Chapter 157: This Isn't Treating Guests to Dinner
Achieving this shouldn't be difficult. Zetsu's side most likely knew this curse seal.
Even if he didn't know it now, he could be asked to find a way to obtain one.
Given Zetsu's methods, presumably not difficult.
Zetsu definitely wouldn't mind engraving this curse seal on Obito's head either.
This would also let Zetsu better control Obito—aligned with Zetsu's interests.
As for Obito's own opinion—that was completely unimportant. Either way, with Rin in hand, why worry about that lapdog Obito not obeying?
However, this plan had one troublesome aspect—too many people knew this technique.
Yasushi planned to raise a private dog, not share public ownership.
To privatize Dog Obito, he'd need to eliminate all Hyuga main family members without leaving a single one.
Thinking this, his gaze turned toward that Hyuga branch family child.
That was Hyuga Neji, the Hyuga clan's most talented child, and also the most tragic genius.
The moment he was born into the Hyuga branch family determined his unchangeable future fate, destined to end in tragedy.
However, now that Yasushi had set his sights on him, how his future fate would unfold was uncertain.
Yasushi slowly stood. His form flickered and vanished from the spot.
The next moment, he materialized behind a Konoha shinobi. His right hand swept—a wooden spike stabbed into the person's back, then bloomed inside his body, piercing him into a sieve. Blood splattered everywhere.
Screams rose and fell continuously. In moments, this small squad was completely annihilated.
Before the opposing Iwagakure could celebrate, Yasushi clapped his hands. Several massive trees rapidly drilled from underground, sweeping horizontally to skewer these people into meat kebabs.
"Not bad. Now this is art!"
Yasushi turned his head to admire his masterpiece, smiling and clapping his hands before turning to look at the only survivor beside him—Hyuga Neji.
"Hey, Neji! Long time no see. How've you been lately?"
Neji looked at him with a face full of horror, his body trembling continuously. He could barely hold the kunai in his hand. His teeth chattered loudly. He couldn't speak clearly.
"I, I won't leak mission intelligence..."
"Tch, who cares about your intelligence!" Yasushi looked at him with a smile, like viewing a rare laboratory animal.
"Don't worry. I'm not interested in your mission. You can continue your mission shortly. I'll destroy all evidence of these people. No one will discover anything."
"Come, first tell me—what's going on with your eyes?"
"Aren't you supposed to have Byakugan?"
"How did they become ordinary eyes?"
Upon mentioning Byakugan, Neji's face immediately displayed hatred, pain, and multiple other expressions, changing constantly.
But he still gritted his teeth firmly, persistently refusing to reveal information.
"I won't leak the village's intelligence to you. Any intelligence at all."
"Tch, that's no fun!"
"You think if you don't talk, I have no other channels for obtaining information?"
Yasushi glanced at Neji with displeasure, provoking him:
"You can't really be that loyal to the main family, can you?"
"Your father was inexplicably killed by the main family."
"Although I don't know what happened with your eyes, obviously it's definitely related to what the main family did."
"The main family treats you this way, yet you still keep secrets for them?"
"What, have you grown accustomed to being a dog?"
"If that's the case, just pretend I didn't ask that question."
After speaking, Yasushi stood up, dusted off his pants, and walked away, dismissively tossing out one sentence.
"Someone like you deserves to die!"
"Your father deserved to die too!"
"Shut up!" Provoked by Yasushi like this, Neji finally couldn't hold it in. Waving the kunai in his hand, he charged at Yasushi. "What do you know?!"
"Do you understand how painful it is having everything controlled by others?"
"Do you understand what it feels like watching helplessly as your beloved father gets forced to his death?"
"Don't you think I wanted to resist?"
"I couldn't resist!"
After attacking several times to no effect, Neji finally broke down. He threw down his kunai, sat on the ground, and wailed loudly.
This time, without Yasushi asking anything more, he poured out everything that had happened to him.
So many days—all his grievances, all his pain—he'd had no one to confide in. He could only bury it in his heart. He'd long been driven half-mad.
Now seeing his life in danger, he simply stopped caring about anything. He decided before dying to pour out all his bitter water and let himself feel relief!
Yasushi stood beside him as a dutiful listener, listening seriously. From time to time he'd interject with "I see" or "What happened next?" to keep Neji talking more enthusiastically.
As Neji narrated, the smile at Yasushi's mouth grew wider and wider. Finally the arc stretched all the way to his ears. He finally couldn't help bursting into loud laughter.
"Ahahahahhahahahahahahahah!"
"Excellent!"
"The Hyuga main family truly didn't disappoint!"
"They're really so creative!"
"But how should I put this?"
"Whether all this was accidental or destined—that's really hard to say!"
"You, you..." Neji looked angrily at Yasushi laughing wantonly, so enraged his entire face contorted.
Either way, he didn't think he'd leave alive today. He simply cast aside all restraints, seeking only to act freely. Pointing at Yasushi, he began cursing explosively.
"How can you be so inhumane, taking pleasure in others' suffering?"
"If you were born in the Hyuga branch family, could you still laugh?!"
"Wahaha..." Yasushi clutched his belly laughing so hard he bent over, pointing at Neji mockingly. "Look at that defeated dog face of yours!"
"You deserve being bullied like this!"
"What do you think resistance is?"
"Arguing with the main family or glaring angrily?"
"Or begging the main family to show you some dignity?"
"Let me ask you—how many main family members have you killed?"
Facing Yasushi's interrogation, Neji stammered.
"Kill, killing main family members is fundamentally impossible. We have 'Caged Bird' curse seals branded on our bodies..."
"Excuses! All excuses!" Yasushi waved his hand dismissively, interrupting Neji's words.
"The 'Caged Bird' curse seal also requires the main family to actively activate it—it doesn't passively take effect!"
"If you plan properly and launch a surprise attack, what's so difficult about killing a main family member?"
"You think resistance is playing house?"
"This isn't treating guests to dinner where you must be refined and courteous!"
"Resistance requires bloodshed and sacrifice!"
"Without the courage to sacrifice your life, don't say you've resisted!"