◉◉◉◉◉
From the moment he saved Izumi Uchiha, Neji had begun laying the foundation for something greater.
He would not walk this world alone.
He knew better than anyone: no matter how powerful a lone wolf became, there were limits. Strength in numbers and reliable allies made survival infinitely easier.
A helping hand at the right moment could change everything.
And with just a few scraps of knowledge, a few crumbs of power, he could create loyalty that would last a lifetime.
Thus, his first priority had been simple:
Expand his base.
Using Observation Haki and his innate chakra sensing, Neji carefully mapped the land beneath his hideout, ensuring he wouldn't accidentally pierce any village barriers.
Every day followed the same rhythm.
Morning: academy classes.
Night: digging tunnels, building new equipment, training Hinata, teaching Izumi medical ninjutsu, and modifying utility techniques.
Fighting small fry for experience.
Building. Preparing.
The days slipped by, steady and relentless.
Four years passed.
---
Now, at twelve years old, Neji sat quietly in his seat, watching as groups of students were called out one by one.
Graduation day.
The sun gleamed against his slightly grayed white tunic. His long, dark hair cascaded down his back in a smooth, perfect fall. The simple white eyepatch covering his left eye only added to his cool, slightly detached aura.
If anything, he'd grown even more striking over the years a figure who naturally drew the eye.
The eyepatch reminded him faintly of an old anime he once watched a certain unstoppable sorcerer named Satoru Gojo... mixed with another masked legend named Kakashi.
Not a bad image to project, honestly.
Beside him, Tenten fidgeted nervously.
Lee looked like he might pass out from sheer tension, standing stiff as a board.
Neji, however, remained calm.
He knew exactly what was coming.
He, Tenten, and Lee grouped together.
It was almost inevitable.
One genius, one hardworking failure, one solid support.
The classic Konoha team formula.
No need to tempt fate with reckless declarations today.
No "I'm sure we'll be together!" nonsense.
He simply waited.
'Tenten's grown a lot' he thought idly.
'Lee too. And I've invested too many years raising this little moneybag...'
He smirked slightly, glancing at Tenten.
The "wealthy support type" he'd carefully nurtured for years.
Even though Lee had benefited, Guy had already started giving him special guidance outside of regular academy classes.
Neji's own growth, of course, had been steady and brutal.
From level 16 to level 32 over four years a grind so slow it nearly defied belief.
The stronger he grew, the fewer experience points weaker enemies provided.
Still, his arsenal had expanded dramatically:
[Aura Manipulation — floating chakra spheres for offense and defense, a stripped-down version of the Truth-Seeking Orbs.
Phantom Shatter — upgraded clones that could fight independently and self-detonate.
Focused Aura Cannon — a hand-cast energy blast, like a chakra-powered Kamehameha.
Gale Strike Combo — rapid, high-speed physical attacks.
Energy Flow Mark — dragon and tiger tattoos enhancing his chakra control.]
At Level 25, he gained:
[Aura Guard: Assault Form — a reinforced version of his sphere manipulation.
Aura Shield — a multi-person protective barrier.
Thunder Palm — an upgraded chakra burst technique.]
At Level 30:
[Aura Guard: Dominion Form — perfected sphere manipulation.
Beast Manifestation: Dragon and Tiger — transforming his attacks into chakra-animal strikes, laced with elemental damage.
Whirlwind Kick — enhanced rotational strikes for close-range combat.]
His body was a weapon.
His mind was a forge.
He was more than a shinobi he was a living experiment in controlled evolution.
Who needs fancy hand seals anyway?
Why waste time forming jutsu when raw power can do the job faster?
Lost in his calculations, Neji barely noticed the commotion until a familiar presence thundered into the classroom.
Bright green spandex. Gleaming white teeth. A forehead protector shining like a beacon of questionable fashion choices.
Might Guy.
"The air is thick with a YOUTHFUL spirit!" Guy bellowed, practically vibrating with enthusiasm.
Neji's eye twitched.
'Are you trying to get arrested, old man?'
With zero subtlety, Guy pointed at them dramatically.
"Neji Hyuga! Tenten! Rock Lee! You three stand up! From this day forth, I am your team leader!"
The entire classroom cringed under the glare of Guy's overwhelming energy.
Tenten shielded her eyes.
Lee practically exploded with excitement, trembling like a leaf in a hurricane.
Only Neji, protected by his eyepatch, remained unfazed.
'At least my eyes are safe' he thought dryly.
He patted Lee's shoulder, offering a rare, gentle smile.
Then he turned to Tenten.
"Looks like we'll be sticking together after all," he said.
Tenten gave a nervous laugh, but her relief was obvious.
She was genuinely happy to be teamed with Neji.
And Lee... well, Lee was ready to burst from sheer joy.
Guy planted his hands dramatically on the desk.
"Very good! Before we truly begin, let's introduce ourselves properly! Rock Lee, you first!"
Lee snapped to attention, voice booming.
"I'm Rock Lee! My dream is to become a great shinobi through hard work alone!
I specialize in taijutsu! I love spicy curry, dislike nothing, and one day I swear I will defeat Neji Hyuga!"
He finished with a fist pumped toward the sky.
Guy's eyes practically caught fire.
"Beautiful! Such passion! Such honesty!
You will achieve greatness, my YOUTHFUL protégé!"
Lee wiped away a tear, nodding fiercely.
"I won't let you down, Guy-sensei!"
Neji resisted the urge to sigh.
'He's still challenging me, huh? After four years of nothing but losses...'
Beside him, Tenten was already smothering a giggle behind her hands.
"Next, Tenten!" Guy called.
She composed herself and stood up.
"I'm Tenten. My dream is to become a legendary kunoichi like Lady Tsunade!
I specialize in ninja tools.
I love meat buns and sesame dumplings.
I hate pickled plums.
And I love inventing new weapons!"
Guy nodded approvingly.
"Excellent goal! But be prepared the road to greatness is paved with hardship!"
Tenten straightened her shoulders, smiling.
"I'm ready!"
Finally, all eyes turned to Neji.
He rose smoothly, posture impeccable.
"My name is Neji Hyuga.
My dream is to protect those I care about... And to change the things in this world that should never have existed."
His voice was calm, but beneath it, there was steel.
"I enjoy meditation and research.
I specialize in Gentle Fist techniques.
I like many kinds of food. I dislike none."
Simple. Honest.
Guy studied him for a long moment, then nodded gravely.
'You've already seen more of the world's darkness than most' Guy thought silently.
'I'll do what I can to guide you, kid.'
"Very well!" Guy boomed. "From this moment, Team 3 is officially formed!"
He leaned in dramatically.
"But... to become true shinobi, you must first pass my personal test! Only those who earn my approval will graduate for real!"
Tenten and Lee straightened instinctively, excitement in their eyes.
Neji just smiled faintly.
"Meet me at Training Ground Seven," Guy ordered.
"And prepare yourselves!"
"Yes, Sensei!" all three chorused.
◉◉◉◉◉
~Uploading Schedule= 2 Chapters/day
~Support with 100 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◉◉◉◉◉
For early access to advanced chapters on
P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access Patreon normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!