"Hmph. Just look at this disgrace… a Hyuga practicing Iron Fist taijutsu?"
The voice rang out as several elders of the Hyuga clan stepped into Kirito's courtyard.
Kirito belonged to a branch family line that had, for generations, served as personal guards to the Hyuga Main House's youngest heirs.
Within the branch hierarchy, his line actually held a rather respected position, considered by many as the branch family closest to the Main House. Even his living quarters reflected this: a spacious room with its own private garden, far better than most branch members, and nearly on par with some of the Main House.
But since Kirito's parents had both died in service to the clan, sacrificing their lives to protect the Main House, and with Kirito being the only heir left, and a so-called failure who could not awaken the Byakugan, his continued residence in such a fine location made many other Hyuga deeply resentful.
The goal was simple: find a way to drive this "eyesore" out of the Hyuga compound.
Kirito himself wasn't particularly bothered. Honestly, if a Main House member simply said the word, he'd move out without hesitation. No psychological burden whatsoever.
Now, with a full delegation of Hyuga elders gathered before his door, Kirito calmly stopped his Iron Fist training. Showing neither fear nor hostility, he politely offered the respectful bow of a younger clan member to his seniors.
But that very poise only made the elders more displeased.
In their minds, they were lofty figures within the clan, accustomed to commanding fear and submission. If a Main House heir showed such calm composure, it would be praised as dignity and restraint. But a branch member like Kirito? He was expected to grovel, not act indifferent. And Kirito, whose very existence had become a stain on the Hyuga name, dared to meet them with quiet confidence.
Unbending and unflinching. That wasn't a trait they believed he had any right to display.
Still, they couldn't directly chastise him for that, not openly. The clan rules had no clause demanding the branch family kneel or tremble before their elders.
One of the elders cleared his throat.
"Hyuga Kirito," the lead elder said coldly. "As of today, you are to move out of the Hyuga estate immediately."
Straight to the point. No preamble. A blow meant to catch him off guard.
"I understand," Kirito answered without the slightest pause.
That answer blindsided them.
In their minds, Kirito would surely be devastated, struck by a bolt from the blue. They expected him to fall to his knees, weeping and begging for mercy. Even if they had no intention of sparing him, that was the reaction they were prepared for.
Instead, Kirito's calm acceptance felt like throwing a punch into water, no resistance, no impact, just infuriating emptiness.
"Hmph! You do realize what this means, don't you?" one of the elders snapped. "From this day on, you are forbidden from using the Hyuga name to act in the outside world! Nor will you ever again receive the protection of the Hyuga clan!"
Kirito nodded indifferently.
He had never once invoked the Hyuga name for his own benefit. As a branch member, he'd never enjoyed any protection or privileges to begin with.
"…Good. At least you understand."
Still irritated by Kirito's serene demeanor, the lead elder added another line.
"And one more thing, everything that belongs to the Hyuga clan, down to the last coin, stays here. You are not to take anything with you!"
Kirito nodded again.
Technically, every Hyuga was entitled to a monthly stipend from the household steward. But over a year ago, the steward had deliberately cut Kirito off. Since then, he had supported himself through part-time jobs and freelance labor outside.
The elders went quiet.
They hadn't expected Kirito to be this easy to "dispose of." And none of them had known about the stipend being cut, Kirito hadn't made a fuss, hadn't reported the steward, and most of the clan, especially the aloof elders, had never paid attention to such trivial matters.
Now they were left standing awkwardly with their well-rehearsed lines of scorn unsaid. With Kirito offering no resistance and no argument, their ammo simply went to waste.
"Hmph. That's all, then. Be on your way, Hyuga Kirito," the lead elder snapped.
They didn't strip him of the Hyuga surname, not out of mercy, but pride. In all the Hyuga clan's long, illustrious history, no one had ever been expelled so disgracefully that they were also stripped of the name. The clan took great pride in their reputation, how could they let this worthless failure be the first to tarnish it?
And one more thing worth mentioning:
All branch family members of the Hyuga clan were, from childhood, branded with the Caged Bird Seal. This curse mark was designed to prevent outsiders from uncovering the secrets of the Byakugan. Upon death, the seal would activate and permanently destroy the ocular abilities of the bearer.
That's why, ten years ago, when the Hidden Cloud Village managed to steal the corpse of a Hyuga clan member using despicable tricks, they still failed to learn anything about the Byakugan, the seal had activated.
Every Main House heir also learned a secret technique that allowed them to activate the Caged Bird Seal at will, ensuring total control over the branch families. If any branch member ever dared rebel, the Main House could simply disable, or end, them.
Roughly 80% of the Hyuga clan were branch members, ruled over by the remaining 20% of the Main House. The reasons were many: purer bloodlines, stronger inherited Byakugan, superior talent and chakra control…
But none of that was absolute.
Now, circling back to the current situation, Kirito, as a branch member, had never awakened the Byakugan.
And the Caged Bird Seal could only be applied to those with active Byakugan.
Which meant: Kirito was the only Hyuga branch member in history… who could not be branded.