In Orochimaru's laboratory within the Forbidden Forest, Uchiha Kin brought Hyuga Kiyoshi.
With Orochimaru currently absent and the access permissions he had granted, Kin could freely use the entire laboratory.
"Lie down here," Kin said, pointing to the examination table while reviewing some of Orochimaru's leftover experiment notes.
Hyuga Kiyoshi surveyed the surroundings—human specimens, animal specimens, and the dark red stains on the experimental tables—falling into deep thought.
This place clearly had seen many victims.
Would he become one of those specimens if he lay down here?
Glancing at Kin, who was busy examining various experimental data, Kiyoshi trusted that Uchiha Kin wouldn't harm him at this moment. Gritting his teeth, he chose to lie down.
Kin set aside what he was holding and walked to Kiyoshi's head, extending a finger.
"Sleep for a while."
A black Spirit Bullet condensed in his hand and instantly struck Kiyoshi's head, plunging him into darkness.
An unconscious Kiyoshi would make Kin's work much easier.
Kin removed the forehead protector, revealing the green cross-shaped mark and inverted hook symbol beneath—the nightmare of the Hyuga branch family.
The Caged Bird Seal.
Kin's hands glowed with black chakra as he began probing the sealing technique embedded within. Soon, he grasped its structure.
"What a vicious sealing technique," Kin remarked, marveling at its cruelty.
In some ways, the Caged Bird Seal resembled his own internal energy sealing technique—both utilized the body's natural structures.
This one was tied to the brain and the eyes.
And like chakra internal energy, it sealed the chakra.
But unlike chakra internal energy, the Caged Bird Seal targeted the external chakra.
This chakra was tightly bound to the seal, even continuously siphoning the victim's chakra to sustain itself, though in such minuscule amounts that it usually went unnoticed.
Yet the Caged Bird Seal differed from typical sealing techniques in one key aspect.
The essence of sealing techniques was to suppress the chakra.
The Caged Bird, however, had a unique trait: when deprived of chakra, the seal would transform into a destructive ninjutsu.
The chakra sealed within existed solely to maintain the Caged Bird. If it vanished, the seal would immediately drain the host's chakra to activate.
What appeared as "control" was actually maintenance—disabling the technique would kill the host.
In theory, instantly draining all chakra from the body could break the Caged Bird Seal.
But a body stripped of all chakra would also lose its life.
Exhaustion and complete drainage were two different things.
Exhaustion meant insufficient chakra to perform ninjutsu; drainage meant not a single trace remained.
Kin also understood why this technique had to be applied during childhood.
If a ninja with strong chakra control were branded with the Caged Bird, they could sever all chakra supply to the seal.
Once the sealed chakra dissipated, the Caged Bird would collapse on its own.
By implanting it early, the Caged Bird gradually fused with the user's chakra as they grew.
The Byakugan's blind spot, once a flaw, became fully controlled by the seal.
No amount of chakra control could halt this trickle of Loss.
"Was this really created for protection?"
Faced with such a malicious technique, Kin couldn't fathom how its creator could be so ruthless toward their own people.
No wonder the Hyuga branch family never sought out sealing masters to remove it.
Even masters would be useless against this.
But Kin was different.
He activated the Deduction Cheat Ability and input his requirements.
Instead of a method to break the Caged Bird, the system presented a ninjutsu to conceal its effects.
"Why can't modern ninja develop anything useful?"
Kin was exasperated. Not even a simple counter-technique for the Caged Bird existed.
This was a feat the entire shinobi world had failed to achieve.
The Caged Bird's defenses were too robust—any tampering or interference would trigger its activation.
Its creator had gone to great lengths to prevent crack.
They'd poured all their ingenuity into anti-tampering measures.
With that kind of intellect, why not create a secret technique to strengthen the Hyuga instead?
It was downright infuriating.
"Whoever made this must have really hated their own family. No sane person would devise something like this."
Kin pressed a finger to Kiyoshi's forehead.
The unconscious Hyuga stirred awake.
"Lord Kin, how did it go?" Kiyoshi asked, hope shining in his eyes.
Kin paused before speaking. "To put it bluntly, I can't Release the Caged Bird Seal yet. Its creator went to absurd lengths to make it unbreakable."
Kiyoshi's head drooped in disappointment, though he hadn't held out much hope to begin with.
"However," Kin continued, "I can suppress its effects—restore your Byakugan's blind spot."
Kiyoshi's head snapped up, disbelief written across his face.
"For now, this is the best I can do. A full Release will take considerably longer."
Kin delivered this casually, but his gaze remained fixed on Kiyoshi.
The Hyuga understood Uchiha Kin's unspoken demand.
It was time to fulfill his promise.
Just as he was about to answer, Kin raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait. First, let me be clear—the loyalty I require is yours alone. Permanently. Unlike the Hyuga, I won't enforce it with ninjutsu."
"But if you betray me, rest assured I can kill you."
"And consider this carefully: one day, I may stand against the village itself."
Kiyoshi's eyes widened, pupils contracting as he stared at Kin, whose face was half-obscured in the dim light.
"So what will you choose, Hyuga Kiyoshi?"
Without hesitation, Kiyoshi dropped to one knee before Kin.
"I pledge my everything to Lord Kin."
All for freedom.
Behind his back, Kin's hands flickered with black light.
A smile touched his lips.
"Then, for my sake, seek out other Hyuga who wish to escape the main family's control. Remember—my involvement stays hidden."
"I'll teach you the suppression technique now."
After Kiyoshi mastered the technique and departed, Kin's smile took on an inscrutable edge.
"How naive."
He raised his hand, observing the dark glow. To leave no safeguards would be unlike Uchiha Kin entirely.
"Let's hope I never need to use this."
His contingency was far more subtle than the Hyuga's.
The combined power of the Sharingan and the Soul Illumination Technique had etched a restraint deep into Kiyoshi's very soul.
Even death wouldn't free him from Kin's grasp.
Kin's gaze shifted to something hidden in the shadows.
Hashirama Cells.
...
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(End of Chapter)