There was no pained howl. Neji barely felt anything at all as the Caged Bird mark rapidly faded beneath the white glow.
"Mm~"
About two minutes later, Neji let out a relieved sigh.
"How does it feel?"
Yamei looked at Neji's forehead. The Caged Bird mark had completely vanished, but he still could not be certain.
"It worked! The removal was successful!!"
Neji closed his eyes to sense it, his face overflowing with delight. "This is great! I... I feel so much lighter all over! I no longer feel restrained!"
With excited eyes, he gave Yamei a deep bow. "Thank you, Yamei! You've given me a chance at a new life!"
Yamei stepped forward to help Neji up, smiling as he spoke. "You'd better not let anyone know that the Caged Bird has been removed. Of course, if you're willing to defect from the village, then forget I said anything."
Neji's eyes flickered. "Then I..."
"I don't approve of you defecting from the village yet." Yamei shook his head and cut him off, his gaze fixed on the vast expanse of Konoha. "I still need you to assist me in Konoha."
Neji's expression turned solemn. "I will devote myself completely!"
"Mm-hmm." Yamei was very satisfied with Neji's response. He took a little red booklet from his robe and handed it to him.
"When you have time, study the meaning within it properly. When I need you to, spread the ideas contained inside."
Ambition gleamed in Yamei's eyes.
Conquering the ninja world through force would indeed be quick, but was a ninja world conquered through force what Yamei wanted?
It was not!
A forced unification where no one recognized one another would only fall apart again in the end!
So, Yamei chose to first unify them ideologically!
He would spend two