A Clean Getaway

Soon, Neji, dressed in a black cloak patterned with red clouds and wearing a Tiger-Pattern Mask, crossed paths with Aburame Ryoma.

Sensing someone approaching, Aburame Ryoma stopped. By the light flickering overhead in the passage, he made out the person ahead.

"You!?" Shock showed plainly on Aburame Ryoma's face despite his sunglasses.

He had never imagined he would see the mysterious man who called himself Madara Uchiha here at the Root Base, years later.

His clothes were different, but Aburame Ryoma could not mistake that mask.

"You seem to have mistaken me for someone else. Interesting. Have you met another member of our organization?" Neji said in a low voice, disguising his own.

Behind his sunglasses, Aburame Ryoma's pupils contracted. They aren't the same person?

The atmosphere grew unbearably tense. Aburame Ryoma had been through plenty, yet he could not stop his heart from racing.

This Masked Man's presence was overwhelming. The powerful Chakra pouring off him seemed to bring the very air to a standstill.

This feeling... Even Lord Danzo doesn't feel like this. I can't fight him head-on. I'll hold him here with my insects, then surround him when Root's forces arrive! Aburame Ryoma narrowed his eyes as a plan took shape.

"Oh? So you really have met him. Interesting. It seems he did something here back then..." Neji spoke unhurriedly. "You encountered him during the Uchiha Clan Massacre, didn't you?"

"Judging by your expression, he killed quite a few of your people, didn't he?" Neji chuckled darkly.

Neji looked at him. "Are you trying to stall until your people get here?"

"You won't have the chance!" Neji shook his head and barked, "Coercion!"

An immense, invisible pressure radiated from Neji in every direction.

Aburame Ryoma felt a strange, tremendous force close in from all sides, choking off his breath. The insects on his body and those he had sent out died one by one.

It was an ability to intimidate the mind that had emerged as Neji's Byakugan evolved. Anyone whose mental strength or Eye Power fell short of his could not even approach him under the pressure of his Byakugan's Pressure.

This is bad! The shock left Aburame Ryoma briefly dazed. As soon as he recovered a little, he saw Neji raise a hand.

Aburame Ryoma heard a low voice say, "Divine Vacuum Strike!"

In an instant, Aburame Ryoma burst apart. A surging cannon blast of Chakra-infused air blew his body to pieces.

Blood and gore sprayed across the passage, staining it red.

A tremendous boom rang out, and the Root Base shook.

That was with Neji limiting the attack's range so he would not block the path ahead again.

Neji's Kage flashed past without a speck of blood touching him.

If he had enough Chakra, Neji would have fired a Divine Vacuum Strike down every passage in the Root Base and solved their problem of getting around too easily.

Unfortunately, he did not have that much Chakra. He had already used Divine Vacuum Strike several times to reach his target as quickly as possible.

He did not have much left. He had to use it carefully and could not afford the slightest carelessness.

If only I had as much Chakra as Hokage, Neji thought suddenly.

Here they come! Beneath his mask, Neji spotted a standard squad of Root Ninjas ahead with his Byakugan.

The squad said nothing. They drew the short blades from their backs and charged.

Planning to pin me down in close combat? Too bad you've picked the wrong approach, Neji thought.

"Pressure!" An invisible wave of mental Eye Power spread from Neji's Byakugan in an instant.

The three Root Ninjas charging at Neji with the Body Flicker Technique faltered and lost their balance. Their once-forceful strikes fell apart; they could not even hold on to their blades.

Neji's Kage flashed three times through the passage. Then all three Root Ninjas fell silent.

At his current level, ninjas below a certain standard could not even get close to Neji. A place like this, where large-scale Ninjutsu was difficult to use, favored him even more.

Neji did not pause after dealing with the three. He used the Body Flicker Technique to head straight for the nearest exit.

Root's ninjas were clever. Two squads, six people in all, were already guarding the door at that exit.

Neji could see their positions clearly with his Byakugan.

He glanced upward and saw what was happening on the streets outside.

Konoha has mobilized too? Even the Third Hokage is out. I'd better hurry. As Neji thought this, he reached the exit.

Facing the six Root Ninjas ready for him, Neji raised a hand without hesitation and shouted, "Divine Vacuum Strike!"

The six Root Ninjas saw a blinding white flash. Then they lost consciousness.

Boom! This time, it was not just the Root Base that shook. Even the street above trembled.

Neji's spirits lifted at the sight of the huge opening he had blasted. Ignoring the billowing dust, he plunged into it.

Having made it this far, Neji knew that if he was careful from here on, he would be free to Fly wherever he wanted, like a fish leaping through the vast ocean.

Konoha's underground Sewers ran in every direction. Once he entered them, finding him would be nearly impossible.

Neji moved away from the Root Base while using his Byakugan to watch his surroundings, staying alert for ninjas from the Hyuga Clan.

Konoha ninjas had begun entering the Sewers as well, joining the forces hunting him.

After weaving through the Sewers, Neji used his Byakugan to find a deserted spot. He took off his black cloak patterned with red clouds and his Tiger-Pattern Mask, then pulled his original clothes from a Storage Scroll and put them on.

Once dressed, Neji took a deep breath. After making sure the flames would not cause an explosion, he formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Neji drew another deep breath and exhaled sharply. A huge fireball burned the cloak and Tiger-Pattern Mask he had taken off to ash.

He had learned this Ninjutsu from Sasuke.

Members of the Hyuga Clan were perfectly capable of learning and using Ninjutsu. They did not use conventional Ninjutsu because the Main Family believed Gentle Fist could handle every situation.

Looking at the small amount of ash left behind, Neji formed another set of hand seals. "Water Release: Water Flow!"

A stream of water surged from beneath Neji's feet toward the ashes and quickly washed them into the Sewer's main channel.

After that, it would be hard for anyone to discover he had been the one behind it.

Neji checked his surroundings once more with his Byakugan, then left the Sewers.