"Neji. You and your lowly mother will stay here. Did you really think the Hyuga clan is a place you can come and go as you please?"
Neji had only taken a few steps forward when the same disciples who had originally targeted Hyuga Aomatsu now surrounded him.
They looked at Neji with disdain in their eyes.
Even now, they still thought that even if Neji had freed the caged bird, he was just a child, someone they could easily subdue.
"Step aside!"
Neji's eyes were sharp and cold as he spoke each word with deliberate weight.
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the few Hyuga main family members blocking his path. Any of them who dared to disobey would have to be killed.
Right now, no one in the Hyuga main family could stand against him when his mother's life was at stake.
"Neji, you brat! How dare you act so arrogantly! Truly foolish!" one of the Hyuga main family disciples sneered, his tone full of contempt.
"From the moment you killed members of the Hyuga main family, you should have—"
Before he could finish, a bone pierced his throat. Then Neji's calm voice cut through: "Noisy!"
"Y-you…" The main family member's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the sharp bone embedded in his throat, blood spilling from his mouth.
His white eyes were filled with shock.
Neji… he still dared to kill him?
And… what was that white bone?
Damn it.
"You could have lived a bit longer, but… today, you asked for death!" Neji said casually, his voice growing even colder.
As the words fell, Neji prepared to withdraw his bone spikes.
Huh?
But at that moment, a surge of pure chakra flowed into his body along his bones!
Neji's eyes briefly cleared.
In contrast, the Byakugan of the main family members grew dim, eventually vanishing.
"The bone spikes can consume the Byakugan's energy and even enhance my own eyes?" Neji looked at the gradually dimming light in his opponent's eyes.
Only after the chakra stopped flowing into his body did he retract his bone spikes.
His eyes seemed clearer than ever before.
Huh?
Could the Byakugan, or perhaps the Shikotsumyaku, actually absorb chakra from another person's Byakugan and enhance one's own?
But there was no time to investigate this fusion now. He had to hurry and take his mother back to treat her injuries.
"Hyuga Neji… what kind of forbidden technique is this? You killed someone with your own bones?" The companions near the fallen man looked horrified and angry.
Damn it.
This cursed branch family brat actually dared to attack a main family member.
And with such a strange forbidden technique. Clearly, Neji had fallen—completely fallen—now consorting with demons, practicing a forbidden art.
It wasn't just the few people in front of Neji; everyone nearby saw him use the bone spikes.
Only Hyuga Aomatsu remained calm. The others' gazes toward Neji became strange—cautious and wary.
"Neji… you dare slaughter main family members? It seems killing you is the only right choice!" Eighth Elder finally reacted, glaring at Hyuga Neji and shouting.
Chakra began to surge violently in his body!
Slaughtering main family members right in front of him was a blatant insult. Damn it—he would make Neji suffer more than death itself!
"Neji, do you think that escaping the cage makes you free from the Hyuga clan's control?" The clan's Great Elder also snorted coldly, his tone icy.
Neji's actions today had already tarnished the clan's reputation. He would have to pay the price for his decisions.
How infuriating…
No matter what, today Neji would have to pay.
Neji seemed not to hear the shouting of the elders behind him. He continued staring at the people blocking his path, speaking slowly and deliberately, "Step aside, or die!"
"Hyuga Neji, do not be so arrogant!" someone tried to shout, their voice filled with anger, and others attempted to rush forward.
Thud~~
Another member of the main branch had their chest pierced, their expression frozen in disbelief.
Could it be that they were so easily taken down by Neji?
"Since you block my way, do not blame me for killing you!" Neji's eyes gleamed with a sharp, deadly intensity.
Several sharp bone spikes erupted from his body, aiming directly at those in front of him.
"Stop!" Just as Neji prepared to strike the people blocking his path, the voice of Eighth Elder rang out angrily.
"Neji, I've already locked onto the mark on your mother's cage bird. If you dare move, I will erase her myself!"
Eighth Elder's gaze was fixed firmly on Neji. His transformation was incredible, and he was far stronger than expected. He had no idea what Neji's true limits were.
So he could only use Neji's mother's life as leverage.
"What do you want?" Neji frowned and asked slowly, his murderous intent growing even stronger.
Daring to threaten his mother had once again touched his deepest rage.
"Take your life, and I will let your mother live!" Eighth Elder spoke deliberately, tossing a kunai toward Neji as well.
"Take my life? Impossible!" Neji shook his head decisively, staring at Eighth Elder. "If I die, with your personalities, you will never spare my mother. It's absolutely impossible!"
"Then you can gamble on whether I will lay a hand on her!" Eighth Elder showed no signs of backing down, locking eyes with Neji.
The two faced each other like swords drawn, neither willing to yield an inch.
"I can trade your son's life for my mother's. How about that?" After a long pause, Neji finally spoke.
"So, the disappearance of Chōryū is related to you!" Eighth Elder's voice grew sharp when he heard Neji's words, though it lasted only a moment.
He said, "No… You've already killed several of my Hyuga disciples. Naturally, you must pay the price. You will also lose one arm and your Byakugan!"
"You—" Neji hesitated when he heard this. He truly loved his mother. If someone asked him to sacrifice his life to save her, he would do it without a second thought.
However…
In this untrustworthy Hyuga Main House, he could not trust promises.
Still, even if he sacrificed an arm and his Byakugan, he was confident he could take his mother out of Konoha safely.
For his mother's safety… he hesitated.
"You better think carefully. Your mother is in my hands. Her spiritual energy is weak. The moment I wish it, she will die!" Eighth Elder spoke with certainty.
There was a hint of provocation in his tone.
"Fine. But I want Aomatsu to take my mother away first!" Neji said each word deliberately.
In his heart, he thought that once his mother was safe, he would kill every last one of them.
"Very well!" Eighth Elder nodded unexpectedly. But his next words were cold, "However, you must pay a price. First, you must lose an arm and one of your Byakugan."
****
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