Hinata's mother kept her gentle smile, acting as though she hadn't heard anything at all.
Hinata and little Hanabi sat beside her, both girls blinking in confusion, their soft expressions making them look adorably lost.
The Hyuga Grand Elder abruptly stood, his voice sharp. "Hiashi, are you out of your mind? Do you even understand what you're saying?"
Hyuga Hiashi remained composed. "I understand perfectly."
"While the Caged Bird seal does protect the Byakugan from being stolen, its disadvantages far outweigh its benefits. The conflict between the Main Family and Branch Family keeps intensifying. If Hizashi and I hadn't been keeping it under control, it would have erupted long ago."
"We are one family. There's no need for a Main Family and a Branch Family."
"With Hokage-sama ascending, Konoha has entered a new chapter. I believe the Hyuga Clan should as well."
Hiashi spoke with conviction, but this moment wasn't born solely from passion. Hizashi's long-held wish, Neji's suffering, Uchiha Gen's pressure, and Hiashi's own doubts about the system had all converged. And above all, Uchiha Gen's stance left him with no room to back away. The Hokage would never allow his disciple to remain shackled by the Caged Bird.
This entire gathering had already been set up in advance.
"I disagree!" the Grand Elder snapped. "The Caged Bird has preserved the Byakugan for a thousand years. Without it, our secrets would have been stolen long ago. The family's traditions must never be shaken."
"The Grand Elder is right. I oppose abolishing it!"
"So do I!"
The Main Family Elders voiced their objections one after another; some gloomy, some furious, some almost desperate.
The Branch Elders responded immediately, voices rising with long-suppressed resentment.
The room became a storm of clashing voices.
Hinata shrank back in worry. Hanabi, meanwhile, looked left and right, fascinated by the sudden chaos. Neji sat straight, expression controlled, silently watching as if he had expected everything.
Uchiha Gen simply observed, calm and interested, as if watching a stage play.
"Enough!" Hiashi thundered. "Hokage-sama is here. Is this how you behave?"
The clamor gradually died down.
Yet one Main Family Elder, enraged beyond reason, silently lifted his hand, intent on activating the Caged Bird to put the Branch Family "back in their place."
"Presumptuous."
Gen's voice sliced through the air like a blade.
He flicked his fingers, and two precise bolts of blue-white lightning shot across the room. They pierced straight through the elder's index and middle fingers.
"Ah—!"
Blood spurted as the lightning needles buried into the joints, and the elder—pampered and unused to pain—collapsed screaming.
"You dare commit violence in front of me? Am I invisible to you? Or do you simply not wish to live?"
Gen's gaze sharpened. Natural energy surged at his command, coalescing into a transparent hand that lifted the elder by the throat as easily as picking up a feather.
"Hokage-sama, please calm your anger," the Grand Elder hurriedly said. "He was overwhelmed and lost his judgment. Please, spare him this once."
"For your sake, he'll keep his life."
Gen's tone chilled. "But punishment is inevitable."
The chakra hand hurled the man like a rag doll. He slammed into the far wall with a heavy crack.
He spat a mouthful of blood, slid down, and fainted instantly.
The remaining Main Elders went rigid with terror.
"Take him away," Gen said coldly.
Hiashi gestured, and attendants quickly removed the unconscious elder.
Then Hiashi stepped forward, bowed deeply, and dropped to his knees. "Hokage-sama, I ask that you support me in abolishing this unreasonable system."
Hizashi and all Branch Elders followed at once, their foreheads touching the floor. Neji knelt beside them, mirroring his father.
The sight made the remaining Main Elders' faces twist with fury. These were the same "tools" they had trampled on for generations, now kneeling with pride and strength.
"Please, Hokage-sama," an Elder from the Main Family said coldly, "do not interfere in the internal affairs of the Hyuga Clan."
Gen chuckled faintly.
A shiver ran down the elder's spine.
"Neji is my disciple," Gen said. "This is not just your clan's internal matter anymore."
The Grand Elder attempted to speak, but Gen raised his hand, silencing him.
"I'll make this clear to all of you, no, to every family in Konoha."
"From this day forward, clan matters fall under Konoha's laws and under mine."
The Main Elders froze, faces draining of color.
The Ninja Villages had always functioned like an uneasy compromise between a ruler and powerful clans. But Gen showed no intention of playing by the old rules.
"Hokage-sama is being too overbearing," the Grand Elder said tightly. "Even the Third Hokage never interfered with clan traditions."
"Third Hokage lacked the determination," Gen replied calmly. "And more importantly, he didn't have the strength."
Another Main Elder scoffed. "So reckless. Are you not afraid of internal strife? Or do you believe you can challenge every clan in Konoha alone?"
"Is that supposed to be difficult?" Gen asked. "You don't understand the world at all."
He looked directly at them, gaze cold as winter steel.
"The Branch and Main system will be abolished. If you disagree, gather others who are dissatisfied and rebel."
"I'll take all of you on."
His next words fell like a death knell.
"If you rebel and lose, not only will you die, your families will be erased."
"If you don't dare rebel… then obey."
"The Hyuga and Uchiha have cooperated for years. Follow my lead and you'll benefit. Resist, and you'll only suffer."
The Main Elders shook with rage and humiliation, chests rising and falling violently.
Neji lifted his head slightly, eyes glowing with admiration.
Hanabi stared with sparkling eyes; to her, the Hokage looked unbelievably cool.
Hinata peeked through her fingers, shy yet unable to look away.
"Hiashi," Gen said lightly, "don't monitor them. Let them try contacting others."
"I want to see who dares rebel with them."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Hiashi replied immediately.
"That's all for today. Give me your answer before work tomorrow."
Gen vanished without a sound. No one could track the movement.
After he left, Hiashi and the others slowly rose, exchanged heavy glances, and dispersed.
Hiashi didn't spy on the Main Family, but he still made quiet precautionary arrangements.
That night, the Main Family gathered secretly. They sent messengers under the cover of darkness to contact other clans.
Their most important target: the Sarutobi Clan.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed to support them, even tacitly, the Main Family would gamble everything on rebellion.
But hope shattered quickly.
Hiruzen rejected them on the spot.
Rebellion? That was nothing but suicide.
Other clans offered similar responses. Some disliked Uchiha Gen's expanding authority, but not enough to stake their entire lineage on rebellion. Even if they won, the gains were minimal. If they lost, everything would be over.
By dawn, the Main Family held an emergency meeting and admitted defeat.
They had no choice. Without a coalition, even the entire Main Family together couldn't overcome the Branch Family, let alone Uchiha Gen.
Branch members were battle-forged shinobi. Main Family members were sheltered aristocrats. The gap was enormous.
The next morning, when Gen arrived at the Hokage Building, Hiashi was already waiting.
Gen merely nodded. He had expected this outcome from the beginning.
He instructed Hiashi to bring all Main and Branch members to Orochimaru's Research Department.
Orochimaru would personally remove the Caged Bird seal.
And, of course, the Hyuga Clan would pay for all expenses.
They were wealthy enough. Why waste the opportunity?