The True Escort Target

While it was partly due to a surprise attack, it also served to confirm that the opponent was by no means an ordinary ninja.

"Forget the mission objective, take out this brat first."

The rogue Iwagakure ninja shouted hoarsely to his companion, simultaneously forming hand seals rapidly.

Upon hearing the word "objective," Neji raised an eyebrow slightly.

It seemed these rogue ninjas weren't after the food supplies.

Could it be...

Neji had a guess forming in his mind. He didn't stop his advance, quickly charging towards the rogue Iwagakure ninja.

By this time, the rogue Iwagakure ninja had already completed his Earth Style hand seals.

"Earth Style: Rock Fist Technique!"

His arm was covered in thick rock, and he ferociously punched towards Hyuga Neji, who was charging at him.

Neji, who had charged in front of the rogue Iwagakure ninja, suddenly adjusted his stance, crossing his arms in front of him.

The rogue Iwagakure ninja, having exhausted his momentum, was unable to retract his power. His rock fist smashed into Neji's arms, sending Neji flying back violently.

A Chunin and three Genin, who were on standby, breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.

The enemy is not weak, but we have the advantage.

It wasn't until the rogue Iwagakure ninja's mouth gaped open in horror, as if trying to say something, that they realized Neji, after being sent flying, was actually flying back towards them at an even greater speed.

It was too late to use ninjutsu to evade in this brief window. The black electricity was like a startled flock of birds, its sharp cries assaulting their eardrums with brute force.

Two Genin were the first to be engulfed by the Black Lightning, dying on the spot.

The remaining Chunin used this opening to attempt to escape using the Earth Body Flicker Technique.

How could Neji let him succeed?

"God Vacuum Attack!"

He unleashed an inconspicuous chakra sphere from a distance.

It silently pierced into the opponent's chest.

The soft force invaded his body and instantly exploded.

With a "plop," the Chunin fell backward onto the ground. On the surface, his body showed no signs of injury, but his heart had been pulverized.

Sizzle sizzle sizzle!!!

Neji, carried by inertia, continued to fly backward. He thrust his kunai into the ground, sliding along the surface for five to six meters before regaining his footing.

"Black lightning... Secret Techniques?!"

The rogue Iwagakure ninja first glanced at his three fallen comrades, then his gaze fell upon the black lightning on Neji's hands, causing his teeth to chatter uncontrollably.

He suddenly recalled seeing black lightning very similar to this from afar on the battlefield.

That terrifying man had left a deep psychological scar on him when he was still a Chunin, and even now, the memory made him break out in a cold sweat.

Could it be the same Secret Technique?

Neji pulled out his kunai, a smile appearing on his lips.

"Use all your abilities, don't let me kill you so easily."

"I've never seen such an arrogant brat."

The rogue Iwagakure ninja narrowed his eyes.

This brat didn't confront me head-on just now; instead, he used my momentum to kill my comrades. This means his strength is similar to mine, or perhaps slightly superior. If I fight to the death, there might still be a chance of victory.

However, the enemy has reinforcements, and their strength won't be weaker than this brat's.

Most importantly, the escort ninja is quite troublesome. It's not worth risking my life for that little bit of reward.

The rogue Iwagakure ninja began to consider retreating.

He watched as Neji, charging rapidly towards him, formed hand seals and then slammed them onto the ground, pouring out half of his chakra.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow River!"

The ground six meters in front of the rogue Iwagakure ninja instantly softened, turning into a mud-like sea tide that spread forward wave after wave.

Neji flipped backward in mid-air, occasionally stepping on the softened ground to gain leverage. The mud tide pursued him relentlessly, and he only managed to escape it after retreating over ten meters.

By this time, the rogue Iwagakure ninja was already a hundred meters away.

"Impressive, when it comes to Earth Style ninjutsu, I am far inferior."

Neji didn't pursue immediately. He paused to observe for a moment, and only after the rogue Iwagakure ninja had run a kilometer did he release a Lightning Release Clone and pursue from a distance.

"Neji, hang in there, I'm coming."

At this moment, Yugito's voice echoed from the distance.

Yugito's strength was no less than Neji's, so it was reasonable for her to finish the enemy quickly.

The attack ended quickly, with the invading rogue ninja either dead or having fled.

This raid had caused heavy losses to the supply caravan, and the escorts, filled with murderous intent, only stopped after slaughtering the bandits without mercy.

Just then, Takayama Tokugawa, accompanied by a young woman and a boy, approached Neji and Yugito and asked solicitously, "Ninja-sama, are you alright?"

Neji didn't answer, instead looking at Takayama Tokugawa with a half-smile.

Yugito, standing beside him, also sensed something was amiss with this ninja attack and coldly appraised Takayama Tokugawa.

Takayama Tokugawa felt a chill run down his spine under their gazes. He feigned ignorance, preparing to ask why they were looking at him like that, when Neji suddenly spoke, "Mr. Tokugawa, it's time for an explanation."

Takayama Tokugawa swallowed hard. "Ninja-sama, I don't know what you're talking about?"

"For this attack, the enemy deployed two Special Jonin, three Chunin, and five Genin. Mr. Tokugawa, those who know you were transporting grain might think you were transporting gold."

Yugito's words were sharp.

"This, this situation... I never expected it either!" Takayama Tokugawa argued frantically.

Neji suddenly said, "Then tell me, why did this mother and son suddenly join the supply caravan before departure? Why did the main force of the rogue ninja attack the carriage they were traveling in? The real 'cargo' you hired us to escort was likely this mother and son, wasn't it?"

Takayama Tokugawa's expression changed drastically as the last sentence left Neji's mouth.

Fine beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead as he tried to argue, "Ninja-sama, please listen to my explanation. Things are not as you imagine, they, they..."

"Sigh!"

At this moment, the young woman sighed and stepped forward, bowing to apologize to Neji and Yugito.

"I am truly sorry. We deceived you."

"Miyuki, I came up with this plan. If anyone should apologize, it's me."

With things having reached this point, Takayama Tokugawa couldn't conceal anything further and bowed deeply to Neji and Yugito.

Had they concealed the truth from an ordinary ninja squad, they would have been in serious trouble.

Fortunately, they had encountered Neji and Yugito.

The ninja world was like this; unforeseen accidents could happen at any moment.

Yugito waved her hand. "Tell us everything you've been hiding. We'll decide whether to continue the escort mission based on the situation."

Takayama Tokugawa sighed and slowly began, "Miyuki is not my relative, but my woman. This child is my illegitimate son."

Hearing this, both Yugito and Neji were greatly surprised.

As Takayama Tokugawa continued his story, the two quickly understood the entire situation.

The Tokugawa family was a prominent merchant family in Kusagakure. Takayama Tokugawa and Miyuki had been childhood sweethearts. For the sake of family interests, Takayama Tokugawa was forced to marry another woman and settled Miyuki far away in the Land of Lightning, where they had a son.

A few months ago, Takayama Tokugawa's eldest son died violently at the hands of bandits while on a business trip.

To ensure the continuation of his family, Takayama Tokugawa sent people to the Land of Lightning to bring his younger son back.

Who could have imagined that both merchant caravans would be attacked by bandits halfway and annihilated?

Finally, Takayama Tokugawa personally took action, using the excuse of purchasing grain to secretly transport his younger son back to Kusagakure safely.