Hiruzen persuaded me to die

Hyūga Clan Compound.

A long line of branch house members stretched across the courtyard, each one waiting quietly.

They advanced slowly, yet no one appeared impatient.

Because today—finally—everything was about to change.

Hyūga Naraku had announced something that made their hearts tremble with disbelief and hope:

"From this day forward, I will personally remove the Caged Bird Seal from all branch house members."

Ever since they'd seen that the seal failed to affect Naraku himself, the hope that once seemed impossible had quietly taken root in their hearts.

Now, it was finally coming true.

After decades—generations—of living under the cursed seal, the wait at this moment... felt like nothing at all.

"Is it really happening?""Are we truly about to be freed?"

Voices trembled with disbelief.

The dream they'd clung to for years, prayed for in silence, now hovered within reach. And yet... it still felt surreal.

"I believe in Naraku.""He's like a god to the Hyūga. If he said he'd free us—he will."

Suddenly, a stir swept through the line.

"Look! Someone's coming out!"

All eyes turned to the entrance of Naraku's home.

The first branch member to undergo the procedure had emerged.

He looked pale and drenched in sweat—his face drawn, as though he'd endured immense spiritual torment.

But...

"L-Look at his forehead!"

Gasps erupted.

The dark green Caged Bird Seal that had marred his skin for a lifetime—was gone.

"It really worked!""Naraku did it! He really removed it!"

"We're free! We can finally wear our forehead protectors without shame!"

A wave of emotion surged through the crowd—tears, cheers, open weeping. That faint, surreal hope was now reality.

Inside Naraku's residence.

"There will be a wave of mental pain during the removal. You'll need to endure it," Naraku said calmly to the young man before him.

Hyūga Homura nodded resolutely.

"I'm prepared."

He had just witnessed someone go through the ordeal.

"Being freed from the Caged Bird Seal before turning eighteen... that's the best coming-of-age gift I could ever ask for."

He and Naraku had attended the Ninja Academy in the same year.

Now, in Konoha Year 52, he had just turned 18.

In truth, he'd never expected to be freed in his lifetime.

And yet... here he was.

Naraku raised a hand and gently placed it near Homura's forehead. His Tenseigan glowed faintly as chakra formed into a microscopic Truth-Seeking Orb, delicately entering the brain's nerve centers.

Within the neural matrix, he found it: the Caged Bird Seal—intertwined with chakra pathways, rooted in place like a parasite.

Years of fusion between nerves and chakra.

Separation was never meant to be painless.

"GAAH—!"

Almost instantly, Homura convulsed, sweat pouring down his temples as he clenched his fists in agony. The spiritual pain was... indescribable.

Time lost meaning.

He focused only on not screaming.

"It's done," Naraku said at last.

Homura blinked.

"...It's over?"

He staggered to his feet, dazed. Naraku pointed to a nearby mirror.

"Go look."

Naraku had prepared the mirror on purpose. He knew exactly what they would want to see first.

Homura stumbled over and stared at his reflection.

Nothing.

No symbol. No brand. Just smooth skin on his forehead.

He touched it with trembling fingers—and broke into tears.

"Next," Naraku called softly.

One after another, the long line shortened.

For Naraku, the process was now routine.

But for each branch member, the moment was life-changing.

Even though the pain warped time in their minds—felt like hours instead of seconds—no one complained.

They emerged pale and shaking... yet smiling with unspeakable joy.

At the very end of the line stood Hyūga Hizashi, waiting silently.

Naraku, now seasoned in the removal process, swiftly activated his Tenseigan again. Within moments, the Caged Bird Seal was erased.

Sweat dripped from Hizashi's forehead as he caught his breath.

Beside him, Neji had been watching the entire time.

"Father... why are they all so happy?"

"Even though they're in pain... they look like they've been reborn."

Hizashi smiled, exhaustion in his voice.

"Because this... is what it feels like for a caged bird to finally fly free."

He looked down at his son.

There had been a time, long ago, when Hizashi had nearly accepted his fate.

When he believed he was born to serve.

When he felt the weight of the seal like an invisible shackle on his soul.

And when he realized that Neji, too, would one day bear the same mark—he had nearly lost himself.

He had even, for a fleeting moment, considered killing Hinata—blaming her for being born into the main family.

"...I'm sorry, brother."

Hizashi turned toward Hiashi, who had just arrived.

"For everything I once felt. For almost harming your daughter."

Hiashi shook his head gently.

"There's no need to revisit the past," he said.

"I understand. What you felt for Neji... is exactly what I felt when I saw you lose control around Hinata."

A long silence.

Then Hiashi smiled.

"Also... after all these years, you finally called me 'brother' again."

In the past, Hizashi had never used that word.

In public or private, he only addressed Hiashi as "Patriarch."

But now... they were just brothers again.

Hiashi stepped forward and raised his voice.

"Everyone is gathered, so I have something to announce."

The newly freed branch members turned their heads, listening closely.

"As of today... the Hyūga clan formally abolishes the branch house system!"

Stunned silence.

And then—

Elation. Applause. Tears. Cheers.

The old system that had bound them for centuries—gone.

Even though Hiashi had always treated the branch house fairly, the system itself was a threat. There was no guarantee that future clan heads would be the same.

Now, with the system abolished, true freedom had come.

Suddenly, a voice spoke up from the crowd.

"Can... can we also be freed?"

Two elderly figures stepped forward, eyes filled with shame.

They were once clan elders—the second and third—but had been branded with the Caged Bird Seal as punishment for colluding with foreign forces to depose Hiashi.

They had lost their clan status.

Now, they were the only two left with the seal.

The crowd went quiet.

Everyone turned to Naraku.

They didn't like these two, but... if Naraku was willing, they wouldn't object.

Naraku's lips curled into a cold smile.

"The others were branded because of a cruel system."

"But you were branded for treason."

"Do you believe your punishment has ended?"

His voice was calm... but final.

"Then the answer is no."

The crowd nodded in agreement.

"They're lucky they're even still alive.""Now they want Naraku to clean up their mess?""They never wanted to abolish the Caged Bird before. Hypocrites."

The two elders turned away in disgrace.

Their era was over.

Now, they were nothing more than the last two caged birds.

Evening fell.

In a quiet room lit by lanterns, Jiraiya and Nara Shikaku arrived together.

They faced Naraku solemnly.

"We'd like you to become the Fifth Hokage."

Naraku looked at them in silence.

There were only a few candidates with enough strength and prestige to lead the village: Naraku, Jiraiya, and Tsunade.

But Tsunade was still away, and Jiraiya had already declined.

"I need to look after Naruto," Jiraiya explained. "And frankly, I've never wanted to be Hokage."

Naraku... was the only one left.

And the entire village already saw him as their true leader.

Shikaku added,

"Konoha needs guidance. We can't stay leaderless forever."

After Hiruzen's betrayal and disappearance, Naraku had led the counterattack personally.

The temporary village affairs had fallen to Akamichi Chōza, but he was already aging—and frequent use of battlefield pills had reduced his stamina drastically.

Naraku was the clear successor.

Naraku gave a small nod.

"I've been expecting this."

Though he had his own plans and goals, he knew someone had to lead.

But... he wasn't planning to do it alone.

He turned to Shikaku with a smirk.

"Well then, I'll need to trouble you for quite some time."

A slow question mark appeared on Shikaku's face.

"...Me?"

And so, the new era of Konohagakure began.