"Clan Head, Hinata, Neji, and... Hanabi, we'll meet again soon."
After saying goodbye to Hiashi, Hinata, Neji, and Hanabi, who was hiding in the corner, Chiba's figure once again soared into the sky and gradually vanished from sight.
"Brother Chiba, where is he going?"
Watching the figure on the horizon grow smaller and smaller, Hinata asked in confusion.
"Could it be that even with such tremendous power, Chiba still fears the Main Family's strength?"
Neji was equally puzzled, his expression grave. He had not even properly thanked Chiba for helping him break free from the Caged Bird Mark, yet Chiba had already left the Hyuga Clan?
And if Chiba had truly chosen to leave because he feared the Main Family, that would definitely not be a good thing for Neji.
"No!"
Hiashi shook his head and said, "He left only because this shallow pond known as the Hyuga Clan can no longer contain a hidden dragon like him."
At that moment, several members of the Main Family hurried over with a group from the Branch Family.
One of the Main Family Elders glanced at Neji's clean forehead, now free of the Caged Bird Mark, and his expression immediately darkened. "That bastard Hyuga Chiba really has mastered a way to remove the Caged Bird Mark."
Another Main Family Elder said emotionally, "He is uprooting the Hyuga Clan's foundation of centuries. We absolutely cannot let him go."
"And Neji, along with the Branch Family members whose Caged Bird Marks were removed by Chiba before, must all be branded with the Caged Bird again."
Some members of the Main Family even turned their anger directly on Hiashi, rebuking him, "Hiashi, what kind of Clan Head are you?"
"You actually stood by and watched Hyuga Chiba remove Neji's Caged Bird Mark, then let him leave?"
"I know that because Hyuga Chiba's parents once sacrificed themselves to save your life during the Third Shinobi World War, you have always taken special care of him. But that was the Branch Family's duty in the first place."
"We could overlook it under normal circumstances, but this concerns the Caged Bird. How can you still indulge Hyuga Chiba like this? Are you trying to destroy the Hyuga Clan?"
At this, both Neji and Hinata's expressions changed. They wanted to say something on behalf of Chiba and Hiashi, but Hiashi stopped them with a gesture.
Hiashi's gaze swept across every member of the Main Family before he slowly said, "Hyuga Chiba has awakened the Tenseigan, the legendary dojutsu of the Hyuga Clan. Even I am no longer his match."
"The reason he left now, without helping more members of the Branch Family remove their Caged Bird Marks, was simply because the Hyuga Clan temporarily no longer holds enough value for him."
"But he is ultimately part of the Hyuga Branch Family. One day, he will certainly return and completely change the Hyuga Clan's Caged Bird system."
"If you are not afraid of his future revenge and reckoning, then you may continue treating the Branch Family however you please. You may also send people after him."
"But..." Hiashi moved, completely shielding Neji behind him. His Byakugan activated as well, and the authority of the Clan Head fully erupted at that moment. "Neji is the son of my younger brother, Hizashi."
"Hizashi died in my place. The past is the past, but now that Neji has broken free of the Caged Bird, I will never allow him to be branded with it again."
"If you insist on laying a hand on him, then come prepared to fight to the death!"
"Clan Head!" Neji stared blankly at Hiashi.
There was no denying that after his father had died in Hiashi's place, Neji had always harbored resentment toward him.
But he had never expected Hiashi to go this far just to keep him from being branded with the Caged Bird again.
"Hiashi, do you know what you are doing?"
The Main Family Elders all stared at Hiashi in disbelief.
Though he had never been weak in the past, his firmness this time far exceeded their expectations.
"Hiashi, you will regret this!"
The Main Family Elders were unwilling to truly risk their lives against Hiashi over someone as insignificant as Neji.
Nor did they dare chase after Hyuga Chiba when even Hiashi had admitted he was no match for him. They could only warn Hiashi unwillingly.
"Enough. I am the Clan Head!"
Seeing this, Hiashi remained firm. "If you have nothing else to say, then leave."
The members of the Main Family were furious, but they could only leave indignantly. The last one even slammed the training ground's gates shut with a bang, as if to express his displeasure.
After the Main Family members had all left, Hiashi instructed Hyuga Natsu, the Branch Family maid who had been standing nearby and was responsible for caring for Hinata and Hanabi, "Have the kitchen prepare more food."
"I want to know how much food Hinata needs to truly fill herself."
The moment those words were spoken, Hinata once again transformed into the Steam Princess. If Hiashi had not quickly reached out to support her, she might have fainted from embarrassment.
"Yes, Clan Head!"
Hyuga Natsu answered respectfully, feeling happy for Hinata as well.
As the maid who had always cared for Hinata, she naturally knew that Hinata had never truly eaten her fill.
It was only because of her embarrassment, and because she feared Hiashi's reprimand, that Hinata had always kept Natsu from speaking of it.
But from today onward, Hinata should never need to worry about going hungry again.
Elsewhere!
Outside Hiashi's compound!
"What was that huge noise just now?"
"It seemed to have come from the Hyuga Clan Compound. Could the Hyuga Clan have been attacked?"
"No way. After the Uchiha Clan's destruction, the Hyuga Clan is the strongest clan in Konoha. Who would dare attack them?"
"And the Hyuga Clan has the Byakugan. It's still daytime—what enemy could bypass their perimeter and attack their compound directly?"
Clearly, the commotion caused by Chiba's earlier use of Eight Trigrams: Kaiten Air Palm had drawn the attention of many outsiders.
However, since nothing further happened, and because the Hyuga Clan was rather insular, outsiders would not casually approach the Hyuga Clan Compound to investigate.
"As expected, the disturbance at the Hyuga Clan Compound has already drawn outside attention."
Standing high in the sky, Chiba's Tenseigan saw not only the surprise and confusion of nearby civilians, but also the movements of Anbu and Root Ninja lurking in certain corners.
This made him lower his head in thought. "These Anbu and Root agents will probably soon report this information to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Danzo, Root's leader..."
"If I leave Konoha immediately, then naturally I will not need to care about any of this."
"But if I want to obtain the Scroll of Sealing before I leave, things will undoubtedly become more troublesome."
Whether it was the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, the Eight Gates Formation, the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, or the Flying Thunder God Technique, the Forbidden Jutsu recorded in the Scroll of Sealing could potentially further improve Chiba's overall strength.
If he did not know that the consequences would be too great, he would have even wanted to abduct Uzumaki Naruto, the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, along with him!
Before you continue