A harsh sizzling sound rang out as the stench of burnt flesh and oil spread through the room. The pain exploded instantly, forcing a hoarse scream from his throat as his body went rigid.
He bit down hard on his lower lip, nearly drawing blood, suppressing the cry as veins bulged on his forehead and his body trembled violently. His vision darkened, and he nearly passed out.
In his mind, images kept flashing. His father Hizashi Hyuga's face twisted in agony under the torment of the Caged Bird Seal.
His father's unwilling and sorrowful eyes when carving the Caged Bird on him. The cold, superior faces of those Main Family elders who treated the Branch Family as dirt.
Naosuke Hyuga's brutal face as he lashed and abused the Branch Family. And in dreams and ancient texts, that pair of eyes said to have the power to change fate.
"Now is not the time to be found. It is still far from enough." "I have to live. I have to grow stronger. I have to destroy this damned fate."
Driven by hatred and obsession, he pressed the red-hot Kunai firmly against the wound and endured pain that would make an ordinary person pass out instantly. Time seemed to freeze.
Each second felt as long as a year. Finally, after who knew how long, the pain was replaced by numbness.
The cooled Kunai slipped from his hand and hit the floor with a dull sound. Neji Hyuga was drenched in sweat, slumping against the cold wall, trembling as he gasped for air.
He did not dare waste time and forced himself to look at the wound again. The vicious knife cut was gone, replaced by a blackened burn covering the entire area.
The flesh had been completely charred, sealing the wound so that no blood seeped out. The pain remained, but compared to the soul-rending agony of the Caged Bird, this dull ache brought him a twisted sense of relief.
This was the limit of what he could do. He had turned the fatal evidence on his body into what looked like an accident, at the cost of a permanent, ugly scar.
It was worth it. To survive.
To take revenge on those people. And for those eyes that could overturn everything.
As he thought of this, he struggled to his feet and walked to an inconspicuous tatami mat in the corner. With trembling fingers, he pried open a wooden board beneath it.
Inside was a hidden compartment holding a palm-sized Scroll. Neji Hyuga took it out, unfolded it, and formed hand seals.
When the smoke cleared, two eyeballs lay inside the Scroll. They were pure and flawless, like white jade.
They were clearly Naosuke Hyuga's Byakugan. Staring at them, Neji Hyuga let out a breath, a hint of fanatic excitement flashing in his eyes.
Recalling what he had seen in his dreams, he picked up the two Byakugan and pressed them against his own opened Byakugan. A faint but clear warm flow seeped into his eyes.
At the same time, the two eyes visibly changed, shriveling like grapes losing moisture as fine black Lie lines appeared. With a soft sound, they lost all luster and crumbled into fine Sui powder between his fingers.
Neji Hyuga felt the world grow clearer, his perception expanding as if something missing had been filled. "Second pair," he murmured.
He looked into the standing mirror, staring at his eyes as his heart pounded with unhealthy excitement. The eyes taken earlier from Hyuga Kurozuka had already been drained of Dojutsu Power, proving that the dreams and ancient texts were real.
He believed that with enough Byakugan, one day he would gain those powerful blue eyes. By then, the Main Family and fate itself could be cut apart.
What he did not know was that this "completion" only increased the purity of his Byakugan, at best allowing him to reach Hinata Hyuga's level. It was only one requirement for obtaining the Tenseigan.
The other requirement was the bloodline of the Otsutsuki Clan, something he could never achieve alone. Still, in his eyes, he was on the right path.
Sudden knocking shattered the night's silence. Neji Hyuga flinched, then heard a familiar voice outside.
"Neji Hyuga! Yunchuan is gathering all Branch Family Members to meet at his place."
Recognizing Takao Hyuga's voice, he relaxed, then felt confused. Yunchuan Hyuga was gathering all Branch Family Members.
Was it because of Naosuke Hyuga's death? No matter what, he had to go.
He quickly changed into clean clothes and carefully hid the burn on his abdomen. When he stepped outside, his shaky steps steadied.
Soon, he stood naturally among the Branch Family crowd before Yunchuan Hyuga's home, looking toward the figure at the front. When Yunchuan Hyuga's gaze swept over him, a chill ran through his body, making him lower his eyes.
Then Yunchuan Hyuga spoke. "Everyone."
"What are you afraid of?" "Afraid of the Main Family's investigation, being framed as the killer, or being tortured by the Curse Seal like those under Naosuke Hyuga?"
Each question struck like a cold spike, draining color from the faces of the Branch Family Members. Yunchuan Hyuga's voice was low as he asked if they still remembered they were part of the Hyuga Clan.
He spoke of the Caged Bird meant to protect the Byakugan and the family, and how the Main Family had turned it into a leash. When he mentioned Hizashi Hyuga's blood not yet cold, the crowd stirred.
He called Takao Hyuga forward and revealed the scars on his body, wounds from battle and missions. "These are for Konoha and the honor of the Hyuga Clan," he said.
Then he cut his own arm with a Kunai. Blood flowed, shocking the crowd.
"Those with wounds, do not be afraid. I will stand with you," Yunchuan Hyuga said. Silence followed, broken only by breathing and wind.
At that moment, a furious shout rang out. The Main Family had arrived, led by Hizashi Hyuga.
He ordered that everyone with new wounds be taken away. In response, Neji Hyuga drew his own Kunai and cut his arm.
Others followed, one after another. Soon, dozens of bleeding arms were raised under the moonlight.
Yunchuan Hyuga faced Hizashi Hyuga calmly. "As you can see, everyone here has a new wound."
"Who will you take?" "Or will you take all of us Branch Family as killers."
No one spoke. The air felt heavy and pressed down on everyone, making it hard to breathe. Faces were tight, and no one moved.
The muscles on Hizashi Hyuga's face twitched hard. The strict pride he had built from years in power turned into shock and anger. He stared at dozens of raised arms and dozens of bleeding cuts, as if ants were trying to shake a great tree.
"Yunchuan Hyuga! You! Do you know what you are doing?!" Hizashi Hyuga's eyes darkened, and his voice shook with rage. "You are stirring rebellion. You are testing the bottom line of the Main Family!"
"No." Yunchuan Hyuga did not seem to notice the killing intent in Hizashi Hyuga's eyes, and his voice stayed calm and clear. "We are only fighting for what we deserve."
"We refuse to let Zetsu be treated as something that can be thrown away." "We refuse to let the Caged Bird Seal be used as a tool of torture and murder." "We are only asking for the most basic fairness and respect."