Chapter 4: Dispise

In the dense forest, Hyuga Yuuto gripped the kunai's handle with both hands, driving its sharp blade into Sugisaki Tetsujiro's body, severing his spine.

Of course, he couldn't resort to the Gentle Fist.

A ninja's body reveals volumes of information. When Tetsujiro Sugisaki's body returns to Konoha, it will be meticulously examined by medical nins. Using the Gentle Fist would have been akin to branding himself as the murderer.

Kunai, a ubiquitous tool among ninjas worldwide, leaves no traceable model. With precise angle and force, it serves as the perfect instrument for dispatching one's own.

As the kunai was withdrawn, a torrent of blood followed.

Groaning, Sugisaki Tetsujiro's hand shot up like lightning.

Yet, Hyuga Yuuto Shunsin'ed in front of him, swinging his kunai mercilessly to sever his wrist.

The Konoha Jounin could no longer form hand seals.

Yuuto then delivered a fierce kick to Sugisaki Tetsujiro's chest. Bones and teeth audibly cracked, sending the Jounin hurtling more than ten meters back until he slammed into a large tree.

He slumped to the ground, eyes wandering.

His spine severed, hands crippled, chakra nearly depleted, and confronted by a white-eyed traitor.

Escape was futile.

He would succumb to blood loss.

"Tetsujiro-senpai, please don't move," Yuuto exhaled calmly, standing over him.

"I have no intention of prolonging your suffering. Sit here and let the blood drain. Believe me, this is not a painful way to die..."

His words were cut off by Sugisaki Tetsujiro's bitter sneer.

"You're Konoha's disgrace... a Traitor. How could the Hyuga clan give birth to a Traitor like you?"

Yuuto shook his head impassively.

"Tetsujiro-senpai, if you're trying to provoke me to come closer, you've failed."

"You're a skilled ninja. I've learned much in the past ten days under your command."

"I won't approach until your lifeblood has drained... it's safer that way."

Sugisaki Tetsujiro's heart sank.

The senbon hidden beneath his tongue twitched slightly with his despair.

Though nearly out of chakra, even a trace could activate the Senbon Ninja Technique, a last-ditch effort against foes who think they've won.

But... the young traitor before him was too composed, too astute—truly worthy of the title "Prodigy," Sugisaki Tetsujiro thought bitterly.

After a brief silence, he studied the young man with white eyes carefully.

"Hyuga Yuuto, do you intend to take my body?"

"Yes," Yuuto nodded, clutching the scroll.

"The entire recon team was wiped out, but they recovered crucial intelligence. I alone survived, eliminating all enemies. I have every reason to safeguard the body of our Jonin captain. If your bodies are not treated meticulously, it will seem suspicious."

"Aren't you afraid of what the village will discover in my body?"

"I am," Yuuto admitted. "But certain forbidden techniques can extract answers from the dead. This is the risk we must take. Discovery means death."

"To do such a thing..." Tetsujiro Sugisaki's face paled, consciousness waning from prolonged blood loss.

"Betraying the village, clan, and comrades—your words trivialize them"

The Jounin paused, then spoke again after a long moment.

"Can you... tell me your reason?"

Yuuto met his gaze calmly, slowly removing his forehead protector.

The green curse seal was revealed.

Caged Bird.

Members of the Hyuga branch bore the "Caged Bird" curse mark from childhood—a mark they could never rid themselves of until death. This seal suppressed the Byakugan's abilities and could obliterate eyes and brains upon removal or death.

Moreover, clan members could control and destroy branch members' neural pathways and brain tissue using this curse seal.

It was an unyielding hierarchy within the Hyuga family.

This tradition had persisted for generations, the "Caged Bird" seal passed down over millennia.

Sugisaki Tetsujiro widened his eyes, disbelief etched on his face.

"Just because... of the Caged Bird?" He breathed heavily, emotions of confusion and anger surfacing for the first time.

"Hyuga Yuuto, for a mere curse seal, you'd betray village and clan? The Caged Bird limits your freedom and abilities, but it's the tradition and rule of a powerful ninja clan!"

"And this curse seal has effectively protected the Byakugan from theft and ensured your safety!"

"Even I, an outsider, know that in the Hyuga family, the main branch inherits true lineage, responsible for the clan's protection and advancement; while the branch branch serves as guardians, safeguarding the Hyuga clan!"

"Through sacrifice, the clan thrives, the village prospers, and leaf flourishes..."

Yuuto replaced his forehead protector, concealing the Caged Bird.

He looked down at the dying Jounin, voice gentle.

"I matured early, grasped concepts sooner."

"I've long pondered one thing—"

"Why endure it?"

"Konoha is noble. Despite its flaws, it's... overall good. The Hyuga family is hierarchical, but decent enough."

"If it's unbearable, endure it. Train hard, achieve a certain status, and life will be bearable. Maybe in another thirty or forty years, the era will bring change."

"But after careful consideration—"

Yuuto's calm demeanor faltered, a trace of despair flickering across his face.

"Why should I give a damn?"

"I won't tolerate being branded a slave, a lifelong guardian."

"The thought of future me, stifled and resentful until death... I cannot bear."

The dying Sugisaki Tetsujiro's expression betrayed confusion.

Yuuto... what's he talking about? Intolerable?

What is intolerable?

Why can others bear family division over the years, but not you? For the Hyuga clan's strength and prosperity, shouldn't you set aside personal feelings and become its strongest shield?

You're Hyuga's Pride

With confusion and sinking heart, the Jounin's pulse slowed.

Finally, blood ebbed away, and he departed this world.

Alone, Hyuga Yuuto sighed softly, moving toward Sugisaki Tetsujiro's cooling body.

"We can't understand each other... The divide between people is like an abyss."

Kneeling beside the lifeless form, he spoke softly.

"But let me tell you one last thing."

"To be honest... I really, really, really..." The estranged clan member clenched his teeth, anger causing blood to seep from his lips as if biting his own bone.

"I really, really despise that title."