"Come on in." Naruto opened the door and led Neji inside.
The two settled on the sofa.
Neji reached up and untied the forehead protector. Underneath his protector was another layer of bandaging wrapped around his head. The seal's mark was beneath the bandages.
Naruto could see that Neji was hiding that mark of perceived shame very, very deeply!
Now that they were alone, he carefully unwrapped the bandages layer by layer, revealing the seal.
"This is the seal."
Neji's Byakugan eyes stared sincerely at Naruto, his low voice incredibly honest.
However, from his tone, Naruto detected a deeply hidden sense of hatred.
He understood it. Who wouldn't be less lively and cheerful after having something like this planted on them, putting their life constantly in someone else's hands?
This was the first time Naruto had seen the seal in person.
It looked like a vibrant green 'X' mark, flanked by two equally green, opposing hook-like symbols, with the hooks pointing directly at the core of the 'X.'
After observing for a moment, Naruto clearly sensed the chakra flow within the seal.
"Is this the seal that protects your Byakugan from being stolen by other villages?" Naruto pretended to be unfamiliar with the internal affairs.
"Tch... it's not just about protecting us!"
A cold sneer appeared on Neji's lips when he heard Naruto's words, sounding quite contemptuous.
He trusted Naruto completely, mainly because of their previous battle and the strength Naruto later displayed—strength that vastly surpassed this world's standards—which earned Neji's profound admiration.
More importantly: Naruto's appearance had completely overturned his lifelong belief in 'Destiny.'
In his own dark life, which had no direction or future, Naruto had forcefully smashed open a skylight!
But even with the light, Neji didn't know how to break his own fate!
Direction? Hard work?
After the Chūnin Exams, Neji was once again lost in confusion.
Neji wanted to talk to Naruto, but because Naruto was too busy, he hadn't had the chance.
Therefore, he seized this opportunity to open his heart and be completely honest. This was something he had never done with anyone before.
His eyes burned as he stared at Naruto, wanting to tell him everything so Naruto could help him find a way to break free from destiny—to shatter the future where he, like his father, was destined to die for the Main House!
"Do you know? This seal also has a name. It's called the 'Caged Bird'!"
"The Caged Bird?"
"Yes."
Neji nodded very seriously. He considered himself a talented bird capable of soaring high, but this seal was the cage that imprisoned him! He was a "Caged Bird"!
Sighing internally, Neji began to recount what he knew.
"Members of the Branch House have this mark carved onto them from a young age. Although the seal destroys the Byakugan when a Branch House member dies, thus protecting them from falling into the hands of enemies, having this seal carved also means that the Branch House will be forever controlled by the Main House!"
"Controlled?"
Naruto showed confusion, playing the role of a perfect confidant.
Neji lamented, "Yes! Controlled."
He recalled a memory from his childhood. It was after a sparring session with Hinata. He had thought his displayed talent would once again earn him praise. Instead, his father was severely punished by the Main House.
His father had done nothing wrong, yet the Main House head needed only a curse mark—no, only a thought.
Just a single thought caused his father, the man he deeply respected, to writhe on the ground in agonizing pain, clutching his head, completely defenseless and utterly humiliated.
And the members of the Main House? They just watched, coldly.
His father's heart-wrenching cries of agony were deeply etched into his mind.
As that image resurfaced, Neji's eyes reddened. But his voice remained calm, cold as millennium ice. "With just a thought from the Main House, any Branch House member who possesses this 'Caged Bird' seal can only surrender, begging to survive while rolling on the ground. Because..."
The humiliating image of his towering father begging for mercy flashed through his mind again. Neji took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil that had long been boiling inside him.
"Because this seal can directly destroy the brain tissue and eye organs. That kind of pain cuts to the very soul!"
He, Hyūga Neji, had personally experienced that kind of agony. It made him regret ever being born into this world!
"Is that how it is?"
Neji's description gave Naruto a deeper understanding of the 'Caged Bird' Sealing Jutsu, as well as the relationship between the Hyūga Branch House and Main House.
Previously, Naruto's understanding of the Hyūga Clan largely came from Danzō's memories, but an outsider's experience could never be as profound as an insider's.
Just by listening to Neji's tone, expression, and story, Naruto knew: The Hyūga Branch House had suffered under the Main House for a long time!
"Not only that."
Thinking of his father's death—paying the price for the Main House, specifically for his uncle, the current clan head Hyūga Hiashi—Neji could no longer hold back.
Angry to the extreme, he laughed. A desolate, sinister laugh.
"The Branch House, controlled by the Caged Bird, nominally bears the responsibility of protecting the Main House!"
At this point, Neji was practically gritting his teeth. Naruto felt his dramatic emotional shift.
"If the Main House desires it, even if they make a mistake, they can simply command a Branch House member to pay the price with their life! It truly is just a single command!"
"My father, Hyūga Hizashi, Hiashi's own twin brother, died exactly like that to be Hiashi's scapegoat!"
As he spoke, Neji's gums were almost being torn apart from clenching his teeth!
"My condolences," Naruto could only offer this comfort.
"It's fine," Neji inhaled sharply. "I'm used to it."
Glancing at him, Naruto thought his endurance was incredibly strong. No, the endurance of the entire Hyūga Branch House was incredibly strong. Even at this stage, they hadn't chosen to resist!
Perhaps this was due to the 'small matter of their life' being in the Main House's grasp, but Naruto didn't believe that entirely. The 'Caged Bird' seal had existed for hundreds of years. In those centuries, there had been ample opportunities to resist, or even just run away.
Yet, the reality was... they truly could endure!
They could endure more than the downtrodden people in the United States!
Just listening to Neji's account, Naruto felt this wasn't a matter of 'Main House' and 'Branch House' but 'slave owner' and 'slave.' It was truly terrifying!
Looking at Neji, Naruto's lips moved. He wanted to say that he knew the inside story—that his father hadn't died as a scapegoat, but had chosen to die.
But he ultimately kept silent, not saying a word.
Thinking it over, Naruto felt he was making the right choice.
Explain? Plead for his future father-in-law? No! Naruto actually wanted to add fuel to the fire!
Why?
Because the essence of the matter wasn't about who died for whom. Behind every tragedy often lies a greater one, and all of this was the fault of the Shinobi World and its system!
Take the Hyūga Clan, for example. Hizashi's incident would not be an isolated case. If Hizashi hadn't died for this, he would have died for the Main House due to something else in the future. As long as this situation, this system within the Hyūga Clan, existed, more people would die to protect the Main House!
Were the Main House members destined to be 'nobler'? The Branch House lives mattered too!
Naruto's gaze extended beyond the Hyūga, encompassing Konoha, and the entire Shinobi World!
Was this issue exclusive to the Hyūga? No! It wasn't just the Hyūga! Every clan in Konoha had similar issues, more or less. The Hyūga were merely a representative example.
After all, the clan powers in Konoha were simply too enormous! Within the clans, ninjas only recognized the clan and the Clan Head; they didn't acknowledge the Hokage or Konoha! The clan was everything!
This reality had to be changed!
However, according to the practical investigations by Naruto's countless subordinates, the existence of such clans was not limited to Konoha; it was widespread throughout the entire Shinobi World!
The existence of clans had surpassed the Kage, surpassed the villages, and might even surpass the individual countries! It shared similarities with the "Five Clans and Seven Surnames" from ancient Chinese history.
This world appeared to be feudal. In fact, it was very feudal! It was even worse than feudalism!
This was completely detrimental to the spread and development of his 'Naruto Uzumaki's New Era Sun Theory.'
After his investigation, Naruto formulated the idea of removing the influence and control of the clans over the ninjas. In his future plans, clans could exist, but they should never wield such immense power. If a clan could unilaterally decide the life and death of its members, then what was the point of having him, the Sun of the Shinobi World?
Especially the Hyūga! Hyūga! Hyūga!
Since becoming the 'Largest Clan in Konoha,' they seemed to have become a bit inflated! Which family previously held boundless power and prestige within the clan, with members valuing the clan's interests above all else, even above the Hokage?
The Uchiha!
And what was the result for the Uchiha Clan?
In the current moment, reflecting on the Uchiha Clan's downfall, Naruto had a new perspective.
It was said that during the Second Hokage's era, the silver-haired old man, Tobirama Senju, had already intended to break up the clans. He even took the lead by disbanding his own Senju Clan, integrating all of its members into Konoha as an example. To achieve his goal, Tobirama had consistently suppressed the Uchiha Clan, the strongest of the 'Clan Factions'!
A pity! He died before his plans were completed.
Tobirama was a brilliant man for seeing this clearly. Unfortunately, his successors lacked political acumen.
The Third Hokage, the old man Hiruzen Sarutobi? Naruto hadn't seen any concrete action from him. He either didn't understand the Second's deep intention, or perhaps the Second's actions had alerted the various clans, causing the Third to moderate his relationship with them to secure his position. Or... maybe he simply didn't want to do it?
As for Tobirama Senju's other top student, Danzō Shimura, he had only learned a fraction of the lesson. Just a fraction! Danzō had only learned that he needed to fiercely target the Uchiha Clan but failed to understand Tobirama's true motivation.
Danzō didn't understand, but Naruto Uzumaki fully grasped it.
As a Hokage, Naruto wanted to break down the clan barriers, ensuring every ninja in Konoha served the Hokage, free from the constraints and restrictions of their clans. Everyone should exist for Konoha, not for their clan!
Since discovering this point earlier, Naruto had been contemplating how to achieve it.
Fortunately, upon meeting Hyūga Neji, Naruto found his 'pawn.'
Cough, cough.
Calling his future brother-in-law a 'pawn' might not sound great, but politics was inherently unforgiving.
A great change was coming to the era!
The new era required a new system of production... or rather, allegiance. Therefore, for this first strike—the first shot fired at the head of the command... at the clans—Naruto chose to entrust the matter to Neji.
"Oh dear."
Naruto adopted his best acting skills, sighing deeply, even shedding a crocodile tear.
"Neji, this is the first time I've heard your story. I never imagined that the Hyūga, the largest clan in Konoha, would have such an internal story. This is truly... truly..."
Naruto searched for the right adjective but couldn't find one. Fortunately, Neji understood this feeling completely. Seeing a powerful ninja like Naruto speaking up for him deeply moved Neji.
Naruto sighed and lowered his head, feigning powerlessness. "It's all my fault. I actually had a chance to become Hokage recently, but because I was too young, more than half the people didn't support me. In the end, that old woman Tsunade got the job."
In his words, Naruto subtly disparaged Tsunade.
He continued, "I swear, as soon as I become Hokage, I will definitely help you, help the Hyūga Branch House, and change all of this!"
"But I'm not Hokage yet. I'm just a small Root leader."
Yes! A small Root leader!
"Naruto!"
Hearing this, Neji, who hadn't shed a tear when talking about his father's death, broke down. "It's enough! It's already enough!"
"No! It's not enough!"
Naruto stopped him. "I must do something!"
"No! Don't..."
"Neji!" Naruto suddenly called out loudly. "Go make a commotion! Be bold and make trouble!"
"Eh?"
"That's right, go make trouble! But do it with a plan and a goal, and secretly find those who share your plight and unite them."
Seeing Neji's confused look, Naruto continued to explain. "When I become Hokage, I can only intervene in this matter and help the Branch House resist the Main House if you cause a disturbance."
"So!"
Naruto clapped Neji's shoulders forcefully. "Before I become Hokage, find as many allies as possible! At the same time, make small, planned disturbances! Attract attention!"
"I have connections with the 'Shinobi World Daily' newspaper. I can help you with that!"
The Shinobi World Daily? Naruto was very connected!
He would use this opportunity to bring the conflict between the Branch and Main Houses to the attention of the entire Shinobi World!
Why?
You only see the Branch House and the Main House! But others will see themselves!
Speaking of this, Naruto asked cautiously, "Are there many Branch House members who share your pain?"
Naruto's line of thinking was so unprecedented that Neji was still processing it. Hearing Naruto's question, he replied blankly, "Yes, there are many more."
Many?
Naruto couldn't help but frown. It seemed the relationship between the Main House and the Branch House was even more strained than he had imagined!
After a moment of thought, Naruto smiled and patted Neji's shoulder. "Come, let me first solve the seal currently on you."
"Mhm!"
Hearing this, Neji's eyes lit up again.
Naruto Uzumaki was a man crowned as the God of Shinobi! Neji had barely heard of him before, but the Chūnin Exams had continuously shattered his preconceptions.
If there was only one person in the Shinobi World who could remove the seal on his head, it was this man!
Neji looked at him with anticipation. Naruto Uzumaki was his last remaining hope!
Without the 'Caged Bird,' he would no longer be bound by the Main House and could become an independent, upstanding, but perfectly ordinary person! This was the one thing he had desired most since hearing about his father's death and personally witnessing the horror of the 'Caged Bird.'
Naruto placed his hand on Neji's head, closing his eyes to sense the seal closely.
Seeing Naruto's expression of deep concentration, Neji quietly asked, "What's wrong? Is it difficult?"
Difficult?
For anyone else in the Shinobi World, it would be almost impossible! But with Naruto's proficiency in sealing jutsu and his frighteningly precise chakra control, this task was incredibly simple!
However, faced with such a simple situation, Naruto once again put on an Oscar-worthy performance.
He frowned and spoke with an air of grave uncertainty: "It's a little difficult! The chance of success is very, very small. If we force it, the probability of death is high!"
"Is that all there is to it?"
Neji was immediately disappointed. The hope that had just ignited suddenly vanished. Such a powerful Naruto didn't even have full confidence.
Was he, Hyūga Neji, a free bird, destined to be imprisoned forever by this 'Caged Bird'?
Just as Neji was about to resign himself to fate, Naruto's gentle voice sounded again, like heavenly music to Neji's ears.
"However..." Naruto drew out the word. "...I have a method we can try. It can increase the chance of success a little."
Neji's heart soared from the depths of despair to the sky. A fierce gratitude for Naruto welled up inside him. "Really?"
"Mhm, it only increases the chance of success a little. Think carefully, do you want to do it?" Naruto prompted.
"Yes! I want to do it!" Neji affirmed with absolute certainty.
"Alright! Close your eyes. I'm starting now!"
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