Becomes a Rebel Ninja After Annihilating the Hyuga Clan

Chapter 83

"Oh, you've arrived?" Neiki glanced at Tsunade and then turned to the girl on the hospital bed, Hanarei. "Don't be rude, Hanarei. Peel an apple for Tsunade-sama too."

Upon seeing Neiki's face, Tsunade had an overwhelming urge to punch him.

However, despite her intense desire, her body didn't respond to her brain's commands. She stiffly lowered her head and found a short blade embedded in her abdomen.

She felt no pain because the sensation hadn't yet reached her brain before her actions were sealed.

Black runes, resembling rows of insects, spread from the wound across her body, preventing her from mobilizing her chakra or moving at all.

Pressure points, paralysis…

Tsunade's expression changed.

Clearly, Neiki hadn't moved. So how had she fallen for this?

"Genjutsu, huh…" Tsunade muttered, realizing what had happened.

This kind of detail-altering genjutsu was very much Neiki's style, always effective in crucial moments. Tsunade had experienced it firsthand, though she might not get another chance to correct her mistake.

"What's going on here…?"

"When did you get on this ship?"

"Hanarei, did you conspire with him?"

Tsunade gritted her teeth and growled.

She glared furiously at Neiki and Hanarei, while secretly trying to muster the strength to break the sealing technique.

Although she had been ambushed, she still had a chance to turn the tables. This was a Konoha ship; she didn't need to break free completely—just enough to make some noise… to buy time!

Hanarei trembled, unable to meet Tsunade's furious gaze. She quietly peeled the apple, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Crunch." Neiki took another bite of his apple, seemingly oblivious to Tsunade's efforts.

If there was an insider who let Neiki in, it was undoubtedly Hanarei, the medical ninja.

"Don't blame your mistakes on others," Neiki said, pulling back the covers to reveal a nervous Hanarei. He indicated she should lift her shirt.

Hanarei shivered but didn't resist, lifting her shirt to reveal a purple bruise with a clear Flying Thunder God mark.

For Tsunade, this was an unacceptable, major blunder.

"We checked her before. There was no Flying Thunder God mark on her!" Tsunade asserted confidently.

"That's why I said you were too careless," Neiki responded, his smile widening as he formed a seal, causing the mark on Hanarei's stomach to vanish.

Tsunade was momentarily speechless.

Another one of his tricks.

"I'm sorry…" Hanarei sobbed.

"It's okay. It's not your fault. Tsunade-sama understands, right?"

Neiki patted Hanarei's head, his expression turning into a sly grin. He turned to Tsunade, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

In that moment, Tsunade realized.

He was enjoying this.

He was mocking her, playing with her.

Neiki had seen through her attempts to break the seal. He was dragging this out to savor the moment when she thought she could escape, only to crush that hope.

Realizing this, Tsunade let out a low growl, abandoning any pretense as she forcefully tried to break Neiki's seal, even though it posed a great danger to herself.

"You despicable…”

"I, Tsunade, will never allow someone like you…”

Her face turned red, blood trickling from her mouth. Forcing against the seal could harm her greatly, even kill her. But in this desperate situation, facing Neiki's mockery, how could the proud Tsunade tolerate it?

“Over and over again…”

“Humiliating us…”

As Tsunade exerted herself, her body emitted sounds of bones straining and muffled explosions. Her face twisted in pain, but finally, some chakra began to flow around her.

Neiki was a bit surprised. He thought to himself that, indeed, Tsunade's strong regenerative ability allowed her to largely ignore her injuries, giving her the audacity to break the seal. Unlike Itachi and Danzo, who also fell under his sealing technique, Tsunade had a unique resilience.

However…

“Shing!”

Another short blade plunged into Tsunade's chest, once again avoiding vital spots. The black runes, which had begun to recede, spread rapidly across her body.

Tsunade let out a scream, her eyes rolling back as she fell unconscious from the overwhelming force pressing down on her.

“I believe Kumogakure will be quite pleased with this gift,” Neiki said, slinging the unconscious Tsunade over his shoulder.

Turning to Hanarei, he spoke warmly, with a sunny smile, like a friendly neighbor:

“Thanks to you, this was possible. If you find it hard to stay in Konoha, feel free to come find me.”

Using the Byakugan, Neiki scanned the ship, noting everyone was busy.

“Don’t be like some people who fail to appreciate their opportunities.”

That was Neiki’s last sentence.

After an uncertain amount of time, Hanarei gathered the courage to look around. Neiki and Tsunade had vanished, leaving only a long-oxidized apple core on the window sill.

She opened her mouth slightly, then stumbled out of the room, crying.

…

When Neji learned that Neiki had captured Tsunade, it felt like a thunderbolt had struck him, leaving him dazed.

He walked out of the panicked crowd.

His ears were ringing, unable to hear any sounds.

He had thought he could finally earn Tsunade-sama's favor.

He had thought becoming Tsunade’s apprentice would lead to recognition from the villagers.

He had thought he could finally escape the shadow of his brother, Neiki.

But…

“Neji, what’s wrong?”

Neji turned to see the still-ignorant Miyamoto Yoru.

He pursed his lips, then shook his head firmly.

“Nothing…”

“Nothing at all…”

“By the way, the sealing technique you used on me before, can you teach me how to use it?”