Neji’s Change

The Chunin Exam was an important occasion for the major nations of the shinobi world to observe one another’s overall strength, especially the caliber of their younger generation of ninjas.

It was held twice a year in different villages, once in the first half of the year and once in the second.

Though it was nominally an exam, it was actually a battlefield where genin slaughtered one another.

Everyone participating in the Chunin Exam had to be prepared for a small-scale war. More than ninety percent would be brutally eliminated before reaching the finals, and nearly one-third to one-half would die during the cruel live-combat stages.

For that reason, whenever villages sent genin to the Chunin Exam, they either dispatched their strongest elite genin in an effort to crush the talents of other villages in the cradle, or simply sent a few cannon fodder to go through the motions while their supervising jonin secretly observed which targets were worth paying close attention to.

Thus, as the day Konoha hosted the Chunin Exam drew closer, large numbers of genin finally learned the news.

For a time, these boys and girls who had only recently graduated from the Ninja Academy eagerly signed up, dreaming of standing out amid the fierce competition and becoming promoted before their classmates.

The supervising jonin had no intention of stopping them. If anything, they secretly encouraged it.

After all, this Chunin Exam was being hosted by Konoha, and many of this year’s genin possessed bloodline limits or had mastered Secret Family Techniques. They had every reason to believe their students could achieve good results in this exam.

Even if they were eliminated, it did not matter. At the very least, they could gain experience fighting ninjas from other villages.

No one realized that a massive conspiracy had already shrouded this seemingly prosperous and peaceful village.

Naturally, Neji Hyuga, who had already agreed to join Allen’s small group and secretly prepared to leave the village, was clearly not among them.

At that moment, he was at Team Three’s usual training grounds, his hands flying as he formed seals at incredible speed.

The instant he completed the final seal, his originally fair skin turned dark brown. A large amount of earth-nature Chakra hardened his skin, producing an effect that enhanced both offense and defense.

There was no doubt that Allen had drawn inspiration from the B-Class Ninjutsu Earth Spear before, with Red Dragon’s help, transforming it into a ninjutsu that ordinary ninjas could learn.

With this ninjutsu, combined with the Gentle Fist and the Byakugan, Neji’s already formidable taijutsu was instantly strengthened enormously.

Especially its destructive power!

A single blow could often shatter bones and tear tendons, while rupturing the opponent’s internal organs and causing massive internal bleeding.

Combined with the Gentle Fist’s destructive Chakra released into the enemy’s body, even Might Guy now dared not casually take the attacks of his most outstanding disciple head-on.

Without any hesitation!

After completing the Earth Release hardening over his entire body, Neji swiftly began his daily, unchanging taijutsu training.

Accompanied by the graceful, highly pleasing movements of the Gentle Fist, everything within ten meters of him became an absolute domain that no one could approach.

Within this domain, flowers, grass, trees, rocks, and soil were all enveloped by the sharp wind of his fists. Even leaves drifting down from above were instantly torn apart by the terrifying gusts.

Watching this improved taijutsu, which combined the traits of both the Steel Fist and Gentle Fist, Rock Lee wore an expression of both happiness and envy. "Neji really is a genius! He easily accomplished things that I could never accomplish in my lifetime."

"Yeah! Don’t you think this guy is becoming more and more like Allen?"

Tenten nodded lightly, all while fiddling with a thick, long metal tube.

If Allen had been there, he would surely have shouted in his heart, Holy shit.

That was because, whether in appearance or practical function, this tube bore an extraordinary resemblance to an RPG Rocket Launcher.

Clearly, following his line of thought, Tenten had created the first firearm in the shinobi world.

Moreover, the filling at the front of the launch tube made it clear that this was a typical Shrapnel Shell, capable of instantly inflicting fragmentation damage across dozens of meters.

Even more terrifyingly, Tenten carried three more launch tubes of varying sizes and shapes on her back. She truly looked like an Arms Queen, enough to make anyone’s scalp tingle just by looking at her.

"Right! Where has Allen been lately? I feel like I haven’t seen him in a long time. Teacher Kai, do you know?" Rock Lee turned and asked Might Guy, who was practicing his arm muscles while standing on his hands.

The latter shook his head with a wry smile. "Don’t ask me. I’m not too sure either. Kakashi said that ever since he joined the Root Organization, he seems to have been carrying out some secret mission outside the village."

"Sigh, it would be great if he could come back during the Chunin Exam. Then I could show him the results of my hard training during this time." Rock Lee clenched his fists tightly, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.

"Don’t be stupid! With that guy’s growth rate and strength, he’s probably already left us far behind."

Having completed his taijutsu practice, Neji dispelled the hardening state over his body. A faint trace of mockery appeared on his calm face.

Because in all of Team Three, only he had a relatively clear understanding of Allen’s strength.

Setting everything else aside, the large number of improved B-Class, A-Class, and S-Class Ninjutsu in those scrolls alone was enough to prove, from one angle, how powerful and terrifying Allen was.

He had only learned a small portion of them so far, yet he could already feel his combat strength advancing by leaps and bounds.

"Well! Don’t lose heart, either. As long as you keep training diligently, one day you’ll catch up to him. Because the passionate blood of youth never admits defeat! For the upcoming Chunin Exam, let’s run ten laps around the village as today’s warm-up!"

Might Guy once again extended a thumb and struck his signature pose, cheering on his disciples.

Under the sunlight, his teeth reflected a brilliant, dazzling white glare.

"Oh! For youth!" Rock Lee immediately burst into tears of excitement.

Watching their foolish expressions and reactions, an extremely complicated light flickered in Neji’s eyes. There was rejection and disgust, but also a faint reluctance to part.

He understood that such relaxed and happy days would soon come to an end.

Ever since the Caged Bird curse mark had been removed from his forehead, there had been no turning back for him. He could only follow Allen down this dark road to the very end.

Otherwise, even if the village spared him, the main family of the Hyuga Clan would not.

Unless…

Unless he was willing to reveal how he had removed the Caged Bird and allow that curse mark to be carved onto his forehead once more.

Clearly, for someone who had already tasted freedom, that was completely unacceptable.

I’m sorry, Teacher Kai, Rock Lee, and Tenten. Before long, I’ll be going to pursue my own future and life.

After silently saying those words in his heart, Neji also, very rarely, joined in the physical training with those two bowl-cut idiots.

The moment Tenten saw this, she was shocked beyond measure. She even wondered whether the world was about to end—otherwise, why would the ever-calm Neji do something so abnormal…