Chapter One: The Stolen Byakugan
"Do you know what the essence of ninjutsu truly is?"
"The answer is bloodline."
—Hyuga Ritsu
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Konoha Year 50.
The Third Shinobi World War raged on without mercy. Along the eastern coastline of the Land of Fire, thousands of Leaf shinobi scattered across the lengthy shoreline, locked in endless combat with the Mist ninja from the Water Country's Hidden Mist Village. They clashed and retreated, attacked and defended in a brutal cycle. This winding coastline had become a shared wound, draining both villages of their lifeblood day after day.
At the forward operating base on Konoha's side, inside one of the military tents, two figures sat facing each other. Before each of them sat a cup of instant ramen.
"Here, sensei. Have an egg."
Hyuga Ritsu smiled as he pulled two boiled eggs from his pocket. He placed one in front of himself and stretched across to set the other before his companion.
However, the man sitting across from him—Hiruko—didn't even glance at the egg. His expression remained grave as he stared at his student. "I'm asking you one final time, Ritsu. Are you certain about this? Think carefully. If you fail, death is guaranteed."
"Sensei, I sincerely hope you'll have more confidence in your own improved forbidden technique."
Ritsu picked up his egg and gave it a gentle squeeze, cracking the shell before peeling it one-handed with practiced ease.
"I don't doubt my improved technique. But ask yourself honestly, Ritsu—are you planning to use it as intended?"
Hiruko tapped his own egg against the table edge to crack it, then peeled it normally with both hands. Even as he worked, he continued his lecture. "My improved Chimera Technique requires the simultaneous absorption of five Kekkei Genkai. Using the principle of the five elements generating and controlling each other, the five bloodlines maintain absolute balance, ensuring they can be contained within one body without side effects!"
He paused, opening his ramen cup and dropping the peeled white egg inside. He broke apart his disposable chopsticks and stirred the contents slowly.
Across from him, Ritsu had already removed his lid. Chopsticks in hand, he lifted the noodles and began slurping them down with gusto.
Hiruko picked up his own noodles but paused before they reached his mouth, unable to help staring at Ritsu as he continued. "But look at what you're trying to do! Forget five bloodlines—you don't even have two! We only have one—the Shikotsumyaku—and you're already desperate to use the Chimera Technique. How can you expect me to have confidence in this?"
His eyes held not just frustration, but genuine concern.
Ritsu looked up. His cup was already empty except for the egg floating in the broth.
He met Hiruko's gaze with a smile. "Sensei, like I told you, my family's ancient records mention something important. The Hyuga clan and the Kaguya clan are related. I know it sounds absurd, but the truth is our bloodlines share a common ancestor. So I think it's worth trying. Maybe after absorbing the Shikotsumyaku, my Byakugan will evolve somehow, and I'll be able to break the Caged Bird Seal."
"Show me these ancient records."
"When I was little and didn't know better, I ran out of toilet paper, so I tore out the pages and used them."
"I'm saying... if you're going to lie to me, could you at least come up with a better excuse?"
Hiruko's face showed pure exasperation as he finally ate his now-cooling noodles.
He truly had no way to deal with Hyuga Ritsu. After all, this was a disciple he'd raised for nearly ten years—someone who shared his interests and could research forbidden techniques alongside him. Ritsu would have no problem inheriting his legacy. Honestly, even a biological son would be hard-pressed to compare. Besides, Hiruko had never married and had no interest in raising children. To him, Ritsu was as good as his own flesh and blood.
That's why when Ritsu told him last night about his plan to use the Chimera Technique on the Kaguya clan Mist ninja they'd captured together days ago, Hiruko felt like a stone had settled in his chest. The weight remained even now, impossible to shake. He'd even begun regretting involving Ritsu in researching the Chimera Technique at all.
The so-called Chimera Technique was originally a forbidden jutsu created by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. Its purpose was to combine beast limbs with human shinobi, attempting to enhance their taijutsu capabilities.
But such actions violated human ethics. The resulting half-beast abominations were deeply disturbing to behold. Unsurprisingly, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, ordered the technique sealed away, adding another brick to the already towering wall of forbidden scrolls.
Of course, merging with beasts was merely the technique's original application. After Hiruko's improvements, the Chimera Technique could steal others' Kekkei Genkai for personal use. And right now, Ritsu planned to use it to steal the Mist Village Kaguya clan's bloodline—the Shikotsumyaku.
"Then let me give you a different reason."
Ritsu lifted his cup and sipped the broth. His smile faded as he looked at Hiruko with complete seriousness. "Sensei, did you hear about what happened yesterday?"
"You mean... the incident where Hyuga Daisho had one of his Byakugan stolen by Mist ninja?"
Hiruko finished his noodles in a few quick bites, set down his chopsticks, and matched Ritsu's serious tone.
Many things had happened yesterday, but only one incident would make Ritsu bring it up. Hyuga Daisho, a Main Family member, had led his squad into battle against an elite Mist unit. The encounter ended in crushing defeat. Daisho's squad barely escaped with their lives, and he himself lost one of his Byakugan.
The incident caused an uproar. Everyone was talking about it.
After all, the Hyuga clan's Byakugan was one of the shinobi world's most renowned bloodline limits. It provided 360-degree vision with no blind spots, could see for kilometers in any direction, and granted X-ray vision through solid objects. On the battlefield, these abilities were invaluable. Naturally, every major power coveted them.
A thousand years ago, the Hyuga ancestors established a system to prevent their bloodline from being stolen. The Main Family would continue the pure bloodline while the Branch Family protected them. Branch Family members received the Caged Bird Seal upon their foreheads.
When a Branch Family member died, or if anyone attempted to extract their Byakugan, the seal would activate and destroy the eyes completely. Additionally, the Main Family could use the seal to control Branch members' lives and deaths at will.
For a Main Family Byakugan to be stolen was genuinely unprecedented.
Therefore, it wasn't hard to imagine the Hyuga clan's fury.
"Sensei, what do you think will happen to us Branch Family members stationed on this same front line now that a Main Family Byakugan has been stolen?"
Ritsu asked quietly.
"Happen to you..."
Hiruko repeated the word, noting its punitive connotation. His brow furrowed deeply. "What does this have to do with you? You're Branch Family, yes, but you weren't Daisho's bodyguard. More accurately, if you hadn't arrived in time to drive off those Mist ninja, Daisho and his squad might not have survived at all."
"That's exactly the problem."
Ritsu sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"Sensei, do you think Daisho is grateful I saved his life? Or does he resent that I didn't arrive sooner?"
"He wouldn't dare..."
Hiruko's words died in his throat.
Because Daisho absolutely would dare.
The Hyuga system gave the Main Family enormous control over the Branch Family. The Caged Bird Seal could kill Branch members instantly. And Konoha's policies on such matters were deliberately vague—the village rarely interfered in clan internal affairs.
In other words, if the Hyuga Main Family executed a Branch Family member, the village wouldn't intervene.
And based on Hiruko's understanding of Hyuga Daisho, the man possessed a certain level of talent but was arrogant, self-important, and lacked any sense of responsibility. Rather than blame his own recklessness and stupidity, he excelled at shifting blame onto others.
Not feeling grateful for Ritsu's rescue, but instead resenting that Ritsu hadn't arrived one moment sooner? Yes, Daisho was absolutely capable of that.
"Ritsu, do you truly believe the situation has reached the point where you must take such a dangerous risk to remove the Caged Bird Seal?"
"I don't want to gamble on the Main Family being composed entirely of righteous people who can distinguish right from wrong."
"Damn it!"
Hiruko released a long sigh. He picked up the egg from his bowl and shoved it into his mouth. While chewing, he spoke through the food. "I'll go find Orochimaru right away. I'll have him assign you some reconnaissance mission that takes you out of camp!"
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