Naruto: Reborn as Neji Hyuga After Dying in One Piece-Chapter 65. You’re…?

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Just as Tenten and Lee arrived at the clearing—

SNAP!

A sickening crack echoed through the forest.

Sasuke, still cloaked in the remnants of the Curse Mark, had broken Zaku's arm, dropping him to the ground in a howling heap.

Her expression twisted into a dangerous grin.

"Don't disappoint me too quickly," she said, her voice calm... too calm. Sadistic.

Even transformed into a woman, the cruelty in her eyes was unmistakable.

Behind the bushes, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio winced in unison.

Tenten and Lee landed beside Neji, glancing toward the battered enemies, then toward Sasuke.

Tenten frowned. "Neji, what the hell is going on? Are you hurt?"

Neji shook his head. "I'm fine."

Lee's expression darkened. His instincts were firing. The woman standing in front of them, with long dark hair, tattoos snaking along her skin,, set off every alarm in his mind.

Something about her...

It didn't feel right.

Powerful. Beautiful. Dangerous.

Wait a minute...

Before Sasuke could move again, Sakura lunged forward, arms wrapping around her tightly, tears streaming down her face.

"Stop! Sasuke, this isn't like you... You're scaring me."

Sasuke froze.

Behind her, Sakura's sobs cut through the bloodthirsty fog.

"Please... come back."

For a moment, no one moved.

Then, slowly... the marks began to fade.

The Curse Mark's influence receded. Sasuke's expression softened. Her knees buckled slightly, and Sakura caught her just in time.

But deep down... Sasuke knew the truth.

She couldn't go back.

Tenten leaned closer to Neji, whispering, "Did I hear that right? That... girl is Sasuke?"

Neji nodded.

Lee blinked twice.

"...I... felt something earlier. Does that make me—"

He froze.

The realization hit like a shuriken to the chest.

He'd been attracted to Sasuke.

His soul left his body for a moment.

Thank God I didn't say anything.

This.... Is wierd....

----

Nearby, Dosu, clutching his ribs,, watched cautiously as the last traces of the Curse Mark vanished.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out the Earth Scroll, and gently placed it on the ground.

"...You're too strong."

He stepped back, motioning to Kin and the now-disabled Zaku.

"We're leaving. We've got nothing to gain fighting you anymore."

He looked around at the surrounding Konoha shinobi. They were outnumbered. Outmatched.

"No need for bloodshed. Take the scroll. We're done here."

Even Kin, despite her bruised pride, didn't protest.

Dosu glanced at Sasuke once more. "If we fight again... I hope it'll be on equal ground."

Neji said nothing, watching them go.

Sakura, however, called out, voice shaking.

"Wait!"

Dosu paused.

"...Who is Orochimaru? What did he do to Sasuke? Why was he targeting him?"

Dosu didn't turn.

"I don't know everything. All I was told... was to kill Sasuke."

He clenched his fists.

"But Orochimaru moved first. And he didn't kill him. He gave him... that."

His voice wavered. For the first time, doubt crept in.

What's the real plan?

He didn't wait for more questions.

The Sound Trio retreated quietly, carefully leaving the scroll behind.

Neji let them go.

He needed them alive.

Orochimaru can't perform the Summoning Ritual without them. Let the game play out...

---

Silence.

The tension began to fade.

Shikamaru approached Neji.

"...Why'd you let them go?"

"This fight's bigger than us," Neji replied. "It involves him."

Shikamaru didn't ask who. He could guess.

Still... he didn't like it.

Ino walked beside Sakura, helping support Sasuke.

But Neji turned toward her with a faint smirk.

"Ino," he said, "what did you just call me earlier?"

Ino froze mid-step.

Her face went pale.

"...I—I didn't mean it! I was just—"

She bowed repeatedly, sweating bullets.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

Shikamaru and Choji exchanged looks of pity.

She's doomed.

Dead woman walking.

Ino looked to Tenten for help, but Tenten just shrugged.

'You brought this on yourself.'

In desperation, Ino tried her last resort: batting her eyes and whining, "I'm sorry, Neji-senpai~!"

Neji's eye twitched.

"Fuck Off!"

She disappeared in a flash of blue, tail tucked between her legs.

Choji poked Naruto's unconscious body with a stick.

"Should we wake him up?"

"I'll do it," Shikamaru said with a smirk.

---

THWACK!

Naruto jolted awake with a shout, clutching his throbbing forehead.

"GAH! What happened?! Take cover! He's still here!"

He blinked wildly. "Wait... where'd that freaky snake guy go?"

Ino smirked. 'Here we go...'

Naruto looked around and then spotted Sakura in the distance.

Beside her... a beautiful girl with flowing black hair.

Naruto squinted.

"...Wait..."

He stared harder.

The outfit. The demeanor.

"...You're..."

His jaw dropped.

His mind short-circuited.

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