"Tenten is taking way too long," Lee complained impatiently while squatting on the ground. "I've already rested enough. I want to continue my running training!"
Guy raised his hand and waved it like a teacher giving a lecture.
"That way of thinking is incorrect, Lee. Youth is always accompanied by waiting."
"Ah! Guy-sensei, what a profound saying!"
Lee was so moved that tears streamed down his face. Somehow, he even pulled out a small notebook and began writing it down.
Seeing Lee's diligent note-taking, Guy was equally touched. The two of them stood there exchanging strange words and getting emotional for no apparent reason.
The scene was so absurd that Neji simply turned his head away.
His gaze eventually landed on Kirito.
After observing him for a moment, Neji frowned slightly and spoke.
"Your speed is excellent—possibly even better than Lee's. If you have at least one outstanding skill, becoming a ninja is still possible."
"Lee is the same as you. He can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu either. But his taijutsu ability was recognized. With a jonin's recommendation, he was allowed to take a special test and obtain his genin qualification."
Although Neji's tone was cold, what he said was essentially pointing out a path for Kirito.
After all, they belonged to the same clan.
Neji harbored resentment toward the Hyuga main family, but toward someone like Kirito—who was also from the branch family—he felt a subtle sense of familiarity.
Of course, Neji was also a very realistic person.
He only spoke because Kirito clearly wasn't the useless failure everyone believed him to be.
Sensing the goodwill hidden in Neji's words, Kirito nodded slightly.
"Don't worry. I won't slack off in my training."
It was the truth.
Whether he liked it or not, in this world filled with constant conflict, strength and survival were directly connected.
If he wanted to live, he had to become stronger.
"Hmph."
Neji merely snorted and said nothing more.
---
At that moment—
a sharp scream suddenly came from the direction of the forest.
The fastest to react was Guy.
However, as someone who had lived through wartime, Guy didn't act rashly.
Instead, he first extended his senses to check whether there were any hostile presences nearby.
"That was Tenten!" Neji and Lee immediately realized.
They instinctively prepared to rush toward the forest.
But before they could move—
a figure flashed past them like a bolt of lightning.
It was even faster than both of them.
Kirito activated the Boots of Swift Movement.
At full speed, his velocity was astonishing.
In the blink of an eye, he had already dashed deep into the forest.
Following the direction of Tenten's scream, he soon reached a concealed patch of bushes.
---
Inside the thicket—
a smooth, bare figure sat collapsed on the ground.
Not a single piece of clothing covered her body.
Tenten clutched two kunai in her trembling hands.
Kirito's gaze sharpened instantly.
He quickly spotted the danger.
Just a short distance in front of Tenten—
a long patterned snake was coiled on the ground.
Its emerald-green eyes were fixed on her as its forked tongue flicked in and out.
Tenten's entire body stiffened in fear.
Instinctively, she threw both kunai at the snake.
Under normal circumstances, with Tenten's shuriken skills, missing at such close range would have been impossible.
But perhaps it was the instinctive fear many girls had toward venomous snakes—
her trembling hands caused both kunai to miss their mark.
However, that hostile action immediately enraged the snake.
The patterned serpent raised its triangular head high—
then lunged straight toward Tenten.
Tenten shut her eyes tightly in fear.
Her heart pounded wildly, as if it might leap out of her chest.
Several seconds passed.
But the expected pain never came.
Instead, she felt something fall onto her body.
Startled, she curled up instinctively and grabbed it.
It felt like…
clothing.
She slowly opened her eyes.
"Don't worry."
A gentle, familiar voice sounded beside her ear.
It was Kirito.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the snake that had been about to attack her.
A sharp dagger had struck it precisely at the vital point seven inches behind the head.
Its triangular head hung limply to the side.
The snake was already dead.
Moments later, Lee and the others rushed over.
---
However—
the situation soon took an unexpected turn.
Tenten had already been bitten earlier.
Her arm was visibly swelling, and her complexion was gradually turning pale.
"She's been poisoned!" Lee exclaimed nervously.
He hurriedly pulled out a medical injection from the team's emergency supplies.
"Leave it to me!"
But Lee had a rather unfortunate weakness.
Back when he used to visit the hospital, the moment a nurse took out a syringe—
he would faint immediately.
Now, the same thing happened again.
Lee looked at the syringe.
Then his eyes rolled back.
His hand trembled—
and the syringe slipped from his fingers, shattering on the ground.
"Lee!"
Tenten suddenly felt dizzy.
She wasn't sure whether it was the poison or pure disbelief at her teammate's incompetence.
"Are you trying to murder me?!"
Neji looked at Lee with utter disdain.
Then he quickly checked Tenten's equipment scroll.
His voice grew serious.
"There was only one antidote injection."
"And Lee just destroyed it."
Kirito sighed softly.
Then he spoke calmly.
"In that case…"
"There seems to be only one method left."