CHAPTER 139

Soon, he discovered the change Kawaki Aoba had hinted at.

"It's gone… the blind spot! My Byakugan has no blind spot anymore! The Caged Bird Seal—it's truly disappeared!" the Hyūga man exclaimed in disbelief.

The so-called blind spot of the Byakugan is a weakness unique to Hyūga clan members from the branch family, enforced by the cursed Caged Bird Seal. Normally, the Byakugan grants near-360° vision, save for a tiny blind spot behind the neck. But for branch family members, the seal creates an exploitable vulnerability and also functions as a control mechanism from the main family.

However, as the man celebrated, Kawaki Aoba dispelled his excitement with a simple hand seal.

"Ugh—"

With a groan, the Hyūga man clutched his forehead as searing pain flared—like being struck with a heavy hammer. A black marking flickered briefly across his forehead: the familiar, cruel shape of the Caged Bird Seal.

The others saw it too—it had returned, only to flicker and vanish again.

Though it disappeared once more, everyone present now understood: the Caged Bird Seal hadn't been erased, only hidden.

The atmosphere grew heavy as the truth settled in. Kawaki Aoba smirked coldly.

"Well? Disappointed?" he asked. "Good. You should be. Just because we're not at war now doesn't mean I'm here to grant you favors.

Not long ago, we were enemies. And right now—you're still my prisoners.

Did you really think I'd break the Caged Bird Seal for free?"

His biting words cut through their hopes.

Yes… Kawaki Aoba had once fought against them. Why would he offer salvation without expecting something in return?

They understood his nature too well—Kawaki Aoba was not a man moved by sentiment. He never made a move unless it brought benefit.

If he was willing to waste time on them, it meant he wanted something.

One of the branch members finally stepped forward, lowering his head in submission.

"Lord Aoba… state your conditions. What do you want us to do?"

The use of honorifics didn't go unnoticed.

Kawaki Aoba didn't hesitate. "You're not fools. You already know what I want.

I intend to dismantle the Hyūga Clan—erase the outdated hierarchy that shackled you. That has been my goal from the beginning.

If you want to live, then accept my version of the Caged Bird Seal. It will no longer bind you to the main family… but to me.

You'll keep your name—Hyūga—but it will be just that: a name. Not a clan.

If you obey and integrate into the new village system I'm building, you'll live normal lives as free ninja. And more importantly—your children will be free. They will never bear the mark you carry."

His declaration was firm—unyielding. And yet, for the branch members, it was an impossible kindness.

Yes, it meant trading one master for another. But this time, there was no humiliation—only structure and purpose.

For their children's freedom… there was no room for pride.

One shinobi knelt and pledged loyalty. Then another. One by one, they knelt, offering allegiance.

Kawaki Aoba watched with a knowing smile. He had succeeded—but not all pledges were sincere.

He could feel it. His mastery of advanced sensory techniques, amplified by his full-level Observation Haki, revealed everything: their fear, their loyalty… and their hatred.

Roughly one-fifth of the group harbored malice. They weren't necessarily loyalists to the Hyūga main family—but they hated Kawaki Aoba, hated Konoha, and resented this new order.

He made a mental note.

He didn't need a group full of hidden Blackbeards—traitors biding their time.

He would purge them.

The remainder, however, showed true potential. Loyal or broken, they were usable.

Living shinobi still had uses. Puppets couldn't think, adapt, or lead.

With these Hyūga elites, his force would finally take shape.

If he truly wanted to manipulate their hearts, he could've done more. He could've unearthed—and publicized—the many atrocities the main family had inflicted on the branch house over generations. Some were already known: the abuse, the branding, the forced subservience.

And if nothing else was available, he could fabricate evidence. Rage is easy to provoke.

He could've descended upon them as a savior, a liberator—but he didn't.

Why?

First, because he trusted in power. His strength and control were enough. They wouldn't defy him.

Second, he didn't have time.

He could afford to delay, but the Hyūga main house would soon respond. And their response would not be idle.

Afterward, Kawaki Aoba personally adjusted the seals of the Hyūga elites, reworking the ancient jutsu into a version under his control. Not just them—over 800 lower-ranking Hyūga shinobi who joined him were treated equally.

When all was done, many stood before mirrors, hands trembling as they touched their foreheads—smooth, unbranded skin staring back.

Some laughed quietly. Some cried.

But all knew the same truth: they were free—conditionally.

And their future now belonged to him.

Although they knew the Caged Bird Seal hadn't truly disappeared, the vanishing of that grotesque mark from their foreheads was already a tremendous relief.

Moreover, a Hyuga ninja had personally experienced the power of the new version of the Caged Bird Seal. According to his account, while the seal could still be activated, the pain it inflicted was significantly less severe than the original. It could even be described as mild by comparison.

Of course, they could surmise that this new seal likely contained hidden mechanisms far more terrifying—measures reserved for the gravest of betrayals—but as long as they didn't cross that line, they could live with it.

This sense of acceptance wasn't because they had experienced these potential punishments firsthand, but rather because Kawaki Aoba, the man behind it all, inspired both gratitude and fear.

While they owed him their current freedom, no one could say he was a kind or benevolent leader.

This was a shared sentiment—an unspoken truth they all accepted.

In Aoba's eyes, now that they had pledged loyalty to him, they were his people. And betrayal would not be met with mere death—it would be something far worse.

As dawn approached, Kawaki Aoba stood before them, preparing to speak.

> "The curse on your bodies is largely resolved," he began, "but back in the Hyuga territory, many remain enslaved by the old Caged Bird Seal."

> "I will act against the Main House soon. But before doing so, we need to ensure they're not pushed to desperation. If cornered, they may lash out in ways we can't predict. We need a foolproof plan."

> "Ideally, the seals on the remaining Branch House members should be replaced before the confrontation begins."

The Hyuga rebels below him listened with solemn intensity. This was about more than politics—it concerned their families still within the clan's territory.

Now, they had regained half their freedom. Their children would be born without the cursed mark. Naturally, they wanted to extend that joy to their loved ones back home.

This was the eve of a new beginning. No one wanted it marred by unnecessary bloodshed.

But even after hours of strategizing, no one could find a perfect solution. The Hyuga were born with the Byakugan—watching everything in their surroundings with near-perfect clarity.

To replace all of the Branch members' Caged Bird Seals without alerting the Main House was nearly impossible.

As the mood grew heavy with anxiety, one figure suddenly stepped forward.

Under the scrutiny of hundreds of Byakugan, Qingke walked up to Kawaki Aoba and spoke loudly:

> "Lord Aoba! I have an idea—though I do not know if it's feasible."

> "Oh?" Aoba raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it."

Qingke wasted no time.

> "Since the Hyuga Main House is preparing to defect from Konoha with the unmarked children, we can exploit that. Once the Main House departs, we can move in quickly and begin replacing the Caged Bird Seals on the remaining Branch House members, one by one."

> "There are risks. But if the Main House leaves and then activates the seals in retaliation, it would result in a massive Branch House death toll. That would draw Konoha's attention and disrupt their escape plans."

> "So it's in their best interest to refrain from activating the seals after they flee. We can gamble on that."

> "However, for this plan to succeed, we need one person's cooperation—the Main House elder currently in our custody."

Aoba frowned slightly.

> "That old Hyuga is spineless. Getting him to cooperate isn't difficult—we'll simply apply the new Caged Bird Seal to him. But if the order of operations is reversed—if they activate the curse before fleeing—the cost will be too great. Who will bear the loss of those innocent lives?"

He made it seem like he was rejecting Qingke's plan.

But from the crowd, a voice rang out:

> "Lord Aoba, I believe in Lord Qingke's plan. If it means finally freeing ourselves from the Main House, I'm willing to risk it!"

Another voice followed.

> "Me too. For the sake of my parents and my wife, I accept the risk!"

> "And I!"

> "We all do!"

One after another, the Hyuga rebels pledged themselves. In that moment, they stood united—not as cowed subordinates, but as comrades willing to face danger for their future.

Kawaki Aoba watched in silence, satisfied. His performance with Qingke had been staged, and it had worked exactly as intended.

The burden of the rebellion should lie with the Hyuga Branch House themselves. It was their fight to reclaim dignity. While Aoba didn't truly care about the risk, what he wanted was this—conviction.

Raising his hand, he signaled for quiet.

> "Very well. Since you've made your decision, I will not stop you."

> "I promise to do everything I can to minimize casualties. But the rest… will be in the hands of fate."

> "Lord Aoba, we trust you. No matter the outcome, we accept it."

> "Please proceed as you see fit. We await your orders."

> "We stand ready."

At Aoba's command, the captured Main House elder was brought forth.

In full view of the crowd, Aoba engraved the new Caged Bird Seal onto his forehead—sealing his obedience.

Then, in a low voice, he gave the man his task for the days to come.

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