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On the third morning, Neji brought a steaming bowl of meat porridge to Izumi, who had just woken up.
"Rest well," he said.
Izumi's pale, flawless arm slipped from beneath the covers as she accepted the bowl, savoring each bite. It was salty, yet in her heart, it tasted sweet.
When the bowl was empty, she set it aside, the scene mirroring years past only now their roles had reversed… and yet, in a way, nothing had changed at all.
Neji collected the bowl with a faint sigh. "You could have just told me, you know. There was no need—"
A small hand pressed to his lips, silencing him.
"I was afraid it would be too late," she said softly.
What she feared most was the gap between them his life in the light, hers in the shadows. She was also painfully aware that she was older, and as she watched Neji grow stronger and more sought after, a quiet sense of urgency had taken root.
Their time together seemed shorter with each passing day, and more people were drawing close to him.
So, she'd made her choice. And she didn't regret it.
Her hand trailed along his cheek, pulling him gently into her arms. "Because I only have you."
Neji listened to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. He remembered the night before last how she'd added something extra to the tea and incense. It explained why she was still in bed today.
For someone of her experience, keeping up with his stamina on her first time had been… impossible.
Good thing her [Healing Seal] was highly advanced, upgraded by him many times over; otherwise, things might have ended badly.
"You were reckless. Once you're recovered, I'll give you a proper lesson. I'll let you off just for today."
He pulled away from her embrace, fixing her with a mock glare. She wasn't the least bit intimidated her cheeks were flushed, her eyes daring, like she was inviting him to try again.
Neji caught himself, reminding himself of an old truth: The scent of flowers can hide a deadly trap.
He coughed lightly. "The Akatsuki operatives are nearing the Hidden Cloud."
Izumi nodded. "Mhm."
Because of the presence of his own [D-Organization], events were moving faster than in the original timeline. Soon, they would be headed toward Rōran.
With Kakashi injured, Captain Yamato was the only one suited to temporarily lead Team Kakashi. As the sole surviving subject of the Wood Release experiments, his skills were irreplaceable.
As for Sai… his deployment would depend on whether Danzo's little pawn in prison kept his mouth shut. The two Konoha elders might just be persuaded otherwise.
Still, with Danzo's current weakness, any schemes he pulled now wouldn't change the bigger picture.
Neji had his own reasons to go to the Hidden Cloud this time. There were old debts to settle. Debts he would not leave unpaid. His eyes sharpened with cold resolve before he vanished from sight.
---
The Hidden Cloud
Perched on a wind-battered cliff, Neji sat in a black suit and distinctive mask, the mountain air roaring past. Through the Tenseigan's vision, he surveyed the entire layout of Kumogakure.
"Hidden Cloud… you were quite arrogant back then," he murmured.
The words were stolen by the wind, along with his presence. Moments later, he was inside the village itself.
Compared to Konoha, the people here were taller, more muscular, and their demeanor more aggressive. The Cloud valued physical prowess and kenjutsu over ninjutsu, and among the Five Great Nations, their raw combat strength ranked high.
It didn't take long before Neji's unusual appearance drew attention. His attire and bearing were nothing like a Cloud native's he might as well have been wearing a beacon on his head.
Within minutes, he was surrounded by two jōnin and three genin.
"You there state your purpose for sneaking into the Hidden Cloud!" one jōnin barked, keeping a close watch for sudden movements.
Neji tilted his head slightly. "Jōnin… good enough. You should know plenty."
The slow, deliberate lift of his hand was all it took to put them on edge.
"Careful!" one shouted—
And then came the panic. "My chakra my chakra's draining!"
The genin crumpled one by one, their chakra being siphoned away in seconds.
"Damn it! He's absorbing our chakra we have to warn the village!" one jōnin hissed, kneeling as his own strength bled away.
But there was no chance to act. With a pulse of Tenseigan power, Neji's pull intensified. The jōnin's arm froze mid-motion, the signal flare slipping from his hand as darkness closed in.
Five against one and they hadn't even lasted moments.
Neji's gaze fell on the older of the two jōnin. "You might know what I'm looking for."
A flick of his wrist, and an invisible force yanked the man toward him. His hand sank into the man's chest not to harm, but to search his memories.
Nothing. No useful information. Neji's brow furrowed as he erased the memory of their meeting and tossed the man aside.
The second jōnin proved more valuable. In his mind, Neji found what he needed the envoy list from the Cloud's past visit to Konoha, along with the current whereabouts of some of those shinobi.
Perfect.
Once he had the data, he discarded the man like refuse, scrubbing the relevant memories from his mind. The three genin received the same treatment.
Scanning the village with the Tenseigan, Neji's eyes narrowed. A cold smile touched his lips.
"Found you."
---
Some time later, the five unconscious shinobi were discovered. The news reached the Raikage's office immediately.
"What? Someone infiltrated the Hidden Cloud and took them out without a sound?!"
Fourth Raikage's fury erupted. He towered over the prone bodies, fists clenched.
"Where is he? I'll deal with this myself!"
The reporting ninja bowed low. "Forgive me, Lord Raikage… we haven't located him yet."
Raikage's eyes bulged, and his palm slammed down, shattering his desk.
"What do you mean you haven't found him?!"
Before the subordinate could answer, another voice cut in from outside.
"Bad news, Lord Raikage! Several jōnin have been killed inside the village!"
"What?!"
That was the last straw. With a roar, the Raikage smashed through his office window, lightning sparking across his body as he prepared to hunt the intruder himself.
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