One week later, at dawn in the Hyuga clan leader's household.
"Alright, Father, you don't need to see me off anymore."
Nayou waved goodbye to her family with one hand while holding a large-capacity purple scroll specially made for her by the Uchiha genius.
"Well then, Nayou," her father began. "Take care of yourself out there—don't eat anything from strangers! And absolutely stay away from those creepy geezers who look just like Kazushi!"
Nayou gave a gloomy look as her dad kept rambling on—it was the exact same thing he'd been saying every single day for the past week.
Feeling increasingly impatient, she finally snapped, "Dad, you're being such a nag! I'm leaving anyway, so soon enough you won't even have to deal with me anymore!"
"Alright, alright!" Meide sighed dramatically. "Our little Nayou is already giving me the cold shoulder. Otherwise, I'd totally walk you all the way if it weren't for that old man I hate seeing so much!"
Meide was at it again, slipping into one of his overly dramatic moods. His tone and expression dripped with exaggerated reluctance—indeed, the rumor about Hyuga clan leaders being hopeless daughter obsessives wasn't baseless at all.
With that, Nayou simply turned to wave goodbye to her mother and two older brothers before stepping out the door. She walked away with a defiant grace that made her look like she was running off on her own terms.
"Nayou! Did you remember everything? Don't forget to—"
"I remember, I remember!" she called back without looking, hurrying past the gate of the Hyuga clan leader's estate.
"And watch out for that Uchiha brat! You better not let him pull anything on you!"
Saiya stood nearby, helpless as she listened to Meide's words. In her heart, she didn't believe a six-year-old would have such intentions.
"Dear, she's long gone now—she probably can't even hear you. Why do you think that boy would try something like that? Do kids even think like that?"
"Saiya, don't be naive! I can tell at first glance—he's rotten to the core! Just look at how messed up the whole Uchiha clan is! That old man is a perfect example. If their clan head behaves like this, how good could his kid really be?"
Meide declared passionately, speaking as though he had uncovered some cosmic truth. Paired with his typical over-the-top doting-dad expression, it looked more than a little ridiculous.
"Cough… Father," Shen interjected, "but Shen actually seems pretty easy to get along with. Didn't he keep giving us gifts under the guise of 'compensation'?"
"What kind of compensation? It almost looks like the brat is trying to propose marriage or something! Listen to what other clans are whispering—how the Uchiha and the Hyuga are joyfully joining together. Pfft, as if anyone would fall for that nonsense! Even if Nayou never gets married, there's no way she's ending up with that little punk!" Before Hiashi could say more, he clamped his mouth shut under the forceful glare from Meide.
"Darling, isn't it too early to talk like that? Nayou is still just a child."
"No, it's never too early! Lord Third assigning Team One wasn't really about the Sword of Kusanagi at all..."
Saiya's interruption redirected Meide's attention back toward analyzing the deeper implications behind Nayou's mission—for an explanation so shocking that both of them were greatly alarmed.
"So you're saying our younger sister has caught the Third Hokage's eye because of Shen?" Nisai said, his voice tinged with slight resentment.
Meide sighed, "This is still a secret among the upper ranks. I only found out because Nayou and that brat are teammates. Listen carefully—I'm only saying this once."
He gestured for the three to lean in closer before continuing in a hushed tone: "That Uchiha brat invented two types of people-carrying devices—one for flying and one for land travel. These inventions could completely change how wars are fought in the shinobi world. Lord Third even plans to form a special elite ninja squad based on this idea. Team One, combining the Hyuga's wide-range vision and close combat techniques, the Senju's signature superhuman strength and endurance, and the Uchiha's analytical and observational skills, is the very first experiment."
"So it's like this—the Hyuga member locates enemy positions, the Senju draws the main enemy fire, and finally the Uchiha completes the mission? With airborne vehicles backing up such an elite team, they really could decide battle outcomes quickly," Meide remarked, amazed at how quickly Hiashi grasped the tactical synergy.
He went on, "That's not all—since these fast and efficient attacks won't drain much stamina or chakra, they can strike one spot and then zip off to the next in no time."
"So this attack method not only allows for quick strikes but also improves survival rates? Shen's invention is actually this impressive!" Nisai exclaimed thoughtfully.
"We have to admit that kid really is a genius. If he hadn't been born into the Uchiha clan, I might even consider marrying him to Nayou."
"Dear, you know marrying into the main branch of the Hyuga represents—"
"Saiya, stop! The kids are listening!"
Meide quickly interrupted Saiya before she revealed any sensitive family secrets. After all, the measures the Hyuga took to prevent the Byakugan from leaking outside weren't exactly pretty.
The separation between main and branch houses exists specifically to protect the Byakugan from outsiders. Members of the main house have always belonged to the main branch from birth unless the current head has biological brothers.
In such cases, the younger brother is marked with the 'Caged Bird' Cursed Seal upon reaching adulthood. This seal creates about a one-degree blind spot in their Byakugan vision while also controlling them similarly to the 'Tightening Golden Headband.'
Speaking of the Tightening Golden Headband, it's hard not to think of Son Goku—but let's not go there; I'd rather not owe the whole country an apology.
To put it plainly, this seal forces branch members to obey the main house's orders. That kind of curse seal, which only dissipates upon death, may seem unfair to branch members, but this doctrine has been passed down in the Hyuga since the days of the Sage of Six Paths.
Simply put, this clan has always valued bloodline purity. Hamura Otsutsuki's descendants living on the moon maintain similar traditions. Unless you've saved the shinobi world like the Heir, any woman who becomes the Heir's bride will immediately be branded with her own 'Caged Bird Seal.'"
(The future troublemaker: Those Hyuga elders look pretty strong. Maybe I should beat them all up?)
Hyuga Elders: Please spare our old bones!
Author's Note: If you get it, you get it.
Such a system that clearly favors the main house would lead to a serious consequence: it would eliminate all competition within the Hyuga Clan. Those born into the branch house were left with no means to resist their fates.
Privileged main house members, enjoying superior status without effort, would indulge themselves in decadent lives. Meanwhile, the branch house members would give up on themselves entirely. This was completely contrary to the Uchiha Clan's principle of valuing strength above all else.
That's precisely why the Hyuga Clan kept deteriorating generation after generation. Just look at those Otsutsuki on the moon who inherited the Byakugan — after generations of limited bloodlines, their eyes have even grown hazy and dull. If the Hyuga kept following this path, the Byakugan would eventually vanish from the shinobi world entirely.
"Hiashi, Hizashi, you two go inside first," Meide said. "Try to forget what I just said; these matters are much too advanced for you right now." After speaking, Meide gave Saiya a meaningful glance — quite clearly wanting her to pacify the two kids with some excuse.
With no other choice, Saiya simply made up a reason to lead the two Hyuga brothers into the house.
"Hyuga, I hope these two brothers always maintain such a close bond. And the relationship with the Uchiha needs careful mending as well. If war breaks out in the future, perhaps that little brat might accomplish something..." Standing alone at his doorway, lost in bitter thoughts, Meide abruptly cut himself off.
What he wanted to say next was simply too painful — painful because he believed that not one member of Konoha's new generation could rival that brat, and even more painful because an increasing number of Konoha villagers seemed to agree.
"Why is it that, among kids their age, the Uchiha household only seems to churn out freakish geniuses?"
After venting his complaints to the silent air, Meide turned and disappeared inside through his front door, his solemn silhouette stirring pity in anyone who saw it.
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