The Main Family and Branch Families

"Honestly, Xiao Cheng is so talented, yet you didn't say a word, Mika, just waiting to see me make a fool of myself." Yuko gave Mika a playful, reproachful glare.

"I only found out not long ago myself, I haven't had the chance to tell you yet," Mika said, feigning apology.

"Forget it, I'll spare you this time. It's a good thing Xiao Cheng learns quickly; it saves me the trouble." Yuko glanced outside. "It's getting too late; why don't you two stay the night?"

"But your husband—"

"It's fine. Hizashi Hyuga left the village for a mission these past two days, so it's just my son and me at home." Yuko took Mika's hand. "We haven't slept in the same bed since we got married. This is the perfect chance to have a good chat."

Seeing how late it was, Mika agreed as it seemed the most natural thing to do.

Ito Makoto was arranged to share a room with Neji Hyuga.

Lying on the bedding, Neji Hyuga was right beside him. Although there wasn't an extra bed, there were spare quilts. Since he and Neji Hyuga were both young and small, sharing the bed was perfectly fine.

Looking at Neji Hyuga beside him, Ito Makoto felt a surge of curiosity.

In the story of Naruto, Neji Hyuga was a tragic genius who became a Jonin at fifteen. He mastered the Hyuga Clan's ultimate technique—Rotation—without any formal instruction. In the early stages of the series, he was one of the top geniuses, someone even Uchiha Sasuke couldn't surpass.

Yet, such a genius was branded with the Caged Bird Seal simply because he was born into the branch family, his life and death held in the hands of others.

The Caged Bird Seal is a unique cursed seal ninjutsu that allows the caster to destroy the brain tissue of the branded individual with a single thought.

As a child, he watched his father, Hizashi Hyuga, die in place of the clan head. He spent his life hoping to break free from the fate of the Hyuga branch family and undo the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead, but it wasn't until the end of the series, at the moment of his death, that the seal truly vanished.

He never escaped the Caged Bird in his lifetime.

With Neji Hyuga's father still alive, it was unclear how he currently viewed the Caged Bird or the relationship between the main and branch families.

"What are you looking at?" Neji suddenly turned his head, his white eyes fixed on Ito Makoto.

"Just curious about your Byakugan," Ito Makoto replied, pulling his gaze away. "Besides, if you weren't looking at me, how would you know I was looking at you?"

"That is clearly just sophistry."

"Neji, you opened your Byakugan at such a young age; you must be very talented. How is your Gentle Fist coming along?"

"I am older than you, so you should call me Brother Neji," Neji Hyuga said with a serious expression. "Father has started teaching me the Gentle Fist. Honestly, he promised to teach me more today, but he disappeared without a trace. He just said 'next time for sure'—adults are always like that."

Ito Makoto and Neji Hyuga chatted back and forth until, before they knew it, both drifted off to sleep.

Bang, bang, bang—

In the middle of the night, urgent knocking startled them awake.

Outside the house, there seemed to be many footsteps heading toward the center of the Hyuga Clan compound.

The two scrambled up, wanting to see what was happening.

Mika and Yuko were already fully dressed. As the door opened, a Hyuga Clan ninja relayed some information to Yuko and quickly departed.

Yuko turned back, her expression tense. "Hinata Hyuga has been kidnapped by a Kumogakure envoy. Although the enemy has been killed, the clan head has summoned everyone to gather and strengthen security. Mika, I'll leave Neji to you. It's chaotic outside; stay inside and don't come out for now."

"Don't worry, I'll look after Neji. You be careful," Mika said, knowing the situation was critical.

Yuko Hyuga hurriedly equipped her ninja gear and left the house.

The room fell into silence once more, save for the incessant sound of footsteps outside.

Ito Makoto no longer felt sleepy.

Hinata Hyuga being kidnapped meant that Kumogakure would use the death of their envoy as a pretext to force Konoha to hand over the culprit.

It meant that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would force the Hyuga Clan to surrender the person who killed the envoy in the name of compromise.

And to protect the clan head, Hiashi Hyuga, the Hyuga Clan would inevitably force a member of the branch family to die in his stead.

Neji's father was the victim; he would be forced to die for a crime he didn't commit, even though he wasn't even in the village when it happened.

The wheels of fate had begun to turn. Without intervention, Neji Hyuga's father was already facing certain death.

Yet, only Ito Makoto knew the truth—perhaps Uchiha Itachi, the other transmigrator, knew as well—but neither of them had the power to change fate.

Mika, Ito Makoto, and Neji sat up all night. They didn't know the full situation, but maintaining vigilance was necessary.

By dawn, Yuko Hyuga returned home safely.

"How is it, Yuko? What's the situation outside?" Mika asked nervously.

Yuko Hyuga took off her forehead protector and flak jacket, letting out a long sigh.

"It's over. The envoy was killed. It's safe now."

Hearing that the matter had settled, Mika breathed a sigh of relief.

Knowing the Hyuga Clan's alert had been lifted, Mika and her son took their leave.

The kidnapping incident within the Hyuga Clan served as a wake-up call for Ito Makoto. Ever since he and his mother were removed from the Uchiha Clan, he had become too relaxed. He had operated under the impression that as long as he wasn't within the Uchiha compound during the Night of the Uchiha Massacre, he wouldn't be implicated. This led him to stop preparing for the massacre and focus entirely on hiding his Rinnegan.

In reality, whether those in power harm you has nothing to do with whether you are actually involved, nor does it have anything to do with the facts. Just like the Hyuga incident: Hizashi Hyuga wasn't even in Konoha; he was away on a mission. Logically, the death of the Kumogakure envoy should have had nothing to do with him. But according to the plot, when he returned to the village, he would be forced to take the blame and die for his brother, the head of the main family.

As long as there is profit to be made, those in power do not care about facts or cause and effect.

Even though Kumogakure struck first and Hiashi Hyuga was the one who killed the man, only Hizashi Hyuga would be forced to pay the price.

Likewise, just because he left the Uchiha Clan, did that mean he was no longer a member? In Ito Makoto's eyes, yes, but in the eyes of those in power, perhaps not. Even if his name was removed from the registry, his bloodline remained Uchiha, and he could still be used for experiments. Even if he couldn't awaken the Sharingan, what if he harbored resentment toward the village? Why not cut the weeds and pull up the roots?

With Danzo around, Ito Makoto could hardly guarantee that he wouldn't think exactly that.

The Hyuga incident taught the protagonist never to entrust his life to others, even if they were his own kin.

Now, having mastered the Anti-Peeping Technique, he could prevent his secrets from leaking and ensure his safety to a certain extent. Next, he still needed to find a way to survive the Night of the Uchiha Massacre and deal with Danzo.