Hizashi Hyuga had even planned to use this as a warning to suppress the spreading resentment among the Branch Family. Yet he never imagined that the Branch Family, who used to shrink back before the Main Family, would choose such a fierce and decisive way to resist today.
What shocked him even more was the sudden appearance and forceful intervention of Hiashi Hyuga. Not only did it harshly criticize his actions, it also left him trapped in front of everyone, with no way forward or back and his dignity crushed.
Hizashi Hyuga opened his mouth to argue, but when he met Yunchuan Hyuga's calm Byakugan, and the dozens of silent and resolute gazes, then looked again at the cold face of "Hiashi Hyuga," all words stuck in his throat.
At that moment, Hizashi Hyuga understood. He had done something foolish today.
His rash and brutal action had not only helped Yunchuan Hyuga gather support, it had also angered "Hiashi Hyuga" and destroyed his own authority. Now there was no talk of suppressing Yunchuan Hyuga, and he could not even continue investigating the murderer.
Anger, shame, resentment, and a vague fear collided violently in his chest. He stared at Yunchuan Hyuga, then swept his gaze over the silent Branch Family members, his face dark and his chest heaving.
"Fine. Very fine."
He forced the words out through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse and trembling from restrained emotion. He did not look at Yunchuan Hyuga again, but instead turned to "Hiashi Hyuga" and said coldly, "Hiashi Hyuga, if you do not kill this source of disaster now, you will regret it sooner or later."
"You should take care of yourself."
With that, Hizashi Hyuga flung his sleeve and turned away without looking back. The people who had followed him exchanged glances, then lowered their heads and hurried after him, not daring to look at the Branch Family members again as their figures vanished into the night.
They had arrived with fierce momentum and left in utter disgrace.
Even after they disappeared from sight, the open ground remained silent. Only the night wind and the sound of blood dripping tapped against everyone's ears.
Hizashi Hyuga looked at the Branch Family who still stood there. As a former head of the Branch Family, he felt at a loss and deeply troubled.
Who could have imagined that Yunchuan Hyuga would establish authority among the Branch Family so quickly, even achieving something that he himself might not have managed back then. But what about the cost?
In the end, Hizashi Hyuga still held their lives in his hands. It was only because Hizashi Hyuga cared about the Hyuga Clan at his core that things had not gone further.
If that old man truly went mad and chose to execute all these rebellious Branch Family members at the price of the clan's collapse, who could stop him? Even if he were later punished or killed, the Branch Family would already be dead, and death could not be undone.
That was why Hizashi Hyuga, though dissatisfied with the conduct of the Main Family, had never taken extreme action and only tried to mediate. Even if he felt grateful that Yunchuan had unintentionally helped resolve Neji Hyuga's problem, he still could not understand why Yunchuan had chosen this path.
Did he not know that such extreme actions could lead to severe consequences? Or was Yunchuan Hyuga still immature, driven too much by emotion and impulse?
Thinking of this, Hizashi Hyuga felt helpless. He looked at the Branch Family and said in a deep voice, "Why are you still standing here? What else do you want to do? Is this not enough already?"
At that moment, Yunchuan Hyuga finally moved.
He turned around and slowly swept his gaze across the faces of the Branch Family. Looking at the blood flowing from their arms, he smiled slightly and said, "Go back and tend to your wounds."
"Tonight, every one of you did well."
Hearing this, Takao Hyuga stepped forward and asked hoarsely, "Brother Yunchuan, we thank you for standing up and sparing us from torture and pain."
"But if that old thing Hizashi Hyuga targets you after he goes back, what will you do?"
The moment the words fell, the relaxed mood vanished and everyone's hearts tightened. If that old man acted in secret, not only Yunchuan but also all of them who had resisted could be targeted.
He could even have other clan members act in his place.
Yunchuan Hyuga only shook his head and said calmly, "Then let him come. After I die, I hope someone among you can kill that old man for me and take revenge."
"The same applies."
He looked over them and continued, "If anyone present today dies because of the Caged Bird Seal, or suffers an unfortunate accident in Konoha, I will kill that old man."
"Wait," someone blurted out. "What if he is not the real culprit?"
Yunchuan Hyuga smiled lightly and said softly, "Does it matter?"
Hearing this, everyone present, including Hizashi Hyuga and Hyuga Aoi, stared at him in a daze. Soon, they understood what he meant.
Yunchuan Hyuga did not care who the real culprit was. As long as someone died under the torment of the Caged Bird Seal, or from some other death that could be disguised as an accident, the blood debt would be placed on Hizashi Hyuga.
In other words, each of their lives was now tied to that old man's life. Whether he was truly guilty did not matter, because he was the most suspicious one and would be dragged down to accompany the dead.
Was it unreasonable and extreme? It was exactly that unreasonable, exactly that extreme.
Yet realizing this, the Branch Family felt a fierce and twisted excitement. Their faces flushed as they looked at Yunchuan Hyuga with fervent eyes.
They knew that their lives, once considered cheap in the eyes of the Main Family, now carried the same weight as a dignified Main Family Elder. What if one of them was killed? Could he kill everyone present?
If not, then he should prepare to die.
Hizashi Hyuga had not expected such an answer. With his status, he should have rebuked it, yet he stood there stunned and silent.
He was certain that if these words reached Hizashi Hyuga's ears, the old man would be furious enough to cough blood. But would Hizashi Hyuga still dare to act?
No. Based on Hizashi Hyuga's understanding of him, the old man would not dare. Not only would he avoid harming Yunchuan Hyuga, he would also pray that nothing happened to him.
Otherwise, these Branch Family members would put the debt on his head, and he might be killed one day.
"Everyone, stand straight from now on, because behind you is me, and us."
Meeting their gazes, Yunchuan Hyuga pointed to his arm and smiled. "As long as we stand together, they will not dare to act, and they cannot do anything."
"They may take our lives, but we can also take theirs."
"Our blood is just as warm."
"Our lives are just as heavy."
"And they, apart from the Caged Bird Seal, have nothing and are fragile."
When his words ended, silence fell again. This silence was no longer oppressive or fearful, as their eyes burned with a wild and heated madness and their heavy breathing echoed in the darkness.
Hizashi Hyuga and Hyuga Aoi were completely speechless. Looking at the Branch Family whose eyes seemed to burn, and at Yunchuan Hyuga standing before them, both felt a storm rise in their hearts.
They knew that from this night on, something had fundamentally changed. This was no longer quiet endurance, but standing on equal ground.