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Just as Chi Yu was watching Uzumaki Kushina train Kakashi, a sudden knock sounded at the door.
Chi Yu stood and went to open it. Seeing someone arrive, Kushina temporarily stopped her lesson.
Kakashi exhaled quietly in relief—his reprieve had arrived.
At the door stood Hyūga Hizashi, holding a small child in his arms—an adorable Hyūga Neji, barely a toddler.
"Ah, it's little Neji!"
Kushina's eyes lit up, and she immediately moved closer, playfully teasing the child in Hizashi's arms. Neji laughed in delight, his small hands grasping at her hair.
"Kushina, don't block the doorway. Let Hizashi in. Kakashi, pour some tea for our guest," Chi Yu said.
Kushina quickly stepped aside, allowing Hizashi to enter.
Hizashi smiled politely. "Sorry to trouble you. This is just a small gift—it's nothing much."
He handed the package to Chi Yu.
"You're already doing me an honor by visiting, Hizashi," Chi Yu replied. "There's no need for gifts."
"It's necessary," Hizashi said matter-of-factly. "This is Neji's first time visiting his master—etiquette demands it."
Chi Yu accepted the gift with a nod. "Then I thank you. Please, have a seat."
Kakashi returned with two cups of tea, handing one to Chi Yu and the other to Hizashi.
"Please have some tea, Hyūga Hizashi," he said.
"Thank you, Kakashi," Hizashi replied.
As they drank, Kakashi glanced at the toddler in Hizashi's arms. He remembered Kushina mentioning Chi Yu's intention to take a new disciple—a Hyūga child. So it was this boy. But… wasn't he far too young?
Hizashi turned to Kushina. "Kushina, could you hold Neji for a while? I'd like to speak privately with Chi Yu."
"Of course! I'd be delighted!"
Kushina happily took Neji, cooing at him while he smiled up at her. Chi Yu and Hizashi moved to sit.
"Chi Yu," Hizashi began, "Neji is still very young. We'll formally hold the discipleship ceremony when he turns three and is old enough to begin training."
Chi Yu waved it off. "I'm not interested in formalities. Since you've agreed to let Neji become my disciple, the bond is already established. Ceremony or not, he's under my guidance now."
Hizashi relaxed at that. "Then I can rest easier. With you as his master, I won't have to worry about his future."
Chi Yu raised an eyebrow. "When you say 'worry,' Hizashi… you mean after he receives the Caged Bird Curse Mark?"
Hizashi blinked in surprise. "You know about that?"
Then he nodded. "Of course—you hold a high position. And the divide between the Hyūga Main Family and branch family is no secret in Konoha."
The Hyūga rarely spoke openly about the curse seal—it was an ugly truth—but there were no secrets that stayed buried forever.
Hizashi sighed. "Yes… it's Neji's fate. There's no avoiding it. And as his father… I can't help but feel I've already failed him."
Kushina frowned, unfamiliar with the term. "Caged Bird Curse Mark? What's that?"
Chi Yu glanced at her. "Kushina, don't ask about this."
"It's fine," Hizashi said. "As the wife of Neji's master, she will learn of it sooner or later. The Hyūga Clan is divided into the Main Family and the branch family. This is to protect our Byakugan bloodline from being stolen.
"The Main Family leads and carries the clan's legacy. The branch family serves as protectors of the Main Family. There can only be one heir to the Main Family per generation; all others become branch family members.
"When a branch child turns three, the Caged Bird Curse Mark is inscribed upon their forehead. This seal can block the Byakugan's powers after death to prevent theft—and worse, it allows the Main Family to destroy the brain of a branch member with a simple hand seal. It is… a tool of control."
Kushina's eyes widened in disbelief. "But you're one clan! I can understand protecting the bloodline, but to use something like that… it's inhuman!"
Hizashi's expression was bitter. "The branch family has long resented this system, but resentment doesn't change anything. Our lives are bound by the seal, and our choices… are not our own."
Kushina looked down at the laughing toddler in her arms, her heart tightening. Such a sweet child—yet destined to live under another's control.
Chi Yu finally spoke. "As his master, I will not allow Neji's life to be without choice. The curse seal will not be the reason for his confinement. I will give him the choice to accept his fate—or to break free from it."
Hizashi looked at him in confusion.
Chi Yu smiled faintly. "The Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts are unmatched. The Caged Bird Curse Mark may be formidable, but for someone like Kushina… it's not impossible to find a way to remove it."
Kushina blinked at him. "Eh? Since when do I—"
Chi Yu met her gaze. "Right, Kushina?"
Caught off guard, she hesitated, then stammered, "Mm… yes."
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