"..."
The Genin who passed the preliminaries looked nervously at Akihara Kagura.
"Dismissed."
After speaking, Akihara Kagura waved to signal this group to disperse, leaving only Karin by his side.
Third Team's Might Guy and Rock Lee were still crying their eyes out, while Tenten, who had recovered, could only comfort them with a headache: "Alright, alright, there are two Chunin exams a year anyway! Only Neji from our class passed the preliminaries, and I didn't pass either. Lee, join me next time, okay?"
"Okay..."
Rock Lee nodded tearfully.
Although he was inexplicably eliminated and couldn't prove his strength, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. He could still join his teammate Tenten in the next exam.
"..."
Hyuga Neji stood silently by the side.
Eighth Team's status was clearly a bit strange; Aburame Shino, who passed the exam, was nowhere to be seen, and Inuzuka Kiba was still arguing with Naruto Uzumaki, while Yuhi Kurenai was accompanying Hyuga Hinata, who was receiving treatment.
As for the Tenth Team...
Only Nara Shikamaru passed the exam.
However, the atmosphere in the exam venue was tense, so Sarutobi Asuma wisely led his students away, planning to start special training for Nara Shikamaru.
The other Ninja Village participants quickly left as well.
Just as Akihara Kagura was about to leave the venue with Karin, the Hyuga Clan Leader, Hyuga Hizashi, arrived at the venue to meet with Akihara Kagura.
This Hyuga Clan Leader, Hyuga Hizashi, had learned about the conflict between Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata during the Chunin Exams, which displeased Akihara Kagura. Hizashi immediately took a letter from his home and rushed over.
"Looks like you've heard about the situation."
Akihara Kagura casually sat on a railing, glanced at the arriving Hyuga Hizashi: "I originally planned to visit after the Chunin Exams were over, but since you're here now, I'll just ask when the farce between the Main Family and the Branch Family can stop?"
"I came here to explain to Lord Kagura."
Hyuga Hizashi looked at Akihara Kagura and solemnly began to explain: "The division between the Main Family and the Branch Family, with the Caged Bird seal carved on the Branch Family's heads, is a method passed down by the Hyuga Clan for a thousand years..."
Hyuga Hizashi frowned, continuing in a low voice: "If the Caged Bird isn't carved, and the Byakugan Bloodline is taken, the Byakugan Bloodline can't inflict significant side effects on the transplanter like the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan can..."
To put it seriously, the system of the Hyuga Main Family and Branch Family is actually beneficial to Konoha because most of the Hyuga Clan sent out on missions belong to the Branch Family.
The heads of these Hyuga Branch Family members are marked with the Caged Bird seal by the Main Family, ensuring there's no fear that the Hyuga Clan's Kekkeigenkai Byakugan will ever be stolen.
If not for this system, the Hyuga Clan doesn't know how many Byakugan would be captured in war, and those Ninja Villages who obtain the Byakugan would create endless trouble utilizing its Kekkeigenkai, especially since Byakugan transplants have no side effects...
Strictly speaking, anyone can transplant the Byakugan.
"A measure of protection, huh? Then treat everyone equally in the future."
Akihara Kagura glanced at Hyuga Hizashi and lightly continued, "Since it's a method to protect the Byakugan Bloodline, why not put the Caged Bird on yourself as well in the future!"
"..."
Hyuga Hizashi became somewhat conflicted.
Though it might help ease tensions between the Hyuga Main Family and Branch Family, it comes at the expense of the Main Family. The Main Family has always considered themselves noble, and if they bear the Caged Bird seal, resembling a slave, wouldn't that be a bit...
Akihara Kagura, this member of Konoha's upper echelon who grew up in the Konoha Orphanage, probably can't fully understand the difference between nobles and commoners. The Hyuga Main Family are bona fide nobles, and the Branch Family is their protector, a matter of internal family status that can't be changed with just a few words...
"The Hyuga Clan has a thousand-year history..."
Hyuga Hizashi's frown deepened into a character for "river," unwilling to act according to Akihara Kagura's methods: "If the Main Family also bears the Caged Bird, it would diminish the Main Family's authority, which has always carried the duty of passing on the Byakugan, while the Branch Family has always been responsible for protecting the Main Family and its legacy..."
"Hold on a moment."
Akihara Kagura signaled Hyuga Hizashi to pause and explained along his lines: "Should I understand that the Hyuga Main Family uses the Caged Bird to control the Branch Family, thus concentrating power for the Main Family and ensuring the Branch Family's eternal loyalty to them?"
Akihara Kagura pondered for a while, curiously asking: "How does that sound a bit like the Uchiha? Are you Main Family members trying to consolidate the Hyuga Clan's power to resist the higher-ups in the village, opposing their directives?"
"..."
Hyuga Hizashi's brow creased tightly.
Isn't this something everyone knows but shouldn't be said out loud?
Though the Hyuga Main Family does hold the lives of all Branch Family members, enabling them to counter the Konoha high officials, such resistance is a kind of chess game, not something to be openly discussed, right?
Hyuga Hizashi realized his mistake, feeling he shouldn't have come to Akihara Kagura, but should have sought out Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen for mediation.
No matter what...
Sarutobi Hiruzen remains a genuine politician.
Yet, Akihara Kagura, the genius Wood Release Ninja, is clearly poised to become Konoha's future Hokage, so Hyuga Hizashi still wanted to visit him. Little did he expect this guy to come straight to the point...
Yet Akihara Kagura seemed to seize on Hyuga Hizashi's thoughts, questioning: "Or are you saying that your Hyuga Clan is consolidating power, intending to stage a coup like the Uchiha Clan?"
"..."
Hyuga Hizashi shook his head, hoping to clarify the relationship between Konoha and the Hyuga: "The Hyuga Clan has never sought to oppose the village's high officials, nor have they ever defied the orders of those leaders. The Hyuga Clan is also one of Konoha's Guardians..."
The Hyuga Clan isn't like the reckless Uchiha!
And besides, the Hyuga Clan's strength isn't at all comparable to the Uchiha, nor do they have the audacity to confront Konoha's upper echelons, who could even coerce him, this Clan Leader, into suicide!
"You're not looking to defy the higher-ups, have never considered rebellion, and have thought about protecting the village..."
Akihara Kagura looked at Hyuga Hizashi, seeming not to understand: "Then why amass power? Are you worried about facing an insurmountable enemy? There's really no need for that; the village will protect you."
"..."
Hyuga Hizashi remained silent, unable to speak.
This future Hokage shouldn't be so naive.
Konoha is both the harbor of the Hyuga Clan and its greatest danger. Once the Hyuga Clan cannot rally strength, if Konoha intentionally harms them in war, leading the Hyuga Clan into a collective trap to die, what could the Hyuga Clan do then?
"You're unwilling to lift the Caged Bird from the Hyuga Branch Family, and you're also unwilling to carve the Caged Bird onto the Main Family..."
Akihara Kagura looked at Hyuga Hizashi, sighing: "The conflict between your clan's Main Family and Branch Family has escalated to this extent, and today's outburst made a mockery for outsiders to watch. What does the Hyuga Clan plan to do?"
"This whole issue started with Neji..."
Hyuga Hizashi sighed, shaking his head as he continued: "I want to see that child Neji first and talk to him alone..."
Hyuga Hizashi held a letter in his hand.
The letter was left by his brother, Hyuga Hizashi, stating that Hizashi volunteered to die for his brother, not because of some Main Family command.
"Now it's not just about Hyuga Neji."
Akihara Kagura spread his palms, continuing: "What we're discussing now is the Hyuga Main Family's unwillingness to accept my proposal, trying to eternally control the lives of all Hyuga Clan members, concentrating the entire Clan's power, whether they want to stage a coup..."
"..."
Hyuga Hizashi felt a headache coming on.
He came to proactively visit and resolve issues, only to end up, not resolving any but also having a huge accusation placed on him!