"Stop fighting!" Tenten cried out as she watched her two teammates being brutally beaten. She was at a loss, unsure of what to do. While she wanted to help, her expertise was in using ninja tools. What if Sasuke used Lee as a shield to block her attacks?
Tenten had a nagging feeling that Sasuke might do exactly that.
Sasuke stopped chasing Neji, still swinging Lee in his grasp like a windmill. "Are you convinced now?" he asked.
"I... I don't..." Lee began, but Neji interrupted him, "Lee! Think about me—let's stop fighting, okay?" There was a hint of pleading and helplessness in Neji's tone. It wasn't because he was weak or incompetent, but because he was genuinely afraid something irreversible might happen if they continued.
At that moment, Lee was still holding on, but his body told him otherwise. He felt like his head was about to explode, and if he kept fighting, he feared he might go mad.
"I... I admit defeat..." Lee forced out the words through gritted teeth, his voice trembling violently.
Sasuke saw this and tossed him aside. Lee felt dizzy, as though the entire world was spinning. A strong wave of nausea surged in his chest, and he couldn't help but vomit.
The vomit splashed onto the ground, and Lee rolled uncontrollably, covered in filth, looking miserable. But he had no time to care about appearances; he just wanted the discomfort to end.
"Don't worry," Sasuke said casually. "Lee's body just hasn't adjusted yet; he'll be fine after a while."
"Thank you for your mercy," Neji said as he struggled to get up from the ground, feeling like his bones were about to fall apart.
"Oh, I beat you up like this, and you're still thanking me?" Sasuke asked with a smile.
Neji took a deep breath and, despite the pain, replied, "I can see that you're very strong. Even if Lee and I fought together, we might not be able to defeat you. Letting Lee go is enough."
Sasuke smiled but said nothing. After all, Lee had been the one who made a move on someone else's girlfriend first, so Sasuke's actions were not entirely unjustified.
"To be honest, I wanted to ask you for help, but I didn't expect Lee to challenge me right away. By the way, I'm asking you for help now—you're not going to refuse, right?" Sasuke looked at Neji and Lee with a smile.
*Ask us for help? After being so heavy-handed? Do you think we'll actually help you?* Neji thought to himself. Seeing the smile on Sasuke's face, his survival instinct kicked in, telling him not to refuse, or else things might get worse.
"Of course, I won't refuse. If there's anything we can help with, we'll definitely do our best!" Neji said quickly, forcing a smile.
Sasuke nodded, satisfied. He knew Neji and the others were probably unhappy, but it didn't matter as long as they helped him complete the task.
Sasuke looked seriously at Neji and said, "Very good. Then I'll be direct. I need your Byakugan to help me investigate the Jinchuriki from the Sand Village."
Hearing Sasuke mention "Jinchuriki," Neji felt a bit confused and asked, "Jinchuriki? Who is that?"
Sasuke smiled and explained, "Oh, it's the kid with a gourd on his back. Based on my inference, he should be the One-Tail Jinchuriki from the Sand Village."
Neji was shocked, his eyes widening. "What? The Sand Village actually sent a Jinchuriki to participate in the Chunin Exams? Aren't they afraid of causing trouble?"
Sasuke sneered, "It's not a matter of being afraid of trouble. Think about it—what would happen if the One-Tail were released in Konoha?"
Sasuke's words struck Neji deeply. He trembled at the thought of the devastation that would follow the release of the One-Tail in Konoha. The memories of the Nine-Tails' rampage twelve years ago were still fresh. Although Neji was young at the time, the fearful expressions of the adults when they mentioned it left a lasting impression.
Sasuke seemed to read Neji's mind. He spoke with a serious tone, "There are no eternal allies in this world, only eternal interests. It's clear that the Sand Village has its own agenda, and we can't let our guard down."
"If that's the case, then I'm willing to help you," Neji said resolutely.
Sasuke was pleased. "Great! Let's go now!"
However, Neji calmly suggested, "Don't be impatient. We should wait until Lee is ready before setting off."
Sasuke turned to look at Lee, who was in much better condition than before, but his body was still injured from opening the Eight Gates and hitting the ground repeatedly, clearly affecting his movements. Not only that, Lee's clothes were dirty and needed washing.
So, the group found a clear river where Lee could wash up quickly. Once Lee was ready, they set off on their journey.
Along the way, Neji and Lee remained mostly silent, not communicating much. In contrast, Tenten and Sakura walked closer together, chatting about various topics related to Sasuke.
Tenten, in particular, was full of curiosity about Sasuke. She wanted to know how Sasuke had become so powerful and what kind of girls he liked. The two girls talked endlessly, occasionally glancing at Sasuke and giggling.
Sasuke didn't seem to care much and just smiled slightly.
However, Neji noticed everything. For some reason, seeing Tenten paying so much attention to Sasuke stirred an indescribable feeling in Neji's heart. It was as if something that belonged to him was being taken away, making him uncomfortable.
Neji tried to ignore this strange feeling, but it lingered, refusing to go away. He couldn't help but wonder where this discomfort was coming from. Was it just because of the intense battle earlier?
Maybe... Neji silently reassured himself. After all, emotional fluctuations after a fight were normal. So, he tried to distract himself and stop thinking about what was bothering him.