Testing

That afternoon, the Hokage personally visited each major ninja clan with the two elder advisors.

The major ninja clans also showed due respect, warmly welcoming the Hokage and the two elder advisors.

Every discussion proceeded in a harmonious atmosphere, and the Hokage and the two elder advisors left satisfied each time.

As for what the major ninja clans truly thought...

Or what sort of benefits the Hokage had exchanged for their cooperation, no one knew.

Early that morning, Doichi Hyuga received an emergency notice from the hospital: all medical personnel were to proceed immediately to Konoha Hospital for support.

The moment he entered the hospital, he was dragged into an operating room. The patients were mainly Uchiha Clan members.

He worked with Uegi Mishima through surgery after surgery all afternoon, without even having time for a drink of water.

They remained busy until late at night before finally taking off their surgical gowns and returning home to rest.

The moment he entered the clan grounds, Tokuma Hyuga invited him to the clan head's residence.

"How is Uchiha Fugaku's family?"

Once they were seated, Hyuga Hiashi asked.

"I heard they've passed the critical stage and their lives are no longer in immediate danger. Still, they'll probably need to remain hospitalized for observation."

Other doctors had operated on Uchiha Fugaku's family, so Doichi Hyuga only knew the general details.

"I see. What do you think about what happened to the Uchiha Clan?"

Hyuga Hiashi set down his teacup and asked.

Hyuga Hiashi had already discussed the Uchiha tragedy with the elders, but he had not gotten the answer he wanted.

Doichi Hyuga had plenty of unconventional ideas and a calm, mature temperament. Hyuga Hiashi wanted to hear his opinion.

Of course, it was not just the Hyuga Clan. Every major ninja clan had studied the matter.

"What else is there to think? Small ninja clans are one thing, but major clans have always been a thorn in the upper leadership's side. Besides, you know the Uchiha Clan's style. This outcome was bound to happen sooner or later. At least several hundred people remain. It's fortunate they weren't wiped out."

"The Uchiha Clan's decline is already inevitable. Next, the Hyuga Clan will be the one facing the upper leadership head-on."

Hyuga Hiashi sighed.

Given Konoha's current situation, the Senju Clan had vanished into obscurity and the Uchiha Clan had declined. Konoha's two founding clans could no longer stir up any trouble. In the future, when the sky fell, only the tallest would be able to hold it up.

And right now, the Hyuga Clan was the tallest one.

"What did the elders say?"

"The elders believe that since the Hyuga Clan has the [Caged Bird], the upper leadership cannot do anything to us. We only need to do our own part and maintain good relations with the other ninja clans and civilian ninja. There is no need to change anything."

The [Caged Bird] had always weighed heavily on Hyuga Hiashi's mind. Because of Hizashi Hyuga's death and the choice between his two daughters, he had always wanted to make some changes.

Hinata Hyuga and Hanabi Hyuga were both his precious daughters, the apples of his eye. Hyuga Hiashi did not want to see either of them branded with the [Caged Bird].

Now that this had happened, the elders were once again flaunting the superiority of the [Caged Bird].

If he wished to propose changing the clan rules in the future, the elders would certainly use the Uchiha Clan's fate as an excuse to stop him.

"Keeping things unchanged can indeed ensure the Hyuga Clan's continuation. But the [Caged Bird] also restricts the clan members' development. The Uchiha Clan produced outstanding talents one after another, while the Hyuga Clan's strength has always been in an awkward position."

The [Caged Bird] could not restrain Doichi Hyuga, and other people's affairs had nothing to do with him. So he did not want to say much more.

"Still, our relationship with the other ninja clans needs to become friendlier. Only by making more friends and fewer enemies can we last for the long term."

Doichi Hyuga had been a qualified successor in his previous life. The Chairman had always been the idol he admired most.

To be fair, the [Caged Bird] had indeed protected most Hyuga Clan members. Not every Hyuga was Neji Hyuga; most clan members' talent was merely average.

The Hyuga Clan, with the [Caged Bird], remained prosperous even in Boruto's era, while the other Ōtsutsuki Clan descendants had nearly all perished.

The Senju Clan, Uzumaki Clan, Takeori Clan, the Ōtsutsuki Clan on the moon, and the rest—some had been completely wiped out, while others only had two or three stragglers left.

"Not bad. The [Caged Bird] has created a divide between the branch family and the main family. I want to make changes. Are you willing to support me, Dao Yi?"

Hyuga Hiashi asked.

The [Caged Bird] was an advanced secret Yin Release technique. It was inscribed using the recipient's one-degree Byakugan blind spot as its energy foundation.

This technique acted directly on the soul, the eyes, and the optic nerves. Once its recipient died or the Byakugan left its socket, the Curse Mark would directly destroy and seal the Byakugan.

"I have no problem supporting you. But what use is my support? The main family elders would never seriously listen to what a branch family member had to say."

Doichi Hyuga did not quite understand. What exactly was Hyuga Hiashi getting at?

"I once used the [Caged Bird] Curse Mark on you, but you showed no reaction whatsoever."

Hyuga Hiashi looked at Doichi Hyuga with a faint, knowing smile.

Hyuga Hiashi, that's a pretty low move! With that honest-looking face of yours, you were actually pulling tricks behind my back?

The smile on Doichi Hyuga's face froze briefly before he quickly recovered and asked:

"Then how does the clan head intend to deal with me?"

Half a year ago, Doichi Hyuga had obtained the Soul Transformation Technique from Danzo. When his soul left his body, he discovered the [Caged Bird] Curse Mark that acted upon the soul.

The Curse Mark's runes were stretched into long green lines by his departing soul, running along the optic nerves directly into his eyeballs.

Doichi Hyuga used Yin Release to seal the Curse Mark runes in his optic nerves, cutting off the connection between his soul and his eyes.

Then he used Yang Release to encourage Yin and Yang to generate one another, assimilating the Yin Release Curse Mark energy in his brain and eyes and gradually erasing the [Caged Bird]'s Curse Mark energy.

Looking at it this way, the [Caged Bird] truly could not be undone without Yin-Yang Release.

The missing one-degree field of vision also slowly recovered under the nourishment of the Yin and Yang energies within his body.

Those Yin and Yang energies contained Yin-Yang Release and could also be called the Power of All Creation.

"Three years ago, when Hinata began training at your place, I observed you in secret. Even then, your Byakugan's ocular power had already surpassed mine. Now, your Byakugan is even stronger. I am no match for you."

"A genius like you is a gift from our ancestors to the Hyuga Clan. Even if the elders knew about your situation, they would not punish you lightly."

The [Caged Bird] was useless, and he could not win in a fight. How was he supposed to deal with him? Who would believe that after cultivating for thirty years, he was no match for a thirteen-year-old boy?

Hyuga Hiashi grumbled inwardly before continuing:

"Your situation reminds me of a senior from several hundred years ago: Tennin Hyuga! I think you are this generation's Tennin."

"Tennin Hyuga possessed extraordinary talent and created the [Caged Bird]. You are equally gifted, yet you can undo the [Caged Bird]. Perhaps this is fate. Or perhaps this is the opportunity for the Hyuga Clan to change."

Tennin Hyuga was merely a title, meaning a genius ninja of the Hyuga Clan. The kind recognized throughout the Ninja World.

"Making some changes would be good. The Hyuga Clan is indeed too oppressive and rigid now."

"Once you come of age, I want to hand the position of clan head over to you."

"Forget that. Absolutely not. You're doing just fine, and I don't have the energy to manage the Hyuga Clan."