The Hyuga clan, descendants of Ōtsutsuki Hamura, a Byakugan clan split off from the Ōtsutsuki clan on the moon.
Their very existence is a living history of the ninja world.
The Hyuga clan does not possess much sense of honor; their primary mission is——continuation.
Yes, continuation.
From the era of the Sage of Six Paths to the present day, countless clans have vanished like the endlessly flowing eastern river. Only a few of the strongest clans managed to endure.
The Senju, the Uchiha, the Kaguya, the Yuki clan…
When the era of ninja villages arrived, conflicts between ninjas grew more intense, and wars grew larger.
Most importantly, the power of civilian ninjas began to rise, while the influence of ninja clans gradually declined.
The Senju declined until only Tsunade remained, while the Uchiha's power gradually weakened, no longer as formidable as in the Warring States period.
Only the Hyuga still preserved strength from the Warring States era.
All because of one word——cowardly survival.
The Hyuga are a ninja clan that places special emphasis on the continuation of life. They do not participate in high-level political struggles within the village, and they handle fence-sitting with great precision.
Because they calculated that the upper echelons would reuse the Hyuga clan due to the Byakugan's excellent reconnaissance ability.
As for the Caged Bird, the Hyuga clan has a very good explanation.
Because of the Byakugan's special nature, it can be transplanted into others after birth.
Unlike the Uchiha's Sharingan, the Byakugan has very little rejection.
Ao of Kirigakure managed to pick up a stray Byakugan and immediately became a capable figure in Kirigakure.
This trait of the Byakugan made them instant targets of universal greed.
As a result, during the Warring States period, many people squatted outside the Hyuga estate every day, just hoping to get a pair of Byakugan and instantly rewrite their fate.
During that time, many people in the Hyuga clan died. Whether main family or branch family, everyone remained constantly vigilant against outsiders' covetous gazes.
Mm! Back then, there was no distinction between main and branch families yet.
As time passed, outsiders' greed for the Byakugan grew stronger and stronger.
Thus, the Hyuga clan gave birth to the Caged Bird.
The branch family protected the main family, with branch members handling external affairs to reduce the main family's contact with outsiders.
Because of the Caged Bird, outsiders' views of the Byakugan Kekkei genkai gradually lessened.
Attacking branch family members was useless; when a branch member dies, the Caged Bird activates and destroys the Byakugan.
Thus, the Caged Bird came into existence.
Passed down from generation to generation, continuing to this day.
The Caged Bird has already seeped into the blood of the Hyuga clan. The main family cannot do without the benefits of the Caged Bird, and the branch family cannot escape its restraints.
At its core, the Caged Bird is a manifestation of cowardice—unable to deal with outsiders, they exhaust every effort dealing with their own people instead.
A classic case of being worms toward outsiders and tigers toward insiders, with the unyielding backbone of the Great Qing.
The Hyuga branch family has remained silent for hundreds of years, with no one ever speaking up for them.
Even Senju Hashirama knew of the injustice borne by the Hyuga branch family.
But he was not a judge, nor an auntie preaching about justice—he was merely a man who planted trees.
On the surface, ninja clans seem like the village is first and the clan second, but in truth, the clan comes first, and even the village cannot control them.
Once those above interfere in a ninja clan's internal affairs, it is considered overstepping.
...
Soon, Kairen arrived at the Hyuga compound, dragging Hyuga Hiashi along with him.
The Hyuga compound is located in the northeast corner of Konoha, with an excellent environment, towers standing everywhere, exuding an aristocratic air.
Kairen tossed Hyuga Hiashi aside, planted his hands on his hips, and looked up at the Hyuga clan emblem.
A V-shaped symbol with a small flame in the center—no one knew what it symbolized.
Two branch family members guarding the Hyuga gate noticed Kairen and Hyuga Hiashi, especially Kairen's rough handling of Hiashi.
The two picked up their halberds and closed in.
As branch family members, they must protect the main family, no matter who the enemy is.
Hyuga Hiashi hurriedly stopped their suicidal behavior: "Don't!"
Only then did the two branch members halt their attack and step aside.
Hyuga Hiashi stood up. If the Hyuga clan truly provoked Kairen's wrath, the outcome would not merely be a split between main and branch families.
Kairen slowly crossed the Hyuga clan's main gate.
Inside, it was tranquil and elegant, with small bridges and flowing water, exuding a gentle and refined beauty.
There were also wooden training posts for practicing Gentle Fist. Several Byakugan children could be seen striking the posts, their foreheads covered by white cloth.
They were undoubtedly branch family members.
Hyuga Hiashi followed, his face filled with bitterness: "Kairen-sama…"
Kairen stopped his complaints and said bluntly,
"Call out the person in charge of your Hyuga clan."
"This—"
"Hurry up!"
At Kairen's shout, Hyuga Hiashi immediately scurried off to summon the elders.
The Hyuga main family is always like this—if you're not forceful with them, they'll respond with Gentle Fist.
Kairen planned to be forceful with Hyuga Nochika tonight as well, making her obediently comply.
While Hyuga Hiashi went to the inner chambers, Kairen strolled over to the Hyuga branch members practicing on the wooden posts.
A branch family little girl noticed someone approaching and hurriedly bowed.
"Guest, hello!"
Her posture was precise and proper, showing the Hyuga clan's thoroughly humble way of dealing with others.
But Kairen felt this child's humility went too far.
She was insecure—her expression timid, the light in her eyes flickering, not daring to meet Kairen's gaze directly.
Although born into the Hyuga clan, the ugly Caged Bird on her forehead was like a brand, the brand of a slave.
They were merely tools of the main family, born solely to serve the main family.
Kairen placed a finger on the little girl's forehead.
The little girl took a step back, Kairen's hand following as he gently pulled away the cloth strip covering her forehead.
A green pattern, X-shaped.
In truth, the Caged Bird was not ugly, but carved onto a person's head, it looked extremely strange.
"What's your name?"
Kairen released a gentle chakra that made people feel comfortable, easing the little girl's fear of strangers.
Sure enough, influenced by Kairen's amicable chakra, the little girl began to answer him:
"My name is Hyuga Natsuka."
"Hyuga Natsuka—what a good name!"
Kairen praised her, then asked with a smile, "Do you hate the mark on your forehead?"
Natsuka glanced around, as if checking whether any main family members were nearby.
Seeing no one around, she whispered to Kairen,
"I really hate it. Mom says this mark is a slave brand, something that can never be removed in this lifetime."
"Because of it, the kids in class don't talk to me anymore."
Kairen gently rubbed her head, able to feel the sorrow in Natsuka's heart.
Children's words are innocent—and the most sincere.
He comforted her: "Don't worry. Everything will get better. I am here today to help you."
Natsuka brightened up: "Really?"
Before Kairen could nod in response, Hyuga Hiashi arrived with a large group of Hyuga main family members, advancing in a grand procession.
At the same time, the major ninja clans outside all used Body Flicker to gather nearby, finding places to squat down—only lacking popcorn in their hands.
An old man with a stern face appeared, clearly a main family elder of the Hyuga clan.
As soon as he arrived, veins bulged on his forehead as he used his Byakugan to pressure Kairen.
"Are you trying to meddle in our Hyuga clan's family affairs?"
The people around were utterly stunned.
Old man, don't you read the news? The last person who dared speak to Moku Kairen like that already has grass two meters tall on his grave.
Go ask underground—if Danzō had just fixed his attitude back then, Moku Kairen might have left him an intact corpse.
The Hyuga clan's grand elder was a recluse who had been in seclusion beneath the clan for years, unconcerned with outside affairs.
He didn't even know about the village's changes.
Hyuga Hiashi wanted to hurry and block the grand elder's mouth before he said more, but it was too late.
The grand elder directly began cursing: "Insolent brat! What business of ours concerns an outsider like you? Was it that pack of lowly branch trash that sent you here to cause trouble, you—"
Before he could finish two sentences, his entire body exploded into a slurry of blood.
Like an overripe fruit bursting, he dyed the surrounding pristine-white Hyuga grounds blood-red.
"This… ◝₍ᴑ̑ДO͝₎◞"
The entire Hyuga clan froze on the spot—except Hyuga Hiashi and a few who knew Kairen's temperament.
They stared blankly ahead.
Kairen revealed his six-tomoe Rinnegan, his gaze carrying overwhelming pressure.
He still maintained one hand extended toward where the grand elder had been.
The Rinnegan's force-field ability allowed Kairen to crush the noisy mosquito into pulp in an instant.
His other hand covered Natsuka's eyes, preventing a child from seeing such a scene and having nightmares.
"Sarilang!"
"Sarilang!!"
A young man from the main family cried out in panic, his eyes filled with terror.
Accustomed to a pampered life and not even a ninja, he was scared out of his wits by the scene.
Hyuga Hiashi quickly kicked the young man, ordering two main family members to take him away.
He immediately stabilized the situation, stepping forward with two elders, smiling apologetically:
"Kairen-sama, please forgive the Hyuga clan's lack of proper courtesy."
Their clan's grand elder had just been crushed to death, yet the clan head was still smiling apologetically. Everyone present from the Hyuga main family understood one thing clearly.
This young man was not to be trifled with—and his background was immense.
In broad daylight, killing, arson, and debauchery could occur, and no one would dare say a word.