Dancing in the Forest

The cloaked figure's eyes flashed with mockery as they rasped, "This dense forest is filled with chakra powder I created. Your Byakugan is useless here."

"..."

Neji's gaze narrowed slightly.

The Sharingan can create large-scale illusions filled with chakra.

The Byakugan can see through bodies, but it cannot see through chakra, so it can't see anything at all.

It's like a thermal imager, easily capturing body heat in the dark, but once the ambient temperature is the same as body heat, the thermal imager is useless.

He didn't expect that this cloaked figure would seal off the Byakugan with just some chakra powder.

However, you've sealed off the Byakugan, what does that have to do with my Tenseigan!

Neji tentatively asked, "It seems there's no need for me to resist."

"A futile struggle will only make your death more painful."

The cloaked figure drew a short sword from their waist, the blade wrapped in a cyan aura.

Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!

"Can you tell someone who's about to die, where you come from?"

Neji's expression was grave.

"Heh..."

The cloaked figure chuckled, their cold eyes fixed on Neji. "I'll tell your corpse after you're dead."

With those words, the cloaked figure raised their sword and stabbed at Neji.

Neji thrust out a palm.

God Vacuum Attack!

A pale blue chakra orb shot out, colliding with the cloaked figure's short sword.

The moment they made contact, the cloaked figure's eyes widened in disbelief. The short sword in their hand was bent into an arc by the God Vacuum Attack, and they were sent flying back, sword and all.

Neji took a deep breath, entered Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and charged towards the cloaked figure flying through the air.

Strike while the iron is hot.

Since the cloaked figure dared to come and kill Neji, they must have had enough confidence.

But...

Even the Fourth Raikage couldn't possibly know Neji's combat power inside and out.

The cloaked figure used a special chakra powder to disable the Byakugan, thinking they could win for sure.

But how could they know that even without the Tenseigan, Neji, who had mastered Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Black Lightning, and the God Vacuum Attack Secret Techniques, had a strength that steadily surpassed that of the elite Jonin of the Five Great Nations.

Therefore, they fell into a disadvantage as soon as they exchanged blows.

The cloaked figure set up a barrier and used chakra powder, clearly indicating that their strength was below the Kage level.

Neji wasn't afraid of enemies at this level.

Neji appeared below the cloaked figure, his katana wrapped in black lightning, ready to cut them into serious injuries before they landed.

However, the cloaked figure did not land. While still in mid-air, they formed a claw with their right hand and grabbed a tree branch as thick as an arm, wood chips flying everywhere, leaving five claw marks.

The cloaked figure forcibly stopped their momentum.

Looking at Neji, who was covered in lightning and whose blade was wrapped in Black Lightning, a look of surprise appeared in their eyes, realizing that they had underestimated Neji.

But although they were surprised, they weren't flustered. They formed a hand seal with their left hand and slashed at Neji with the sword in their right hand.

Neji swung his katana upwards.

The swords collided, sparks flying.

Although Neji was still young, with the Lightning Release Chakra Mode buff, his strength was no less than the cloaked figure's.

With a quick thought, Neji flicked his wrist, and the katana slid along the short sword, slashing towards the cloaked figure.

The cloaked figure borrowed the force and floated backwards, moving extremely nimbly.

Neji didn't want to give the cloaked figure any room to breathe and was about to press the attack.

But at this moment, he found that he couldn't move his body.

Looking down, two black shadows extended from the tree holes on the left and right sides, connecting to his shadow.

The Shadow Clone Technique released with a single hand seal just now... Shadow Imitation Technique... This person is from the Nara Clan?!

At this time, the cloaked figure had already fallen to the ground, their eyes filled with shock and anger.

From the moment they assassinated Neji, the situation was completely different from what they had imagined.

The cloaked figure formed another hand seal with their left hand, and at the same time, the short sword in their hand trembled slightly, flying out like a poisonous snake with a speed so fast that only an afterimage could be seen.

The afterimage split into two in mid-air, two into four, four into eight... as if blooming into a cyan lotus flower.

This is a unique swordsmanship he created, inspired by the Shadow Clone Technique developed by the Second Hokage.

Those sword shadows are not illusions; being hit will cause bleeding and injury.

Neji's eyes revealed surprise, and he felt a sense of admiration.

Heroes of the world are like carps crossing the river!

This cloaked figure's swordsmanship is treacherous and bizarre, a master swordsman.

With his eyesight, he couldn't tell that the sword shadow was real.

Neji took a deep breath, and the chakra within his body became violent.

The Shadow Imitation Technique performed by a Shadow Clone can only play a restraining role, and Neji broke free in a breath.

At this time, sword shadows filled the sky, pressing down on him.

Neji changed the katana in his hand from a rightward slash to a vertical dance in a circle.

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and dazzling sparks bloomed around Neji.

Neji stood still, holding his sword. He glanced at his arm, which had a bloody sword mark, an injury from the opponent's vacuum blade.

Scarlet blood droplets dripped from Neji's katana.

The cloaked figure's injuries were more severe than Neji's, as his left arm had been severed by Neji and fell to the ground.

Although Neji's swordsmanship was not as good as the cloaked figure's, he had Lightning Release Chakra Mode and Black Lightning, giving him the upper hand in a head-on confrontation.

Neji raised his katana and charged towards the cloaked figure.

The cloaked figure endured the severe pain, let out a long howl to the sky, then bent down and rolled towards the place where his left arm had fallen, intending to pick it up.

Neji was quite surprised, not expecting the cloaked figure to still remember to pick up his left arm at this time, but despite his surprise, his movements were not slow at all, and the blade turned and slashed towards the cloaked figure.

If the cloaked figure insisted on picking up his left arm, he would be killed by Neji's sword.

Hearing the sharp sound of the air being torn behind him, the cloaked figure was covered in sweat, and without bothering to pick up his arm, he rolled on the ground, narrowly avoiding Neji's blade.

With this roll, blood from the wound splattered all over the ground.

The face under the cloaked figure's mask was pale and bloodless. He didn't dare to stay any longer, and his figure rose and fell as he quickly flew towards the dense forest.

A chakra beads emerged from Neji's palm, aiming at the cloaked figure's back.

However, just a second before he was about to shoot the chakra beads, four black shadows flew out from four directions.

These four people had heard the cloaked figure's howl and rushed over from a distance.

Neji flicked his wrist, and the chakra beads quickly flew towards one of the black shadows.

That person raised the kunai in his hand, preparing to take the chakra beads head-on, and then, along with the kunai, he was pierced by the chakra beads and died on the spot.

"Fire Style: Fireball Technique!"

A huge fireball attacked from behind Neji, and the terrifying high temperature burned Neji's skin, causing pain.

Neji sneered, and without turning his head, he unleashed a God Vacuum Attack, then used the Body Flicker Technique to rush towards the other two ninjas.

These four ninjas were at the Chunin level. Facing Neji, who was good at close combat, they were no different from Genin.

After a few breaths, four more corpses lay on the ground, blood flowing all over the place, and a strong bloody smell filled the entire dense forest.

Neji quickly walked to a corpse, removed the mask, pried open the other person's teeth, and pulled out their tongue.

The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal was slowly receding, and at the same time, his brain was forcibly destroyed by the power of the curse seal at the moment of death.

"As expected, Root."