C14 The Danger! Yakushi Kabuto's Ambush!

"When did he...?" Hong Dou whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. The youth's movements, whether entering or exiting the scene, were utterly silent; she hadn't detected his presence at all.

"This person is a master," one of the Anbu men remarked, running his fingers through the dirt. His serious demeanor was palpable, even through the mask, betrayed by the quiver in his breath.

"His landing technique was even planned with a follow-up. Had we not intervened, he and Orochimaru could have continued their battle."

"Are you suggesting... we inadvertently spoiled their duel?" another Anbu member asked, taken aback.

They all knew that if the young man hadn't shown up, they might have been the ones lying defeated.

"Anyway, let's set that aside for now. We've got an injured comrade to attend to."

Their gazes shifted to the Anbu member sprawled on the ground, still unconscious.

"What!?"

To their astonishment, they found that the fallen Anbu's clothes had vanished without a trace!

"Could it have been that young man?" Hong Dou questioned, certain that such an act was beyond Orochimaru.

"Regardless, he's the one who saved us. My mask is gone too. He likely wanted to conceal his identity to keep tracking Orochimaru," Yakushi Kabuto said, moving to assist their downed ally.

"Yakushi Kabuto, you take the injured and withdraw, and report back to Hokage-sama. The rest of you, come with me. We need to find Orochimaru. He's the type who won't cease until his objectives are met!"

...

"Ding! Training session concluded!"

"Soft Fist - Pressure Point Proficiency +4477! Byakugan Proficiency +2796!"

Neji, donning a mask, parted ways with Hong Dou and the others to review the fruits of his training.

"He's incredibly powerful. And to think I only exchanged a few moves with Orochimaru!"

A rush of exhilaration surged through Neji's mind.

Despite the risks, clashing with a formidable opponent offered a wealth of experience that no ordinary training could match, even though regular practice was crucial.

But clearly, Neji now found himself in need of such high-caliber real-world combat!

Considering Orochimaru's eagerness to disengage from the fight, it seemed he had unfinished business, likely to bestow a cursed seal upon Sasuke.

However, Neji was not inclined to get involved in the affairs of the Uchiha Clan at the moment, nor did he possess the means to intervene.

"I might as well seize this chance to have another go at him!"

Neji murmured to himself, picking up the folded Anbu uniform in his hands with a sense of satisfaction.

This outfit should suffice to conceal my identity, shouldn't it?

Just as he was about to set out, Neji felt a sudden weakness wash over him.

"Tsk!"

He frowned, feeling an unexpected softness in his knee joints.

"Was I too tense earlier?"

Neji chuckled lightly. Despite everything being under his control, the innate resistance of his body was something he couldn't just wish away.

Or maybe it was the aftereffect of Orochimaru's genjutsu. Either way, with his current stamina, he was hardly in shape for a fight.

After a moment's thought, Neji slowly turned, intending to check on Lee and Tenten first.

"I hope they haven't run into any trouble..."

He couldn't help but worry as he made his way, but as they neared the center, they would inevitably draw closer to one another.

It wasn't long before he was close enough, and Neji activated his Byakugan.

Chakra flowed freely through his body, focusing in his eyes, which were now ringed with prominent veins.

Neji quickly located Tenten and Lee, just two hundred meters away.

Unfortunately, three adversaries were blocking their way!

The two were already engaged in combat!

Neji's frown deepened as he halted.

"It seems we've walked into an ambush."

Without a second thought, he took out a soldier pill, chewed it briefly, and swallowed.

His energy was slowly returning, but not swiftly enough. In his current condition, Neji wasn't sure he could take on the trio ahead.

He resolved to move forward and assess the situation first.

Meanwhile, Tenten and Lee were hastening toward the center.

Suddenly, they seemed to trigger a trap. The sound of a rope scraping against wood put them instantly on alert.

"Lee!" Tenten called out, turning to him.

Lee responded with a firm "Got it!"

They moved closer together just as a massive whooshing sound filled the air—a tree trunk, three meters thick, was hurtling towards them!

With a loud crash, several trees behind them toppled over, but the danger wasn't over yet. As they landed, a trap was sprung, and an iron net on the ground snapped shut around them.

"It's a double trap!"

Both of them were quick on their feet, leaping to the side in the nick of time. Seeing that the net was wide enough, Tenten swiftly pulled out a scroll.

"Hidden Weapon - Rising Dragon!"

A barrage of shuriken whizzed out, slicing through several strands of the wire net, allowing them to make a triumphant escape.

But no sooner had they landed than a sizzling sound filled the air.

Beneath Tenten's feet lay an Explosion Tag, seconds from detonation!

Lee instinctively yelled, "Get down!"

He lunged forward, shoving Tenten out of the way and throwing himself to the ground.

A muffled "boom" followed, sounding more like a dud than an explosion.

As they opened their eyes, they were engulfed in a cloud of smoke—purple and spreading rapidly.

"It's poison!"

Realizing the danger, they both clamped their hands over their mouths and noses, retreating quickly.

That's when two figures emerged.

"Don't bother resisting. That poison will take effect even with a single breath. It's not lethal, but I've tailored it specifically for shinobi. It targets the acupuncture points and meridians to temporarily block Chakra. You won't be able to use Ninjutsu for three days, and it will also sap your mental energy," said Yakushi Kabuto, the mastermind behind the ambush, flanked by his teammate clad in tight red copper armor.

"Cough, cough!"

Tenten looked up at the two adversaries, realizing her Chakra was now beyond reach.

"Looks like you've underestimated me. I'm a pure Taijutsu Ninja!"

Lee stepped forward, already unwrapping the bandages around his wrists.

Kabuto tilted his head with a mocking sneer, "Oh? Do you really think you can handle three of us while also protecting someone who can't fight?"

His teammate in the copper armor was already poised with a kunai, ready to strike at any moment.

"Lee..."

Tenten hesitated, acutely aware that she was in no condition to fight. If she did, she'd only hold him back!

"I have no intention of making this difficult for you. I'm aware that you've collected the scrolls. Hand them over, and I'll let you go," Kabuto said, adjusting his glasses with a look of cunning calculation on his face.

"You've been laying traps near the center from the start?" Tenten was taken aback. She hadn't realized such tactics were in play!

"Of course. I'm no novice to the Chunin Exam. Did you really think I wouldn't have a plan for dealing with naive kids like you?" Kabuto sneered.

Lee clenched his jaw. Surrendering the scroll here would mean failing the exam.

Tenten wanted to offer some words of persuasion, but she too was caught in a web of indecision.

"Well then, if you're still up for a fight..."

Kabuto inhaled deeply, his shoulders rising and falling, as a glint of murderous intent appeared in his eyes.

"Whoosh!"

With an eerie flourish, he flicked his wrist and sent a specially crafted scalpel flying.

"Ding!" It struck nothing.

Instead, after its path was altered, it plunged into the earth.

Another scalpel followed suit, embedding itself in the ground on the opposite side.

"What? You used a kunai to deflect my scalpel and change its course?" Kabuto was taken aback.

To everyone's surprise, a figure appeared atop a tree trunk.

He stood with his arms folded across his chest, donned in the Anbu uniform and mask, exuding a commanding presence as he surveyed the scene below.