"Neji, are you truly set on this decision?"
Hiashi narrowed his eyes, his expression stern as he fixed his gaze on Neji.
But in the next instant, his eyes widened in disbelief, "Impossible! Why doesn't it work on you?"
Hiashi had secretly activated the Caged Bird, which should have incapacitated Neji immediately.
"Caged Bird? It has no effect on me." Neji replied as he calmly removing his forehead protector, revealing an unmarked, blank forehead.
Seeing this, Hiashi's expression darkened, "Where's your Caged Bird?"
Caged Bird is the Hyuga Clan's secret sealing technique that is impossible to remove once placed.
When our ancestors designed it, their intention was to prevent someone from forcing the clan to abdicate, so they deliberately designed it to be unsolvable.
Yet Neji stood before him, completely free of its control. This scenario was something Hiashi had never anticipated.
'No wonder Neji had dared to lead the branch family in rebellion… it was because he no longer feared the main family's control.'
"It's precisely because of this cursed Caged Bird Seal that the Hyuga Clan is divided into extremes. My goal is simple: to ensure that no future Hyuga's child is ever again bound by this cursed seal again."
Neji's words resonated deeply with the crowd.
Hiashi, however, scoffed coldly, "Even with the Caged Bird, you all still harbor rebellious thoughts. Without it, wouldn't you simply overthrow the main family outright?"
Neji also snorted coldly, "If not for the Caged Bird, the branch family wouldn't harbor such deep resentment toward the main family. Someone once told me, 'We come from the same roots, why destroy each other so ruthlessly?' Without the Caged Bird, we could let go of prejudice, treat each other honestly, and move forward hand in hand. Only then can the Hyuga Clan truly have a brighter future."
The words Neji referenced weren't his own, as they had been said to him by Naruto.
Thinking of Naruto, Neji's determination burned even brighter, his desire to seek justice for Naruto and Sasuke intensifying.
"Ridiculous!"
Hiashi snorted coldly.
To him, this was nothing more than treason. If the Caged Bird didn't exist, he believed the branch family would completely overthrow the main family, plunging the Hyuga Clan into chaos and eventual ruin.
"Ridiculous? If you don't believe me, ask everyone here. Perhaps they respect you as the Clan Head, but let's be honest: thanks to the Caged Bird, their respect is mixed with fear!"
Neji continued coldly, "Under a twisted system like this, rebellion is inevitable. Only when people are free of fear can they truly respect you for your wisdom and strength."
His statement struck a chord with the branch family's members, who nodded in agreement.
Indeed, as Neji pointed out, the members of the branch family lived under constant fear of the main family, all because of the hated Caged Bird.
We are all from the same clan, so who would want to fight among ourselves?
In the end, the root cause was this oppressive system.
Seeing that Hiashi was momentarily speechless, Neji continued, "And let's not even talk about respect. Let's talk about the decline of the Hyuga Clan. Why is the clan faltering? It's because of the Caged Bird. No matter how hard I worked or how talented I was, I couldn't escape my fate. I'm sure I'm not the first genius to be buried under this system, but I hope to be the last."
"Only by breaking the division between main family and branch family can everyone compete on achievement and drive each other to improve. That's the only way the Hyuga Clan will thrive in the long run."
This statement once again earned the unanimous approval of the crowd.
The clan's rules dictated that only the main family's firstborn could inherit leadership and perpetuate the main family's lineage. Everyone else would be relegated to the branch family.
But was the firstborn always the best?
Take Hinata, for example. Her abilities were clear to everyone. While she's not weak, she's far from representing the Hyuga Clan's best.
Neji, on the other hand, was the undisputed prodigy of the younger generation!
If Hinata were to become the Clan Head, the Hyuga Clan would become nothing but a laughingstock.
The branch family understood this truth, and so did Hiashi.
This was precisely why he focused on nurturing Hanabi, hoping she could excel. However, supporting Hanabi would violate the ancestral rules, as the clan's tradition dictated that only the firstborn could inherit the position of Clan Head.
This internal struggle had plagued Hiashi for many years.
"Very well. You and I will have a duel. If you win, I will declare you the Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan and allow you to implement any reforms you wish. If you lose, everyone will disperse, and I will give serious thought to today's proposal."
Hiashi finally said after a long silence.
Upon hearing this, the branch family's members immediately cheered with excitement, their faces lighting up with hope.
They were well aware that Neji's strength might not surpass the seasoned Hiashi. Yet, Hiashi's concession was a glimmer of hope for the branch family, and their sole wish now was for Neji to achieve victory.
The crowd retreated, clearing a large space for the two to fight.
Through the crystal ball, Sandaime observed everything clearly and sighed, "Neji's talent is indeed the key to the Hyuga Clan's resurgence..."
Meanwhile, monitoring the situation via the surveillance device, Naruto grumbled, "Old man, what are you doing? Why aren't you rushing to the scene? What if something happens to Neji?"
In Naruto's view, Hiashi's concession didn't necessarily indicate a change of heart. It might just be him caving under pressure, which forced him to make a decision.
While it seemed like an opportunity for the branch family, Hiashi could easily cripple Neji with a ruthless attack, leaving the branch family no chance to rise.
Naruto had no faith that this old fox, Hiashi, would break the clan's entrenched customs so easily.
However, his voice couldn't reach them, leaving him fuming with anxiety.
…
Rustle!
The autumn wind rustled, and the leaves swayed and crackled in the breeze.
The branch family's members had already retreated to a far distance, leaving a 20-meter diameter open space.
For Shinobi, such a distance could be covered in an instant. However, for a duel between Hyuga Clan's members, it was more than sufficient.
The Hyuga Clan's signature technique, Gentle Fist, required close combat. Every strike had to connect directly with the opponent, making long-range combat irrelevant.
Neji placed his left hand forward and his right hand back, and said solemnly, "Hiashi-sama, remember what you just said."
"Come at me."
Hiashi replied, assuming the starting stance of the Gentle Fist, with his left hand forward and his right hand at the back.
"Byakugan!"
Neji and Hiashi simultaneously activated their Byakugan.
In the next instant, the two figures collided fiercely without any superfluous moves.
With the Byakugan's vision, feints were utterly ineffective. Byakugan's insight surpassed even that of the Sharingan's.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of fists landing on flesh echoed sharply, not only impacting their bodies but also resonating deeply in the hearts of the onlookers.
Everyone presents had Byakugan, yet even with their Byakugan activated, they could hardly follow the pair's movements. They could only gauge the flow of Chakra in the combatants' tenketsu to determine who had the upper hand.
But to their astonishment, after exchanging dozens of blows, neither Neji's nor Hiashi's tenketsu showed any signs of being sealed.