Chapter 148: Can't Let Iizumi Get Involved! The Curse of the Cage of Birds

Neji had been distracted all morning. When lunch break finally arrived, he grabbed the bento he’d made himself that morning and headed out to find a quiet spot to eat.

But just as he stepped out of the classroom, he saw a young Hyūga of similar age pass by, dazed and listless.

Neji recognized him — a fourth-year student at the Ninja Academy, only two years older than himself, and a member of the Branch Family. His father had died in the Third Ninja War. His mother, according to rumors, had been killed three years ago by a foreign spy during a mission. Now, the boy lived with his grandfather, the Branch Family’s elder.

Wait… hold on.

A sudden thought flashed through Neji’s mind. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed the boy’s arm. The boy turned, confused, and Neji asked, voice tight:

"Was the Branch Family elder brutally killed last night… your relative?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Neji regretted it — too blunt, too direct.

He watched the boy’s already hollow expression twist into raw grief and fury. His Byakugan, already strained, began to blur with tears. A choked sob escaped him.

Neji froze. He’d never made anyone cry before — not even when he’d harshly spoken to Hyūga Hinata, who’d never shed a tear.

Now, suddenly, he was the one who’d broken someone. The boy’s pain struck Neji like a physical blow. The ideal of justice he’d always held so dear felt suddenly hollow.

Then, the boy spoke.

"Grandfather… he just wanted to free me from the Branch Curse. He believed… with my talent, if I weren’t bound by the Cage of Birds Seal, I’d one day become a top-tier Jonin of the Leaf Village. Was that really a crime? To kill him… he was my only blood relative…"

"I… I don’t know what to do, Neji. I hate the one who killed him — the Main Family elder. But the other elders say… that’s just how our clan’s rules are. He broke them. He had to pay the price."

"Earlier this morning, Main Family members came to me. They said my grandfather had dishonored our clan’s traditions. That he was punished for his mistake."

"They told me… not to follow in his footsteps."

"I… I don’t know what to do…"

Neji stared, silent.

He realized his careless question had shattered the boy’s fragile composure.

He watched the tears fall in heavy drops, watched the unhidden Cage of Birds Seal on the boy’s head — a mark of chains, of fate.

And in that moment, he remembered his own father, Hyūga Hiashi — the man who died as a substitute for the Main Family, consumed by duty, his fate sealed before he even knew it. The helpless rage. The bitter sorrow.

Cage of Birds…

Main Family…

The killer…

Neji took a deep breath. His face hardened.

"Think you can bring him back by just crying?" he snapped, voice sharp. "The Cage of Birds Seal caused his illness. It killed him. That’s no different than murder. The Main Family elder who activated it — he’s the murderer!"

"If you have any courage, you won’t stand here like a broken child! The fate of the Branch Family… it’s hard to break. We’re all trapped in this cage, unable to fly free."

"But—"

"There has to be a way. There always is!"

He said it twice, emphasizing each word. He locked eyes with the boy.

"If you’re truly angry. If you truly hate… then come with me."

Without waiting, Neji turned and strode off.

The boy stood frozen, stunned.

Neji was only two years older than him — yet, in this moment, he seemed older, wiser, more solid.

As Neji’s back grew distant, the boy hesitated. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Words failed him.

But when Neji was about to vanish around a corner, he wiped his face, lunged forward, and ran after him — driven by a flicker of hope, fueled by hatred.

Then, Neji stopped outside a first-year classroom.

Before the boy could catch his breath, Neji had already stepped inside.

He found a golden-haired kid and a Uchiha boy — Naruto and Sasuke.

"I want to see Uchiha Iizumi!" Neji declared. "I found a murderer!"

Naruto, who’d been bored all morning, perked up instantly.

"A murderer?"

Sasuke, also half-dazed, blinked and snapped back to attention.

—

Meanwhile, outside the Leaf Village.

"Looks like Uchiha Obito’s been scared off. If he’d been lying in wait, I’d have been ambushed by now."

Biwa Jūzō exhaled slowly, glancing at the wooden clone of Uchiha Iizumi beside him.

He hesitated, then asked, "The Land of Rain’s far away. How long can your clone last?"

"Even if the body and clone are at opposite ends of the Ninja World, the Wood Release clone remains active. It only breaks if the original intentionally cancels it — or if the clone suffers severe damage."

The clone’s voice was as cold and precise as Iizumi herself.

"...A monster." Biwa Jūzō muttered, stunned. Was this the power of Uchiha Iizumi? Or the sheer absurdity of the Wood Release Bloodline?

Three Bloodline Limits — Wood Release, Sharingan, and Melt Release — all in one. It was impossible.

He shook his head, forcing his expression back into cold detachment.

"Here’s a question — if I report Obito’s movements to that woman… and she turns around and teams up with him to kill me, what then?"

"She won’t," the clone replied calmly. "She’s more suspicious, more cautious than anyone in Akatsuki. She fears Obito more than anyone."

Biwa Jūzō frowned. "You’ve never even met her. How do you know?"

"In the Ninja World, no one with a name is truly hidden from the original."

The clone’s words were flat, absolute.

Including me? — Biwa Jūzō thought.

But before he could ask, the clone added:

"Even you."

Biwa Jūzō fell silent.

—

Hokage Tower.

Hiruzen Sarutobi opened a drawer, reached into a tin tobacco box — and found nothing. The tobacco had run out yesterday. He’d forgotten, distracted by last night’s events.

"I’ll need you to get me some…" he began, then paused.

He exhaled.

"Still can’t get used to it."

Hiruzen sighed. Uchiha Itachi had been one of his most promising genin — like Shisui had been before him.

But now…

A sudden thump — an Anbu Ninja dropped through the window, kneeling instantly.

"Hokage-sama. The Hyūga Clan… someone’s dead."

Hiruzen’s brows knitted.

"Another death? The village’s dying a little more each day."

"Is it related to Iizumi?" he asked, almost reflexively.

The Anbu shook his head. "It’s a conflict between the Main and Branch Families. After Hyūga Hiashi’s death, tensions had been low. But now, a Branch Family elder was killed by a Main Family member."

Hiruzen rubbed his temples. His craving for tobacco flared, aggravating his irritation.

"Send Hayashi to speak with the Hyūgas. The Main Family must give a resolution. Calm the Branch. I won’t allow civil war within the Leaf."

He waved a hand.

"War within our ranks only drains our strength. The village can’t afford that."

The Anbu bowed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Wait!" Hiruzen called out just as the ninja turned to leave.

"Tell Hayashi — go now. And make sure the Main Family moves fast. Also, urge the Branch Family to let go of their hatred. Before Iizumi gets involved — settle this. Now."

"Otherwise… once she steps in, this won’t be so easily buried. And I won’t be able to stop her."

Hiruzen was certain Iizumi would interfere — it was only a matter of how much she already knew.

And she knew everything.

By now, warning the Hyūgas was the most he could do.

"Yes!" the Anbu replied.

—

Elsewhere, in the Land of Fire.

"Obito… is it still not recovering?" The Whirlpool-Faced White Zetsu lounged, legs crossed, watching Obito eat silently. "It’s been a full day."

"No." Obito set down his skewer, expression grim. "It screamed all night. I can hear it from inside the Spiral Space."

His voice trembled slightly. He shuddered at the thought — if he had been the one to suffer that eye technique…

He shook his head, pushing the thought away.

"Your thoughts are pointless," he muttered. "What do you think of Itachi? Is he serious about cooperating… or is this a trap?"

The White Zetsu stroked his chin.

"The boy sounded sincere. But we’ll know soon enough — once he kills or captures Iizumi’s subordinate, we’ll see if he’s capable."

"Root’s intel says he and Iizumi were close once — almost like friends."

"Betraying a friend… now that’s a true monster."

Obito smirked. "Whether he’s evil or not doesn’t matter. Only whether he’s useful."

"Speaking of which — it’s been a full day and half a morning. Shouldn’t he have succeeded by now?"

The White Zetsu nodded. "We placed several clones around the village’s edge. If he brings back Iizumi’s body — or alive — they’ll intercept him. The report will come straight to me."

Just as he finished speaking — a sudden surge of information flooded his mind.

He froze.

His playful gestures stopped.

Obito noticed instantly.

"What is it?"

The White Zetsu stared, dead serious.

"Obito… one of our clones just sent back news. Uchiha Itachi didn’t succeed. During his hunt for Iizumi… he ran into her — the one with the Melt Release. The one who’s like a monster."

"He was killed."

"Utterly destroyed."

"Nothing left."

Obito’s eyes widened.

"...What?"

His mind reeled. He tried to process it.

"Dead?!"

He exhaled sharply — a mix of disbelief, fury, and bitter laughter.

"This kind of power… and he still dared to stand before me, claiming he could kill her? Claiming he could destroy the Uchiha Clan?"

"Uchiha Itachi… where did he get such arrogance?"

He wanted to slap himself.

He’d been fooled — by a child.

And he’d even given him a chance.

He was lucky no one else knew.

The White Zetsu sighed.

"Too bad I wasn’t there. I’d have loved to see his face when he realized he was about to die. Which came first — the pee or the poop?"

Obito didn’t answer. He stared at his half-eaten meal.

He had no appetite.

—

Today, the Hyūga Compound welcomed a high-ranking advisor of the Leaf — Hyūga Menji.

The Main Family elders greeted him personally, leading him into a reception room.

This was how the Hyūga Clan survived: always respectful to the village’s leaders, always humble. Only by keeping their heads down could they avoid the fate of the Uchiha.

Menji didn’t waste time.

"Last night, a Branch Family elder was killed by a Main Family member," he said bluntly. "Anbu noticed many Branch members are furious. This is bad for the village."

He sensed a flicker of tension in one of the elders.

"Renpu… was it you?"

The elder, Hyūga Jinpu, stiffened. "I didn’t mean to. I never wanted to harm him."

"The Cage of Birds Seal… it triggered a hidden illness. He died of sickness, not violence."

Menji shook his head. "Even if he died of illness, the Branch won’t forgive. To them, you are the cause. Whether direct or indirect, it’s still your doing."

"The Hokage doesn’t want chaos. You know how to handle this. Right?"

Hyūga Hiashi spoke coldly.

"Tell the Hokage — the Hyūga Clan will not trouble the village."

"Good." Menji stood. "I’ll visit the Branch next. Make sure you resolve this before Iizumi notices."

After Menji left, silence settled.

"Let’s not forget," Jinpu snapped. "He broke the clan’s rules. That’s why he was punished. If the Hokage wants me to turn myself in, fine — but this is our affair. The Hokage has no right."

They may bow to the village’s leaders — but in their hearts, they resented it.

"Enough," another elder said. "Don’t overreact. The Branch can’t rise up. They’re powerless. Their eyes can’t kill anyone."

"But if they try anything… the Cage of Birds will teach them their place."

"Once they’re marked, their lives are no longer theirs."

Jinpu’s expression eased slightly.

Then a third elder spoke:

"The real danger isn’t the Hokage. It’s her — Iizumi. If she gets involved, it’ll be bad. Like last time."

Last time — Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, under the banner of "Absolute Justice," had brutally killed a young Hyūga at the Compound.

They’d swallowed their anger.

Now… if Iizumi came?

Jinpu paled.

"Renpu-senpai," Hiashi said, hands folded. "You should go into hiding. Stay away from the village for now. I’ll send word when she’s gone."

Jinpu scowled. "We can dodge the Hokage’s warnings. But a threat from one Uchiha? We’re not afraid of the Uchiha Clan — and she doesn’t even represent them!"

He stood. "I’ll see my family… one last time."

He wasn’t brave. He was just afraid.

Hiashi exhaled slowly.

"Keep the Branch calm. Don’t let them drag Iizumi in. Where are the Branch children?"

"One’s in the Academy. The other is at the Compound. There were three originally — but one was killed."

"Both are just kids. No connection to Iizumi."

Hiashi frowned. The second one — it had to be Neji.

Then another elder spoke:

"Perhaps you should consider marking Hinata or Hanabi. One of them must become a Branch member."

"Same as when Hiashi and you were brothers. No exceptions."

"I understand your pain," the elder said. "But the rules are the rules."

"Make it clean. Make it honorable. Let one of them leave without regret."

Hiashi said nothing for a long time.

"...I’ll think carefully. Hinata is old enough. But Hanabi is still young. I need time to assess her talent."

—

Outside the village.

"Phew… phew…"

Naruto panted, spotting Iizumi in the distance. He wiped sweat from his brow and turned to Neji and the other Hyūga boy.

"Just tell her the truth."

As Naruto stepped forward, Sasuke stopped.

Naruto paused.

"What’s wrong?"

He didn’t know — Uchiha Itachi had been killed by Iizumi. Sasuke’s brother. But that truth was buried deep, known only to a few.

"...Nothing," Sasuke said, forcing calm. He repeated in his mind: Itachi deserved it. Itachi deserved it.

Then, louder:

"Let’s go find Iizumi."

"You’re acting weird," Naruto muttered, but didn’t press further.

He rushed toward Iizumi, shouting:

"Iizumi-sensei! Tachibana Jiro-senpai!"

He didn’t forget to include Tachibana Jiro — the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki’s “senior” title made the man smile.

Sasuke offered a quiet greeting.

"Ah, you two brats," Tachibana Jiro said. "Shouldn’t you be in class? Lunch break ended a minute ago."

Naruto blurted: "We found a murder case — that’s why we came!"

"A murder?" Iizumi looked down at Naruto and Sasuke, then at Neji — and the trembling Branch boy behind them.

Under her gaze, Neji felt it again — that familiar dread. Like a predator staring down prey.

He felt naked. Helpless.

It’s just fear. If I stand straight, I have nothing to fear. If I can’t look her in the eye… how can I believe in her Justice?

He lifted his head.

And told her everything — exactly as it happened.

He could have twisted it — painted the Main Family as monsters, stirred up outrage. Maybe Iizumi would help him punish them.

But… was that justice?

The doubt stayed him.

He told the truth — no exaggeration, no manipulation.

Naruto stared, stunned.

"What? Main and Branch families? Why punish someone just for trying to remove a curse?"

"‘Cage of Birds Seal’? Sounds like a nightmare. Does your clan law matter more than Fire Country law?"

Sasuke was speechless.

So… the Hyūgas were this twisted?

—

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end