Chapter 112

In the Forbidden Forest, inside Orochimaru's secret lab, Gin led Seiran into the eerie space. Orochimaru wasn't present, but with the access granted to him, Gin could freely use the entire laboratory.

"Lie down," Gin ordered, motioning to the experiment table as he flipped through some of Orochimaru's experimental records.

Seiran scanned the room, his eyes lingering on the human and animal specimens stored in glass cases and the dark stains on the nearby tables. This place looked as though many unfortunate souls had met their end here.

He hesitated, but after stealing a glance at Gin, who was engrossed in the data, he convinced himself that Gin wouldn't bring him here to harm him—not at this moment. Summoning his courage, Seiran lay down on the table.

Gin finished with the documents and approached Seiran, positioning himself by Seiran's head. He extended a finger toward his forehead.

"Time for a little nap," Gin said.

A small black orb formed at the tip of Gin's finger. With a swift motion, he struck Seiran's head, causing him to lose consciousness and sink into darkness.

Gin removed Seiran's headband, revealing the cross-shaped mark with its reverse hook-like symbols—a mark known all too well by the Hyūga Branch family.

The Caged Bird Seal.

Gin's hands glowed with dark chakra as he began to explore the sealing jutsu embedded within Seiran's head.

"This seal… It's insidious," Gin muttered as he unraveled the complex web of the Caged Bird Seal.

The Caged Bird Seal reminded him of the techniques used in his own chakra internal sealing arts, both of which utilized the body's structure. The seal was directly linked to the brain and eyes, designed to suppress and control the user's chakra.

But unlike his own techniques, which managed chakra flow for enhancement, the Caged Bird Seal trapped external chakra and maintained its hold by constantly siphoning the user's chakra in minute amounts. The drain was so subtle that most Hyūga never even noticed it.

Moreover, this seal had a unique feature—it turned destructive when deprived of chakra. If the chakra sustaining the seal ever disappeared, the seal would activate and destroy the host's brain, ensuring death.

"The cruelty behind this seal…" Gin's eyes narrowed.

While ordinary seals were created to lock away chakra, the Caged Bird Seal functioned as a ticking time bomb, designed to kill the moment it was tampered with or weakened. Its genius lay in the fact that it appeared to be a simple containment seal but was, in truth, a lethal trap.

Theoretically, one could disable the seal by draining all chakra from the body, but that would mean death. There was a vast difference between running out of chakra in battle and being utterly drained to the point of no return.

Gin also realized why the seal had to be applied in childhood. An experienced ninja with mastery over their chakra could potentially sever the chakra supply to the seal, causing it to fizzle out over time.

However, by planting it early, the Caged Bird Seal merged with the user's chakra system as they grew, becoming impossible to cut off.

Even worse, the seal exploited the so-called "blind spot" of the Byakugan, leaving the Branch family members perpetually vulnerable.

"So, this was created for protection?" Gin scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. Whoever devised this seal clearly harbored deep resentment toward their own kin.

No wonder the Hyūga Branch members never sought out sealing masters to remove it—this wasn't just any ordinary jutsu.

But for Gin, things were different. With his unique abilities, he had ways to work around such seals.

Gin activated his bloodline abilities, allowing him to perform theoretical calculations and simulations within his mind. The Caged Bird Seal was an enigma even for him, but after running several simulations, he came up with a temporary solution.

"There isn't a way to completely break this seal yet," Gin muttered, looking at Seiran's unconscious form. "But I can disrupt it, at least."

Gin channeled chakra into his fingers and gently tapped Seiran's forehead.

"Now, let's see if that works."

A new layer of jutsu enveloped the Caged Bird Seal, concealing its presence and stopping its destructive nature from manifesting. It was a temporary measure, but effective enough for now.

When Seiran regained consciousness, he sat up abruptly, his heart pounding. "Lord Gin… did it work?"

Gin, standing nearby, looked thoughtful. "Well, I can't remove it yet. The one who made this was meticulous beyond belief. But I've managed to disrupt it, meaning you'll regain your Byakugan's full capabilities."

Seiran's eyes widened in disbelief. "Does this mean…?"

Gin cut him off, raising a hand. "It's only temporary. You still have the seal, but it won't affect you for now. I need more time to figure out how to completely break it. For now, consider this a reprieve."

Seiran's excitement faded into contemplation. Before he could voice his gratitude, Gin leaned forward.

"Before you get ahead of yourself, there's something you need to understand," Gin said quietly. "I don't expect blind loyalty, but if you're going to work with me, I need to be clear. Your allegiance will be to me, and me alone. I won't control you with jutsu like the Hyūga, but make no mistake—betray me, and I will kill you."

Gin's voice dropped an octave, sending a chill down Seiran's spine. "Also, you need to be prepared for the possibility that, one day, I might find myself standing against the village."

Seiran's heart raced as he processed the words. The room seemed to grow darker as Gin's unreadable expression loomed over him. This was no mere oath of loyalty—this was a declaration of where Seiran's future would lead.

"So, what's your decision, Hyūga Seiran?"

Seiran clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. He knelt before Gin, his head bowed low. "I will serve you, Lord Gin. Whatever the cost."

Gin smiled, though his eyes remained cold. "Good. Then, here's your first task: infiltrate the Hyūga clan and find others who are tired of being controlled by the main branch. Gather them, but make sure no one suspects my involvement."

Seiran nodded solemnly as Gin reached out, placing a finger on his forehead. "I'll teach you how to suppress the seal," Gin said, his voice calm.

After a few moments, Seiran absorbed the technique and bowed deeply before taking his leave.

Once alone, Gin's expression shifted to one of quiet amusement.

"So naive..." he murmured, holding up his hand where a faint, dark light shimmered.

No matter how well Seiran suppressed the Caged Bird Seal, he would never escape Gin's true control. The combination of the Sharingan and his soul-manipulating techniques had woven a hidden safeguard into Seiran's very spirit.

Even in death, Seiran would remain under Gin's influence.

As his gaze shifted toward a hidden corner of the lab, Gin's smile grew wider.

Hashirama cells…

(End of Chapter)