The Origins of the Caged Bird

Several blank scrolls and a Chakra Scalpel were scattered on the experimental table. The shelves next to it were filled with bottles and jars containing liquids of various colors—some were culture media, some were sealing solvents, and some were things that even Uchiha Jun couldn't name.

After all, it was about breaking the Caged Bird experiment. If Orochimaru hadn't reached a crucial stage in his research on the Chimera Technique, he would have come here to assist Uchiha Jun and broaden his horizons.

Hyuga Yo stood in the center of the laboratory, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding equipment, unconsciously softening his breathing.

Although he was Jonin in his lifetime, he had never been exposed to this level of experimental environment.

A faint smell of medicine and the lingering Chakra aura unique to Sealing Jutsu filled the air, making even this Reanimated Body feel a sense of pressure.

"Relax."

Uchiha Jun's voice came from behind. Hyuga Yo turned around and saw that Uchiha Jun had taken off the dark blue kimono he wore to the full moon celebration and changed into a light lab coat, and was organizing Chakra Scalpel.

"Lie down." Uchiha Jun gestured towards the operating table with his lips.

Hyuga Yo took a deep breath—although his Reanimated Body wouldn't be affected even if he didn't breathe, this habitual action still calmed him down—and walked to the operating table and lay down.

The metal countertop felt cool to the touch, and the overhead light was a bit too bright.

Hyuga Yo squinted, feeling a little nervous, and unconsciously clenched his fists.

Uchiha Jun observed this but did not immediately begin operations, as the emotions of the test subjects were also a consideration when conducting live experiments.

Uchiha Jun sat down on the chair next to the operating table, casually picked up a blank scroll, and began to speak as he twirled it between his fingers:

"Hyuga Yo, before we start the experiment, I'm going to tell you a story first."

Hyuga Yo paused slightly, turning his head to look at Uchiha Jun: "A story?"

"Hmm, a story about Caged Bird." Uchiha Jun's gaze fell on the ceiling, as if recalling something. "This story is one I found in the Moon Ōtsutsuki."

"The moon... Ōtsutsuki Clan?" Hyuga Yo's pupils contracted sharply.

He had heard of this name before—in the oldest manuscripts of the Hyuga Clan, there were occasional vague legends mentioning that the ancestors of the Hyuga Clan came from outer space and were related to some kind of being on the moon.

He had always thought it was just an exaggerated claim to glorify his ancestors, but he never imagined it was actually true!

"You heard me right, it's the Ōtsutsuki Clan from the moon, or more precisely, the ancestors of your Hyuga Clan."

Uchiha Jun placed the spinning scroll on his knee, speaking calmly, "The Caged Bird Technique wasn't invented by the Hyuga Clan Earth at all."

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake. Hyuga Yo abruptly sat up from the operating table, his eyes wide. "What?! That, that it—"

"The Hyuga Clan is nothing more than a latecomer." Uchiha Jun raised his hand and pressed down, signaling him to lie back down.

"The true origin of the Caged Bird is on the moon, where it is Sealing Jutsu created countless years ago by the ancestor of the Moon Ōtsutsuki, the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths."

Hyuga Yo mechanically lay back down, but her eyes were fixed on Uchiha Jun, her brain working at a rapid pace.

--The Sage of Six Paths.

Those were figures from the age of mythology, beings even more ancient than Senju Hashirama and Madara Uchiha.

The Sage of Six Paths ' younger brother...

If the origins of Caged Bird can truly be traced back to that era...

"Then... what were the original Caged Bird like?" Hyuga Yo couldn't help but ask.

Uchiha Jun did not answer directly, but stood up and took a very old-looking scroll from the shelf next to him. The scroll's paper was yellowed and the edges were somewhat torn, but the traces of the Sealing Jutsu were still clearly visible.

He unrolled the scroll and laid it flat in front of Hyuga Yo.

The scroll depicted a complex spell, but it was completely different from the Caged Bird on Hyuga Yo's forehead—the lines of this spell were smoother, without so many sharp angles, and the overall impression was one of... gentleness and roundness.

"This is the original version." Uchiha Jun pointed to the formula on the scroll, "--The original intention of this technique was not control, not oppression, but a kind of... symbiosis."

"Symbiosis?" Hyuga Yo frowned.

"Yes. In the original concept, the head of the family used this technique to establish a Chakra link with the souls of the branch family members."

"The original version of the Caged Bird has three functions." Uchiha Jun held up three fingers:

"First, Chakra sharing—the head of the family can transfer Chakra to branch family members through a contract, replenishing their fighting strength at crucial moments."

"Second, sensory link—the visual, auditory, and even the field of vision of the Byakugan of the branch family members can be shared with the head of the family through a contract, forming a sensory network with extremely wide coverage."

"Third, soul anchoring—when a branch family member is on the verge of death in battle, the head of the family can stabilize their soul through a contract, buying time for treatment."

Hyuga Yo was stunned.

These three functions are completely different from what he knew about Caged Bird...

That kind of thing isn't control, it's not oppression, but rather—

"Protection." Uchiha Jun uttered his thoughts.

"The original Caged Bird represents the protective contract between the main family and the branch family; the branch family pledges loyalty, and the main family provides protection and strength."

"In those days, leaving one's family meant death, so while the relationship between the two was unequal, it was at least mutually beneficial."

"Then... why has it turned out like this?" Hyuga Yo's voice was a little hoarse.

Because of human nature.

Uchiha Jun continued, "After arriving in the Shinobi World, a branch of the Moon Ōtsutsuki remained on the ground, which later became the Hyuga Clan."

"The first few Hyuga Clan heads still remembered the original meaning of the ' Caged Bird' —to protect the branch family and expand the clan, but as time went by, the situation changed."

"Humans, once they gain power, always want to hold onto it even tighter."

Uchiha Jun turned around and looked at Hyuga Yo's forehead—there, the blue Caged Bird Mark stood out starkly under the light.

"The initial changes have occurred."

Uchiha Jun's voice deepened. "The reason is—the Giant Tenseigan on the moon."

Hyuga Yo frowned. "Giant Tenseigan?"

"That is the supreme treasure of the Moon Ōtsutsuki Clan, an ultimate Dōjutsu weapon formed by the fusion of countless Byakugan."

"Its power is enough to shake stars, manipulate gravity, and even rewrite the form of life, but to maintain its operation, it needs a continuous infusion of Byakugan energy."

"The population of the Moon Ōtsutsuki was already small. After hundreds of years, the number of people who could provide Byakugan energy has become increasingly smaller, and the energy supply for the Giant Tenseigan has begun to experience a shortage."

Hyuga Yo's brow furrowed even more deeply. "Then... how did they solve this problem?"

"They've set their sights on the Hyuga Clan on the surface."