Yuki Yoru made no effort to hold back. The scroll he handed over not only contained research into that discarded Ōtsutsuki outcast but also
Yuki Yoru made no effort to hold back.
The scroll he handed over not only contained research into that discarded Ōtsutsuki outcast but also extensive data regarding the Byakugan.
The fact that Kirigakure possessed Byakugan users was already known throughout the shinobi world. If not for the current cooperation between Kiri and Konoha, the bounty on that "Byakugan Killer" might still be hanging on Konoha's most-wanted list.
So, Hiashi wasn't surprised that Kirigakure held a large amount of Byakugan information. What did shake him to the core were the contents of the scroll in his hands.
[The Ōtsutsuki Eye]
The scroll clearly stated that the Byakugan was the fundamental eye of the Ōtsutsuki clan, the purest, and the eye that was the origin of all power.
"The Sharingan is undoubtedly powerful. It evolves through emotional stimuli, growing stronger with each change—its visual prowess and combat capabilities increasing with each awakening."
"But the Byakugan is different. In normal cases, once the Byakugan is awakened, its ocular power and overall ability remain largely static. If that's all it was, it could at most rival the three-tomoe Sharingan. So how could it be compared to the Mangekyō Sharingan, which can activate Susanoo and various dōjutsu?"
Yuki Yoru, watching Hiashi's unblinking gaze on the scroll, said calmly:
"The reason is simple. The Byakugan can evolve—but its conditions are far more demanding. Of course, the most straightforward way is to increase its ocular power."
"...But ocular power is innate. Strengthening it isn't something easily done," Hiashi murmured.
"True," Yoru nodded. "Unlike the Sharingan, which evolves through external trauma and stimulus, the Byakugan's ocular power is essentially fixed from the moment it's awakened. Increasing it afterward is nearly impossible."
"However... according to information I obtained from that guy—and data collected from his body—I managed to find a few methods."
Hiashi's entire body began to tremble. His Byakugan involuntarily activated from sheer intensity of emotion.
Yoru didn't keep him in suspense. He went on to reveal the existence of both the Tenseigan and the Jōgan.
"The Tenseigan requires fusing massive quantities of Byakugan or infusing it with top-tier Ōtsutsuki chakra, like that of Hamura. The Jōgan... it demands a refined, purified bloodline—evolution through lineage."
"Of course, you're free to doubt what I say. But that guy's corpse is still preserved in Kirigakure's lab. If you're interested, you're welcome to visit anytime."
He chuckled. "Once the Three-Nation Super Infrastructure Project gets rolling, travel between the Land of Water and Land of Fire will be easier than ever."
Clatter!
Hiashi flinched. His tea cup tipped, spilling hot tea across the tatami mat. His hands—gripping the scroll—shook uncontrollably. Fear flooded his gaze.
No wonder the method for evolving the Byakugan vanished over time... It had been buried on purpose.
To evolve the Byakugan... required cannibalizing one's own kin.
No doubt, the ancestors who once possessed such knowledge—and this power—chose to seal it away precisely because of how horrific it was.
And then there was the Caged Bird Seal...
The Hyūga clan's Caged Bird system was ruthless, oppressive, utterly feudal.
Fate was sealed at birth. Main and Branch Family, master and servant—fixed for life.
Without such a system, if the Branch Family acted like the Ōtsutsuki on the Moon—creating such monstrous things just due to ideological difference—would the Hyūga clan even still exist?
Even so... perhaps it's time this Main and Branch Family system changed—at least a little.
Hiashi's expression shifted again and again.
The Caged Bird Seal imposed overwhelming limitations on the Branch Family. It undeniably protected the Main family's legacy and authority—but it also bred resentment and resistance in the Branch family.
Until now, Hiashi had never considered the threat. He hadn't known about the Tenseigan or Jōgan. Even if the Branch showed defiance—so what? The Caged Bird would always keep them in line.
But now... everything was different.
If enough Byakugan eyes were fused, a Tenseigan could be formed. If the Caged Bird system malfunctioned, and Branch members secretly gathered and merged their Byakugan powers...
Everything that happened to the Ōtsutsuki on the Moon... might repeat itself in the Hyūga.
Of course, the odds of that were incredibly slim. The Caged Bird system had been passed down for a thousand years—it wasn't going to fail overnight.
But still...
What if the Caged Bird was removed?
What if the Branch family did rebel?
What if they did create a Tenseigan...?
"To awaken the Mangekyō, a Sharingan user needs overwhelming emotional trauma—life and death, love and loss. But when the Byakugan evolves, whether into the Jōgan or Tenseigan, its strength far surpasses even the Mangekyō. Naturally... the price is higher too."
Seeing Hiashi's ever-changing expression, Yoru assumed he was simply stunned by the cost of evolution.
"You've never seen a Tenseigan in action, but I have," Yoru said softly. "It's a terrifying eye, no weaker than the Rinnegan. And that Ōtsutsuki on the Moon? He didn't even fully awaken it—he merely tapped into a portion of the energy from the massive Tenseigan stored on the Moon."
"Even so, his power was overwhelming—far above the level of the Five Kage. He'd reached the heights of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara."
Yoru's words flowed calmly:
"Hiashi, think about it. If you could awaken a Tenseigan... what heights could your power reach?"
"...The Hyūga clan would never devour its own."
"Oh?" Yoru raised a brow. "Your Caged Bird system doesn't exactly treat the Branch family like people, does it?"
He chuckled coldly.
"From the looks of it, the Caged Bird Seal—which supposedly exists to prevent another giant Tenseigan from forming and to stop a repeat of the Moon Ōtsutsuki tragedy—has long since devolved into a tool for the Main House to cling to power."
"Mizukage-sama!"
Hiashi sprang to his feet, voice rising in fury. He couldn't tolerate such insults.
But under Yoru's half-smiling gaze, Hiashi slowly let out a sigh and sat back down.
As the head of the Hyūga clan—how could he not already know all of this?
The reason the Hyūga could never compare to the Senju or Uchiha—even after the Senju disbanded and the Uchiha were systematically suppressed by the Hokage faction—wasn't because Fugaku had awakened the Mangekyō.
It was because the Hyūga had long since grown rotten with pride and arrogance.
Countless Main Family members had lost themselves in power and privilege.
Hiashi fell silent.
Yoru didn't press the issue. Instead, he poured himself some more tea and sipped leisurely—appreciating the Hyūga clan's finest leaves.
Ahh... exquisite. One sip and he could tell—this was top-grade ceremonial tea from the Land of Tea. Fit for royalty.
While Yoru savored his tea, Hiashi sat lost in thought.
Suddenly, Yoru made a curious sound, his gaze seeming to pierce through space itself.
"That child... Is she your daughter?"
"Hmm?"
Hiashi turned instinctively—but only saw a wall. Startled, he activated his Byakugan, then quickly nodded once he saw who it was.
"Yes, that's my daughter. Mizukage-sama, do you...?"
"Nothing in particular," Yoru smiled. "Just surprised that Clan Head Hiashi would have such an exceptional prodigy. With proper training, her future potential might be limitless."
"W-What?! Hinata has that much talent?!"
Hiashi was overjoyed—but the excitement froze on his face as he recalled something.
"B-But not long ago, during the joint assessment with the clan elders, she was judged as average—unremarkable, in fact..."
Hinata was nearly three. For most people, that wasn't yet training age. But in noble clans like the Uchiha or Hyūga, "pre-academy education" started early.
Uchiha Itachi, for example, was brought onto the battlefield by Fugaku at age four—during the Third Great Ninja War—as his form of pre-schooling. He even managed to defeat an Iwa Genin at that age.
The Hyūga followed similar traditions.
Yet Hinata—the clan head's daughter, no less—had shown no such talent. In her first Gentle Fist aptitude test, she had been rated as mediocre.
Being a girl made things worse. If not for her status as the clan head's child, her standing and access to resources would have plummeted.
"You don't believe me?" Yoru raised an eyebrow. "You've probably heard a few things about me. Let's just say... I don't misjudge when it comes to certain talents."
Her soul...
Hiashi's heart trembled.
He didn't doubt Yoru.
"I have full confidence in your judgment, Mizukage-sama. It's just... if my daughter truly has such talent, why does she perform so poorly?"
Hiashi then recounted Hinata's recent Gentle Fist evaluation.
"Her strikes are weak, her reactions slow, her form imprecise... It wasn't just one test. That's simply how she is..."
"I see," Yoru nodded. "Why don't you bring her here?"
"It would be an honor to have Mizukage-sama's guidance!"
Hiashi, visibly excited, offered a respectful cup of tea and disappeared in a Shunshin.
The name "Fourth Mizukage Yuki Yoru" was known throughout the shinobi world—unquestioned as the strongest living shinobi.
Coupled with his deep research into the Byakugan and the Moon's Ōtsutsuki clan, receiving his guidance would be a priceless opportunity for both Hinata and the Hyūga as a whole.
Moments later, Hiashi returned, leading in a young girl wearing a soft orange-pink kimono with short lavender hair.
The little princess of the Hyūga—young Hinata—had clear, flawless white eyes and an adorably sweet face. When she noticed Yoru's gaze, she shrank back shyly behind her father like a frightened doll.
"Mizukage-sama," Hiashi said softly, nodding toward his daughter.
Hinata immediately stepped forward and bowed politely.
Clearly, Hiashi had briefed her during their wardrobe change. Despite her youth, her etiquette was impeccable—graceful, respectful, without flaw.
Only after Yoru nodded did she kneel at the table, sitting quietly on a cushion with shy curiosity.
"I see..."
Under Hiashi's expectant gaze, Yoru scanned Hinata from head to toe. When his own Byakugan briefly activated, he nodded.
"There is no issue with her talent. The purity of her Byakugan is unmatched. Not even those we've cultivated in Kirigakure come close—and neither do the other members of your Hyūga clan."
"Undoubtedly, with the right nurturing, and just a bit of Ōtsutsuki chakra infusion or Tenseigan guidance, her eyes will evolve and transcend."
"R-Really?!"
Hiashi, tactfully ignoring Yoru's mention of "those Byakugan cultivated in Kirigakure," looked ecstatic.
"I never lie. If I say she has it, she has it."
"As for her Gentle Fist aptitude..." Yoru paused. "You're right. Her chakra response and physical sensitivity are average—not on par with elite geniuses. Just above the standard ninja."
"But that can be fixed."
"And as for how to fix it..."
Yoru suddenly turned to Hiashi.
"Clan Head Hiashi, it's about that time of night. Wouldn't some late-night snacks and warm sake make for better discussion than dry tea?"
"Ah? Y-Yes! Someone!"
Hiashi didn't question Yoru's sudden shift in tone. He immediately summoned the servants:
"Prepare a lavish meal! And bring a jug of Fire Festival sake!"
"Yes."
The servant hurried off, and Yoru casually chatted with little Hinata.
She was adorably sweet—so polite and gentle, if a bit shy. Teasing her was unexpectedly delightful.
Soon, the food arrived: chicken, duck, fish, gourmet delicacies of every kind. But Yoru didn't dig in. He poured himself a cup of sake and resumed discussing the Moon Ōtsutsuki with Hiashi.
Hinata sat stiffly nearby, the aroma of the feast swirling around her nose, teasing her senses. She couldn't stop swallowing.
The sound was quiet—but neither Yuki Yoru nor Hiashi was a normal man. They heard it clearly.
"Hinata!"
Hiashi's voice was stern. "That's disrespectful!"
"S-Sorry! I'm so sorry, Father! Mizukage-sama!"
Hinata immediately leapt to her feet and bowed deeply, flustered.
Hiashi didn't press the issue. Yoru, however, smiled.
"If she's hungry, let her eat. Kids shouldn't have to worry about rules."
Hinata didn't dare move, glancing nervously at her father.
"Since you're hungry... eat," Hiashi said flatly.
Only then did Hinata sit again, still too timid to lift her chopsticks.
"Don't mind your father. Go ahead," Yoru encouraged.
She still didn't move—until Hiashi softly hummed in affirmation. Then she quietly picked up her utensils.
One bite. Two bites.
She set them down and sat respectfully again.
"Really now..."
Looking at the overly reserved Hinata, Yoru gave a helpless smile.
"Hiashi, now I get it. Why such a talented prodigy has ended up like this."
"If you keep raising her this way, forget being the Hyūga's future hope—she'll be lucky just to not fade into mediocrity."