Chapter 65: Growth

Shinji approached the fallen Root Ninja cautiously, checking the body before retracting the spider silk from his wrist. He cleaned it off, coiling it back around his arm.

The situation had been critical. Without his Mangekyō Sharingan, the spider silk had been his only ace.

Deciding to fight back, he silently tied the silk to a kunai and laid the trap where the Root Ninja would strike.

In the dim forest, the silk was hard to spot. The fast-moving Root Ninja only noticed it when he collided with it.

Footsteps approached, and Neji hurried over, looking concerned.

Seeing the fake mysterious man's body, Neji asked, surprised, "You... you killed him?"

Shinji nodded calmly, "He fell into my trap."

Remembering Shinji's traps from earlier, Neji found it easier to believe.

Examining the body, Neji asked, "Shinji, why do you think he pretended to be a mysterious man and attacked us?"

Leaning against a tree, Shinji replied tiredly, "I don't know."

Though the man was a fake, he was skilled. The brief fight had left Shinji wounded, showing the man's ability to hide his chakra. Without the Mangekyō Sharingan, Shinji might not have won.

Sasuke arrived. Seeing the corpse, he said in disbelief, "You two took him down?"

Neji quickly explained, "Shinji did it alone."

"What!?" Sasuke looked at Shinji incredulously.

Still catching his breath, Shinji waved it off, "He fell into my trap."

Looking at the wound, Sasuke figured out what happened and silently appreciated it.

Though he used his Sharingan, his skill with ninja tools and traps needing visual techniques wasn't as good as Shinji's.

"I need to catch up," Sasuke decided. Suddenly, two ANBU appeared.

They glanced at the body and then at Shinji, surprised.

They assumed the Root's comrade was strong, able to handle a young ninja easily.

Their arrival surprised Sasuke, "Why did you show up only now?"

The ANBU casually replied, "We just found him."

Shinji watched them quietly.

They seemed focused on protecting Sasuke, just going along with him.

Feeling Shinji's stare, one ANBU said, "Our duty is to protect Uchiha Sasuke."

Neji, like Shinji, stayed silent, understanding with his Byakugan.

Sasuke asked the ANBU, "Who is he? He's not the mysterious man from earlier; clearly an impostor. Why attack us?"

The ANBU assured, "We'll investigate."

"Make sure you do. Allowing this in the village isn't okay!" Sasuke vented, then turned to Shinji and Neji, "Let's go to the hospital."

"Let's go," Shinji led.

Neji and Sasuke followed, their injuries clear. Despite that, their spirits lifted after defeating a tough enemy.

After they left, the ANBU checked the Root ninja's wounds.

"It looks like a cut from a steel wire."

"Yeah, he wasn't careful. Root should know how to deal with these traps."

"Embarrassing to be watched by those two kids earlier!"

They talked as they secured the body and cleaned up.

One ANBU said, "Did those three kids seem stronger today?"

"Sasuke's a genius the Hokage likes. The others are good too. They're supposed to get better. Focus on telling the Hokage today's matter !"

At the hospital, after their wounds were bandaged and it got late, Shinji and the others said goodbye.

As Shinji left, Neji caught up, "I thought about it. It seems like it's after you. Be careful."

Shinji smiled, "I've lived through worse."

Neji nodded and went off.

Back home, Shinji looked outside.

Danzo probably knew now. Whether he'd stop trying to kill Shinji wasn't clear.

But his apartment was in the village's middle.

Even if Danzo didn't stop, he probably wouldn't try here. Sure no one watched, Shinji closed the curtains and went to the bathroom.

After he checked no one was watching, he turned on the water to hide sounds, then made hand seals.

Bang.

White smoke filled the room and Yukimaru came out, still cautious and alert.

End of Chapter