The abolition of the Hyuga Clan's Main and Branch House system sent ripples through the ninja world. For outsiders who coveted the clan's Byakugan, this was far from good news. They had relied on the rigid hierarchy to exploit weaknesses, and now they were forced to seek intelligence through far riskier channels.
With the Main and Branch Houses unified, the Hyuga elders urgently drafted new internal regulations to safeguard their bloodline.
The most critical of these addressed the infamous Caged Bird Curse Mark.
Under the new policy, the mark would no longer restrict eye power, create a blind spot in vision, or scar the forehead. Instead, it became a purely defensive seal that activated only upon death, ensuring the Byakugan would self-destruct if stolen. Application of the mark was voluntary, a personal choice made to protect one's eyes from post-mortem theft.
The response within the clan was overwhelming. Most former Branch members chose to receive the new seal, unwilling to risk their Byakugan being gouged out after death. Only a handful of prodigies, confident in their strength and future power, declined.
A second policy targeted those unable to become shinobi. Even non-combatants possessed coveted eyes, so for their own protection, they too were advised to adopt the mark. This decision met with no opposition.
Finally, the Hyuga instituted a Speaker of Parliament election system. The clan head would henceforth be chosen not only for strength but also for wisdom and leadership, ensuring prosperity for the united family.
These sweeping reforms forced would-be thieves to reconsider. The new seal meant that even if someone murdered a Hyuga, the Byakugan might self-destruct, rendering the effort futile. The once-tempting prize had suddenly become far more dangerous to pursue.
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Kakuzu and the Chimera Bugs
Far from Konoha, in the mist-shrouded Land of Waves, strange life stirred within the lush mangrove forests. Among the twisted roots, the Chimera Bug colony cultivated by Orochimaru thrived—massive, intelligent insects bred for predation.
A masked creature stitched together with black tendrils emerged from the swarm, its movements jerky and strained. It approached the stoic figure of Kakuzu, who observed in silence. He noted how the monster, though empowered by a Jōnin-level heart, looked drained after the Chimera Bugs fed on its chakra.
Kakuzu clicked his tongue. He regretted denying the funding request for their caretaker. He had dismissed the insects as low-level summons, but their voracious appetite and eerie intelligence had proven him wrong. The Chimera Bugs fed with surgical precision, careful never to drain the monster's heart completely.
"Mr. Kakuzu, is that acceptable?" asked Mu, a young woman of the Iburi clan who oversaw the colony. Concern clouded her eyes as she watched the creature tremble.
"He'll recover after some rest," Kakuzu replied flatly. He extended his hand, and the masked monster dissolved into streams of black threads, re-sewing themselves into his body. Mu instinctively stepped back at the unsettling sight.
Noticing her unease, Kakuzu simply adjusted his cloak. "I've approved your funding request," he added.
Mu's face brightened. "Thank you, Mr. Kakuzu!"
To her, it felt like a small miracle. Since joining White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology, she'd heard countless stories of Kakuzu's legendary frugality. Rumor called him the Iron-Faced Miser, a man who scrutinized every coin. Yet even he had to admit the Chimera Bugs were worth the expense.
As they spoke, a massive insect dove from the canopy, pincers crushing a wild beast in an instant. Kakuzu's sharp eyes followed the display. Could these creatures truly be Orochimaru's creation? Their complex social behavior suggested as much.
The insect turned toward him, presenting the kill like an offering.
"I don't need that," Kakuzu said curtly, disappearing in a blur using the Body Vibration Technique.
The Chimera Bug drooped in disappointment until Mu climbed onto its back and patted its head. "Don't be sad. That's just how Mr. Kakuzu is."
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Inside White Snake Pharmaceuticals
Back at the company's headquarters, Kakuzu sifted through reports, pausing at one marked Hyuga Clan Intelligence. The end of the Main/Branch system intrigued him. Could the Caged Bird Mark truly have been neutralized? he wondered. The Byakugan's reconnaissance power rivaled even the Sharingan's, making it one of the most sought-after kekkei genkai in existence.
A sharp knock broke his thoughts.
"Enter," he called.
A nervous subordinate stepped in, extending a funding proposal. Kakuzu scanned it, his eyes narrowing at the inflated prices. "Don't think being a ninja means I can't read a ledger," he said coldly, slashing through unnecessary items. "Recalculate the costs before bringing this to me again."
"Yes, sir!" The man trembled and fled.
"Hmph. Trying to squeeze more money out of me? Keep dreaming," Kakuzu muttered, sliding the Hyuga dossier into a drawer.
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Orochimaru's New Experiment
In a brightly lit underground laboratory, Orochimaru slowly opened his eyes. A thin, translucent layer shimmered across his golden irises—his latest creation: a liquid invisible contact lens designed to thwart genjutsu.
At first it had been uncomfortable, but now it felt as natural as breathing.
"How do you feel, Lord Orochimaru?" asked Imu, one of his trusted assistants, while a small crowd waited anxiously outside.
"Excellent," he murmured, his vision sharpening as if through a magnifying glass. Channeling chakra into the lenses, he watched the world zoom and shift with perfect clarity. Yet magnification was only a secondary feature. What truly mattered was whether these lenses could resist or reflect genjutsu.
Orochimaru remembered all too well the time he had nearly fallen to a low-level illusion despite his formidable skill. If Kabuto hadn't intervened, the consequences might have been dire.
"Imu, cast a genjutsu on me," he commanded.
"M-my lord… I can't—" Imu faltered.
"This is for research," Orochimaru insisted, his tone brooking no argument.
Taking a deep breath, Imu formed hand signs. "Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique!"
For the first time, Orochimaru felt the disorienting tug of genjutsu with crystal clarity—then an immediate recoil as his chakra-infused lenses reversed the illusion. Darkness flooded Imu's vision instead. Chains wrapped around her in a nightmare she herself had cast.
"This… this is my own genjutsu," she gasped, astonished. The experiment worked!
"Release," Orochimaru said, touching her shoulder. His chakra snapped the illusion.
"You did it, Lord Orochimaru," Imu exclaimed, wiping sweat from her brow.
"We did it," he corrected, smiling faintly. "This success belongs to everyone who contributed."
The first-generation lenses had proven their worth, but Orochimaru's mind was already racing ahead. Could they withstand the hypnotic might of the Sharingan—one tomoe, two, three? Mangekyō? That would require future generations of refinement.
Opening the lab door, he addressed the gathered researchers. "Excellent work, all of you. Now, we move on to deeper studies in biotechnology, chakra toxins, and improved lens designs. I will never be satisfied with the present."
Cloning, regeneration, genetic engineering—these were next on his list. As for volatile weapons research, he preferred remote sites to avoid accidents that might harm his valuable assistants or, worse, draw Konoha's attention.
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The Shadow Clones' Banter
Forming quick seals, Orochimaru summoned five Shadow Clones.
"Remain here and continue the research," he ordered.
"Come on, get moving," one clone said impatiently.
"We don't have all day," another added.
"Stop chatting and work," a third chimed in, already herding researchers toward their stations.
Orochimaru blinked. Why are my own clones so annoyingly bossy? Other shinobi never seemed to have clones that back-talked. Perhaps Tobirama's famed technique had mutated in his hands. He smirked at the thought and, with a flash of the Flying Thunder God Technique, vanished.
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An Unexpected Challenge
He reappeared at Konoha's Third Training Ground, where a voice rang out:
"Orochimaru, I challenge you!"
It was Uchiha Youka, standing defiantly with eyes closed in meditation. Behind him hovered a boy, a girl, and a flustered Jōnin instructor.
"Ah, and you've brought friends this time?" Orochimaru observed with a sly grin.
"I'm enough on my own!" Youka declared. "This won't end as easily as before!"
Orochimaru's smile widened. Another opportunity to test both his skills and his newest invention had just presented itself.
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