The two of them quickly entered their work states.
Aokawa stood at the head of the bed, pressing both hands against Ryosuke's temples.
Pure white spirit particles flowed from his palms, continuously being injected into him.
The Shadow Clone stood to the side.
The Chakra Scalpel in its hand flickered with a dangerous blue light.
"Incision localized, three centimeters beneath the cortex, the root zone of the curse seal's core." The Shadow Clone put away its playful grin, its voice becoming professional and cold.
"Beginning extraction."
The blade descended, yet it did not cut the skin.
The Chakra blade passed directly through the skull, precisely probing into the interior of the brain.
This was top-tier Chakra control.
Under the X-ray vision of the Byakugan, the Bird in a Cage Curse Seal had nowhere to hide.
"This is so damn disgusting." The Shadow Clone frowned, the tip of its blade cautiously prying away a root filament wrapped around the optic nerve.
"No matter how many times I see it, I think the person who invented this thing is a total pervert."
"Keep your hand steady," Aokawa barked in a low voice.
The moment the root filament snapped, the entire curse seal twitched violently like a living creature.
"Now!" The Shadow Clone's eyes sharpened, and the blade in its hand moved so fast it became an afterimage.
Swish, swish, swish!
Dozens of cuts were completed in the blink of an eye.
Those deeply rooted cancerous filaments were all severed.
Having lost its Foundation, the curse seal was like a snake with its fangs pulled, floating limply within the Sea of Consciousness.
Aokawa followed the Chakra blade closely with a precise Mystical Palm Technique, constantly repairing the damaged tissue.
After a long while, the Shadow Clone let out a long breath, and the blue light in its hand slowly faded.
"Done." He pretentiously wiped away non-existent sweat from his forehead, looking smug.
"With this level of skill, I bet even Tsunade would have to call me 'Teacher' if she were here."
Aokawa withdrew his hands, the green light in his palms vanishing.
He looked at the sleeping Ryosuke, a hint of exhaustion flashing in his eyes.
The consumption was greater than expected; this kind of Soul surgery, which was like dancing on the head of a pin, was more exhausting than killing hundreds of Ninjas.
"Wake him up," Aokawa waved his hand.
The Shadow Clone didn't dawdle either, reaching out and pressing a spot on Hyuga Ryosuke's neck.
A stimulating jolt of Chakra was injected.
"Ugh..." A thick groan escaped Ryosuke's throat.
His eyelids snapped open, his vision quickly focusing from a blur.
The familiar tent roof, and Aokawa sitting beside him.
"You're awake?" Aokawa poured a cup of water and handed it over.
Hyuga Ryosuke sat up blankly and took the cup.
The next second.
As if he had been electrocuted, he suddenly raised his hand to touch his forehead.
That heavy feeling that used to weigh on his heart like a mountain at all times... was gone?
That instinctive shudder and fear that would arise from the depths of his Soul whenever he thought of the Main House... was also gone?
It was as if his Soul had shed a thousand-pound shackle.
It was so light it felt unreal.
Even the flow of Chakra within his body was countless times smoother than before.
"Ha..." Hyuga Ryosuke opened his mouth and let out a dry laugh.
Immediately after, the laughter grew louder and more manic.
"Hahaha! Hahahaha!!"
He suddenly jumped off the bed, not even bothering to put on shoes, and paced around the small tent barefoot, swinging his fists like a madman.
"It's gone! I really can't feel it anymore!"
"The dog leash of those old bastards is broken!!"
As he laughed, tears streamed wildly from the corners of his eyes.
He rushed in front of Aokawa, wanting to hug him.
But feeling it was too sentimental, he ended up just slapping Aokawa heavily on the shoulder.
"Thanks, brother."
"This life of mine is truly yours from now on."
This time, there wasn't a hint of a joke; his gaze was harder than iron.
Aokawa swatted his hand away in disgust.
"That's enough."
"Don't rub your snot on me."
"Do you feel any discomfort in your body?"
"Discomfort? I feel so good right now I could fly to the heavens!"
Hyuga Ryosuke took a deep breath of the air of freedom, his face filled with the fervor of a Freshman.
"I feel like I could punch through a bull right now!"
Suddenly.
He seemed to remember something, his smile fading slightly as his gaze became incredibly earnest.
"Aokawa..." He rubbed his hands together, his tone becoming cautious and tinged with a hint of pleading.
"Since this surgery actually works..."
"Then after we go back, could you help my dad and mom too..."
He didn't finish the sentence.
But the meaning was clear.
If he could also undo the curse seals on his parents, then the whole family would rise up and become their own masters.
True freedom.
The tent instantly fell silent.
The Shadow Clone sat nearby with its legs crossed, watching this scene with a half-smile, not interjecting.
Aokawa put down his water cup: "Technically, there's no problem."
Just as Hyuga Ryosuke was about to cheer, Aokawa raised a hand to interrupt him.
"However, I don't recommend you do this right now."
"Why?" Hyuga Ryosuke was stunned.
"Because not everyone has the courage to put their head on the line like you do."
Aokawa stared into Ryosuke's eyes.
"Undoing the Caged Bird Seal means betraying the Main House."
"Once exposed, what awaits them is purging and execution."
"You have the resolve to follow me in rebellion, but do your parents?"
"If we undo it for them now, they'll have to act every day in fear, terrified that the Main House will notice something amiss."
"That kind of psychological pressure might very well drive the two elders mad first."
Hyuga Ryosuke's mouth hung open, but he couldn't make a sound.
He wanted to argue, but he found that every word Aokawa said was the truth.
His father was an honest and simple Chunin who had been submissive to the Main House his entire life.
"Moreover, this matter has to depend on their own will."
Aokawa stood up and walked to the tent entrance.
He lifted a corner of the curtain; the night outside was as thick as ink.
"Freedom comes with a price."
"Some people have been kneeling for so long that if you suddenly help them up, they'll feel weak in the knees instead, and even blame you for meddling."
"After we return, you can ask them indirectly."
"If they truly have that heart, and the guts to bear the risk of losing their heads..."
Aokawa turned his head; with the light behind him, his expression was unreadable.
"At that time, I will take action."
Hyuga Ryosuke was silent for a long time.
Finally, he nodded heavily.
"I understand."
"I'll handle this."
"My dad might be a coward, but he loves my mom the most."
"As long as it's to protect family, even a rabbit will bite when cornered."
Aokawa smiled and said no more.
The seed had been planted; it would sprout sooner or later.
"Alright, you should go now, I still have other things to attend to." Aokawa issued an order to leave.
Watching Hyuga Ryosuke's receding figure, the Shadow Clone said, "It's already this late, you might as well wait until tomorrow to give me a break."
Aokawa nodded and dispelled the Shadow Clone.
His consciousness re-entered his personal information and clicked on the Steel Body Fighter emblem.
[Steel Body Fighter: Movement and stillness follow the heart, the entire body is without flaws. Through a thousand refinements, the Physical Body becomes sacred. Your control over your body has reached the microscopic realm; blood, strength, and breath are perfectly integrated without a single trace of waste. In battle, you can perceive the finest flaws, and the power of a single strike is concentrated into a single point, known as 'Flawless'. Your body itself is the most perfect weapon and the ultimate bulwark; your blood surges like a dragon, and your bones are as hard as vajra.]
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