Chapter 151: Why Doesn't the Main Family Inscribe the Cage of Birds? The Evil Disguised as Tradition!

The severed head, now lying on the ground, still wore the frozen mask of terror and pleading in its final moments.

When Hyūga Hiashi glanced at it, almost imperceptibly, he could swear he saw a flicker of confusion in the dead man’s eyes—still uncomprehending.

Hyūga Kengijirō, on the verge of death, had clearly struggled to understand why the Head of the Hyūga Clan—Hyūga Hiashi—had not defended him.

Why had he not stood firm? Why had he not protected a member of the Main Family?

Why had he allowed an Uchiha ninja to slaughter freely within the Hyūga Compound?

A crushing guilt settled over Hyūga Hiashi.

He had no words. No explanation.

All he could offer was a silent, inward sigh—words too heavy to speak.

Then, under the watchful eyes of many clan members, Hyūga Hiashi lifted his gaze and met Uchiha Iizumi’s stare.

But only for a heartbeat.

Before the connection could deepen, Hiashi’s mind flashed with a memory—Uchiha Iizumi’s Mangekyō Sharingan.

A gaze so unnaturally powerful that even the former leader of Root, Shimura Danzō, had fallen helplessly before it—no resistance, no chance.

And now… this man also possessed the Wood Release Bloodline Limit.

Wood Release. Sharingan. Molten Release.

What kind of impossible combination was that?

A strange thought crept into Hiashi’s mind:

What if, one day, Iizumi just closed his eyes and opened them again… only to find he now had Byakugan?

He wouldn’t be surprised.

Shaken, Hiashi subtly turned his gaze away.

He refused to meet Iizumi’s eyes any longer.

“Iizumi,” Hyūga Hiashi said, his voice low, humble. “The Hyūga Main Family has no objection to your Absolute Justice today.”

He bowed his head—retreated, surrendered. “Hyūga Jinpu’s actions years ago were indeed a violation of Justice. And Hyūga Kengijirō’s collaboration with Kado in smuggling forbidden drugs broke the laws of the Land of Fire.”

“They were guilty. They deserved punishment. And as clan head, I failed to see their wrongdoing. That is my fault. I will reflect upon it.”

As Hiashi spoke, Hyūga Neji stood frozen, stunned.

This… is the High Clan?

The one who could force his own father to suffer agony with a single hand seal?

The one who stood above all, untouchable?

Now, before Uchiha Iizumi’s Absolute Justice, the Hyūga Main Family was nothing.

Outside the clan, they had bowed again and again.

Inside the clan, they had bowed again and again.

The illusion of their superiority—so carefully maintained—was beginning to crack.

But then, Uchiha Iizumi spoke.

“You say you’ve reflected? That’s almost funny. Almost made me laugh.”

Both Neji and Hiashi blinked.

Neji frowned, looking up at Iizumi’s back.

Hadn’t Hiashi just admitted fault? Hadn’t he stepped down, apologized, shown restraint?

Even a hint of fear in the face of justice?

Wasn’t that enough?

Iizumi’s eyes remained fixed on Hiashi’s face.

For no reason, Hiashi felt a chill—his pulse quickened.

“I only acknowledged that Hyūga Jinpu’s past actions were wrong,” Iizumi said, voice calm but cutting. “But you never admitted that his actions last night—torturing Hyūga Yoko for half an hour—were wrong.”

“Which means, in your heart, the ancient, rotten rules you’ve clung to all your life still believe that a Branch Family elder like Hyūga Yoko, who tried to break the Cage of Birds Seal… deserved to die.”

“You think Hyūga Jinpu was right to torment him. You think Yoko’s death was just bad luck—his old illness flaring up.”

“Your true thoughts are identical to those of Hyūga Kengijirō on his last breath. Because your minds are the same.”

“In your eyes, the Hyūga Main Family standing atop the Branch Family—there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Am I right, Hyūga Hiashi?”

Hiashi froze. Neji went rigid.

Then—snap.

It hit Neji like a lightning strike.

He never said Hyūga Jinpu’s torture was wrong!

He never admitted that Yoko’s death was unjust!

He only acknowledged past crimes. Not this one.

Hiashi had never once shown empathy for the Branch Family.

And Neji—he had been naive.

He had believed, against all reason, that Hiashi had finally seen the truth.

That he would finally admit the Branch Family was not the enemy.

That he would finally say: Yoko did nothing wrong.

When did I start expecting so little from the Main Family?

After everything my father endured… why do I still find myself rooting for them?

As Neji raged inwardly, Hyūga Hiashi took a deep breath.

“Iizumi,” he said, voice firm again. “You don’t understand the nature of our clan. Yes, Hyūga Jinpu’s prolonged torment of Hyūga Yoko was excessive. But it was still within the bounds of discipline—just a moment of rage gone too far.”

“Think of it this way: the punishment itself was legitimate. But the cruelty? That was the mistake. And I admit that.”

“I do not believe Hyūga Yoko deserved to die. I mourn his passing. But that doesn’t mean he was innocent.”

“The Cage of Birds Seal is the foundation that has preserved our bloodline for centuries—nearly a millennium. To attempt to break it is to undermine the very roots of our clan.”

“The Main Family cannot allow such a threat to its existence.”

Hiashi paused, regaining his composure. “Jinpu was wrong. But Yoko was wrong too. That is my unwavering belief.”

Standing behind Iizumi, Naruto groaned, rubbing his temples.

He nudged Sasuke. “Hey… you actually understand what he’s saying?”

Sasuke gave him a deadpan look. “He thinks the Hyūga clan’s laws are above all else. Not just above the law of the Land of Fire, or the village’s rules, or even Absolute Justice. They’re equal to them.”

Naruto blinked. “Wait… how do you even get that?”

Sasuke sighed. “Because he’s like those old-school, rigid minds in the Uchiha Clan. Only worse. They’d rather die than change. To them, clan tradition is the ultimate law. If it clashes with justice… they’ll still follow the clan’s way.”

He added quietly, “Even if it contradicts the village’s rules, they’d do it anyway.”

Sasuke knew such people well.

The Uchiha had them too—but their Sharingan made them a little more rebellious, a little less blind.

But the Hyūga…

Every single one of them, from Main to Branch, worshipped their customs like scripture.

Especially the Main Family.

“Mew! What’s this nonsense, huh?”

A sudden, sharp voice cut through the silence.

Hiashi turned—his eyes landing on the orange Ninja Cat crouched at Iizumi’s feet.

Tachibana Jiro raised a disdainful eyebrow, locking eyes with Hiashi.

“Are you going to say next that the Main Family are the true heirs of the Hyūga bloodline? That the Branch Family are merely their guardians?”

“That they must never, ever cross the line? That if they do, the pain of the Cage of Birds is deserved?”

Hiashi said nothing.

The cat had said it all.

But the tone…

It wasn’t just criticism. It was contempt.

Hiashi felt like he was being mocked.

And then—his fear was confirmed.

“Mew! Gross, Hyūga Hiashi!”

“What ‘inheritance’? What ‘guardianship’? Almost made me laugh. You Hyūga Main Family aren’t heirs. You’re just using the Cage of Birds to enslave your Branch Family. You use pain and death to control them, and then call yourselves ‘above’ them!”

“Byakugan with a seal—that’s your mark of superiority? Don’t pretend you’re the true bloodline. I think your Main Family’s been inbreeding so long, your brains are starting to rot.”

Tachibana Jiro, still not satisfied, leapt onto Neji’s shoulder—nearly knocking him off balance.

“And you, Branch Family!” the cat spat, poking Neji’s cheek. “Have you been brainwashed? He said a few words, and you were about to kneel and worship him? Even Inuzuka’s dogs are smarter! And they get better treatment!”

“Do you know what the Inuzuka do when a dog tries to break the contract? They ask why. They check if someone mistreated it!”

“But you? Try to break a seal you never wanted—and you’re tortured to death? You’re not even treated like dogs!”

“One sentence!” Tachibana Jiro declared. “The Hyūga ‘rules’? They’re a twisted, sick product of this ninja world. And the Cage of Birds? It’s the most grotesque of them all.”

“Mew… I’m getting so mad I can’t even talk!”

The cat panted, exhausted from the rant.

Silence.

Utter silence.

No one had expected a Ninja Cat to stand before the entire Hyūga Compound—Main and Branch—and scream out their deepest shame.

Even more shocking? It used vulgar words.

Hiashi had thought himself calm.

Calm enough to retreat.

But now, his face twitched—just slightly.

He realized: if he stayed silent, he’d be agreeing with the cat.

If these words spread…

The Hyūga name would be ruined.

The Branch Family would be fueled by rage.

He saw it in their eyes—many Branch members were already flushed, fists clenched.

This could spiral.

Into conflict.

Into war.

Even if the Main Family could control the Branch with the Cage of Birds…

Would they really kill them all?

“The Cage of Birds was not created to enslave,” Hiashi said, voice low but firm. “We never sought to rule over the Branch Family.”

“The Byakugan has always been coveted by enemies. Before the seal existed, many Hyūga were captured, their eyes stolen. To protect our people, a founding ancestor created the ‘Cage of Birds’—a seal that destroys the Byakugan if anyone tries to remove it.”

“Over time, the world learned: the Hyūga eyes cannot be taken. That’s how we’ve survived.”

“So no,” he added, “this seal isn’t oppression. It’s protection.”

“Is that so?” Uchiha Iizumi asked, voice flat.

“Then why doesn’t the Main Family inscribe it on themselves?”

Hiashi answered without hesitation: “Because the Branch Family serves as guardians for the Main. There’s no need for the Main to bear the seal.”

The words left his mouth—and the silence that followed was deafening.

A young voice, thin but clear, broke the stillness.

“Why?” Neji asked, staring up at Hiashi, jaw clenched. “Why must the Branch always serve as guardians? Why must they die for the Main? If the Main themselves had the seal… wouldn’t that make the Branch unnecessary? Wouldn’t they no longer need to be sacrifices?”

He was shaking.

He didn’t know where the courage came from—but he was done hiding.

“Hyūga has had this division for hundreds, even thousands of years,” said a voice from the side.

An elder from the Main Family stepped forward, his face stern.

“Neji… you’re Hiashi’s son. Don’t you understand the truth?”

“Even outsiders misunderstand us. But you? You’ve been raised among us. Even you?”

“Even the clan head will one day divide his daughters—into Main and Branch.”

“Anyone who bears Hyūga blood must obey the Ancestral Laws. No one can escape them. No one can break them.”

“Ancestral Laws are unchangeable. This is the Hyūga Way.”

The elder stopped. His gaze fell on the two blood-soaked heads at their feet.

He inhaled deeply. His wrinkles tightened—but he did not rage.

Instead, he looked at Uchiha Iizumi.

“Uchiha Iizumi. Your duty is to cleanse evil from the ninja world. The Hyūga clan’s traditions are not your concern, are they?”

“You killed two ‘Evil Offenders.’ Your duty is fulfilled. The rest—this is not your business. Not your justice. Not your place.”

But then…

The elder’s eyes widened.

Uchiha Iizumi had ignored him.

The young man turned—slowly—then asked Neji, coldly:

“Child… what is Justice?”

The question was abrupt.

Even Neji froze.

He hadn’t expected him to speak.

“Justice…”

Neji’s mind flashed to Naruto and Sasuke—those solemn words they’d once said.

The ideals. The principles.

Order. Fairness. Righteousness. Punish evil. Reward good.

“I… I think so,” Neji answered quickly.

He didn’t want to be interrupted again.

“Have you seen fairness in the Hyūga Clan?”

“Is the order you follow truly just?”

“Is the morality you follow… correct?”

The questions came one after another—cold, relentless.

Hiashi and the elder exchanged glances. Their expressions shifted—tightened.

Neji felt dozens of eyes on him.

His hand went to his forehead.

His father—forced to die as a replacement.

Hyūga Yoko—tortured to death for trying to break the seal.

Tachibana Jiro’s words—you’re not even treated like dogs.

No. It’s not fair.

It’s not just.

The morality of the Hyūga… it’s wrong.

The clan’s traditions—so deeply embedded—had warped his mind.

He hadn’t realized it until now.

It wasn’t fear.

It wasn’t hesitation.

It was the idea—the ancient, unshakable belief of the Hyūga—that had chained him.

If the Cage of Birds was a prison of the flesh…

Then the clan’s beliefs were a prison of the soul.

And that was why his father had died.

Why he suffered.

Why they all were trapped.

“The answer is already written on your face,” Iizumi said, finally turning away.

His gaze landed on the elder—calm, unyielding.

“Justice isn’t just about punishing the guilty.

When it sees a twisted idea, a diseased rule…

It must correct it.

Or else, more evil will grow.”

“So…”

“Are you going to stop Justice?”

…

“Things are getting… bad,” Kakashi muttered, sweat beading on his forehead.

He’d thought Iizumi would leave after killing the offenders.

But now—this atmosphere—thick with tension.

Iizumi wasn’t just hunting evil.

He was attacking the Hyūga’s sacred traditions.

He was challenging their ideology.

Is he going too far?

Even the Hokage hadn’t dared to change the Hyūga’s way of life.

No one had.

Could Iizumi really do it?

With his power?

With his Absolute Justice?

No wonder the Main Family are glaring at him.

They’re the beneficiaries.

Would they want to wear the seal themselves?

Everyone in the village knew the Hyūga’s flaws.

Just like they knew the Uchiha had once plotted rebellion.

That’s why the Main Family was unpopular.

That’s why the clan head’s daughter had been bullied.

Yet they still refused to change.

Who wouldn’t want to be above the Branch?

Who would want to share air with their “inferiors”?

And if the Main Family ever fell…

What would the Branch do?

Kakashi swallowed.

Should’ve called Ryosin. Should’ve brought the Hokage…

…

“See?” Tachibana Jiro said, leaning hard into Neji’s cheek.

“Even a foreigner like Iizumi sees your pain. More than your own Main Family.”

“In his justice… the Branch doesn’t need to kneel.

The Main Family has no right to make you kneel for centuries.”

“Don’t let ‘tradition’ fool you.

That’s not tradition.

That’s evil in disguise.”

“Hyūga kid!”

Every word echoed in Neji’s mind—like thunder.

…

…

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end