The Hyūga clan compound was located close to the center of Konoha, and when the Nine-Tails descended, it suffered a severe impact.
"Hisashi, Daiki, Riku, come with me to support the Hokage. All other branch-family combat personnel, escort the clan members to the shelters!"
At the center of the compound, Hyūga Hiashi immediately issued orders to the clansmen who had rushed over.
Hyūga Hisashi, Hyūga Daiki, and Hyūga Riku were among the strongest elites of the branch family, each possessing formidable strength.
As clan head, Hiashi had to set an example, but the other members of the main family would not be placed on the front lines.
Having made his arrangements, Hiashi was about to leave with the three of them when—
Suddenly, his activated Byakugan caught sight of a figure.
"Hm? Yuzuru? What is he doing wandering around?"
In Hiashi's vision, Hyūga Yuzuru showed none of the panic displayed by the others. On the contrary, he looked calm—almost leisurely. This was highly abnormal.
"So he really is deeply calculating… to remain this composed under such circumstances," Hiashi thought.
"Daiki, go bring Yuzuru—no, wait!"
Before he could finish speaking, Hiashi saw Yuzuru suddenly dash toward a specific direction.
That location belonged to a group of main-family members.
Something was wrong.
Hiashi immediately realized there was something abnormal about Yuzuru. No matter what he intended to do, he had to be stopped at once.
"The Caged Bird!"
Hiashi activated the seal toward Yuzuru without hesitation.
Although the distance between them was great, the Caged Bird seal ignored spatial separation entirely.
In the past, when a branch-family ninja had been abducted by Kumogakure, the previous clan head had activated the Caged Bird from thousands of miles away, killing the ninja instantly and precisely.
Yet this time, the moment Hiashi activated the seal, he sensed something was wrong.
"How is this possible…?"
Hiashi's face turned pale.
"His Caged Bird… has been解除d?"
At one corner of the compound, several main-family members were being escorted by branch-family guards toward the shelters.
"How unsightly."
Yuzuru appeared, blocking their path.
"Hyūga Hikaru, you're a jōnin. And yet you intend to hide in a shelter with the elderly, women, and children?"
Yuzuru's voice dripped with mockery.
"What?"
Hyūga Hikaru, a main-family jōnin, widened his eyes in disbelief.
The surrounding Hyūga clan members wore the same stunned expressions.
They could not believe that a branch-family member would dare speak to the main family in such a tone.
"Have you lost your mind?!"
Hikaru roared in fury, forming hand seals as he prepared to activate the Caged Bird.
"Watch out!" someone shouted from a distance.
At the same time, Hikaru felt a gust of wind brush past him, and a voice whispered right next to his ear—
"Too slow."
The next instant, searing pain exploded through Hikaru's body. His vision went black, and he lost consciousness.
"Stop!"
Hiashi arrived with his men just in time, shouting as he saw Hikaru's limp body collapse against Yuzuru.
The surrounding Hyūga members stood frozen, clearly unable to comprehend what had just happened.
A branch-family member… attacking the main family?
How could this be possible?
Hiashi's face darkened as he surrounded Yuzuru with his men.
Yuzuru, however, appeared utterly unconcerned. Calmly, he dug out Hikaru's eyes.
Kicking the corpse aside, Yuzuru—encircled by Hyūga clan members—casually removed his own eyes and replaced them with Hikaru's.
A green glow flickered within the sockets. As medical ninjutsu activated, the transplantation was completed instantly.
At this moment, the surrounding Hyūga finally realized what was happening, horror spreading across their faces.
Yuzuru removed his Konoha forehead protector and tossed it into the air, revealing his smooth, unmarked forehead.
Gasps erupted all around. Every Hyūga who witnessed this scene—branch or main family alike—found it impossible to remain calm.
"A complete, flawless Byakugan… this feeling is truly wonderful."
Yuzuru wore his signature gentle smile.
"You bastard! How dare you harm the main family!"
Hyūga Riku, a branch-family jōnin, charged forward in rage, activating the Gentle Fist as he struck toward Yuzuru.
A trace of mockery appeared on Yuzuru's face as he formed a single hand seal.
"No—!"
The main-family members trembled the instant they recognized the seal.
"Ahhh!"
Riku let out a piercing scream, collapsing to his knees as he clutched his head in agony.
The Caged Bird.
Hyūga Yuzuru—a branch-family member—had mastered the Caged Bird seal?
The elders of the main family felt darkness close in on their vision, terror welling up from deep within their hearts.
Riku's screams abruptly stopped. He fell forward, his eyeballs shattering as blood poured out.
Watching this, Hiashi's eyelids twitched. Any lingering hope was completely gone.
He did not know how Yuzuru had解除d the Caged Bird, nor how he had obtained control over its technique.
But there was no doubt—the situation had reached the worst possible outcome.
"Branch-family members, withdraw immediately."
Hiashi issued the order in a deep voice.
Nearby, Hyūga Hisashi opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.
Footsteps faded into the distance as the branch-family members left in silence. No one dared to say a word.
What they had just witnessed was far too shocking.
Everyone knew who Yuzuru was.
A branch-family orphan. Useless at the Gentle Fist. Gentle by nature. Skilled in medical ninjutsu. Well-liked within the clan.
And yet, on this very day, he tore away years of disguise, revealing a true face that sent chills down their spines.
Most importantly—
How had he解除d the Caged Bird?
That was the question every Hyūga wanted answered.
"You sent them away because you're afraid I'll reveal how the Caged Bird was解除d, aren't you?"
Yuzuru stood casually, one hand in his pocket, looking at the remaining main-family members.
Hiashi did not answer directly. Instead, he said,
"No matter how you broke the Caged Bird, you are now a member of the main family."
"What?"
"Clan Head?!"
"Absolutely not!"
The main-family members were thrown into uproar. Even Yuzuru looked genuinely surprised.
"You've exceeded my expectations," Yuzuru said, scanning Hiashi from head to toe.
Hiashi stepped forward, his expression now calm.
"The matter of Hikaru's death is an internal Hyūga affair. I can handle the Hokage. Since ancient times, the main family has consisted of six branches. Starting from you, we can establish a seventh."
The main-family members grew restless and instinctively looked toward Hiashi's father—the previous clan head.
The old man remained silent.
In the suffocating silence, Yuzuru let out a soft laugh.
"I admit it. I underestimated you."
Hiashi took another step forward and said sharply,
"Accept my terms, and everything that happened today will be treated as if it never occurred."
Yuzuru slowly removed his hand from his pocket. The gentle smile vanished from his face.
"Sorry."
"I refuse."
/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
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