"You branch family members are weapons in the hands of our Main Family!"
"Your purpose is to obey the Main Family. What, do you... want to betray us?!"
Hyuga Tenichi barked!
His cold, cutting gaze made every member of the branch family lower their head. Their White Eyes held helplessness, despair, and deep sorrow.
They were the branch family.
Yet they seemed more like... servants!
"We may be branch family, but if Hyuga Kagami really did something wrong, you should report it to the clan head first. Only after the clan head confirms his wrongdoing can he be punished."
An older branch family member spoke up.
He looked uneasy. "That's the rule of the Hyuga Clan."
"To hell with your rules!"
Hyuga Tenichi kicked him away, his face twisted with rage!
"Rules?"
"You branch family members think you can talk about rules?"
He pointed at the branch family members and cursed, "The Main Family's rules are the only rules that matter. What the hell are you branch family members?"
What a joke.
The Hyuga Main Family controlled the Cursed Seal that could decide whether a branch family member lived or died.
Before the Main Family, the branch family were nothing but servants!
Pawns who did as they were told!
And pawns... didn't need human rights!
"What gives you the right to hit people whenever you want?"
Hyuga Neji's eyes widened. His body trembled as he glared at Hyuga Tenichi with resentment and fury. "You have to apologize! Apologize to every member of the branch family and take back what you just said!"
So this was how the Main Family treated the branch family?
Before they were branded with the Caged Bird Seal,
the Main Family always said there was no difference between them, and that the Caged Bird Seal was only meant to protect the branch family. But now... in the Main Family's eyes, the branch family were nothing but free labor.
Pawns and slaves they could control at will!
"Hyuga Neji, what a joke."
Hyuga Tenichi's lips curled in mockery. "Your father gave the Main Family the value he was supposed to. You, the son of Hizashi Hyuga... should learn to be a good dog!"
He suddenly kicked out!
But in the next instant,
a clap of thunder exploded!
"I didn't want to get involved in this crap, but you're really damn annoying!"
Hyuga Kagami's eyes were icy!
He truly hadn't planned to interfere, but now a group of branch family members were being punished for standing up for him!
He didn't feel a sense of belonging to the branch family, but he wasn't heartless, and he wasn't ungrateful!
Smack!
His palm, wreathed in Thunderbolt, sent Hyuga Tenichi flying!
He crashed into the wall, his whole body feeling as if it had come apart!
"You... you actually dared to hit me?!"
Hyuga Tenichi was stunned. He got to his feet in disbelief, trembling all over, then let out a feral laugh. "I'll teach you today that the branch family... are nothing but ants in the hands of the Main Family!"
He formed Hand Seals and roared viciously, "Caged Bird—get on your knees!"
"Get on your knees and beg me right now!"
"Otherwise, I'll kill you!"
His voice rang out shrilly!
He could almost see Hyuga Kagami controlled by the Caged Bird, kneeling before him and begging for his life.
"Ha ha ha! Hyuga Kagami, so what if you're strong? You still have to be controlled by me—"
He hadn't finished speaking when his smile abruptly froze.
Hyuga Kagami's expression was indifferent, deep mockery in his eyes. He looked at Hyuga Tenichi like he was a clown.
"You're really annoying."
Hyuga Kagami gave a derisive laugh. "Are you done?"
"How is this possible?! Why aren't you being controlled by the Caged Bird Curse Seal?!"
Hyuga Tenichi stared wide-eyed at those indifferent White Eyes, as if they were looking at a clown. He stumbled back two steps, his heart... suddenly quaking!
Boom!
Thunderbolt crashed!
Hyuga Kagami couldn't be bothered to say another word. He closed in, the air crackling with Thunderbolt and electric arcs, making him seem like a god of thunder!
Smack!
Smack!
Smack!
One slap after another landed hard across Hyuga Tenichi's face!
His face swelled up like a pig's!
This was a challenge to the Main Family's authority!
Every member of the branch family was stunned, and they began talking among themselves.
"Hyuga Tenichi is a member of the Main Family. Is this really okay?"
"We're done for. We've defied the Main Family... they'll never let us off!"
"Didn't you notice? Hyuga Kagami wasn't controlled by the Cursed Seal!"
"Could that mean there's a way for us branch family members to break free of the Caged Bird?!"
Their eyes burned with excitement!
The Caged Bird was a cage that imprisoned their freedom and their will.
They had long been worse off than dead!
Now that they saw Hyuga Kagami, who wasn't under its control, it was as if they'd glimpsed hope for the future!
One branch family member glanced around furtively, then hurried away.
Hyuga Kagami glanced at the retreating figure, his gaze full of disdain.
But he didn't stop him.
Watching Hyuga Kagami display his strength, Hyuga Neji's breathing quickened, his White Eyes shining as if he'd seen a glimmer of light in the darkness. "Kagami... your name is Hyuga Kagami, right? You're... the hope of the Hyuga Branch Family!"
As for Hyuga Tenichi,
his face was swollen like a pig's, and terror filled his heart!
His threats at first had turned into pleas for mercy.
"Hyuga Kagami! You've defied your superiors! The clan head will never let you get away with this!"
"Stop hitting me! Stop! I'm going to die!"
"Please... I was wrong. Let me go this once!"
His voice was shrill, like that of a miserable stray dog.
Why?
Why couldn't the Caged Bird Curse Seal control Hyuga Kagami? Could it be... that the branch family was going to overthrow the Main Family?
A desperate possibility occurred to him!
Just then, a fawning, hurried voice rang out.
"Great Elder, Hyuga Kagami has defied his superiors and dared to attack Lord Tenichi. You must teach him a lesson!"
"Show him the Main Family's power!"
"Make him learn the rules of the Hyuga Clan!"
A branch family member arrived, leading Hyuga Deping, whose expression was stern and cold!
Every member of the branch family was furious.
They stared in disbelief at the branch family member who had betrayed them.
"Hyuga Shu! Why would you do such a thing?"
"Have you betrayed the branch family?"
"Have you forgotten how the Main Family has oppressed us all these years?!"
Their furious gazes seemed ready to nail Hyuga Shu to a pillar of shame!
But faced with those furious eyes,
Hyuga Shu didn't care in the least. Instead, he said smugly, "You bunch of fools!"
"You really think you can fight the Main Family? The moment you were branded with the Caged Bird, you became ants who obey orders! And now, once you've all been thoroughly subdued, I'll become head of the branch family!"
His face was full of greed and smugness.
He didn't need to break the Caged Bird Seal.
He only had to live better than everyone else!
Besides... the Caged Bird couldn't be undone anyway!
"Hyuga Shu, you've done well. The Main Family will remember your contribution!"
Hyuga Deping spoke slowly, his voice full of encouragement and confidence. "I'll make you head of the branch family!"
He looked confident and proud.
This was how the Main Family controlled the branch family: win over some, suppress the rest!
Buzz!
Just then!
A terrifying crash of Thunderbolt rang out!
A bolt of Thunderbolt suddenly pierced Hyuga Shu's forehead!
Hyuga Kagami still had one finger raised. Calmly, he said, "Sorry, but he no longer has the right."
He grinned.
Wild and unrestrained!
Before you continue