Natsuro sat in his chair, attentively listening as Neji and Kakashi reported the full details of the recent mission.
Kakashi's side had encountered no significant obstacles, and Ino's performance stood out prominently. She had successfully utilized her Spirit Transformation Technique, enabling the team to secure the Sky Ninja's schematics and even capture a trainer alive. Ino's contributions were exceptional, and Natsuro decided he would personally arrange an appropriate reward for her efforts.
Next was Neji's report. As expected, Naruto had initially fallen for Shinnō's facade. While Natsuro hadn't explicitly warned Naruto about Shinnō's true nature, this reinforced a lesson Natsuro already understood: strength alone isn't enough for solo missions.
A ninja capable of independent missions requires not only power but also a clear and calm mind. Kakashi was the best example of this balance, which was why he was frequently entrusted with S-rank missions during Tsunade's tenure.
Beyond Kakashi, only Neji and Sasuke could meet these criteria. The rest either lacked the necessary intellect, sufficient strength, or, in Shino's case, had a personality ill-suited for such tasks.
Rubbing his temples, Natsuro sighed inwardly. Competent personnel were still in short supply.
Listening further, Natsuro found himself pleasantly surprised by Hinata's performance during the mission. According to Neji, Hinata had even developed a technique called Protective Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. Natsuro recalled this technique from the original series but was intrigued to hear Neji's additional note: Hinata's version could sever muscles and chakra pathways.
Neji admitted he hadn't seen it firsthand but had heard about it from Sakura, who praised Hinata's accomplishments.
This detail jogged Natsuro's memory of a prior suggestion he'd given Hinata, to incorporate the Chakra Scalpel into her Gentle Fist techniques. Unexpectedly, she had taken his advice a step further, combining it with a defensive move like the Protective Eight Trigrams. The result was a terrifyingly versatile technique, both offensive and defensive.
Natsuro smiled. Hinata had grown stronger than she was in the original timeline, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Unlike Naruto and Sasuke, whose growth was inevitable, seeing Hinata's development through his guidance brought genuine satisfaction.
"Well done," Natsuro praised after Neji concluded his report. Neji had handled the mission with decisiveness and composure, living up to expectations.
Shinnō's use of the Eight Gates had caught Natsuro off guard, but it also raised questions. Who originally developed the Eight Gates, Konoha or the Sky Ninja? Perhaps Konoha had acquired it as spoils of war after defeating the Sky Ninja in the past.
Although Shinnō's use of the technique was far weaker than Might Guy's or Rock Lee's, he had managed to bypass the fatal risks of opening the gates. Natsuro saw potential in studying this variation.
"Neji, you observed Shinnō's use of the Eight Gates during your battle, correct?" Natsuro asked.
"Yes," Neji replied with a nod.
"Good." Natsuro then explained the fatal flaw of the Eight Gates, the ultimate death that accompanied the opening of the final gate.
"What?!" Neji's eyes widened in shock, though he also found the revelation somewhat unsurprising. The immense power of the technique always seemed too good to come without a price.
"That's why I'd like you to document everything you observed about Shinnō's method and submit it to Lady Tsunade," Natsuro instructed.
Initially, Natsuro considered giving the information directly to Might Guy. However, knowing Guy's straightforward nature, it seemed wiser to entrust it to Tsunade, whose medical expertise might yield better results.
"Understood," Neji agreed, recognizing the gravity of the task.
As Kakashi and Shikaku excused themselves, Natsuro turned to Neji, who remained.
"Neji," Natsuro began, "what are your thoughts on the Caged Bird Seal? Are you still intent on finding a way to remove it?"
Neji froze, caught off guard by the sudden question. His heart raced with the possibility that Natsuro might offer a solution.
"Of course!" Neji responded firmly.
"Can you tell me why you want to remove the seal?" Natsuro asked.
Neji's mood darkened. Something in Natsuro's tone suggested hesitation, as if he weren't entirely in favor of the idea.
"Do I need a reason to want freedom from a seal that controls my life and death? Moreover, it limits the power of the branch family's Byakugan," Neji said, his voice heavy with frustration.
"True," Natsuro nodded. "If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't want my life dictated by someone else, either. But let me ask you this, do you wish to remove the seal only for yourself, or do you want it gone for all branch family members?"
Neji hesitated, pondering the question carefully.
"If possible, I'd want the seal removed for everyone," Neji finally said.
"Fair enough. But have you thought about what might happen afterward?" Natsuro pressed.
Neji remained silent, uncertain of how to respond.
"Let me spell it out for you," Natsuro continued. "At first, you'll be hailed as a hero. Even if there are dissenting voices, most of the branch family will celebrate you for liberating them from this curse."
"But that won't last. The moment the world learns that the Hyuga branch family no longer bears the Caged Bird Seal, what do you think will happen? You haven't forgotten why your father died, have you?"
Neji's expression hardened. "Because the Hidden Cloud coveted the Byakugan and demanded Lord Hiashi's body. My father volunteered to take his place."
"Exactly. So what do you think will happen when it becomes common knowledge that the branch family's Byakugan is unprotected? Not just from outside, but within Konoha as well. You've seen Danzo's collection of Sharingan, haven't you? Imagine someone like him with a body full of Byakugan."
Neji clenched his fists, unable to refute Natsuro's logic. He had considered these issues before, but the answers always left him conflicted. The Caged Bird Seal, as much as it oppressed them, also served as a cruel form of protection.
"So, at that point, it becomes almost inevitable: members of the Hyuga branch family will begin to mysteriously disappear. At first, it might seem manageable. But over time, as more and more people vanish, you, the celebrated hero, might just transform into the accused villain," Natsuro said, his tone unyielding.
Natsuro had no doubts about this outcome. "The majority of people are inherently selfish. When something benefits them, they're happy. But when it becomes a liability…" He left the thought unfinished, letting the silence fill the room.
"And if they don't want to keep disappearing, they'll have no choice but to stay confined within the Hyuga compound, constantly under the protection of the family's elite. Even then, safety won't be guaranteed," Natsuro continued, then turned to Neji with a probing look. "Tell me, Neji, does a life spent confined within a small compound, always shadowed by protectors, sound any better than the current life of the branch family?"
"I… I don't know," Neji replied hesitantly, a mix of frustration and confusion clouding his expression. Natsuro's words struck deep, forcing Neji to confront thoughts he had long tried to avoid.
Natsuro's calm yet piercing tone continued, cutting through Neji's growing turmoil. "If it's just your own Caged Bird Seal you want to remove, I'd say your current strength makes it possible without much fear. But if your goal is to remove the seals from the entire branch family, the consequences will only be worse."
"Isn't there… any way to change this?" Neji finally asked, his voice low and uncertain.
"There are solutions," Natsuro admitted, nodding slightly.
Neji's attention sharpened, his focus locked entirely on Natsuro, desperate for answers.
"First option," Natsuro began, "ensure that no one in the entire world covets the Byakugan anymore."
Even Neji couldn't hide his incredulous expression. He looked at him as though asking if he was joking. Such a notion was outright impossible.
"It's not entirely impossible," Natsuro added with a shrug. "Though admittedly, not something achievable by you." He thought briefly of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, an ultimate solution, albeit an implausible one.
"Second option: the Hyuga family produces a ninja so powerful that they can crush the entire ninja world. At that point, no one would dare lay a finger on the Hyuga." Natsuro's calm delivery of such an audacious proposal made it sound both inspiring and unattainable.
Neji remained silent. This too was beyond reach. Even he couldn't imagine anyone in the Hyuga clan becoming such an overwhelming force.
"Third option…" Natsuro paused, a mischievous smile spreading across his face.
Neji stiffened. Something about that smile unsettled him.
"Neji, the main issue here, as you see it, is the injustice of the branch family being forced to bear the Caged Bird Seal while the main family is spared, correct?" Natsuro asked, his tone steady but probing.
Neji nodded slowly, unsure of where this was headed.
The next words from Natsuro felt like a thunderclap in Neji's ears, their sinister undertone sending a chill down his spine.
"So, Neji, have you ever considered this: why not make the main family bear the Caged Bird Seal as well? That would make things fair, wouldn't it?"
If you want to read more...
Check out the patreon and get 55 chapters in advance -> SaintXI
Currently on Chapter 310 - Natsuro vs Urashiki Ōtsutsuki
Sneak Peak: Next Chapter Title ~ Chapter 256: A Path to Change