"A-ANBU?"
Tenten was stunned. She never expected their savior to be a member of the Leaf's ANBU Black Ops!
Next to Kabuto, Yoroi Akado was equally shocked, wondering if they had unwittingly broken some major law to attract ANBU attention.
Kabuto, however, asked suspiciously, "Don't think just because you're dressed like ANBU, I'll be afraid to fight you!"
But Neji, behind the mask, had no time to answer Kabuto.
He had seen Tenten get poisoned. The priority now was to get them out of the combat zone—and preferably get Lee to go with her.
If there were other enemies hiding, having them here would only tie his hands.
"You two have no business here anymore. Leave, now."
Neji jumped down, disguising his voice and keeping his distance from Lee and Tenten, terrified they might recognize him.
But with this level of strength, the gap between this "ANBU" and the Neji they knew was massive. Even without the mask, they probably wouldn't believe this powerhouse was their teammate Neji Hyuga!
"Why is the ANBU interfering?" Lee asked.
Neji replied curtly, "If you don't leave now, you won't get another chance."
He pulled the kunai from the ground and assumed a combat stance.
He deliberately chose a stance he wasn't familiar with to avoid any possibility of being recognized by his style!
"You bastard..."
Kabuto gritted his teeth. This guy was completely ignoring him, acting like taking on two opponents at once was nothing.
"Let's go, Tenten!"
"Right!"
"Thank you!" Lee and Tenten shouted their thanks to the masked boy as they retreated.
They had no idea that Neji was doing this simply because he didn't want his teammates to fail the exam.
He had originally planned to jump in and help them fight together, but with Tenten poisoned and the area rigged with traps...
Hiding his identity and ending the fight quickly was the safest option.
"One more hiding..."
Under the mask, Neji's Byakugan scanned the surroundings. He spotted Misumi Tsurugi hiding in a tree and identified several more trap triggers. The enemy had prepared thoroughly for this ambush.
"With a trap range this wide, how many scrolls are you planning to collect?"
Facing Neji's question, Kabuto's eyes widened.
This completely overturned his understanding. According to his data, there were no ANBU members this young!
This wasn't wartime. The Leaf's hierarchy was strict. Even a genius like Sasuke couldn't rise to ANBU rank this quickly.
Moreover, this kid had instantly detected his hidden teammate, Misumi, and pinpointed the exact range of the traps with a single glance...
"Why is the ANBU getting involved in the Chunin Exams?"
Kabuto pulled out another scalpel, coating it in Chakra until it formed a sharp energy blade.
"That's none of your business."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Neji leaped into the air.
The next second, the ground where Neji had been standing burst open. Misumi Tsurugi shot out from below!
"Yoroi!"
Neji narrowed his eyes in mid-air. If I remember correctly, Yoroi's ability is Chakra absorption. I can't let him grapple me.
On the other side, Yoroi Akado rushed in with surprising speed. His arms stretched unnaturally, attempting to wrap around Neji's body to bind him.
Misumi's ability was soft-body modification—stretchable limbs. Just a defective byproduct of Orochimaru's experiments. Neji scoffed internally.
"Rotation!"
Neji channeled his Chakra, infusing it with Wind Nature. He controlled the output to less than twenty percent, forming a tight, spinning layer of Chakra right over his skin.
"Ahhh!"
Yoroi screamed as the Wind-infused Chakra shredded his arms. Dozens of cuts opened up instantly, blood spraying into the air!
Yoroi was flung away. Meanwhile, Misumi, who had tried to ambush Neji, was met with a palm strike from above, squarely on the head. He collapsed instantly, unconscious.
Standing nearby, Kabuto witnessed the entire scene. He was now certain: This guy is a real ANBU. He's not faking it!
"Why would ANBU attack mere Genin? Did those two bribe you or something?"
Kabuto clenched his fists. Although his true strength was far above Genin level, there was absolutely no need to start a conflict with the ANBU right now.
"Why?"
Neji landed gracefully. Misumi and Yoroi were both down for the count.
"Why don't you tell me first... why you came to the Leaf to be a spy?" Neji chuckled. Kabuto was a dangerous double agent, even if he wasn't a major threat right at this moment.
"You..."
That sentence hit Kabuto like a physical blow.
He thought his acting was flawless. To have his cover blown so casually... He instinctively assumed this ANBU was an assassin sent by the Leaf's higher-ups to eliminate him!
"Tch!"
Kabuto lowered his head and raised his hands, preparing for a fight to the death.
But Neji didn't seem interested in him.
"Hey. Give me the antidote."
"A-Antidote?"
Kabuto blinked, confused.
"The antidote for the poison you used on those two earlier. Give it to me, and I'll leave."
Neji was getting impatient. He knew Kabuto was strong, and he was only running on the energy of a Soldier Pill. It was best to avoid a head-on clash if possible.
Kabuto, meanwhile, was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
After all that psychological pressure, after preparing himself to die in the Forest of Death... the guy just wanted the antidote?
For a poison that wasn't even lethal?
Seeing Kabuto still frozen, Neji raised his right hand...
"Wait! I'll give it to you! I'll give it to you!"
Kabuto recalled how effortlessly this masked boy had one-shotted Misumi and Yoroi. His combat flow was flawless. This was definitely ANBU level.
Maybe even higher. Although now Kabuto suspected he might be a fake ANBU after all.
Otherwise, why would he know Kabuto was a spy and yet show zero killing intent?
"Here!"
Kabuto fished a packet of herbs from his pouch and threw it quickly to Neji. Neji caught it.
Until he figured this guy out, Kabuto didn't dare get close to him.
This person was not only strong but mysterious. Mysterious enough that even a master of intel like Kabuto couldn't get a read on him.
Neji checked the contents. It looked like "Time Crow Fern," a detoxifying herb.
"Can I go now?"
Kabuto asked cautiously. Neji waved his hand dismissively.
The next instant, Neji leaped up and vanished from Kabuto's sight.
His movements were smooth, without a wasted motion.
Kabuto collapsed onto the ground, sitting heavily.
His plans were in shambles. To meet such a high-level expert in the Forest of Death... one wrong move and he could have lost his life!
If Neji knew what Kabuto was thinking, he would have laughed himself to death. In reality, Neji wasn't confident about fighting Kabuto either. Since there was no conflict of interest, he couldn't be bothered to drag it out.
Neji immediately stripped off the ANBU uniform and mask, stashed them away, and sprinted toward Lee and Tenten's location.