The "Konoha No. 1" artillery barrage continued for over an hour.
Orochimaru used a shadow clone to travel to the impact zone, where he carefully recorded and collected the data from each shell. Once the work was done, he released the clone and compiled all the information into a detailed report.
"The longest firing range was 9,702 meters, the shortest was 7,763 meters. The average distance across 25 shots came to 8,683 meters," Orochimaru announced, pointing to the data chart.
"All of the explosions were consistent in force and radius."
…
Afterward, Orochimaru and Tobirama led a group of Hyuga branch members to wheel the "Konoha No. 1" artillery away, clearing the field for more tests. They returned to evaluating pistols and sniper rifles. Tenten remained nearby, watching with interest.
As for Neji, he was quietly taken by Uchiha Hikaru into a small forest behind the training ground.
"Lord Hikaru, did you bring me here because there's something you need to say?" Neji asked seriously.
Hikaru raised a finger and tapped it against his own forehead.
"Tell me—how do you plan to carry out Hiashi's plan? Are you moving tonight?"
Neji didn't bother hiding anything after Hikaru laid it all out so directly.
"It seems you already know about the Pure Eye Seal."
"I'm planning to act tonight. After so much training, I've finally mastered it."
"The sealing technique can be completed within fifteen minutes. I'll go to them one by one under the pretense of gathering feedback on the weapons tests."
Although Neji spoke with confidence, Hikaru could sense the tension and nervousness churning in his chakra.
He activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
The pattern in Hikaru's eyes swirled like a vortex—Neji's body went still, his expression blank. He stood silently as Hikaru activated his ocular genjutsu: Word Spirit Eye Technique.
"You're not nervous anymore. You've already mastered the Pure Eye Seal."
"I'm not nervous anymore. I've mastered the Pure Eye Seal," Neji echoed, hypnotized.
"You have full confidence in yourself. You believe in your future. You know the day you'll be free from the Hyuga cage is coming."
"I have full confidence in myself. I believe in the day the clan will be free from the cage."
…
Hikaru layered over a dozen affirmations into Neji's psyche, molding them carefully with his genjutsu. Only when Neji's chakra flow settled into calm stability did Hikaru finally deactivate his Mangekyō and let the tomoe dissolve back into solid black.
Neji blinked, suddenly regaining awareness. His memories of the hypnosis were completely gone. All he knew was that he had zoned out briefly.
"I'm sorry, Lord Hikaru. I think I got distracted," Neji said, rubbing his temple.
"You called me out here... was there something you needed?"
Hikaru repeated the surface-level conversation they'd had earlier—just enough to keep things consistent—then turned and left, heading back toward the central tower in the Forest of Death to continue refining his Sage Mode techniques.
Neji exited the woods soon after, a rare smile on his face as he walked over to Tenten.
"What did Lord Hikaru say to you?" she asked, immediately noticing the shift in his demeanor.
"You're beaming like you won the lottery. Spill it."
Neji scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Is it that obvious?"
"He didn't say much, just complimented me a bit. Told me that if I run into problems during training, I can ask him for guidance."
"Then he left."
Tenten's large, curious eyes sparkled. "Wait… don't tell me..."
"Did Lord Hikaru accept you as a disciple?! No wonder you're smiling like that!"
Her voice practically dripped with envy, though it was the kind that came from genuine joy for a comrade.
Neji chuckled, shaking his head. "Not officially. At most, I'm a disciple in name only. Lord Hikaru is the president of the Ninja Association and the Hokage's aide—he doesn't have time to take on formal students."
"I'm already grateful that he's willing to guide me when needed."
…
That night, after a full day of live-fire tests, the entire camp of shinobi was visibly worn out. Two hundred ninja had been divided into fifty squads of four, each rotating shifts for rest and watch duty.
Neji waited until midnight—until the world around him quieted—and slipped away toward one of the tents.
"Neji?" a voice called out softly.
"You're here to collect feedback, right?"
Orochimaru and Tobirama had explained earlier that Neji and Tenten would gather shooting evaluations overnight using a randomized approach. So Hyuga Iwao wasn't surprised.
Neji nodded. "Yes. Please send a shadow clone to stand guard for you. Twenty minutes will be enough."
Iwao cooperated smoothly. He created a clone to remain outside and followed Neji into another tent.
"If you've got questions, just ask," Iwao said, sitting cross-legged.
Neji didn't speak at first. He stared at Iwao with a look of quiet intensity.
"Iwao," he said seriously, "what I'm about to say is a direct order from the clan head. Until the task is complete, you must keep this secret. No one else can know."
Iwao's relaxed posture stiffened. The atmosphere shifted.
He nodded.
Neji reached up and untied his forehead protector. With calm fingers, he unraveled the bandage beneath it.
Iwao's eyes widened the instant he saw Neji's bare forehead—smooth and unmarked. His jaw slackened in disbelief, and he stood up in stunned silence.
"Neji… your forehead…"
Neji quickly motioned for silence, then quietly explained everything: the Pure Eye Seal, Hiashi's plan, and the mission they were enacting tonight.
Twenty minutes later, Iwao emerged from the tent looking as ordinary as ever.
But something inside him had changed.
His eyes held new clarity. His chest rose and fell with quiet exhilaration.
The world around him seemed brighter.
Though the joy in his heart threatened to burst forth, he kept it locked inside. He had to. The mission was far too important.
If even a single hint of this were discovered by the main family, the entire plan would be ruined.
And that would mean death.
Neji hadn't told him about the village's backup plan. As far as Iwao knew, this was Hiashi's private rebellion—and one with incredibly slim odds of success. He assumed even Orochimaru and Tobirama might oppose them if the truth came out.
But he still agreed to take part.
Because he was from the Hyuga branch family. And that meant he understood—deeply—the shame, the pain, and the sheer cruelty of the Caged Bird Seal.
Living with that curse was worse than death.
And if there was even the faintest possibility of escape?
He would risk it all.
Not just him—every Hyuga in the branch family who had ever felt the sting of that cursed seal, who had been punished or ordered around by some talentless noble from the main family, who had grown stronger only to remain shackled—every one of them carried that same fire.
Some, the weak or resigned, might accept their fates.
But those who had tasted real power, who had grown as ninja, could not help but burn with resentment.
Especially when they were forced to kneel to main family elites who hadn't earned anything except their birthright.
The hatred simmered.
The rage grew.
And now, at last, a spark had lit the fuse.
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Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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