The Hyuga Clan's System

"Naruto, since the Hyuga Clan has chosen to support you, you're welcome to come to me anytime you run into problems in the future. We'll do everything in our power to help you. If it comes to meetings among Hidden Leaf's upper ranks, the Hyuga Clan will stand on your side as well," Hiashi Hyuga said seriously to Naruto.

Those words made it clear that the Hyuga Clan would not merely support him in secret. Openly, they would also defend Naruto's reputation within the Hidden Leaf, truly attempting to bind themselves to him.

"Then thank you in advance, Uncle Hyuga. Believe me, I'll bring generous returns to the Hyuga Clan in the future!" Naruto understood that the Hyuga Clan's willingness to make such a major investment in him at this time was basically due to Hiashi Hyuga's judgment alone. If Naruto ultimately failed, Hiashi Hyuga's reputation would suffer as well.

In serious cases, he might even face impeachment and could very well lose his position as head of the Hyuga Clan.

"Not at all. We're family now, so there's no need to be so polite. By the way, Naruto, inviting you here this time was originally not about this matter. We took such a roundabout path, and somehow we still haven't gotten to my original purpose."

Hiashi Hyuga suddenly remembered that his initial reason for inviting Naruto had not been to form an alliance. Before he knew it, he had been moved by Naruto's charisma, and in the end, he had successfully bound the Hyuga Clan tightly to Naruto.

With such powerful personal charisma, his chances of becoming Hokage had grown a little higher.

"Oh? Uncle Hyuga, then tell me. What did you originally want from me?" Naruto asked curiously. So Hiashi Hyuga had another purpose after all. I knew this old bastard wasn't kind enough to want an alliance the moment I arrived. Turns out he was convinced by my Heavenly Mouth.

"It's actually a small matter—Neji's matter. Do you know anything about Neji's situation, Naruto?" A nostalgic expression instantly appeared on Hiashi Hyuga's face. He seemed to have remembered his deceased younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga.

"Not much. Uncle Hyuga, you can explain it in detail. That might also give me a better grasp of how to help you with whatever you want me to do," Naruto replied, looking puzzled but earnest.

Though he knew everything perfectly well, he could not say so. There was no need to arouse unnecessary suspicion. After all, Minato and Kushina had long been gone when these events took place, and he would have no good way to explain where he got the information.

Hearing Naruto say that, Hiashi Hyuga let out a heavy sigh, seemingly recalling everything that had happened in the past. Naruto did not rush to interrupt him, waiting for him to compose himself and begin.

"To explain this, I must start with the Hyuga Clan's system. Naruto, you know that as one of the founding elder clans that joined the Hidden Leaf at its establishment, the Hyuga Clan has a very long history," Hiashi Hyuga began slowly.

I know the Hyuga Clan's history better than you do. I even know your ancestor was Hamura Ōtsutsuki. I could expose your entire family history in minutes, believe it or not.

Still, Naruto obediently listened as Hiashi Hyuga began his long explanation.

"Since the Warring States Period, the Hyuga Clan has been an exceptionally powerful clan. It is all because we can awaken the formidable Byakugan. The Byakugan has many uses: detecting enemies hidden nearby, observing the flow of chakra within an enemy's body, and seeing an enemy's chakra points. Combined with our Gentle Fist, it can seal an enemy's chakra."

"Therefore, during the Warring States Period, the Hyuga Clan was often hired by other clans, and our reputation on the battlefield was second only to the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan."

"After we joined the Hidden Leaf, we naturally received more generous treatment, and the Hyuga Clan developed rapidly from then on. But after the ninja villages were established, shinobi from every nation learned of the Byakugan's power. They all hoped to kill Hyuga Clan shinobi on the battlefield and obtain the Byakugan."

Naruto indicated that he understood. In the world of Naruto, it was either bloodlines or eyes. The eyes in the world of Naruto were especially remarkable—basically plug-and-play. Even if there were some side effects, they could at least be used.

Even impure bloodlines could be used. Pure bloodlines were simply more powerful!

As for medical ninjutsu, it merely existed to better deal with rejection. If one only used it for a short time, those side effects could be ignored entirely.

"And then?" Naruto occasionally gave a response, giving Hiashi Hyuga a sense of satisfaction.

"Then, to prevent the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan from being taken by enemies and leaking out, our ancestors established the concepts of the main family and branch family, and created the Caged Bird."

"Oh? Then what is the Caged Bird?" Naruto continued asking.

"Before explaining the Caged Bird curse mark, I must first make clear the concepts of the main family and branch family. There can only be one heir to the main family. If there are multiple descendants in the same generation of the main family, only one can be selected to inherit the main family. All the others become branch family members."

"In other words, there can only be one member of the main family in each generation. By that logic, even if the Hyuga Clan has endured for a thousand years, there is still only one main family. The branch family will always be the main family's protectors. This clan system is the most efficient protection system."

"The main family are the true inheritors of the Hyuga Clan, bearing the heavy responsibility of protecting and carrying forward the Hyuga Clan."

"The branch family are the guardians of the Hyuga main family, responsible for protecting them."

"When a member becomes part of the branch family, a curse mark known as the Caged Bird is branded onto their forehead when the eldest child of the main family turns three. The main family can use this curse mark to control and destroy the brain nerves of branch family members, thereby controlling them."

"The curse mark can only be removed upon death. It can seal the Byakugan's abilities, and if the recipient's eyes are removed or they die, it can completely destroy their eyeballs and brain. But it is also the source of internal conflict within the Hyuga Clan."

"I understand. This is a Hyuga Clan tradition, so I won't comment too much on it. I understand and respect it! But what does this have to do with Neji?"

Naruto continued asking.

"In my generation, because I was born slightly earlier than my younger brother Hizashi Hyuga, I was selected as the main family's heir, while my younger brother was forced to become part of the branch family and guard us members of the main family."

"But my younger brother and I were very close. Even our identities as main family and branch family could not change the fact that we were brothers. It was just... sigh." Hiashi Hyuga seemed to have reached the most painful part of his story.

"Later, Hizashi had a child one year before I did. That child was Neji. A year later, Hinata successfully came into this world."

"You have no idea how close Hinata and Neji were when they were young. At the time, Neji sincerely treated Hinata as his little sister, and Hinata also liked Neji very much as her older brother."

"But as Hizashi's child, Neji was fated from birth to become part of the branch family. At that time, although I had just become clan head, I lacked influence and had not yet fully gained authority within the Hyuga Clan. So I had no way to change the system passed down through the Hyuga Clan."

"Although Neji had already begun showing some talent at the time, his birth had already determined his fate. As Hinata gradually grew up, her third birthday approached faster and faster. Although Hizashi and I both did not want to see such a thing happen, we still could not escape that fate."

"On Hinata's third birthday, Neji was still branded with the Caged Bird curse mark. At the time, he did not understand what it meant. But as he grew older, he came to understand the meaning of the main family and branch family. From then on, he began distancing himself from Hinata. That would have been fine; they still had some affection for one another, at least."

"Later, two events completely changed Neji's way of thinking. The first happened when Neji was training with Hinata. Hinata was somewhat timid as a child and could not bear to strike Neji. In her heart, Neji was still her older brother. But even if she had attacked with all her strength, she would not have been Neji's match."

"Under the main family system, Neji developed resentment toward Hinata. During training, he showed no mercy and went all out. Hizashi was nearby at the time, and upon seeing such a weak Hinata, he lamented the unfair treatment between the main family and branch family. Neji was clearly more talented, yet he had been forced to become part of the branch family. Hizashi even developed killing intent toward Hinata!"

"I happened to pass by and discovered what was happening. Left with no choice, I activated the Caged Bird seal, causing Hizashi unbearable pain. Hizashi could not understand why the more talented Neji had to become part of the branch family and protect someone as weak as Hinata. He was standing up for Neji as well!"

"Because Hizashi had killing intent toward Hinata, I was forced to use the Caged Bird. But after that, Hizashi's behavior became somewhat more normal."

"However, after witnessing Hizashi's pain firsthand, Neji's attitude toward Hinata grew increasingly hostile, until that incident occurred!"

Naruto listened to the drama with great interest. Though he had long known these things, hearing Hiashi Hyuga recount his personal experiences made it feel different. The sense of immersion came flooding in at once.

"So, what incident was that?" Naruto urged Hiashi to keep going.

"It was also during the year Hinata turned three. Shinobi from the Hidden Cloud Village infiltrated the Hidden Leaf in an attempt to kidnap Hinata in order to obtain the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan."

"I quickly discovered that Hinata had been kidnapped, then used the Byakugan to counterattack the Hidden Cloud shinobi. After a fierce struggle, I successfully rescued Hinata."

"But the body of the Hidden Cloud Village shinobi was discovered in Konoha Village. Although the Hidden Cloud Village had acted first by trying to seize Hinata for the Byakugan, the Third Hokage's weakness at the time worsened the relationship between the two villages and indirectly sparked a war."

"To avoid war, the Hidden Leaf made a deal with the Hidden Cloud Village. The Hidden Cloud demanded that the Hidden Leaf hand over my corpse."

"Unexpectedly, the Hidden Leaf accepted the Hidden Cloud's terms. We of the Hidden Leaf were clearly the stronger side, yet in the end, they wanted to sacrifice me and seek a compromise at our own expense!"

"After word got out, the senior members of the Hyuga Clan proposed handing over the corpse of branch family member Hizashi Hyuga as my substitute. Although I tried with all my strength to stop them and did not want Hizashi to die in my place, Hizashi understood his fate as a branch family member and could only accept the arrangement. In the end, he went to his death without hesitation!"

"Before Hizashi died, he told me, 'Please tell Neji that I was not killed to protect the main family. I died to protect my own brother and the village.'"

"And so, Hizashi was killed as my substitute. In the end, the Hidden Cloud Village could only let the matter go."