The True Purpose of the Caged Bird

At this moment, though he did not know how Shinichi Hyuga had mastered the seal of the Caged Bird, he knew there was no chance left to turn the tables.

When the same technique is used, the final outcome is decided by the strength of the two individuals.

The ocular power of Shinichi Hyuga had already far surpassed that of those who possessed the Byakugan.

The wailing of the Great Elder became a mere embellishment.

Hyuga Hiashi slumped onto the ground, surrounded by the Hyuga Clan members who had supported him but now lay dead.

In stark contrast, behind Shinichi Hyuga, the eyes of the Branch Family members burned with a flame—a flame of longing for the future.

Burn away the filth of the past, complete the transformation, and welcome a new life.

At this moment, Hyuga Hiashi looked exactly like a defeated dog!

The hand Shinichi Hyuga had used to weave signs finally dropped, waiting quietly for the Great Elder's final fate.

The Great Elder, who had been rolling in pain, saw the ocular power in his eyes dissipate as his ocular tissues and meridians were destroyed.

It was like a little bird in a cage, slowly strangled to death after its owner grew tired of playing with it!

In the eyes of the Branch Family members behind Shinichi Hyuga, different emotions were revealed.

In the eyes of a few, there was some reluctance!

In the eyes of some, there was the satisfaction of revenge!

In the eyes of the majority, there was relief!

The man who once scolded them like slaves had now died by the very technique used to control them!

"Please, Lord Shinichi, become the Clan Head who leads the Hyuga Clan forward!"

After the Great Elder died, the Ancestral Hall fell into a momentary silence before a magnetic voice rang out.

Eyes fell upon the person who had spoken: it was Hizashi Hyuga!

The younger brother of the current Clan Head!

"Please, Lord Shinichi, become our new Clan Head!"

The voices grew louder and louder, eventually merging into a unified chant.

Shinichi Hyuga felt an indescribable sensation.

Within these shouts were positive emotions like gratitude and admiration.

At the same time, there were also negative emotions like fear, unwillingness, and trepidation.

These emotions represented their attitude toward Shinichi Hyuga; they were hopeful, yet worried.

They worried that Shinichi Hyuga, the dragon slayer, would become the new dragon.

Shinichi Hyuga coughed softly and waved his hand, causing everyone around to fall silent.

He walked over to Hyuga Hiashi, who was slumped on the ground, and asked, "Cough, cough~ What does our Clan Head think?"

Hyuga Hiashi raised his head and looked at Hizashi Hyuga, who had been the first to speak. The desolation in his eyes could not be concealed; even his own brother supported Shinichi Hyuga, so what right did he have to object?

"Do I even have the qualifications to object?"

Following this, Hyuga Hiashi braced his arms to lift his body, standing up as if mocking himself.

In this current situation, he had lost!

He had lost completely!

Yet, he still maintained that last shred of stubbornness characteristic of the Main Branch.

"It's the Caged Bird, isn't it! You undid the Caged Bird curse seal on their family members! You will destroy the thousand-year foundation of the Hyuga Clan by doing this!"

Hyuga Hiashi still dared not look Shinichi Hyuga in the eye, yet he continued to question him.

He wanted to know exactly where he had failed.

"In your heart, what is the Caged Bird? Is it the foundation of the Hyuga Clan?

The prestige of our Hyuga Clan was earned by the sacrifices of our predecessors, bit by bit!

It is strength!"

A flash of realization crossed Shinichi Hyuga's mind; could these people of the Main Branch be so ruthless that they even deceived themselves?

He did not believe for a second that Hyuga Hiashi didn't know the true purpose of the Caged Bird!

Could it be that the glory of the Hyuga Clan existed because of the Caged Bird? Because of the high-and-mighty Main Branch?

"This is the supreme wisdom of our ancestors; only in this way can we protect our Hyuga Clan! Protect our Kekkei Genkai from leaking out.

It increases the combat power of the Hyuga Clan!

You will lead the Hyuga Clan into the disaster of annihilation!"

Hyuga Hiashi found support in his heart, recalling the teachings of the past Main Branch generations, and he firmly believed he was right.

They, the Main Branch, were the greatest contributors to the Hyuga Clan.

"Hahaha, how laughable! Is that really how you view the Caged Bird curse seal? The so-called curse seal is utterly useless when it comes to preventing the leakage of a Kekkei Genkai.

The Caged Bird mark is only branded onto a person after they are born!

There are countless ways to obtain the Byakugan!

Children born to the Branch Family possess a flawless Byakugan.

With my techniques, I can even directly replicate the Byakugan.

Protecting the Byakugan from leaking out is merely a high-sounding excuse you use!

You haven't told me the real reason!

Tell me now!

Without your distortions! What is the true purpose of the Caged Bird!"

Shinichi Hyuga pressed forward step by step, the blue in his eyes growing increasingly intense, and the aura around his body expanding continuously; he demanded that Hyuga Hiashi reveal that hidden secret.

This was a secret that every member of the Branch Family should have known, yet it had been shamelessly covered up by the Main Branch.

"Shinichi Hyuga, you are just making excuses for your own rebellion!

Without the Caged Bird, we would have long since become targets for the Ninja World to hunt!"

Hyuga Hiashi's voice was somewhat stuttering as he continued to make excuses for the actions of the Main Branch.

Yet, his heart was already filled with fear.

"At a time like this, you are still lying!

Look into my eyes; aren't you envious of this color?

Only sheep are hunted!

Even if we are shackled, we are the wolves of the Ninja World!"

Shinichi Hyuga's only remaining eye stared fixedly at Hyuga Hiashi, and the Caged Bird mark, acting beyond control, began to drain the ocular power from Hyuga Hiashi's eyes to replenish his own.

Hyuga Hiashi was deeply shaken, his mind turning blank.

That secret hidden by the Main Branch had finally been exposed!

He lowered his head, not daring to look at Shinichi Hyuga, his hands trembling incessantly, his heart convulsing.

Shinichi Hyuga stopped looking at the coward and turned to face his clansmen, who were filled with confusion.

"Clansmen, look at his pathetic state!

You must be curious about what secret the Caged Bird hides that they dare not let us know.

Many years ago, when I fought the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B, one of my eyes was blinded by his blade.

At that moment, an unimaginable change occurred.

All the ocular power converged into my remaining left eye, and it actually underwent a metamorphosis, gaining the ability to suppress the Caged Bird curse seal.

It was also at that moment that I realized the true purpose of the Caged Bird.

Our Byakugan can also evolve into a higher-level Kekkei Genkai, which is the Tenseigan you see now.

The Caged Bird, just as its name suggests, is a confinement! But it is also a protection!

The original intention was to protect the weak and allow the strong to become self-reliant.

Everything depends on the Main Branch, who holds the key!

After years of development, however, some parasites emerged who, driven by selfish desires, turned the Caged Bird into a means to enslave the Branch Family.

The original intention of the Caged Bird.

Was meant to protect our children."

Shinichi Hyuga fell into his memories; the fact that his Byakugan could evolve was thanks to that coincidence back then.

Most importantly, it was due to a trait of Kyogoku Makoto: Limit Breaking!

It allowed one to transcend the limitations of the world; at that time, his one eye, having absorbed the ocular power of the other, already possessed some of the characteristics of the Tenseigan.