Raiga Kurosuki said coldly, "How old are you this year?"
Neji: "Eighteen."
"Heh."
Raiga Kurosuki chuckled. "You weren't even born eighteen years ago, but Orochimaru was already a renowned shinobi. Do you know Blue B?"
Neji nodded. "The previous Eight-Tails Jinchuriki? Of course I know him."
Raiga Kurosuki said, "That's right, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. He was very strong, but Orochimaru set him up and got him killed. He died horribly. Do you think you're stronger than Blue B, kid?"
Neji said nothing, watching him quietly.
Raiga Kurosuki walked up to Neji and poked him in the chest.
"After the Nine-Tails' Rampage, I led more than twenty Kirigakure shinobi in an invasion of the Land of Fire. We happened to run into Orochimaru, who was stationed at the eastern border."
"I'll never forget that day. In less than two minutes, everyone else was down. I was the only one who escaped alive—not because I was strong, but because I ran fast."
The basement fell silent, the atmosphere growing tense.
Raiga Kurosuki continued, "After that, I understood one thing: there are differences between geniuses. Do you hear me, kid?"
Neji nodded. "You made yourself very clear. I heard you."
Raiga Kurosuki poked Neji in the chest again. "So wait until you've lived long enough before you go looking for trouble with Orochimaru."
With that, Raiga Kurosuki turned and headed for the exit.
Neji suddenly said, "Leave your Ninja Blade behind, you coward. You don't deserve to wield it."
Raiga Kurosuki stopped abruptly, chakra surging through his body.
The atmosphere in the basement turned tense in an instant.
Whoosh.
In a flash, two slender Ninja Blades slid out of Raiga Kurosuki's sleeves.
Raiga Kurosuki roared as he charged at Neji and slashed him in half at the waist.
Just then, a child's voice