Chapter 269 — Unwilling to Be a Caged Bird
As a member of the Hyūga clan and a lifelong beneficiary of the Byakugan, Hyūga Iwa understood better than anyone the enormous advantage those eyes gave him.
Facing a fellow elite chūnin of common birth, he could win with ease.
Of course, an opponent "of equal rank" did not include shinobi from the great clans. Against most other clans he could hold his ground—but against an Uchiha of equal level, it would be a different story.
Because of that, his answer was firm:
"No."
His tone left no room for discussion. He already had plans in mind, and naturally would not agree to Jō's request.
Hearing his father's resolute refusal, Hyūga Jō felt his heart sink. He didn't yet understand Iwa's intentions and assumed the worst—that his father simply didn't want to pay for a pair of ordinary eyes and intended to abandon him.
But the next moment, Iwa continued:
"What's the point of ordinary eyes? Once your body stabilizes, I will request a pair of Byakugan from the Branch Family Head. They'll have the Main Family authorize a transplant for you."
Because of the Caged Bird system, the clan had accumulated many Byakugan over the generations. Even Iwa had no idea how many pairs were sealed away by the Main Family, but the number was certainly large.
With Jō's potential and talent, the Main Family would likely grant him a pair.
At first, Jō felt relieved—at least his father wasn't abandoning him.
But then another thought struck, and that brief happiness vanished instantly.
After a moment of hesitation, Jō said softly:
"Can I… not have the Byakugan? I want a pair of ordinary eyes."
Iwa, Asahi, and Rin all froze.
Why would a Hyūga child reject the clan's bloodline limit… in exchange for the eyes of a normal person?
Before they could respond, Jō pressed again, almost anxiously:
"Can I?"
Hyūga Iwa frowned deeply. "Why? What is wrong with receiving Byakugan? Once transplanted, it functions perfectly. There's no need to worry about compatibility."
Indeed, this was well documented. Clan members who had lost their eyes due to accidents in the past had received transplants from ancestral Byakugan without a single case of rejection.
Their bloodline was pure; replacing one pair of Byakugan with another caused no issues.
Hinata—now Hyūga Asahi—spoke next, furrowing his brows.
"What's there to 'experience'? Ordinary eyes can't compare to the Byakugan at all. You know how much strength the Byakugan gives us."
Rin and Iwa clearly agreed but remained silent.
Seeing their reactions, Jō understood that excuses wouldn't work.
He swallowed, timed his words carefully, and spoke the truth.
"I know the Byakugan is powerful… but I don't want the Caged Bird Curse Mark ever again."
The moment the words "Caged Bird" left his lips, all three adults flinched.
"Watch your mouth!"
Iwa and Asahi immediately glanced around nervously, checking their surroundings. Only after confirming no Hyūga clan members were nearby did they finally exhale in relief.
Iwa lowered his voice, stern and worried:
"Jō, never speak of that outside again. The Caged Bird is the clan's greatest taboo. If the Main Family hears you talking like this… the consequences will be severe."
Jō felt the arms holding him suddenly tighten. Iwa and Asahi were genuinely frightened.
He sighed inwardly.
And that's exactly why I don't want the Byakugan. I just want freedom.
"I understand," Jō said softly. "So please… let me have ordinary eyes. I don't want the Byakugan anymore."
This was his best—and perhaps only—chance to escape the cage.
He refused to return to a life controlled by a single cursed seal.
He was a transmigrator, after all. His future was meant to be vast and free. How could he willingly become a tool of the Main Family?
He knew very well: in the Naruto world, there was no known method to remove the Caged Bird besides death—or the Main Family manually releasing it.
And somehow, by accident, he had survived the removal of his Byakugan without the curse activating.
A miracle.
A loophole.
A once-in-a-lifetime escape.
"Are you certain?" Hyūga Iwa asked, his expression complicated. "You must understand—without the Byakugan, you will lose the clan's greatest strength. Your future as a shinobi will become… ordinary."
"I'm sure," Jō interrupted firmly. "I only want ordinary eyes."
He knew better than anyone how incredible the Byakugan was. But for him—a transmigrator cursed by the Caged Bird—freedom mattered more than power.
There were many other paths to strength.
He could learn the Eight Inner Gates.
He could train in forbidden jutsu.
He could grow stronger through knowledge of the future.
But none of those paths required the Byakugan.
Hearing Jō's unwavering tone, Iwa faltered. Although he wanted to respect his son's choice, this matter was not simple.
Traditionally, any Branch Family member who lost their Byakugan—no matter how—would always receive a transplant later. It was simply how the clan operated.
Not a single Hyūga had ever asked for… ordinary eyes.
But Jō was different.
He was a transmigrator.
He hated the Caged Bird.
He had already escaped once—and would rather die than return to that cage.
Compared to Branch Family members who had long accepted their fate, Jō's mindset was fundamentally different.
That was why Iwa, Asahi, and Rin were so shocked, confused, and unable to understand.
Why would Hyūga Jō reject the Byakugan?
Because he refused to live chained ever again.
Because he refused to be—
A caged bird.
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