A trace of coldness flashed in Hiashi's eyes as he said calmly:
"Of these ten pairs of eyes, we secretly collected five from battlefields over the past few years."
"The other five... were taken from Main Family members who suffered 'accidental deaths' this past month."
Hizashi fell silent.
Over the past month, five members of the Hyuga Main Family had died in succession, all from different causes-overtraining, recurring old injuries, even food poisoning.
Outsiders merely thought the Hyuga were having a run of bad luck, but Hizashi knew it was all his elder brother's doing.
Those Main Family members had thrown their weight around, treating the Branch Family as servants. They deserved to die.
It was just...
"Brother, is this really right?"
Hizashi said quietly, "They were still members of the Hyuga Clan..."
"Hizashi."
Hiashi interrupted him, his gaze sharp as he said:
"Do you think those Main Family members deserved to be called members of the Hyuga Clan?"
"They enjoyed the privileges the Caged Bird Seal gave them, yet never once considered the Branch Family's suffering. They even took pleasure in it."
"Keeping such 'clansmen' alive would only leave the Hyuga to rot."
Hizashi had no answer.
Hiashi said no more. He formed hand seals and began undoing the Tenseigan's final seal.
As the sealing formulas peeled away one after another, the Tenseigan trembled slightly. Its light grew a little stronger, but it remained weak.
Hiashi opened the container and took out the ten pairs of Byakugan one by one.
He cradled the first pair in both hands and gently pressed them against the Tenseigan's surface.
As though alive, the Tenseigan slowly "absorbed" the eyes, and a small portion of the cracks across its surface began to mend at a visible rate.
Its light brightened a little.
Hiashi continued