Genya Flips the Table

"Pfft, flatten Konoha?!"

Genya sat on the sofa. When he heard Minato repeat what Kumogakure had said, he nearly laughed himself numb.

You've got to be kidding.

Unless the little boy and the fat guy showed up, who could flatten Konoha? Even Super Bro couldn't do it!

Kumogakure sure knew how to brag!

"Genya, stop laughing. This is serious." Minato rubbed his temples and said helplessly.

Earlier, he hadn't taken his little brother's words seriously. But now something had really happened—a major diplomatic incident!

Minato hadn't slept a wink the night before. He'd come to find Genya with dark circles under his eyes, hoping to hear if he had any good ideas.

"If you ask me, we should just fight them head-on!" Genya flashed his fist and said casually.

"Kumogakure just crawled out of the quagmire of war, too. I refuse to believe they're in any better shape than Konoha. They're definitely bluffing!"

After hearing Genya out, Minato hesitated. "But..."

"But the Third wants to agree to Kumogakure's demands, right?" Genya rolled his eyes and said irritably. "Then just listen to him. Why come ask me?"

Minato smiled bitterly. "Genya, I'm just as 'insignificant' as you are. The Third has already set the course for this matter. There's not much I can decide."

"I came to see you because I wanted to ask if you had a good way to save Hiashi's life."

Sacrificing one of their own to appease the other side would surely make everyone else lose heart. Minato wanted to do everything he could to prevent that from happening.

"Hmm..."

Genya rubbed his chin, countless bits of sealing knowledge flashing through his mind. He looked thoughtful.

After a while, he turned to Minato. "I actually did think of a way. But I don't like Hiashi that much. Why should I save him?"

Hearing that Genya had an idea, Minato clasped his hands together in delight. "Please, Genya. Just do your senior teammate a favor, okay?"

Genya shrugged. "All right. Since my senior teammate asked, I'll do my best."

The Hyuga Main Family estate.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was discussing something with Hyuga Yuansheng when Minato walked in with Genya. Hiruzen immediately felt a headache coming on.

"Minato, why did you bring this kid too?"

Minato quickly explained, "Lord Third, Genya might have a way to save Hiashi's life, so I brought him here."

"Hmph." Hyuga Yuansheng shot Genya a sidelong glance, ignored Minato, and said coldly, "My son doesn't need him to save his life. The Third Hokage and I have already come up with a solution."

"Heh, what kind of solution could someone with your brains come up with?" Genya sneered. "Let me guess. You're going to push your other son forward to take the fall, aren't you?"

At those words, Hyuga Yuansheng and Sarutobi Hiruzen's expressions changed.

"What, did I hit the mark? Can't bear to hear it?" Genya kept taunting him.

Hizashi had always been good to Genya. Now that Hyuga Yuansheng wanted to sacrifice him, Genya's words naturally came with barbs.

Enraged, Hyuga Yuansheng slammed the table and stood up. "This old man's family matters are none of an outsider's business! Get out!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen also watched Genya with displeasure.

He'd finally convinced Hyuga Yuansheng to give up one son in exchange for decades of peace for Konoha, and now this brat had come along to oppose him!

"Namikaze, take Genya and leave."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's face darkened, and his tone toward Minato turned cold as well. He even called him by his surname.

He'd gone to so much trouble for peace, yet Minato had brought this brat along to make trouble. The boy had no consideration for him at all!

"Third, I..." Minato opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

"What are you standing around for? Didn't you hear the Third Hokage? Take that eyesore and get out of my house!"

Hyuga Yuansheng urged him impatiently.

Under ordinary circumstances, he would have at least put on a show of politeness. But right now, he was so irritated that he had no intention of being nice to this puppet Hokage.

"You old fossil, who are you calling an eyesore?!" Genya pointed at Hyuga Yuansheng's nose and cursed.

"Whoever answers is who I'm talking about." Hyuga Yuansheng sneered. "Get out, and don't let me see you again. You're a disgrace to my eyes!"

"Minato, take Genya and leave at once. Stop adding fuel to the fire!" Sarutobi Hiruzen snapped, furious as well.

"That's enough. All of you, shut up!"

Their imperious tones infuriated Genya. He stamped his foot hard. With a boom, the entire room split in two, the crack running straight from beneath his foot.

Gulp.

Hyuga Yuansheng swallowed the curse on the tip of his tongue. Sarutobi Hiruzen also quickly calmed down, and his gaze toward Genya grew a little friendlier.

Genya's eyes turned cold. He really had thought of a way to save Hiashi.

But Hyuga Yuansheng's favoritism had left Genya thoroughly annoyed. So now, he'd decided to deal with the matter using a much heavier hand!

"Senior Minato, look over there!" Genya suddenly pointed out the window and said in surprise.

"What?" Minato followed the direction of Genya's finger, but saw nothing.

When Minato turned back, Genya had already appeared in front of Hyuga Yuansheng, pressing two fingers to his forehead.

"What... what did you do to me?!"

Hyuga Yuansheng stumbled back two steps, touched his forehead, and asked in alarm.

He felt a strange force burrow into his head. Like a parasite, it clung to his nerves and tangled itself with them!

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared in shock. Minato was equally dumbfounded as he asked, "Genya, what... what did you just do?"

"Sigh." Genya sighed and spread his hands helplessly. "You've already figured it out, haven't you? Why ask me?"

A blue mark was rapidly forming on Hyuga Yuansheng's forehead. It was the Caged Bird Seal Genya had planted on him!

"Gaaaaah!"

A wave of excruciating pain swept over Hyuga Yuansheng. He lost consciousness at once, dropped to his knees, and howled in agony.

The Caged Bird Seal was implanted in branch-family members when they were young, before their nerves had fully developed.

Hyuga Yuansheng's nerves had long since matured. Forcing the Caged Bird Seal on him now was no different from the torture of having his bones and sinews ripped apart.

"That's impossible!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen finally recovered. Recalling what he knew about the Hyuga Clan, he cried out in disbelief.

"The Caged Bird Seal is a Cursed Seal used by those with pure Hyuga blood to control those with diluted blood. How could you turn that on its head and plant it on Hyuga Yuansheng?!"

Genya opened his arms and said calmly, "Even now, you still don't understand?"

"That's because my blood is far purer than the so-called Main Branch blood—ten times, a hundred times purer!"

"I, Hyuga Genya, am the one true heir to the Hyuga Main Family!"

As he spoke, Genya stepped past the writhing Hyuga Yuansheng, sat down in his seat, and looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"I'm sorry, Third Hokage. From now on, I, Hyuga Genya, will take charge of the Hyuga Clan."

"All right. Now you can sit down and talk with me, your new clan head, about what to do with my clansmen."