The battlefield still reeked of smoke and scorched earth from the earlier clash. Broken weapons, shattered crates, and blood-stained soil marked the aftermath of the sudden ambush. Though the convoy had survived, the atmosphere was tense, like a bowstring drawn too tight.
Neji stood calmly amidst the fading sparks of his Black Lightning, his pale eyes scanning the battlefield with quiet intensity. Around him, the bodies of the fallen rogue ninja and their bandit allies lay scattered.
Although the attack had been sudden, the enemy's composition revealed much. Their coordination, numbers, and ruthlessness made it clear: these weren't ordinary raiders.
"Forget the mission objective," barked the leader of the ambush—a scarred Iwagakure Rogue Ninja with a jagged kunai clenched between his teeth. His voice was hoarse yet commanding, and his eyes were fixed solely on Neji. "Kill this boy first!"
The surviving members of his squad shifted uneasily. To them, Neji looked like just a teenager, but the corpses of their comrades told another story.
---
The Clash
Neji's brow arched slightly. "So… you're after me?" His voice carried no fear, only curiosity, as though testing a hypothesis.
The rogue ninja formed a rapid sequence of hand seals, slamming his palm against his arm.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist Jutsu!"
His forearm hardened instantly, covered in a layer of jagged stone. With a guttural roar, he swung down at Neji with bone-shattering force.
Dust flew as the ground cracked beneath the weight of the strike. Neji raised his arms, taking the brunt of the blow, and his slender body was hurled backward through the air.
For a brief second, the enemy's subordinates—one Chūnin and three Genin—exhaled in relief.
"Not bad," one muttered. "He's strong, but—"
Their words froze in their throats.
The scarred rogue ninja's eyes widened in horror as he realized the boy was not retreating—he was redirecting himself midair. Neji twisted, using the momentum of the strike, his body becoming a spear.
A crackling shriek filled the air. Black Lightning surged violently from his palm, screaming like a storm of birds scattering in panic.
The first two Genin were engulfed instantly, their cries cut short as their bodies went limp.
The Chūnin staggered backward, panic overtaking him. He slapped his hands together desperately.
"Earth Release: Body Vibration Jutsu!"
His form blurred as he tried to meld with the earth and escape.
But Neji was faster.
"Divine Empty Fist!"
He thrust forward with a deceptively soft palm strike. A sphere of compressed chakra shot forward silently, striking the Chūnin in the chest.
The man froze mid-step. His eyes widened in disbelief before he collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Externally, his body bore no wounds—but inside, his heart had been obliterated.
The battlefield fell silent, broken only by the sizzling hum of Neji's lightning.
He landed lightly, dragging a kunai across the dirt to halt his momentum, his pale eyes narrowing on the rogue leader.
---
Recognition
The Iwagakure rogue ninja staggered back, his gaze flickering between Neji and the black arcs of chakra writhing around his palm.
"Black Lightning…" he muttered, his voice trembling despite himself. His mind flashed back to the war, to a battlefield drenched in rain and blood. He had once glimpsed from afar the terrifying power of the Third Raikage's heirloom technique—an ultimate lightning transformation that shattered even stone.
He clenched his fists. Could this boy be using the same technique?
Cold sweat ran down his back. Even now, years later, the memory of that battlefield haunted him.
Neji tilted his head slightly, his expression calm, almost mocking. "Use everything you have. Don't make this boring by dying too quickly."
The rogue ninja grit his teeth. "Arrogant brat…"
He replayed the earlier exchange in his mind. The boy hadn't blocked him head-on; he had redirected the attack, using the rogue's own strength to accelerate into his allies. That kind of composure and calculation wasn't normal for someone so young.
His strength was at least equal to his own… perhaps greater.
If he fought recklessly, there was no guarantee of victory. And even if he somehow managed to kill the boy, reinforcements from the Cloud kunoichi wouldn't be far behind.
This job isn't worth my life.
---
Retreat
The rogue ninja slammed his hands onto the ground. "Earth Release: Earthflow River!"
The terrain beneath them rumbled violently as the earth turned into a roiling wave of mud. It surged forward, a torrent seeking to swallow Neji whole.
Neji darted back, his body impossibly nimble. He used bursts of chakra to step lightly across unstable patches, leaping from one mound to another until he was clear of the flood.
When the mud settled, the rogue leader was already retreating, dashing into the distance.
Neji didn't pursue immediately. He watched calmly, pale eyes tracking his chakra signature. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he released a Lightning Clone to give chase while he stayed behind to regroup.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out:
"Neji, I'm coming!"
Yugito appeared, her golden eyes sharp, her chakra radiating with the faint echo of the Two-Tails' power. She landed beside him lightly, her own enemies already dispatched.
The battle was over. The surviving guards hacked down the last of the bandits with grim efficiency.
But the convoy had suffered. Several supply carts were destroyed, horses lay dead or panicked, and the guards bore fresh wounds from the ambush.
---
Doubts
Tokugawa Takahara, the wealthy merchant who had hired them, rushed forward, accompanied by the veiled woman and the small boy they had noticed earlier. His face was pale, his hands trembling.
"Ninja-sama! Are you unharmed?" he asked anxiously.
Neji didn't answer immediately. He turned his gaze upon the merchant, his Byakugan veins still faintly bulging. His half-smile carried no warmth.
Beside him, Yugito folded her arms, her expression cold. She, too, had begun to piece together the truth.
The sudden ambush, the unnaturally strong enemy force, the way the attackers had gone straight for the cart carrying the woman and child—it all fit together too neatly.
Neji's tone was calm but sharp as a blade. "Mr. Tokugawa. Please explain yourself."
The merchant stiffened. "E-explain? I… I don't understand what you mean…"
Yugito's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't play dumb. The enemy fielded two Special Jōnin, three Chūnin, and five Genin. That isn't a random raid. To the outside world, you're transporting grain. But anyone watching closely would assume you're carrying something far more valuable—gold, perhaps. So tell us, why would enemy shinobi risk so much for mere food?"
Tokugawa's lips trembled. Sweat dripped from his brow. He stammered, "Th-this is… I never expected—"
Neji cut him off, his voice sharper now. "Then answer this: why did that woman and child join your convoy at the last moment? Why did the strongest part of the enemy's force target their cart specifically? The truth, Tokugawa. They aren't just passengers. They're your real cargo, aren't they?"
The merchant's face drained of color.
The silence hung heavy until the woman herself suddenly sighed and stepped forward. She bowed deeply, her voice trembling.
"We're sorry. We deceived you."
---
Revelation
Tokugawa's hands shook. "Meizhi, don't—"
But the woman—Meizhi—shook her head. "It was my idea. I asked him to hide the truth. If anyone deserves blame, it's me."
Tokugawa sagged, realizing the ruse had been pierced. There was no longer any point in pretending.
He bowed deeply, his voice breaking. "Forgive me, shinobi. We had no choice."
Yugito's tone was cold but measured. "Speak clearly. If you want us to continue this escort, you'll tell us everything you've been hiding."
Tokugawa's shoulders slumped as though he had aged years in a single breath. Slowly, haltingly, he began to explain.
"Meizhi… she isn't just a companion. She is my woman. And this child… he is my illegitimate son."
Neji's eyes widened slightly. Yugito raised her brows. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
Tokugawa continued, his voice heavy with regret. "I was born into the Tokugawa Family—the wealthiest merchants of the Hidden Grass Village. Meizhi and I were childhood sweethearts. But for the sake of my clan's interests, I was forced to marry another. Meizhi was heartbroken, and she left… all the way to the Land of Lightning. There, she bore me a son."
His voice cracked. "For years, I dared not bring them back. But months ago, tragedy struck. My eldest son was killed by bandits during a business trip. With him gone, my family's bloodline was in peril. I could no longer ignore my younger boy. I had to bring him home, no matter the cost."
He clenched his fists. "Twice I sent convoys to retrieve them. Twice, the escorts were ambushed and slaughtered. In the end, I had no choice but to come personally, under the guise of purchasing grain. But still… the enemy came."
The truth fell like a heavy stone. The "grain escort" was nothing more than a smokescreen. Their true mission was to protect Tokugawa's hidden heir.
---
Yugito exchanged a glance with Neji. The deception had put them all at risk—but at least now, the truth was revealed.
And the danger was far from over.
---