"The branch family heir gets the Caged Bird mark at age three. When I return, Neji will—"
Hyūga Hizashi's face twisted with a mix of grief and anger as he spoke of his son.
Rokuro couldn't remember exactly at what age Hyūga Neji had received the mark, but he did know one thing clearly: next year, in Konoha year 54, Hyūga Hiashi would die in Neji's place—because Hiashi would kill the man who abducted his daughter.
Think about it: in real life, if someone stole your child, would you hesitate to kill the trafficker if that would bring your kid back? Rokuro suspected that, aside from the scum who sell children, almost every parent would act without hesitation. Afterward, the public would even cheer them as heroic. Yet in Konoha's world, avenging a kidnapped child could mean you yourself must pay with your life. The shinobi world could be bizarre to the point of cruelty.
No wonder Madara and Obito pushed for Infinite Tsukuyomi, and no wonder Orochimaru colluded with the Sand—so determined to remove Sarutobi Hiruzen. From their viewpoints, the village system itself was a long-standing obstacle to their aims.
When Hiashi dies, Neji will already bear the Caged Bird mark. He will have even seen the mark activate once—against his own father Hizashi.
"You really trust me, Team Leader Hizashi. If I remember correctly, the Caged Bird has been a Hyūga clan seal for generations, right?" Rokuro said.
"That's right," Hizashi replied. "It's been around since the Warring States era. At first it was created to protect Hyūga who traveled outside the village—seed it on them when they leave, remove it when they return. But—" Hizashi let out a self-mocking laugh.
"Greed crept into the hearts of some. They united, used the Caged Bird to control a portion of the clan, and elevated themselves into power, enslaving others. After decades, the split into Branch and Main Houses was born."
Hizashi sketched the mark's evolution briefly; Rokuro was not surprised. The so-called Caged Bird is fundamentally a tool to subjugate—just as money and regulations are used to bind people. The Hyūga had simply built a more efficient, surgical method.
Rokuro was no saint; he had no intention of rehabilitating the branch family's image for free. But he was deeply interested in the Hyūga's bloodline power.
"By the way, the Hyūga are descendants of the Ōtsutsuki, aren't they? In the original manga the protagonists are descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, and the focus is on the Uchiha and Senju. But Ōtsutsuki Hamura was also immensely powerful—probably not that far from Six-Path level."
Rokuro had read the manga and seen the filler. The manga never showed the Six-Path and his brother's eyes evolving the way some fan theories claim; in other words, one Ōtsutsuki brother could be the Rinnegan's origin and the other the Reincarnation Eye. Only that way do they both plausibly have the power to seal Kaguya. There's even artwork of an Ōtsutsuki brother pair fighting the Ten-Tails, each holding a black rod formed from the Divine Tree's fruit—an object only attainable by Six-Path-level strength. So Hamura must be Six-Path level too, and his eyes are most likely Reincarnation Eyes.
"If in this world Byakugan could evolve into a Reincarnation Eye, then the Hyūga could purify their bloodline too. Their research value wouldn't be less than the Uchiha's. In that case—" Rokuro turned to Hizashi with a fierce expression. "The Main House are monsters for stabbing their own clan in the back for power. Team Leader Hizashi, trust me—I'll help you."
Hizashi was overwhelmed with gratitude the moment Rokuro promised. Rokuro then applied his sealing knowledge to examine the Caged Bird mark on Hizashi's forehead and drew two hundred milliliters of blood from him with a syringe.
"Studying and breaking the Caged Bird is a large undertaking," Rokuro said. "I'll need your blood, but also blood from other Hyūga, and physical samples of their marks. If you agree—"
Hizashi hesitated. This was a matter of life and death; if the Main House found out, they would execute anyone involved under the charge of treason. To drag other clan members into such danger for one man's plan—Hizashi could not decide on the spot.
"All right," Rokuro suggested. "I'll start the preliminary research here. When we return to the village, you pick a few trustworthy clan members and discuss it with them. Participation must be voluntary. How does that sound?"
Hizashi agreed. Because they'd wiped out a Cloud shinobi squad, they could return early; after five days of travel they were back in Konoha.
Hizashi turned in the mission scroll and then took Rokuro and Inuzuka Hana to a yakiniku shop to celebrate.
"To our success!" Rokuro lifted a cup. Hana covered her mouth and smiled faintly.
"Rokuro, you're underage. You can't drink."
"I know. This is just fruit juice—served in a wine glass for show. Come on, cheers!" Rokuro clinked cups with Hana.
Hizashi raised a beer; the three made a small, warm celebration.
"Man, that felt good," Rokuro said as he slammed the cup down theatrically. "Thanks to you I think we all came through in one piece. One more toast for you."
Hana filled his cup and toasted.
"No need for that—we're a team. We should cooperate, not be so formal about it."
Hizashi chuckled. "You're not like other Uchiha I've met. I've met many of your clan, but this is the first time I've met someone like you."
"Oh? Team Leader, you've met many Uchiha?" Rokuro asked.
Hizashi nodded slightly. "I once served on missions with Uchiha Fugaku when I was younger. He's not as outwardly proud as some Uchiha, but his manner has always kept people at a distance. That's where the nickname 'Fierce-Eyed Fugaku' comes from."
Hearing the nickname, Rokuro laughed.
"What about Shisui? Have you worked with him?" Rokuro asked.
"Shisui—I worked with him once. He's gentle and pleasant; among the Uchiha he's relatively well-liked. But I can tell he carries a lot on his heart—he lives under pressure."
Rokuro smiled. "No surprise—you have the instincts of a clan head. I'm Uchiha too, but honestly, I can't abide those clan members who act like they own the world. Someone who goes to the Konoha Guard—a unit meant to serve the village—yet behaves like that only stokes hatred. I still don't understand what the Second Hokage was thinking."
"Maybe… that was the point—to stoke the conflict from the beginning," Hizashi murmured.
Hana hurriedly refilled both their cups. "Enough of the heavy talk. Tonight we eat and drink. If you don't hurry up, Graymaru and the others will eat all the meat."
END OF CHAPTER
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