It was unmistakably the real Hiashi Hyuga. Compared to his earlier gaunt and battered state, he now looked nearly identical to Hizashi Hyuga, aside from a slightly paler complexion. "Do not waste your strength," Hizashi Hyuga said, frowning at the face twisted by wrath. "I told you, with that lord's power, you cannot kill me."
"If you want to leave this chamber tonight, behave yourself."
Over the years, he had grown ever more skilled at playing Hiashi Hyuga, perfectly copying his habits. The only difference lay in his attitude toward Hinata Hyuga. Where Hiashi Hyuga had been harsh, he chose encouragement and approval instead.
This was one of the few kindnesses he allowed himself, and one of the few things he was willing to do. Yet there was one matter he could never solve. Hiashi Hyuga's wife was alive and wanted another child.
He could make excuses for a time, but not forever. Fortunately…
"It seems the gift I gave you last time was quite useful to you."
A hoarse voice carrying a smile echoed through the chamber. Hizashi Hyuga turned toward it as a dark figure slowly emerged from the shadows. He bowed slightly, his manner respectful.
"Long time no see," Hizashi Hyuga said. "'Shadow' sir."
"Your gift truly helped me resolve many troubles. I offer my sincere thanks."
Seeing the figure step into the light, the immobilized Hiashi Hyuga twisted his face in rage and hatred. It was this cursed person again.
"Do not stand on ceremony."
Facing the respectful attitude of Hizashi Hyuga, Shadow only let out a light laugh and said that this was what he deserved. One of the gifts given long ago was naturally control over Zetsu that belonged to Hiashi Hyuga himself.
Hizashi Hyuga could not, and Zetsu would not, play the role of Hiashi Hyuga sleeping with his own sister-in-law. Because of this, Shadow handed control of Hiashi Hyuga over to Hizashi Hyuga.
From that day on, White belonged to Hizashi Hyuga during the day, as he wore the skin of the clan head and walked under the sun. At night, the role switched to Hiashi Hyuga, who acted in the darkness according to a preset script.
Relying on Tenseigan to control a puppet, combined with the illusion abilities of Kyouka Suigetsu under Genjutsu, Hiashi Hyuga could not pass messages through hints, and even his words and actions were fully controlled by Shadow and Hizashi Hyuga.
Moreover, now that Hiashi Hyuga's wife was already pregnant, there was no longer any need to let Hiashi Hyuga appear in public.
The other gift was a Sealing Technique for the "Caged Bird Seal."
Although the ugly scar on his forehead could be used as an excuse to hide it with bandages, Hizashi Hyuga could not keep bandages on at home all the time. Shadow therefore directly used points to apply Sealing Technique to the Curse Seal.
Yes, it was only Sealing Technique, not Remove.
Hizashi Hyuga raised his hand and lightly touched the bandage on his forehead, as if he could feel the cold, lurking Curse Seal beneath it. The expression on his face darkened slightly, almost imperceptibly.
"Shadow-sama," he asked despite himself, "can Caged Bird Seal really not be completely removed by root means?"
Including Hizashi Hyuga, all members of the Branch Family once naively believed that as long as there was Death, they could escape Caged Bird Seal. But in reality, when Hizashi Hyuga was resurrected by Kabuto Yakushi using Impure World Reincarnation, that ugly Caged Bird Seal still existed, mocking the futility of their life and death.
"So..."
"Caged Bird Seal is interwoven with your ocular and brain nerves through root pathways," Shadow said calmly. "Even if Tsunade performed surgery, it would be impossible to perfectly separate it from the Byakugan."
"More than that, Caged Bird Seal has already sunk deep into your souls."
His voice remained steady as he continued, saying that for now he could only use Sealing Technique to seal off the outward manifestation of the Curse Seal. This was, of course, a lie, since he could forcibly erase Caged Bird Seal with points, but he had no intention of doing so.
"..."
Hizashi Hyuga did not know he was lying, and his gaze only grew gloomier after hearing this. He had not expected Caged Bird Seal to be even more vicious than he and the other Branch Family members had imagined, to the point that even Death could not free them from the cage or escape the fate of the Caged Bird.
When he thought of how he had once even wanted to die in Hiashi Hyuga's place to escape the fate of being a Caged Bird, his heart sank. He also thought of how many Branch Family members who died protecting the Main Family believed death would bring release.
"Heh."
A low, hoarse laugh filled with self-mockery and bitterness escaped his throat. It was for his own former naivety, for those dead Branch Family members, and for Neji Hyuga's future that felt full of helplessness and despair.
If even this mysterious Shadow could not Remove Caged Bird Seal, did that mean Neji Hyuga truly could not escape the fate of the Caged Bird, not even through death?
"However..."
Just as heavy gloom pressed down on Hizashi Hyuga's heart, Shadow suddenly changed his tone and said that he knew how to break Caged Bird Seal.
"Hizashi Hyuga!"
Before he could continue, Hiashi Hyuga spoke in a low voice and asked if he truly intended to believe such nonsense. He accused Shadow of being the mastermind who attacked the village and stirred chaos across the entire Ninja World.
He shouted that Shadow helping him must have some hidden scheme, and questioned why Hizashi Hyuga was still working for such a madman. Although his speech and actions were strictly limited, he could still learn many things from his wife.
This included Shadow and the Espada severely damaging Konoha, as well as the current turmoil spreading across the Ninja World under the name of Xu. Whether it was Hiashi Hyuga or Hizashi Hyuga, after hearing descriptions of the attacker, neither dared believe it was the same Shadow.
A mysterious existence of unknown depth and power, one that left Konoha and even the entire Ninja World in disarray, had actually intervened in the affairs of the Hyuga Clan. What could the Hyuga Clan possibly have that was worth his attention?
Hizashi Hyuga was also thinking about this, but he answered calmly that he did not care. At least, Shadow was gradually fulfilling what he had promised, unlike them.
"Hizashi Hyuga!" Hiashi Hyuga growled, saying that as clan head for so long he should understand his difficulties and that everything they had experienced was forced by circumstance.
He said that Hizashi Hyuga could choose to die or kill him if he wanted, but he could not drag the entire Hyuga Clan into ruin. His voice echoed harshly in the confined space.
"..."
Hizashi Hyuga did not respond, and his thoughts went to Hinata Hyuga and Neji Hyuga. He knew that Neji Hyuga did not resent Hinata Hyuga, but rather resented the Caged Bird and his fate as one, and hated how the Main Family abused the Curse Seal.
Even if this was not what Hinata Hyuga wanted, she was still a beneficiary. In Neji Hyuga's eyes, the only reason Hinata Hyuga had not used the Curse Seal was because she was still young and had not yet learned how to activate it.
Once she became clan head and obtained that method, she would suppress the Branch Family and maintain her authority just like her father Hiashi Hyuga. Because of this, Hinata Hyuga's attempts at goodwill meant nothing to Neji Hyuga.