A Caged Bird Becoming the Target of Public Criticism

After finishing a dinner of instant noodles with boiled eggs, Hyuga Ritsu remained in Hiruko's tent to rest, while Hiruko went out to pull some strings. He was going to find the supreme commander in charge of the eastern front, none other than the infamous "Sannin" Orochimaru.

Hiruko and Orochimaru were classmates.

To be precise, Hiruko and all three Sannin were classmates, having once studied together at the Ninja Academy.

But if the Sannin were phoenixes perched on a branch, then Hiruko was the sparrow squatting on a nearby branch just for contrast. The reason Hiruko violated the village's prohibitions and secretly dabbled in the forbidden Chimera Technique was that he couldn't stand being a drab, unnoticed sparrow for his entire life.

However, in Hyuga Ritsu's view, Teacher Hiruko underestimated himself.

Whether he could compare to the Sannin was one thing, but just looking at how he had refined the Chimera Technique from creating half-beasts to its current state of usurping five Kekkei Genkai for his own use was enough to show how extraordinary his talent and intellect were. Ordinary people, let alone improving a forbidden jutsu, couldn't even learn one properly if they tried.

"Caged Bird!"

Hyuga Ritsu removed his forehead protector and took out a small mirror, holding it up before his eyes. The reflection in the mirror showed an "X"-shaped mark on his forehead.

This was the Caged Bird Seal, implanted by the Main House when he was three years old.

Gently rubbing the pad of his right index finger over the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead, Hyuga Ritsu's heartbeat quickened slightly. From the moment the Caged Bird Seal was placed on him, he had been thinking about removing this ugly, disgusting thing, like a slave brand.

For that reason, he had gone to great lengths to get close to Hiruko and became his disciple at the age of six.

In truth, his original target was Orochimaru, the greatest scientist in the shinobi world. The Caged Bird Seal had been passed down for a thousand years without ever being broken, showing just how formidable this curse technique was. If anyone in the shinobi world today had the best chance of cracking the Caged Bird Seal, Hyuga Ritsu, as a reincarnator, believed that person was Orochimaru.

But Orochimaru, being one of the Sannin, was simply too difficult to approach. He was merely a Branch House descendant of the Hyuga Clan. Though he had a reputation as a genius, he was too young and too low in status to ever get close to Orochimaru.

With no other choice, he settled for the next best thing and set his sights on Hiruko, who seemed like just an ordinary jonin.

In the movie, Hiruko, with his improved Chimera Technique, had successfully usurped four Kekkei Genkai and gathered them into himself. According to his own claims, if he could obtain a fifth Kekkei Genkai, he might even achieve an immortal body.

Of course, whether that immortal body was real or not was hard to verify, so it was difficult to say.

But Hyuga Ritsu didn't expect to achieve an immortal body through this forbidden jutsu. As long as it could erase the Caged Bird Seal, that was enough.

After Hyuga Ritsu became his disciple, Hiruko conducted in-depth research and confirmed that the foundation of the Caged Bird Seal was the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai. There were two ways to break the Caged Bird Seal. One was to surpass the curse technique's creator in curse technique mastery and develop a method to undo it. But that ancestor of the Hyuga Clan was also a genius of unparalleled talent, and the Caged Bird curse was so profound and complex that Hiruko admitted he might not be able to create a counter-curse even if he spent his entire life on it.

Fortunately, there was another method, to remove the foundation.

The foundation of the Caged Bird Seal was the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai. If the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai could be altered in some way, the Caged Bird Seal would immediately become a tree without roots, water without a source, and would dissolve on its own without needing to be undone.

Coincidentally, the Chimera Technique improved by Hiruko was a forbidden jutsu specifically targeting Kekkei Genkai.

It was indeed possible to use the Chimera Technique to break the Caged Bird Seal.

"Finally, there's a chance to get rid of this thing."

Hyuga Ritsu murmured to himself.

"Ah Ritsu, what did you say?"

Hiruko pushed aside the tent flap and walked in.

"Just a little emotional."

Hyuga Ritsu picked up his forehead protector and tied it back around his forehead. Looking at his teacher as he approached, he noticed the document in his hand. "Teacher, is it done?"

"It was just a word from Orochimaru."

Hiruko handed the document to Hyuga Ritsu and watched as his beloved disciple opened it and carefully read through it. He spoke up, "Before I left, Orochimaru told me something. The loss of Hyuga Daisho's Byakugan has caused an uproar in the village. The Hyuga Clan Head, Hyuga Hiashi, is personally on his way to the eastern front."

"Only Clan Head Hiashi?"

"Rumor has it that several Main House members and a number of Branch House guards are accompanying him."

"They're not coming with good intentions!"

Hyuga Ritsu said without looking up.

"That's right."

Hiruko nodded, his expression rather gloomy. "Orochimaru let a little slip to me. The Main House members of the Hyuga Clan are coming to the front to assign blame. They've claimed at the Hokage Building that someone must take responsibility for the loss of the Main House's Byakugan, and they want to hold the front-line Branch House accountable for being too slow to provide reinforcements. The spearhead is clearly pointed at you, Ah Ritsu."

"Expected."

Hyuga Ritsu's expression was calm, not angered or indignant by this. He simply carefully tucked away the document that Hiruko had helped him obtain.

"Sigh. I was wrong before."

Hiruko let out a helpless sigh.

He hadn't anticipated this mess with the Hyuga Clan at all. He had thought the Hyuga Clan would at least care about face. Ah Ritsu had saved Hyuga Daisho's life. Even if he didn't expect credit, at least when it came to assigning blame, it shouldn't fall on Ah Ritsu's head.

But the result was that these Main House members of the Hyuga Clan had absolutely no sense of shame—or rather, they truly didn't consider Branch House members as their own people. In their hearts, Branch House members might as well be directly equated with servants. For the Main House to punish the Branch House was only natural and justified. As things stood, Ah Ritsu had now become the target of public criticism.

It was also thanks to Orochimaru, out of a bit of old schoolmate sentiment, tipping him off in advance. Otherwise, by the time those people actually reached the front lines, there would be no room left to maneuver.

"Ah Ritsu, leave now. Dodge this whirlpool first. But... there's something you need to understand. If you really use the Chimera Technique to erase the Caged Bird Seal, you'll become a thorn in the Main House's side—a nail in their eye. I know it's not appropriate to say this, but as your teacher, I still want to say: if it truly comes to a point of no return, remember to protect yourself first. Stay far away from danger!"

Hiruko gave his final admonishment.

These words...

Were indeed inappropriate.

Stay far away from danger?

But this danger came from the Main House of the Hyuga Clan. To avoid it meant leaving Konoha, and leaving the village without permission was, in common terms, "defection"!

To be able to say something so treasonous, so contrary to a ninja's moral code—Hiruko truly treated Hyuga Ritsu like his own son.

After a few seconds of silence, Hyuga Ritsu nodded. "Teacher, I understand."

"Go now!"

Hiruko lifted the door curtain and glanced at the darkening sky outside. "Set out now. You should be able to reach our lab by dawn."