Tick. Tock.
The steady sound of a clock echoed softly in Hyūga Ming's ears.
Time passed, minute by minute.
When the door to his room finally opened, two Hyūga clan members stood outside.
"Hyūga Ming," said the woman in front, her voice firm.
"The main family summons you. Come with us."
Ming slowly opened his eyes, rose from the cushion, and straightened his clothes.
"Let's go."
The main family's precious heir had been wronged.
He'd known these people wouldn't take long.
As he stepped outside, the two positioned themselves one in front and one behind—
escorting him like a criminal.
Well, to the main family, that was exactly what he was.
Branch family members along the way couldn't help but look over.
Some who recognized him whispered.
"What happened to Ming?"
"Didn't he just become a ninja?"
"They're heading to the council hall…"
The murmurs gradually faded as people realized what this meant.
A few showed concern.
After all, Ming was one of the branch family's rare talents—and he'd always treated them kindly.
Many were familiar with him.
Of course, that was mostly because Ming had once been testing whether a quest system existed, trying to see if he could trigger missions.
No quests.
But plenty of goodwill.
Still, this involved the main family.
No one dared interfere.
Ming didn't expect anyone to help.
His current ninja status was his shield.
As long as they didn't kill him or cripple him, he wasn't afraid.
If they really wanted to risk angering the Hokage's faction and kill him—
Then he'd just see whether resurrection mechanics existed.
The game he'd played before reincarnating had resurrection.
Sure, you lost levels—but you came back.
More importantly—
They wouldn't do it.
Not because they couldn't.
But because it wasn't worth it.
They brought Ming into the council hall.
Calling it a "hall" was generous—it was simply a tatami room.
Four elderly men knelt on cushions along the sides.
At the head sat a middle-aged man who resembled Hyūga Hiashi, facing Ming directly.
Ming scanned the room.
Hiashi wasn't here.
But he recognized everyone present.
The Hyūga Main Family Council.
The Hyūga clan consisted of five main-family lineages, each responsible for different matters.
Hiashi's line was the Clan Head Lineage, holding overall authority.
The other four were:
The lineage that safeguarded the Byakugan
The lineage that maintained the clan's final contingency
The lineage controlling the clan's private assets
The lineage responsible for weapons and secret techniques
Aside from the clan head's line, the other four did not join Konoha's ninja forces.
In fact, their lives were even more restricted.
Unless absolutely necessary, they were forbidden from leaving Konoha.
They would spend their entire lives within the village.
All to prevent the Byakugan from falling into outsiders' hands.
In later years, other main-family members appeared among Konoha's ninja ranks—
But that only happened after the Hyūga clan gradually lost autonomy under Hokage pressure.
If one looked at it objectively—
The Hyūga were all miserable.
The branch family had no freedom, controlled for life.
The main family couldn't leave the village, trapped within it.
Everyone suffered.
The only truly free ones were the clan head's lineage.
They had no restrictions at all.
Even Hiashi's first mission outside the village—two years after graduation—had been pure protection, not limitation.
And unlike other clans whose internal conflicts were forced by outsiders—
The Hyūga were unique.
They oppressed themselves.
"Hyūga Ming!"
The elder on the left, Hyūga Huo, spoke sharply.
"Do you know what crimes you've committed?"
"What crime?" Ming asked calmly.
"Unrepentant," said another elder on the right, Hyūga Fumika, coldly.
Huo's face darkened.
"You repeatedly disrespected the young clan head and even injured him without authorization. Do you deny this?"
Ming sneered.
"So the young clan head is that fragile? A few words and he can't handle it?"
He continued coolly,
"Ninja get injured in battle. What's the problem? And during the mission, he attacked me first."
"The young clan head attacked you, and you dared to retaliate?" Fumika demanded.
"Have you forgotten you are branch family?"
Ming raised an eyebrow.
"He can't handle a verbal exchange. He can't defeat a ninja who just graduated."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Is Hyūga Hiashi really qualified to be the young clan head?"
The elder Hyūga Genzō, seated on the right, suddenly spoke.
"The issue isn't the branch family—it's that the young clan head lost."
"The branch family exists to protect the main family," the elder Hyūga Fu countered sternly.
"What does that have to do with the young clan head's ability?"
"Stop dodging the issue," Genzō shot back.
"Hiashi has been a ninja for two years and still lost to a fresh graduate. Does that not shame you?"
The man at the head—Hyūga Masayuki, the clan head—darkened.
Hiashi was his son.
"Elder Genzō," Masayuki said slowly,
"Today's matter concerns Hyūga Ming. He is a branch family member who has violated clan law."
Genzō snorted and fell silent.
Ming understood immediately.
The main family wasn't united.
There was resentment toward the clan head's lineage.
After all, they were far freer than the rest.
Masayuki turned his gaze to Ming.
Ming stood calmly, as if the discussion had nothing to do with him.
Masayuki frowned.
"Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
Ming shrugged, mockery clear on his face.
"What's the point? I'm just branch family."
This was only a formality.
Masayuki's voice turned cold.
"Hyūga Ming. For defying the main family and assaulting a main family member, you are sentenced to ten days of confinement as a warning."
Two figures appeared beside Ming, reaching to seize him.
At that moment—
The door burst open.
Hyūga Hiashi rushed in and dropped to his knees beside Ming.
"Father," he said urgently.
"It was only a verbal conflict. This punishment is excessive."
Ten days of confinement wasn't simple imprisonment.
It was the Hyūga clan's black chamber—designed for mental torment.
No food.
No water.
Even ninja could only barely endure it.
Masayuki's expression softened for a brief instant—then vanished.
Ming's lips curled faintly.
If he didn't have to be confined, even better.
He still needed experience.
The elders fell silent.
All eyes turned to Masayuki.
Masayuki spoke heavily.
"Clan law cannot be discarded."
Hiashi spoke again, resolute.
"Hyūga Ming is a member of my squad. Without him, we cannot carry out missions. I ask you to forgive his disrespect."
Beside him, Ming let out a quiet sigh.
Power decided everything.
One day—
When he was strong enough—
He would make them understand.
If roles were reversed—
He would teach them what true cruelty meant.