Chapter 15 - Threat! Weird Anbu"Dark, Anbu?"

Tenten was stunned. She never expected an Anbu from Konoha to save them. The red-bronze-armored ninja beside her was equally shocked, uncertain if he had made a mistake.

Kabuto, ever the suspicious one, sneered, "You there! Just because you're posing as Anbu doesn't mean I won't attack you!"

Neji, disguised behind an Anbu mask, didn't respond. His attention was focused on the effects of the poison on Tenten. The priority now was to get her and Lee out of the battlefield. He knew Lee had to follow them—if more enemies appeared, they'd only slow him down.

"You're not needed here. Leave, now," Neji commanded in a disguised voice, pressing his throat to alter its tone. He kept a careful distance from Lee and Tenten, avoiding any chance of recognition.

The difference between this Anbu persona and the Neji they knew was stark. Even if he weren't wearing a mask, his teammates might not believe the masked ninja was actually their comrade, Hyuga Neji.

"Why would the Anbu get involved?" Lee asked, skeptical.

"If you don't leave now, you won't get another chance," Neji said, pulling a kunai from the ground and deliberately taking an awkward, unrefined stance, hoping to dispel any lingering suspicion.

"You...!" Kabuto gritted his teeth as the masked ninja ignored him, exuding the confidence of someone who could take on two opponents at once.

"Let's go, Tenten!" Lee urged.

"Okay!" Tenten agreed.

"Thanks!" she called out to the masked figure as they retreated. Little did they know Neji's only goal was to ensure his teammates didn't fail the Chūnin exam.

Initially, Neji had intended to help his team defeat the enemy outright. But after seeing Tenten was poisoned and the area was riddled with traps, he realized it was better to hide his identity and resolve the situation quickly.

"Are there more?" Neji thought to himself. Activating his Byakugan, he quickly scanned the area, spotting several hidden traps. The enemy had clearly gone to great lengths to set up this ambush.

"How many scrolls are they trying to collect?" Neji muttered under his breath.

Kabuto's eyes widened. His intel had never mentioned someone so young being part of the Anbu. Even in peacetime, Konoha's ranks were strictly hierarchical. Not even Sasuke could have advanced to Anbu at this age.

And yet, this "Anbu" could detect Kabuto's teammate hiding in the trees with just a glance and knew the exact range of the traps.

"Why would Anbu intervene in the Chūnin exams?" Kabuto wondered. He pulled out a scalpel, coating it in Chakra. His suspicions grew, but before he could act, Neji leapt into the air.

From the ground, Kabuto's teammate, Ken Meisumi, emerged, extending his body in an attempt to ensnare Neji.

Neji smirked. "Rotation!"

In an instant, Neji unleashed a controlled burst of Chakra, limiting it to only 20% of its full power. The wind-based Chakra shredded Ken's limbs, leaving him bloodied and incapacitated. A swift strike from Neji's palm sent Ken crashing to the ground, unconscious.

Kabuto was forced to reconsider. Was this really an Anbu operative? If so, why was he targeting Genin like them? Had those two Konoha Genin bribed him?

Clenching his fists, Kabuto realized that despite his strength surpassing that of a Genin, it was unwise to pick a fight with Anbu.

"Why?" Kabuto asked aloud, still trying to make sense of the situation.

Neji landed smoothly, with both Ken Meisumi and the red-bronze-armored ninja lying unconscious beside him.

"Why don't you tell me why you're here as a spy?" Neji asked, chuckling. He had seen Kabuto's type before—double agents were always dangerous, though at this moment, Kabuto wasn't a significant threat.

Kabuto's heart raced. Could this masked Anbu have been sent specifically to assassinate him? His perfect cover had just been shattered.

"Tch…" Kabuto prepared himself for a fight, reaching for his weapons.

But Neji, uninterested in a drawn-out battle, spoke again, "Give me the antidote."

Kabuto blinked in surprise. "Antidote?"

"The antidote for the poison affecting my teammates. Hand it over, and I'll leave."

Neji's patience was wearing thin. He had the advantage and didn't want to waste energy on an unnecessary fight.

Kabuto, under intense pressure, took a deep breath. He had been bracing for a life-or-death struggle, but it seemed this Anbu was only interested in saving his comrades. The poison wasn't even lethal.

Seeing Neji raise his hand again, Kabuto quickly reached into his pouch. "Wait! I'll give it to you!"

He threw a small pouch of herbs toward Neji, who caught it with ease. Upon inspection, Neji recognized the herb as Shiwujue, a well-known antidote.

"Can I leave now?" Kabuto asked cautiously.

Without a word, Neji raised his hand and vanished, leaving Kabuto behind. His movements were smooth, precise, and without hesitation.

Kabuto collapsed, exhausted. His entire plan had unraveled, and he had nearly lost his life to a mysterious Anbu operative in the Forest of Death. He was lucky to be alive.

If Kabuto knew Neji's true thoughts, he might have laughed. Neji didn't care about Kabuto or his plans. Their interests simply didn't clash at the moment.

As Neji headed toward Tenten and Lee, he discarded his Anbu uniform and mask, eager to rejoin his team.