The Hyuga Clan's Desperate Struggle
A chill ran from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Hiashi Hyuga shuddered, his voice trembling as he muttered, "Could it be that those two have already...?"
Hiashi dared not finish the thought. The idea of being targeted by two powerful and calculating figures filled him with dread—an ominous possibility that the current Hyuga clan was in no position to contend with.
As she observed him, Koharu Utatane kept her thoughts to herself: This is all your imagination. This old woman hasn't said anything.
Hiashi took a deep breath, grasping at hope as he looked at her. "Elder Koharu, your visit... it must be about more than just what you've said. There's something more important, isn't there?"
Koharu nodded. "Indeed. I come at the behest of someone."
As she spoke, she extended her hand, fingers spread wide, then turned her palm over slowly and repeatedly. "Ten pairs of Byakugan—awakened and of high purity. This old woman guarantees that Root will not interfere in this matter. With this, the Hyuga may still have hope."
Though Koharu gave her word, how Hiashi interpreted it was his own burden.
Hearing her terms, Hiashi's face hardened. The look in his eyes shifted as he gazed at Koharu. A moment ago, he had regarded her as an ally arriving to support the Hyuga in a time of crisis. Now, she appeared more like a predator exploiting their vulnerability.
Disgust surged through him as he looked at her aging face. If he could, he would have struck her down on the spot.
But he couldn't—not for the sake of the clan.
Yet ten pairs of high-purity Byakugan? That was impossible. Even if he could gather them, he would never hand them over to Danzo and this woman.
"Ten pairs of high-purity Byakugan, is it? As long as you can guarantee Root won't interfere... the Hyuga clan will agree."
The voice came from behind.
Hiashi turned sharply, shocked someone had overheard them. But as he saw who it was, relief washed over him.
The Second Elder of the Hyuga main family entered the room.
"Elder Koharu," the Second Elder said, "your willingness to help the Hyuga clan at this crucial moment is appreciated. If ten pairs of high-purity Byakugan can ensure Danzo stays out of our affairs, we will comply.
However, such a number is no small feat. It will take time to gather them. I ask for your patience."
With that, he placed a hand on Hiashi's shoulder and gently guided him away.
Koharu watched them leave and sighed inwardly. The Hyuga's hidden reserves of Byakugan were deeper than anticipated.
She had only asked for ten. Her real bottom line was five.
---
Farther down the corridor, the Second Elder's expression darkened.
"Hiashi," he said, "I know that the Byakugan should never be leaked—but we are facing a turning point in the clan's survival. To endure, some sacrifices must be made.
The higher-ups in Konoha are... gluttonous. But exchanging ten pairs of Byakugan for Root's non-interference is not a bad deal, given our current position.
You're the clan head. Some decisions you cannot be seen making. So let me be the sinner. After all these years, it's time for this old man to step down. The third branch family head has three or four pairs we can use. With a few from us, we'll reach the number."
He paused, then added coldly, "We could even send one pair to that kid—Kawaki Aoba."
Hiashi's eyes widened.
"If it means the clan survives," the elder continued, "then bowing to that boy and swallowing our pride is worth it."
"Second Elder..." Hiashi's voice cracked. He was overwhelmed with gratitude. Despite their usual rigidity, the elders had once again proven their loyalty when it truly mattered.
"Enough," the elder snapped. "You are the head of the Hyuga. Don't ever show weakness before outsiders again."
Then his gaze turned grim. "And this isn't over. The Hyuga's crisis runs deeper. The true threat is the potential leak of the Caged Bird Seal technique.
You saw the Akatsuki leader's power—someone we cannot match. I overheard you earlier. That boy tried to buy the Caged Bird control method from Akatsuki for a billion ryo.
It's only a matter of time. If he doesn't succeed, someone else will. Soon, the black market will be flooded with bids."
Hiashi remained silent, his expression grave.
"Didn't Hiashi Youda claim he joined Akatsuki? Whether true or not, he may have a way to contact them. We'll bid like the others—but not to win. We'll bid to inflate the price, to delay the sale.
We need time, Hiashi. That's all we need."
"Time?" Hiashi frowned. "Forgive me, Second Elder, but I don't understand how time alone helps us."
A ruthless glint appeared in the elder's eyes.
"Hiashi, do you remember? The Byakugan isn't exclusive to the Hyuga clan."
Hiashi blinked. "What? But… the Byakugan is our kekkei genkai. Unless... are you referring to the Ōtsutsuki?"
At last, he remembered.
The Hyuga were distant relatives of the Ōtsutsuki—descendants of Hamura Ōtsutsuki, who had gone to the moon with the Byakugan bloodline.
"Yes," the elder said. "The Ōtsutsuki clan."
This was not the alien branch of the Ōtsutsuki like Kaguya's kin, but the descendants of Hamura Ōtsutsuki who settled on the moon—a lineage with the same roots as the Hyuga.
"According to our family history, the Caged Bird Seal was completed centuries ago with help from the Ōtsutsuki. If they have records on how to undo it, that may be our salvation.
If they don't… then we must prepare for the worst."
Hiashi tensed. "The worst?"
For some reason, as Hiashi Hyuga looked at the Second Elder of the Hyuga Clan, an unfamiliar chill crept into his heart—a vague sense of fear he couldn't explain.
"That's right. This is the worst-case scenario," the Second Elder said grimly. "Hiashi, you must be ready to lead the unmarked members of the main house—and the children from the branch families who haven't yet received the Caged Bird Seal—into exile. Take refuge with the Otsutsuki remnants if you must. Wait until the children come of age before returning to the shinobi world."
His tone grew darker with each word. "As for the branch family members already branded with the Caged Bird Seal… they can only curse their fate."
The hierarchy between main and branch families was sacrosanct, but preventing the Byakugan from falling into enemy hands was more critical.
"We must never allow the foundation of the Hyuga clan to crumble—not in our generation. Even if it means sacrificing everyone. You're the clan head, so let me take the burden of this sin."
Hiashi's body trembled. At that moment, he finally realized the depths of the elder's madness.
But as clan leader, he had no grounds to rebuke him. The weight of tradition and responsibility pressed down on him like a millstone.
He felt paralyzed, his mind spinning, unable to think clearly.
Seeing Hiashi's dazed state, the Second Elder simply smiled and remained silent. He would carry out the preparations himself. Let the young leader calm down—perhaps for the last time.
Soon after, the Second Elder summoned Hyuga Yota and took personal charge of lobbying the other elders.
When he laid out his plan—to "gift" the Byakugan to the village's higher powers—he met no resistance.
Offering up eleven pairs of Byakugan eyes, once belonging to fallen main family members, seemed like a small price to buy the clan's future.
Elsewhere, observing from afar through advanced sensory techniques akin to Kagura Shingan or even Observation Haki, a mysterious figure named Kawaki Aoba had been monitoring the Hyuga clan.
Watching the events unfold, he couldn't help but sneer.
"The Hyuga clan's Second Elder… what a ruthless old fox. If your enemy were anyone but me, this reckless gambit might've worked."
Kawaki Aoba had no intention of letting the Hyuga Second Elder succeed. He did want to shake the clan to its core—but not exterminate the branch family.
He wasn't a butcher. That kind of destruction would be meaningless and would only weaken Konoha in the long run.
"If it comes to it," he muttered to himself, "I'll just force the old man to retire—permanently."
That night, Orochimaru, cloaked and silent, infiltrated the Hyuga estate, exploiting the chaos. But only Kawaki Aoba noticed him.
He decided to ignore the Sannin's presence—so long as Snake-sensei wasn't interfering with his own objectives. He had enough on his plate already.
Meanwhile, the Second Elder of the Hyuga clan paid a secret visit to Koharu Utatane, one of Konoha's former elders.
"Elder Koharu," he said, presenting a sealed scroll and a box, "here are ten pairs of pure Byakugan eyes from our main family's fallen members. Please deliver them to Elder Danzo."
His tone was kind, his face sincere—as if he were giving away coin rather than invaluable dōjutsu.
He then withdrew a separate case from his robes. "And this final pair is a gift for Elder Aoba. Consider it a goodwill gesture from the Hyuga clan. Should we survive this crisis, we will formally express our apologies."
In addition, the elder offered Koharu a personal gift. Though it paled in comparison to the Byakugan, it was still a valuable token.
The generosity shocked Koharu. "The Second Elder truly spares no expense," she murmured.
Had she not already aligned herself with Kawaki Aoba, such offerings might have swayed her loyalties.
Before departing, Koharu turned back. "If the Hyuga clan wants to act, it must be tonight. By morning, Aoba's operatives will return, and your options will vanish."
With those final words, she disappeared into the night.
Watching her leave, a dangerous glint flashed in the Second Elder's eyes.
He immediately summoned the remaining elders and ordered the mobilization of every available shinobi.
All available Hyuga warriors—at least Chūnin-ranked—were gathered.
Although some were stationed in vital posts and couldn't be moved, hundreds responded: Chūnin, elite Chūnin, and dozens of Tokubetsu Jōnin and Jōnin-level fighters.
It was a formidable force, especially considering the short notice.
"This is the true strength of the Hyuga clan," murmured one elder as he looked down at the assembled forces. "If we fail tonight, this strength will vanish like a dream."
The Second Elder stepped forward.
"We don't have time for long speeches. You all know the situation: the Hyuga clan is on the brink of collapse.
Your mission—if it succeeds—will make you heroes. If it fails, you may die by enemy hands... or the Caged Bird Seal.
I know many of you resent the main family—especially after the Caged Bird Seal's secrets were leaked. That betrayal came from the Third Elder's lineage. They've been cast out."
A tense silence fell over the assembled branch family members.
"There is now an opening in the main house," the Second Elder continued. "Those who distinguish themselves on this mission will be eligible to join the main family."
The crowd remained silent—but their eyes burned with renewed focus. Some were loyal, others angry, but all now had a stake in what came next.
Visit patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters