On the barren wasteland, as Hinata Hiroto and the others hastily departed, only Uchiha Gen and three others remained behind.
"Gen… thank you. All of you."
Hyūga Kagami sat on the ground, his back resting against a large rock. Despite his exhaustion, he bowed his head slightly, gratitude clear in his voice as he thanked Uchiha Gen and the others.
Senju Gen's expression was indignant.
"I'd heard about the Hyūga Clan's Caged Bird Seal before, but I never imagined it could be this vicious. The Branch Family's lives are completely in the hands of the Main Family."
Hearing this, Hyūga Kagami could only give a bitter, helpless smile.
Uchiha Gen let out a soft sigh.
"This is an internal matter of the great clans. Even the village has no right to interfere."
He paused, his eyes sharpening.
"But to target and bully you just because you defeated him in our last spar… hmph. That's crossing the line."
Hyūga Kagami shook his head, unwillingness flickering across his face.
"That was only Hinata Hiroto's excuse. The real reason is that he almost lost to me during a clan competition."
Uchiha Gen frowned.
"Kagami, from what I've seen, Hiroto isn't stronger than you. How did he win?"
Kagami's smile grew more strained.
"He activated the Caged Bird Seal at the final moment."
"Despicable!"
"Shameless!"
Senju Gen and Hatake Seiko cursed almost in unison.
Hyūga Kagami continued quietly,
"Because of that, the Branch Family elders were furious. The Main Family confined Hinata Hiroto for three days as punishment."
He clenched his fist.
"But once he was released, he started targeting me even more openly."
Senju Gen snorted.
"If you ask me, Kagami, you're far more qualified to lead the Hyūga Clan than someone like him."
Uchiha Gen shook his head, his voice low but firm.
"That's not the point, Gen. The real problem is the Hyūga Clan's system itself."
He continued,
"The Main Family lives as masters, while the Branch Family are treated like servants—slaves whose lives can be ended at will. That kind of division is fundamentally wrong."
Senju Gen scratched his cheek.
"But the Caged Bird Seal exists to protect the Byakugan. Without it, other villages might have already stolen the Hyūga's bloodline."
Uchiha Gen's gaze sharpened.
"And that's exactly the issue. If the seal exists to protect the Byakugan, then why does the Main Family alone control its activation?"
He turned to Hyūga Kagami.
"I don't think the Branch Family can't accept the Caged Bird Seal itself. What they can't accept is having their lives controlled by others."
"Kagami—what do you think?"
Hyūga Kagami froze.
For the first time, he felt as though someone truly understood him.
What Uchiha Gen said struck straight at his heart.
For the sake of the clan, he could accept the Caged Bird Seal.
As a Branch Family member, he would even be willing to give his life to protect the Main Family.
But having his fate controlled… his existence decided at a whim—
That, he could never accept.
Kagami's expression softened. He smiled freely for the first time and said,
"Gen… it seems you were holding back when we fought before."
"To completely disperse Hinata Hiroto's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms into the ground beneath your feet… that was incredible."
Uchiha Gen replied casually,
"He was too weak."
After a brief pause, he asked,
"Kagami—do you want to become stronger?"
Kagami nodded without hesitation, determination blazing in his eyes.
"I do."
"If that's the case, then join us," Uchiha Gen said.
"We train at the Hatake Clan grounds after school."
Hyūga Kagami glanced at Senju Gen in surprise. He hadn't even realized when Senju Gen had become part of Uchiha Gen's group.
Then he nodded solemnly.
"I'd be honored."
---
Two Days Later — Hatake Clan Grounds
Senju Gen and Hatake Seiko were sparring, advancing and retreating in rapid exchanges. For a while, neither side showed a clear advantage.
At the edge of the training field, Hyūga Kagami had activated his Byakugan, carefully observing. This was his first time attending Uchiha Gen's private training.
"Although Seiko's chakra reserves are lower than Gen's," Kagami muttered,
"his control over power transmission is far more refined. At this rate, they'll decide a winner in about ten more exchanges."
Nearby, Uchiha Gen sat cross-legged, his eyes fixed on the match, silently noting every flaw and opening.
"Three more exchanges," Uchiha Gen said calmly.
"Seiko will win today."
As his words fell, Senju Gen sidestepped a punch and stomped heavily.
Crack!
The ground fractured beneath the force, destabilizing the terrain and causing Hatake Seiko to lose his footing.
In an instant, Senju Gen used the Body Flicker Technique, appearing behind Seiko with his hand poised like a blade at his neck.
But the figure dispersed—it was a Shadow Clone.
At the same time, Senju Gen felt something yank at his legs.
In the next moment, he was dragged underground, leaving only his head exposed.
Headhunter Jutsu.
Hyūga Kagami deactivated his Byakugan, a shock plain on his face.
Both of them far exceeded his expectations—especially Hatake Seiko. He hadn't noticed the clone or the jutsu setup at all.
Uchiha Gen laughed.
"I thought Seiko would lose, but I didn't expect him to combine Shadow Clones and Substitution so cleanly in the end."
Senju Gen and Hatake Seiko soon walked over.
Senju Gen brushed dust off his clothes, annoyed.
"Seiko's sword techniques keep getting sharper. If I don't stay completely focused, I'll get tricked every time."
Uchiha Gen chuckled.
"A loss is a loss, Gen. Don't make excuses."
Hyūga Kagami stepped forward, eyes shining.
"Gen, you're someone I've always wanted to spar with—but never had the chance."
"Let's fight. Right here."
Senju Gen grinned broadly.
"Haha! I've been wanting to experience the Hyūga Gentle Fist myself."
---
Night — Uchiha Clan Estate
Lantern light illuminated the estate, the voices of clan members echoing faintly through the grounds.
Uchiha Gen followed a secluded path to a warehouse located at the far edge of the compound.
At the side entrance, he formed a one-handed seal.
The air rippled, and a curtain-like gate of light appeared as a barrier activated around the warehouse.
Passing through, Uchiha Gen entered.
Shouts rang out inside.
In the center of the warehouse, a group of young Uchiha boys stood in disciplined formation, legs bent in horse stances, practicing Straight Punch Thrusts in sync with a controlled breathing rhythm.
"Big brother!"
Uchiha Daishi stood at the front of the line. Upon seeing Uchiha Gen, he immediately stopped and ran over.
---
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