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  A vibrant green chakra, bridging the gap of spad time, struck the Caged Bird Seal on Hiashi Hyuga's forehead.

  A searing, soul-rending pain made him clutch his head and scream.

  But he didn't kneel.

  Gripping a wooden post in the ter of the training grounds, he forced himself to remain standing.

  "Hyuga Hizashi! Kneel! Apologize! Now!" Elder Jun's voied, filled with rage.

  "You might think, 'We just want to live. A headband to hide the seal, a sembnce of dignity, and loyal service to the main family.' Yes, life is precious. But there's something even more precious: freedom! Dignity!"

  Despite the agonizing pain, Hizashi, remembering Gojo Kaigetsu's instrus, persevered. He had to awaken the branch family's desire for freedom.

  Seeing his defiance, Elder Jun increased the Caged Bird Seal's power.

  These damned branch family ninja. In this era of Hidden Vilges, they couldn't be easily disposed of. Their deaths would be iigated, used as ammunition against the main family.

  Sometimes, elders like Jun longed for the Warring States Period, when their authority was absolute.

  "Enough!"

  "Stop this madness!"

  "This is uable!"

  Hizashi's body vulsed, blood trig from his eyes, nose, and ears. He roared in agony.

  Some of the branch family ninja, uo bear the sight, moved to intervene.

  But others held them back, shaking their heads. Who wins, we support. If Hizashi-sama 't win our help is meaningless.

  Interfering now would only result in them being subdued by the Caged Bird Seal.

  "Very well!" Elder Jun's rage shifted into a chilling calm. "Stubborn fool. Even if I kill you here and now, the Head 't fault me."

  "I will enfor w!"

  "Caged Bird Seal: Full"

  "E-Elder! It's bad!" A main family ninja stumbled towards him, whispering urgently in his ear.

  "What?!" Elder Jun's face paled, his focus shifting from Hizashi.

  "They're they're attag the pound! The Anbu, Root, the Military Police Force they've surrounded us!"

  "Are they mad?! Does the Fourth Hokage truly io destroy the Hyuga ?"

  "Elder, it's it's not the Fourth Hokage. It's Advisojo"

  "That madman! A mere advisor, anding the three forces against the Hyuga?!"

  "Summon Nu and Takeo! And all the branch family ninja! Everyone!" He turo the other elders. "You too!"

  Hyuga pound Gates.

  Hundreds of masked Anbu and Root operatives, along with dozens of Military Police Forinja with their Sharingan activated, surrouhe pound.

  The branch family ninja instinctively dropped their kunai.

  The main family guard captain, fag this overwhelming force, felt his legs turn to jelly.

  He'd never seen anything like this.

  Despite the bright midday sun, a chilling dread washed over him.

  This this was an all-out assault. But why? They were the Hyuga . How could Advisojo?

  "The Hyuga 's loyalty to the Fourth Hokage is unwavering! We would never harbor fn ninja or plot rebellion!"

  "Advisojo, please resider!"

  "You. e here."

  Gojo Kaigetsu beed to the guard captain.

  "Me?" The captain gulped, approag cautiously.

  "Have you ever used the Caged Bird Seal on a branch family member?"

  "I have," the captain admitted, his voice strained. "It's my duty to maintain order. Sometimes, branch family ninja attempt to defect. I had no choice It was for the vilge's sake."

  "Did they live?"

  "They died."

  "Good."

  What?!

  The captai his world tilt. Before he could react, before his Byakugan could eveer the movement, he was sent flying through the air, crashing into the pound gates.

  He nded in a heap, blood staining the entrance.

  Gojo Kaigetsu casually dusted off his hands and walked up the steps, his boots leaving bloody footprints.

  He grabbed the captain's hair, smming his head against the gates.

  Then, turning to the unscious ninja, his voice calm and menag, he said, "One minute. I want to see every single Hyuga elder lined up at this gate, ready to greet me. Fail, and there will be no more Hyuga main family. You dare threateh the branch family's lives? Then there will be no more Hyuga ."

  He'd kill the hostages and the elders.

  Showing for hostages only emboldehe enemy.

  Gojo Kaigetsu was ruthless. If the main family resisted

  As for the vilge's Byakugan users Orochimaru's Edo Tensei, even in its current imperfect state, bined with the Transformation Jutsu, was suffit fathering intel.

  The unscious captain was dragged away by two Military Police Forinja. He was in for a difficult time.

  Gojo Kaigetsu's gaze hardened.

  The Hyuga main family's crimes weren't difficult to uncover. It was simply a matter of whether the vilge wao iigate, whether they wao sweep it uhe rug.

  For fifty-one years, Hyuga ninja had been disappearing, dying under suspicious circumstances. For example, a four-man Hyuga team leaves for a mission, three return, then only two The expnation? The others died in battle. Their casualty rate, even pared to ordinary ninja, was armingly high.

  And the Hyuga 's expnations were always vague. Everyone khe risks of missions, the Hyuga's bat strength. They simply chose to ig.

  But now? With the Fourth Hokage and Advisojo in charge, having overthrown the old guard, they still dared to defy them?!

  To maintain their authority and tinue sacrifig branch family members? Were they deliberately disrespeg him, Gojo Kaigetsu? Did they value their own pride more than his?

  This meaiations were over.

  "You reap what you sow," Gojo Kaigetsu muttered.

  The pound gates slowly opened.

  Eleven elders, all those on Hiashi's list, stood before him, surrounded by a mix of nervous and hostile main and branch family ninja.

  Judging by the kunai, shuriken, and bulging ninja pouches

  'They io resist?' Gojo Kaigetsu smirked.

  "You are Advisojo?" Elder Jun asked, his voice strairying to maintain his posure. "Why have yht Konoha's forces to the Hyuga pound?"

  "Why? You know why, Elder Jun."

  "At Konoha's founding, the Hyuga shed blood and tears for the First Hokage! We endured tless hardships I hought we'd e to this."

  "Was this truly necessary?"

  Elder Jun's gaze swept over the assembled forces, theled on the angry faces of the vilgers beyond the gates.

  He felt lost, his ninja way crumbling.

  ould these oners dare to challehe Hyuga? Why had the vilge abas usual uanding with the Hyuga d resorted to such a btant dispy of force?

  All because of a siicle? Even if it were true, it couldn't possibly outweigh the Hyuga 's turies of prestige.

  The ninja world was ging too fast, too fast for these old-timers to adapt.

  "You've brought Konoha's forces here. Surely you don't expect us to simply wele you?"

  Elder Jun's face darkened. He khis situation couldn't be resolved with empty boasts.

  Whether driven by public pressure or the Fourth Hokage's will, if they didn't offer a sacrifice, the vilge wouldn't back down.

  Elder Jun closed his eyes, his voice heavy with resignation. "Hyuga Makoto, step forward."

  Hyuga Makoto's legs buckled. He fell to his knees. "No! Grandfather! How could you?!"

  Despite his struggles, the guards dragged him forward, pg him between Gojo Kaigetsu and Elder Jun.

  "After a thh internal iigation, we've determihat Hyuga Makoto is responsible for the deaths of several branch family members, including Hyuga Hinata. She was his assigned guard."

  "He's my grandson. I bear the responsibility for his as. I hereby resign from the Elder cil. As for him" Elder Jun closed his eyes, his voice filled with pain. "His fate is in your hands, Advisojo."

  "Are you satisfied?"

  The situation had escated beyond repair. A sacrifice was o appease the vilge and the Hokage. Makoto was the perfect scapegoat.

  One grandson's life in exge for the Hyuga's traditions, for the Caged Bird Seal.

  For the main family, Elder Jun was willing to make this sacrifice.

  Gojo Kaigetsu raised an eyebrow.

  F the Hyuga elders to hand over their own grandson it seemed like a reasonable resolution.

  The terrified Hyuga , for a while at least, wouldn't dare defy Konoha, wouldn't pce their ws above the vilge's.

  Until the current geion passed, and the Hyuga, fetting their fear, repeated the cycle.

  That wasn't the oute he wanted. Konoha's problems had to be solved now.

  They wao make a single sacrifice, while Gojo Kaigetsu he intee every element that threatened Konoha's unity, every ninja who pced loyalty above his, Gojo Kaigetsu's, will.

  Gojo Kaigetsu raised a hand, pointing at the sniveling Hyuga Makoto. "Bang~"

  Blue and Red activated simultaneously.

  Makoto's cries ceased. His tears stopped flowing.

  His face torted as an invisible forpressed his skull.

  Pop!

  His head exploded, spttering blood across Elder Jun's face.

  A pair of pure white eyes Gojo Kaigetsu's feet.

  Silence fell over the crowd. No one had seen how he'd do.

  What kind of jutsu was that?!

  "Good. I'm satisfied." Gojo Kaigetsu casually dusted off his hands.

  The tense Hyuga ninja lowered their ons, their fear momentarily fotten. The flict seemed to be over.

  Elder Jun's face twitched, but he nodded, ready to accept this oute.

  But then, Gojo Kaigetsu spoke.

  "Hinata and Makoto's matters are settled. Now let's discuss the Hyuga 's problem."

  "What do you mean, Advisojo?!"

  The main family ninja tensed, signaling the branch family to prepare for battle. Any sign of hesitation, any hint of disobedience would be met with the Caged Bird Seal.

  The main family ninja subtly retreated, positioning themselves behind the branch family. They had to elimihe branch family before the Konoha forces could reach them. They were, after all, the st remaining Byakugan users, essential for the vilge's defense Konoha wouldn't let them die.

  They might even receive increased prote and resources.

  There were simply too many branch family members, diluting the resources allocated to the main family.

  The main family had instilled this belief.

  Even the few main family ninja on patrol duty khis. They would, without hesitation, eliminate any branch family members who showed dissent.

  This was the Hyuga way. Their survival depended on it.

  "There's o pretend anymore," Gojo Kaigetsu said, his tone cold. "Elder Jun, you cimed to have shed blood and tears for the First Hokage. Perhaps you fot to mention that you'd like to see him again. I arrahat."

  "You Konoha elder? Hokage advisor? You dare viote the w? Makoto is dead. What more do you want?! And do you io have all the branch family ninja killed here? Who will handle Konoha's intel gathering? Do you want to destroy the vilge?!"

  "I don't care about that. I'm here to iigate the Hyuga main family's collusion with fn powers, their attempt to overthrow the Hokage. And I don't iate with traitors. You threateh hostages? I'll kill them all."

  "Collusion? Treason?! Do you have any proof?"

  "Proof is for criminals. For terrorists, I only need a list."

  Gojo Kaigetsu stood tall, his left hand behind his back, his right hauring dismissively. "Apprehend these eleven elders. Kill anyone who resists."

  The Anbu, Root, and Military Police Force moved forward.

  Those skilled in taijutsu brandished their kunai. Those specializing in ninjutsu began f hand seals. Sharingan eyes activated A bloody frontation seemed iable.

  The elders' faces paled. Elder Jun, seeing Gojo Kaigetsu's raised hand, instinctively grabbed a nearby branch family member and used him as a shield.

  "Attack! Defend the Hyuga 's honor! Even the vilge 't treat us like this!"

  The main family urged the branch family forward, retreating further into the pound.

  The older branch family ninja, their faces impassive, raised their kunai. The younger ones hesitated.

  They were fag Konoha's elite forces. Resisting was treason.

  They had been raised in Konoha, taught to value the Will of Fire.

  Or perhaps Hizashi's words had awakeheir desire for freedom. They no longer wao be trolled.

  Faced with the choice betweeh by the Caged Bird Seal araying the vilge more and more branch family ninja turheir kunai now poi the main family.

  "No! I won't fight! I'm a Konoha ninja, not a main family sve!"

  "I've had enough! I'd rather die by the Caged Bird Seal than at the hands of my own rades!"

  "You traitors!" A main family ninja, enraged, moved to activate the Caged Bird Seal.

  Just then, Gojo Kaigetsu's voice cut through the chaos.

  "Think before you act. My targets are the eleven elders. Stay out of this," he warned, his voice calm and menag.

  "You should all be familiar with my methods."

  "I don't care if the vilge he Byakugan. I only care about ohing: anyone who harms a Konoha ninja in my presence will die. I'll make them regret being born."

  His words hung heavy in the air.

  'Advisojo's methods?'

  'Has he done anything terrifying?'

  No one could recall a specifit, but it didn't matter.

  Disobeying now would have sequences.

  Fear spread.

  The branch family ninja, seizing the opportunity, struck, disabling the main family ninja with precise taijutsu.

  They were relentless. This might be their only ce to break free.

  Years of suppressed anger and fear exploded, their pent-up rage unleashed on the main family.

  Some, overe by their emotions, brutally beat the main family ninja they'd subdued, until others pulled them back, whispering, "Advisojo said no Konoha ninja should be harmed even the main family. If they die"

  The warning calmed them.

  Elder Jun, witnessing this, roared, "Fools! Activate the Caged Bird Seal! Now!"

  "Stop this, Jun! Surrender!" Hiashi Hyuga appeared at the gates. "Don't you uand?! This is the vilge's will! Resistance is futile!"

  "You Hiashi we fight for the , and you, the Head"

  "You'll be the 's ruin!"

  Jun's cries were lost in the chaos as more and more main family ninja were subdued. Eveher elders seemed to be wavering.

  Gojo Kaigetsu's words had paihem into a er. Resistance meant treason, and treaso death.

  They didn't dare test his resolve. What if he truly didn't care about the sequences, about the loss of the Byakugan?

  If they'd known this would happen they would have elimihe entire branch family preemptively. After all, ignorance was bliss.

  But now, it was too te. Gojo Kaigetsu had made his stance clear, and with so many witnesses, he couldn't back down.

  'If we surrender perhaps we might survive.' This thought echoed in the elders' minds.

  terests, Hyuga traditions those were s for the living. If they died now, there would be nothi.

  What good were traditions if they were dead?

  When faith became a matter of survival, it became a transa.

  The Konoha forces advanced, meeting little resistance.

  Not a single Caged Bird Seal was activated.

  They seemed to be waiting for someoo take the fall, to protect the 's is.

  Or perhaps, for the Head to return aore order.

  But no oepped forward.

  Elder Jun, seeing their cowardice, sneered.

  He'd sacrificed his own grandson for the , ahese parasites wouldn't even lift a finger. In the end, it to him.

  If he didn't act, the Hyuga main family would be erased from history.

  'I carry the burden of our 's legacy, a legacy passed down for turies. I won't let it end here.'

  'The Byakugan it must be seen as invaluable. The branch family they have to die.'

  'This is my ninja way.'

  He would sacrifice himself to ehe 's future.

  Raising his hand, he began f the seals for the Caged Bird Seal.

  Instantly, the seals on the foreheads of hundreds of branch family ninja began to glow.

  "Die!"

  "Caged Bird Seal!" Elder Jun roared, unleashing the full power of the jutsu.

  In seds, they would all be dead.

  He didn't care about his own fate. As long as the Hyuga's legacy tinued, his death would be a victory.

  But then—

  Live! Live! Live!

  A voice, alien and insistent, echoed in his mind, overriding his own will.

  'Genjutsu!'

  'Damn it! I ime to break free!'

  Elder Jue his age, was a seasoned ninja. He reized the signs instantly.

  But before he could react, a voice, apanied by the whoosh of a kunai, cut through the air.

  "Flying Thunder God Teique!"

  The Fourth Hokage's white cloak appeared, seemingly out of thin air.

  Minato Namikaze, his reflexes hoo perfe, instantly assessed the situation—hundreds of Hyuga ninja, their faces torted in pain, the Caged Bird Seal's chakra pulsing.

  His gaze locked onto Elder Jun's hands, still f the seals.

  Minato's face hardened.

  Even he, usually so passionate, so willing to see the good in others, couldn't dohis.

  This this had to end. The Hyuga elders had to be stopped.

  How could they be so ruthless?!

  To sacrifice hundreds of their own members just to maintain their power? Did they have no humanity left?

  Even disregarding basic human decy

  Didn't they uand the Hyuga 's importao Konoha? Their Byakugan provided invaluable intel. Were these branch family ninjas' lives theirs to casually discard?

  A single minor skirmish didn't cim this many lives. A, he was willing to execute hundreds of Byakugan users, just to preserve the main family's authority?

  The main family, secluded in their pound, tributed nothing to the vilge, merely existing as names on a registry. But the branch family they were the ones who bled and sweat for Konoha.

  He reized many of those writhing in pain, heroes of the Third Shinobi World War.

  They were Konoha ninja! And because of a single seal, they were now fag death.

  Minato's heart was heavy.

  As Hokage, he could have ighis, adhering to the policies of his predecessors.

  But he was Minato Namikaze, Konoha's "Little Sun."

  Known for his kindness, for his ability to see the good even in his enemies But his resolve, wheed, was unwavering.

  He believed in the Will of Fire, in the bonds between rades.

  A, he'd overlooked the Hyuga situation, trusting in the wisdom of past geions.

  Until today, Gojo Kaigetsu had forced him to front this injustice.

  He had failed as Hokage.

  "This is my fault."

  "Konoha should be a vilge of passion."

  "I've ed the bonds of friendship. I won't make that mistake again."

  "Rasengan!"

  Elder Jun, finally breaking free from the Infinite Void, heard Minato Namikaze's shouts of "friendship" and "bonds." He saw a swirling blue orb of chakra hurtling towards him.

  His arms were obliterated. Darkness ed him. His final thought: 'What does this have to do with friendship and bonds?'

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