Upon hearing the news of Satori Hyūga's critical illness, Elder couldn't help but feel a surge of inner satisfaction.
However, when he learned that Satori might recover, he quickly assembled his forces and secretly pursued him, determined to eliminate him on the spot.
Seeing Elder's confident expression, Satori sneered coldly, "Elder, you shouldn't forget—I'm also a member of the Hyūga Main House. I know how to activate the Caged Bird Seal too."
His meaning was clear—none of the Branch House members Elder had brought could pose any threat to him.
After all, no matter how strong a Branch House member became, under the suppression of the Caged Bird Seal, they couldn't inflict even the faintest injury on any Main House member.
This created a bizarre dynamic—Branch House members could never truly harm Main House members, which meant internal conflicts within the Main House had to be settled internally.
"Hahahaha! Satori Hyūga, you were always sharp, yet now you've made such a foolish mistake," Elder sneered, a smug grin spreading across his aged face.
"Take a good look. These aren't actually members of the Hyūga Clan. They're my personally trained subordinates."
"Thankfully, I had the foresight to handpick and train a group of orphans. Though not overwhelmingly strong, they're more than sufficient to handle you—gravely ill as you are—and your Branch House allies."
At this point, he dropped all pretense and openly declared his intentions.
"What? You've been secretly cultivating personal forces all along?"
"As a member of the Main House, you dare to raise subordinates to oppose other Main House members? You deserve death!"
...
The young Branch House youths glared at Elder, whose arrogance was now fully exposed, and one by one shouted furious curses at him.
What Elder was doing now was clearly tantamount to fracturing the Hyūga Clan—a blatant declaration of ambition.
Faced with the younger generation hurling furious curses at him, Elder scowled in displeasure and scoffed coldly, "Who do you think you are, daring to lecture me? Insolent brats with no regard for hierarchy!"
"You think Satori has been kind to you, don't you? Not a single one of you will escape today—all of you will join him in meeting the Sage of Six Paths!"
His gaze turned icy cold. His fingers instantly formed a seal, activating the Caged Bird Seal technique.
As soon as the jutsu inscription activated, Elder looked down arrogantly at the young Branch House members before him, eagerly anticipating their cries of pain.
This was the consequence of defying authority and disrespecting him.
He didn't plan to kill them outright—at least, not yet. First, he wanted to torment them, making them understand what happens to those who dare defy him.
No one who offends him would ever walk away unscathed.
But left and right, nothing came—no familiar sounds of agony.
"What's going on? Why haven't you reacted?" Elder widened his eyes, staring at the Branch House youths.
A terrible feeling began rising in his chest—he sensed something must have gone terribly wrong.
Without the restriction of the Caged Bird Seal, would those Branch House members remain so powerless and vulnerable before the Main House?
"It's the goggles! There's something wrong with the goggles you're wearing!"
Realizing the blind spot, the panicked Elder immediately noticed the goggles atop everyone's heads, finally understanding.
Damn those goggles—they must be imbued with some form of Sealing Technique, blocking the activation of the Caged Bird Seal.
With his most powerful weapon rendered useless, panic surged within Elder's mind.
Seeing the dozen or so subordinates around him, his panicked heart steadied with renewed confidence.
Just a few disobedient brats. He'd handle them all in one go.
"Go! Kill them!"
Elder raised his hand and signaled his men to strike down Satori Hyūga and the other juniors.
If he executed this discreetly and skillfully, no one would ever trace the attack back to him.
The appearance of those goggles only strengthened his certainty.
Satori Hyūga had actually developed a sealing technique that countered the Caged Bird Seal—striking at the very core of the Hyūga Clan's foundation.
He had every reason to suspect that Satori had already abandoned the Hyūga and sided with Hokage's faction.
Otherwise, how could Konoha have allowed him to open a factory, openly employing ordinary villagers and retired ninja?
A dozen black-clad figures shot forward like lightning, clashing against the Branch House youths.
These assassins wore cold expressions, had undergone special training, and fought fearlessly and ruthlessly—specifically trained to counter the Hyūga's Gentle Fist techniques.
Luckily, the Branch House youths had trained in the New Gentle Fist introduced by Satori Hyūga. By sheer coincidence, they weren't completely outmatched.
However, they were still young—physically weaker and vastly outmatched in chakra reserves by their enemies.
Facing ruthless attacks, the Branch House youths were pushed back repeatedly, looking increasingly ragged and desperate.
Observing the scene unfold, Satori muttered under his breath, "What a sly old fox."
Holding such a high position and preparing a secret countermeasure against your own clan members—that's utterly despicable.
But fortunately, he wasn't clueless either, having already made thorough preparations.
Satori clapped twice, and from within the dense forest, another group emerged—these were Branch House members who had been lying in ambush for a long time.
Unlike the younger Branch House youths who arrived earlier, these newcomers were clearly much older.
"Everyone, you've now seen Elder's true face. Please, uncles and elders, help me capture him."
These were people from his grandfather's bloodline. They didn't possess many ninjutsu techniques, only six in total—but their unwavering loyalty and formidable strength were undeniable.
"Elder, who'd have thought you had such a wolfish ambition? Even cultivating personal followers to fight against your own family!"
"Elder, surrender peacefully!"
"Don't resist pointlessly anymore! Your fate will be decided by the clan's judgment!"
...
The sudden arrival of these newcomers shattered Elder's confident demeanor.
He hadn't expected Satori to have kept hidden forces—he recognized these newcomers, each boasting Jonin-level strength.
With six adults joining the battle, the tide shifted instantly. The attackers were now being pushed back without mercy.
Seeing the situation turn around, Satori laughed aloud at Elder.
"Elder, how do you like my little gift? Hope you're enjoying it!"
He had always lived by the principle of caution.
This operation was an internal conflict within the Hyūga Clan, so he hadn't brought Orochimaru into it.
Still, if unexpected danger arose, he'd summon Orochimaru immediately through the Summoning Technique.
"Well done indeed. I never thought you'd be this well-prepared. So you've been plotting this for longer than just a couple of days, huh?" Elder growled angrily.
"But once you're dead, who will dare risk their life for you then?"
Seeing the situation turn against him, Elder lost no time and charged straight toward Satori Hyūga, this junior.
In his mind, as long as he subdued the gravely ill Satori Hyūga, there would still be a chance to turn things around.
By holding Satori Hyūga as leverage, others would hesitate to act recklessly for fear of harming him.
Meanwhile, he could order his men to separate and capture them all at once.
It was a sound plan, but he failed to realize that Satori Hyūga was merely feigning illness, and his strength was far from ordinary.
Years of comfortable living within the clan had reduced Elder's power to only a third of his youthful prime—now barely matched that of an average Chunin.
As he surged forward with a burst of energy and reached Satori Hyūga, the young man calmly raised his hand and struck with a forward palm.
[Palm Impact!]
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>