C10 The Defense! the Defense Was Indestructible!

"What is that? How can it be visible from such a distance?"

Shizune's brow creased in surprise.

Ya paused, then shifted back to his human form. "Neji? When did you learn Ninjutsu?"

They didn't realize that Neji had simply honed a Body Technique through intense practice.

It was the Byakugan's unique long-range Body Technique.

"Hinata, come to me."

Neji beckoned Hinata over.

Though he wasn't keen on fighting these individuals, Neji was adamant about keeping Hinata safe.

As Hinata dashed toward him, the shinobi from the Hidden Grass Village took advantage of Shizune and Ya's distraction to quickly exit the battlefield.

The incident appeared to have lessened Ya and Shizune's hostility towards Neji.

They now saw that Neji was far from the pushover that rumors had suggested.

"I didn't expect Neji to be so powerful, to be able to go toe-to-toe with Ya," Shizune said with admiration.

Ya chuckled, "Hmph, he's skilled alright, but I was holding back. Don't get too smug!"

"Since we're all from Konoha Village, why not die together?"

The chilling voice of the Hidden Grass shinobi surrounded them.

"Earth Release: Mud Swamp!"

*Boom!*

The group was shocked as a six-to-seven-meter-wide circle formed, its perimeter slowly turning into a swamp, blocking their path.

"We're in a bind," Shizune was the first to notice, snatching a bug from the air.

"This isn't just any blockade; it's an Earth Release Chakra barrier. Not even the bugs can escape."

Ya sneered, "These Hidden Grass shinobi are as sly as they come!"

The voice of the Grass shinobi came again, "The examiner was clear: this test is real combat. So, it wouldn't be too much to kill you, would it?"

Shizune and Ya panicked.

They had intended to take the scroll, not Neji's life.

But these Grass shinobi were deadly serious.

"The Earth Release barrier will last at least two minutes. In the next minute, you'll face an onslaught of thirty thousand needle-spiked projectiles, a specialty of the Hidden Grass. There's no way out...hahaha!"

"Swoosh!"

As the words were still hanging in the air, a flurry of needles rained down, skewering Shizune's insect and nailing it to the tree trunk.

"Byakugan!"

Hinata activated her Byakugan, only to discover they were surrounded by chakra barriers, and the needles themselves were charged with chakra.

"Poison..." A bead of cold sweat trickled down Hinata's forehead.

"Hahaha! You're right—the needles are coated with a deadly toxin. Even a graze is a death sentence!"

Shizune and Kiba were at a loss, not expecting their mission to protect Neji would turn so perilous!

"I'll use my Fang Passing Fang to deflect all the needles. Just focus on keeping yourselves safe!"

Kiba was about to call on Akamaru to transform, but Hinata stopped him.

"No, Kiba, that will only result in more severe injuries!"

"But we have no other choice!"

Amidst their argument, Neji took a determined step forward.

"Stay put, don't move!"

He took a deep breath and advanced.

"Hold on, Rotation! Neji, can you use it?" Hope flickered in Hinata's voice.

Kiba was quick to dismiss the idea, "The Hyuga Clan's Rotation can't cover this area and sustain for a full minute. It's not possible!"

Shizune fell silent.

"Time's up, this is the end!"

On the Grass ninja's command, the sound of whistling needles signaled the approach of death.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

Hundreds of needles descended on the clearing, with traps set by the Grass ninja on the ground and in the trees!

Neji's hand gesture was resolute. He knew a standard Rotation wouldn't last a minute, but he was prepared to go beyond that.

"Wind nature..."

Neji closed his eyes, concentrating on refining his chakra. With the Byakugan's assistance, it was almost effortless.

"Nature transformation!"

Neji's eyes flew open just as the needles were about to strike. Kiba and Shizune reflexively raised their hands to protect their heads, while Hinata tightly shut her eyes.

"Wind - Return to Heaven!"

This move had been perfected through ten thousand solitary rehearsals on the practice field. For Neji, it was now as effortless as breathing. His body whirled into motion with dizzying speed, the surrounding whirlwinds kicking up dust before the inferior projectiles could even land. The chakra, driven by the wind, formed a closed hemisphere, echoing the heavens, with an impressive five-meter diameter. It resembled a controlled twister, safeguarding Hinata and the others at its heart, while effortlessly repelling the incoming assault.

The intensity of the attack grew, with thousands of projectiles swallowed by the vortex, vanishing into the light as mere ash. "An unbreakable defense. Is this the Hyuga Clan's 'Return to Heaven'? No, it's beyond that!" A Grass shinobi's eyes widened in shock, his forehead beading with sweat. "It's akin to a giant, controllable tornado, capable of... even uprooting trees..." The tree they were hiding in was nearly torn from its roots, its leaves scattered to the wind.

The relentless barrage was rendered harmless by the powerful chakra, and after more than a minute, the 'Return to Heaven' had transformed the surrounding terrain into a wasteland. When the projectiles stopped, so did the technique. "Parasite - Insect Powder!" The ground, pre-infested with parasites, offered no quarter. "Teeth!" A whirlwind-shaped force flew at them, hitting its mark head-on!

...

"Is this really okay?" Hinata, blushing, peeked at the Grass shinobi now in their underwear and quickly turned away. Kiba clapped the dust from his hands, saying, "Hey! That's how you deal with those sneaky jerks. Let's see if they dare to try anything underhanded again!"

"Sorry, Neji, you have the Heaven Scroll, right? They had one too, and we have the Earth Scroll, so I'll be taking this one!" Kiba boasted, pleased with his newfound advantage. Shizune, hands still casually in his pockets, turned to Neji. "That jutsu you used... have you really mastered the Hyuga Clan's 'Return to Heaven' to such an extent?"

Neji chuckled sheepishly and scratched his head, saying, "Well, just average. But our Hyuga Clan is really strong!"

Hinata gazed at Neji, her expression blank, and quietly bowed her head.

Seeing her brother able to hold his head high in front of others filled her with joy.

"We should find a place to rest," Shizune suggested, noting everyone's weariness. To prevent another enemy encounter, they needed to evacuate the area.

They had barely left the forest and taken a few steps when Neji sensed something amiss and gestured for the group to halt.

"Whoosh!"

The sound of rustling leaves filled the air as a shinobi dressed in a beige jumpsuit emerged.

It was a genin from the Hidden Rain Village—Lon.

His unkempt hair and the dark circles under his eyes didn't exactly inspire trust.

Neji paused, taken aback. The darkness made it difficult to discern the newcomer's features, but he recognized the forehead protector—the mark of a Hidden Rain Village ninja.

"I was worried I'd be too late, but it turns out my timing is perfect!"

Lon laughed softly. He and his team had split up to find the supposedly weakest member, Hyuga Neji, and stumbling upon him now thrilled him to no end.