Chapter 7: Physically Eliminate the Main Family
"Takuma, you hogged all the questions! What am I supposed to say now?" The long-haired girl unhappily punched Hyuga Takuma's back hard, making him stagger. His grimacing expression showed the punch wasn't light.
"Akiba, go easier! You nearly broke my bones! And stop learning from that little punk Arima by calling me by name directly! At least call me 'big brother'!"
Hyuga Takuma complained indignantly.
However, all that awaited him was the girl's disgusted eye roll. Hyuga Akiba mercilessly shot back with venom. "You're just Takuma. Who are you trying to act like a big brother for? Don't think I don't know you frequent the adult section at the bookstore!"
"I—I... how do you know that?"
Takuma's face went pale with shock.
"Takuma, you should be asking who doesn't know!"
Hyuga Arima laughed mockingly.
Takuma's complexion turned white as a sheet—nearly the same color as his Byakugan.
"Everyone, quiet!"
Ritsu rubbed his temples with a headache. When these few got together, the chaos never ended. Any other time, he wouldn't mind watching the show, but now wasn't the moment for leisurely entertainment.
Hearing Ritsu's authority, all three immediately fell silent.
Within their small group, Ritsu undoubtedly stood at the apex.
"Takuma, Akiba, I didn't call you here for fun and games. Since even Arima knows what happened on the Eastern Front, you two definitely know as well. I won't waste words. Bottom line—the Main Family intends to pin the blame on me for inadequate rescue, missing opportunities, and harming Main Family members, all to cover up their own incompetence."
"Those Main Family trash only know how to use these methods to bully us Branch Family!"
Akiba ground her teeth, her face full of hatred, completely lacking her usual refined, elegant demeanor when quiet.
The girl was Ritsu's cousin.
Six years ago, her father—Ritsu's paternal uncle—had accompanied a Main Family member on a mission. Due to that Main Family member's cowardice, Akiba's father faced enemy encirclement and ultimately perished.
Worse still, the Main Family member who escaped pinned the blame on Akiba's father, accusing him of recklessly seeking glory, causing their mission's failure. Only another non-Hyuga shinobi on the mission couldn't stand the injustice and secretly revealed the truth to Akiba's mother.
Since then, the straightforward girl with a clear sense of gratitude and grudges had harbored hatred toward the Main Family.
"Ritsu-nii, just tell us what to do. I know you didn't come back to take the fall for the Main Family. You don't need to explain much—just tell us what needs to be done."
The girl's gaze burned intensely as she stared at Ritsu.
Since Ritsu's parents had never awakened their Byakugan, young Ritsu had learned the family's Gentle Fist from his uncle—Akiba's father. Though they were cousins, even actual siblings might not share their bond.
She understood Ritsu well. This cousin who'd carried the prodigy label since childhood wasn't the type to endure bullying silently. He'd absolutely never meekly take the fall for the Main Family.
"First, let me show you something."
Ritsu answered.
"Show us what?"
"You'll know when you see it."
With that, Ritsu removed the headband from his forehead.
"Look at your head? What's there to see... Huh? HUH? Ri-Ritsu-nii? Your—your Caged Bird Seal? Where's your Caged Bird Seal?"
Akiba's voice nearly cracked from shouting.
However, because Arima's parents died young, the Main Family had reclaimed his parents' original residence near the central area and relegated the orphaned Arima to this house on the compound's edge. There were virtually no neighbors nearby. Even loud commotion wouldn't attract attention.
This was why Ritsu hadn't gone home after sneaking back into the compound, coming straight to find Arima instead.
Takuma and Arima's eyes were nearly bulging from their sockets, staring fixedly at Ritsu's smooth, pale forehead. Their eyes were full of disbelief.
"Ritsu-nii, how did you do it? Did you really remove the Caged Bird Seal?"
Akiba rushed forward, reaching out without courtesy to vigorously rub Ritsu's forehead.
"Akiba, lighter! You're going to rub the skin off!"
Ritsu irritably swatted away his cousin's claws and pushed her aside. Then he spoke seriously. "Takuma, Arima, Akiba—you all see it. I've broken the Caged Bird Seal. The Main Family can no longer use it to control me."
He paused, looking at the three before him. He grinned, revealing white teeth. "I'm going to shatter this Main Family-Branch Family system soaked in our Branch Family's blood! I'll remove the Caged Bird Seal from every Branch Family member's forehead!"
He declared this resounding vow.
The next second—
"Let's do it!"
Akiba excitedly pumped her fist and shouted.
She couldn't wait to charge before those Main Family people and smash their disgusting, detestable faces to pulp!
"Ritsu-aniki, just tell us what to do!"
Arima rubbed his fists together eagerly.
He held no particular grudge against the Main Family. Even though he'd been exiled to the compound's edge after his parents' deaths, his naturally optimistic temperament let it slide. But he was also single-minded—having recognized Ritsu as his big brother, he'd follow Ritsu's lead completely. Whoever Ritsu told him to cut down, he'd cut down without a shred of hesitation.
"Ritsu, what's your plan?"
In the end, the oldest among them—Hyuga Takuma—proved the most composed. Though he often lingered in the bookstore's adult section, if a seventeen-year-old youth showed absolutely no interest in such things, that would truly be problematic.
Setting aside this harmless hobby, Takuma was quite reliable. He'd been promoted to jonin at fourteen—also a prodigy. Tasks assigned to him were usually handled properly.
"It's simple. Physically eliminate the Main Family members."
Ritsu answered frankly.
Systemic reform was always extremely difficult. Expecting those with vested interests to voluntarily relinquish their advantages was harder than ascending to heaven. Gentle methods simply wouldn't work. Only violence could smash the existing system and provide sufficient space for a new one to be established.
"Huh?"
Takuma's eye twitched.
What kind of plan was that?
Physically eliminate Main Family members... Wasn't that called a coup?
"Isn't that a bit too extreme?"
Takuma frowned, speaking quietly. "There aren't many Main Family members, and nearly half are useless trash, but there are still skilled fighters like Clan Head Hiashi. Besides, many Branch Family members would die to protect the Main Family. With just the few of us, there's no way we could eliminate them all, right?"
****
50+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces