"Hyuga Neji!"
Another hot-tempered elder beside him, unable to hold back after hearing Neji's statement, shouted sternly, "Don't get too carried away! The clan has already made an exception and allowed you to be promoted to the Main Family—what an honor that is! What more do you want? Don't push your luck!"
The answer to that question was exactly what Neji intended to say next.
Neji's gaze swept over every Branch Family member present, all holding their breaths. He spoke clearly, one word at a time. "What I want isn't for me personally to become part of the Main Family."
"What I want is for the Caged Bird curse marks on every Branch Family member to be removed! I want the unequal rules between the Main Family and Branch Family abolished!"
The moment those words were spoken, the entire council hall fell briefly silent.
The Main Family members went pale. The words they feared most had now been openly voiced by Neji.
An older-looking elder, apparently hoping to reason with him, slowly stepped forward. In a grave tone, he said, "Neji, it's good for young people to have drive, but there are some things you may not fully understand... The original purpose of the Caged Bird system was primarily to keep the Byakugan from falling into outsiders' hands, and—"
"Enough!"
Neji abruptly cut him off, his voice filled with long-suppressed fury. "I've heard those words countless times since I was little! Protect the Byakugan? Prevent outsiders from stealing it? Is that supposed to justify dividing clan members into ranks and making one group enslave another forever?"
The elder's face flushed red at those words, yet he persisted. "No, I'm not referring only to outsiders stealing it. This is a rumor I heard from an elder who lived through the Warring