A week later, Neji had fully adapted to school life. In the mornings, he used a Shadow Clone to handle roll call and basic classes while his real body trained in the Forest of Death; during lunch, he exchanged manga drafts with Jiraiya and was occasionally scolded by Tsunade for "leading his classmates astray"; in afternoon combat classes, he deliberately restrained himself and maintained a middling rank in the class.
"Today, we'll be practicing hand seal speed," Teacher Nakajima said from the center of the training ground. "The standard five seals must be completed within three seconds. Neji, you demonstrate."
Neji frowned inwardly. Demonstrating in front of everyone could easily expose his strength, but refusing would be even more suspicious. He stepped onto the field and deliberately slowed his hand seals, barely finishing on the third second.
"Barely passing." Nakajima seemed somewhat disappointed. "Next, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru's hand seals flowed like water, completed within a second and drawing waves of astonishment. Tsunade and Jiraiya also demonstrated their results, one precise and the other fast but somewhat rough.
"Tch, what's so impressive about that?" Jiraiya complained after class while biting into a rice ball. "Isn't it just being quick with your hands?"
Neji smiled and pulled a talisman paper from his bag. "Let me show you something more interesting."
"What is this?" Jiraiya grabbed the paper and turned it over repeatedly. Other than the character for illusion written in the middle, he could not understand any of the strange scribbles.
"Something nice to look at. Stick it on your forehead and inject a bit of chakra into it."
Neji said it with a mischievous grin.
Though he had seen Neji's teasing expression, fearless Jiraiya still did as he was told.
A moment later...
"Pfft—"
Jiraiya suddenly let out a strange cry, and