Caught off guard for a moment, the man let Neji grab the wrist of the hand holding Hinata on his shoulder. Neji tried to pull her back.
But the man was an ANBU Jonin. The gap between him and a child like Neji, who had not even entered the academy, was enormous.
The instant he reacted, the man turned slightly and slammed his palm into Neji's stomach.
Neji was only a child. Though he managed to twist aside a little, he could not dodge the blow completely. The ninja sent him flying.
In that instant, pain sank deep into Neji's bones, as if his intestines had twisted into a knot.
Darkness washed over his vision. He lay on the ground, unable to move, as everything before his eyes slowly blurred.
On the verge of passing out, Neji gritted his teeth, pulled a tiny Signal Flare from the tool pouch on his back, and set it off with the last of his strength.
With a sharp whistle, red fireworks burst overhead, then faded into a wisp of smoke.
The ninja had never expected the child to set off a Signal Flare before losing consciousness. Furious with himself, he wanted to go back and crush Neji underfoot.
But the moment the flare lit up, the Hyuga Clan's rear courtyard erupted in noise. Many people were coming this way. They might not be especially strong, but there were too many of them to easily shake off if they caught up.
With that thought, the ninja shot Neji a hateful look and vanished into the night in a few leaps.
In the front courtyard, Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga were already itching to join the fight themselves. Eight people had failed to capture the four intruders after a full minute.
Just as Hizashi was