Public Opinion * An Idea

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Izuna got up as usual.

After washing up and changing into comfortable training clothes, I went for my routine morning run and knife practice.

After finishing his basic training, he strolled towards the Uchiha Clan Compound's public Training Ground, Rice Ball he'd grabbed from the kitchen, still dangling from his mouth.

Before officially starting my day's paperwork, I plan to stretch my muscles and give some pointers to the energetic youngsters in the clan.

Ah, what a life of toil. He ate his Rice Ball listlessly, wandering around in the morning mist like a lazy bum.

As he walked, he keenly noticed the hushed conversations of early risers along the roadside.

Although this is still within the Uchiha Clan Compound, everyone already knows what happened last night.

"Last night... Hyuga... Lord Izuna..."

"Too strong... it's not even in the same league..."

"Taijutsu... monster..."

Even Byakugan...

"As expected of Lord Izuna..."

Public opinion is spreading pretty quickly.

Izuna couldn't hear the specifics, but the fragmented sentences were enough for him to understand the current situation.

He stuffed the Rice Ball into his mouth in a few bites, chewed it, and swallowed. He then slowed his pace, seemingly lost in thought.

People's attention was surprisingly focused on his "strength" rather than on discrediting Hyuga Weakness.

He was still thinking that he had gone too far this time, and if he wanted to get involved in the Hyuga Clan's affairs, he might have to wait a while.

Now...

He'd be a fool not to seize the opportunity!

He turned and quickly headed towards the Hokage Building in the center of the village.

On the way, he vaguely heard someone calling him from behind.

But Izuna was preoccupied with the plan that had just flashed through his mind, and in his hurried steps, he didn't notice that the person had disappeared around the corner.

Senju Yūki watched as Izuna swept past like a gust of wind, not even sparing him a glance. His outstretched hand froze in mid-air, a look of utter defeat on his face.

He clenched his fists, his shoulders slumped. "Ah... they got away..."

Izuna traveled swiftly and soon arrived at the Hokage Building.

He didn't linger and went straight to Hashirama, who was discussing something with Tobirama.

Izuna pushed open the door and entered. "Hashirama- kun!"

Hashirama looked up and was taken aback when he saw him. "Izuna? So early?" He thought that given Izuna's personality, after fighting yesterday, he would probably be a little lazy today.

Tobirama put down the scroll in his hand, his crimson eyes sweeping over Izuna, his brows furrowing slightly. His intuition told him that this guy coming so early couldn't be anything good.

"I'd like to strike while the iron is hot and visit the Hyuga Clan again," Izuna, getting straight to the point.

Hashirama: "Huh?"

He was a little confused by Izuna's leap of thought.

You just beat up their entire clan's elite Taijutsu practitioners yesterday, and now you're showing up again?

Tobirama's brow twitched; he knew it!

"Izuna," he said curtly, his tone clearly disapproving, "Although I admit you did a fairly good job last night... and didn't really cause an uncontrollable situation."

"But if you visit them now, regardless of the pretext, it's easily interpreted as further pressure or interference. This won't help ease tensions or promote internal changes within the Hyuga; it will only exacerbate the conflict."

"Huh? I'm not going to interfere in their dirty dealings." Izuna waved his hand, pulled up a chair, and sat down. "I'm going to offer help."

"Help?" Hashirama and Tobirama looked at him at the same time, and even Madara, who was originally dealing with his own documents, raised his head and looked at his younger brother.

"Yes, help." Izuna leaned forward, placing his hands clasped on the table, his expression turning serious. "You know that the Hyuga has a Main Family Branch Family, right?"

The three nodded. This was common knowledge in the Shinobi World.

"Do you know why there's such a strict distinction? Besides protecting the Byakugan bloodline from leaking out and maintaining the authority of the Main Family?" Izuna continued to ask.

Tobirama frowned and replied, "The Caged Bird Seal. The Main Family can control the Branch Family through the Cursed Seal, and the Byakugan will automatically be destroyed when a member of the Branch Family dies."

"Although it's somewhat cruel, it's a wise move for Kekkei Genkai that can be stolen. Every clan in the Shinobi World with even a little influence knows this."

"It's not just because of those things." Izuna shook his head. "Besides control and security, there's another crucial reason behind the Main Family's Branch Family system."

"What's the reason?" Hashirama couldn't help but ask.

Izuna looked at them mysteriously and lowered his voice. "After the members of the Branch Family are marked with the Caged Bird Seal, there will be a blind spot of about one degree on the back of their neck, centered on the Cursed Seal. Their Byakugan cannot see that area."

After he finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the room.

Tobirama's crimson pupils contracted slightly.

The relaxed expression on Hashirama's face vanished.

Even Madara put down his pen completely, his gaze sharp as he looked at Izuna.

This information... is too specific, and too devastating.

This is something that outsiders could never easily know.

This is no longer just a family secret; it's fatal intelligence concerning the fundamental flaw in the clan's Kekkei Genkai and the greatest weakness of all Branch Family members in battle.

No member of the Branch Family, no matter how close they are to their teammates, would ever reveal this weakness.

They would do everything in their power to cover it up, using experience and teamwork to compensate for this blind spot in battle, and would never reveal it until their dying breath.

Izuna... how did he know?

Hashirama and Madara stared at Izuna, trying to find the answer in his face.

Tobirama stood up abruptly, his crimson eyes fixed on Izuna.

Izuna was completely unaware of the turmoil raging within the three of them.

In his understanding, this is just one of the basic settings of "Naruto", common knowledge that any veteran Hokage knows by heart.

He forgot that he only learned these "common sense" facts as the story unfolded back when he was following the manga.

He spoke these words as if they were perfectly natural, but to others, it seemed as if he already knew all the secrets and was used to it.

Completely oblivious to the somber atmosphere in the room, Izuna continued talking to himself.

"So, if we can solve that blind spot problem and remove the functions that control and punish Branch Family separation of the Branch Family, leaving only the most basic function of 'protecting the Byakugan from being taken away,' then the Caged Bird Seal Cursed Seal isn't actually unacceptable."

He even wrinkled his nose and added, "Oh, and the design of that Cursed Seal, it would be best to change that too."

"A cross-shaped symbol on the forehead... that's so ugly, it affects the appearance. Even if it's a protective Cursed Seal, it could have been designed to be more artistic."

Hashirama, Tobirama, Madara: "..."

Is this... a matter of being ugly or not?!

Shouldn't the key question be, how did you come to know such top-secret information?!

Tobirama pressed his throbbing temples, suppressing the urge to press for the source of the information.

He vaguely realized that pressing for answers might not yield the real answers, but would only make the mystery surrounding Uchiha Izuna even more perplexing.

He decided to first focus on the question that Izuna had raised.

"... Even if, as you say, the blind spots and control issues can be resolved," Tobirama said, "Modifying a Cursed Seal that has been passed down for thousands of years is far more complex and risky than you can imagine. Moreover, the Hyuga Clan may not be willing to accept outside interference."

Izuna glanced at him.

"I'm not going to personally change their Cursed Seals."

"What I mean is, to raise this possibility and provide some ideas and directions. How to implement it is their Hyuga business."

"Doesn't their tribe have any talented people who study Cursed Seals and Sealing Jutsu? Surely they do. Whether they leave or not is their own choice."

He paused, his eyes sharpening slightly. "But if they're not even willing to try, and continue to cling to that flawed and controlling old cursed Cursed Seal... then the Hyuga Clan are probably numbered."

"I proved a lot to them in last night's battle."

The room fell silent again. Izuna's words, though direct and even somewhat cruel, were undeniably reasonable.

"Furthermore," Izuna changed the subject, bringing up a new topic, "I think the Hyuga Clan's attack methods might need to be changed."

Tobirama: "... You want to change someone's attack method?"

"Of course!" Izuna said matter-of-factly, even gesturing excitedly, "Don't you think it's a shame? Such powerful Byakugan, able to see through things, see through meridians and acupoints, and see 800 miles away."

"And the result? Their attack range was mostly limited to close-range Gentle Fist."

Tobirama rubbed his temples. "They have the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm."

Upon hearing this, Izuna revealed a very subtle expression.

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm?" Izuna repeated, his tone clearly showing disdain. "How far is that thing's effective attack range? Is the Chakra consumption proportional to its power? The activation animation is obvious, the trajectory is predictable, and the range is just so-so. Apart from sneak attacks and finishing blows, how practical is it in high-intensity head-on combat?"

A barrage of questions rained down on him, Tobirama fell silent. He had to admit that while Izuna's criticism was sharp, it was not without merit.

In the Hyuga's tactical system, the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm is indeed more of a support and deterrent than a primary means of offensive capability.

"What?" Tobirama raised his eyes, a hint of inquiry flashing Tobirama his crimson gaze. "Judging from your tone, you have a better way?"

Of course!