Chapter 30

The dull council hall suddenly opened.

Hyuga Ke appeared.

"Elders, Clan Leader, the rebellious branch family has been controlled."

"Thank you for your hard work."

The elder forced a smile.

He knew that Hyuga Ke's current situation was also not good.

As a branch family member supporting the main family, it was usually fine, but now with the rising opposition, Hyuga Ke had been labeled as a lackey.

Because of this, he needed to show his stance even more.

"Elder, what should we do?"

After Hyuga Ke left, Hyuga Kazushi asked with a bitter face.

A letter from the Anbu of the Sand Village had completely disrupted their plans.

It was useless to say anything now.

The elder remained silent upon hearing this.

Hyuga Hiashi clenched and unclenched his fists, his lips moving, and tentatively said, "Perhaps we can loosen the Caged Bird a bit?"

"Absolutely not!"

The elder's reaction exceeded Hyuga Hiashi's expectations.

His face was as cold as water, and he said coldly, "The Caged Bird is the foundation of our main family's existence. Do you really think that if we lift the Caged Bird, the branch family members will be grateful to us? I'm afraid we will meet our end the next second!"

"But..."

"This matter is not to be mentioned again!"

The elder stood up with a flick of his sleeve. "If the branch family wants to cause trouble, let them. I want to see what waves they can make with the Caged Bird in place."

After speaking, he ignored the two and left the council hall.

Hyuga Kazushi sighed, looking at the silent Hyuga Hiashi.

"The elder is right. Once the Caged Bird is lifted, it will be difficult for the main family to deal with the branch family."

"Father, does there really need to be such a clear division between the main and branch families?"

Hyuga Kazushi was momentarily speechless.

After a while, he said, "It is destined from birth."

Hyuga Hiashi opened his mouth silently.

"Don't go out these days, the main family guards will protect you."

Hyuga Kazushi patted his shoulder and left. He had a lot to handle now.

After a long time.

Hyuga Hiashi stood up.

"Hizashi, why are you here?"

He turned and saw Hyuga Hizashi, who looked exactly like him.

"I came to see Father."

Hyuga Hizashi's tone was indifferent, without a hint of brotherly affection.

"…"

Hyuga Hiashi's heart ached.

The Caged Bird.

It was all the Caged Bird's fault.

The younger brother who used to play with him was no longer there.

"I thought you would be different from the other main family members."

Hyuga Hizashi stopped at the door. "Turns out you are the same. Am I really your brother, or your slave?"

Silence.

It was as if sound had disappeared before death.

Hyuga Hiashi stared blankly at the sky outside the door.

They should have been like birds, free and unrestrained.

But he could do nothing.

Useless!

Hyuga Hiashi fell to the ground.

After a while, he suddenly shivered.

Lord Haruki!

Thinking of this, Hyuga Hiashi quickly got up and disappeared from the hall using the Body Flicker Technique.

Quickly crossing the rooftops, he arrived at the research institute.

"Is Lord Haruki here?"

"Please follow me." The guard didn't seem surprised and led him to the hall.

"Hiashi, long time no see."

Haruki put down the pen he was holding. He had been rushing to finish a novel recently.

Although he had memories from his previous life, he hadn't read the original work.

His own writing skills were average.

So he outlined the plot of the anime and had someone else write it.

"Lord Haruki, please teach me!" Hyuga Hiashi directly knelt on the ground.

"Why do you think I can teach you?" Haruki glanced at him and asked.

"Because you deliberately gave me the Caged Bird scroll."

To be honest, Hyuga Hiashi had even suspected that Haruki was behind everything.

But he couldn't figure out how Haruki could have such great power.

Wood Release, public opinion, Anbu from the Sand Village.

It wasn't something a mere medical ninja could do.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence.

"Your not so stupid."

Haruki smiled and said:

"I won't hide anything from you. The reason I researched the Caged Bird was to invite Hyuga clan ninjas to be my medical assistants. The Byakugan has great utility in medical ninjutsu, and during the war, I came into contact with many branch family ninjas. But due to the Caged Bird, it was hard for them to be of use to me."

"I see."

Hyuga Hiashi completely dismissed his doubts.

Haruki's explanation made sense.

"Hiashi, since you have the scroll, why are you still coming to me?"

Haruki pretended to be puzzled and continued, "I didn't deceive you; the scroll contains everything."

"I'm not saying Lord Haruki deceived me."

Hyuga Hiashi quickly shook his head and sighed, telling him about being severely rejected by the elder.

"I'm not surprised."

Haruki squatted in front of him and asked, "Do you know why your elder reacted so strongly?"

Hyuga Hiashi shook his head.

"The Caged Bird system has been around for a long time. Originally, it was to prevent the Byakugan from being leaked, but it has strayed from its original purpose. Let me ask you, who benefits the most from the Caged Bird?"

"The main family..." Hyuga Hiashi said, lost in thought.

"Correct. Does your elder hold such power because he has strength comparable to the Hokage? No, he doesn't. It's because of the Caged Bird. He is a beneficiary and a defender of the old system. Your suggestion severely harms his interests. If you weren't from the main family, you would have been killed long ago."

Hyuga Hiashi was in turmoil.

Haruki's explanation made everything clear.

Power.

This is the taste of power?

"Lord Haruki, what should I do?"

Hyuga Hiashi looked at Haruki in confusion.

He felt powerless and could only hope Haruki had a solution.

"It's difficult."

Haruki shook his head, showing a troubled expression. "Just talking won't convince him."

"Even you can't do anything?" Hyuga Hiashi asked, disheartened.

"There's only one way."

Haruki handed him a kunai and gently said, "Kill him."

Hyuga Hiashi was stunned.

He dropped the kunai in fear.

The kunai hit the floor with a crisp sound.

"What... what did you say?"

He trembled, doubting his ears.

"The Caged Bird is like shackles binding the wings of a bird. To soar in the sky, you must break the shackles. You must have a revolution."

Haruki stood up, speaking the most dangerous words nonchalantly.

Hyuga Hiashi stared at his figure, lost for words.

The Haruki he saw today seemed completely different from the one he knew.

Which was the real Haruki?

"This is your Hyuga clan's matter. You must decide for yourself."

Haruki took out a medicine bottle and placed it in front of him.

"This medicine can cause heart paralysis and won't be considered poison. Whether to use it is up to you."