Madara Couldn't Wait Any Longer

Meanwhile, in an underground base hundreds of miles away.

Madara Uchiha sat on a stone seat, resting his chin on his hand, his eyes closed in meditation. Even with his Rinnegan closed, it exuded a chilling aura. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path roared behind him, its root-like structures slowly writhing as if alive.

Zetsu emerged from the rock wall and knelt on one knee. "Lord Madara, the information has been confirmed. Uzumaki Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, accompanied by Kakashi Hatake, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Might Guy, has left Konoha and is heading towards the border of the Land of Rivers. He is expected to arrive at the designated area tomorrow."

Madara opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed in his Rinnegan: "Where 'Neji?"

"He's still in Konoha," Zetsu replied. "According to the message from his White Zetsu Clone, he was with that girl named Tenten this morning, practicing Kunai throwing at a training ground... it looks like they were on a date."

Ban's brow furrowed slightly. This was not the reaction he had expected.

His plan was to release information threatening the four great powers, forcing Konoha to make a choice—either to divert resources to support them or to withstand public pressure. Either way, it would distract Neji, or at least keep Konoha High Command busy dealing with the situation.

While Neji was distracted, he focused all his efforts on capturing the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and then revived the Incomplete Ten-Tails, becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki himself and successfully reaching the Six Paths Tier.

The plan was perfect. Using a feint to lure the enemy away from their base and then attacking from the east while striking from the west—this was a tactic that had been used extensively since the Warring States period, but it was often effective.

But now... Neji is actually practicing Kunai throwing with a girl? He seems completely unaware that a White Zetsu army is gathering, unaware that the Four Great Nations are in panic, and unaware that the Shinobi World is about to be plunged into war again?

"Isn't he worried about Konoha being attacked?" Madara muttered to himself.

Black Zetsu hesitated for a moment. "Lord Madara, I have a guess... perhaps Neji doesn't care about Konoha at all. He acted very detached from the beginning, as if the conflicts of the Shinobi World had nothing to do with him. He helped Konoha, maybe only because... there are people he cares about there."

"The person I care about..." Ban repeated the word, a cold smile playing on his lips, "That girl named Tenten?"

"Perhaps," Zetsu said. "And the Hyuga Clan, and his comrades, and... Sasuke Uchiha. If these people died, he might have some emotional reaction, but he might not care too much. The intelligence says Jiraiya died in battle, and he didn't even attend his funeral."

Ban fell silent. He closed his eyes again, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of the stone seat.

This is strange. Why is a powerful being who has reached the Six Paths Tier so... indifferent? The Sage of Six Paths Guardian Ninja world for a thousand years. Logically speaking, with great power comes great responsibility.

But Neji? He was like an observer, watching the pieces fight on the board, occasionally reaching out to move one or two pieces, but never actually playing.

"What does he want to do?" Ban murmured.

Jue shook his head. "This subordinate does not know. But his behavior is indeed illogical."

After a long while, Madara reopened his eyes, his Rinnegan now filled with coldness.

"Whatever he wants to do, it doesn't matter." He stood up, his tall figure casting a huge shadow in the cave. "Send 80,000 White Zetsu to attack Konoha, focusing on Neji's friends, teammates, and clansmen. We don't need to kill them, just create enough chaos and threat to force Neji to stay in Konoha to protect them. The remaining 20,000 White Zetsu come with me to the border of the Land of Rivers to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

He paused, then added, "If Neji really doesn't care... then let's kill a few and see. I need to know where his bottom line is."

"Yes!" Jue replied, a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

Madara walked up to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and reached out to stroke its rough surface. The statue emitted a deep resonance, as if responding to its master's will.

"As for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki..." Madara's lips curled into a cruel smile, "I'll go and meet him myself. A Jinchuriki that even Obito couldn't capture, heh, how intriguing."

His figure began to fade into the distance, eventually transforming into a streak of purple Chakra light that flew towards the cave exit.

Zetsu knelt on the spot for a long time before slowly getting up. He walked to a corner of the cave, where there was a huge, honeycomb-like structure. Countless White Zetsu were pouring out of it, filling every corner of the cave like a tide.

"Go," Black Zetsu whispered, his voice echoing through the cave, "Go to Konoha, go create chaos, go... probe Neji's bottom line."

The White Zetsu army let out a silent roar and began to pour out from various exits, surging towards the ground like a white torrent.

On the ground, the sunlight in Konoha was just right.

Konoha's Third Training Ground.

Neji and Tenten stood in front of targets thirty meters apart. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the grass. In the distance, the shouts of other ninjas training could be heard, and further away, the streets of Konoha were bustling with activity, everything as usual.

"I'll definitely beat you this time!" Tenten held up his Kunai, his face full of fighting spirit.

Neji smiled, holding a Kunai in his hand, but in an extremely casual manner. "Let's try it."

Tenten took a deep breath, her eyes focused. With a flick of her wrist, the Kunai flew out of her hand, tracing a beautiful arc in the air—

"Clang!"

It hit the bullseye, right in the center of the bullseye.

"Yay!" Tenten cheered, turning to Neji with a smug look in her eyes. "Your turn!"

Neji raised an eyebrow and casually flicked his wrist. The Kunai flew out, not fast, but with a strange trajectory—it turned in the air, bypassing Tenten's Kunai, and then...

"Clang!"

Both kunai hit the bullseye, and were right next to Tenten's Kunai; the tips of the two Kunai almost touched.

"That doesn't count! That doesn't count!" Tenten stomped her feet. "You're cheating! How can you let Kunai!"

"The rules don't say you can't turn," Neji said innocently.

"You're bullying me!" Tenten puffed out her cheeks, but her eyes were full of laughter. "Again!"

Neji smiled and nodded. He walked to Tenten's side, took another Kunai from her hand, stood behind her, and held her hand.

"Like this," he whispered in Tenten's ear, "Relax your wrist, don't use brute force. The most important thing in Kunai throwing is angle and rotation, not power."

Tenten's face flushed slightly, but she listened attentively. She could feel the warmth of Neji's hand and smell his faint, cool, moonlight-like scent.

"Watch closely." Neji gently flicked her hand.

The Kunai flew out, spinning rapidly in the air, drawing a perfect straight line, and once again hit the bullseye.

"Amazing..." Tenten murmured.

"You can do it too." Neji released his grip and took a step back. "Try it, and remember how it felt."

Tenten nodded, picking up the Kunai again. She closed her eyes, recalling the details of Neji's movements during his guidance, then opened them and threw it—

"Clang!"

Although it didn't hit the bullseye, it was only an inch away from the center.

"Great progress!" Neji clapped.

Tenten turned around, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. "It's because you taught me so well!"

The two looked at each other and smiled. On the training ground, the sun was warm, the breeze was gentle, and the sounds of birds chirping and ninjas training drifted from afar. Everything was so peaceful, as if the war had never happened, as if the Shinobi World had never faced a crisis.

In the midst of this tranquility, a faint blue light flickered deep within Neji's Tenseigan.

He "saw" it.

I saw the Hokage Office, Tsunade was reviewing documents and Shikaku was analyzing intelligence; I saw the Uchiha Old Residence, empty of everyone. I saw the border of the Land of Rivers, Madara Uchiha was commanding an army of 20,000 White Zetsu; I saw the outskirts of the Land of Fire, where countless white figures were moving through the forest, surging towards Konoha...

They saw even further— the Hashirama Cells in Sasuke's chest were fusing with the Uchiha Clan Chakra, the Nine-Tails within Naruto was beginning to cooperate, and the Yin Seal on Kakashi's forehead was gathering power...

The chessboard has been set up, and the pieces are being placed.

And the player holding the chess piece...

Neji turned his head and looked at Tenten. The girl was practicing Kunai throwing with focused concentration, her profile glowing softly in the sunlight, and the sweat on her forehead glistening.

He reached out and gently wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead.

Tenten she would turn her head and give him a bright smile.

At that moment, Neji smiled too. It was a genuine, warm smile, devoid of any calculation or ulterior motives.

"Let's continue," he said. "There's still plenty of time today."

He nodded Tenten and raised his Kunai again.

On the training field, the clanging sound of kunai hitting the Kunai rang out once more, along with the girl's clear laughter:

"Your genius is just average!"

"Hahaha, I won again!"

Laughter drifted away in the sunlight, far, far away.

In the shadows where laughter cannot reach, a white tide is quietly approaching.