Pfft! He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale as paper in an instant as his body swayed precariously.
He had forcibly used Sage Chakra to condense the Spellbreaking Arrow, then forcibly activated the main cannon for a warning shot. The energy had not been fully charged at the time; otherwise, the Raikage would not have escaped. Now, his mental energy and chakra were severely depleted, and the Sage Art Yin Seal in particular had nearly been drained dry! A powerful wave of dizziness washed over him, and his vision repeatedly darkened.
Forcing himself to retain the last shred of clarity, he issued his final commands through the Spirit Board:
"Cease fire!"
"Chasing Fang, take command! Eliminate the remaining enemies, treat the wounded, and guard the prisoners!"
"Crystal Clone... activate... the fortress's preset route... destination... Konoha... energy... minimum cruising..."
The commands came in fragments. After transmitting his final thought, Neji's vision went black, and his body collapsed backward as though every bone had been removed. Before his consciousness sank into darkness, he seemed to see Heart Butterfly rushing toward him in panic...
Who knew how much time had passed.
Neji slowly opened his heavy eyelids. What greeted him was an unfamiliar, somewhat crude metal ceiling. The air carried the faint scent of medicinal herbs and cooled metal.
"Director! You're awake!" A woman's voice, filled with surprise and deep exhaustion, rang out beside him.
Neji turned his head slightly and saw Heart Butterfly sitting by the bed. Dark circles hung beneath her eyes, and her ANBU uniform was stained with blood and grime. She had clearly gone through a fierce battle and kept watch over him for a long time. She was still holding a damp towel.
"How long... was I unconscious?" Neji's voice was somewhat