The two brothers acted as if they had found a new toy, taking turns to activate the Cursed Seal, one after the other.
Hyuga Zetsu's screams rose and fell, echoing throughout the Barracks.
The surrounding crowd of Branch House youths watched, dumbfounded.
They watched the usually arrogant Hyuga Zetsu groveling on the ground like a dog with a broken back.
They watched the usually submissive Hyuga Go and Hyuga Shin, their faces now glowing with the fanatical joy of long-awaited revenge.
At this moment, their worldview collapsed and was reconstructed.
It turned out... as long as you held the chain in your hand...
The dog and the master could be swapped.
The torment lasted for a full five minutes.
By the time Hyuga Zetsu's voice had gone hoarse from screaming and he lacked even the strength to roll over, he could only lie twitching on the ground like a pile of mud.
Only then did Aokawa raise his hand to stop the two brothers.
"That's enough, don't break him."
"There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
The two brothers stopped, though they clearly wanted more. The way they looked at Aokawa was filled with fanatical worship and awe.
If they had been forced to pick a side before...
Now, they were utterly devoted.
Because they held the 'authority' that only Aokawa could give them, and they also bore the same'sins'.
They had no choice but to follow Aokawa down this dark path to the end.
Aokawa walked up to Hyuga Zetsu and used the tip of his toe to nudge the face that was twisted in pain.
"Don't play dead. Get up."
Hyuga Zetsu's whole body trembled. Enduring the residual sharp pain in his brain, he struggled to crawl to his feet.
He didn't dare disobey.
Now, even if the intent behind moving a single finger was misunderstood, it could bring about a new round of torture.
"You can get lost now."
Aokawa pointed toward the door.
"Take your pride and crawl back to your Main House."
Hyuga Zetsu felt as if he had been granted a divine pardon.
He could hardly believe his ears.
Was he really letting him go?
He didn't dare ask, for fear that Aokawa would change his mind.
He scrambled on all fours, stumbling toward the door, not even having the courage to look back once.
In such a pathetic state, where was even a hint of the overbearing arrogance he had arrived with?
"By the way, Hyuga Go and Hyuga Shin will follow you shortly. Wait for them obediently in the Barracks."
Just as he was about to step out the door, Aokawa's light voice drifted from behind him.
"Wait for them?" Hyuga Zetsu's body suddenly froze, one foot suspended in mid-air, unable to step down.
"Within a three-kilometer radius, your life is in their hands."
"So, be a little nicer to them from now on. After all, they are still your Guards."
"Still my Guards?" Hyuga Zetsu whipped his head around, meeting the chilling gazes of the two brothers, Hyuga Go and Hyuga Shin.
The two grinned at him, raised their hands, and mimicked the motion of forming hand signs.
Hyuga Zetsu's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.
He understood.
This wasn't being set free.
This was exile.
He was being driven from one Hell into another, deeper Hell.
Under the watchful eyes of Hyuga Go and Hyuga Shin, Hyuga Zetsu fled the camp like a frightened rabbit.
It wasn't until that wretched figure had completely disappeared from sight that the atmosphere in the Barracks slowly began to relax.
Everyone looked at Aokawa.
Their gazes were complex.
There was awe, fear, and also an irrepressible excitement.
"Aokawa..."
Hyuga Ryosuke walked to his side, looking in the direction where Hyuga Zetsu had vanished. His brow was furrowed, and his voice was kept very low.
"Are you really letting him go back?"
"That's the Main House we're talking about."
"If he goes back and decides to seek revenge even if it means mutual destruction..."
"Even if we have Cursed Seals in our hands, the Main House has them too..."
Hyuga Ryosuke didn't finish, but his meaning was clear.
This was gambling with their lives.
And it was gambling the lives of everyone present on the courage of a playboy.
Aokawa turned around and looked at this childhood friend.
Hyuga Ryosuke was smart and cautious enough.
But he had ultimately been locked in this "Caged Bird Seal" for too long. Even when the cage door was open, he still didn't dare to fly.
He didn't rush to respond but instead looked at the few Branch House members who hadn't joined in: "Although you didn't take the first step of resistance today, it's good that you didn't help the tyrant either. I hope what happened today stays within this room."
"Rest assured, Lord Aokawa, we won't say a word," one Branch House member promised, slapping his chest.
"We would love for those bastards to suffer the pain of the Caged Bird Seal every day. Why would we go and report it?"
"Yes, Lord Aokawa. We simply have too many shackles; one move affects everything. Otherwise, we would certainly have joined you in resisting these sons of bitches."
"..."
The few of them chimed in with their promises, repeatedly praising Aokawa's heroic feat today.
Aokawa nodded. "I hope you are as good as your word. Otherwise, you should have witnessed my methods by now."
"We won't... rest assured." They promised repeatedly.
"In that case, I won't keep you here. We have important matters to discuss." Aokawa began to dismiss them.
The Branch House members looked at each other, understanding that business was to be discussed. They took their leave from Aokawa and retreated out the door.
"Tch, whatever. They talk big, but they're still just cowards hiding in their shells," Hyuga Shin curled his lip.
"Exactly. With Lord Aokawa leading the way, what the Hell is there to be afraid of?" Hyuga Go chimed in.
Aokawa waved his hand. "Don't say that. Their wives, children, and elders are all in the Clan Compound. Not everyone has the courage to gamble like Ryosuke."
"It already took great courage for them to remain neutral. As our influence grows, I believe they will join us."
After speaking, Aokawa looked at Hyuga Ryosuke to answer his previous question.
"Ryosuke, do you know what the ultimate fear is?"
Hyuga Ryosuke was stunned. "Death?"
"No," Aokawa shook his head.
"Death is only a momentary thing."
"The ultimate fear is the sword hanging over your head, about to fall but not yet falling."
He walked to the window and watched the setting sun in the distance. The setting sun was like blood, stretching his shadow very long.
"Hyuga Zetsu is a man who cherishes his life."
"The more a piece of trash lives in comfort and privilege, the more they are loath to die."
"As long as he can still breathe, as long as he still holds the status of a Main House young master, he will never dare to trade his life for ours."
"He will help us keep the secret."
"To prevent us from dragging him down with us, to prevent the bomb in his own head from exploding..."
Aokawa turned his head. With his back to the light, his face was hidden in the shadows, revealing only a pair of Byakugan that were so calm they were heart-stopping.
"He will even become our most loyal informant within the Main House."
"More loyal than anyone."
Hyuga Ryosuke opened his mouth, a chill surging from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
He looked at the Aokawa before him and suddenly felt a sense of strangeness.
When did the boy who used to only hide in the back and shoot cold arrows become such a monster who manipulated human hearts?
"And..." Aokawa's tone suddenly shifted, the corner of his mouth curving into a meaningful arc.
"The Main House's Cursed Seal might not necessarily work!"
Hyuga Ryosuke's pupils shrank. "You mean..."
Aokawa nodded. "Since we are a group, then leave your Caged Bird Seal to me to handle."
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