Hearing Neji's completely unrestrained words, Kiba's expression turned extremely unpleasant.
The others beside him also subtly changed expression, all looking worriedly at Naruto and Rock Lee behind Neji.
Even Tenten behind Neji slapped a hand to her forehead, a helpless look appearing on her pretty face, as though troubled by Neji offending everyone yet again.
However, to everyone's surprise, Naruto did not lose his head and charge at Neji with raised fists as he had before. Instead, he lowered his head, seemingly sinking into silence.
Seeing Naruto's state, Kiba glared furiously at Neji. Hinata also clenched her little fists slightly and gathered her courage to speak to Neji on the distant tree trunk.
"Brother Neji... th-this way of speaking is just too much for everyone!"
In response, Neji first glanced at Hinata. Then his pale eyes swept past the furious Kiba before slowly shifting to Naruto, whose head remained lowered. His voice was still calm.
"If you cannot fundamentally recognize the insurmountable gulf between the enemy and us, then no matter how many plans you come up with here, they will merely be a childish ninja game in which you try at the cost of your lives..."
"And I, who have witnessed the enemy's strength firsthand..."
As he said this, although Neji's face remained expressionless, his hands hanging at his sides involuntarily clenched with a creak.
At that moment, it was as if he recalled what had happened that day.
Despair... helpless despair...
Simply feeling the pressure pouring from them when they fully revealed their strength had made his body tremble. The unbridgeable gulf between them had made him feel as though he were in Hell.
Even though he knew full well that they could not possibly spare a thought for people like them, who were irrelevant to the war.