Changed direction? Hearing Ranmaru's words, a look of astonishment flashed through Neji's eyes.
At the same time, he quickly recalled the scene from earlier where Ranmaru and Ringo Ameyuri were clearly not far ahead, yet his Byakugan hadn't seen them at all.
It seemed the abilities of the Red Eyes were not only capable of blocking the Byakugan, but could also alter what the Byakugan perceived.
Neji glanced sideways at Ranmaru, who was not far away wearing a childlike smile, and felt a slight tremor deep in his heart.
This Kekkei Genkai of the Red Eyes unintentionally weakened the Byakugan's abilities to the extreme; if he were even slightly careless, he might be easily toyed with by Ranmaru, who looked like a mere child.
"Even if you can change the direction, if the distance is too far, you won't be able to maintain it for long with your abilities. We're speeding up." Ringo Ameyuri frowned slightly, speaking in a serious tone.
"Mm-hm." Ranmaru nodded his little head vigorously.
Ringo Ameyuri and Ranmaru's bodies paused simultaneously. With a single shift, they appeared beside Neji, each grabbing one of his arms and leaping rapidly forward together.
Neji's stamina had already been mostly depleted, so expecting him to increase his speed on his own was clearly unrealistic.
On the other side.
Hyuga Tokuma, who was in pursuit, suddenly had his eyes light up. A look of surprise appeared on his face as he hurriedly spoke, "Found them! At 11 o'clock!"
As Hyuga Tokuma's voice rang out, everyone present couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline.
"What are we waiting for then!" A look of joy appeared on Might Guy's face. He squatted down forcefully, clearly wanting to rush quickly in the direction Hyuga Tokuma pointed.
However, at that moment, the figure standing on Might Guy's shoulder gently tugged at Guy's clothes.
"What is it, Bull?" Guy was stunned, looking somewhat confused at the Bull on his shoulder.
This ninja hound's name was Bull, something Guy had only just learned recently.
"My nose tells me the scent is coming from the 2 o'clock direction," Bull sniffed and said softly.
"Two directions?" Guy was somewhat dumbfounded. Neither the Hyuga clan members nor the ninja hound Bull would lie to him, yet now he was being given two different answers.
"Hmph, things like scents aren't always that reliable. Simply tying one's clothes to an animal can create a completely new scent trail," a Hyuga jonin among them sneered, speaking disdainfully.
"Scents can be easily faked, but their eyes won't deceive us."
Hearing this jonin's words, Bull drooped his head. He wanted to refute the other, but he knew the group in front of him wouldn't believe him.
Although scents could be faked, Neji's scent throughout the entire forest only left one troublesome trail. Clearly, the other side hadn't taken any action to confuse the senses.
Guy fell silent for a moment. Although he believed the Hyuga clan's Byakugan wouldn't be mistaken, for some reason, deep down, he trusted Bull's words more.
Or rather, Guy trusted Kakashi more!
"We can't delay any longer. The more time drags on, the further they'll get from Neji. We'll split up. That way, even if one path is wrong, we won't waste time."
After a moment of silence, Guy raised his head and spoke to Hyuga Tokuma.
After speaking, Guy turned and rushed rapidly in the direction Bull had indicated. In just a few leaps, he had already disappeared from the sight of the Hyuga clan and the others.
"In that case, we'll go this way." Hyuga Tokuma paid no heed to Guy's sudden departure, speaking to the ninjas behind him.
After speaking, Hyuga Tokuma and the others also rapidly rushed off in the direction they had seen.
The instant Guy and the Hyuga clan members split up to pursue, Ranmaru sensed it immediately.
"They separated. But the good news is that only one person is chasing us," Ranmaru said to Ringo Ameyuri beside him with a helpless expression.
"It seems that the ones coming to capture you aren't just the Hyuga clan's sensory ninjas," Ringo Ameyuri glanced at Neji and said softly.
"Ranmaru, how far are the Konoha people chasing us from?" Ringo Ameyuri spoke again as they continued leaping forward.
"They are at a distance of... the other side accelerated!" Ranmaru was just about to speak when his voice suddenly paused, and he exclaimed in surprise.
"Bull! How much longer?" Guy asked Bull on his shoulder, his face grave.
"It's faster at this speed!" The howling wind whistled past Bull's ears. Bull crouched low, terrified of being thrown off by Guy.
When he was with the Hyuga clan, Guy could only maintain the same speed as them, but now, alone, Guy had no reservations.
In the dense forest, a green figure leaped rapidly forward at extreme speed. A determined look flickered in Guy's eyes.
Whatever the reason, he would bring Neji back!
"Neji! Wait for me!"
A violent wave of air formed around his rapidly moving body, spraying outward and swirling up a large volume of leaves.
As Guy moved, three black dots in the distance gradually appeared in his field of vision.
Seeing this, Guy's eyes lit up, and his speed involuntarily increased a few notches.
"Neji!" Guy let out a loud roar that instantly echoed through the sky above.
The three people moving forward stopped simultaneously and turned to look at Guy, who was chasing from behind.
"It's truly beyond imagination. It seems he is a powerful ninja!" A smile appeared on Ringo Ameyuri's face, and her mouth curled slightly.
A booming sound rang out from ahead as a green figure smashed a deep hole into the ground not far away.
Guy wore a brilliant smile as he looked at the three people ahead, giving a thumbs-up toward Neji: "Neji, I'm here!"
Seeing Guy's smiling face, a complex expression appeared on Neji's face. "Guy-sensei..."
"You two are the ones who kidnapped Neji, right! As Konoha's Proud Blue Beast, prepare to face my rage!"
Guy looked at Ringo Ameyuri and Ranmaru, his hands quickly moving to his waist as he assumed an attack stance.
"No! Guy-sensei, I left on my own accord."
As Guy's voice rang out, Neji's firm voice also echoed through the forest.
Neji's words instantly caused the fighting spirit in Guy to falter.
"Left on your own accord? Neji, do you know what you are saying? This is the act of a Missing-nin!"
"There is no Missing-nin order regarding you yet. If you come back with me now, Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade can still revoke that order."
Guy looked at Neji with an anxious expression, hardly daring to believe it.
"Guy-sensei, from the moment I left Konoha, there was no way to go back." Neji's voice was filled with complex emotions.
At the same time, he pointed a finger at his forehead.
Only then did Guy notice that the forehead, which should have been engraved with the Caged Bird seal, was now completely clean. Where was the seal?
No wonder Neji left Konoha! No wonder the Hyuga clan dispatched so many ninjas.
Guy suddenly understood at this moment what Neji would face if he were brought back to Konoha now.
"Can't you guys fight?" Ranmaru glanced at the struggle on Guy's face and muttered softly.
"I said I would bring you back, so I will definitely do it! Neji! As my student, I will not let anything happen to you. I stake the name of the 'Blue Beast' on this!"
Guy suddenly raised his head again, speaking with an exceptionally firm tone.
A seriousness never seen before flickered in Guy's eyes. Even if it meant opposing the Hyuga clan, he would protect Neji's safety!
"So... give Neji back!" Guy roared, his entire body vanishing instantly from the spot.
In an instant, Guy appeared behind Ranmaru.
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
Guy spun in mid-air, unleashing a series of kicks that instantly sent Ranmaru flying!
In Guy's eyes, Ranmaru was clearly the easiest target, so naturally, he attacked Ranmaru first.
Now standing where Ranmaru had been, Guy reached out to grab Neji, intending to take him away.
"Made your move? I was afraid you wouldn't make a move!" A brilliant smile appeared on Ringo Ameyuri's face as she looked at Guy.
The hand that had been holding Neji's arm suddenly erupted with streaks of lightning.
As soon as these streaks of lightning appeared, they traveled around Neji's body and attacked the hand Guy was using to reach for Neji.
Seeing the lightning, Guy's body paused as he quickly retreated. The lightning struck the exact spot Guy had been standing in.
Guy looked at Ringo Ameyuri with a grave expression. This redhead, who didn't look much older than Neji, actually possessed such precise chakra control.
Manipulating lightning to circle around Neji's body to attack him—this move alone was enough for Guy to take her seriously.
"Who is Might Duy to you?" Ringo Ameyuri, still wearing a brilliant smile, looked at Guy.
"Naturally, he is my father!" Guy frowned, looking somewhat confused at Ringo Ameyuri.
"Just as I thought!" Ringo Ameyuri suddenly laughed, and she laughed heartily.
"The name Might Duy! It is a name deeply etched in the hearts of every ninja who inherits the title of the 'Seven Swordsmen'!"
A strong killing intent erupted from Ringo Ameyuri's eyes.
"The crushing defeat back then brought shame to this illustrious name! Today! I will thoroughly erase this name from the hearts of all the 'Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist'!"
Unlock 30 chapters instantly (for the price of the old 20-chapter tier) and get 50–55 new chapters every month.
If you're enjoying the story, consider supporting me here:
patreon.com/anish_44
{I need to be real with you for a moment. I'm reaching out because I'm in a genuinely tough spot financially right now, and I need your help to keep the stories flowing. Writing these chapters for you is my passion, but circumstances have put me in a position where I desperately need monetary support to continue dedicating time to what we both love—this fic.
Here's what I'm offering if you join my highest tier:
🚀 Instant Gratification: The moment you sign up, you get 30 chapters immediately—no waiting, no delays. Just a massive backlog of content to binge.
📅 Consistent Monthly Rewards: After that, you'll receive 60 fresh chapters every single month—double the story, double the excitement, all for your favorite fic.
But it doesn't stop there. Your support means everything, and I want to repay your generosity with mass releases, bonus chapters, and exclusive content that won't be available anywhere else. The more support I get, the more I can pour back into creating the stories you love.
If you've ever enjoyed this fic, if you've ever stayed up late reading "just one more chapter," if this story has been there for you during hard times—please consider joining. You're not just funding chapters; you're keeping this story alive and helping a creator in dire need.
Join today, get those 30 chapters instantly, and let's keep this journey going together.
Thank you for even considering it. You mean the world to me.}