An uncontrollable thought surged through the mind of the Great Elder:
The Caged Bird Seal had failed.
And it wasn't just him—every single Hyūga clan member present came to the same terrifying realization.
They were all intimately familiar with the seal the elder had just used. Especially the members of the branch family—many of whom had personally endured its agonizing effects.
The pain from that cursed seal wasn't just physical—it struck the soul itself.
No matter how strong one's will, most victims could only collapse to the ground, screaming in soul-shattering agony.
And yet, today...
That absolute law was broken.
"The seal—!"
"The seal!"
"The seal!"
The Great Elder chanted the hand seals over and over, growing more frantic with each repetition.
But Naraku, already approaching him, walked forward unfazed.
"If you'd like, I'll wait a little longer," Naraku said calmly. "Try a few more times. Maybe you'll get lucky."
"You… You…!" The Great Elder collapsed to the ground, cold sweat pouring down his face, hands trembling uncontrollably.
From the audience, the Third Hokage's face turned grim.
All of the Hyūga elders had eagerly awaited the moment the Caged Bird Seal would activate.
They expected Naraku to scream in agony, to fall, to break.
But no matter how many times the Great Elder attempted the seal…
Nothing. Happened.
"Disappointed, Hokage-sama?" Naraku asked, completely ignoring the petrified elder beside him. He turned his head and looked straight at Hiruzen.
The Third Hokage's expression twisted. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
At first, he had tried convincing himself that Naraku was simply enduring it—pretending it didn't hurt through sheer willpower.
But now, it was clear:
The Caged Bird Seal had absolutely no effect on him.
"I assume you were expecting a show? Pain? Maybe even some begging?" Naraku continued with mocking tone.
"If you really wanted to enjoy a good performance, I could pretend to scream a little."
The Third Hokage's fists clenched so tightly that his bones creaked.
His rage boiled.
Why?
Why?!
Why won't this damned boy die like he's supposed to?!
Naraku was a thorn in his side, a threat that wouldn't disappear, a branch family member who dared defy both clan and Hokage.
And now… not even the one seal that guaranteed control could touch him!
"It seems Hokage-sama came here hoping to enjoy my torture," Hiashi said coldly, glaring at the old man who once symbolized stability in the village.
The crowd followed his gaze.
Everyone could now see the truth on Hiruzen's face.
He hadn't come as a neutral witness.
He had come to see Naraku destroyed.
His reputation as a kind, grandfatherly Hokage shattered instantly.
"Don't misunderstand—" Hiruzen began, trying to salvage the moment. "I was simply surprised that the Caged Bird Seal failed. That's all. A small mistake, nothing more."
"I'm actually glad it no longer works. Such an outdated practice has no place in the village."
Nobody believed him.
Even the ANBU surrounding him grimaced behind their masks.
Too late. The hypocrisy was laid bare.
"No! This is impossible!" the Great Elder suddenly shouted in panic, snapping out of his shock.
"The seal cannot fail! It cannot!"
"I am the clan elder! You must obey me!" he roared at the branch family shinobi.
The branch ninja faltered.
Once, they had submitted completely to the main family. The Caged Bird Seal had guaranteed obedience.
But now? If the seal no longer worked on Naraku, then…
What did the main family still have over them?
"Traitors! I forbid this!" the Great Elder screamed like a madman.
Suddenly, one of the branch shinobi clutched his head and screamed in pain.
"Aaaarghhh!"
He collapsed, his body twitching.
He felt as if a thousand needles had pierced his brain, his soul screaming in torment.
"It's working! The seal still works!" the Great Elder cried in joy.
He could still control them!
"Kill him! Kill Naraku!" the elder shrieked, pointing with trembling hands.
Naraku. The rogue.
The rebel.
The uncontrollable branch member.
He had to be eliminated!
A group of branch clan shinobi hesitated. Their gazes flicked to one another. The fallen man proved that the seal still functioned—just not on Naraku.
What kind of monster was this boy?
"Come on, then," Naraku said coldly. He activated his Byakugan, veins bulging near his temples.
"You claim I disrespect the Gentle Fist, don't you?"
"You think the only way to use the Byakugan is through your so-called 'pure' taijutsu?"
The entire Hyūga clan was stunned.
"What do you mean?" one elder asked sharply.
"The Gentle Fist is the strongest taijutsu style! It was crafted to perfectly complement the Byakugan!"
Naraku sneered.
"You sound like frogs in a well. So narrow-minded."
"You think the Gentle Fist is the only way? That it's sacred?"
"All the Byakugan can do is let you fire off 64 palms and 128 palms like a broken record?"
"Watch."
He turned toward the forest surrounding the training field.
"Byakugan: Kamikaze Strike!"
With a blinding flash of white light, chakra surged from Naraku's palm.
A massive torrent of spiraling chakra burst forth like a cannon!
The air trembled.
The ground cracked.
And in one devastating sweep, the chakra wave obliterated the entire forest edge with cataclysmic force.
The crowd gasped in utter disbelief.