As Neji's words fell, the figure he struck dissolved into water.
"Looks like we've caught a big one. So young, yet with such skill. Could it be that you are from the Hyuga Main Family?"
In the thick mist, the voice from earlier spoke with a hint of greed.
After all, the Hyuga Main Family meant the Byakugan could be seized. If he could just seize it, he could become a high-ranking member of Kirigakure, just like Ao.
Neji's expression instantly turned grim, this person before him had to die.
"I like that expression. Oh, and your team members have all been taken care of, kid."
In the thick mist, the voice spoke with a hint of seduction.
Hearing this, Neji, instead, revealed a smile, a smile that momentarily stunned the Kiri ninja who had been speaking.
"Do not slander my sensei so casually."
As Neji finished speaking, the Chakra in his feet erupted, and the images he saw through his Byakugan instantly spread out like a circular Eight Trigrams.
His entire body shot forward, instantly arriving before the figure who had been speaking, his hands moving rapidly.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!
Countless blows resounded, and in the Kiri ninja's disbelieving expression, the final palm strike landed directly on his heart.
How could this be?
A mere Genin-looking brat actually had such speed.
And he even used Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
With that final thought, the Kiri ninja was sent flying backward, scattering traces of blood along the way. After falling to the ground, he no longer moved.
"Hoo—"
Neji retracted his palms, finally letting out a heavy breath.
"Well done, Neji."
The thick mist gradually disappeared, and Shinji's voice sounded.
Neji quickly turned to look. He saw Shinji holding one Kiri ninja in each hand, their necks twisted at eerie angles. Beside him, Yushu and Koto also wore smiles, with a figure lying at their feet.
The thick mist earlier had been cast by the Kiri ninja Neji was fighting. Now that he had fallen, the jutsu naturally couldn't be maintained.
"Sensei."
Neji quickly ran to Shinji's side, his mood finally calming down.
Although he had resolved it, it was his first time facing an enemy ninja, so it was impossible for his emotions to not fluctuate.
"Are you alright?" Even so, Neji still asked with concern.
He had just been provoked by that remark, though he found it amusing.
"I'm fine. These Kiri ninjas were all just Chunin." Shinji said, tossing the two Kiri ninjas with broken necks aside.
"Only the team leader was a Special Jonin, but he wasn't that difficult to deal with either."
As Shinji spoke, Yushu had already started cleaning up the battlefield with Koto.
Ninja corpses were a treasure, especially those from Kirigakure. Moreover, a B-rank mission with five Chunin and one Jonin was, frankly, already over the top. Therefore, Shinji and his team had to bring them back to Konoha after the mission.
After the village confirmed the situation, they would re-negotiate with the client to make up for the appropriate compensation.
The young nobleman reappeared before Shinji and the others, speaking in a very humble tone, "Thank you, noble ninjas. Once I return safely, I will settle all due compensation."
He was actually relieved that he had reported it as a B-rank mission.
Don't let the ease with which Shinji and the others dealt with these people deceive you. If Shinji hadn't appeared around him immediately, he might have been eliminated by that Kiri Jonin.
"Then we'll trouble you." Shinji nodded.
If the employer could bring it up themselves, it saved them from haggling. Though, generally, people wouldn't be so brainless as to do that.
During the rest of the journey, Shinji and his team did not encounter any more ninja attacks. Instead, they mostly ran into bandits, as the equipment of two carriages made them look like wealthy individuals.
Shinji could only deal with them as he went, with Neji taking action the most frequently.
Yushu and Koto performed such an easy mission for the first time, there was nothing they could do. Their captain wanted to train his disciple, so they couldn't interfere too much.
Finally, on a morning a few days later, the group arrived at the capital of the Land of Vegetables.
The city guards recognized the young nobleman, and upon seeing him, immediately notified the people inside the city.
A large contingent rode out of the city to welcome him, speaking of the young master's return and the disturbances along the way.
Seeing this, Shinji naturally understood that this person was unlikely to be a collateral relative of some nobleman. Most likely, he was the son of the former Daimyo of the Land of Vegetables. The Land of Vegetables was a small nation, without even a ninja village.
"This journey has been troublesome for you all. I will submit a report to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire regarding your assistance." The young man said with a beaming smile, watching Shinji's expression.
However, even though Shinji had guessed that this person might be the next Daimyo of the Land of Vegetables, he still maintained his usual demeanor.
"The mission is complete. We shall take our leave now." Shinji nodded in acknowledgment, then led his team away.
"Young master, these people are simply unappreciative." A nearby attendant quickly said.
Their young master had practically been fawning over them the entire journey but they were still so unresponsive.
"Shut up."
The young man's expression instantly turned grim.
How had he not realized that the person who had always been by his side was such an idiot?
The fact that he had returned almost completely unharmed from this journey was already enough to explain the problem.
Did he really think that Chunin from the Ninja Villages of the Five Great Nations were as common as roadside pebbles?
Moreover, among those who attacked him, there was even a Special Jonin.
The fact that Shinji's team could resolve it so easily was already very telling.
And throughout the journey, he wasn't blind. He could naturally see that the youngest member of the team was almost carrying the main load. Presumably, they were training that Genin.
Konoha truly lived up to its reputation as the number one ninja village.
Thinking of this, the young man walked directly ahead. He had made up his mind. After his ascension, he would send a signal of submission to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. As long as his country could survive, that was enough.
The current Ninja World was not peaceful. Although the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning did not participate in the war, it did not mean that these small nations could remain safe and sound.
— — —
"How did you feel about this mission, Neji?" Shinji asked Neji as they leaped through the trees.
Neji pondered for a moment before speaking, "It was very dangerous. Although I quickly dealt with that person, if sensei and the two Special Jonin hadn't stopped the others…"
Shinji nodded. "Indeed. Although it was only a B-rank mission, unexpected situations still arose."
Yushu said with a smile, greatly admiring Neji, "Shinji-sama, Neji is actually very impressive. You know, no Genin fresh out of graduation can perform an A-rank mission."
He lacked the impulsiveness of youth, could find weaknesses in enemies immediately, and he was not weak.
The Chunin Neji faced was no pushover, his mastery of silent killing was quite high.
Neji did not show arrogance in the face of Yushu's praise, as he clearly knew in his heart, if Shinji hadn't been leading this mission, and his teammates hadn't all been Special Jonin...
According to typical team configurations, it was highly likely that his entire squad might not have survived.