As news spread about the Land of Lightning signing a peace treaty with Konoha, a sense of calm filled the village. Smiles and laughter could be seen everywhere in the Leaf Village.
As night fell, the sounds of laughter slowly faded in the Leaf Village as people drifted off to sleep.
In an ordinary apartment, the door creaked open, and a tired, lazy voice echoed in the empty room.
"I'm home."
Wearing deep gray clothes and a dark blue headband that represented Konoha, Iwashi Tatami, who had spent the whole day guarding the gates, had finally returned. He mumbled wearily as he entered the room.
He had lost his parents in the Third Great Ninja War and was now an orphan. Even though he was used to it, every time he returned, he still called out, despite the emptiness that greeted him.
"Guarding the gate might seem easy, but it's quite boring. When will it ever end?"
Iwashi, who closed the door, looked downhearted as he collapsed onto the living room sofa.
A few years ago, along with Raidō Namiashi and Genma Shiranui, he had been filled with pride and excitement. They had become guards for the Fourth Hokage at a young age, gaining his trust and favor. But soon after, everything changed dramatically after the Nine-Tails Attack. Their lives took an unexpected turn.
Despite being the Fourth Hokage's guards, he had been demoted to guarding the village gate. The routine work drained their enthusiasm, and they lost their former energy.
With a deep sigh, Iwashi's eyes still held memories of their past glory. Unfortunately, those times were gone for good. He shook his head and gave a bitter smile, picking up a glass of water from the table and taking a sip.
The glass still had some cold water left. He drank it bit by bit, but in the next moment, his expression turned to fear.
Plop!
The glass fell to the ground, and Iwashi collapsed with a thud. The glass rolled on the floor, while Iwashi's body stiffened, his eyes widening in terror.
The water was poisoned! The toxin had invaded his brain, paralyzing his nerves. Despite his clear mind, he couldn't control his body.
In his shocked gaze, a black figure emerged slowly from the shadows, wearing a mask.
Anbu? Or Root?
Why were they after him?
As Iwashi's mind raced, the masked figure with lifeless eyes looked at him with indifference. "No need to struggle. This is a very rare nerve toxin."
At that moment, Iwashi couldn't control his mouth or throat; he could only emit a low, feeble groan. However, the figure extended a hand and placed it on his head. In that instant, fear surged through him.
"It seems you've figured out what's happening. Don't fight it. You, guards of the Fourth Hokage, failed to protect him. You should have died long ago."
The masked figure spoke calmly, placing a hand on Iwashi's forehead. Despite his terror, Iwashi's body remained rigid, his eyes wide with shock.
"Don't worry, I only need the space ninjutsu that the Fourth Hokage taught you. I won't take your life. Just listen and obey. When you wake up tomorrow, don't blurt out anything, and keep quiet."
The black-clad ninja with the mask spoke calmly. From his elevated position, Iwashi's terrified eyes were filled with astonishment.
The space ninjutsu that the Fourth Hokage had taught them was a secret technique. How could this person know? Anbu? No! It couldn't be Anbu; they were under the Hokage's command, and he would surely know about it. They wouldn't covet their space ninjutsu.
So, there was only one possibility: Root! Once, they had been guards to the Fourth Hokage, and they naturally knew some secrets. The leader of Root had always been ambitious; perhaps they suspected that they held the secret of the improved space ninjutsu.
Terrifying! But at the same time, it made him give up his resistance.
Psycho Mind Transmission
The figure formed a seal, and in an instant, Iwashi's eyes rolled back, revealing a semi-conscious state. The figure had entered his mental world, his brain.
In this mysterious mental world, Uchiha Yoru opened his eyes, watching this dreamlike world that resembled water with a smile. Even in this mental world, he wore a mask. Indeed, it was a miraculous technique.
In the original story, Yamanaka Inoichi had used this technique to extract memories from a captured Pain. Similarly, Aoba Yamashiro had used it to access Kisune's memories after his defeat by Might Guy.
Disguised in this manner, Uchiha Yoru was naturally coveting the space ninjutsu. He didn't know if he could learn it, but he had to obtain it first.
As for the sealing techniques in the scroll, one needed approval from the Hokage, demonstrated loyalty, and enough contributions. With his Uchiha surname, he would never receive it from the Third Hokage in his lifetime.
He had asked Orochimaru about it, but without the innate talent for space ninjutsu, he couldn't access it. Orochimaru wouldn't waste his time on the useless. Thus, Orochimaru was clueless. If he were to ask Hokage at this point, he probably wouldn't get it either.
Space ninjutsu was among the most bizarre in the ninja world. However, the easiest way to obtain it was likely through the Konoha's Gatekeepers' Genma Team.
In the original story, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Team Genma used a mark previously placed on Tsunade to swiftly transport the Fifth Mizukage and Team Genma to the battlefield where Madara was.
"Let me see this most mysterious space ninjutsu."
Muttering to himself, Uchiha Yoru extended his palm, touching the surface of the mental brain. Instantly, a massive scroll materialized – a manifestation of memory, not reality.
Uchiha Yoru closed his eyes, placing his hands on the scroll. The massive scroll began to rapidly unravel, simultaneously revealing countless memories of Iwashi. These memories flipped through like a fast-forwarded film. At this moment, Uchiha Yoru's brow furrowed, quickly finding the time when the Fourth Hokage had taught them the space ninjutsu. Luckily, it wasn't too far in the past.
Team Genma, consisting of Genma Shiranui, Raidō Namiashi, and Iwashi Tatami, was his focus. Among them, Iwashi was the weakest, making him the prime target. Uchiha Yoru had observed silently for a while before making his move.
…
On the second day, when sunlight streamed through the glass onto his cheeks, Iwashi abruptly opened his eyes. He took deep, nervous breaths of fresh air while looking around in terror. He found himself lying on the living room floor, with a fallen water glass nearby.
Seeing this scene, Iwashi was immediately overwhelmed by fear. The sharp pain in his mind made him recall the memories of the previous night, causing a pounding headache akin to being pricked by needles.
"Ah, darn it, darn it! Why!"
At this moment, Iwashi held his head in agony. The memories from last night replayed continuously in his mind. He knew it wasn't a genjutsu; it was a real situation. He had been invaded, or rather, his mind had been invaded.
...
In Konoha, as spring arrived, the village thrived with newfound vitality and welcomed an envoy from the Hidden Cloud Village in the Land of Lightning.
The villagers of Konoha looked at the arriving envoy with joy in their hearts. They weren't cheering for the ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village; they were cheering for peace.
Once the peace treaty was signed, it not only marked the end of friction at the frontlines of the Land of Lightning but also allowed countless ninjas to return home. Everyone longed for peace, especially in the constantly war-torn shinobi world.
In this year, the Hyuga main family's heiress, Hyuga Hinata, turned three years old.
The envoy from the Cloud Village had arrived. This negotiation wasn't something that could be settled overnight, but at the very least, it was a political signal. The people of Konoha wore smiles of longing for peace.
Hyuga Branch Family.
"Hyuga Hizashi."
In a clean and orderly room, the two of them sat facing each other again, sipping tea. However, unlike the last time, when the window was filled with falling snowflakes, this time it was filled with the vibrant green of life.
"Yoru-sama."
At this moment, Hyuga Hizashi was extremely respectful and humble. After all, he was in need of something. Under his expectant gaze, Uchiha Yoru sighed softly, "The senior members of the Hyuga clan are indeed exceptional. The Cage Bird Curse Seal is almost flawlessly designed. The difficulty of deciphering it is immense, especially since the Cage Bird Curse has been in place since childhood. Over the decades, it has become integrated, pulling everything along with it."
Although he had prepared himself in this short amount of time, when he heard this response, Hyuga Hizashi couldn't help but reveal a tinge of disappointment in his eyes. He still clung to a hint of unwillingness. He looked at Uchiha Yoru and said, "Is there really no hope left?"
At this moment, Hyuga Hizashi hated himself beyond measure. He knew the fate they were bound to, so why! Why did he let Neji be born into this world? Why!
Seeing Hyuga Hizashi's unwilling expression, Uchiha Yoru chuckled lightly, sipped his tea, and then slowly took out a scroll from his pocket. He pushed it in front of him, and despite the puzzled and bewildered look in his eyes, his next words caused Hyuga Hizashi to experience a sudden turn of events, an uncontrollable excitement.
"While it's true that the Cage Bird Curse can't be broken, I have successfully developed a sealing technique that lives up to my promise. This sealing jutsu is the result of studying all the sealing technique data that Orochimaru-sensei collected."
"I call it the 'Seal of the Caged Bird.' This seal requires chakra control at the Jonin level, so only Jonin can master it. After casting the seal, the sealing marks appear outside the cerebral cortex, invisible to others. This seal is like covering the cage with a black cloth, preventing anyone from manipulating the Cage Bird. Likewise, they can't sense it. However, the effects of the Cage Bird Curse Seal remain, such as when a ninja dies, the Curse Seal will still activate."
A twist of fate!
At this moment, Hyuga Hizashi held the compact scroll tremblingly. Upon hearing the explanation, tears welled up in his eyes.
Fate! The hundred-year-old fate of the Hyuga clan was finally being shattered!
Uchiha Yoru's face maintained a relaxed smile as he looked outside the window, not interrupting the melancholy of the other. He might not be able to feel it, but he understood. Moreover, he wasn't lying; this 'Seal of the Caged Bird' was indeed a result of his own effort, albeit with some help from the system.
The Caged Bird was like a prison, enslaving generation after generation of the Branch Family. They called it fate, and no one would willingly accept it. But once upon a time, they could finally break free from this destiny.
Trembling, Hyuga Hizashi opened the scroll and couldn't even control his own Byakugan from activating. The sealing jutsu was imprinted firmly in his mind.
Just this small scroll! But now, it had broken open the door to freedom for the Hyuga Branch Family, breaking their destiny.
A very intricate sealing technique, a protective barrier crafted for the brain, tightly bound to the Cage Bird. While it wasn't impossible to break, it came with a requirement: they needed to be controlled, then the seal could be deciphered. Yet, when the seal was broken, it was also the moment when the Cage Bird Curse Seal would activate.
Because the principle of this sealing technique was simple, connected as one with the Cage Bird, deciphering the seal was easier said than done. It would be easier to directly kill the host of the seal when it was broken.
After a long while, Hyuga Hizashi finally suppressed his emotions. He placed the small scroll solemnly against his chest.
"Hyuga Branch Family, I will forever remember Uchiha Yoru's great kindness!"
Reflecting on his words, wasn't he saying that he had developed this sealing technique himself? Even though there was Orochimaru's help.
Indeed, intelligent people speak simply. Upon hearing Hyuga Hizashi's words, Uchiha Yoru smiled and nodded. "It also requires Hyuga Hizashi to request additional funding from the main family before this operation starts. After all, there won't be another chance in the future. Besides, when I came here today, I noticed that someone was watching outside."
Upon hearing these words, Hyuga Hizashi's gaze lifted, revealing a determined and even resentful look. Yes, the main family's funding wouldn't be available in the future. And it was indeed a good excuse to use for camouflage.
~~~
Yoru can't help it. Money is money hahah.
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