Chapter 308: Preparing to Head to the Moon
Three to four hundred years ago, the Otsutsuki on the moon already possessed the Tenseigan!
The Tenseigan on the moon is composed of countless Byakugan.
But the Otsutsuki lack the Byakugan due to genetic defects.
So where did these Byakugan come from?
The answer is clear—they were plundered from the Hyuga Clan!
From the very beginning, the Caged Bird Seal wasn't meant to guard against outsiders, but rather their distant relatives—the Otsutsuki Clan on the moon!
Because the Otsutsuki couldn't obtain Byakugan as easily as before, they eventually abandoned their attempts to target the Hyuga.
This allowed the Hyuga, after dealing with the puppets, to seal off the spatial passage leading to the moon with relative ease!
This likely involved the Hyuga's intelligence, perhaps even collaborating with outsiders, like the Uzumaki Clan, distant relatives of the Senju, to assist with the sealing.
The exact history is unclear, but to Haneda, that doesn't matter.
He's no historian. What he cares about is obtaining the Tenseigan and finding a way to remove the Caged Bird Seal.
And now, Haneda had located the approximate position of the spatial passage!
Hizashi noticed Haneda's expression ease, and a slight smile appeared on his lips, making him suspect that the Hokage might have found a solution or a lead for removing the Caged Bird Seal.
Though he stood patiently, his trembling arms betrayed his inner excitement.
When Haneda finally set the book down, Hizashi glanced at Hiashi, realizing for the first time that his elder brother had been watching him.
Hiashi smiled gently and nodded, signaling him to ask.
At that moment, Hizashi fully understood—his elder brother, the clan head of the main family, also supported abolishing the Caged Bird Seal system!
Previously, Hiashi had kept silent due to the power dynamics of the main family, but now he was making his stance clear.
Summoning his courage, Hizashi asked nervously,
"Hokage-sama, regarding the Caged Bird Seal…"
Haneda smiled, replying,
"There's already a solution. It won't take longer than a month."
"Rest assured, under the name of the Hokage, I will eliminate all darkness and unjust systems in this village!"
"The Hyuga Clan, whether main family or branch family, is part of Konoha!"
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Later that Night, Returning to the Hyuga Clan
Hizashi and the others returned to the clan grounds.
Parting ways with Hiashi, he took Neji with him.
Due to the system separating the main and branch families, even brothers couldn't live together.
The main family lived in the center of the clan grounds, while the branch family could only reside on the outskirts—a clear distinction of hierarchy.
As he watched his elder brother walking away, holding Hinata's small hand, Hizashi unconsciously paused.
Clenching Neji's left hand, he looked up at the bright moon in the sky and said,
"Neji, whether or not the Hyuga continues having main and branch families, and regardless of the Caged Bird Seal, always remember to protect your sister."
"Hinata?" Neji's mind conjured an image of Hinata's smiling face superimposed on the moon.
Removing the white cloth tied around his forehead to cover the Caged Bird Seal, he seemed lost in thought.
"I will. She sees me as her brother, and I see her as my sister. A brother protecting his sister is only natural."
Neji turned to look at his father, raising his head to make the promise.
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The Next Morning
Haneda finished preparing breakfast for Naruto and the others before using the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport to Kakashi's house.
Kakashi was already awake, brushing his teeth when Haneda appeared. By the time Haneda arrived, Kakashi had finished and had put on his signature black mask again.
"You're here so early—it must be something important, Haneda?"
"As sharp as ever," Haneda said, handing Kakashi a box of breakfast he had brought.
The two sat at the dining table, and as Kakashi began eating, Haneda got straight to the point:
"Do you remember the discussion about the moon and the Tenseigan I mentioned last time?"
"Last night, I confirmed the location of the spatial passage to the moon."
Kakashi's chopsticks froze mid-air.
He looked up at Haneda, his usually half-hidden face revealing a rare expression of surprise.
"You've already located it? So, you're planning to head there immediately?"
"I wouldn't come all the way to your place just to tell you that," Haneda replied with a chuckle, clarifying,
"I wanted to discuss the preparations for this mission. This isn't something I can handle alone."
Kakashi's curiosity deepened as Haneda continued.
"Certain things shouldn't solely rely on me. That's why I want to bring along a reliable friend and a few trusted allies."
Hearing "reliable friend," Kakashi couldn't help but smirk under his mask, but his sharp mind quickly deduced Haneda's plan.
"You're bringing me, Itachi, and Shisui, aren't you?"
Haneda nodded. "Exactly. You have the Flying Thunder God Technique and Kamui, which can absorb people and objects, making you highly adaptable. Plus, we've worked together countless times—you and I will handle movement and defense.
"As for Itachi and Shisui, both have the Mangekyō Sharingan, and with their transplanted Hashirama cells, their strength is unmatched in the ninja world.
"Shisui's Kotoamatsukami might even be the trump card we need in a dire situation."
Kakashi had long thought that such a critical mission required a proper team. A solo venture, even for the Hokage, was reckless.
"I'll notify Itachi and Shisui," Kakashi said.
"No need," Haneda said, waving it off. "I already told them to meet us here. They should be on their way, or maybe they're even here now."
Just as Haneda finished speaking, a voice came from the door.
"We've arrived, Hokage-sama."
The door slid open to reveal Shisui, standing at the entrance. Next to him was Itachi, slightly shorter and looking almost childlike in comparison.
"It took us a bit longer because Itachi insisted on spending time with Sasuke before coming," Shisui said with a smile.
"Sorry, Haneda-ojisan. My little brother wouldn't let me leave," Itachi added with a slight bow.
"No worries. It's good to spend time with family," Haneda replied, his tone warm and understanding.
Reaching into his robes, Haneda pulled out three scrolls and tossed them to Kakashi, Itachi, and Shisui.
"These are all the details I found about the moon, the Otsutsuki Clan, and the Tenseigan. Study them carefully."
While the three began scanning the scrolls, Haneda summarized,
"The Otsutsuki on the moon are blood relatives of the Hyuga. Like the Hyuga, they also have a system dividing the main and branch families. However, the branch family recently overthrew the main family and seized control of the Tenseigan.
"After their internal conflict, their numbers dwindled, and now there aren't many of them left.
"They rely heavily on puppets, the Tenseigan, and primitive chakra techniques for combat.
"The Tenseigan grants them the ability to control puppets, manipulate gravity and repulsion, and even enter a mode similar to Sage Mode or Lightning Chakra Mode.
"They also possess an ability to absorb chakra using green energy orbs—this resembles the Dead Demon Consuming Seal but on a larger scale."
By the time Haneda finished explaining, the three had read through the scrolls.
Shisui's and Itachi's faces betrayed shock as they processed the information.
"So, the Otsutsuki are not only connected to the Hyuga but also to the Sage of Six Paths himself?" Shisui asked, his tone filled with disbelief.
"Exactly," Haneda confirmed. "And that's why we must eliminate this threat. The branch family on the moon seeks to destroy Earth. We can't let that happen."
Kakashi exchanged a glance with Haneda, understanding the gravity of the mission.
Haneda continued, "This will be an extremely dangerous mission. We're stepping into the domain of the Sage of Six Paths, and there's no room for error."
The trio nodded solemnly, their expressions serious.
Haneda stood up, signaling the beginning of their mission.
"Let's move."
With Kakashi by his side, they approached Itachi and Shisui.
Placing a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, Haneda activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, teleporting all four of them to an underground cavern.
In front of them lay a vast, ancient stone doorway. Intricate carvings of the Sage of Six Paths and symbols of the Tenseigan adorned the structure.
"This is it," Haneda said, his voice echoing in the cavern. "The spatial passage to the moon."
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To Be Continued…