"Has Toshi-san found any direction?"
Hyūga Neji and Kimimaro exchanged a glance. Then, they both stood up and walked toward the room where the voice had come from.
Inside, they saw Toshi carefully carving marks onto the forehead of a member of the Hyūga branch family.
Rather than just marks, it looked more like an extension of the Caged Bird Seal.
One after another, the marks twisted and changed around the original Caged Bird seal.
Finally, they formed a complex, black symbol—far more intricate and detailed than before.
The two men fell silent, watching intently as Toshi etched the new marks on the Hyūga's forehead.
However,
Toshi worked cautiously, fearing any accident that might harm the Hyūga clan member.
He was not some violent experimenter. He valued every life. Even though, in Genya's eyes, these few Hyūga were already dead, Toshi's every step remained careful and precise.
Perhaps the process was mentally exhausting. As time passed, beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, yet the pattern grew clearer.
It resembled a budding lotus flower, with black roots contrasting softly against hints of white.
At this moment, the curse seal no longer looked like the Caged Bird. Instead, it gave a feeling of imminent release and blossoming.
This process lasted more than an hour before Toshi finally withdrew his hand.
But after completing the task, he staggered.
The modification of the Caged Bird seal had drained his mental energy almost to collapse.
"Toshi-san, are you alright?" Kimimaro grabbed him, concern in his voice.
"I'm fine... fine!" Toshi waved off the concern, but his eyes stayed fixed on the Hyūga before him, burning with intensity. "How do you feel?"
"Feeling? What feeling?"
The Hyūga Branch Family member, transformed by Toshi, was momentarily stunned.
But soon, it seemed like the curse seal that had been suppressing his eyes loosened.
Before, under the oppression of the Caged Bird Seal, his Byakugan could not see in a full 360 degrees without any blind spots.
But now, although he still couldn't see in a perfect 360 degrees, the blind spots were almost gone.
He could even feel strands of chakra above his forehead entering his body on their own, nurturing his Byakugan!
This? Was this even possible?
The Hyūga Branch Family member was completely dumbfounded.
When did the Caged Bird ever show such a special reaction?
"What do you feel now? Tell me quickly!"
Toshi looked eagerly at the stunned Hyūga member.
"I feel..." The Hyūga member carefully described all his sensations.
"Not perfect yet, not perfect enough. I want the whole lotus to bloom!"
Toshi was a little dissatisfied.
Though the budding lotus flower could change the Caged Bird Seal, it still couldn't fully free it.
"Neji... you cast the Caged Bird Seal again!"
Toshi's eyes turned to Neji, signaling him to perform the seal.
Neji didn't hesitate and immediately cast the Caged Bird Seal on the man.
Hmm.
As soon as he cast the seal, Neji sensed a difference.
Usually, when forming the seal, as long as he focused on one person's mental imprint, it would work.
But now, the Caged Bird imprint on this person was almost undetectable!
Still, Neji managed to catch it in the end.
He began to activate the Caged Bird Seal.
Ugh...
The Hyūga branch member who had just repaired his Caged Bird imprint let out a muffled groan.
But after that, there was no more movement, only a slight frown as if he was enduring something.
Neji couldn't help but intensify the activation even more.
But even so, this member of the branch family only grew more serious and fierce in expression.
He did not cry out in pain or beg for mercy.
He actually endured despite Neji using the Caged Bird Seal with full force.
"Are you okay?" Neji asked, looking at him with concern.
Everyone could see Neji's expression at that moment — he was moved, tears streaming down his face, his voice trembling.
"I... I'm fine!" The branch family member was stunned.
He looked at Neji and asked, "Did you fully activate the Caged Bird Seal?"
"Yes, I gave it everything I had!" Neji nodded.
"How is this possible? The Caged Bird Seal only causes this much pain?" The man's eyes began to shine with hope.
"It's me. I have modified your Caged Bird Seal," Toshi said calmly.
In his hand, a mirror suddenly appeared without anyone noticing, allowing the man to inspect himself.
"Huh?" The branch family member's eyes showed surprise, then excitement.
"The Caged Bird Seal... my curse seal is lifted!"
"Thank you, thank you!" Tears suddenly streamed down his face.
He bowed deeply to Toshi, thanking him repeatedly.
"The curse seal is lifted! I am free! Free!"
His voice grew louder and more excited until he was nearly fainting.
"Don't get too excited. I can only modify the Caged Bird Seal once for now. And this is still an imperfect modified curse seal," Toshi warned the excited branch family member.
"That means you will have to carry this imperfect curse seal for a long time in the future."
"That's already enough!" The branch family member nodded sincerely.
"This pain, I can endure. And I no longer have to be controlled by the main Hyuga family!"
His face was filled with joy and relief.
The personality oppressed by the Caged Bird Seal began to break free.
He no longer feared the main Hyuga family as much.
This man spoke excitedly, "With such a great favor, I would go through fire and water for you, sir!"
At this moment, Toshi felt like his rebirth parent.
"Sir, please help me too. Help me break the Caged Bird Seal!" The other Hyuga clan members tied up nearby saw this and their eyes filled with excitement.
But in the corner, Hyuga Choryū and another Hyuga who hadn't had their eyes removed looked pale.
Was the Caged Bird really going to be broken?
If that happened, the status of their main family would be completely destroyed.
Damn Uchiha Genya!
"Wait a little longer. The current curse seal isn't perfected yet. I still need to improve it. Just wait a few more days!" Toshi looked at the excited few and calmly reassured them.
With a clear direction and the first success, what came next would almost naturally follow.
Soon,
The perfect curse would replace the Caged Bird.
"Yes." The few branch family members just nodded reluctantly, their faces full of excitement.
Some even felt relieved to have been tied here for experiments!
Hyuga clan, inside Neji's house!
A group stood in the courtyard, and on the ground lay a weak woman. Her body twitched, but she held back from begging.
Bang!
At that moment, the Eighth Elder stepped on the woman's head and spoke in a deep voice, "Tell me, where did you hide Hyuga Neji?"
****
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/AniScout