Tenten and Neji had eaten relatively early. At this time, it was just reaching the dinner hour, so the training ground was empty instead.
Tenten had already clearly sensed that Neji's mood was off, and she couldn't help feeling uneasy.
When they arrived at the training ground, Neji stayed silent for a while before taking a deep breath and speaking, "Tenten, for your next mission, I won't be able to go with you."
Although Tenten felt a little disappointed, she was more relieved. She smiled and said, "It's fine. I thought it was something serious. If you have something to do and can't go, then we'll just go together next time."
Neji stared at Tenten, as if trying to carve her appearance into his mind.
"No, there won't be a next time. I won't be able to go on missions with you anymore."
"W-what?", Tenten looked like she had just been struck by lightning, stammering as she asked, "Why?"
Neji fell silent and didn't answer. But not answering meant the worst possibility.
Tenten's entire face turned pale. Her breathing grew heavy. After a long while, she asked again, "Then… can we still meet again?"
Neji looked at Tenten, his eyes filled with obvious reluctance, "Probably… not."
Tenten's eyes instantly reddened, "We've known each other for so many years. Did you come today just to cut ties with me?"
Seeing tears welling up in Tenten's eyes, Neji couldn't help reaching out his hand.
But before he could touch her, he suddenly snapped awake as if shocked, quickly pulling his hand back.
"I'm sorry… take care of yourself."
Neji didn't dare meet Tenten's gaze. After saying this heavily, he hurriedly turned and left.
Tenten stared at Neji's departing back in disbelief, and her tears finally fell.
She couldn't help standing up and shouting, "Neji!…"
Neji paused for a moment, but didn't turn around. His figure gradually disappeared.
It was as if all of Tenten's strength vanished in an instant, and she collapsed to the ground.
Pat! Pat!
Large tears hit the ground.
Tenten cried in grievance. She didn't know what had happened. Just yesterday, they had been laughing and chatting, childhood friends, and today Neji suddenly came to sever their relationship.
She didn't know whether she had done something wrong or whether Neji had some hidden difficulty. She only felt wronged and just wanted to cry.
"Waaah!"
While Tenten was crying, a voice suddenly came from beside her.
"That Neji really can let go, huh."
"Who?", Tenten jolted, hurriedly wiping her tears in a fluster.
Then she saw a figure rise up from her shadow.
"Lord Rengoku?"
Tenten was shocked. She had no idea why Rengoku would be in her shadow.
"Lord Rengoku… y-you, why are you here?"
Rengoku waved his hand casually, "I've been following Neji all along. When he left just now, I simply didn't leave with him."
His Shadow Concealment Technique wasn't any secret, and Tenten immediately understood.
Rengoku had been in Neji's shadow the whole time, and when their shadows overlapped just now, he had moved into Tenten's shadow.
Tenten didn't have the mind to care about anything else right now and quickly asked, "Lord Rengoku, what happened to Neji?"
Rengoku answered casually, "There's a very dangerous experiment that requires him."
"If it fails, he dies."
"If it succeeds, he won't have the face to see you, so he came to say goodbye."
Tenten's eyes were full of shock, 'So Neji didn't come to cut ties, but to say farewell?'
"What kind of experiment is he going to do?"
Rengoku shook his head, "I can't tell you."
The tears Tenten had just wiped away welled up again, her voice trembling with sobs, "Lord Rengoku, please tell me. What kind of experiment is Neji going to do?"
Rengoku still shook his head, "Even if I told you, it wouldn't help. Once he goes to do this experiment, that man won't exist anymore."
"You should just act like you never knew him."
Tenten was on the verge of breaking down, anxious and angry, bursting into tears.
"How can that be? I've known him for so many years. Can't he just not go?"
"He can."
Tenten had only spoken in frustration, but she didn't expect Rengoku to actually answer.
She froze, then asked in disbelief, "Lord Rengoku, are you saying Neji doesn't have to go?"
Rengoku replied as if it were obvious, "Of course he doesn't have to go, but there's a condition."
Tenten grabbed Rengoku anxiously, "What condition?"
"Marriage."
"What?", Tenten thought she had misheard.
"Why marriage?"
Rengoku pointed vaguely in the direction of the hospital and said half-revealingly, "Some experiments can't be carried out once someone is married."
He said half of it and left the rest unsaid, letting Tenten fill in the gaps herself.
While Tenten's thoughts were racing, Rengoku added from the side, "Too bad Neji doesn't even have someone he likes. Marriage is out of the question, so he can only…"
In an instant, Tenten's mind filled with all kinds of taboo bloodline reproduction experiments.
After all, this was a world with bloodline limits. The Hyuga clan was one of the top bloodlines in the ninja world.
Although Rengoku spoke vaguely, putting everything together, it was most likely that kind of experiment.
"Who says Neji doesn't have someone he likes? I'm that person!"
Tenten didn't care about anything else anymore and immediately said it to Rengoku.
Rengoku shrugged, "Stop lying to me. You two haven't even been in a relationship. Even if he likes you, it's useless."
"You need to be married."
"Don't tell me you're willing to marry him?", Rengoku shrugged again, speaking casually before turning to leave.
Tenten's mind was in turmoil. Scenes of her time with Neji flashed through her head like a slideshow.
Then she gritted her teeth and stamped her foot, "I'm willing!"
"Lord Rengoku, I'm willing!"
Rengoku turned his head, frowning slightly as he looked at Tenten.
"Tenten, are you serious? Don't act on impulse. You understand what I mean by marriage."
"Neji's matter doesn't have that much to do with you."
Tenten shouted emotionally, her voice hoarse, "How does it not? I like him! He likes me too!"
"We've known each other for fifteen years. He can only marry me!"
They had grown up together as childhood friends. When Hiashi died, it was Tenten who comforted Neji. Later, they had always been teammates.
They often went on missions together, traveling to both large and small countries and ninja villages.
They had great understanding of each other. Often, just a glance was enough to know what the other was thinking.
Although they hadn't officially dated, it was only a matter of lacking that one layer of status.
As for whether they liked each other, after being together for so many years, neither of them was foolish. How could they not know each other's feelings?
Rengoku naturally understood their relationship. The reason he deliberately set things up like this was to push them to make things happen as soon as possible.
Natsuki had asked him to bring Neji and Tenten together, but he didn't have the time to accompany their long romance.
They were already childhood friends, both had feelings for each other, and in each other's eyes, the other was the only one.
In this situation, getting married directly was the fastest method.
It was basically getting on the train first and buying the ticket later.
Anyway, according to the Hyuga clan's rules, one could marry at eighteen.
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