Hyūga Natsu was vexed.
Two months ago, the "sacrifice" of her fiancé, Hyūga Yu, had sent massive shockwaves through the Hyūga clan.
With Hyūga Hizashi fueling the flames, nearly every member of the clan had learned the news: the Great Elder of the Main House had launched a sneak attack on Hyūga Yu on the battlefield, leading to his death.
Discussions regarding the matter reached a fever pitch. Soon, using this incident as a fuse, a topic that the Main House had deliberately suppressed for ages finally exploded: the Caged Bird.
What was the true purpose of the Caged Bird?
Was it really necessary to brand every member of the Hyūga clan with it?
Why did the elders of the Main House suppress the geniuses of the Branch House? Furthermore, why would a shinobi of the same camp launch a sneak attack on an ally during a critical battle, leading to their death?
This triggered a question that had long been trapped in the hearts of many Hyūga members, yet one that no one had dared to voice:
By what right is the Main House the Main House?
Everyone was a shinobi, risking their lives for pay. You didn't have two more eyes or two more legs than I did. The abilities and character of some Main House members were even far inferior to those of the Branch House. Yet, because of the Caged Bird and because they were the eldest sons, they could ride on the heads of their younger brothers in the Branch House and act with unbridled tyranny.
The unluckiest of all were those born directly into the Branch House. It seemed that from birth, they were destined to be marked with the Caged Bird, their lives handed over to a few "lucky ones."
It was unfair. However, in the past, these contradictions were smoothed over by the Main House's posture as peaceful, benevolent superiors who showered the clan with wealth. It was also sustained by the Hyūga clan's transcendent status within the Hidden Leaf Village (even a Branch House member would be addressed as "Lord" by outsiders) and, of course, the Caged Bird itself, which could claim a life at any moment. No one had been willing to poke through that paper-thin barrier.
Everyone had tacitly accepted the rules of the game. Even if the rules were twisted, as long as life was bearable and they didn't suffer blatant injustice due to the seal, these clansmen with the most powerful eyes in the shinobi world were content to play the role of the blind.
But the incident where the Great Elder of the Main House murdered the "Hero of the Leaf," Hyūga Yu, completely shattered that equilibrium.
Hyūga Hizashi stepped forward at this moment to reveal the truth. He brought up a path that had been deliberately obscured in history—the means by which a Branch House member could be promoted to the Main House or even lead the entire clan: the Hyūga Tennin.
It was then that the majority of the Hyūga clansmen, who had been kept in the dark, learned why the Main House was the Main House.
It was because their ancestors had once been Tennin. Throughout the long history of the shinobi world, nine "Hyūga Tennin" had appeared. Therefore, there were nine existing branches of the Main House, each passed down to a single heir. Only one person in each generation was part of the Main House. These descendants of heroes were meant to lead and guide the clan during the intervals when a "Hyūga Tennin" had not yet been born.
This explained the origin of the Main House and the legitimacy of its power. However, it quickly sparked even more anger among the clansmen. Since the path of the "Tennin" existed, why didn't they know about it?
Who had covered up the truth? Who was distorting the system? And who was intentionally hiding the "glorious" history of the Hyūga, attempting to bury the Tennin system under the weight of history?
This anger soon evolved into an interrogation of the Main House. Some resourceful Branch House members spread this news throughout Konoha. While they didn't dare criticize the Main House to their faces as Branch members, they used the public opinion of the entire village to pressure them. They forced the current clan head, Hyūga Hiashi, to provide a reasonable explanation. Using the motive of "Why did the Great Elder murder the Branch House genius Hyūga Yu?" they launched wave after wave of overt and covert probes and attacks against the Main House.
The Main House, led by Hyūga Hiashi, provided the following reason:
Hyūga Yu had transgressed clan laws. During the Hidden Mist's attack on the Main House, he murdered a member of the Main House, Hyūga Genkō, and then gouged out and transplanted Genkō's eyes.
Therefore, Hyūga Yu deserved to die!
But by then, announcing this reason was useless.
At this point, whether Yu lived or died had become irrelevant. Whether or not he had actually taken Genkō's Byakugan no longer mattered. The debate over the legitimacy of the Hyūga clan's system, sparked by his death, had become the core of the struggle.
Soon, the storm escalated, evolving into a direct confrontation between two factions within the clan. One faction sought to maintain the old system—these were Branch House members who had received significant benefits from the Main House.
The other faction sought to restore the "Hyūga Tennin" system, bringing a tradition that no one could definitively call good or bad back into the light.
Hyūga Yu was "dead." Hyūga Natsu, who seemed to be the only one closely related to him, suddenly became a central figure in this storm.
May 29th.
The fourth day after the Collapse of the Hidden Mist.
In the rear of the Land of Fire's Eastern Front, at the Crow Forest Camp.
This camp was built among rolling hills. The terrain was uneven and the visibility was poor, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. The camp was surrounded by charred stumps, broken branches, and bare trunks that stood like tombstones. From time to time, crows would land on the branches, flapping their wings in the deathly silent forest. Their dark eyes stared at the many wounded Leaf shinobi in the camp who looked like the walking dead.
Previously, the Leaf forces on the Eastern Front had been pushed back to this point by the Mist army. As the final line of defense, as well as a hub for the wounded, command center, and logistics, the Crow Forest Camp had been operating at full capacity.
However, since the Collapse of the Hidden Mist four days ago, the camp had grown quiet.
The main force of the Hidden Mist had retreated in mass, leaving only small units behind to harass and cover their exit. The camp's supreme commander, Uchiha Fugaku, even had the leisure to bring his son, Uchiha Itachi, to the battlefield for experience... though bringing a four-year-old child to a war zone still seemed a bit perverse.
The east corner of the camp housed the Secretary Department.
Inside a simple wooden building, Hyūga Natsu, working as a clerk, gripped a pen and meticulously wrote out official documents. She wore a Chūnin uniform, and her dark hair was tied in a ponytail. She looked focused, but strangely, her gaze didn't linger on her work at all. She was merely repeating the clerical skills she had practiced for years through muscle memory.
Her profile and her other fair hand were busy flipping through a mountain of scrolls piled on the other side of her desk. She was searching for clues within the tedious, bland routine documents. Soon, her brow furrowed slightly, and her eyes flickered.
"This... isn't right. The report submitted regarding the Mist Collapse mentioned 'Anbu' three times. However, connecting it to earlier reports, the Anbu performing missions inside the Hidden Mist Village were not actual Anbu. So... the ones who executed the Mist Collapse plan were Root."
"This document regarding Elder Danzō's instructions mentions a strange term: 'Tennin.' But the name that should have appeared here is—Orochimaru."
By extracting key content hidden within the vast amount of paperwork, Hyūga Natsu—sitting far from the center of Konoha on a border battlefield—was able to piece together unusual information from the recent shifts in the village leadership.
"All the preliminary work for the Fourth Hokage election... has already begun."
"Lord Third's attitude is clear. Looking at the list for the negotiations with the Hidden Stone, he supports the 'Yellow Flash,' Minato Namikaze. His arrangement for his student, Orochimaru, is to take over Root. With Minato in the light and Orochimaru in the dark, they will support each other to ensure a smooth transition of power."
"In the Jōnin Council, Minato Namikaze will win the vast majority of votes."
"Next is the Elder Council... Lord Mitokado Homura actually supports... Jiraiya? Lady Utatane Koharu has always supported Tsunade. Besides them, Biwako from the Medical Department also supports Tsunade. However, neither side has done much preparation, so are they... planning to give up?"
"Lord Danzō should have supported Orochimaru, but... this part of the content has been erased."
"Most importantly..."
"Regarding the Daimyō's attitude... in this document, the name 'Tennin' appears again?"
Natsu stopped her pen. A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes as she took several scrolls she had collected—scrolls she found quite strange—and pieced them together: [Anbu mobilizing massive resources from the Medical Department], [The Mist purchasing medical supplies in bulk], [Destination of materials following the Mist Collapse], [Orochimaru's name being erased], ['Tennin'], [Shimura Danzō's change in election intent]...
All the content pointed toward one person: "Tennin."
Not the so-called "Hyūga Tennin" of the clan, but the "Tennin" of Root!
This person had appeared out of nowhere, subverted the Hidden Mist in one fell swoop, and rewritten the disadvantageous position of the Leaf on the Eastern Front. He was deeply loved and valued by Shimura Danzō, to the point that Danzō was willing to abandon Orochimaru and mobilize all his political resources, directly influencing the Fire Country Daimyō's stance on the upcoming Fourth Hokage election.
He was even more like the "Darkness of the Shinobi" than the original!
"But... could it be you?"
Looking at this terrifying resume revealed on the scrolls, Natsu's expression dimmed. She bit her lip, her face filled with uncertainty.
She had once thought that her 'Lion-kun' would eventually overcome all obstacles and become a man who stood tall... but when reality collided with dreams, the pale facts provided an immediate answer.
With Hyūga Yu's strength before his "death," he could barely fight one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen by pushing himself to the brink. Yet, the "Tennin" who appeared just two months later was a terrifying entity capable of fighting the Third Mizukage, the future Fourth Mizukage Yagura, and the Six-Tails Jinchuriki without being defeated—a monster who had personally subverted a Great Nation.
The more glaring the disparity, the more Natsu's remaining hope withered.
Until now—
Natsu suddenly felt very frustrated. She could no longer continue working, even if the work was something she could do with her eyes closed.
She stood up from her chair, clenched her fists slightly, and walked out of her solitary office toward the door of the Secretary Department. It was as if she were a bird breaking free from a cage... only to fall into an even larger "birdcage."
"Hyūga Tetsu, get out of the way, kid! I told you, this is an order from the Main House. Whether it's you, me, or the woman inside—"
"We all have no choice but to obey!"
"Impossible!"
"Hyūga Yu... Hyūga Yu isn't dead! We haven't found his body even now! And arranging a marriage for Natsu right now? She—she just lost her family... are you people even human?"
"Aren't you contradicting yourself? Never mind that Hyūga Yu is dead and Hizashi already held the funeral; even if he were alive, under the Main House's arrangement, Hyūga Natsu would still have to remarry!"
As soon as she approached the door, the sound of the argument reached her ears. The trademark smile that usually hung on Natsu's face vanished completely, replaced by a cold, frost-like expression.
She stepped outside. In front of the door, a three-man team from the Hyūga clan was arguing with Hyūga Tetsu, who was standing guard. Natsu recognized them. The leader was named Hyūga Kazuhiko, a man in his twenties. He was quite tall, standing at least 1.8 meters. Hyūga Tetsu stood before him like a small bean sprout. Currently, this man was a member of the faction within the Branch House that supported the Main House.
Upon seeing Natsu emerge, Kazuhiko's eyes lit up. He immediately tried to push aside Hyūga Tetsu, who was blocking the way, and exaggeratedly held up a scroll as he tried to walk toward her.
"The person in question is here—get out of the way! Tetsu, you're no match for me. Besides, members of the Main House have come this time. You should know the consequences of defying an order!"
Tetsu's face was dark. He didn't move an inch, and his hand reached back, already brushing against the ninja tool pouch at his waist.
Seeing this, Kazuhiko's gaze turned cold, and he chuckled. "What? You want to fight?"
"Tetsu, think carefully—this isn't a punishment."
"To appease the Branch House, the Main House has not only temporarily stripped the Great Elder of his position, but they have also arranged this marriage for Hyūga Yu's fiancée. They're letting her marry into the Main House."
"I know you like Natsu, kid. But you can't block someone else's bright future just because of your own selfishness and prejudice, can you?"
"You haven't even asked her. How do you know she'll refuse?"
Kazuhiko patted Tetsu on the shoulder, causing Tetsu's body to tremble. Tetsu grit his teeth, his face flushed red, but for a moment, he couldn't find the words to speak.
"Right? People have to look forward..."
Kazuhiko smilingly pushed aside Tetsu, whose pressure points he had just struck. He turned his head to look at Natsu behind Tetsu and greeted her with a smile: "Lady... Hyūga Natsu."
Natsu took a deep breath, and a sweet smile slowly spread across her face. "Brother Kazuhiko, you've arrived."
Kazuhiko nodded and stared at her intently. "Lady Natsu, congratulations—"
Natsu tilted her head with a smile. "What is there to celebrate?"
"Hyūga Yu is gone. According to 'Clan Law,' the family has arranged a new marriage for you."
Natsu's expression remained unchanged as she asked with a smile, "Who am I to marry?"
"Hyūga Genkō's younger brother. Because Genkō died, Hyūga Ke has become a member of the Main House."
Kazuhiko looked at Natsu and sneered. "I know there has been some unrest in the clan lately. However, the so-called 'Tennin' system is not as simple as you think. To the Hyūga clan, a 'Tennin' is not the beneficial figure you imagine."
"Times have changed. This is no longer the chaotic Warring States Period. The Hyūga, having joined Konoha, no longer need an extreme power like the 'Tennin.' That would only incite suspicion from the village leadership and lead us to the same fate as the Uchiha clan—constantly targeted by the higher-ups."
"Natsu, you're a smart woman."
"You should also know that the meaning behind this marriage is by no means limited to the incident caused by Hyūga Yu's death—"
"This is not something you, nor those people, can refuse."
"Furthermore, it is perfectly in line with 'Clan Law' and is beneficial to you. As a female shinobi of the clan, bearing more gifted children for the Main House will also help solidify your future status within the Main House."
"You should know what a great honor this is for a mere member of the Branch House!"
Natsu laughed. She took a deep breath, her smile becoming even more radiant. Her delicate features combined with her flawless white eyes created a face so pure and lovely that one could hardly resist wanting to take a bite. Kazuhiko and the two clansmen behind him couldn't help but look away slightly, thinking that Hyūga Ke's luck was truly boundless.
Then, Natsu looked at Kazuhiko. Though she was clearly smiling, her gaze grew increasingly calm, like a mirrored lake suppressing a world-shaking thunderclap!
She didn't deny Kazuhiko's words. She only looked at him and asked, "And so?"
"And so," Kazuhiko unfurled the scroll in front of everyone and spoke indifferently, "The Main House will apply to the village to have you transferred back to Konoha. For the next few years, you won't need to participate in dangerous ninja missions. You can properly prepare for your training to become a member of the Main House—to become a bride."
"And now, what you need to do is—"
Kazuhiko stepped forward twice, lifting the unfurled scroll in his hand. He smiled darkly.
"Take it!"
————
Supporting me on Pa-treon to gain early access to advanced chapters and enjoy expedited updates. Your support is greatly appreciated.
pat-reon .c-om/Dragonhair
(Just remove the hyphen - and space, to access Pa-treon normally.)