Chapter 183: It Seems I Didn't Kill Enough!
Mitokado Homura, with his five ANBU squads, stormed into the Hyūga Clan compound.
His eyes fell upon a bizarre plant standing before him, stained with a great deal of fresh blood. Below it lay bloodstains, gore, and two severed heads!
Slightly further away, a severed arm lay on the ground.
A young Hyūga man was clutching his stump, groaning in pain.
Many Main House shinobi glared with unmasked fury at Uchiha Ikeizumi, but apparently restrained by his overwhelming strength, not a single one dared to move a muscle.
The many Branch Family shinobi, however, watched with a spectator's attitude.
They seemed quite pleased to see the Main House shinobi suffer such misfortune.
'Whew... I guess I wasn't too late.' Homura sighed in relief; at least the death toll hadn't been too high yet.
He immediately addressed Ikeizumi: "Ikeizumi, if there's an issue, we can discuss it calmly. Cough, at the very least, you can take the ninja sword off that man's neck."
But Ikeizumi ignored him.
Ikeizumi spoke coldly to the visibly stiff Main House Elder, Hyūga Mei: "If you wish to become an element of chaos, and the first chicken to be made an example of by Absolute Justice, I don't mind granting you that honor today."
Hyūga Mei: "..."
This utterly rude Uchiha junior actually said the words 'killing the chicken to scare the monkeys' out loud!
According to normal logic, he should be absolutely defiant right now—refusing to back down, even if it meant his head was severed.
After all, the Hokage had sent someone, and Senior Counselor Mitokado Homura was now on the scene.
However...
He could faintly feel the ninja sword pressed against his throat gradually slicing deeper into his skin.
He could feel blood already starting to trickle down his neck, staining his collar crimson.
"You..."
Mei gritted his teeth, his defiant attitude instantly collapsing. He muttered one last stubborn phrase: "Uchiha Ikeizumi, you will regret this!"
Then, with an ugly look on his aged face, he fell silent.
His action stunned the Main House shinobi.
Clan Head Hiashi retreated under the pressure of Uchiha Ikeizumi's Absolute Justice, and now Elder Mei couldn't hold out for even two minutes. Was there no one who could stop Uchiha Ikeizumi's reckless behavior?
"...Hiashi, what exactly happened?" Homura felt something was fundamentally wrong with the atmosphere. He asked the dejected and complicated-looking Hyūga Hiashi.
At the same time, sensing the ninja sword finally being moved from his neck, Hyūga Mei let out a massive sigh of relief, then immediately stumbled several steps back, desperate to get away from Ikeizumi.
Clutching the wound on his neck, he gritted his teeth and answered Homura's question for Hiashi: "Counselor Homura! Uchiha Ikeizumi wants to lock up the entire Hyūga Main House!"
"Even an Elder like myself, he won't spare! He wants to throw me in prison for twenty years!"
"Counselor Homura! How can Justice be so arbitrary and reckless?!"
Homura was taken aback. Ikeizumi wanted to lock up the entire Hyūga Main House?
This...
Honestly, this was much milder than the major incident Homura had anticipated. He had initially feared Ikeizumi would simply slaughter all the Main House members.
That was why he had rushed over in such a panic, terrified that if he was late, the entire Hyūga Clan would be a bloodbath.
"What's so reckless about it, meow?" Jirō Tachibana said contemptuously. "When you people used the Caged Bird Seal to enslave the Branch Family, why didn't you call yourselves reckless?"
A flicker of emotion, hard for others to detect, crossed Homura's eyes.
For Konoha, restricting the power of the Hyūga Main House and easing the bondage of the Branch Family would be beneficial.
The Hyūga Main House was ultimately a small minority, barely thirty people, many of whom were elderly.
The Hyūga Branch Family was the majority, half of whom were able-bodied adults. Even the most talented student currently at the Academy, Hyūga Neji, was a member of the Branch Family.
To be blunt.
The Main House's talk of "preserving the pure Byakugan bloodline" was merely an excuse to leech off the Branch Family.
Homura was well aware that the original Caged Bird Seal only had the function to 'destroy the user's eyes.' It was only later, when certain Main House shinobi wanted to elevate themselves, that they modified the Caged Bird to become a tool for Branch Family enslavement.
'However, siding with one party will inevitably offend the other. Hiruzen, you've given me a difficult problem!'
Homura's mind raced.
Siding with the Main House: The advantage is gaining the Main House's friendship. The village already has difficulty intervening with the Main House, but this incident might allow for an opening.
Siding with the Branch Family: The advantages are gaining the Branch Family's friendship, securing the support of the majority of the Hyūga, restricting the Main House's power, allowing the Hyūga Clan to grow and fill Konoha's power vacuum, and Ikeizumi can bear half the Main House's resentment for the village, and they can avoid conflict with Ikeizumi.
'The last point... that's the key!'
Homura already had his answer.
Facing the hopeful gazes of Hiashi, Mei, and others, Homura masked the unusual light in his eyes.
He cleared his throat, appearing conflicted, as if he had struggled for a long time, and finally just sighed.
"Hiashi, this matter..."
"The village cannot intervene."
Hiashi was stunned, and Mei's eyes widened in disbelief.
The other Main House shinobi were also filled with astonishment, all of them staring at Homura. They couldn't fathom a world where even the village wouldn't side with the Hyūga Main House. How could the Main House possibly resist Uchiha Ikeizumi now?
"Counselor Homura!"
Mei, clutching his neck wound, became frantic.
But before he could speak, Homura coldly interrupted: "Whether or not your Main House was leaching benefits from the Branch Family, whether or not you were enslaving Branch Family shinobi with the Caged Bird Seal. Hiruzen and I know the truth better than anyone."
Hyūga Mei's face went blank.
Homura let out a slow, heavy breath, then looked at Hiashi, adjusting the spectacles on his nose. "Hiashi, don't blame me for not standing with the Hyūga Main House. A stance must also distinguish between right and wrong."
"If the actions of the Main House were beyond reproach, the village would naturally support you. But can you honestly look into your heart and say the Main House... truly wasn't enslaving the Branch Family?"
"Your ancestor's original purpose in creating the Caged Bird Seal was to protect clan members coveted by enemies. It wasn't for you descendants to add the ability to inflict extreme pain onto the seal."
Homura paused, continuing, "I've read some of the Hyūga Clan's ancient texts. The original intent of the Caged Bird was to place a clan member, coveted by foreign enemies, in a cage. To be protected by the cage, like a bird within it."
"But as time went by, the meaning of the Caged Bird Seal changed to—imprisoning the bird in a cage, forever and ever, with no chance of escape, and controlled by the holder of the cage."
"Hiashi, the time has come for your Hyūga Clan..."
"To change."
Hiashi froze in place. It took him several seconds to realize that even the Hokage intended to suppress the Hyūga Main House.
Hiashi couldn't understand why.
Under his leadership, the Hyūga Clan had been low-key in Konoha. They were extremely obedient to all commands from the village leadership and never challenged anything.
So how had the situation devolved to this?
He fell into a deathly silence, feeling utterly isolated and helpless.
At this moment, he certainly couldn't expect the Branch Family to speak up for the Main House.
Hiashi inhaled deeply.
He looked at Homura with solemn sincerity and asked, "Is this the Hokage-sama's will as well?"
Homura replied, "It is my will."
Although this was indeed Hiruzen's desire, Homura didn't drag the Hokage into it. After all, some things the Hokage wanted done couldn't be openly attributed to him.
Then.
Homura added: "I side with Ikeizumi on this matter."
"...I understand."
Hiashi closed his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them and asked Uchiha Ikeizumi, "As the Clan Head, I once used the Caged Bird Seal on a Branch Family member, who was my own younger twin brother. How many years of imprisonment... do I deserve?"
At this moment, Hiashi found his heart to be incredibly calm, devoid of anger or hatred.
There was only the powerlessness and helplessness of seeing the rolling tides of fate wash over him.
"Ten years."
The number that escaped Ikeizumi's lips caused a slight ripple in Hiashi's calm demeanor.
"What if I were to bear all the crimes of the Main House?"
Hiashi finally dared to meet Ikeizumi's eyes.
He asked: "If I accept a life sentence, can the other Main House members be pardoned?"
Hiashi's words brought tears to the eyes of many Main House shinobi.
"Hiashi-sama! We don't have to listen to..."
"Silence!" Hiashi's hands, hidden in his sleeves, were clenched into fists. He knew his hands were trembling, but he struggled to keep his voice calm and steady: "Imprisonment... is already the best outcome for our Hyūga Main House. If I can bear it alone, no outcome could be better."
He knew that some emotionally charged Main House members wanted to resist.
But...
Under Uchiha Ikeizumi's menacing gaze, and with the Hokage also not supporting the Main House.
Resistance only led to death!
Compromise was the only path to survival!
"No," Ikeizumi said flatly. "But those with minor offenses may have their sentences reduced through other means. For example, by serving their time and making positive contributions to the ninja world. Out of the thirty-odd Main House members, only seven have that qualification."
He added: "Hyūga Hiashi, you are not included."
Hiashi's clenched fists were taut to the limit.
But in the end, they relaxed.
"Very well. The Hyūga Main House..."
"Will accept the punishment."
Hiashi spoke dejectedly.
The fighting spirit that the Main House shinobi had managed to muster was shattered by Hiashi's words. The proud, upright spine of the Main House had been broken by Hiashi.
Hyūga Mei, the Elder, no longer spoke.
He knew the Main House had lost all opportunities to fight back.
No one was on their side!
The Main House...
...had been defeated!
"The era of the Hyūga Main House ruling the Branch Family ended in less than half an hour, or perhaps, the moment Uchiha Ikeizumi set foot in the compound..."
Hatake Kakashi, who had witnessed the entire event, was profoundly shaken.
He suddenly realized he might have unintentionally caused "trouble."
He had sent Pakkun to call the Hokage to quell the conflict that might erupt in the Hyūga Clan.
Who would have thought that when Homura arrived, the conflict only intensified.
It intensified to the point where the Hyūga Main House had no power to resist.
They were simply crushed by the rolling tide of the situation.
"Hmm..." Kakashi mused with a strange expression. "I suppose it's not entirely an escalation; at least no one else died. Still, who would have thought the Hokage-sama would side with Ikeizumi? Perhaps the Main House members should thank me for saving them."
Of course, Kakashi only dared to utter these words to himself.
If he actually said them in front of the Main House...
...it would be like pouring salt on a wound.
He'd likely be swarmed.
......................
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