Mastermind of the Akatsuki

After Hiashi Hyuga's questioning of Hinata ended, the turmoil surrounding the "young lady's" disappearance was finally over.

Once he saw Hinata escorted back to her room to rest, Neji, with his forehead wrapped in bandages, smiled at his father, Hizashi, and said, "Father, I'm so glad that Lady Hinata is safe. I was really worried something had happened to her."

Hizashi looked at Neji upon hearing this, his gaze lingering on the mark on his son's forehead for a long time.

Today, his only son had been branded with the Caged Bird Seal, and just like him, would be part of the Branch Family dedicated to protecting the Main Family, never able to rise above this fate.

Even though Neji was far more talented than the weak Hinata, all of this had come about due to Hizashi's own fate. If he had defeated his elder brother in their duel years ago, he would have become the head of the Main Family, and Neji would naturally have inherited that position as well.

But is the Caged Bird system still even necessary?

In the distant Warring States Period, the Caged Bird Seal served to protect the secrets of the Byakugan from leaking outside. However, as times changed, the Hyuga clan had come under Konoha's protection, and various ways had emerged to bypass the Caged Bird Seal and steal the Byakugan.

While the Caged Bird Seal can indeed control the lives and deaths of the Branch Family, if a Branch member were to let their guard down outside, it's only a matter of time before the Byakugan leaks out.

Still, the Caged Bird system has been handed down for over a thousand years, and changing it won't happen overnight.

At the very least, Hizashi and Neji's generation won't see any hope for reform unless they gain the support of the village's upper echelons or even the Hokage.

But Konoha's leadership has always had a delicate stance toward the Hyuga clan, unlikely to interfere with the Caged Bird system easily.

Hizashi also had no leverage to persuade the Hokage.

Thinking of this, Hizashi sighed softly and patted Neji's shoulder, saying, "Neji, you must protect Lady Hinata well, even at the cost of your life."

"To protect my family, I am willing to give my life…"

Neji nodded in confusion. At this moment, he didn't understand why his father looked so troubled or what the mark on his forehead truly symbolized.

He only nodded in a daze and then headed toward the dojo.

There was still time before bed, so he wanted to practice Gentle Fist a bit more, hoping to become the top student in his class and bring honor to the Hyuga clan.

As Hizashi and Neji were speaking, a White Zetsu was secretly eavesdropping underground.

Since they couldn't freely use the Byakugan within the clan's grounds, neither of them knew of White Zetsu's presence or where their information might end up.

---

In the Akatsuki hideout, Byakuya received intelligence on Konoha.

Byakuya had three sources of information in Konoha: Black Zetsu, White Zetsu Shiro, and Kabuto Yakushi. Their reports covered the matters that interested him most: Naruto, Danzo, the Uchiha, and the Hyuga.

(AN: Again, Shiro is the name of White Zetsu who first joined Akatsuki, for those who forgot. Author is calling both Tobi but to erase confusion, I named Byakuya's WZ Shiro.)

Naruto was the undeniable protagonist in the original timeline, with a series of significant identities—son of the Fourth Hokage, Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, and one favored by the Sage of Six Paths.

Danzo was an old senior, necessary for Konoha to prosper, even if through controversial means.

Meanwhile, both the Uchiha and Hyuga were like landmines, ticking time bombs that could explode at any moment.

Among the wealth of intelligence, there was the most information on Naruto, but for Byakuya, it wasn't of much use.

Although Naruto's background was unique, he was still very young and hadn't even tapped into the Nine-Tails chakra yet. For now, he was just an ordinary Jinchuriki, with little strategic value.

On the other hand, there seemed to be some movement from Danzo; recently, he'd even summoned Kabuto back from Iwagakure.

Perhaps Danzo was plotting against the Third Hokage, or perhaps he intended to deal with Nono Yakushi. Nono knew too much, so he might feel the need to send someone to eliminate her.

The Uchiha clan continues to act as domineering as always, with their police force often clashing with other departments. Shisui is frequently seen around the Hokage's office, seemingly now serving as a liaison between Konoha and the Uchiha.

Once Itachi participates in the Chunin Exams and joins the Root organization, the Uchiha's downfall will be imminent.

Meanwhile, the intelligence on the Hyuga clan, delivered by White Zetsu Shiro, piqued Byakuya's interest. He had been so focused on recruiting the Uchiha that he had nearly forgotten about Konoha's other "gold mine" in the Hyuga clan.

Although the Hyuga clan only inherited the Byakugan from the Otsutsuki, they have a unique advantage due to their numbers, which can yield unexpected benefits.

Strictly speaking, the Otsutsuki on the Moon are a branch of the Hyuga in the shinobi world, so recruiting the entire clan might even unlock the Tenseigan for him.

However, unlike the Caged Bird-marked Hyuga on Earth, the Otsutsuki on the Moon were a Branch Family that wiped out their own Main Family, concentrating all eyes in the Great Tenseigan.

In comparison, recruiting the Uchiha to gain the Mangekyou Sharingan seems more reliable.

Regaining focus, Byakuya noted down the Hyuga clan in his schedule. When it came to stirring internal chaos in the Five Great Shinobi Villages, he always had boundless energy.

After sketching a rough plan, Byakuya touched his ring and received a message from Orochimaru.

After several weeks of research, Orochimaru had finally found a way to unlock the Box of Ultimate Bliss, inviting Byakuya to observe. He had also made progress with Wood Release techniques.

The Box of Ultimate Bliss is an ancient artifact from the Sage of Six Paths' era, capable of granting the "wish" of the one who opens it. However, it requires specific jutsu and a chakra level comparable to that of a tailed beast, making it difficult to unlock.

For Byakuya, gathering tailed beast-level chakra was not an issue—he could easily use the Two-Tails' Jinchuriki or his own chakra.

But in the field of jutsu research, even with his talent as a "scientist of the shinobi world," Byakuya could only learn and modify existing techniques. Orochimaru remained the true elite in developing new jutsu.

Without further hesitation, Byakuya used Body Flicker and arrived at a laboratory near the base.

In the lab's hall, a massive sealing array surrounded the Box of Ultimate Bliss at its center, exuding an ancient, eerie aura.

Byakuya fixed his gaze on Orochimaru nearby and asked, "Orochimaru-senpai, have you really found a way to open the Box of Ultimate Bliss so quickly, or are you simply eager to examine its insides?"

Seeing through his intentions, Orochimaru didn't mind.

He had indeed summoned Byakuya here to have him on standby, in case there was something inside the Box of Ultimate Bliss he couldn't handle alone.

With a slight smile, Orochimaru replied, "I've completed the jutsu required to unlock the Box, but I'll need you to provide the chakra to truly open it."