Naruto Birdcage

Last night's autumn rain had left fallen leaves all over the yard.

An old tree swayed in the wind, its branches dancing, looking somewhat desolate and sorrowful.

The teacup on the low table emitted white steam, and the room was silent, with everyone seemingly waiting for something.

A servant hurried to the door and bowed to whisper near the young man sitting at the head of the table.

"Lord Hiashi, Makoto has arrived."

The people seated on either side of the room turned their gaze toward the door, where a figure had already appeared.

The boy's face was clear and delicate, with a cool and aloof demeanor.

He was originally from the Hyuga family, but his eyes were unusually black, and unlike most of the people present, his forehead was not covered by a headband or ribbon. It was left exposed in a casual manner.

Various gazes look over him, all showing signs of surprise.

This meeting, specially convened for this boy, had been full of heated arguments and disagreements.

But after seeing the boy, one by one, the room fell into silence.

A wish that all branch family members could only hope for but never attain.

"Lord Hiashi."

Hyuga Makoto walked to the center of the council hall, bowed to Hyuga Hiashi, who sat at the head, and then greeted each of the elders seated on the left and right sides.

As a prestigious family in Konoha, the Hyuga clan had many intricate and redundant rules, with rigid divisions between the main and branch families.

The hierarchy was strict, and nothing was done casually.

To the left of Hyuga Hiashi sat a gentle, graceful woman, her demeanor elegant and composed.

She glanced at Hyuga Makoto, who had entered without wearing a headband, and then noticed the eager, concealed looks from the elders, which made her furrow her brow slightly.

The cursed seal marking the branch family members was branded on their foreheads, rarely shown to others.

It was generally concealed by a headband or ribbon, and only the main family members would leave it exposed.

"How is your recovery?" Hyuga Hiashi asked calmly.

"The doctor said there are no major issues now."

Hyuga Hiashi nodded slightly before saying, "The battlefield is fraught with danger. The emergency eye transplant you underwent was no doubt a necessary measure, and I can understand."

He paused, his pearly white eyes fixed on the boy in front of him.

"We will not blame that girl. The most important thing for the family is that you survived."

Hyuga Makoto lowered his gaze, his tone calm. "Thank you, Lord Hiashi."

"Your current condition is not suitable for the front lines. Stay in the village for now. Once the clan finds a suitable match among the remaining Byakugan, we can replace your eyes."

As the first person to survive after the full activation of the branch family's cursed seal, he now faced the situation at hand.

Having unexpectedly arrived in this world of "Naruto", his soul had taken the place of the Hyuga branch family ninja who had died on the battlefield.

When the Konoha ninja found him among the corpses, his eyes had already gone blind.

The battlefield medical ninja had temporarily replaced his eyes with those of another person.

The reason for his blindness was that, at the moment of death, this body had activated the Caged Bird Cursed Seal, destroying his eyes.

After being brought back to Konoha as a wounded soldier, the incident shook the entire Hyuga clan.

Hyuga Hiashi had no choice but to rush back from the battlefield, as this situation was crucial to whether the Hyuga main family's position could remain as solid as ever.

He could not afford to delay even a moment.

The clan had thoroughly examined Hyuga Makoto's body several times, but the conclusion was always the same.

He had suffered fatal injuries, but had received timely treatment on the front lines.

The Caged Bird Cursed Seal had indeed activated and disappeared.

The destroyed eyes still remained, and the ones he had been given in place were just ordinary eyes…

There was nothing particularly wrong, or rather, the only oddity was that Hyuga Makoto was still alive, even though the Caged Bird Cursed Seal was supposed to destroy his brain's nerves.

Has the Caged Bird Cursed Seal failed, or is there something wrong?

Otherwise, how could the variable of Hyuga Makoto have appeared?

Looking at the changing expressions of the clan members in the room, each with their own thoughts, Hyuga Hiashi understood the situation in his heart.

The divisions and barriers had already become deeply entrenched, something that could not be changed by his efforts alone.

Of course, he did not need to change anything.

He was the beneficiary.

What Hyuga Hiashi needed to do was to maintain the situation and ensure it continued to benefit his own branch and descendants.

A pair of branch family Byakugan, if they fall into someone else's hands and are destroyed, so be it.

But an outsider who is not under the control of the main family—he would never allow such a person to exist!

The meeting was adjourned.

As everyone left, they occasionally glanced at Hyuga Makoto, their eyes lingering on his forehead for a long time.

Although they all knew it was impossible, each of them wanted to experience what it would feel like to be free from that shackle.

"Makoto."

Just as Hyuga Makoto was about to leave, a voice suddenly called out to him.

He turned toward the voice and saw the elegant woman who had been seated to the left of Hyuga Hiashi earlier, walking toward him.

Though referred to as a woman, she was no more than a girl around 20 years old.

However, her mature and refined makeup, along with her white kimono, gave her a graceful and dignified air, making her seem like a woman.

Hyuga Ayano, Hyuga Hiashi's fiancée, and, if all went according to plan, would also be Hinata's mother in the future.

"Lady Ayano."

Hyuga Ayano smiled gently and said, "No need to be so formal. You can call me Sister Ayano or just Sister. Ayari has always been worried about you."

Ayano's sister, Ayari, was someone Hyuga Makoto used to follow around as a child.

However, the sisters' fates turned out completely different. She was destined to be the future clan leader's wife—a fate decided long ago.

Hyuga Makoto's gaze inadvertently swept across her smooth forehead.

The entire Hyuga clan was filled with an overwhelming sense of fate.

Hyuga Makoto simply said, "I've made Sister Ayari worry."

Hyuga Ayano's gaze quietly studied Makoto's face.

After enduring life-and-death trials, a person's demeanor could change so drastically—it was as if they had become an entirely different person.

"Anyway, it's good that you're fine now. Didn't Ayari already visit you?"

"Yes."

"The clan is actually very concerned about you. Losing your Byakugan must feel unfamiliar, right?" Hyuga Ayano's tone was gentle, like that of a caring elder sister.

In her, Hyuga Makoto could see a glimpse of what Hinata might look like as an adult.

"It hasn't really affected my daily life," he replied.

"That's good. The clan still has a considerable reserve of Byakugan, and they'll arrange for a replacement for you soon. You don't need to worry." As Ayano spoke, she took out a white silk ribbon and handed it to Makoto.

"In the future, you should be more mindful when moving around the clan. Don't let the others develop any misunderstandings."

Hyuga Makoto's gaze wavered slightly as he looked at the silk ribbon she handed him.

Hyuga Ayano was also watching his reaction carefully.

"Apologies, Lady Ayano. It was thoughtless of me. I'll be more careful in the future!" Makoto said, bowing his head as he accepted the ribbon with both hands.

Ayano's elegant expression softened slightly, and she said gently, "It's not your fault. After all, no one wanted such a thing to happen. Even Lord Hokage has heard about your situation and asked Hiashi about you. He's very concerned about you."

Her gaze was warm and caring as she spoke, her tone filled with sincerity.

After finishing her words, she gently patted Makoto's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

Being this close, he could faintly catch a soft fragrance emanating from her.

"Just stay in the village and rest for now."

Hyuga Ayano left, and gradually, the people in front of the council hall also dispersed.

The courtyard grew quiet and empty, leaving him standing there alone.

Whoosh—

The wind suddenly picked up, carrying a chill that swept across his face.

Do they want him to become a caged bird again…?

These ordinary eyes may not see any less far.

End of chapter

Exclusive access : Get 10+ advanced chapters ahead of everyone else

Join now : patreon*com/DeCakraWnloverz