"Disaster! The Byakugan isn't working; someone's targeting the Hyuga. Everyone, stay alert!"
Satoshi's expression shifted as he shouted loudly.
Several other branch family members on night watch mirrored his expression, shouting after activating their Byakugan.
In an instant, the Hyuga Clan grounds erupted into chaos. A group of clan members, roused from deep sleep, rushed out of their rooms, spotting the barrier encircling the Hyuga and cursing:
"How is this possible? Someone actually dares to target the Hyuga Clan?"
"Courting death! The Hyuga are Konoha's most prestigious family."
"This is Konoha! Who would dare touch us?"
"Get out here."
Hiashi, clad in a long white robe, scanned the surroundings with his Byakugan, his expression grave.
Many elders of the main Hyuga family gathered, their faces a mix of anger and worry.
"Clan Leader, could Konoha be attacking us? Like the Uchiha ten years ago?"
"Damn Konoha! Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't a good man, and neither are the students he trained."
"We Hyuga have shed blood for Konoha—how could they treat us like this?"
"Silence! The Hokage isn't someone we can casually discuss. This incident surely has nothing to do with him."
Hiashi glared at the elders.
His heart pounded.
But as Clan Leader, he couldn't voice too much pessimism. Calming himself, he spoke loudly:
"Satoshi, take your team to the barrier's edge to assess the situation. If you can break through, contact the Hokage immediately. Everyone else, gather by my side to prepare for any threats."
"Yes, Clan Leader."
Satoshi responded, ready to act. But as he lifted his foot, he froze.
At that moment, a cold, indifferent voice echoed:
"Leaving the Grand Yin-Yang Duality Formation with your strength alone is impossible—unless you defeat me, its core."
"Who are you?"
Everyone turned to see a tall man who had suddenly appeared, wearing a Yin-Yang robe and a mask. Their hearts jolted in shock.
At the same time, rage began to burn within them.
This man? The bastard daring to target the Hyuga Clan?
How bold.
As the formation's creator, he stood before a group of Hyuga. What did he take them for?
Harmless children?
How much did he underestimate Konoha's top prestigious family?
"Bastard!" a Hyuga clan member cursed, but before he could finish—
Hiashi waved his hand to stop him, his expression serious.
"Who are you? The Hyuga Clan hasn't made enemies recently."
As he spoke, his eyes scanned the surroundings.
"No need to look around. Your enemy is just me." the masked man said flatly.
"Alone? You dare oppose the Hyuga alone? Are you insane?"
"Ridiculous. We'll make you regret showing up here."
"Truly courting death."
The Hyuga members cursed, clenching their fists, their steps light as they slowly surrounded the masked man, waiting only for the main family's order to pummel this arrogant fool into the ground.
Hiashi felt a slight relief. Alone? That's good.
But unlike the others, he didn't curse. Instead, he spoke calmly, with confidence:
"Coming here alone, what's your goal? If you truly wish to oppose the Hyuga, our clan fears no enemy."
The man didn't answer, instead asking:
"It's said… the Caged Bird seal is meant to protect the clan, to keep the Byakugan from being stolen?"
"?!"
The branch family members' expressions soured instantly.
Hiashi's brow furrowed even more.
"Of course. The ninja world is chaotic. The Hyuga's Byakugan, with its powerful detection abilities, is coveted by every village. Since ancient times, people have hunted lone Hyuga to steal the Byakugan's power, causing great losses."
"Thus, our ancestors developed the Caged Bird seal to protect the Byakugan's safety."
"Then… why doesn't the main family bear the Caged Bird? Is the main family's power so great it surpasses all branch families?" the man asked again.
Hiashi's face unconsciously turned green.
He couldn't answer this question.
The branch family members' expressions shifted again, but none dared speak.
An elder with a dark face shouted:
"We are the noble main Hyuga family. How could we bear the Caged Bird? Damn intruder! The Hyuga Clan isn't a place you can come to stir trouble. Satoshi, finish him!"
"Yes, Elder Genya." Satoshi replied.
Immediately, he and a group of Hyuga charged at the masked man in the Yin-Yang robe.
"Hmph… speechless, huh? What a disgusting, hypocritical, filthy clan. The so-called Caged Bird is nothing but the main family's way of enslaving the branch family."
The masked man sneered.
"Damned intruder, shut up! Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
Satoshi, at the forefront, his face green with rage, burned with anger.
The branch family, enslaved and belittled by the main family.
This harsh truth was an eternal wound in every branch member's heart. They all knew it well enough.
But if someone dared say it publicly, as Hyuga branch members, they would fight to the death.
A Yin-Yang Taiji diagram appeared. Satoshi's palms, filled with killing intent, opened, ready to unleash a lightning-fast attack.
The other Hyuga figures nearly engulfed the masked man.
"You pitiful people… you don't deserve to be called Hyuga. Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms?"
"This is what you call Eight Trigrams? Taiji? Laughable. Open your eyes wide and see what the true Taiji Eight Trigrams is."
As the masked man finished, his emotions gradually surged.
His left foot stomped the ground hard.
The next moment, the earth trembled.
A massive Yin-Yang Taiji diagram, roughly fifty meters in radius, appeared, enveloping the group.
The Taiji diagram beneath Satoshi shattered instantly, leaving him stunned.
"How is this possible? You can use the Eight Trigrams technique too?"
Hiashi also exclaimed in shock.
All Hyuga members covered by the Taiji diagram, trying to approach the masked man, felt their bodies trapped in mud, their movements heavily restricted.
Every move met immense resistance, causing a flicker of fear in their eyes.
The masked man seized the moment, stepping toward Satoshi and lightly striking his stomach with a palm.
"So fast! But it's useless; the Hyuga Clan isn't so easily dealt with. Kaiten!"
Satoshi's eyes flashed sharply. His body spun, using the Hyuga's famed absolute defense technique.
A swirl of pale white chakra spun around him, shielding his entire body.
"Taiji – Yin-Yang Separation. Break."
The masked man whispered. His once-white palm shifted to dual Yin-Yang colors, colliding with the spinning Kaiten.
The next moment, a scene that stunned all Hyuga unfolded.
The once-invincible Kaiten airflow, like a wave of water, was easily split.
The masked man's right palm, unhindered, pressed against Satoshi's stomach.