Rock Lee, Hyuga Neji, and Tenten continued moving cautiously toward the tower. Neji led the group, his Byakugan scanning ahead for any threats. Lee brought up the rear, guarding against attacks from behind, while Tenten stayed in the middle, ready to respond as needed.
The trio moved swiftly, covering over 500 meters in no time.
Suddenly, Neji stopped, his Byakugan narrowing as he peered to the left. At the same moment, Rock Lee sensed something unusual and shifted his attention in the same direction.
"There!" Tenten whispered sharply, already in motion. With a flick of her wrist, several hidden weapons flew through the air.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The weapons struck their target, embedding into a large tree. From the shadows, a massive centipede—a grotesque three-meter-long creature—collapsed to the ground, its writhing body pinned.
"What… is that?" Rock Lee asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
"It's a giant centipede," Neji explained. "They're unique to the Forest of Death. Their venom is extremely potent—one bite or a breath of their toxic gas, and it's instant death."
"Disgusting," Tenten muttered, her face pale as she shivered. "So many legs… it's revolting."
"Let's keep moving," Neji said, his tone calm but firm. "Tenten, in the future, don't attack blindly until you've assessed the situation."
"I know," Tenten replied, though her tone hinted at annoyance.
After the brief encounter, the trio picked up their pace. Within ten minutes, the tower loomed less than 500 meters ahead.
"Stop," Neji commanded suddenly, his voice sharp. "We have company."
Rock Lee's lips curved into a small smile. "Not just enemies—troublesome ones," he said. "Neji, this one's yours. I'll protect Tenten."
"Shameless," Neji muttered under his breath.
"You don't need to protect me!" Tenten snapped, glaring at Lee. "I can handle myself."
A cold voice interrupted their exchange. "Well, well, the Konoha kids are sharp—they've noticed us already."
Another voice chimed in, just as icy. "They're not bad. Let's see how long they last."
"I hope this gets interesting," said a third voice.
Before anyone could respond, a fourth voice spoke. "Think they have a complete set of Heaven and Earth scrolls?"
"Doesn't matter," a fifth voice growled. "We'll kill them anyway."
One by one, shadowy figures emerged from the trees. They wore black clothing and the forehead protectors of Rock Shinobi Village. At a glance, the forest seemed to be crawling with them—dozens, if not hundreds of identical figures.
"This… what is this?" Tenten asked, her voice trembling. "An illusion?"
"It's similar to an illusion, but not quite the same," Neji replied calmly, his Byakugan sweeping over the area.
"Not an illusion?" Tenten repeated, her shock evident. "Then what kind of technique is this?"
"It doesn't matter," Neji said firmly. "You two step back. I'll handle this."
"Are you sure you can manage alone?" Rock Lee asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Save your energy," Neji said. "The real threats are still hiding. I've already pinpointed their location."
Hearing this, Rock Lee relaxed and pulled Tenten a safe distance away. "Neji's got this," he said. "We should observe how he fights—you might learn a thing or two about the gap between his skills and yours."
"You—!" Tenten's frustration was evident, but she said nothing, choosing instead to focus on the unfolding battle.
"You're underestimating us!" one of the shadowy figures sneered. "Take him down!"
Five figures, each wielding kunai, lunged at Neji from different directions.
"Neji, watch out!" Tenten shouted instinctively.
"Quiet," Rock Lee said, placing a finger on her forehead. "Just watch."
"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" Neji announced, his hands moving in a blur. His strikes were so fast that they left only afterimages.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
In seconds, all five attackers collapsed, their heads severed cleanly. Yet there was no blood—only silence as the bodies crumpled to the ground.
"Even their decapitation isn't real," Rock Lee noted, impressed.
"What…?" Tenten whispered, her eyes wide.
"These are just constructs," Neji said, his voice steady. "The real enemies are still hidden."
The remaining shadowy figures surged forward, their sheer numbers threatening to overwhelm.
"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Air Palm!" Neji shouted, releasing two massive bursts of chakra. The force ripped through the crowd, scattering over thirty of the shadowy enemies like leaves in a storm.
Neji moved with astonishing agility, dashing through the remaining figures with the grace of an ape. He was closing in on the real attackers.
"No! Retreat!" came a panicked voice from the shadows. "He's a Hyuga! He can see through everything! Our technique is useless!"
But it was too late. Neji's Byakugan had already locked onto them, and he was closing in with deadly precision.