Expectation
The Byakugan that once surfaced in Kirigakure had always been the Hyūga clan's sharpest irony.
If even the Main Family had borne the Caged Bird Seal back then, would the Byakugan still have been lost?
Maybe. Risk never vanished entirely.
If Neji's Byakugan were ever taken by outsiders, Tōma would be the one held responsible. That would be his loss. Still, he trusted Neji's strength. He wasn't someone who would fall easily.
More importantly, if this path truly worked, the feeling of rewriting fate itself was worth the gamble.
That sense of change was exactly what Tōma looked forward to.
Neji's road would be long. He needed overwhelming personal strength, and even if he succeeded, redesigning the Caged Bird Seal would take years. But a distant goal was still a goal.
"If there's nothing else," Tōma said, "go back and wait. I'll speak with your clan head soon. It shouldn't take long."
"Yes!" Neji answered firmly and bowed before leaving.
The moment he stepped out of the Hokage Tower, the sky felt clearer. The air felt lighter. It was as if chains he'd worn since birth had finally loosened.
The burden ahead was heavy. Crushing, even.
But compared to living inside a cage?
Neji's gaze hardened.
He had to succeed. For himself. For the Branch Family. And for the Hokage's expectation.
His footsteps grew steadier as he walked away.
Back in the Hokage's office, Tōma smiled faintly.
"You heard everything, didn't you?"
The window slid open, and a figure stepped inside.
Hyūga Hiashi.
Tōma had summoned him long ago and kept him hidden, listening. This was deliberate. Hiashi needed to hear Neji's resolve for himself.
"What do you think after hearing him?" Tōma asked, calmly pouring fresh tea.
Hiashi reflected in silence, his expression tangled with guilt and hesitation.
"If it's only Neji's seal," Hiashi said at last, "I can authorize its removal on behalf of the Hyūga."
"Put that aside for now," Tōma replied, sliding a cup toward him. "Let's talk about modifying the seal itself."
Hiashi sat.
"…The idea has come up within the clan before," he admitted. "But altering the Caged Bird is extremely difficult. And the resistance isn't just technical."
"I figured," Tōma said lightly. "Preserving the Main Family's 'special status', right?"
Hiashi didn't answer. That was answer enough.
"Let's hope Neji becomes the turning point," Tōma said.
Hiashi nodded slowly.
He was a beneficiary of the system. Even if he wanted change, he lacked both justification and strength to force it. Just delaying the successor decision to protect Hinata from the seal had already placed enormous pressure on him.
By custom, Hinata should inherit. She was the eldest. But doubts about her talent, combined with Hiashi's closeness to Hanabi, had left the elders restless.
Every meeting ended the same way. Demands. Delargation. Postponement.
Now, for the first time, Hiashi saw hope.
Neji was different. His talent was undeniable. Even Hiashi often thought his late brother had left behind an extraordinary son.
"Why did you use the Caged Bird on Neji's father… in front of him?" Tōma asked suddenly.
That moment had carved itself into Neji's soul.
Hiashi fell silent.
"…That was a family matter," he said at last.
"I see," Tōma replied. "Then I won't press further."
He stood and spoke plainly. "Go. Remove Neji's seal. If the elders ask, say you did it here, under my authority."
"Dragging the Hokage into this isn't ideal," Hiashi said, frowning. "Let me bear the pressure alone."
"I don't mind," Tōma said casually. "Let them think Neji stands behind me. It'll make his path easier."
Hiashi couldn't refute that. Tōma's name alone carried weight no elder could ignore.
His thoughts drifted to his brother.
The day Hizashi knocked him unconscious and took his place. The smile on Hizashi's face. Relief mixed with sorrow. He had chosen his own death.
That smile had haunted Hiashi ever since.
Now, Hizashi's son stood on the edge of freedom. Perhaps more than that. Perhaps he could free others.
If Hizashi could see this…
Hiashi closed his eyes, then opened them again.
"If possible," he said quietly, "I want to thank you on my brother's behalf."
Tōma nodded. "He gave his life for you. That bond doesn't disappear because of a seal."
Hiashi gave a bitter smile.
What kind of brother lets his sibling die in his place… then seals his son?
No matter the circumstances, Hiashi had never forgiven himself.
Helping Neji might be the first step toward that.
With mixed relief and resolve, Hiashi departed to remove the seal.
Tōma watched his back and nodded.
As clan heads went, Hiashi wasn't perfect.
But he was trying.
And sometimes, that was enough.