Chapter 219: If You Want to Condemn Someone, You'll Never Be Short of a Reason
"This is bad."
The hearts of the few Branch Family members, including Neji, sank.
If this were the past, how would they dare to speak ill of the Main Family in a place like this?
But too many things had happened recently, giving rise to a certain extravagant hope in their hearts.
"Fools! You actually dare to speak ill of the Main Family! Do you not know the consequences?"
The Head Elder was already extremely dissatisfied with the Branch Family and Hyūga Hinata. Now, seeing a few who dared to stick their necks out, his anger flared.
Thus, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the Head Elder strode forward directly, his raised palm falling heavily.
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!!
There was no holding back in these three slaps. The sound echoed throughout the entire conference room.
"...Apologies, it was our mistake."
After a moment's hesitation, the two Branch Family members lowered their heads. Only Neji, at the side, still had a dark and uncertain expression.
Noticing Neji's display of defiance, the Head Elder, whose anger had not yet subsided, berated him, "You bastard, you still dare to be defiant?!"
The two Branch Family members beside him quickly tugged at the corner of his sleeve.
A wise man doesn't fight with an old dog.
Neji came back to his senses. A flash of coldness appeared in his eyes as he looked at the Head Elder, but it was quickly suppressed and hidden away. Like the other two, he lowered his head.
"Apologies."
Although that cold glint was fleeting, the Head Elder still noticed something unusual about Neji.
"Damn it! Who do you think you are, daring to show killing intent towards me?!"
The shocked and enraged Head Elder immediately raised his hands to form a seal, activating the "Caged Bird Cursed Seal" on Neji.
"Activate!!"
"Arghhhhh!!"
As the Caged Bird Cursed Seal activated, Neji clutched his head and fell to the ground, rolling and wailing in pain.
His agonized cries echoed throughout the conference room. The members of the Hyūga Branch Family all stood up, looking at Neji and the Head Elder with strange expressions.
A few of the Branch Family members exchanged glances, but quickly shook their heads almost imperceptibly.
Coincidentally, Hizashi, having heard the noise, also hurried over.
When he saw Neji being tormented by the Caged Bird, howling in pain…
Hizashi forcefully suppressed the anger in his heart, turned to the Head Elder, and said, "Lord Elder, please spare him! He is still a child and cannot withstand the torment of the cursed seal!"
But the Head Elder just snorted coldly, showing no intention of being merciful.
"Hah!"
Hizashi's face flushed as he took a deep breath. He spoke softly to Neji, trying to persuade him, "Neji, have you forgotten what I told you? We can talk about whatever it is when we get back!"
It was as if Neji didn't hear his father's words.
No matter how the Head Elder activated the 'Caged Bird Cursed Seal,' even as he wailed in pain on the ground in a pathetic state, he remained incredibly stubborn, refusing to open his mouth and beg for mercy.
The Head Elder's expression also changed, and a hint of killing intent actually arose in his heart.
"You're courting death!"
Hyūga Hinata was protected by the clan head, Hyūga Hiashi. Plus, they had no useful leverage against her, so no matter how dissatisfied the Head Elder was, there was nothing he could do.
But now, Hyūga Neji was just an ordinary Branch Family member. Who gave him the courage to challenge the authority of the Main Family?!
Hyūga Hinata is truly shaking the authority of the Main Family!
At this thought, the Head Elder's heart suddenly turned ruthless, and he prepared to activate the cursed seal to kill Neji directly.
But just then.
"Enough!"
A loud shout interrupted the Head Elder's actions.
Hiashi's face was so grim it looked as if water could drip from it. "What's all this ruckus? Do you want our two guests to watch this joke?"
Behind him, the expressions of Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were even stranger.
"How interesting."
They hadn't expected the internal affairs of the Hyūga Clan to be in such a mess.
Not only did they invite two Konoha advisors to their clan meeting, but judging from the Head Elder's appearance just now, if it weren't for the clan head Hyūga Hiashi's intervention, he probably would have killed Hyūga Neji in front of the entire Branch Family.
While the two found it utterly absurd, they also recalled the rumors they had heard not long ago.
The Hyūga Branch Family, represented by Hyūga Hinata, seemed to be secretly preparing to resist the rule of the Main Family. The conflict between the two sides was constantly escalating, having reached a point of mutual intolerance.
Homura and Koharu hadn't paid much attention to this "rumor" at first.
After all, the members of the Hyūga Branch Family were all bound by the Caged Bird Cursed Seal.
Under the power of a cursed seal that controlled their life and death, the Branch Family's resistance would only seem powerless and comical.
However, seeing the absurd and comical scene before them now…
"Could that rumor actually be true?"
Homura and Koharu looked at each other, seeing the shock and doubt in each other's eyes.
The Head Elder, interrupted by Hiashi's sudden entrance, finally noticed that the members of the Branch Family had gathered around without him realizing it.
Being stared at by so many from the Branch Family, the Head Elder actually felt a chill.
Coupled with the fact that the two advisors were still watching, he was stuck in a difficult position for a moment, his expression turning dark and uncertain.
Sensing this, Hizashi quickly said, "Lord Elder, my foolish son is still young and ignorant. I will be sure to discipline him properly when we get back."
Seeing Hizashi offer him a way out, the Head Elder secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He's just a brat who can't stir up any trouble. The real one to be dealt with is that little girl, Hyūga Hinata.
At this thought, the killing intent in the Head Elder's heart receded slightly, but he still straightened his back and shouted loudly, "Hyūga Neji has defied his superiors! In light of this being his first offense, he is sentenced to confinement!"
"If he offends again, he will be dealt with according to clan rules and executed by the cursed seal!"
Hearing this, Hizashi breathed a sigh of relief.
He quickly pulled Neji up from the ground and walked cautiously to a corner.
"You were too reckless today!"
Neji's head was lowered, his expression unseen, as he silently dusted himself off.
Hizashi could only sigh at the sight and comforted him in a low voice, "Don't worry. After some time, I will go to the clan head and plead for your confinement to be lifted. I believe the clan head won't make things too difficult for us."
Neji's movements paused.
"Father."
He slowly raised his head, looking at Hizashi with a blank expression. "Do you hate the Caged Bird?"
Hizashi was stunned. "You…"
"No, you probably don't hate the Caged Bird, Father."
Before Hizashi could finish, Neji spoke for himself. "Even if you've become a bird in a cage, you can still be a watchdog."
Looking at Neji before him, Hizashi suddenly had a bad feeling.
Hizashi frowned, puzzled. "Neji, what are you trying to say?"
"Nothing."
Neji said with a calm expression, "I've already tried my best, but in the end, I still can't do it."
Hearing this, Hizashi breathed a sigh of relief. "It's okay. Where there's life, there's hope. Don't do such a foolish thing again in the future."
With that, he leaned closer to Neji's ear and reminded him in a low voice, "With me and the clan head mediating between the Main and Branch families, I believe things will get better one day."
Hizashi thought Neji meant that he had realized how powerless his resistance against the Main Family was.
But he didn't know that was not his true meaning at all.
However, Neji didn't say any more, just smiled noncommittally.
"Let's hope so."
Unfortunately, the torment of the Caged Bird Cursed Seal has already shattered the last hope in my heart, and also shattered my last attachment to the clan.
The terror of having my life and death controlled by those people, and the humiliation of being imprisoned in a birdcage.
I don't want to wait anymore.
I am not willing to become a watchdog like my father.
Even if I am fated to die, I will die on the path to seeking freedom.
Not like those other Branch Family members, dying a humiliating death at the hands of an incompetent, pedantic old man.
Click!
"Apologies, it seems I'm late."
As the conference room door was pushed open again, Hinata walked in unhurriedly with a smile on her face.
The moment she entered the conference room, she became the focus of everyone's attention in the hall.
"Ahem!"
Seeing everyone's gaze shift away from him, the Head Elder, sitting in his chair, let out two dissatisfied coughs.
However, thinking of the pathetic scene of her begging for mercy later, the Head Elder, in a good mood, didn't make things too difficult for Hinata.
"Since you know you're late, why don't you hurry up and find a seat?"
Hinata understood that this clan meeting was most likely aimed at her, so she looked toward Hiashi, who was sitting at the very top.
Sensing his daughter's gaze, Hiashi shook his head almost imperceptibly, indicating that he was also unaware.
"Heh, interesting."
Hinata smiled nonchalantly and sat down next to Neji and Hizashi.
At this time, Hiashi turned his head and took the initiative to ask, "Head Elder, what is the meaning of inviting us to this clan meeting?"
Thus, everyone subconsciously looked at the Head Elder, with no exception for Koharu and Homura.
Not only Hiashi, the clan head, but they too were unaware of the reason the Main Family's Head Elder had invited them to the Hyūga clan meeting.
"Well then, allow me to explain to everyone."
The Head Elder scanned the crowd below, his expression serious. "I proposed holding this clan meeting today because we discovered a matter that could endanger the safety of the village. That is why we had to invite the two advisors to this meeting, hoping to discuss a solution."
The Head Elder's words were like a stone thrown into a pond, instantly causing ripples in the quiet conference room.
"Endanger the safety of the village?"
Homura frowned. "What matter would endanger the village?"
Facing the clamor of the crowd below and the advisors' confusion, the Head Elder deliberately glanced at Hyūga Hinata, then cleared his throat and said with a grave expression, "Naturally, it is about the person who invaded the Hyūga compound not long ago."
"A short while ago, we discovered that someone had deliberately concealed information about the intruder from the Main Family, and then spread false rumors among the Branch Family."
Pausing intentionally, the Head Elder continued, "For the specific details, let's have the informed party report."
With that, Hyūga Tokuma, who had been standing behind him all along, stepped forward, instantly attracting the strange gazes of the Branch Family members.
However, Hyūga Tokuma paid them no mind and spoke for himself, "As far as I know, the intruder, who also possessed the Byakugan, did not have the Caged Bird seal. His purpose was to steal Lady Hanabi's eyes, and he even referred to them as pure Byakugan."
"And the child with the intruder was a blind person without eyes. From this, a malicious rumor emerged within the Branch Family that gouging out the Main Family's Byakugan could free one from the Caged Bird…"
The Head Elder took over the narrative. "That's right, it's a rumor. Even swapping eyes cannot get rid of the Caged Bird."
"But most importantly, the ones who guided the intruder and repelled the intruder were both members of the Branch Family, Hyūga Neji and Hyūga Hinata!"
His tone sank as he stared at Neji and Hinata, questioning them, "This matter concerns an intruder with the Byakugan, and it also concerns the peace and security of the village. Therefore, I need you to give me, the two advisors, and everyone present an explanation!"
"Who exactly is the intruder, where do they come from, what is their purpose in stealing the eyes… or should I say, was this whole affair planned by you?!"
Hearing the Head Elder's indignant speech, the atmosphere in the conference room gradually became subtle.
Everyone's gazes turned to Hyūga Hinata and Neji.
Homura and Koharu also looked at Hinata, very curious as to how this little girl from the Branch Family would respond to the Head Elder's accusation.
The Head Elder, feeling that he had already grasped the situation, curled his lips into a smile, his eyes fixed on Hyūga Hinata as he laughed inwardly, Hmph, brainless, violent little girl. Today, I will show you the power of rules and authority.
He knew very well that he couldn't directly brand this little girl as a traitor based on one-sided speculation and accusations.
But it didn't matter. As long as she couldn't explain it perfectly, her loopholes would be caught, and her authority within the Branch Family would plummet.
This was "forcing one to prove one's own innocence."
"Lord Elder, if you want to condemn someone, you'll never be short of a reason."
Hinata said with an unchanging smile, "The reason Brother Neji led him to the clan grounds was not only to ensure his own safety but also to prevent the intruder from being startled and escaping."
"Such sophistry is meaningless and will not satisfy everyone present."
The Head Elder smiled and said, "You might as well just honestly admit to colluding with the intruder. As long as you are willing to repent sincerely, the village and the clan will give you a chance."
Facing the Head Elder's aggressive questioning and the suspicious and probing gazes of the crowd, Hinata slowly stood up.
The Head Elder smiled confidently and asked, "Hyūga Hinata, do you still wish to explain?"
"The two advisors are right here. If you have any problems, you can also speak up and ask them for answers!"
Hizashi, who was bowing low at the side, blinked repeatedly at Hinata, his hints almost becoming explicit, his expression extremely anxious, just short of speaking out to persuade her directly.
Hinata, however, gave him a gentle smile as usual.
But when she turned her head again to look at the Head Elder, the corners of her mouth curled into a mocking arc.
The Head Elder, being stared at, suddenly had a bad feeling well up in his heart.
But in an instant, he suppressed this ominous feeling.
Because in his mind, no matter how much courage Hyūga Hinata had, she would not dare to make any disrespectful move toward him, a member of the Main Family, in front of the two advisors.
"What… what do you want to do?"
"As I thought, it's impossible to reason with people like you."
The gentle smile on Hinata's face gradually faded. She shook her head and said with a pitying tone, "You are all like selfish children, always expecting everything to go your way, shamelessly feigning innocence."
The moment her voice fell, before anyone could react…
SWISH!!
With a flicker, Hyūga Hinata's figure, at an almost ghostly speed, directly charged toward the three Main Family elders.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Looking at Hyūga Tokuma who was blocking her, Hinata's body flipped slightly.
With great agility, she bypassed Tokuma, pressed her hands on the heads of two Main Family elders, and at the same time, her right knee slammed violently into the jaw of the Head Elder in the middle.
BANG! BANG! BANG!!!
Three crisp sounds came almost at the same time, as three perfectly good heads smashed directly into each other.
(End of Chapter)
---
Read up to 25 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin
[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]
*Thank you*