After the bandit suppression mission at Iwami Mountain, Rokuro learned the location and contact methods of the Land of Fire's underground exchange center. He had never used it—until now. Activating the Flying Thunder God Technique, he vanished from Konoha in an instant.
Meanwhile, at the Hyūga compound, Hyūga Hizashi had distributed all fifty Wings of Freedom scrolls the very night he received them. Fifty Branch Family members were freed from their Caged Bird Seals, bringing the total number of liberated Hyūga to sixty-nine. Only one remained—his son, Hyūga Neji.
"Brothers and sisters," Hizashi said gravely, "the situation is growing more urgent by the day. We need to move faster."
He turned to Hyūga Taiki, who nodded in agreement.
"For the past two weeks, we've avoided all contact with the Main Family. That's already drawn suspicion. At this rate, the secret won't hold for long. Since exposure is inevitable, we might as well pull in as many allies as we can before it happens."
Hizashi's words carried a new edge of decisiveness. He lifted the restrictions on recruiting allies—speed was now their only priority.
But the order had only been in effect for three days before everything fell apart.
Inside the vast courtyard of the Hyūga Main House, Hyūga Hiashi was personally overseeing his daughter Hinata's Gentle Fist training.
Barely three years old, Hinata was already learning the fundamentals of Gentle Fist. Say what you will about the Hyūga Main Family—though many were arrogant and mediocre, the clan head's line was at least diligent.
"Patriarch! Forgive my intrusion, but I have urgent news to report!"
A loud voice called from outside the gate. Hiashi frowned, sending Hinata back into the house before opening the door.
"It's late, Tetsu. What is it? Couldn't this wait until morning?"
The visitor, Hyūga Tetsu, served as Hiashi's steward—managing daily affairs, expenses, and, most importantly, collecting the Main Family's share of the Branch Family's mission earnings.
The Hyūga clan's internal economy was a tightly controlled system.
Take Hizashi, for example: as a jōnin, he earned about one million ryō per A-rank mission—sometimes even triple that when the payout was generous. But as a Branch member, half of those earnings were automatically "offered" to the Main Family.
And that was just the official rate. In truth, Main Family members constantly invented excuses to demand more money.
"The Main House is hosting a tea ceremony—surely you can contribute twenty thousand for the tea leaves?"
"A Main Family child has fallen ill—fifty thousand for medical expenses isn't unreasonable, is it?"
"Our elder's birthday is approaching—one hundred thousand for a gift is only proper, wouldn't you agree?"
The demands never ended.
When the Main Family needed money, they invented occasions to justify it.
And, of course, it was beneath their dignity to ask personally—so they used Branch members as enforcers.
Tetsu was one such "black-faced dog," as the Branch members called him behind his back.
"Patriarch, forgive me for disturbing you so late," he said breathlessly, sweat dripping down his temples. "But the matter is too serious to delay."
"Enough preamble. What's happened?"
Tetsu wiped his face, only to smear blood across his palm.
Hiashi's sharp eyes caught it instantly—even without activating the Byakugan, his vision was keen enough to see the details.
"Blood? You're injured?"
"It's not mine, Patriarch. It's Hyūga Rin's."
"Hyūga Rin? Isn't she a medic-nin at Konoha Hospital? You laid hands on her?"
People often mocked the Hyūga for having "x-ray eyes that only know how to punch," but in truth, some among them had applied their talents to medicine.
The Byakugan's precise perception made it perfect for delicate surgery and chakra control. Even without Yang Release or Healing Palms, a Byakugan user could be a world-class surgeon.
The Main Family usually treated such specialists with restraint—after all, their talents brought prestige and profit. But financial tribute was still mandatory, without exception.
Tetsu gritted his teeth. "Patriarch, her Caged Bird Seal is gone!"
"What did you say? Repeat that!"
Hiashi grabbed his steward by the shoulders.
Tetsu explained everything in detail:
"Lately, several Branch members have been refusing mission assignments, using every excuse they can think of. I grew suspicious and went to confront Rin. But when I activated my Byakugan to watch her, I saw that her Caged Bird Seal was gone! The mark on her forehead—she drew it with ink!"
His face twisted with fury.
"I ambushed her after work and captured her. No matter how I interrogated her, she refused to speak! Even under punishment! But I know she didn't act alone—those other Branch members avoiding contact must be her accomplices!"
"Enough. Take me to her."
They went to Tetsu's storage shed.
The moment Hiashi entered, the metallic scent of blood filled his nose. A woman hung from the beam, her wrists bound in chains, her body covered in lash marks and knife wounds.
Her clothes were in tatters, her skin bruised and bloodied.
But the internal damage—three dark purple fist marks across her abdomen and chest—told the real story.
One struck her liver, another her kidney, the third her lung.
Every breath brought searing pain.
Every cough spilled fresh blood.
"Stop," Hiashi ordered sharply as another Branch enforcer raised his fist. "That's enough."
He approached slowly. "Rin… tell me—how was your Caged Bird removed? How many others have been freed? Who's leading you?"
Rin raised her head weakly, her lips trembling with pain. She spat a mouthful of blood at his feet.
"Don't… waste your breath… I'll never tell you. Kill me if you want."
"You insolent whore! How dare you show disrespect to the Patriarch!"
Tetsu snatched up a whip and lashed her across the face. The blow tore open her cheek, blood spraying across the floor.
"Enough!" Hiashi snapped. "She's made her choice. More torture won't change that. Tetsu—summon all the Main Family elders immediately. And… no, don't alert Hizashi."
"Patriarch—you mean… Hizashi's the ringleader?"
Tetsu's face went pale. He knew all too well how respected Hizashi was among the Branch members.
If this rebellion was led by Rin and a few others, it would be a small matter.
But if Hizashi himself was behind it—then this was no mere insubordination. It was treason.
"Don't ask questions. Just do it."
"Yes, sir!"
That same night, as Hiashi gathered the Main Family elders, Hizashi and his followers met again in their usual tavern.
From the start, it had been an unspoken rule: if anyone couldn't attend, they had to notify the group in advance.
Anyone who failed to appear without warning meant only one thing—exposure.
And half an hour had passed. Rin had not arrived.
Hizashi closed his eyes briefly, exhaling through his nose.
"The time of exposure came sooner than I expected," he said, rising to his feet. "Our preparations are incomplete, but there's no turning back now."
He looked around at the determined faces of his comrades.
"Everyone—prepare for battle. The Branch Family's century of humiliation ends today!"
END OF CHAPTER
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