C9 Returning to the Village

Initially, Neji skimmed through the S-ranked Shinobi listed before him, but as soon as he hit the A-ranks, his interest waned. He flipped straight to the back, finally settling his attention on a C-ranked bounty.

This particular bounty wasn't for a Shinobi, but a bandit, and the reward was modest—just ten thousand taels.

"Shopkeeper, what can you tell me about this bandit?" Neji inquired.

The shopkeeper, perking up at Neji's interest, eagerly began to fill him in. "Sir, this bandit is holed up in the mountains just to the north. He commands a crew of about a dozen. They've hit this town a few times, hence the bounty. He's notorious for his misdeeds, but since he's no Shinobi, the reward is on the lower side. Most Shinobi wouldn't bother with such small fry, so the bounty remains unclaimed."

"Does he stick to robbing, or does he take money too?" Neji asked.

The shopkeeper chuckled. "Sir, you jest. A bandit takes whatever he can lay his hands on. There's no bandit alive who'd pass up the chance to steal money."

With that, Neji tore the page with the bounty from the ledger, stood up, and spared a glance for the still unconscious Shinobi. "That's the one. Have the payment ready; I'll be back shortly."

Leaving the exchange, Neji confirmed his bearings and made a beeline for the bandit's lair.

Neji was only after some funds to cover living expenses, so he intended to make this a one-time job. Bandits were an easy target; their hideout was fixed, unlikely to vanish. Despite the low bounty, bandits were rarely destitute. By taking out the bandit, Neji would not only claim the reward but also seize any ill-gotten gains—a profitable venture indeed.

The shopkeeper had claimed it wasn't far, yet by the time Neji reached the bandit stronghold, night had fallen. The stronghold was unimposing from the outside, with a wooden gate and fence, and a watchtower that housed a pair of lookouts.

Nonchalantly, Neji plucked a leaf and tossed it skyward. A gust of wind promptly carried it towards the stronghold's gate.

Neji's right hand clenched, and two cards materialized within his grasp—one a Fireball Jutsu, the other a Wind Breakthrough.

"Great Fire Breakthrough!"

He launched both cards simultaneously, the wind fueling the flames, which grew uncontrollably and devoured the entire mountain village.

"Oh no! Fire! Quick, put it out!"

"It's too late! Grab your stuff and run!"

...

Chaos erupted in the village in a flash. Neji didn't seize the chance to go inside; instead, he stood watch, waiting for the villagers to escape.

He had been informed there were over ten people, but only eight emerged, each with a bag slung over their shoulder. The leader brandished a large knife. Neji compared them to the description on the bounty and identified the leader as the wanted man.

"Have you all come out? Are you the bandits of this mountain village? Where are the others?"

Neji confronted the bandits, blocking their path. They halted, and the leader glared at him.

"You're the brat who set the fire! How dare you burn down our stronghold! You're going to pay with your life!"

The bandit chief charged at Neji, saber in hand. Neji scoffed and flicked a card into the air.

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"

A transparent shockwave struck the bandit leader in the chest, sending him flying backward, coughing up blood, and losing consciousness. Fear gripped the remaining bandits.

Neji removed his sunglasses, the veins around his eyes bulging as his gaze turned icy and piercing.

"Drop your loot and get out if you want to live! The next one to fall will be you!"

"What a monster!"

One bandit dropped his bag and fled, setting off a chain reaction. The others quickly followed suit, leaving no one behind to tend to their unconscious leader.

Neji sifted through the abandoned bags, finding clothes and unfamiliar papers, and in one, a purple scroll.

Unfurling the scroll, Neji discovered it was a seal, but what it contained was a mystery to him.

After tallying up the valuables, Neji escorted the mountain bandit leader to the trading center and handed him over to the shopkeeper in exchange for money.

With the cash he had previously taken from the rogue shinobi, Neji now had over 20,000 taels of silver. To his disappointment, though, the bandits carried not a single coin of cash.

Leaving the exchange, Neji found himself a place to stay. By day, he trained outside, and by night, he returned to refine his Chakra and sleep.

Standing before Konoha's gates once more, Neji was now a full head taller than when he had left. Gazing at the familiar entrance, a smile crept onto his face.

"It's been over a year since I left. Finally back... I wonder how everyone is doing..."

Over a year had passed, and Neji had been through much, yet the village remained unchanged—still the same streets, the same faces, as if he had left just yesterday.

Back in his room, Neji sprawled out on the floor in the shape of the character "大," releasing a long sigh of relief.

Outside, there was no need for vigilance, but at home, Neji found a deeper sense of peace than he ever felt in the wild.

"Knock knock knock!"

Suddenly, a knock at the door jolted Neji from his thoughts. He sat up, a look of confusion crossing his face.

"They found me so quickly, but I wasn't under surveillance. Who could it be?"

With questions swirling, Neji opened the door to find Tenten, bent over and gasping for air, hands on her knees, sweat beading on her forehead—clearly, she had run the entire way.

"Tenten? What's..."

Before Neji could finish, Tenten lunged forward, her fist aiming for his stomach. Instinctively, Neji caught her wrist, but she used the momentum to push him over. Neji tumbled backward, and Tenten straddled him, her other fist raised as if to strike his face.

Neji flinched and shut his eyes, bracing for the blow that never came. After a tense wait, he opened his eyes to see Tenten's reddened, tear-filled eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"No, Tenten? What's going on with you? Hello? Can you talk to me...?"

"You jerk!"

Tenten suddenly landed a punch on Neji's nose. It wasn't particularly strong, but it was enough to make Neji's nose throb and his eyes water uncontrollably.

"Ouch—damn it! What's your problem? I just got back and you're hitting me? And of all places, you had to hit my nose?"

"You have the nerve to complain? Weren't you supposed to be gone from the village for just a few days? How long did you actually take?"

"Uh... well, about that..."