The moment Shingo Hyuga saw the mark on his forehead disappear, he understood that the 'Caged Bird' that had plagued him for many years had become a thing of the past.
However, many unanswered questions remained.
"Are you confused? There's no need to thank me; you just happened to be one of my experimental subjects."
It seemed Shiraishi could tell that Shingo Hyuga was in a state of bewilderment and complexity, so he offered an explanation.
"Why would you…"
"Unseal the Caged Bird?"
Shingo Hyuga understood a little after hearing Shiraishi's rhetorical question.
He wasn't completely ignorant of Shiraishi. As one of Konoha's top Jonin, Sakumo Hatake, whose reputation even surpassed that of the Sannin, his every move was closely watched by many in Konoha.
Even a prestigious clan like the Hyuga held Sakumo Hatake in high regard, daring not to show any disrespect.
And as one of the former members of Sakumo's squad, even though Shiraishi was an inconspicuous transparent figure in terms of status, much of his information was still collected.
After all, medical ninjas didn't need high combat abilities; they only needed to be proficient in medical ninjutsu.
Compared to regular ninjutsu, mastering medical ninjutsu was more difficult.
This was because it involved a lot of specialized knowledge and required continuous practice and accumulation of experience. The development speed of a medical ninja was much slower than that of a regular ninja.
"Is it for Ayane?"
As one of the outstanding young talents of the Hyuga clan, already a Jonin of the village at only sixteen years old and a former member of Sakumo's squad, Shingo couldn't be completely unaware.
After all, that was the genius of the Branch Family, not the Main Family.
"Let's not talk about this. What do you plan to do next?"
Shiraishi wasn't very interested in discussing that topic and instead asked Shingo about his future plans.
Plans?
The joy and excitement Shingo felt from being freed from the 'Caged Bird' had now slowly subsided, and he fell into deep thought.
What to do next?
"If you have nowhere to go, how about working for me?"
"Do I have a choice?"
Shingo gave a bitter smile.
This young man, the same age as Ayane, was no ordinary fellow.
He didn't know how Shiraishi had managed to break the Caged Bird, but he knew the immense effort involved.
"It seems you don't. Because if you return to the Hyuga clan now, you will definitely be subjected to severe interrogation and then executed. The Release of the Caged Bird means your existence is an extremely unstable bomb for the Hyuga Main Family. It could even implicate your parents, your wife, and your children."
Shingo was well aware of this without Shiraishi needing to remind him.
Once the Caged Bird was broken, the Hyuga clan would undoubtedly be split apart.
The long-standing rule of the Main Family would be shaken because there were many in the Hyuga Branch Family who didn't want to bear the ugly mark on their foreheads.
Resentment, hostility, infighting.
At that time, Konoha's higher-ups would intervene.
Shingo didn't know how they would choose to handle the Hyuga clan's affairs.
Whether to help the Main Family or the Branch Family, or to balance both sides, and from then on, Konoha would have another Hyuga clan ruled by the original Hyuga Branch Family.
All these things were possible.
As for defecting to another ninja village, or wandering in the ninja world, setting aside whether he could survive safely, what about his wife, parents, and children? Would they remain in the Hyuga clan?
If he went back to take them, whether he could even leave the Hyuga clan was a question.
Even if he managed to escape the Hyuga clan by chance, how to leave Konoha, how to leave the Land of Fire, would be met with resistance from Konoha ninjas and assassination by the Anbu.
There was only one path: death.
"If I agree to become your subordinate, can you rescue my family?"
Shingo looked at Shiraishi with hopeful eyes.
Shiraishi gave him an affirmative answer, smiling as he said, "Of course. Because your family is in my hands, I can make you loyally work for me without placing a curse on you."
Hearing Shiraishi say that, Shingo didn't know whether to feel fortunate or smile bitterly.
Never mind. At least this was much freer than before.
And living in this world, where was there true freedom?
"I will arrange for you to go to the Land of Demons. There, I have established an organization. You will be a security guard at the organization's headquarters for now; I can't let you appear in public view."
Shiraishi decided Shingo's destination in a few words.
With his Jonin strength and now the Byakugan with no blind spots, he was perfectly suited to be a security guard at the organization's headquarters.
At least the organization's high-end combat strength had been supplemented.
"Yes. And my family…"
"Don't worry, I don't plan to leave Konoha just yet. But it will be soon; I won't make you wait too long."
"Understood."
Shingo had no choice but to give up.
"By the way, there are definitely many Branch Family ninjas in the Hyuga clan who are hostile to the Main Family. Make a list of these people; I have a great use for them."
Upon hearing this, Shingo looked deeply at Shiraishi.
He didn't need to ask; he knew what Shiraishi planned to do next.
To round up all the Branch Family members of the Hyuga clan who were hostile to the Main Family.
◎
In the Hyuga clan, Ayane had just returned from outside when she was intercepted by her colleague, Fuyuma Hyuga.
He frowned and asked, trying to keep his tone steady:
"Ayane, what were you doing out?"
"Why, Senior Fuyuma, are you very interested in my whereabouts?"
Ayane didn't answer; she just looked up at him, revealing a gentle smile, not showing any displeasure at Fuyuma's stiff attitude.
Rather, when it came to etiquette, she always demanded perfection from herself.
"After all, you and I are both Lord Hiashi's guards. Such dereliction of duty should be avoided as much as possible."
"But I have already requested leave from Lord Hiashi, and Lord Hiashi agreed."
"That's not the issue here."
"This is a permission order from the future clan head. Isn't it the highest priority in the clan?"
Ayane asked with a smile.
Fuyuma was speechless.
"Senior Fuyuma, you should know that in the future, Lord Hiashi will be in charge of the Hyuga clan, not those elders. Frankly, they should retire. After all, they've worked hard for the clan their whole lives; it's time to enjoy their golden years."
Ayane walked up to Fuyuma, then stopped, and after saying that, she added:
"I seem to have caught a bit of a cold recently. It shouldn't be a problem to go out and buy some cold medicine, right? This is also to better protect Lord Hiashi."
Ayane deliberately took out the cold medicine she had bought.
Fuyuma bowed slightly and said, "I apologize; I was presumptuous."
"No, Senior Fuyuma, who is loyal to duty, has always been a goal I want to surpass. Please don't take my words to heart; Senior is a qualified Hyuga Jonin."
Despite being praised by Ayane in such a way, Fuyuma felt that Ayane's words had a hidden meaning, but he couldn't fathom what Ayane specifically wanted to express.
Because he knew that this woman's personality was completely out of place with the entire Hyuga clan.
Why was Lord Hiashi so special to her?
He knew that Ayane had followed Hiashi earlier than he did, but their relationship was not at all ambiguous; it only existed at the level of superior and subordinate.
He couldn't understand.
The sun gradually set, and it was evening.
Ayane left work on time.
Although she was Hiashi's guard, her work was very boring. In the Hyuga clan, it was almost impossible to encounter any assassination attempts. Rather, it was just to bolster the prestige of Hiashi, the future clan head.
It was more accurate to call her a tool or a weapon.
Fuyuma stayed behind because it was his night shift today.
Shortly after Ayane left, he went to Hiashi's side and suggested to the future Hyuga clan head, "Lord Hiashi, with all due respect, you are too lenient with Ayane."
"Is that what the elders mean?"
Hiashi asked, his expression unchanged.
"Not at all. It's just my personal opinion that Ayane… is very dangerous."
Fuyuma was indeed considering Hiashi's well-being.
Because this was the future clan head of the Hyuga clan, and as a member of the Branch Family, he should naturally consider his master's safety.
"You worry too much. Even if something unexpected happens, don't I still have you?"
Hiashi said.
Fuyuma could only sigh.
No matter how he tried to persuade, he couldn't change any of this.
Regardless, it was a good thing that the clan head had his own considerations, right?
Fuyuma also agreed with what Hiashi said.
He was indeed too cautious. In terms of strength, Fuyuma had absolute confidence that he could suppress Ayane, who had only recently become a Jonin.
Since he possessed absolute force, he could restrict her when she showed any flaws.
That way, Lord Hiashi would have nothing to say, Fuyuma thought to himself.
◎
"You're back, Ayane. How was work today?"
Her mother had already prepared dinner, having timed Ayane's return perfectly.
"It was fine, just like usual."
Ayane replied with a smile.
She went to the kitchen to wash her hands, then sat down to eat with her mother.
"Lord Hiashi is an excellent person. You must protect Lord Hiashi's safety well; he is the hope of our Hyuga clan."
To her mother's earnest words, Ayane merely smiled and nodded, indicating that she understood.
Anyway, the hope of the clan... every generation's clan head was like this, right?
Then this hope was far too abundant.
However, Ayane didn't expect her mother to offer any sensible advice.
Presumably, she had already forgotten what that so-called freedom felt like before the Caged Bird was etched upon her, hadn't she?
But Ayane would not forget.
And as time passed, this yearning grew deeper and deeper, becoming irresistible.
After dinner, Ayane voluntarily did the housework, helping to wash the dishes. Whether as a guard or a daughter to her mother, in the eyes of outsiders, she was an impeccable person.
After finishing the housework, Ayane returned to her room alone.
In this room, there was only a futon, a lamp, and an alarm clock; besides these, there was no furniture.
The sufficient emptiness allowed her to find a trace of freedom.
She sat cross-legged on the floor and took out the cold medicine she had 'bought' that afternoon.
It was medicine Shiraishi had given her.
It looked no different from ordinary cold medicine, but its efficacy was completely different.
This was a drug developed to suppress the activation of the Caged Bird curse mark.
There were a total of twelve blue capsules.
Each capsule could suppress the Caged Bird curse mark for four hours.
It could maintain forty-eight hours of freedom from the Caged Bird's restrictions.
Inside the medicine box, there was also an instruction manual, which was a normal instruction manual for cold medicine.
Ayane formed hand signs and used chakra to unlock the true content on it, then touched the paper with one finger, inputting natural energy.
The text on the instruction manual began to change, then scrambled and rearranged itself.
"A temporary preventive technique for the Caged Bird?"
What was recorded on it was a temporary technique to restrict the Caged Bird.
This technique could be set in one's brain nerves. When the Caged Bird was activated, this technique would be triggered, and during the technique's existence, a protective layer would automatically form within the brain nerves, greatly reducing the pain and destructive power brought by the Caged Bird's activation.
"Still as thoughtful as ever, Shiraishi-kun."
Ayane smiled slightly.
Considering an accident, she might be restricted by the Caged Bird curse mark in her brain nerves and die in pain before she could take the blue capsules.
And this technique, generated in the brain nerves, couldn't fundamentally resolve the Caged Bird curse mark, but it could greatly reduce the Caged Bird's power.
At that time, taking the blue capsules would allow her to remain free from the Caged Bird curse mark for forty-eight hours.
Within that time, she just needed to find Shiraishi to perform the Caged Bird removal surgery.
The method of safely withdrawing from Konoha was not difficult for them; they had already secretly practiced it many times.
But Ayane felt that such an accident was unlikely to happen.
Because the Main Family had no reason to attack her, a loyal Branch Family ninja.
Using these things was merely a precaution.
"Do I still need to wait? I really hope it comes soon, the Third Great Ninja War…"
Ayane, who had originally no interest in war, also began to look forward to the war coming sooner.
Hopefully, the Third Kazekage wouldn't disappoint them.
May he drag Konoha deeply into the quagmire of war.