Grafting and Substitution

"..."

A black-robed figure appeared and gently placed a sphere of light into Hiashi Hyuga's chest. Hizashi Hyuga's pupils contracted.

Especially when he saw that Hiashi Hyuga was utterly incapable of resisting, his entire body frozen in place, with only the fear in his Byakugan proving that he remained conscious, Hizashi could not help but shudder at such an eerie method.

"My lord."

He respectfully lowered his head, paused, and moistened his dry lips. "May I ask, my lord, how do you intend to deal with Hiashi Hyuga next?"

The black figure who appeared here was naturally Hyuga Yunchuan, who had long been lying in wait. The one outside was merely a Shadow Clone.

The plan had gone off without a hitch. Overwhelmed by countless complicated emotions, Hiashi Hyuga had not noticed him at all, allowing Yunchuan to dig into his chest with ease.

"It seems you still can't bear to kill him?" Hyuga Yunchuan gave Hizashi a deep look.

"No, that's not it." Hizashi Hyuga hurriedly shook his head and explained, "I'm not familiar enough with Hiashi Hyuga's habits and mannerisms, so I'm worried my disguise might have flaws. If it affects your plan..."

Hyuga Yunchuan did not care how much selfishness lay behind his words. He pulled his hand out of Hiashi Hyuga's chest.

Ignoring Hizashi Hyuga's uncertain, startled gaze, he untied the bandages around Hiashi Hyuga's forehead and handed them to Hizashi. In an even tone, he said, "Take off your Forehead Protector and put it on him. Use the bandages to cover your Curse Mark."

Hizashi Hyuga finally noticed the scar on Hiashi's forehead. Countless guesses flooded his mind, filling him with horror.

At that moment, Hiashi Hyuga, who still retained consciousness, gradually realized what Hizashi and the black-robed man behind him intended to do.

This man actually wanted Hizashi Hyuga to replace him?!

Hiashi Hyuga's pupils trembled slightly as bone-deep cold nearly swallowed him whole.

When had this begun?

Who exactly was this man? Someone from Kumogakure, or someone else entirely?

Could even the Kumogakure ninja cutting his forehead with a Kunai have been part of the plan?!

If that Kumogakure ninja had not cut his forehead, he would not have wrapped the wound in bandages, and Hizashi would not have been able to use those bandages to perfectly conceal the Caged Bird Cursed Seal on his forehead...

The more Hiashi Hyuga and Hizashi Hyuga thought about it, the more frightened they became. However, the latter felt more lingering fear and relief—relief that he had recognized the situation and chosen the right path.

This was no longer merely a conspiracy.

They had been treated like marionettes and toyed with completely.

Everyone, including Kumogakure, Konoha's higher-ups, and the Hyuga Clan, had been played in the palm of his hand.

"Don't worry. He'll only enter a state of false death."

After Hizashi tied the Forehead Protector around Hiashi's head, Hyuga Yunchuan finally answered calmly, "His consciousness is still thinking, but his body is no longer under his control. He has become my Puppet."

Hearing that, Hizashi Hyuga, who was lifting the bandages to cover his Curse Mark, could not help but freeze.

But he quickly thought of something, and his heart clenched.

Didn't that mean that if he lost his value, this lord could personally control Hiashi Hyuga and replace him at any time?

"But..." Hizashi Hyuga hesitated. "What about Kumogakure..."

"That isn't something you need to concern yourself with." Before he could finish, Hyuga Yunchuan interrupted, "You only need to play your role well."

With that, he extended two fingers. Chakra surged through his body as he used the Chakra Scalpel to gouge out Hiashi's eyes.

Squelch.

Two bloody Byakugan were gouged out, and Hyuga Yunchuan tucked them into his clothes.

With this, including the eyes of that Main Branch member he had tricked Orochimaru into killing earlier, Hyuga Yunchuan now possessed three Byakugan.

However, what the Caged Bird Cursed Seal destroyed was the brain nerves—namely, the nerves connected to the Byakugan. It did not directly destroy the Branch Family's Byakugan.

Once the Curse Mark was activated, the Byakugan would go blind rather than disappear.

That was also why Hyuga Riwo and the others were so confident that Kumogakure would not notice anything amiss too soon.

To avoid exposure, Hyuga Yunchuan took out supplies left behind by Orochimaru and replaced Hiashi's eyes with a pair of blind Branch Family Byakugan.

Hizashi Hyuga watched the entire process firsthand. While growing increasingly awed by Hyuga Yunchuan's methods, he also looked at Hiashi with a trace of pity.

As the proud head of the Main Branch, he had now had his Byakugan gouged out, was about to be replaced by a Branch Family member like him, and would ultimately become a Puppet stripped of all freedom...

At that thought, an unhealthy flush appeared on Hizashi Hyuga's face.

Brother, can you now truly understand the despair and pain of the Branch Family?

In truth, Hiashi Hyuga was indeed experiencing it at that moment—the despair, helplessness, regret, and pain of having his fate controlled against his will.

Everything that had happened today had dealt such a tremendous blow to his mind that it nearly broke this clan head.

Especially after hearing that he would remain in this state forever, Hiashi had begun silently screaming in his heart, Kill me.

He would rather have died at the hands of Kumogakure than become a Puppet incapable of controlling his own fate.

But it was no longer up to him.

From the moment he had decided, as the Main Branch head, to abandon Hizashi Hyuga, he had forfeited any right to regret it.

Now, Hizashi was merely repeating what he had done to him.

"My lord."

At that moment, Hizashi Hyuga suddenly knelt down and pressed his forehead to the ground in a deep bow. His plain-colored robe spread across the floor as he respectfully asked, "Forgive my boldness, but I have yet to ask for your honored name..."

Unlike before, when the Curse Mark had forced him to show respect toward the Main Branch, Hizashi Hyuga now knelt in sincere awe of this lord.

"My honored name?"

Hyuga Yunchuan lowered his gaze slightly, looking down at Hizashi Hyuga kneeling before him. Slowly, he said, "I haven't used my true name in a long time. But speaking of which, your Hyuga Clan could be considered kin to me."

Hearing this, Hizashi Hyuga, whose gaze remained lowered to the ground, froze. He had not expected this lord to have ties to the Hyuga Clan.

"My surname," Hyuga Yunchuan said softly, "is Ōtsutsuki."

A stir that seemed to come from the depths of his bloodline made Hizashi Hyuga lower his head even further, though his eyes flickered as he searched through his memories.

The Ōtsutsuki Clan?

Was there such a ninja clan in the Ninja World?

Could it be some reclusive clan hidden from the world?

He did not doubt Hyuga Yunchuan's lie in the slightest. He even felt that his own knowledge was inadequate and planned to search the ancient records once this was over.

[Ding!]

[Your lie, [Ōtsutsuki Yunshi], has been judged as [Grafting]. Hizashi Hyuga has experienced emotional fluctuations and reached the level of [Complete Belief]. You have gained 1,000 Reality Points.]

[Remaining Reality Points: 11651]

Hearing the system notification in his mind, Hyuga Yunchuan subconsciously raised an eyebrow.

Was that the power of the Ōtsutsuki Clan?

He had merely borrowed the surname, yet he had gained 1,000 points.

It seemed this lie still held tremendous value.

Click.

The door opened.

Hizashi Hyuga emerged with a numb expression, carrying Hiashi Hyuga's "corpse" in his arms.

He held a Scroll in his hand, while Hiashi's body was covered with a white cloth.

Of course, in the eyes of Hyuga Riwo, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and the others, it was "Hiashi Hyuga" carrying the corpse of "Hizashi Hyuga" out.

"Hiashi, have you already used the Curse Mark to destroy the Byakugan?" The cautious Hyuga Riwo still asked.

Hizashi Hyuga gently placed Hiashi's "corpse" on the ground. He kept his head lowered and did not answer Hyuga Riwo's question, but Hyuga Riwo only assumed that he was too grief-stricken to respond.

He simply bent down, lifted the white cloth from the "corpse," and pried open its eyelids to inspect the dim Byakugan. The old man's taut face finally relaxed slightly, and he turned to nod at the Main Branch Elder behind him.

At that, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.