Chapter 92: Almost Didn't Pull It Back
The veins at Neji's temples suddenly bulged like living creatures, winding and knotting.
Those pure white eyes were instantly activated.
Byakugan, Activate!
The world before him instantly lost all its color, transforming into a cold, high-precision, grayscale, three-dimensional view.
The surrounding scenery, human meridians, the texture of the soil, and the veins of distant leaves were all clearly discernible.
The blue Chakra circulatory system crisscrossed within Naruto's body, and an unimaginably vast torrent of Chakra roared and surged through it, emitting a silent boom!
Neji's heart sank sharply, and an unprecedented sense of gravity weighed upon him.
In the Byakugan's field of vision, that Chakra was blindingly bright, like a humanoid, constantly pulsating Chakra furnace.
Powerful, vast, and imbued with a sense of primitive, wild strength.
He had seen Jonin, seen his own clan head Hyuga Hiashi, and had even glimpsed the Chakra flow of Hokage-sama, but never had anyone been as powerful as Naruto right before him.
And was he wearing weights on his body, forearms, and calves?
Neji adopted the Gentle Fist stance, preparing to counter any attack Naruto might launch.
Seeing Neji ready, Naruto charged straight forward.
Electric light burst forth, swift as thunder!
Divine Sky Strike: Raging Thunder!
"Is that Chidori? No, Naruto didn't even use hand signs."
Guy widened his eyes. Naruto hadn't been this skilled when he used the Vacuum Attack before. After a moment of thought, he recalled the five-element Taijutsu Naruto had previously utilized: Vacuum Attack.
In Neji's Byakugan vision, the figure shimmering with lightning instantly magnified!
The massive Chakra furnace drove this inhuman speed, and its charging trajectory left a dazzling streak of destructive energy in the grayscale world.
The 359-degree field of vision and insight granted by the Byakugan allowed Neji to "see" the attack path, but the speed far exceeded his prediction!
Driven purely by instinct, Neji forcibly slid backward and to the side using Gentle Fist footwork, trying to evade the frontal impact of this thunderous assault.
Simultaneously, the moment he dodged, his right palm condensed precise Chakra, cutting out in a backhand strike like a venomous snake's tongue, aiming straight for the vital point under Naruto's ribs along the charging trajectory.
However, Naruto was faster!
Facing Neji's accurate backhand slice, Naruto's charging body displayed incredible coordination and strength.
He chose neither to block nor endure the hit. The hand wrapped in lightning swiftly flicked outward and then pressed down like a lightning whip!
It easily deflected Neji's striking wrist forcefully and pressed it down.
This flick and press nullified Neji's counterattack while leaving his center wide open and defenseless.
Neji felt an unstoppable, immense force transmit from his arm, causing his entire upper body to tilt forward uncontrollably, exposing his chest completely to Naruto!
Just in this fatal instant—where his old strength was spent, new strength hadn't emerged, and his defense was completely torn open—Naruto suddenly lifted his right foot and stamped it onto Neji's chest.
Neji's body was violently kicked away, soaring like a kite with a broken string!
His feet left the ground, and his body flew backward uncontrollably, tracing a parabola before crashing heavily onto the distant open ground.
Naruto adjusted the position of the kick and held back his strength at the last moment. Otherwise, if he hadn't pulled back and struck the heart, the Hyuga Clan might have been holding a funeral feast.
He had gotten used to going for the kill in the Land of Snow recently, and he almost didn't pull it back.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Neji, who was being helped up, was in severe chest pain and his breathing was unstable, yet his eyes were exceptionally bright, devoid of any resentment. Instead, they were filled with recognition for a strong opponent and a hint of complex emotion.
Neji wiped the blood foam from the corner of his mouth, looked directly at Naruto, and spoke clearly despite the hoarseness from coughing: "Cough, cough... You are very strong, Naruto."
He paused, seemingly weighing his words, and finally stated his assessment: "I estimate... that in Konoha right now, the only people who could definitely beat you in Taijutsu are probably Guy-sensei... and Hiashi-sama."
He named Guy because Neji genuinely believed Guy could win against Naruto in Taijutsu, and he named Hiashi because Neji is a member of the Branch Family.
The old fossils of the Hyuga Main Family would never tolerate a Branch Family member publicly claiming that an outsider's Taijutsu surpassed the Gentle Fist, which the Main Family had passed down for generations and held as their guiding principle.
Otherwise, what awaited him would definitely be a "profound lesson" delivered by the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead—the shackles of the Branch Family—a lesson severe enough to make him wish he were dead.
This "necessary" reverence had long been etched into the very marrow of the Branch Family members.
"You flatter me. Guy-sensei and Uncle Hiashi are already the strongest Taijutsu users in Konoha. I still have a long way to go before I reach their level!"
Naruto stepped forward and extended his right hand, and a green light flashed.
Neji quickly felt that the pain in his chest had disappeared.
He's a Medical Ninja too?
"I just learned a couple of basic moves to handle emergencies or to heal myself after training."
Naruto smiled.
He wasn't lying to Neji; he had only learned the life-saving Life-Reducing Regeneration Technique, the Extraction Technique of Subtle Ailments used for removing poisons or transplanting organs, and the Mystical Palm Technique, known for its wide applicability and high difficulty.
He learned these from Inuzuka Kiba's older sister, Inuzuka Hana, because Inuzuka Hana is a Veterinarian in the Konoha Medical Squad.
As everyone knows, Ninjutsu is a miraculous thing.
The best way to practice Medical Ninjutsu is through practical application, and the method for practicing the Mystical Palm Technique is by treating fish.
This means that the same Ninjutsu can be used to treat both animals and humans.
There was really no other choice; Inuzuka Hana was the only Medical Ninja Naruto could access. A vet is a vet!
Neji moved the arm that Rock Lee and Tenten were supporting, signaling that they could let go.
Rock Lee and Tenten felt the steady strength coming from his arm and carefully released their support.
Neji stood up steadily, stretched his shoulders and chest, confirming that his injury was no longer serious.
He looked at the blonde boy smiling openly before him, recalled the Taijutsu that was violent as thunder, and now this exquisite medical technique. His complex feelings finally condensed into a low whisper filled with genuine emotion:
"You are truly... humble."
...The three walked side-by-side on the way back to Naruto's house. Hanabi skipped along next to Naruto, her pure white eyes filled with sparkling adoration. She looked up at Naruto and excitedly asked, "Big Brother Naruto is so amazing! Can you... can you teach Hanabi that move?"
Naruto looked down at Hanabi's expectant face, a warm smile spreading across his own.
Habitually, he reached out, and his warm, broad palm gently ruffled the soft black hair on Hanabi's head. His golden hair shone with a soft halo in the setting sun.
"Of course, I can!"
Hinata was originally looking slightly down.
When Naruto's gaze turned toward her, her head dropped even lower, her fingers instinctively twisting together, and the tips of her ears quietly turned pink.
"Hinata, you should join too!"
Naruto smiled as he extended the invitation, his tone full of encouragement.
"I believe Hinata and Hanabi should be able to learn it quickly."
Hinata's heart skipped a beat. She quickly glanced up at Naruto, met his clear blue, smiling eyes, and then quickly lowered her head again like a startled rabbit.
Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with overwhelming shyness and a hint of imperceptible joy: "Uhm... Th-thank you, Naruto-kun."
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