Seriously? I’ve reached Jōnin level, and the system’s only shows up?

Hyūga Hiashi knelt with his forehead to the ground, showing the utmost humility and deference.

He understood all too well.

At this point, there was no undoing the fact that every member of the Main Family had been branded with the Caged Bird Seal.

The Branch Family, many of whom had long harbored deep resentment toward the Main Family, would inevitably stir up major unrest.

A power struggle was one thing.

What he truly feared was that some of the more extreme Branch Family members might now develop murderous intent toward the Main Family.

And with those four massive wooden giants causing such a commotion in the Hyūga compound today, it was no longer just about internal strife. Whether or not they became a laughingstock of the village was one thing...

But what truly worried him was the possibility that they'd become the new Hokage faction's next target for condemnation.

If Tsunade and Yamanaka Shinno completely lost faith and patience in the Hyūga clan...

Their fate could end up even worse than that of the Uchiha clan back then—a price far too great to bear!

Caught between internal tension and external pressure...

The only way out was to hand over the control method of the Caged Bird Seal outright—take a clear stance and fully align themselves with the current Hokage's faction.

As for the idea that their lives would be placed in someone else's hands...

Were they not already?

Besides, judging from the power Tsunade and Yamanaka Shinno had displayed today, their strength alone could serve as a deterrent against any reckless moves from the Branch Family.

A redistribution of power within the clan was inevitable, but at the very least, it might reduce chaos and loss.

"Bring me a cup of tea."

Yamanaka Shinno's thoughts churned as he silently observed Hiashi. He could pretty much guess what the clan head was thinking.

From the start, this guy had probably used the clan elders to test the attitude of Konoha's higher-ups. If things got tense, Hiashi could fall back on his status to mediate and smooth things over.

If there was a chance, he'd keep the Caged Bird Seal as a means of controlling his clansmen.

If there wasn't, he'd play along and try to secure as much benefit for the Main Family as possible.

After all, how many clan heads ever made it to the top with a pure heart?

Just like in the original story—when Neji said too much during the Chūnin Exams, Hiashi had turned around and handed over a so-called "final letter" from Neji's father, Hizashi.

Authentic or not, who could say?

Then during Orochimaru's Konoha Crush, when Hinata was kidnapped again by two shinobi from Kumogakure, it was Hiashi who ordered Neji to rescue her.

And when Neji was on the brink of death in the fight, Hiashi suddenly appeared to save him at the last moment.

It wasn't exactly the same method of testing loyalty, but the style... was unmistakably familiar.

Only this time, Hiashi had miscalculated.

He never expected such a forceful response from Shinno and Tsunade.

Kill first, talk later!

Their attitude screamed: You don't obey? Then you don't deserve to live!

Faced with this, surrendering the control method of the Caged Bird Seal was his only option!

"Yes, Lord Shinno."

Hiashi felt a bitter taste in his heart as he met Shinno's cold gaze.

He had no idea why the man suddenly wanted tea at a time like this, but he still hurriedly retrieved an intact tea set from the collapsed shrine and quickly began to prepare the tea.

As one of the great noble clans of the shinobi world, Main Family members of the Hyūga clan were almost all well-versed in the art of tea.

But right now, the elaborate rituals they usually took pride in only made time crawl by in unbearable agony.

Ten full minutes passed before a steaming cup of tea was placed in front of Yamanaka Shinno.

"Go."

Shinno lifted the cup, gently blew on the clear surface of the tea, and cast a sidelong glance at the shrine's broken doorway.

There, Hyūga Hifuku—one of the first to be branded and the first to recover from the pain of the bloodline seal—was glaring at Hiashi without blinking.

He was furious.

It was because of this utterly useless clan head that he had ended up in this miserable state!

"Yes."

Hiashi bowed once more, rose to his feet, and walked to the shrine entrance before kneeling down again.

There were no elaborate rituals this time. Hifuku, whose clothes had already dried, swiftly formed hand seals with both hands.

Just over ten seconds later, Hiashi's low, suppressed groans of pain echoed from the shrine.

Standing some distance away among the arriving Branch Family members, Hyūga Hizashi watched his brother tremble and convulse with a complex expression.

Pity flashed in his eyes—but it was quickly replaced by steely resolve.

He too had once endured this same agony when branded with the Caged Bird Seal.

But if today marked the end of the divide between Main and Branch Family...

Then maybe—just maybe—the next generation would be free of this cursed seal...

"Recite the control method for the Caged Bird Seal. Louder."

Yamanaka Shinno gave Hifuku a sideways glance. The man looked like he had just taken revenge for a lifelong grudge.

"...Yes! The complete sequence of hand seals is: Rat, Hare, Tiger, Dragon..."

Hifuku, already terrified by Shinno's brutal methods, didn't dare hesitate. Afraid he'd be turned into a smear of blood at any second, he loudly recited the treasured secret of the Main Family.

Whether the Branch Family would use this knowledge to retaliate against him...

Well, mutual harm was still better than having zero power to resist!

"Ah..."

Hiashi wanted to stop him, but the searing pain of the bloodline seal—and Shinno's cold, unrelenting stare—left him speechless.

Shinno took a sip of tea, letting his eyes sweep across the mixed expressions on the faces of the Branch Family members nearby.

He set down the cup, then turned and began walking toward the Hokage's office.

...

Swoosh—

The four massive wooden clones were absorbed back.

Shinno let out a faint sneer at the chaotic sounds behind him.

Grudges that had simmered for years were now coming to a boil—especially now that both sides had equal footing and equal weapons.

The Hyūga compound would not be peaceful tonight.

And as for how many lives would be lost in the fallout...

Debts had to be paid, one way or another.

It didn't matter—Hiashi clearly didn't die. In the future, he'd still go on to have Hinata and Hanabi with his wife.

As for everyone else?

Who even knew their names?

...

Land of Rain, Border Region.

Wearing a Tsuchikage's straw hat, Kitsuchi dashed forward at full speed.

Behind him, the Four-Tails' jinchūriki Rōshi, the Five-Tails' jinchūriki Han, and the Explosion Release shinobi Gari—who was carrying the retired Ōnoki—trailed closely behind.

"What's the point of rushing? Going early just to hand them snacks?"

Ōnoki grumbled from Gari's back, his head tilted upward to the thick clouds overhead, sighing repeatedly.

In just a few days...

Kitsuchi had shown a completely different side of himself. Gone was his normally mild temperament—in its place was a commanding presence and hard resolve.

With solid strength and immense popularity among the villagers, he had swiftly consolidated power among those loyal to him and officially taken over as the Fourth Tsuchikage.

By all rights, there was no longer any need for Ōnoki—the now-retired Third Tsuchikage—to be involved.

But...

The memory of that world-shattering Wood Release still haunted him.

Just yesterday, they'd received word during their journey: Konoha had deployed elite forces to put pressure on Sunagakure.

First Hokage. Second Hokage. Uchiha Madara...

Would Konoha really offer them equal treatment, as they'd promised?

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Suddenly, the sound of wind being torn filled the air.

The Third Raikage, A, cloaked in lightning, landed before them with his son and the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, Killer Bee.

Behind them, led by Dodai, the elite forces of Kumogakure formed a loose semicircle, surrounding the Iwa team from multiple directions.

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

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