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  "Disarm! Disarm! I said disarm!" Gojo Kaigetsu roared. "Take it all off!"

  The main family ninja exged uneasy gnces before relutly removing their gear.

  They pced their kunai, shuriken, ninja pouches, and even their Konoha headbands on the ground. Only then did Gojo Kaigetsu's expression soften.

  On one side stood the branch family ninja, slowly rec from the Caged Bird Seal's effects. Oher, the main family, kneeling, their heads bowed, stripped of their ons and their symbols of authority.

  A truly bizarre spectacle.

  "Advisojo has arrived! Justice prevails!" A voice cried out, and the t spread, eg through the pound.

  "Justice! Justice! Justice!"

  A main family ninja, his face torted with indignation, looked up at Gojo Kaigetsu. "Advisojo, I've never harmed the vilge, or the branch family!"

  "Me her!"

  "Same here!"

  "It's the elders, not us!"

  Oer ahey voiced their grievances.

  Gojo Kaigetsu, however, uood that not all main family ninja were guilty. He raised a hand.

  "Escort the branch family to the Military Police Force headquarters for questioning. The main family, to Anbu headquarters."

  "Those who haven't used the Caged Bird Seal are free to go. Those who have, but with justifiable cause, will pay a fihose who abused the seal for personal gain—after Root's iigation—will be executed. Their assets seized, their Byakugan fiscated."

  Some of the main family ninja rexed, relieved. Though they might face scrutiny, their lives were spared.

  Time would heal their—tarnished reputations.

  Others, however, trembled with fear. This—unpreted level of scrutiny offered no escape.

  They were guilty, and they k. And judging by Advisojo's tohere would be no mercy.

  "Advisojo, please spare us!"

  "I've shed blood for Konoha! I've shed tears for Konoha! We've surrendered! You 't do this!"

  "Lord Hokage! Intervene!"

  " Head! Hiashi! Say something!"

  The elders who'd stood with Jun thrashed against their restraints, their pleas falling on deaf ears.

  Minato Namikaze, his face grim, oversaw the operation. With the bined forces of the Anbu, Root, and Military Police, the Hyuga pound was quickly emptied.

  "As expected of you, Advisojo," Hiashi Hyuga said, his voice filled with awe.

  The branch family's liberation, a problem that had pgued him for years, had been solved, without a single casualty among his .

  "They resisted because they believed the vilge couldn't fun without the **Byakugan**. They thought that if they elimihe branch family, the vilge would have no choice but to protect them, to ehe bloodline's survival."

  "Against such arrogance—we had to be ruthless, to shatter their delusions. Eliminating the branch family wouldn't force the vilge's hand. It would lead to the 's annihition."

  "The oute was iable. What surprised me was that one of the elders was willing to risk it all, to preserve the main family's power—He ruly uood the Will of Fire."

  Hiashi Hyuga's heart sank.

  Advisojo's words—they seemed genuine. He truly didn't care about the Byakugan.

  If the branch family had been killed, he would have annihited the main family without hesitation.

  'Such fidence—why? The sealed Byakuga enough to repce the Hyuga 's strategic value.' He couldn't uand Gojo Kaigetsu's motives.

  " Head, Hizashi-sama has colpsed! He's unscious!" A civilian rushed in, his voice filled with panic.

  "What?!"

  Hiashi's heart lurched. Though ed for his brother, he knew his priorities. The Hyuga was in a precarious position. He had to demonstrate his loyalty to the vilge, to solidify the Hyuga's standing.

  He waved his hand dismissively. "Take him to Konoha Hospital. I'll be there ter."

  "Yes, Head!"

  Gojo Kaigetsu raised an eyebrow, surprised by Hiashi's pragmatism. This guy—he was learning.

  Hiashi turo him, his voice respectful. "Advisojo, the sealed Byakugaored in the shrine. Please, follow me."

  Gojo Kaigetsu followed him through the sprawling Hyuga pouually reag the shrine.

  The a structure stood silently iernoon sun.

  Hiashi Hyuga cpped his hands, releasing the seals on the doors.

  The heavy wooden doors creaked open, revealing a dimly lit interior. Flickering dlelight cast long shadows.

  The air was thick with the st of inse, a low, rhythmic t eg through the chamber.

  Stoerns, covered in moss, stood silently, as if whispering tales of a bygone era.

  Time seemed to stand still, the prayers of geions of Hyuga eg through the ages.

  At the far end of the shriood a statue, its features eroded by time, yet its preseill anded reverence.

  As the dlelight flickered across Hiashi Hyuga's face, his expression was calm a. He seemed to have found peace here.

  "This is the Hyuga Shrine—" Gojo Kaigetsu murmured.

  ōtsutsuki shrines were always—iing.

  The Uchiha's Naka Shrine held a stoablet inscribed with a message from the Sage of Six Paths, a warning to Indra's reinations.

  The Uzumaki Shrine housed twenty-seven **Death God masks**, each capable of different summoning.

  As for the others—with the Uzumaki 's destru, the remaining twenty-six masks, and their associated jutsu, were lost.

  Perhaps someday he'd visit Uzushiogakure's ruins arieve them.

  Sealing jutsu, Death Gods—the ninja world's greatest mysteries.

  And now, the Hyuga Shrine.

  The statue before him, though its features were obscured, its form—two horns, a white robe, six boe-like patterns on its chest—it was undoubtedly Hamura ōtsutsuki.

  And with his **Six Eyes**, Gojo Kaigetsu could sense something—unusual.

  A faint, lingering chakra.

  'Wait—a mysterious chakra?'

  Acc to the w of chakra servation, chakra couldn't be created or destroyed. It all inated from the **Ten-Tails** and its chakra fruit.

  Pure, potent chakra could be passed down through geions, lingering until a specific trigger or destiny was fulfilled.

  The Sage of Six Paths, Indra, Ashura, even Hamura ōtsutsuki—their chakra persisted.

  'When—was Hamura's chakra activated?' Gojo Kaigetsu's mind raced.

  'If I'm not mistaken, when Toneri ōtsutsuki first attacked—Hamura's chakra maed within Hinata.'

  'Could this—be Hamura's chakra?'

  His heart pounded with excitement, but he couldract it from a non-living statue.

  He'd have to wait for Toneri's dest, or perhaps Hinata's birth.

  Gojo Kaigetsu sighed, his excitement fading.

  "Advisojo, is something wrong?" Hiashi asked, notig his sudden shift in demeanor.

  "Nothing. Just—remembered something—unpleasant. Where are the Byakugan?"

  "Here."

  Hiashi Hyuga led him to the back of the shrio a hidden chamber. Hundreds of small tainers y ly arranged.

  Gojo Kaigetsu's breath hitched.

  Like fine wihe Byakugan seemed to—improve with age. The air was thick with their chakra.

  This trated chakra, accumuted eions—it felt almost—different. More potent.

  "These—are all for me?" He felt a twinge of guilt, taking all their treasures.

  "These sealed Byakugan are—useless," Hiashi Hyuga said firmly. "The branch family's Byakugan are destroyed by the Caged Bird Seal upon their death. But the main family's—they're preserved here. Some evee Konoha's founding."

  "They serve no purpose, merely gathering dust. The main family—they've killed too many branch family ninja. They were Konoha ninja. To atoo repay the vilge—these Byakugan should be returo Konoha."

  "I've wao do this for a long time, but the elders wouldn't allow it. This isn't a—bargain, Advisojo. It's my duty. You've simply—removed the obstacles."

  Hiashi Hyuga's siy stunned Gojo Kaigetsu into silence.

  He hadn't expected suoble ses.

  'Arue friend.' He cpped Hiashi's shoulder, a silent aowledgment of their shared—ideals.

  He therieved a ste scroll and began colleg the Byakugan.

  'Mine, mine, all mine!'

  Hiashi Hyuga forced himself to look away.

  To make his as seem less—predatojo Kaigetsu asked, "Hiashi, have you sidered—how to hahe 's internal affairs now?"

  "I—haven't fully thought it through." Hiashi shook his head. "The Caged Bird Seal—it was never desigo be removed. Even the Head 't undo it. I've heard that to create the seal, our aors sulted with the Uzumaki , even using one of their Death God masks. Now, with the Uzumaki gone—removing the seal is even more difficult. We only—stop using it on future geions, both main and branch family."

  Hiashi's voice was tinged with regret.

  He'd only partially fulfilled his promise to his brother. The current geion of branch family members would carry the Caged Bird Seal to their graves. Only their children would know true freedom.

  "I have an idea, Hiashi. Ied?"

  "Please, Advisojo," Hiashi said eagerly. Advisojo's ideas, though often—unventional, were usually effective.

  "I've had the main and branch family ninja detained and separated for questioning. Most of the main family will be released. Those who—crossed a line will be dealt with. As for the ive them the Caged Bird Seal."

  "What?! But—"

  "If everyone, main and branch family alike, bears the seal, there's no longer a distin. No more main family. Everyone is—equal."

  "They won't be ostracized for being part of the main family. They'll be seen as—victims, like the Uchiha, earning the vilgers' sympathy."

  "You, as the Head, maintain your position and trol the seals. And as you said, we'll stop using it on the geion. Officially, the Hyuga , along with the Hokage, will annouhe abolishment of the Caged Bird Seal."

  "In ten, fifty, a hundred years—there will be no more branch family. Everyone will be—main family."

  Hiashi Hyuga's eyes widened, as if he'd just had an epiphany. "I see—All for one, and one for all. This—is the Will of Fire."

  'What does this have to do with the Will of Fire?' Gojo Kaigetsu shifted unfortably. Sometimes, Konoha's logic was—terrifying.

  After colleg the st of the Byakugan, he was about to leave when Hiashi stopped him.

  "Advisojo, one more thing."

  "Yes, Hiashi?"

  "You're right, but—f the Caged Bird Seal on the main family will only breed rese. They'll hate the vilge, the Hokage, even the Hyuga itself."

  "After all, it's a symbol of—oppression."

  Gojo Kaigetsu shrugged. He saw no other option. If the main family remained unchecked, they'd tio be a threat to the branch family.

  Who knew when they might—sh out again.

  "But—" Hiashi Hyuga's voice rose with vi. "If I, as the Head, bear the seal myself—they'll have no choice but to accept it."

  "You're absolutely right! The branch family belongs to Konoha, and so does the main family! We are all united under a single—Will of Fire!"

  "Advisojo, this is the inal scroll for the Caged Bird Seal, the foundation of the Hyuga 's power! I entrust it to you, along with the lives of all Hyuga ninja!"

  Hiashi Hyuga summoned a worn scroll and ha to Gojo Kaigetsu. Then, he pced his hands on his forehead, activating the Caged Bird Seal. A green, intricate pattern appeared on his skin.

  "Hiashi! What are you doing?!"

  Gojo Kaigetsu stared, stunned.

  This meant—the entire Hyuga 's fate now rested in his hands.

  The branch family had beeo the main family. Now, they were all—his.

  If he were to—well, let's just say Hiashi Hyuga would have no choice but to ply.

  And if the Head himself had submitted—what could the other Hyuga do?

  "Absolute power—corrupts absolutely." Gojo Kaigetsu felt a shiver of unease.

  If Minato knew about this—Even Danzo and the Third Hokage's retionship wouldn't survive such a betrayal.

  How could a Hokage tolerate a single elder holding absolute power over aire , a crucial to the vilge's defense?

  Only the Hokage could wield such power.

  "Hiashi—you've put me in a difficult position." He pocketed the scroll, his expression unreadable. He'd have to study the Caged Bird Seal. Could it be used on others?

  If so, it would be even more effective than Sunagakure's puppetry. A ninja branded with the Caged Bird Seal became a puppet, their life ah trolled by the user.

  'bined with Root's—methods—' Gojo Kaigetsu's mind raced, envisioning the possibilities.

  Hiashi Hyuga, seeing his "loyalty" accepted, rexed slightly.

  He was relieved that Gojo Kaigetsu hadn't refused.

  As if sensing Gojo Kaigetsu's thoughts, he quickly added, "Advisojo—the Caged Bird Seal only works on those with Hyuga blood. It art of the inal agreement with the Uzumaki , in case the seal was ever—leaked."

  "Why didn't you mention this sooner?!"

  Gojo Kaigetsu retrieved the scroll, staring at its cover. Hyuga bloodline—could it be used on—Toneri ōtsutsuki?

  —

  —

  [Hyuga Jun, Hyuga Nu—and her Hyuga elders, having abaheir ideals, betrayed their mission, and lost their faith in the Will of Fire—]

  [Uhe leadership of Elder Gojo Kaigetsu, Konoha's Anbu, Root, and Military Police Forcovered a plot to undermihe vilge, led by a small group ue ninja.]

  [This plot involved seventeen Hyuga main family members, who, over the past fifty years, have been responsible for the deaths of over thirty Konoha ninja. Their crimes are heinous, their impact severe, causing irreparable damage to the vilge and the Will of Fire—]

  Arrested at noon, ned by nightfall.

  Under Gojo Kaigetsu's orders, the Hyuga i was swiftly beled a major crime.

  Those main family ninja, despite their cims of poverty, were surprisingly wealthy.

  The seizure of their assets yielded over one hundred million ryō.

  As for the seventeen "guilty" elders, they were taken to Root for—"processing." What Orochimaru would do with them—was anyone's guess.

  Back at the Hokage Tower, after overseeing the asset seizure, Gojo Kaigetsu was greeted by Minato Namikaze.

  "Kaigetsu-kun, why did you ha this way?" Minato asked, his voice filled with . "If you wao elimihe Hyuga elders and resolve the branch family issue, we could have sent the Avengers for a covert operation."

  "Such a public dispy of force against one of the vilge's most promi s—it could destabilize things. Why not—a more subtle approach, like with Orochimaru?"

  "Minato, we _had_ to do it this way," Gojo Kaigetsu expiaking a sip of tea. "Assassination is a messy business. The sequehough not immediately apparent, be—far-reag. Only against individuals like Orochimaru, without bag, we use such methods."

  "If we eliminate every member who opposes us, what's to stop them from rebelling, colluding with other vilges, even attag the Hokage Tower preemptively?"

  "People would accuse us of abusing our authority, of eliminating rivals, creating an atmosphere of fear."

  "By exposing the Hyuga's crimes, by making this a public matter, we ow implement new policies."

  "Otherwise, the s will be stantly on edge, hindering the Hokage's authority."

  "Everything we did was by the book. The 'Hinata' article sparked public e, leading to the protest at the Hokage Tower. Then, the vilgers provided evidence. Finally, the three forces were mobilized—"

  "It rocedurally sound. We sidered both public opinion and the s' is."

  "During times of instability, we bend the rules. But when the vilge is at peace, we must adhere to them. We have to show the s and vilgers that the Hokage follows the rules. Only then will they respect those rules."

  "This—unpreted mobilization of the three forces was a message. We are a vilge of ws!"

  "We won't wrong a good ninja, and we won't spare a bad one!"

  Minato nodded slowly, though he still seemed—fused. It was plicated.

  "What about the Hyuga ow? I've heard that, under Hiashi's leadership, the main family ninja have also received the Caged Bird Seal. Without the distin between main and branch family—won't that cause problems?"

  Though he'd been moved by the events at the Hyuga pound, as Hokage, Minato had to sider the potential sequences.

  The vilge had long ighe branch family's suffering. Now, liberated, with no oo trol them—what if they rebelled, sought revenge?

  The Hokage would be forced to interveurning the entire liberation effort into a farce, undermining his authority.

  "Don't worry about that, Minato. Here." Gojo Kaigetsu handed him the **Caged Bird Seal** scroll. "A gift from Hiashi. Weren't you looking to create a force loyal only to the Hokage? Here are your recruits."

  The Hyuga branch family, mostly stationed in the vilge's outer security zones, had been unavaible for reassig.

  But now, with the main family also branded with the Caged Bird Seal, their days of privilege were over.

  Time for them to—tribute to the vilge.

  Minato stared at the scroll, his face torted in a grimace. He shook his head and pushed it back. "I'm—not fortable trolling ninja this way."

  "If I ever o—discipline someone, my **Flying Raijin** is more than enough. You keep the Caged Bird Seal, Kaigetsu-kun. I trust your judgment."

  "But—"

  "I believe our friendship transds such—petty s," Minato said, his voice filled with vi.

  "—Don't say such things, Minato." Gojo Kaigetsu felt a twinge of guilt. If Minato knew about the underground boratory—their friendship might not survive.

  —

  —

  That night, in the secret underground boratory.

  Orochimaru looked at Gojo Kaigetsu with—appreciation. Before, he'd had to resort to—unventional methods to acquire test subjects, even dividing a single in in half to stretch his resources.

  Now—he had more than he could use.

  He ractically drowning i subjects. Even in-level spes were—disappointing.

  "Why bring gifts? You shouldn't have."

  "Make do with these," he said, his gaze sweeping over the terrified Hyuga main family ninja.

  "So—Advisojo, what are your instrus?"

  "Several things, Orochimaru-sensei. I'll leave them in your capable hands." Gojo Kaigetsu handed over a ste scroll.

  "What's this?" Orochimaru unsealed the scroll, retrieving a small tainer. He ope. "Byakugan?"

  "Purify them. Fuse them into one."

  Orochimaru picked up a Byakugan, examining it under a bright light. "You—you're ied in the Byakugan?"

  Because of the Caged Bird Seal, the Byakugan was, arguably, even rarer than the Sharingan.

  But rarity aside, Orochimaru hadn't found it particurly iing. Its abilities were mostly supplementary, with little potential for—evolution.

  He could tolerate temporary weakness, as long as there ath to greater power. But the Byakugan—it was a dead end.

  "The Uchiha and the Hyuga—a thousand years ago, they were one."

  "The Mangekyō Sharingan evolve. So the Byakugan."

  "Its ultimate form—it's far more terrifying than the Sharingan, even the Mangekyō Sharingan."

  Orochimaru frowhis—was intriguing. "There are no records of Byakugan evolution in the ninja world's history. Even the Hyuga elders wouldn't know about this. How—did you learn of this?"

  "—Did the Sage of Six Paths tell you?" he asked, answering his owion.

  Gojo Kaigetsu smiled mysteriously. "Naturally. How else would I know such a secret?"

  "The Sage appeared in my dreams and said—"

  "'bihe essence of a thousand Byakugan with the chakra of the Uchiha, Senju, Uzumaki, Hyuga, and Kaguya s. This will create the Tenseigan, ah the power of creation aru. It will be Konoha's ultimate on.'"

  "That's—the path to true pojo Kaigetsu's voice resonated, his words like a diviion.

  "The Tenseigan—"

  "The chakra of the Uchiha, Senju, Uzumaki, Hyuga, and Kaguya s—"

  Gojo Kaigetsu's words opened a new path for Orochimaru.

  His heart pounded with excitement as he carefully stored the scroll, mentally adjusting his research schedule.

  Research Projects: [White Zetsu Cell Analysis], [Wood Release Impntation], [Mangekyō Chakra Research], [Edo Tensei Refi], [Hidan Augmentation], [Project Ark]—[Tenseigan Project (Highest Priority)].

  Sleep Schedule: 4 hours → 3 hours.

  He rubbed his temples, feeling a slight headache. The long hours, the ck of sleep, his modified body—it was taking its toll.

  He added another project to his list: [Living Corpse Reination Refi].

  'This body—it's failing. But it doesn't matter. I just need a new vessel.'

  'This is the Sage's will. A mere—invenience.'

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