Chapter 9: Unbent Spirit
The Hyuga clan head's demand hit Arata like a slap. Admit his mistake? In front of everyone? He clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms. This wasn't about right or wrong. Mori had started the fight, swung first, but the clan didn't care. They only cared about their precious main family's pride.
Arata's eyes burned as he faced Taro, the clan head. "Mori provoked me," he said, voice steady despite the anger boiling inside. "I just defended myself. He couldn't handle one hit. That's not my fault."
The hall erupted in gasps. Main family members glared, their faces twisting with outrage. The branch family, though, looked stunned—then excited, their eyes gleaming with something like hope. Hizashi, standing behind his father, grinned, his face flushed. "Well said!" he blurted, unable to hold back.
Taro's expression darkened. "Hyuga Arata, you dare speak to me like that?"
Arata didn't flinch. "I'm not wrong. Why should I apologize?"
The room froze. No branch member had ever defied the clan head so openly. The main family's anger was palpable, but the branch family's excitement grew, their whispers buzzing like static. Taro scanned the crowd, his eyes narrowing as he saw the spark in the branch members' faces. This was dangerous—a crack in their control.
He glanced at Hyuga Ryosuke, Mori's father, his eyes sharp with intent. Ryosuke smirked, catching the signal. This was his chance to crush Arata, not just for humiliating Mori but for a deeper reason. Arata's father had been branch family, while Ryosuke's line claimed main family status. If the main family ever lost heirs, a branch member like Arata could rise. Ryosuke wasn't about to let that threat grow.
"Arata," Ryosuke said, stepping forward, his voice dripping with menace. "You're too stubborn for your own good. Time to learn what happens when a branch defies the main family." He raised two fingers, pointing skyward.
The branch members gasped, their faces paling. "The caged bird…" one whispered.
Arata's heart sank. He knew what was coming. The curse seal on his forehead—the mark binding every branch member—could be triggered by the main family. Pain. Control. A tool to keep them in line.
Boom. A sharp, searing pain exploded in Arata's head, like a spike driving into his skull. He dropped to his knees, clutching his forehead, a scream trapped in his throat. The main family smirked, their eyes cold, while the branch members looked away, faces twisted with fear and despair.
The pain was unbearable, a chakra from the seal burrowing into his mind, threatening to break him. But Arata gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
Ryosuke's sneer widened. "Scream, dog. Beg like you're supposed to."
Arata's vision blurred, his teeth nearly cracking from the pressure. But one thought burned through the pain: I won't let them win. His Byakugan snapped on, veins bulging. Through his inner vision, he saw it—the curse seal's chakra, like a thorn, digging into his nerves. If it reached deeper, it could ruin his Byakugan for good.
He focused, pushing his own chakra against it, a desperate counterattack. The pain eased, just a fraction, enough to keep him conscious. He saw the seal's energy, a twisting awl spreading toward his brain. "It's trying to break me," he gasped, his voice barely a whisper.
Ryosuke's smug look faltered. How was this kid still silent? "Fine," he growled, glancing at Taro. "If you won't submit, I'll end you."
He raised his fingers again, ready to push the seal harder. But a voice cut through. "Enough, Third Elder." Hizashi's father, the second elder, stepped forward, his face calm but firm. "Arata's learned his lesson."
Ryosuke blinked, stunned. "You're joking, Second Elder."
The second elder ignored him, leaning toward Taro. "Look at the branch family," he whispered. "They're scared, but they're angry. Push too hard, and we lose them. With the Land of Rain stirring up war and the Land of Earth lurking, we need the branch family. If they break, if they die on the battlefield, we'll have to fight ourselves."
Taro's eyes flicked to the branch members. Their faces were grim, some cold with hatred, others wild with defiance. He saw it—the line he'd crossed. He wanted to control the branch family, not turn them into enemies. If they lost hope, they'd falter in war, and the main family would pay the price.
"Stop," Taro said, raising a hand. "The Third Elder's done enough. Arata attacked a main family member and has been punished. But his honor to the clan—beating the Uchiha, joining Class A—won't be ignored. From now on, Arata's monthly stipend will match the main family's."
The branch members blinked, surprised. The main family grumbled, but Taro's word was law. He was balancing the scales—showing the branch family reward for loyalty, while reminding them who held the leash.
"Take him back," Taro said, nodding at Arata, who was still on the ground, breathing hard.
"I don't need your pity," Arata rasped, his voice weak but sharp. Only Hizashi, helping him up, heard it.
"Shh," Hizashi whispered, dragging him out. "Don't push it. You're lucky they stopped."
As they passed Mori, the boy smirked. "Weeds stay weeds, Arata. You'll always be under us."
Arata's head snapped up, his eyes blazing with a cold, murderous glint. Mori froze, his taunt dying in his throat. That look—it wasn't just defiance. It was a promise.
Hizashi tugged Arata along. "Come on, let's go."
Arata stumbled, still weak, but his mind was clear. Mori's words burned, but they fueled him too. "This isn't over," he muttered as they left.
Behind them, Mori's face twisted with rage. "You'll pay, Arata," he hissed. "At the clan competition, I'll show you the gap between genius and trash."
(End of Chapter)
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