As the lotus on the forehead of the Hyuga Branch Family member gradually unfolded, petal by petal, it finally came to rest.
The lotus had fully bloomed.
There were twenty-six petals in total, and the "caged bird" on the branch family member's forehead had completely transformed into a lotus.
As the lotus opened, the branch family member's eyes snapped wide open, and a brilliant light shone from their pale eyes.
Byakugan activated!
"I can feel it… I can see in 360 degrees with no blind spots!" The branch family member's face lit up with excitement.
He could sense his eyes had full 360-degree vision, and he could also feel the restraints on his mind had vanished.
He felt incredibly free.
Liberated~~
"We're finally free! We no longer have to obey the orders of the Main Family. We can be ourselves again!" The branch family member finally felt released.
The Main Family could no longer control them.
"And I feel my Byakugan is even stronger. Through this mark, a special energy nourishes my eyes!"
"This mark, I call it the Lotus Mark. It can not only break the Caged Bird Seal, but it also continuously nurtures your eyes. That is the true purpose of the curse mark," Toshi said, watching the excited branch family member with satisfaction.
"However, your strength and mental power are still too weak. You could only manifest twenty-six lotus petals. Otherwise, the curse mark's power would have been even stronger."
"It's enough… this is already enough. I never imagined in my life that I could break free from the caged bird!" The branch family member stood up excitedly and knelt in the dirt.
"Thank you, sir. Hyuga Aomatsu will always remember this and pledge loyalty to you!"
"No need for that. I freed you to give you freedom, not to have you serve me," Toshi said coldly, his voice carrying weight.
"From now on, you are yourself. You don't need to serve anyone. You need to live for yourself."
Toshi folded his hands behind his back, exuding the air of a master.
This was the reason he had spent years studying curse marks: to liberate the birds imprisoned by fate, to set them free.
Over the years, the Hyuga clan had gone too far.
"Freedom…" Hyuga Aomatsu's eyes clouded with confusion.
Since childhood, he had only known one duty: loyalty to the Hyuga Clan, to the Main Family.
Since he could remember, he had been a walking corpse.
Now, hearing the word "freedom," he felt lost, unsure of what to do next.
He murmured to himself for a long time, then looked at Toshi.
"Then… I'll follow you, Lord."
As for the Hyuga Clan, he had no intention of returning.
"Hehe… I'm currently working under Uchiha Genya. Whether you follow me or him, perhaps he will lead us into a future we've been longing for!"
When Toshi spoke, there was a hint of hope in his eyes for the future.
In the past, he had thought of Uchiha Genya as nothing more than an ignorant child. But as he got to know Genya, his opinion completely changed.
Not to mention, under the control of the Uchiha Police Force, civilians were living better lives, free from scheming and dark politics.
He believed that if Genya could take control of Konoha, he would make it thrive.
"I will!" Hyuga Aomatsu nodded. He also realized that it was Genya who had brought them here and, in a way, had set him free!
He was deeply grateful to Genya as well.
"Train hard from now on. You will definitely become a top ninja!" Toshi said to Aomatsu, encouraging him.
While giving this advice, he noticed something off with Hyuga Neji. His eyes kept blinking.
"Neji, what's wrong? Why are you rubbing your eyes?"
Toshi sensed something unusual. Neji's mood seemed off.
"My right eyelid keeps twitching, and I feel… something strange in my heart," Neji said, rubbing his eyes. His eyelid twitched again as he held his chest.
"I can't shake this feeling. Something's wrong. I need to go home for a bit!"
Ever since a while ago, he had felt uneasy.
He had a sense that something significant was about to happen.
He needed to visit his family and see his mother.
Once he confirmed that she was safe, he would feel at ease.
"If you're going home, I'll release your 'caged bird' first. That way, even if you encounter members of the main family, you can escape!" Toshi said firmly.
Otherwise, if Neji were discovered by the main family, there would be nothing he could do.
"Alright," Neji hesitated for a moment but finally agreed.
As Toshi had said, if he wanted to return to the village, he needed the ability to protect himself.
The Eighth Elder of the Hyuga clan and some of the main family members would practically want to flay him alive.
If he appeared in the village recklessly, even seeing his own mother could be impossible.
With that in mind, Hyuga Neji agreed to Toshi's plan. As requested, he lay down on the bed.
"Hurry!" he urged.
"Don't worry." Toshi nodded, placing his hand gently on Neji's head. "Neji… I wonder how many petals you can bloom."
Murmuring softly, Toshi began channeling a special type of chakra. Carefully, he carved intricate markings onto Neji's forehead. The marks spread along the pattern of the Caged Bird Seal.
The designs twisted and shifted, gradually transforming into black symbols, each more intricate and complex than the last.
Both of them fell silent, watching intently as Toshi etched the new marks onto the branch family member's forehead.
The process was mentally exhausting. Time passed slowly. Sweat trickled from Neji's brow, yet the design became clearer, finally forming a black flower bud.
The bud slowly began to open.
It resembled a lotus on the verge of blooming. Its black stem contrasted with faint hints of white, like pure light emerging from the mud.
It was as if a bird trapped in a cage was finally beginning to spread its wings, ready to be freed.
Pfft.
As time passed, the first petal unfurled, then the second, the third, the fourth. One petal after another bloomed, each moment stretching out in silence.
The process continued for a full half hour. Finally, Toshi withdrew his hand. The petals on Neji's forehead had fully bloomed.
108 petals—exactly 108 petals.
Toshi stared at the delicate, intricate petals, noting the faint, unique glow flowing through each one. His eyes shone with excitement.
These 108 petals were nearly the limit of the curse mark. Yet, Neji had endured them all.
With the power of this formidable curse mark, Neji's Byakugan would become far stronger, even many times more powerful than before.
No wonder Genya was so concerned with Neji. His talent was extraordinary—truly remarkable.
Vww~~
Neji seemed to feel the curse mark ending as well. His tightly shut eyes slowly opened.
****
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