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Indeed, Branch House members always cared about being branded with the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
"It's alright. I'm used to it," Hizashi Hyūga stated flatly.
"Being born just a few seconds later and becoming part of the Branch House... it must not feel good, Mr. Hizashi Hyūga." Shinji tapped his fingers on the table, looking meaningfully at Hizashi Hyūga.
"What are you trying to say?"
"If I remember correctly, in another year and a half, your son, Neji, will be branded with the Caged Bird Curse Mark."
The Hyūga Clan was one of the founding clans that joined Konohagakure during the early days of the Land of Fire. Family members inherited the Byakugan and possessed special abilities like the Gentle Fist (Jūken). To protect their Kekkei Genkai, the Hyūga Clan was divided into the Main House (Sōke) and the Branch House (Bunke). The Main House inherited the Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan, generation after generation. In times of danger, the Branch House was required to sacrifice their lives to protect the Main House, and Branch House children had the Caged Bird Curse Mark placed on their foreheads at the age of three. This was one method the Hyūga Main House used to control the Branch House. Of course, this was also the source of internal conflict within the Hyūga Clan.
"Yes. My son is only just over a year old now. In another year or so, he will be branded with the Caged Bird Curse Mark by the Main House." Speaking of this, Hizashi Hyūga seemed somewhat dejected and lowered his head. This was the fate they always spoke of.
"If I recall correctly, the wife of the Hyūga Main House head, Hiashi Hyūga, just gave birth to a daughter yesterday." Shinji checked the time; today was December 28th, meaning Hinata had been born yesterday. The Hyūga Main House having an heir was a major event, spreading throughout Konoha instantly.
"Yes, just yesterday," Hizashi Hyūga said, somewhat gloomily.
"Everyone knows the Caged Bird is a tool the Main House uses to control the Branch House. But in your generation, you seem to have forgotten the original purpose of the Caged Bird." Shinji stood up, walked over to the thrush's birdcage, and watched the bird chirping inside.
"The original purpose of the Caged Bird?" Hizashi Hyūga paused.
"The Hyūga Clan divided the family into Main and Branch Houses to prevent their Kekkei Genkai, what you call the Byakugan, from being stolen by outsiders."
"Main House: The true successors of the Hyūga Clan, bearing the heavy responsibility of protecting and developing the clan. Branch House: The guardians of the Hyūga Main House, responsible for protecting the Main House."
"There can only be one successor to the Main House. If the Main House has multiple descendants in the same generation, only one can be chosen to inherit the Main House; all others become Branch House members. Meaning, there can only be one person per generation in the Main House."
"So... the Caged Bird was originally meant to protect the Kekkei Genkai and collectively guard the Main House. But now..." Shinji carried the birdcage back to his seat.
"But now, many people believe the Caged Bird was specifically created by the Main House to control the Branch House, for enslavement?" Hizashi Hyūga seemed to have known this already, watching the thrush chirp. Caged bird, what a vivid metaphor. He and Neji were like thrushes trapped in a cage, never to be free their entire lives.
"Yes, that's the reality. But your son, Neji, will bear the Caged Bird mark just like you, just as you cannot defy the power of the Main House." Shinji silently poured a cup of tea for Hizashi Hyūga. The Hyūga Clan's issues were not easily resolved. The deeply ingrained Main-Branch House ideology was constantly eroding the roots of the Hyūga Clan. The seemingly glamorous Hyūga Clan was actually already intensified by conflict.
"Is there any way to resolve this situation?" Hizashi Hyūga immediately regretted asking after saying it. If what he said here today got out, even if his older brother, Hiashi Hyūga, wouldn't do anything to him, the stubborn council of elders would surely seize upon this point to attack him.
"A solution? That's not something easily accomplished," Shinji stated calmly.
"For instance?"
"For instance, you need a Main House member capable of changing everything, and also a Branch House member who can cooperate." Shinji held up two fingers, representing the Main and Branch Houses respectively. Just like Hinata and Hanabi in the future. There could only be one Main House head, but when Hinata got married, she wasn't branded with the Caged Bird mark. What was the reason? Naruto was strong enough.
"A Main and Branch House that can cooperate?" Hizashi Hyūga fell silent for a moment. An idea seemed close to reaching his mind, yet he couldn't grasp it.
"Yes. Aren't you also thinking about changing things? You and your brother... Hiashi Hyūga." Shinji looked at Hizashi Hyūga with a slight smile. In reality, Hizashi Hyūga and Hiashi Hyūga had discussed the Main-Branch conflict many times. However, the Third Shinobi World War had just ended, but due to other conflicts, Kumogakure and Konoha were already on the brink of war. Many people had been sent to the front lines during this period, including some members of the Hyūga Branch House. Therefore, this matter was delayed once again. Only during peacetime could such issues be brought to the table. Even if Hiashi Hyūga wanted to resolve this, it still needed to happen during peacetime. After all, the Branch House members were sent to the battlefield while the Main House members were not.
"But there haven't been any results yet," Hizashi Hyūga explained.
"For a large clan to change things, especially involving fundamental issues, it's not easily resolved," Shinji took a sip of his tea.
"Then is there anything that can facilitate this matter?"
"Of course, there is." Shinji smiled; the fish was about to bite.
"What is it!"
"The purpose of the Caged Bird Curse Mark is to protect the Kekkei Genkai, meaning to protect the Byakugan. However, there is still one Byakugan currently circulating outside."
"Another Byakugan..."
"As long as this Byakugan hasn't been recovered, your Main House, your council of elders, will not believe there is a chance for change in this matter."
"You mean..."
"The Byakugan Killer, Ao of Kirigakure. He possesses a Byakugan," Shinji stated calmly.
"That was my father's Byakugan," Hizashi Hyūga said after a moment of silence, recalling the last war against Kirigakure.
"Your father's?" This was something Shinji didn't know; Kishimoto hadn't explained where that right eye came from before. As a Main House member, Tenjin Hyūga, the father of Hiashi and Hizashi, had personally gone to the battlefield. However, he was ambushed by Kirigakure ninja and ultimately perished. Ao's right eye came from Tenjin Hyūga, which is why Ao possessed a Byakugan. Furthermore, due to Tenjin Hyūga's death in battle, the Hyūga council of elders completely forbade Main House members from going to the battlefield, instead sending only Branch House members. This huge disparity made the Hyūga Branch House feel discriminated against, which is why the voices of dissent from the Branch House have persisted and grown stronger over the years.
"So, we need to retrieve Ao's Byakugan first, is that right?" Hizashi Hyūga said after a pause.
"Of course. Only when there are no Byakugan circulating outside will you have more grounds to make your proposal," Shinji stated calmly. Although he didn't believe the Hyūga Clan's problems could be solved solely by the brothers Hiashi and Hizashi. This was not something easily eradicated. Deeply rooted.
"I understand. Thank you, Boss Shinji." Hizashi Hyūga stood up, placed something in the cash box, and then prepared to leave.
...
"Truly, the calm before the storm. The Hyūga Clan, the Uchiha Clan, each facing their own problems, yet unable to grasp the right path," Shinji sighed, watching Hizashi Hyūga's departing figure.
"Lord Shinji, what does all this mean?" Karin tilted her head, asking from the side.
"You'll understand in the future. By the way, Karin, how is your chakra extraction practice going?" Shinji looked at Karin. These past few days, with Deidara's help, Karin had begun extracting chakra from her body.
"I can already extract some!" Karin exclaimed happily, gesturing excitedly in front of Shinji. As she moved, a small amount of chakra appeared in her hand, instantly emitting a azure blue glow.
"That's quite good."
"But, Lord Shinji, is it really okay for Karin to extract chakra at only 4 years old?" Deidara came curiously over to Karin, looking at the chakra in her hand and asking. Generally, children only started refining chakra after the age of 6. After all, this wasn't the Warring States period anymore, and a 6-year-old's body development was considered most suitable for handling chakra.
"Karin is different from you two. Physically, Karin can handle it." Shinji knew Karin possessed Uzumaki Clan blood. Besides being skilled in Fūinjutsu, the defining characteristic of this lineage was their chakra reserves. Moreover, Karin wasn't like Naruto, who would be interfered with by the Nine-Tails inside him. The current Karin was in the most suitable state for refining chakra.
"Eh... Does that mean Karin can already learn ninjutsu now?" Deidara looked curiously at Karin. He didn't seem to recall starting to learn ninjutsu when he was 4.
"Theoretically, yes. However, Karin, you should still start practicing the basics first." Shinji wouldn't let Karin practice any complex ninjutsu right now. After all, the priority for the current Karin was to build a solid foundation. As long as the foundation was solid, wouldn't learning subsequent ninjutsu be easy?
"Basics... Does Lord Shinji mean taijutsu and shuriken/kunai?" Karin asked curiously. Among the major methods in the ninja world, these were the most common.
"Yes. Taijutsu, shuriken, and kunai. These are the things you need to learn at this stage." Shinji didn't want Karin to learn too many ninjutsu right now. After all, physical conditioning still took precedence.
"I understand, Lord Shinji. I'll listen to you." Karin readily agreed. For her, whatever Shinji said, she would accept wholeheartedly.
"That's good. However, it's about time to find you a teacher." Shinji looked at Karin's somewhat thin body. Back in Kusagakure, Karin probably didn't get enough proper nutrition, leading to her current state. Therefore, the meals Shinji had been cooking recently were all high in nutrition and protein, aiming to help Karin and Deidara gain some weight.
"A teacher?" Karin tilted her head.
"Yes, a teacher who can guide you. I've already chosen someone." Shinji smiled at Karin.
"Who is it?"
"He'll be here soon, you'll know shortly. But for now, Karin, first infuse your chakra into this paper." Shinji took out a piece of chakra paper from his pocket and gave it to Karin.
"Okay." Karin took the chakra paper and directly infused the chakra she had refined into it.
Soon.
Under the watchful eyes of Shinji and Deidara, the chakra paper in Karin's hand split into two sections. One side became damp, while the other side crumbled directly.
"Ah, one side crumbled! You have Earth Release chakra like me!" Deidara pointed at the chakra paper in Karin's hand.
"Earth Release?" Karin was somewhat懵 (meng - confused/stunned). Her mother died early, so many things hadn't been explained to Karin yet.
"Yes, Karin. You don't just have Earth Release; you also possess Water Release chakra." And Yin-Yang Release chakra, Shinji didn't say this part out loud. After all, chakra paper could only detect the five basic chakra natures; it couldn't detect Yin-Yang Release.
"Earth and Water dual natures, huh... What about you, Deidara?" Karin asked Deidara curiously.
"I... I only have Earth Release..." Deidara looked at the chakra paper in Karin's hand, suddenly feeling inexplicably overshadowed.
"Hehe, I have dual natures. Deidara, admit defeat?" Karin looked at Deidara like a victor.
"Hmph! My single nature is very powerful!" Deidara was still just a 7-year-old boy; he still had a competitive streak regarding such things.
"Deidara, your taijutsu seems rather average too, right?" Shinji remembered from the databooks (specifically, Jin no Sho), Deidara's stats were Nin: 10, Tai: 7, Gen: 7, Int: 9, Str: 7, Spd: 9, Sta: 8, Sea: 7. Meaning his taijutsu was only a 7. While more than sufficient compared to average ninja, it fell short compared to those above him. Compared to Itachi's Nin: 10, Tai: 9, Gen: 10, Int: 10, Str: 7, Spd: 10, Sta: 5, Sea: 10, it was still somewhat lacking.
[Shixie: even got the stats]
"I'm only interested in Exploding Clay!" Deidara said somewhat haughtily. In his eyes, only Exploding Clay was the most suitable path for him; other things like taijutsu or shurikenjutsu were wastes of time.
---
> Check my: p@treon.com/ShixT9 for extra 60 Chapters
> Each 50 Spirit Stones I will release an extra chapter
> If a member joins my p@treon
> Tier 1 = 20 Advance Chapters +1 Extra Chapter + Shoutout
> Tier 2 = 40 Advance Chapters + 2 Extra Chapters + Shoutout
> Tier 3 = 60 Advance Chapters + 4 Extra Chapters + Shoutout
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