C25 Special Haku

When Haku mentioned that, Neji was suddenly flooded with a sense of shame.

Haku's tone was light, even joyful, yet it was clear that he had dedicated himself to rigorous training over the years. In contrast, Neji had spent his days in a cycle of eating and sleeping, mastering only a single ninjutsu in three years.

"So, Haku, at this pace, how long until we reach the Land of Waves?"

"Five days at our current speed. But my chakra may not sustain continuous travel for that long. We'll need to rest for a day midway, and to keep the air fresh, the Ice Snake has to surface every three hours to breathe, which will slow us down a bit. We might need to add a little more time."

"By boat, it would take at least ten days, maybe even half a month. You're pretty quick."

"Haha~~"

Pleased by Neji's compliment, Haku let out a sweet smile, causing Neji to shiver and remind himself over and over that Haku was male.

Seven days later, on the shores of the Land of Waves, a massive Ice Snake emerged from the sea. Neji and his companions exited the creature's mouth and stepped onto the beach.

The week-long journey had been somewhat claustrophobic for Neji, but it was far more comfortable than the boat trip with a merchant caravan to the Land of Water three years prior. Aside from the chill, Neji felt no real discomfort.

"Is this the Land of Waves? Itachi, where's our target? Did Kakuzu provide you with a more detailed map?"

"Follow me."

Itachi pulled out a smaller map, checked their bearings, and then led Neji and Haku inland.

In the dead of night, Neji's group approached a vast estate, its interior ablaze with lights despite the late hour, and two guards stationed at the courtyard gate.

They took cover behind a large stone some ten meters from the entrance, while Haku, brimming with anticipation, wore a look of icy determination.

"Neji-sama, must we eliminate them all?"

"Cough, cough, cough, cough!"

Haku's question nearly choked Neji. He recalled that in the original story, Haku was a kind soul, certainly not one to suggest killing. Seeing Haku's current expression, Neji regretted entrusting his training to Orochimaru.

"Haku, our only target is one person. Killing others is pointless and a waste of time."

"Understood. I'll handle it, Neji-sama."

With that, Haku began forming hand seals. As he completed the final seal, ethereal feathers started to drift from the sky, barely visible in the light and completely hidden in the darkness.

"Nirvana Abode Technique!"

The once alert guards collapsed into slumber as the feathers descended. Neji and Itachi burst into the compound. Itachi swiftly located and dispatched their target in his sleep, while Neji methodically searched each room.

Itachi shouldered the body and donned his straw hat, heading towards the money exchange. Neji followed suit, and Haku donned a white mask with slits for eyes.

Reaching the deserted money exchange, Itachi pushed open the door to find the clerk asleep at the counter. Without a word, he deposited the body on the counter.

"How much for this man?"

Startled awake by the commotion, the shopkeeper's confusion turned to shock upon seeing the corpse.

"This, this is... You, you've actually..."

"Cut the chatter. We're pressed for time."

"Yes, of course!"

The shopkeeper hastily stowed the body and retrieved a hefty sum of money, which Itachi tossed to Neji without a second glance.

Neji briefly checked the bag to confirm its contents before sealing it with a scroll. Together, they left the money exchange.

"Neji-sama, shall we travel through the night to the Land of Water?"

"There's no need to rush. Let's find a place to rest up first, and we can pick up some supplies tomorrow before hitting the road again."

Neji and his companions checked into three single rooms at an inn. The following afternoon, Neji was roused from sleep by the sound of footsteps. Blinking his eyes open, he found Itachi standing at the doorway, watching him.

"Awake? We should get moving."

Before Neji could respond, Haku's head appeared at the door.

"Neji-sama, are you hungry? I've just bought some rice balls."

Neji nodded, got up to freshen up, and half an hour later, he was strolling down the street, nibbling on a rice ball. He felt like he had woken up at an odd time, yet the rice ball was still pleasantly warm.

"Itachi, Haku, aren't you guys hungry?"

"Neji-sama, we've already eaten. Uchiha Itachi-sama had me buy the rice ball for you about twenty minutes before you woke up, predicting you'd be hungry."

Neji cast a skeptical glance at Itachi, who remained unfazed, as if oblivious to the conversation.

With a shrug, Neji crammed the rest of the rice ball into his mouth.

Once they had stocked up on essentials, the group returned to the beach where Haku summoned another giant serpent. This time, Neji was thoroughly prepared, having bought extra blankets for warmth.

Days later, inside the Ice Snake, Neji's party crossed into the Land of Water. Everything seemed normal, unchanged.

Suddenly, two red lights appeared ahead of the Ice Snake. Neji activated his Byakugan and immediately spotted an individual radiating intense Chakra.

"Incredible strength! That must be our target, right?"

"Roar!"

No sooner had Neji spoken than a furious roar echoed ahead, and a whirlpool materialized, ensnaring the Ice Snake, which began to fracture under the current's assault.

Haku's face paled as he swiftly formed hand seals and struck the ground.

"Ice Shield: Ice Seal Frost!"

Centered on the Ice Snake, the water around them rapidly froze. Neji wasted no time, launching Fire Style jutsu to thaw the ice, and the trio leapt from the frozen surface.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the frozen expanse, the surface of the water began to bulge rapidly as a large turtle with a sharp spike and a tail surfaced.

The turtle was a third smaller than the Three-tail, yet it exuded an aura of extreme danger.

"Roar!"

With another furious roar, the turtle seemed to command the sea itself, as waves rose in response to its rage, crashing against the ice.

"Neji-sama, I'll handle..."

Haku stepped forward, ready to perform a Ninjutsu seal, but Neji stopped him. Through Neji's Byakugan, it was evident that Haku's Chakra had dwindled to just a quarter of its former glory.