The True God

"Don't believe me? There are actually many ways to resolve the Caged Bird. I can prove it to you..."

Before Daren Yi could finish, Neji raised his head and looked directly into his eyes, cutting him off.

"There's no need. I believe you!"

What kind of eyes were those? Daren Yi did not know how to describe them.

Hope, trust, excitement, anticipation... Those eyes held so, so many things. They glittered and shone, like a tender sprout of hope suddenly growing from the ashes of despair. The more vibrant its life was, the more it made one want to cry.

"So the Caged Bird Curse Mark can be resolved directly? That's much better than the method I came up with before..."

Neji exclaimed with a face full of anticipation, seemingly setting down a great burden from his heart.

"What method had you thought of before?" Daren Yi asked curiously.

"...Find a way to contact reliable powerful outsiders, launch a surprise attack and kill every member of the Main Family, then kill everyone who knows how to use the Caged Bird Curse Mark. Then naturally, there won't be a problem anymore.

I got the inspiration from something you said as a joke while we were chatting. If you can't solve the problem, then solve the people who created the problem."

Little Neji seemed somewhat embarrassed as he added, "I'll leave Hinata alive. She's innocent."

Daren Yi was speechless. The Naruto World really did have plenty of problem children. This was another potential great "filial son" of the Hyuga Clan—wipe out the Main Family and leave behind his sister Hinata.

It corresponded perfectly to Itachi Uchiha, who wiped out the Uchiha and left behind his younger brother Sasuke. He should change his name to "Hyuga Itachi" before acting, for good luck!

After taking a sip of tea to calm his nerves, Daren Yi was about to continue when he suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Do people in the Hyuga Compound also go around peeping everywhere with their Byakugan in the middle of the night? Is that appropriate?"

Neji was first taken aback, then understood. His face darkened as he said, "The branch family isn't allowed to, but the Main Family is!"

After his brief happiness that morning, Hyuga Hiashi began to worry deeply. To be honest, in all his years, he had never encountered such a strange situation. He was completely at a loss, unable even to decide which side he should stand with.

Support the Third Hokage? But there was simply too much damning dirt exposed about Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Shisui Uchiha was absurdly powerful. If the Hyuga were treated as Hiruzen Sarutobi's lackeys and wiped out alongside him, that would be far too miserable...

Support Shisui Uchiha? But what if Hiruzen Sarutobi, that deeply calculating old fox with who knew how many trump cards hidden away, managed to turn things around? With how ruthless and black-hearted he was, the Hyuga Clan might die even more miserably...

In the end, the Hyuga Clan was simply too weak. Before such extraordinary power, no number of ordinary Jonin meant anything. He did not even know whether the Caged Bird, which protected and restrained the Hyuga Clan, was right or wrong...

It was already late at night, but as clan head, Hyuga Hiashi was still too worried to sleep. After once again ordering the branch family ninja responsible for guarding the compound to remain vigilant and diligent, he decided to take a casual walk around the compound to clear his mind.

He subconsciously activated his Byakugan and glanced toward the room where his nephew Neji lived. He had just discovered that there was an unfamiliar person there when, in the next instant, terror descended!

"Rumble!"

Hyuga Hiashi seemed to hear a thunderclap that resounded only within his consciousness. An incomparable spiritual pressure crossed several kilometers and bore down upon him.

His consciousness seemed to fall into an abyssal sea in an instant, unable to move. Cold, lonely, as though he had been completely cut off from the human world in that moment, unable to send out the slightest message.

And in the distance, within his spiritual senses, an "Ancient Giant Beast" tens of thousands of feet tall opened its eyes and coldly watched him, a tiny ant.

Countless trillions of beings surrounding that majestic existence chanted praises and prayers through the void. "Welcome the descent of the Ancestor of Shamate!" "Praise, praise the great Ancestor of Shamate!" "The spirit of Shamate is immortal; the Ancestor of Shamate shall never die"...

What kind of existence was this? It was simply a true god. Before sensing such an existence, ninja had been accustomed to using gods to describe the strong. But now, faced with an existence so supreme and noble, whose spirit was so magnificent that it seemed connected to the consciousness of all humanity—

Hyuga Hiashi finally understood what a true god was!

An understanding arose in his heart. He should not have used his Byakugan to perceive such a god. Before an existence like this—

When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you...

"Don't disturb the others. Come alone!"

In his daze, a ripple of emotion seemed to deliver that message directly into his mind. Hyuga Hiashi shook his head.

With a bitter smile, he watched the departing patrol of guard ninja. Every one of them remained solemn and attentive, occasionally even making way for the "Hyuga Hiashi who did not exist," opening doors and respectfully escorting "the air" away.

They had not noticed at all that they had left their clan head behind on the road...

"What is real? What is illusion? Before a god, humanity's free will is actually so insignificant!"

With a long sigh, Hyuga Hiashi accepted reality. Before an existence like that, even if the entire Hyuga Clan were piled together, they would not be enough for him to kill. Perhaps dying completely would itself be a blessing.

So, he obediently yielded to his heart and walked alone toward the courtyard where Neji lived.

Upon reaching the courtyard gate, he knocked gently and with exceptional politeness. He had repeatedly considered and weighed even the force and frequency of his knocking along the way.

It had to be just right. He absolutely could not cause that Lord God any annoyance...

"Come in. Just sit."

After entering, Hyuga Hiashi kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart. Every movement he made emphasized obedient quietness. Only after sitting at the side of the tea table did he dare raise his head to look at Daren Yi.

Strange. He seemed to have some impression of this Lord God's appearance?

Neji had remained quietly seated, but now he spoke to Daren Yi with undisguised shock. "I knew you had hidden a great deal of your strength, but looking at it now, even the limits of my imagination were far too low!"

Daren Yi smiled. His finger lightly tapped the rim of his teacup as he briefly explained the situation to Hyuga Hiashi. "You have heard of Shamate, right? I am the Ancestor of Shamate, the source of Shamate in this world.

I came to the Hyuga Clan to invite Neji Hyuga to become an official member of the Shamate Organization. The payment is helping him remove the Caged Bird Curse Mark. Of course, the prerequisite is that he first passes the organization's assessment.

The last official member to join was Shisui Uchiha. Neji also has the potential to reach that level! Possessing strength equal to a Perfect Susanoo is the minimum standard for joining the organization as an official member!"

Hyuga Hiashi's breathing quickened. Lowering his head, he asked respectfully, "Did Shisui reach that level of strength with the organization's help? Can members of the Hyuga Clan who join the organization also reach such heights?"