Caged Bird Seal.
As the hand signs were formed, Neji's mother pressed her palm against her forehead, her expression growing heavier, eventually turning into one of pain.
A headache.
Excruciating pain.
The restriction of the Caged Bird Seal had already begun to cloud her mind. The intense pain made her eyebrows furrow, and sweat streamed down her forehead.
Like rain.
Yet even so, she gritted her teeth and crouched on the ground. She did not scream, nor did she beg for mercy.
Her Byakugan, bloodshot and weary, calmly swept across the members of the Hyuga clan standing above her. These people were nothing but parasites, gnawing at their own family.
The irony was that these parasites controlled the entire clan.
If things continued like this, the Hyuga clan would one day decline, and perhaps even face destruction.
Now, she could see the clan's future.
"You lowly woman, you dare look at me with such eyes? I will make your life worse than death!" Hyuga Sosuke naturally noticed the calm mockery in her gaze and intensified the Caged Bird's effect.
Neji's mother's body shook violently, yet her expression grew only more solemn.
Her body began to hunch.
Finally, she curled up, leaning against the wall, gasping for breath.
"I want to die, but I don't even have the strength to move," Neji's mother whispered to herself. She could only grit her teeth and endure this unparalleled pain.
Caged Bird…
She had originally wanted to live well to ease Neji's mind. But now, she felt like a burden. If this continued, she could become Neji's only weakness.
Perhaps it was better to die, to find release. The only regret was that she would never see Neji again.
Thinking this, she slowly closed her eyes and endured the agony of the Caged Bird technique.
There was no movement at all.
"Grandfather… she isn't dead, is she?" Hyuga Sosuke looked at Neji's mother, motionless against the wall, and spoke.
"No. She only wishes to die," Eighth Elder observed. Seeing that Neji's mother had lost all will to live, he stepped forward, grabbed her by the hair, and lifted her up.
Let Neji's mother's bloodshot eyes fix on him, her tone dripping with contempt: "The more you want to die, the less I'll let you. Enjoy the pain to come. When your son returns, then you can die!"
The Eighth Elder's voice carried a cold cruelty, sharp and merciless.
"Continue. Don't kill her—she needs to survive. Keep her alive to lure Neji out!" The Eighth Elder's gaze landed on Hyuga Sosuke.
Sosuke continued to manipulate the Caged Bird Seal.
Hmph~~
For the first time, Neji's mother let out a muffled groan, but then she curled up in pain.
Blood seeped from the corners of her mouth, her body trembling uncontrollably.
She was clearly on the brink of collapse. Every activation of the Cage Bird only tormented her soul further.
"That's enough, Eighth Elder. She's almost at her limit!" One of the Hyuga branch family members stepped forward.
He was Hyuga Sanmei, formerly a friend of Hyuga Hizashi, and a leader among the branch family. Seeing his friend's wife subjected to such inhuman torment, he could not hold back and tried to intervene.
He couldn't bear to watch Neji's mother struggle like this.
"Do you want to take her suffering upon yourself?" The Eighth Elder's eyes fixed coldly on Sanmei, his voice harsh.
"Eighth Elder, though we branch family members are lowly, you shouldn't humiliate us like this!" Sanmei's tone hardened.
The branch family had risked life and limb for the Hyuga clan. Even the main family should spare them some respect.
Sanmei also gambled that the main family would still consider the feelings of the branch family.
Bang!!
As Sanmei spoke, the Eighth Elder sneered and kicked him aside, speaking again: "Remember, you are nothing but dogs of the Hyuga clan. If you are dogs, then do your duty!"
At the same time, the Eighth Elder unleashed the Caged Bird Seal on Sanmei.
Ah~~
A scream of pain echoed as Sanmei clutched his head and writhed in agony.
Pain… pain…
Sanmei cried out, his heart shaken.
He could barely endure it, yet Neji's mother still forced herself to hold on.
What incredible perseverance.
"Eighth Elder!"
"Eighth Elder, please spare Sanmei!"
"Eighth Elder!"
The other branch family members, seeing Sanmei's miserable state, also began to plead.
"Hm? You want to feel what it's like to be a caged bird too?" The Eighth Elder swept his gaze over those begging for Hyuga Sanmei, and his eyes turned cold.
The branch family members immediately lowered their heads in silence, afraid to speak further.
They knew this was not the time to anger the Eighth Elder; everyone bowed their heads.
"Hmph. Remember your duties as branch family members. Your purpose is to serve the main family. In the end, you are just the main family's dogs. Understand?" The Eighth Elder snorted coldly.
Then he stepped in front of Hyuga Sanmei and stomped down, pressing his foot on Sanmei's head.
"Are you still going to speak for her?"
"Eighth Elder, if possible, kill her. Don't let her suffer anymore!" Hyuga Sanmei gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and forced the words out.
Since he couldn't save Hizashi's wife, he would at least end her suffering.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Eighth Elder kicked down on Sanmei's head a few times.
"When I'm speaking, it's not your place to interrupt!"
While the Eighth Elder spoke, the other main family members looked down on the branch family from above.
Outside Konoha, by the small lake, the laboratory was unusually quiet today.
Even the occasional sounds of explosions had stopped.
In the underground lab, everyone held their breath as Toshi carefully sealed a curse mark on a member of the Hyuga branch family.
So cautious!
No one spoke, all eyes fixed on Toshi's movements. Hyuga Neji's eyes never left him, his body tense.
This was a critical moment for the Hyuga branch family. If Toshi succeeded, the branch family would finally be free from the main family.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
But as he watched Toshi's movements, his right eyelid began to twitch again.
And it was jumping violently.
"My Shikotsumyaku have completely fused, so why are my eyes still twitching?" Hyuga Neji rubbed his eyes, then muttered to himself, "Am I just too nervous?"
He still hadn't realized that his mother was in danger. His eyes were fixed on Toshi's movements, his heart tense the entire time.
As long as Toshi succeeded, he would immediately go to the Hyuga clan and rescue his mother, helping her remove the Caged Bird seal.
This was what his mother had always hoped for. If he could remove her Caged Bird seal, she would be overjoyed!
They would also be completely free from the Hyuga clan's constraints.
While Hyuga Neji dreamed of that future, the mark on the forehead of the Hyuga branch family under Toshi began to change.
The Caged Bird seal slowly transformed into a lotus!
The lotus petals opened gradually, blooming!
One petal, two petals, three petals.
****
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