Tenbu. There were also two outside Chunin, Tanaka Iko and Hayashi Ki. Tanaka Iko had advanced from Genin to Chunin last year, and she was a woman.
Neji glanced at Tanaka Iko. She was somewhat shy and ordinary-looking, so he did not pay her much attention.
Instead, he began the meeting directly.
Neji had no intention of beating around the bush. He said in a low voice, "I was originally a member of Konoha's Hyuga Clan. Yesterday, I defected from Konoha and destroyed the Hokage Office Building. That means we have become mortal enemies."
After allowing everyone present some time to digest the news, Neji continued, "I now intend to establish my own power in the Land of Hot Water, and I need all of your help."
Everyone felt helpless. Back then, Neji had captured them and implanted his restriction inside their bodies. Although they had gotten along reasonably well with Neji over the years and were satisfied with their lives in the Land of Hot Water, that did not mean they wanted to live a life hunted by a great nation.
However, they were even less able to oppose Neji's actions. If they opposed a great nation, they might survive as long as they hid well enough. If they opposed Neji, they would die immediately.
They understood such a simple choice, so no one dared to step forward and object at this moment.
Seeing that no one had any objections, Neji directly ordered Zuo Mu Duanlong to establish an intelligence department and investigate the distribution of forces within the capital of the Land of Hot Water, laying the groundwork for further expansion of the intelligence department.
He instructed Qi Feng and Tenbu to purchase all the medicinal ingredients on the list, as many as possible, and store them properly.
He instructed Tanaka Iko to purchase a large tract of land in a relatively warm region of the Land of Hot Water and take charge of growing various medicinal plants, including Jingtianlian.
He instructed Hayashi Ki to find a relatively secluded location near the capital of the Land of Hot Water and build an entirely new base capable of housing and training at least 2,000 people.
Neji then took out 200 million ryo and handed it to Duanlong, placing him in charge of allocating the funds.
He emphasized that it was not suitable for him to show himself too often and hoped they would handle everything properly.
Neji promised everyone that once the new power had been established, he would raise the strength of everyone present by at least one level.
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