Naruto: Uchiha Survivor Forced to Save the Shinobi World

Hidden Leaf Village, Hyuga Clan Grounds.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Under the silver frost of moonlight, Neji's figure darted between wooden stakes, precisely striking the midsection of each one.

After a moment, he stopped, catching his breath while scanning the stakes to check their midsections.

Confirming that every stake had been accurately hit with his Gentle Fist, he let out a small sigh, his taut nerves easing slightly.

Since his defeat by Otsutsuki Toneri, he had ramped up his training regimen.

Fortunately, with the 'biological exoskeleton' implanted by Uchiha Shinji, his stamina had improved significantly. Without it, his body might not have withstood such a grueling workload.

After a brief rest, Neji prepared to continue training.

"Your body needs rest."

A voice came from the shadows.

Neji quickly turned, his expression respectful, "Leader!"

A figure in a mask and a hooded red-cloud cloak stepped slowly from the shadows.

Undoubtedly, this Akatsuki-clad mystery figure was Shinji, fresh from his return to the Hidden Leaf from the moon.

He sized up Neji and shook his head, "Diligent training can indeed boost your strength, but training alone isn't enough."

Neji's expression dimmed, "Leader, you've probably heard, haven't you? Not long ago, the Otsutsuki branch family from the moon infiltrated the village and attacked me. I couldn't even block a single move."

Instead of comforting him, Shinji countered, "The enemy can harness the power of the massive Tenseigan on the moon. Why shouldn't they be able to defeat you in one move?"

Neji replied, "But my classmate, Uchiha Shinji, defeated that person!"

Shinji chuckled inwardly but kept a stern face, "Then think hard about why he could defeat the enemy while you couldn't!"

Neji fell into thought.

After a long pause, he said, "It wasn't just me. My classmates Yakumo and Sasuke were also easily defeated. Shinji won not only because he's a genius but also because he observed the enemy's techniques and gathered intel."

Shinji said calmly, "So stop wallowing in self-pity. Your quick defeat last time was just because you were caught off guard! Reflect on the lesson and move on—there's no need to burden yourself with so much guilt!"

"I understand!"

Neji felt a bit better after Shinji's words.

Cutting to the chase, Shinji asked, "So, do you still have the courage to go to the moon with me?"

"What!?"

Neji was stunned.

Their last successful infiltration of the moon was because the Otsutsuki branch family was unprepared.

Given the current situation, it didn't seem like the right time to infiltrate again, so he hadn't expected Shinji to ask this.

Shinji smiled, "What, scared?"

"To stop the Otsutsuki branch family and save the shinobi world, I'm not afraid to die!" After a pause, Neji added, "Haven't you always stressed avoiding direct confrontation with the Otsutsuki branch family? Going to the moon now—won't that mean clashing with them head-on?"

Shinji said, "Follow me, and you'll see!"

"Yes, sir!"

Neji didn't hesitate, nodding immediately.

Leaving a shadow clone in the village, Neji followed Shinji, racing for days until they arrived, travel-worn, at the Land of the Moon where the illusory passage lay.

Inside the passage, they met Karin, who was guarding it.

"Neji!?"

Seeing Neji trailing Shinji, Karin was shocked inwardly. She never imagined the leader would bring her classmate.

Neji, spotting Karin in her Akatsuki garb guarding the passage, was equally stunned, exclaiming, "'B'!?"

Akatsuki's 'B' was infamous at the ninja academy.

This was largely because academy prodigies like Yakumo and Sasuke had clashed with 'B' and privately deemed her 'near unbeatable.'

Only then did Shinji explain, "The Otsutsuki branch family sealed this passage to the moon."

Neji blinked, puzzled, "Why would they do that?"

"I'm not sure of the exact reason," Shinji shook his head, "but one thing's certain—they don't want to keep tangling with us!"

He nodded to Karin.

Understanding, Karin cast the 'Adamantine Sealing Chains,' creating a small breach in the thin curtain of the sealing trap ahead.

Then, forming more hand signs, she cast the 'Four Symbols Seal,' using inky seal patterns to fill the gaps, single-handedly forging a smuggling passage through the curtain.

Neji was dumbfounded, "This!?"

"Don't just stand there—follow me!"

Shinji flashed through the passage.

Neji didn't dare delay. Glancing at 'B,' who maintained the passage, he hurriedly followed Shinji through.

The two soon navigated the illusory passage and set foot on the moon once more.

Thanks to his previous successful infiltration, Shinji had optimized the route. This time, he led Neji to the shrine housing the massive Tenseigan without incident.

Like Shinji last time, Neji was mesmerized by the sight of the massive Tenseigan for a long while.

Snapping out of it, he turned to Shinji, "Leader, why did you bring me here?"

Shinji still didn't explain, "Activate your Byakugan and slowly approach the Tenseigan to test it!"

Trusting Shinji, Neji didn't press for answers and followed his instructions.

As he neared within a meter of the Tenseigan, sure enough, his Byakugan instinctively resonated with it.

"L-Leader, I feel it!"

Sensing the Tenseigan chakra flowing steadily into his body, Neji exclaimed.

"It worked!"

Shinji's clenched fist finally relaxed.

He had worried that only the Byakugan of the moon's Otsutsuki branch family could resonate with the Tenseigan. Now that Neji's Byakugan had succeeded, it meant any Byakugan could likely resonate with it.

In that moment, the massive Tenseigan was no longer an untouchable Otsutsuki treasure to Shinji but a boundless treasure he could secretly tap into.

If his 'Tenseigan Plan' previously had a 30-40% chance of success, from this moment, it soared to 70-80%.

Of course.

The prerequisite was that the Otsutsuki branch family didn't discover them.