As for protecting the Hyūga clan's kekkei genkai—
that argument was a joke.
With the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Ren, standing behind them, who in the shinobi world would dare lay a hand on the Hyūga clan?
Who would dare covet the Byakugan?
Did they have a death wish?
Because of that, Hinata and Hanabi both chose silence.
Even though their father, Hiashi, was kneeling on the ground, they pretended not to see it.
It was not because they were unfilial.
It was because the Hyūga Clan truly needed reform from top to bottom.
At that moment, the one suffering the most was Hiashi.
Especially when he saw Hinata and Hanabi acting as though this had nothing to do with them, he immediately understood.
His beloved daughters were no longer on his side.
He felt cold.
"Lord Fifth Hokage… thank you."
After a while, Neji finally recovered from his shock.
He dropped to one knee and spoke with deep gratitude.
"I will train hard and contribute everything I can to Konoha's future."
"Mm."
Ren nodded calmly.
Then he asked,
"Do you know how your father, Hyūga Hizashi, died?"
"I do."
Pain flashed across Neji's face. His fists clenched.
"He was forced to death by the main family."
"No. That isn't the full truth."
Ren shook his head.
"Hiashi. Bring out Hizashi's letter."
"Yes, Lord Fifth Hokage."
Hiashi did not dare hesitate.
After being suppressed by Ren, he had finally understood something.
Konoha now belonged to the Fifth Hokage.
If the Hyūga Clan wanted to survive and grow, it had to follow Ren's will without question.
Under Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi's gazes, Hiashi slowly stood, formed a seal, and summoned an old scroll with a puff of smoke.
"Take it. Read it."
Looking at the dusty scroll in his hand, Hiashi's eyes filled with old grief.
It seemed he had once again remembered the Kumogakure incident that had scarred the Hyūga Clan.
"Alright."
Neji took the scroll and began reading.
One second.
Three seconds.
Ten seconds.
As time passed, his expression shifted again and again.
Finally, after about a minute, Neji lowered the scroll.
A look of release appeared in his eyes.
So that was it.
So that was the truth.
All this time, Neji had believed his father had been killed by the main family.
When he was young, he had once seen Hizashi show killing intent toward Hinata during her training.
Hiashi noticed it and activated the Caged Bird Seal, making Hizashi collapse in agony.
That scene had burned itself into Neji's heart.
But after reading the letter Hizashi left behind, Neji finally understood what had truly happened.
Back then, after the Kumogakure head ninja tried to abduct Hinata and steal the secrets of the Byakugan, Hiashi killed him.
Kumogakure refused to admit its crime.
Instead, they used the death of their ninja as an excuse to make an outrageous demand.
They demanded the corpse of the Hyūga Clan Head.
Otherwise, they would start a war against Konoha and the Hyūga Clan.
To save both the Hyūga Clan and the people of Konoha, Hizashi willingly died in his brother's place.
It had been the first time he was allowed to choose freely.
Unfortunately, it had also been the last.
"Sigh…"
Seeing Neji finally step out from the darkness, Hiashi sighed.
"I bear responsibility as well."
"I overestimated the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"Perhaps the young Hiruzen was once impressive."
"But as he grew older, he became a politician who bowed and scraped to enemies outside the village while striking hard against his own people."
"That damned Hiruzen Sarutobi was rotten to the core."
"Thankfully, the Sarutobi clan has already fallen. They were disgusting."
Hinata and Hanabi clenched their fists, their faces filled with righteous anger.
"I'll kill Asuma Sarutobi."
Neji's fists tightened, his voice cold.
"If Hiruzen is gone, then Asuma Sarutobi will pay the debt. Someone has to answer for my father's death."
"Do as you like."
Ren shrugged casually.
"First, I'll remove your Caged Bird Seal."
Buzz!
Before Hiashi or Neji could react, a soft white sphere of energy appeared in Ren's right hand.
In an instant, it entered Neji's mind.
"Ah…"
Neji let out an involuntary cry.
The moment that pale white energy entered his head, the Caged Bird Seal reacted like prey before a predator.
It was erased instantly.
More importantly, after swallowing the seal, that energy began repairing the damaged Byakugan cells affected by the curse mark.
"This feeling…"
A few seconds later, Neji blinked his Byakugan and subconsciously touched his forehead.
"The Caged Bird Seal is gone…"
"I… I'm free?"
"I've truly escaped the fate of the caged bird?"
As he spoke, two streams of tears fell from his eyes.
It had been hard.
Truly hard.
Ever since he was marked with the Caged Bird Seal, Neji had felt as though his life had been trapped in darkness.
His future had always seemed gray and hopeless.
But now, Ren had destroyed the seal.
For Neji, it felt as though he had been born again.
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