C23 I Want to Go Back to Haku

As Neji spoke, his voice grew increasingly excited. To anyone watching, it might have seemed like he was the mastermind behind the technique. Itachi regarded Neji with a hint of surprise.

"Wasn't this technique your creation?"

"Huh? What are you thinking? If I had developed it, why would I boast? It was someone else's brainchild, known as the Ninjutsu of the Body—a variant of Spacetime Ninjutsu. It was originally designed to unleash a multitude of ninja tools at once. But, being short on funds, I couldn't afford all those tools, so I repurposed it for storing these items instead."

"Ninjutsu of the Body? Isn't that just a standard sealing technique?"

Itachi peered at the blank scroll in his hands, puzzled. Neji just shrugged and popped the first slice of grilled meat into his mouth.

"Not at all. A standard sealing technique requires you to draw the seal first, then encase the object within the scroll. This technique, though, is Spacetime Ninjutsu. It's akin to the Summoning Technique, sending items to another dimension and summoning them back when needed. It's a completely different beast."

Itachi nodded, beginning to grasp what Neji was explaining, and joined him in savoring the barbecue.

Once full and content, Neji took a brief rest before he began to refine his Chakra. In his fight against Kakuzu, even though the battle was card-based, controlling the Adamantine Sealing Chains required his own Chakra. Neji had pushed the Chains to their limits, nearly breaking them, which took a significant toll on his reserves.

Though the immediate danger had passed, Neji still had to retrieve Haku from Orochimaru's lair. He couldn't afford to be careless; he needed to be in peak condition.

That night, with his Chakra replenished, Neji lay on the rooftop, gazing blankly at the moon, and unwittingly drifted off to sleep.

It wasn't until the sunrise of the next day, as the first beam of sunlight hit Neji's eyes, that he stirred awake. And immediately, he felt an uncomfortable pang in his waist.

"Hiss—how did I end up falling asleep here? Ugh, my back is killing me."

Neji got to his feet, stretching until his joints popped. Just then, Itachi emerged from the house.

"Neji, did you not sleep at all last night?"

"Damn, Itachi! You knew I was here and you didn't wake me?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Neji leaped down from the rooftop to confront Itachi, but finding no real reason to lash out, he reluctantly let it go.

By noon, Neji and Itachi made their way back to the Akatsuki's cave hideout. As soon as Neji stepped in, Kakuzu emerged from the cave's shadows, tossing a set of clothes at him.

"Here, these are yours. Try them on to see if they fit."

Neji slipped into the clothes, which fit as if they were custom-made for him. He couldn't shake the suspicion that Kakuzu had stitched them himself.

The image of Kakuzu sewing by lamplight in the pitch-black cave stubbornly lingered in Neji's mind.

Unaware, Neji's gaze on Kakuzu grew odd until Kakuzu's eye twitched in annoyance, and he flicked his sleeve dismissively.

"If everything's fine, then get moving. Don't hang around and bother me. I still need to find that heart. You've already wasted enough of my time—time I could've spent making money. If you can't pull your weight financially, you'll have hell to pay."

Neji was unfazed by Kakuzu's intimidation. He had learned how to make money three years prior and was confident in his ability to do so. Besides, Kakuzu had recently been bested by Neji and was unlikely to stir up trouble over something so trivial.

Leaving the cave, Neji retrieved the scroll Orochimaru had given him. Unfurling it, a needle pointed in a specific direction. Following the needle's guidance, Neji swiftly located a raised cave in the vast Gobi Desert.

The chill emanating from the cave was more intense than that of the Akatsuki's lair. Before Neji could step inside, a white-haired youth emerged and respectfully bowed upon seeing him.

"Neji-sama, Lord Orochimaru has been awaiting your arrival for quite some time. Please follow me."

"Kimimaro, how are you holding up?"

"I've been diagnosed with Bloodline Limit Disease, but it hasn't manifested yet. I'm still in a relatively stable phase."

Neji nodded and followed Kimimaro into Orochimaru's lair. They hadn't walked far when they encountered a labyrinth of over a dozen pathways. Beyond the maze lay two rows of rooms, reminiscent of a prison block.

Stopping at the entrance to one of the rooms, Kimimaro stepped aside and gestured for Neji to enter.

Neji gently pushed the door open to find a black-haired youth sitting inside, back turned to the entrance. As the door swung open, the youth looked over his shoulder—it was Haku.

"Neji-sama!"

Haku rushed toward Neji, his face awash with excitement. Though now taller than Neji, Haku's tears and exuberance made him seem like an overjoyed child.

"Neji-sama, you've finally come for me!"

"Haku, it's been a while. How are your studies progressing?"

"Hehehe, what a heartfelt reunion. Mr. Neji, you're truly someone to be admired."

Just as Neji and Haku were reconnecting, Orochimaru's abrupt intrusion shattered the moment. Neji, slightly annoyed, turned toward the source of the disturbance as Orochimaru sauntered into view.

"Orochimaru, ever the mood spoiler, aren't you?"

"Ah, my apologies. I merely wished to partake in the happiness of this long-awaited reunion."

"Tch! You expect me to buy that? But really, Orochimaru, you do have a penchant for the dramatic, making your lair this intricate. Who exactly are you guarding against?"

Orochimaru offered only a cold laugh in response to Neji's question, then shifted his attention to Kimimaro.

"Mr. Neji, Kimimaro's Bloodline Limit Disease has become evident. I've exhausted numerous methods to no avail. You claimed you could heal him, correct?"

Kimimaro's eyes also turned to Neji, who simply shrugged nonchalantly and nodded in affirmation.

"Absolutely, when I say I can heal it, I mean it. There's no need for doubt. All we need to do is wait for Kimimaro's Bloodline Limit Disease to flare up once more. After that, feel free to seek me out."

"Hehehe, that puts my mind at ease. You may take Haku with you. He's made tremendous progress recently. Honestly, if it weren't for our prior arrangement, I'd be quite hesitant to part with him."

Orochimaru extended his infamous serpentine tongue, licking his lips, sending a shiver down Neji's spine. Instinctively, Neji's gaze shifted to Haku's neck, and only after confirming the absence of a Curse Mark did he give a nod of approval.

"Much appreciated. Then, be sure to look me up when it's time. Let's head out, Haku."