"I didn't…" Natsu Hyūga quickly denied it.
Kiyoshi continued:
"By wearing a forehead protector, can you pretend that you are no different from the Main Family?" His tone was gentle, even laced with a hint of pity.
"But you know perfectly well that this Caged Bird Seal is your true identity."
"How about this? To show your sincerity, let me see your seal."
Kiyoshi disliked the existence of such inherently evil seals.
But then again, if *he* were to implant it in others, that would be a different story.
Yes, Kiyoshi knew he was being hypocritical.
He had never claimed to be a good person.
If someone showed him kindness, Kiyoshi would repay it.
Kiyoshi was incapable of returning kindness with hostility.
However, for those who showed him no kindness, or who actively discriminated against him, he had no moral burden whatsoever.
They already called the Uchiha "inherently evil," so if he wasn't a little evil, how could he live up to that label?
First, he needed to observe what the seal looked like, including its intricate details, so that he could either decipher or replicate it.
Natsu Hyūga's pupils constricted sharply. She suddenly looked up at him, disbelievingly.
"That... that is not allowed." Her voice was tight. "It cannot be shown to outsiders…"
"Cannot be shown to outsiders?" Kiyoshi repeated in a low voice.
"Are you saying that 'I' am an outsider?"
Natsu Hyūga choked. Her lips parted slightly, something seemingly caught in her throat, unable to utter a word of explanation.
Perhaps she hadn't expected Kiyoshi to frame it that way.
Kiyoshi didn't rush her, only watching patiently, as if enjoying her struggle.
The ripples in his Dōjutsu power increased once again.
Natsu Hyūga, at this moment, was like a helpless little lamb.
After a long while, Kiyoshi slowly said:
"It's just looking at the Caged Bird Seal. Will you lose a piece of flesh?"
Were the Branch Family members truly so magnanimous that they were willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good?
To ensure the secret of the Byakugan remained forever with the Hyūga.
If that were the case, they should display it openly and proudly.
It should be a symbol of a guardian and a hero.
Yet, in reality, every Branch Family member covered the Caged Bird Seal.
Those who became ninjas used their forehead protectors to cover it, and those who didn't used silk ribbons.
Natsu Hyūga's fingers trembled. She lowered her head deeply, her lips pressed together until they were white.
She knew this well.
"My patience is limited, and you don't want this conversation to break down, do you? After all, you said you wanted to apologize to me." Kiyoshi said in a calm tone.
One hand rested on Natsu Hyūga's soft, fragrant shoulder, making her instinctively want to step back, but her back was already pressed against the cold stone wall, with nowhere left to retreat.
His other hand reached toward her forehead.
Natsu Hyūga fiercely clutched the corner of her robe, her knuckles turning white.
She knew she had no choice.
The ninja forehead protector was removed.
A black sealing pattern was revealed, coiled upon her forehead.
Kiyoshi's gaze narrowed slightly as he meticulously examined the pattern.
The seal pattern in the manga and anime versions differed, apparently, the latter was correct here.
He extended his hand, his fingertip slowly tracing her forehead. Natsu Hyūga's body trembled violently, yet she dared not move, only squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her hands tightly.
"So, that's how it is." Kiyoshi muttered softly, a flicker of deep thought in his eyes.
He quietly activated his Sharingan, memorizing the entire pattern of the seal.
"There."
Natsu Hyūga suddenly opened her eyes, staring blankly at him, her eyes filled with humiliation and grievance.
"I have received your sincerity. So, where is Ginka Hyūga's apology and sincerity?" he asked with a smile.
"I… am I not the sincerity now?" Natsu Hyūga asked in shock.
She had taken off her ninja forehead protector for Kiyoshi to see, exposing the seal on her forehead entirely.
Yet, Kiyoshi was asking about Ginka Hyūga's apology?
"The apology you made now was for your own conforming behavior of showing prejudice and keeping your distance from the Uchiha. I never said the matter concerning Ginka Hyūga was concluded." Kiyoshi shook his head.
"Or do you think the Caged Bird Seal is so rare that it's priceless and shouldn't be seen?"
Kiyoshi leaned down, lifted a lock of Natsu Hyūga's moss-green hair, and slowly spoke into her ear.
[Art of Speaking (White)] was subtly at work.
During the Chunin Exams, Neji exposed his seal to everyone to prove his point.
Natsu Hyūga's heart suddenly tightened. The tears in her eyes could no longer be held back, silently streaming down her cheeks.
But she couldn't utter another word.
Kiyoshi didn't look at her again, turning and leaving the cave.
As the night wind blew into the cave, bringing a chill, his figure had already vanished into the darkness, leaving only a muffled sound of weeping echoing in the cave.
It was restrained, suppressed, a low sobbing, as if abandoned by the world.
"Natsu?" Outside the cave, Tetsu Hyūga vaguely heard a sound that wasn't right.
Just as he was about to rush inside, he saw Kiyoshi and Natsu Hyūga emerge one after the other.
"What took so long?" Kurenai had eaten half of her grilled fish, her cheeks puffed out.
"It did take a while." Kiyoshi said; the string of grilled fish he had prepared beforehand was already growing cold.
"Natsu, what did you two talk about inside?" Tetsu Hyūga pulled Natsu Hyūga aside and asked quietly.
Natsu Hyūga's lips trembled, but she couldn't form a complete sentence.
"N-Nothing, it was just a small matter." Her voice was hoarse.
Tetsu Hyūga frowned deeply, looking at her suspiciously, his eyes filled with worry.
But Natsu Hyūga lowered her gaze, unwilling to say another word.
The night was deep. Her shadow trembled slightly under the bonfire, as if being swallowed by the darkness.
***
The next day, as dawn was just breaking.
Sounds of movement came from the distance.
"This is the only area left unswept." Mei Terumī said.
She was followed by a line of people, many of whom were ninjas Mei Terumī had successfully lured.
All were temporarily allied ninjas interested in either seizing a Bloodline or obtaining scrolls by mixing into the chaos.
"Someone's coming." Kiyoshi opened his eyes and looked in a certain direction.
Next to him was Kurenai, who had been keeping watch.
"Who?"
"Enemies."
Kiyoshi said nothing more, standing up.
Bloodlines were a deadly attraction to those outside the village, evident from the Hidden Cloud's willingness to kidnap Kushina.
"I was wondering why we hadn't encountered the Sharingan or the Byakugan. Turns out you've all grouped up." Shōshi Kaguya said slowly.
Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow.
Based on that statement, they hadn't run into Tekka's squad.
The commotion also woke Natsu Hyūga and the others.
Natsu Hyūga still had dried tear tracks near her eyes. She hastily wiped them away, looking at the crowd that had surrounded them at some unknown point.
In the second stage of the exam, there was no explicit rule against forming teams.
Because the ability to unite others when all squads were enemies was also a testament to one's capability.
Kurenai hadn't seen a lineup like this and nervously tugged on Kiyoshi's sleeve.
***
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