In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

"Someone, come here!" One of the main family's elders called out.

Typically, tasks like this were carried out by the branch family's members, though the main family always handled the application of the seal themselves. After all, it was their core technique, one they couldn't allow the branch family to touch.

But this time, no one responded despite the elder calling twice, and the elder couldn't help but grew furious.

"Are you guys deaf? You've all become so unruly! Come in quickly! I think you are going too far. Are you planning to rebel?"

There were sounds of movement outside, and finally, people began to enter.

But it wasn't just one or two, as a dozen or so branch family's members trickled in. At some point, more branch family's members had gathered outside, silently surrounding the courtyard.

The ill-tempered elder's eyelid twitched violently, his anger surging.

"You're all courting death, you wretched dogs!"

Normally, the attitude of the main family's members was not as bad as that of this old man, but the prejudice ran deep in their bones. Even if their siblings were part of the branch family, the unconscious belief in the superiority of their status overshadowed familial bonds.

Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi are exceptions. First, because Hizashi, Neji's father, had died for his older brother Hiashi, which had affected the usually rigid Hiashi.

Second, Hiashi didn't want his two daughters to bear the Caged Bird and had consciously tried to blur the lines between the main and branch families, emphasizing familial ties instead.

Therefore, Hinata and Hanabi still had a strong relationship. If they had been branded with the Caged Bird, even as the Clan Head's daughters, they might have escaped bullying, but in essence, they would still be part of the branch family.

The tragic, thick barrier referred to as the Caged Bird spoke for itself.

"We're not here to rebel. We're here to refuse..." A young member of the branch family stepped forward bravely.

He began to recite the names of every main family member present, his voice steady, and his face showing no trace of fear.

"Sachiko will not be branded with the Caged Bird again, unless you kill all of us."

"Rebellion! All of you are rebelling!" The hot-tempered elder sneered in anger, then formed a hand seal to activate the Caged Bird, but to his shock, the young man remained standing, unharmed.

A breeze swept through the courtyard, but nothing happened.

"What's going on? You!" The elder widened the scope of his technique, but still, it had no effect, "Damn it! Why isn't it working? Could it be you…!"

The members of the branch family standing in the courtyard did not move at all, and even their expressions did not change. They stared coldly at the elder, not uttering a single word.

Hiashi furrowed his brow. He seemed to have figured something out and spoke calmly, "There's no need to hide it now. You can all take off the bandages on your foreheads."

The dozen or so branches were a little unsure when they heard this, and they all looked at the young man who was leading them. Though the young man also felt apprehensive, but at this point, he knew they had no choice but to go all the way.

"Remove it." The young man said.

As he spoke, he was the first to untie the white bandage on his forehead, and the rest of the branch family members quickly followed suit. One by one, the branch family members in the courtyard and outside removed their bandages.

Their foreheads were smooth and clear, with no sign of the Caged Bird imprint.

The main family's members seated above were in an uproar, standing up in shock and disbelief. The Caged Bird had been lifted, and it had been done on a large scale.

"You! How dare you do this? Removing the seal without permission?" One of the elders roared angrily, "Who gave you the right to do this? Who allowed you to defy us like this?"

"Tywin, calm down. Things haven't reached that point yet." Another elder intervened, trying to deescalate the situation before turning to address the branch family members.

"Let's clarify things first. Perhaps there's been a misunderstanding. If a mistake has been made, there's still a chance to correct it."

"This is not a mistake!" The young man from the branch family knew it was pointless to argue with these old men, but he still couldn't help but continue, "The Caged Bird is the mistake. We're no longer a branch family."

"We are members of the Hyuga Clan, not a branch family."

The courtyard erupted into noise again. Sachiko, who had been kneeling, was pulled up by her companions and stood to the side. Hiashi's gaze swept over the crowd and finally landed on Neji.

Neji seemed to sense something. He looked up and exchanged a glance with Hiashi with a calm gaze.

"This is absurd! The system of the main family and branch family has been in place for centuries, it is set by our ancestors." One of the elders fumed, barely restraining himself from acting out.

However, without Hiashi's order, he dared not make a move, even though the group in front of him were mere branch family's members with no significant combat strength.

"Our ancestors?" The young man sneered coldly, "Since we are a branch family, then let us branch family manage ourselves. There's no need to trouble the lords from the main family."

"What did you just say?"

"I'm sure our ancestors would agree!" The young man was not afraid at all, like a newborn calf that is not afraid of a tiger.

The elders of the clan were so furious at the outrageous words that they laughed out of sheer anger. Their expressions grew colder, and it was clear that they were ready to use force to suppress the rebellion.

Regardless of whether there were ten or a hundred branch family's members, the branch family couldn't compare to the main family in terms of resources and power. The idea that they could split from the Hyuga Clan was utterly ridiculous.

The elders turned to Hiashi, waiting for him to make a decision. The branch family's members also looked to the Clan Head, feeling a mix of anxiety and uncertainty.

In the face of the main family, they were nothing more than a ragtag group. They had no advantage in terms of righteousness or strength. Perhaps the only thing they had going for them was their numbers.

The courtyard fell into a tense silence. Hiashi's expression did not change as he turned his head to look at Neji.

"Neji, what do you think?"

At the call of his name, all eyes shifted to Neji, who had been silent the entire time. The elders of the main family glared at him with anger and impatience, clearly displeased.

'What opinion could a branch family member have? Perhaps he, too, had removed his Caged Bird. He's really wasting all of Hiashi-sama's effort in nurturing him.'

'In the end, he's still just a dog that won't stay loyal.'

Neji raised his head upon hearing Hiashi's call. He first looked around the room, carefully taking note of the expressions on the main family's elders' faces. Finally, he glanced at the branch family's members standing in the center before quietly rising to his feet.

Without saying a word, Neji walked to the front of the hall, knelt down, and reached for the bandage on his forehead.

The people of the main family folded their hands and sneered, the people of the branch family watched nervously, while Hiashi's brow furrowed slightly. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Neji's forehead, as if waiting for a grand reveal.

The bandage unraveled, layer by layer. As the last strip came off, the blue Caged Bird imprint was revealed.