Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Old Uchiha compound.

The streets were completely empty. A single light shone in Uchiha Taiga's house. Taiga lay on the tatami mat in his living room, a hot towel draped over his face.

The towel had just been soaked in hot water. The heat seeped through the fabric and into his skin, bringing a soothing, warm sensation to his eyes.

Over the past few days, the changes in his eyes had become increasingly frequent. That sore, tingling sensation would appear from time to time—sometimes during the day, sometimes at night, without any predictable pattern.

But today was different. Since the afternoon, that feeling hadn't stopped at all.

He knew what this meant. It was probably about time.

Taiga lay there motionless for a long time. The clock in the living room ticked away, seconds and minutes slipping by.

At a certain moment, he suddenly sat up. The hot towel slid off his face and fell onto the tatami.

Looking at the sides of his eye sockets, his veins were now slightly bulging.

Compared to the hideous, bulging blood vessels seen when the Hyuga clan used the Byakugan, the manifestation on his face was much more subtle.

The veins extended outward from the corners of his eyes like fine threads, fading away near his temples.

His eyes had completely changed. The black irises were gone, replaced by a translucent, glass-like white.

The irises were a brilliant, glowing white, and the pupils were white too, though slightly darker than the irises, like a touch of green in the center of white jade.

Paired with his handsome face, it gave him the appearance of a porcelain doll, looking almost unrealistically beautiful.

He blinked, and his vision completely transformed in that instant.

He could instantly see the kitchen behind the wall, the storage room further away, the foundation beneath the floorboards, the soil beneath the foundation, and the gravel and tree roots deep within the earth.

This was x-ray vision, now entirely under his control.

With a mere thought, his line of sight began to extend outward, passing through the living room walls, the streets of the old compound, the outer walls of Konoha, and the woods outside the village.

His vision kept going.

Passing through the final stretch of woods, he saw water.

The Naka River.

The river flowed steadily, and the schools of fish beneath the surface were clearly visible, their scales shimmering with a faint light.

This was the current limit of his Byakugan's telescopic vision. He calculated the distance in his mind—it was just over six kilometers.

It wasn't exceptionally far, but it definitely surpassed the vast majority of the Hyuga clan.

As far as he knew, an average Hyuga could see at most one or two kilometers with the Byakugan. The better ones could reach three or four kilometers, but those who could reach his level were incredibly rare.

However, he was very clear on one thing: six kilometers was absolutely not his future limit. These eyes were obviously still growing, just like his Mangekyo Sharingan, slowly increasing in visual prowess every day.

He retracted his gaze. With another shift in thought, the white faded, and crimson surfaced.

The three-tomoe Sharingan.

The tomoe spun slowly in his irises, smooth and natural, no different from before.

He tested his dynamic vision and tracking abilities; they were even stronger than before. The increase in visual prowess brought by the Byakugan's fusion had also nourished his Sharingan.

He channeled his chakra again, this time manifesting the Mangekyo Sharingan.

The three tomoe connected, and the pattern emerged. Six curved tomoe extended outward from the pupil, resembling the shutter blades of a camera.

He stood up, walked over to the full-length mirror in the living room, and carefully examined his eyes.

Then, he noticed something different.

On those six tomoe blades, near the pupil, there was a tiny black dot on each one.

The black dots were very small—so small that they were imperceptible without a close look, but they were definitely there.

Moreover, judging by their shape, they were extending outward, albeit at a very slow pace, so slow it was almost unnoticeable.

These ink-like dots hadn't just appeared now; they had slowly grown during the period when the Byakugan was fusing.

Uchiha Taiga could confirm one thing: his Mangekyo Sharingan was evolving toward the level of an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

Yang Style nourished Yin Style, Yin Style fed back into Yang Style, and with the Byakugan joining the mix, the three formed a delicate cycle, providing him with additional nourishment.

He felt his body again. It wasn't just his eyes that were changing; his body was changing too.

His chakra reserves were slowly increasing, and his physical attributes were improving. It felt like he had entered a rapid growth spurt, growing and getting stronger every single day.

The Byakugan brought not only trouble but also progress.

This was highly satisfying.

...

Hokage's office.

Hyuga Soma sat in the chair opposite Sarutobi Hiruzen, his back perfectly straight and his hands resting on his knees. His expression was stern, so stern it was somewhat rigid.

This was already his second time coming to see the Hokage.

The last time, the Hokage had used the excuse of dealing with frontline affairs to avoid giving him a clear answer.

This time, he refused to be brushed off.

"Lord Hokage."

His voice was steady, carrying the unhurried rhythm unique to a Main House elder.

"The matter regarding Uchiha Taiga's eyes cannot be delayed any longer. The appearance of our Hyuga clan's Byakugan on an Uchiha is an issue that must be resolved, both for the sake of the Hyuga and the village."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his desk, holding his pipe without taking a drag.

His brows were slightly furrowed. His gaze lingered on Hyuga Soma's face for a moment before shifting to the side.

Shimura Danzo sat in another chair.

He had only returned from the battlefield a few days ago, and his wounds hadn't fully healed, but he looked to be in good spirits.

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke, his voice a bit hoarse. "I understand why you are here."

"But I cannot approve the solution you proposed."

Hyuga Soma frowned slightly.

"Lord Hokage, I merely hope you will step forward and invite Uchiha Taiga to the Hyuga compound so we can ascertain the origin of these Byakugan. As for how to handle it afterward..."

"How to handle it afterward?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen interrupted him.

"Are you trying to say you want to brand him with the Caged Bird?"

Hyuga Soma fell silent for a moment, then said firmly, "That is the rule of the Hyuga clan. The Byakugan must not flow to outsiders; this is an ironclad law established since the founding of Konoha. If Uchiha Taiga's eyes are indeed the Byakugan, then he must either accept the Caged Bird, or..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was already obvious.

Either accept the Caged Bird, or the Hyuga clan would solve the problem their own way.

Sarutobi Hiruzen set down his pipe and leaned forward slightly. "Hyuga Soma, do you even know who Uchiha Taiga is?"

"I know."

"No, you don't."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice wasn't loud, but his tone was heavy.

"That is a Mangekyo wielder of the Uchiha clan, someone who can awaken the Susanoo at the age of thirteen. And you're talking about branding him with the Caged Bird?"

As far as he was concerned, the Hyuga clan truly had a knack for courting death in this matter.

Hyuga Soma's expression shifted, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Lord Hokage, I didn't say we would forcefully brand him with the Caged Bird. I only hope you will step forward so we can clarify the situation first."

Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up his pipe again, cutting him off.

"His eyes are turning white, that is a fact. But he is a member of the Uchiha, not the Hyuga. The Hyuga's rules do not apply to him, unless you want to provoke a war between the Hyuga and the Uchiha."

Hyuga Soma's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.

Shimura Danzo spoke up at the right moment.

"Hiruzen, Elder Soma has a point."

His voice was unhurried. "There is no precedent for the Byakugan appearing on an Uchiha. Whether for the Uchiha or the Hyuga, this is a major event. If it isn't handled properly, it will inevitably cause trouble in the future."

Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at him without speaking.

Shimura Danzo continued, "I have a proposal. Root will step forward and form a joint inquiry team with the Hyuga clan to conduct a formal interrogation of Uchiha Taiga, asking clearly about the origin and cause of these Byakugan. This way, the Hyuga clan gets an answer, and the Uchiha clan will have nothing to say."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's frown deepened.

"Who in the village doesn't know about the relationship between you and Taiga? And you want to step forward?"

"I guarantee it will only be an inquiry, no coercion."

Shimura Danzo's tone was very sincere.

Mitokado Homura, who had been sitting to the side without speaking, chimed in.

"Hiruzen, I think Danzo's proposal is worth considering. At the end of the day, Uchiha Taiga is a shinobi of Konoha. The changes in his body have already drawn the attention of the village's two great dojutsu clans. He has a responsibility to provide an explanation regarding this matter."

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent for a long time. The tobacco in his pipe burned out, but he didn't refill it.

"Fine."

He finally spoke.

"But on one condition."

"Name it."

"No coercion, and no use of force. An inquiry is just an inquiry. Once the questions are asked, it's over."

Shimura Danzo nodded.

"Acceptable."

Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at him, then at Hyuga Soma.

"Then let's leave it at that. Go make the arrangements and let me know when the time is set."

Shimura Danzo and Hyuga Soma stood up simultaneously, then turned and walked out of the office.

The door closed.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his chair, looking at the portraits of the past Hokage on the wall, remaining motionless for a long time.

In the hallway, Shimura Danzo and Hyuga Soma walked side by side.

Neither of them spoke. Their footsteps echoed in the empty corridor. When they reached the stairs, Shimura Danzo stopped.

Hyuga Soma also stopped and looked at him.

Shimura Danzo turned his head and gave him a slight nod.

Hyuga Soma nodded in return.

Neither said a word, but a tacit understanding had already been reached between the two.