Kei felt he had done all he could. In the end, against his better judgment, he had chosen to offer Shisui a hint of the truth.
He justified it as a tactical move. He had dropped that brutal revelation primarily to shatter Shisui's naive worldview, hoping the sheer shock would divert the prodigy's attention elsewhere and finally get the Uchiha to stop stalking his clinic.
It was a fundamental truth of the shinobi world: even beneath the most blindingly radiant light, there will always be unseen, rotting darkness.
Kei felt a flicker of grim anticipation. Now that Shisui had seen the agonizing reality of Konoha's forgotten shadows, would the boy remain stubbornly shackled to his delusions? Or would he finally awaken to the truth of the village he was willing to die for?
Deep down, Kei already knew the answer. The Will of Fire was a hell of a drug.
Pushing the impending Uchiha tragedy from his mind, Kei focused on his own gains. Between the newly acquired Phantom Body Flicker Jutsu and the fragmented, horrifying brilliance of Orochimaru's Human Experimentation Theory, Kei felt his arsenal expanding rapidly. While he hadn't yet found a safe opportunity to physically test these new capabilities, he was in no rush. The right moment would present itself eventually.
He drifted into a surprisingly peaceful slumber, only to have the tranquility of the new morning violently shattered.
Just as Kei was boiling water for his morning tea and planning out the clinic's schedule, a sharp voice called out from his small courtyard.
"Hyuga Kei. The Clan Head summons you."
Kei paused, the kettle hovering over the stove. Fantastic.
"Understood," Kei replied smoothly, turning off the gas. "I will be right there."
The torrential storm from the night before had finally broken, leaving the morning air damp and heavy. Kei followed a few paces behind the messenger, his white cane tapping a steady, unhurried rhythm against the wet cobblestones. He neither rushed to appease the summons nor lingered to show defiance.
Despite the clearing skies, Kei's heightened intuition hummed with warning. Sometimes, a break in the storm didn't reveal a rainbow; it merely illuminated the devastated landscape left behind.
They crossed into the Main House compound, stepping over an invisible boundary of hierarchy that defined every aspect of Hyuga life. Kei walked past sprawling manicured gardens and ornate architecture he could no longer see, finally stepping into the grand meeting hall.
The room was suffocatingly silent. Through his chakra perception, Kei sensed several imposing figures seated in a rigid, semi-circular formation. They were waiting for him.
A dozen heavy, scrutinizing gazes locked onto his face, ultimately zeroing in on his milky, sightless eyes.
Stopping perfectly in the center of the hall, Kei offered a measured bow. "Clan Head-sama. Esteemed Elders."
As one of Konoha's founding noble families, the Hyuga Clan operated with a level of archaic, draconian tradition that far surpassed the rest of the village. The absolute authority of the Main House over the Branch House was enforced with ironclad rigidity. Casualness was a punishable offense.
From the center seat, Hiashi Hyuga offered a microscopic nod. "How is your vision recovering, Kei? Are you experiencing any localized pain?"
"I still cannot see, Lord Hiashi. The village physicians stated that, barring a medical miracle, my sight will not return," Kei replied, his tone perfectly flat.
Hiashi lightly tapped his index finger against the low wooden table before him. "A shinobi's life without the ability to see the light must be incredibly difficult, wouldn't you say?"
He paused, his piercing, pure-white Byakugan fixed intensely on the grey-eyed youth. "However, you need not despair. The clan will do everything within its considerable power to help you recover."
Kei's lips twitched, stretching into a flawlessly polite, entirely hollow smile. "I am deeply moved by your concern, Clan Head-sama."
What I wouldn't give to tell you that being blind is the least of my problems, Kei thought bitterly.
"There is no need for empty pleasantries," Hiashi said, ceasing his tapping and standing up. "Since you are already here, we have arranged for a thorough examination. It would be a blessing for us all if your condition has shown signs of improvement."
Ah. So that's what this is about. "Of course," Kei agreed mildly. "It is truly humbling that the clan would expend such effort on my behalf. I never expected so many esteemed elders to remain so deeply invested in my personal health."
Injecting just a fraction of deliberate detachment into his voice, Kei set his white cane aside and laid back onto the low wooden examination platform situated near the elders.
Sensing the clan's chief medical examiner approaching, Kei preemptively untied his Konoha forehead protector, tossing the metal plate lightly onto a nearby tray.
The gesture laid his forehead bare.
Several of the seated elders subtly leaned forward, their collective focus instantly snapping to the intricate, ugly green tattoo branded into Kei's skin: the Caged Bird Seal.
The examination began. To Kei, the minutes dragged on with agonizing slowness. While the medical elder went through the motions of checking his pupillary response and optical nerve pathways with specialized diagnostic tools, Kei's heightened senses caught the true purpose of the visit.
The elder's fingers lingered far too long on Kei's brow. Although the physical touches were discreet, Kei vividly felt a highly concentrated, needle-thin surge of foreign chakra covertly slipping beneath his skin, directly probing the intricate matrix of the Caged Bird Seal.
They weren't checking if his eyes were healing. They were checking if his blindness had somehow damaged or compromised the cursed seal that bound him to their will.
Finally, after verifying the seal's integrity no less than three separate times, the elder stepped back.
The hall descended into a heavy silence. Hiashi watched the examiner offer a minute, conclusive shake of his head.
"Kei," Hiashi spoke, his voice carrying an undertone of what sounded almost like relief. "I am afraid the prognosis remains unchanged. There is no hope for your condition to be cured. At least, not with our current medical understanding."
"It is quite alright, Lord Hiashi. I have already come to terms with my reality."
"Should you encounter any insurmountable difficulties in your daily life, you must inform the Main House. We will provide assistance," Hiashi instructed formally. "Furthermore, you are mandated to return for this exact medical check-up on the first of every month. I will dispatch a guard to escort you."
Kei took a shallow, controlled breath and offered a silent nod. How could he not understand the suffocating implications?
The Main House didn't give a damn about his well-being. They only cared that a blind Branch member might represent an unprecedented variable. They needed monthly confirmation that his handicap hadn't somehow created a loophole in their absolute control over his life—and his death.
Listening to the ensuing chorus of hypocritical, patronizing consolations from the seated elders, Kei physically felt his stomach turn. He pursed his lips, suppressing a surge of genuine disgust.
Catching the micro-expression, Hiashi frowned. "What is wrong? Are you experiencing pain?"
"No, Clan Head-sama. It is nothing of consequence. Perhaps my morning tea was brewed too strongly; I am feeling a wave of mild nausea," Kei lied effortlessly, offering a serene smile. "If the examination is concluded, I humbly request to take my leave. I have already monopolized too much of the council's valuable time."
Seeing no overt signs of deception on Kei's face, Hiashi offered a final, dismissive platitude and signaled his permission. Kei retrieved his cane, bowed respectfully, and began the slow walk toward the compound's exit.
"Kei. A moment."
Just as Kei was about to cross the threshold out of the Main House courtyard, a dry, raspy voice halted him in his tracks.
Kei stopped, forcing the polite smile back onto his face as he turned. "Great Elder."
Taihiro Hyuga, a man whose age and authority rivaled even the Third Hokage's, approached slowly, his hands clasped loosely behind his back. "There is no need for such rigid formality out here, child. I have watched all you youngsters grow up. In the blink of an eye, so many years have slipped away..."
Despite the grandfatherly tone, Kei's internal alarms blared. Taihiro was a pillar of the Main House and wielded terrifying political influence. Even Hiashi deferred to him on matters of tradition.
Furthermore, digging through his original body's fragmented childhood memories, Kei recalled a disturbing detail: Taihiro had worn a thick medical patch over his right eye for as long as anyone could remember. The clan enforced a total, draconian gag order regarding the injury. No one spoke of it. Ever.
As Taihiro spoke, his singular, piercing Byakugan ruthlessly dissected Kei's face. It skimmed over the cloudy, useless eyes, finally locking onto the prominent cyan Caged Bird Seal.
"Do not let the darkness consume your thoughts, Kei," Taihiro advised, his voice smooth like oiled glass. "Even if you never see the sun again, the clan will always be your eyes. If you face any hardships, my door is always open to you."
"I understand perfectly. Thank you, Great Elder, for your boundless generosity."
"Living independently must be terribly inconvenient in your condition," Taihiro continued, his tone dripping with manufactured sympathy. "In a few days, I shall assign a caretaker to your household to assist you."
Kei stiffened. A spy. "Do not fret, she is well-trained. She will handle your domestic needs without interfering in your clinic's business, and she will serve as a bodyguard to ensure your safety," Taihiro said smoothly. "Besides, you are both young. You should find plenty of common ground. You are not a child anymore, Kei; it is time you began considering... the future of your bloodline."
A spy they want me to breed with. "Oh, I could not possibly impose to such a degree," Kei countered quickly, his grip tightening imperceptibly on the handle of his cane. "The clan has already expended so much effort on a crippled shinobi. I assure you, I am managing perfectly fine on my own. It is truly unnecessary."
"Nonsense. It is the fundamental duty of the Main House to care for its own," Taihiro dismissed the refusal with a wave of his hand. He reached into his robes, producing Kei's forgotten forehead protector. He held it out. "The weather remains damp. Do not catch a chill. It would be a tragedy for you to fall ill while your body is still adjusting."
Kei felt the cold metal of the plate press against his chest. He tilted his head slightly, keeping his expression utterly neutral.
Taihiro maintained his benevolent smile, his one good eye tracking every microscopic twitch of Kei's facial muscles.
"My deepest apologies. I will be more mindful of the cold," Kei said softly. He took the headband, slowly raising his arms to tie the blue cloth securely back over his forehead, deliberately hiding the cursed seal from view.
Taihiro nodded, his aura softening from oppressive scrutiny to patriarchal warmth. "It is not your fault, child. Fate dealt you a cruel hand. But your life is far from over. Do not overthink your circumstances. Simply live out your days in peace."
With that, Taihiro reached out and gave Kei's shoulder two firm, patronizing pats.
"Great Elder," Kei murmured, projecting the perfect image of a humbled subordinate. "I truly do not know how I will ever repay the clan's kindness."
"We are family, Kei. There are no debts between blood," Taihiro sighed grandly. He paused, as if a sudden thought had just occurred to him. "By the way... I hear you recently opened a psychological clinic? And that business is surprisingly brisk?"
"I had little other choice," Kei replied. "My physical condition obviously prevents me from undertaking active shinobi missions. I must earn a living somehow."
"A highly commendable initiative. The clan naturally supports your endeavor," Taihiro praised. "However... whispers reach my ears that Shisui of the Body Flicker has been frequenting your establishment. Are the two of you close?"
Ah. There it is. Kei mentally rolled his eyes. Shisui, you absolute magnet for disaster. This was the third major political power player to interrogate him about the Uchiha in a single week.
Given the explosive tension surrounding the Uchiha compound, Kei supposed he couldn't blame them for their paranoia.
"We are not close in the slightest," Kei answered plainly. "He is merely a patient. He is deeply distressed by the deteriorating relationship between the Uchiha and the village leadership. He comes to my clinic seeking psychological solace and a place to vent his anxieties."
"The relationship between his clan and the village, you say?" Taihiro's single eye narrowed sharply. He fell silent for a long moment, processing the intelligence. "Tell me, Kei. From your unique... psychological perspective. What do you think of the Hyuga clan's current standing within Konoha?"
"Great Elder, I am merely a blind, retired Chunin," Kei deflected smoothly. "How could I possibly possess the insight to analyze the geopolitical standing of the noble houses?"
"Humor an old man," Taihiro pressed, his tone leaving no room for refusal. "Speak your mind plainly. For a prodigy like Shisui to seek your counsel, you must possess a rather sharp intellect."
Realizing Taihiro would not let him leave without an answer, Kei allowed a flicker of reluctant resignation to show on his face. "If you insist, Great Elder, I will offer my humble thoughts. I pray you do not take offense at my ignorance."
"Speak freely. You shall not be reprimanded for honesty," Taihiro commanded.
Kei gripped his cane with both hands. "I believe our clan is currently akin to the lead bird flying at the very apex of a great flock. We are the pinnacle of Konoha's strength. But because we fly so far ahead, so visibly above the rest... we draw every eye. We attract the most attention, but we also bear the absolute brunt of the wind."
Taihiro's previously relaxed, grandfatherly facade vanished entirely. His jaw tightened. "Continue."
"These are merely the idle thoughts of a man with too much time in the dark," Kei murmured, his voice dropping an octave. "But I have come to believe that for an individual—or a clan—being undeniably superior is not always a blessing."
Kei paused, letting the silence stretch just long enough to be uncomfortable.
"I once read an old proverb, Great Elder. 'The tallest tree in the forest is always the first to be snapped by the storm.'"
A heavy, freezing drop of rain fell from the sky, landing squarely between them.
Kei 'looked' directly at Taihiro, whose expression had hardened into an unreadable mask of cold calculation. "The weather is turning again, Great Elder. A storm is fast approaching. If there is nothing else, I must return to my clinic."
Without waiting for a formal dismissal, Kei turned and walked out of the Main House gates.
Once he was safely beyond the compound walls, the subservient smile melted from his face, replaced by an expression of icy, ruthless focus.
He had genuinely wanted to stay out of the village's politics. He had wanted to sit quietly in his clinic and heal mundane minds. But it seemed the powers that be—from Danzo, to Orochimaru, to his own rotting clan—were determined to drag him into the light.
If they insist on forcing my hand, Kei thought, the phantom chakra of Shisui's Jutsu humming in his veins, they have no right to complain when I break the board.
His words to Taihiro hadn't been a warning. They had been a prophecy.