The attacks were so fast that only afterimages could be seen. The Second Elder's arms were torn off by a tremendous force, and blood splattered far and wide.
A shrill scream echoed from the Second Elder's mouth, but that was not the end of it. A slender Chakra Blocking Needle instantly pierced his neck.
The sudden change shocked Hiashi Hyuga, who immediately stood up, but under Kawaki Aoba's terrifying power, he dared not make any further movements.
The Second Elder's condition was truly horrifying.
At that moment, Kawaki Aoba sneered disdainfully and said, "Heh, you actually thought you could play tricks in front of me. You truly don't understand the meaning of death."
Indeed, the Hyuga Second Elder had been secretly forming hand seals, preparing to activate the Caged Bird Curse.
And Kawaki Aoba, who knew all about the Caged Bird Curse, immediately understood what this old man was trying to do.
The complete curse kill of the Caged Bird!
That was what the old man had been preparing to do.
"Old fool, you're quite decisive. Unfortunately, no matter how much you struggle, it's all useless. But letting you die now would be too easy. Before you go, I want you to watch a great show."
After saying that, Kawaki Aoba turned to Hiashi Hyuga again, smiling as he spoke gently, "Clan Head Hiashi, I'll need to trouble you for a moment, but I hope you don't move. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what consequences there might be."
Faced with Kawaki Aoba's calm smile, Hiashi Hyuga felt a chill run down his spine.
As Kawaki Aoba took a silver needle from his chest and stabbed it into his neck, Hiashi Hyuga's body stiffened, and he dared not move.
The sight of the Second Elder's fate was still fresh in his mind. Though he had long since accepted death, he didn't want to end up like that.
And after the silver needle entered his body, he could feel the changes immediately.
He could no longer mobilize his chakra. While sealing techniques could also accomplish this, it was unimaginable that a mere silver needle could have such an effect.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. His immediate concern was how Kawaki Aoba would deal with him and the clan members trapped in the secret passage.
As for resistance—what could the Hyuga clan use to resist now?
Kawaki Aoba dragged the Second Elder, who was barely clinging to life, out from the room, leading Hiashi Hyuga along with him.
Outside, Kawaki Aoba's subordinates were facing off against the Hyuga clan's ninjas, and the atmosphere was charged with tension.
They had all heard the Second Elder's agonizing scream.
Had Hiashi Hyuga not given orders in advance, they would have rushed in to investigate the situation long ago.
But now, seeing the Second Elder's pitiful state, the ninjas could no longer hold back. One by one, they prepared to attack.
At this moment, Hiashi Hyuga immediately wanted to step forward and stop them, for he knew that even if more ordinary ninjas surrounded Kawaki Aoba, they would only be courting death.
However, someone was faster than him.
It was Kawaki Aoba.
The power of the Tenseigan in his sky-blue eyes surged, and the next moment, a vast pressure spread from his body, enveloping all the Hyuga ninjas present.
Tenseigan · Pressure.
When the Byakugan evolved into the Tenseigan, the energy of the eyes increased dramatically. Now, facing the ordinary Byakugan, the Tenseigan had an overwhelming advantage.
Those who had planned to rush forward were all deterred by the immense pressure. Their Byakugan trembled, instinctively warning them to stop, not to resist.
For those born with the Byakugan, the power of the Tenseigan was something they could not defy.
This wasn't about strength—it was an instinct driven by their genetics.
Kawaki Aoba stood above, looking down at the gathered ninjas.
"The foundation of your Hyuga clan is truly deep. There are still so many ninjas within the clan grounds."
Hiashi Hyuga remained silent. The Hyuga clan's foundation was indeed strong, something even small families would struggle to achieve over a century of development. But hadn't they reached this point?
Hiashi Hyuga couldn't help but reflect—why had their Hyuga clan come to this?
Was it merely because they had offended Kawaki Aoba?
Hiashi Hyuga felt... it wasn't entirely that simple.
Though Kawaki Aoba was terrifying, the root cause was still a problem within the Hyuga clan. Otherwise, the enemy wouldn't have been able to exploit the situation.
The Caged Bird Curse—that was the fundamental reason for their clan's downfall.
Although Hiashi Hyuga didn't know the full truth, he couldn't help but think this was the key.
The existence of the Caged Bird Curse had saved Kawaki Aoba much effort. It could even be considered a shortcut.
While Kawaki Aoba could have used other means, the Caged Bird Curse had indeed made his job far easier.
"Aoba, release the others. Gather all the Hyuga branch family members. I will modify the Caged Bird Curse Seal on their foreheads."
"But don't force those who are unwilling to modify it. If there are any who want to be buried with the clan, let them go. We won't stop them."
Kawaki Aoba instructed Qingke once again.
The latter responded and left, but Hiashi Hyuga, who was beside him, along with the Hyuga branch family members below who were stunned and unable to move, were all struck by lightning.
What did they just hear? Modify the Caged Bird Curse Seal?
How was that possible? Could it really be done?
Especially Hiashi Hyuga, who, upon hearing this, was struck by a sudden realization. His body shook violently, and he stared at Kawaki Aoba's pair of sky-blue Tenseigan with horror.
When they had first met, although Hiashi had been surprised by Kawaki Aoba's transplanted eyes, he had simply been curious. With Kawaki Aoba's status, finding a pair of compatible eyes was nothing remarkable.
But now, linking it to what Kawaki had just said, and recalling vague records from certain ancient family texts, Hiashi could not help but overthink.
"Could this be the eye after the Byakugan has evolved?" Hiashi Hyuga blurted out.
Hiashi had guessed the truth, and Kawaki Aoba didn't plan to deny it.
He even raised his hand and used Almighty Push to draw a Hyuga branch family ninja toward him. He removed the forehead protector from the ninja's head, then used his pupil power to modify the Caged Bird Curse Seal on the forehead.
The process was smooth and seamless, completed in an instant. Kawaki Aoba suspected that the original Caged Bird Curse Seal had been based on the pupil power of the Tenseigan. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to modify, and the peculiarities of the Caged Bird Curse Seal seemed to support this theory.
The sinister nature of the Caged Bird Curse Seal wasn't just in its external mark—it was imprinted on the soul.
Beyond the Tenseigan's power, which bordered on Six Paths-level abilities, Kawaki Aoba could think of nothing else that could alter the Caged Bird Curse Seal in such a way.
He didn't believe for a second that the Hyuga clan had developed the Caged Bird Curse Seal based solely on their own abilities.
However, the former Uzumaki clan might have had a hand in it, albeit with only a slight possibility.
"The Caged Bird Curse Seal has been modified," Kawaki Aoba announced. "The manipulation technique has been completely changed by me, and the lines of the seal have shifted from explicit to implicit. As for other details, let others explain it to you later."
The others Kawaki Aoba mentioned soon arrived—specifically, those Hyuga branch family ninjas who had already defected to his side.
When they appeared, everyone was shocked once again.
Hiashi Hyuga watched as those former branch family members, their foreheads now smooth and unmarked, explained the situation to the others. His heart was filled with a mix of emotions.
When he overheard words like "main family," "betrayal," and "abandonment," his face went pale, and he desperately wished he could disappear on the spot.
He knew, in that moment, that they were finished. Kawaki Aoba had already dealt the fatal blow to their hearts.
Hiashi Hyuga, overwhelmed, briefly considered suicide.
But as he gazed at Kawaki Aoba, a new possibility crossed his mind, and a glimmer of hope sparked in his heart.
Kawaki Aoba noticed Hiashi Hyuga's strong emotions and turned his attention to him. Could it be that, even now, Hiashi Hyuga had a plan?
It turned out, he did.
Hiashi Hyuga eagerly asked, "Elder Aoba, do you want to become the head of the Hyuga clan?"
Kawaki Aoba: ? ? ?
What did he just hear?
"You heard me right," Hiashi pressed, "I'm asking if you want to become the head of the Hyuga clan. Your eyes are the evolved Byakugan, and you have the ability to modify the Caged Bird Curse Seal. You have the strength and skill to lead the Hyuga clan to its peak. With the clan's resources, we can help you rise. Come, become the head of our clan. As for the main family members… Don't you want revenge? It doesn't matter if you kill us all."
Kawaki Aoba stared at Hiashi Hyuga, speechless.
"What do you think I'm doing right now? Aren't I taking revenge? And do you think your Hyuga clan has the power to resist me now? Even if I don't become the head of the Hyuga clan, would your clan dare to oppose me? The Hyuga name means nothing to me. It actually disgusts me. So stop with these futile hopes, and wait for your judgment from fate."
Hiashi Hyuga's suggestion was, in hindsight, quite absurd. However, as the head of the Hyuga clan, such delusions might have been expected.
Ignoring Hiashi's disappointment, Kawaki Aoba fully unleashed the power of his Tenseigan and began modifying the Caged Bird Curse Seals on the branch family ninjas' foreheads.
Those who had arrived to witness the event were also included. Kawaki Aoba treated all of them equally, as long as they were willing to accept the change.
This also included some Hyuga outsiders who had been marked by the Caged Bird Curse Seal in recent years, a consequence of Kawaki Aoba's butterfly effect on the clan.
Had they known this would happen a few years ago, would they still have chosen to join the Hyuga clan, attracted by the faint bloodline of the Hyuga?
Though many were reluctant, they had no choice but to accept the change. The original Caged Bird Curse Seal was far too dangerous—a ticking time bomb that could detonate at any moment.
Even though it was now controlled by Kawaki Aoba, it was still safer than before. After all, Kawaki Aoba was the Hokage Assistant in Konoha Village, and though his reputation had recently taken a hit, he held great power.
Among the people affected, there was a third group that Kawaki Aoba referred to as the stubborn ones. In the eyes of others, however, they were already doomed.
These were the branch family ninjas who refused to let Kawaki Aoba modify their Caged Bird Curse Seals, no matter what.
Without a doubt, these individuals were the brainwashed loyalists.
Seeing Hiashi Hyuga under Kawaki Aoba's control, they charged at him without hesitation.
The result was inevitable—a Caged Bird Curse Seal served.
After rendering them powerless, Kawaki Aoba no longer paid attention to these fanatics. He had no need to argue with those already marked for death.
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