Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Hyuga Neji lay on the tatami mat, panting heavily. His chest heaved, his nostrils flared, and his lips were slightly parted as he took deep, rapid breaths.

His hands had fallen away from his eyes and rested at his sides. His fingers were slightly curled, palms facing upward, revealing the sheen of sweat pooled within them.

His eyes were half-closed, eyelids trembling slightly as his eyes darted back and forth beneath them. Teardrops still clung to his eyelashes—tears shed from the excruciating pain just moments ago—glistening in the sunlight. Tear stains marked his face, trailing from the corners of his eyes all the way down to his chin, leaving two damp streaks across his cheeks.

Everyone present turned their gazes toward him.

Uchiha Sasuke's eyes were wide with shock, the three Tomoe spinning slowly within them. His gaze was fixed on the spot on Neji's forehead where the curse mark had once been.

Neji's forehead was now smooth and unblemished. There was not a single mark left, like a blank sheet of paper that had never been written on.

Uchiha Itachi's gaze also lingered on Neji's forehead for a moment before shifting to Uchiha Taiga.

Uzumaki Karin stood at the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed, her red ponytail resting over her shoulder.

She looked at Neji, the corners of her mouth curling up in a smug expression that seemed to say, 'I knew this would happen.'

Uzumaki Yumiko stood beside her, holding a tray with several teacups. She watched Neji with a gentle expression.

In everyone's eyes, not a single trace of the Caged Bird curse mark remained on Neji's forehead, as if it had never existed in the first place.

At this moment, everyone understood that Neji's Caged Bird curse mark had been completely eradicated by Uchiha Taiga. But exactly how he had done it remained a mystery. What that beam of light was, what that single finger had done, and what those Byakugan had seen—no one knew.

Uchiha Sasuke couldn't help but cast a curious glance at Taiga, his eyes landing on the finger that was still slightly raised. His mouth opened slightly, as if to ask, 'How did you do that?', but he swallowed the words before they could leave his lips.

It took Neji quite a while to recover. His rapid breathing gradually steadied, and his chest stopped heaving so violently.

Yet he remained lying there, his body completely relaxed and his limbs sprawled out like someone who had just woken from a deep sleep. The veins around his eyes were slightly bulging—the telltale sign of an active Byakugan—stretching from the corners of his eyes to his temples, pulsing faintly beneath his skin.

In this moment, he could feel the difference in his eyes compared to before.

The single blind spot at the back of his neck, previously obscured by the Caged Bird curse mark, was now completely visible.

That blind spot used to be a void of darkness, like a solid wall blocking his sight and carving out a chunk of his Byakugan's vision.

Now, that wall had vanished. The darkness had turned to light, the void had filled with imagery, and he could clearly see the tatami mat behind him.

He was free. He was completely liberated from the shackles of the Caged Bird curse mark. Without the control of the Main House, his life was no longer held in someone else's hands, and his destiny was no longer dictated by others.

He belonged only to himself.

Neji covered his eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching upward uncontrollably.

The smile was small and faint, but incredibly genuine.

Then, the smile grew wider. Neji's lips parted, revealing his teeth. He let out a soft chuckle, the sound rumbling from his throat, carrying an irrepressible sense of joy.

The laughter grew louder, shifting from a soft chuckle to a full-blown roar of laughter.

"Hahaha..."

His voice echoed through the room. There was an indescribable exhilaration in his laughter—not just simple happiness, but the profound relief of breaking free from a cage.

It held liberation, relief, past grievances, lingering resentment, and the boundless hope of a limitless future.

As he laughed, tears streamed down the sides of his eyes, rolling past his temples and over his ears before dripping onto the tatami mat.

Uchiha Taiga did not interrupt or rush him. He simply sat calmly by the low table, sipping his tea. His movements were entirely natural, as if what he had just done was utterly insignificant, not worth a second thought.

Uchiha Sasuke subconsciously gulped, his mind still struggling to process everything he had just witnessed.

One hand, one finger, a single beam of light, and the curse mark was gone.

That was the Caged Bird curse mark, passed down through generations of the Hyuga clan. It was the very foundation of the Main House's control over the Branch House, an inescapable shackle that bound them forever.

Yet this very source of endless suffering for countless Branch House members had been undone with a single flick of a finger.

Uchiha Itachi also took a deep breath, the shock in his heart far exceeding that of the others.

As a fellow Kekkei Genkai clan specializing in visual jutsu, the Uchiha clan's understanding of the Caged Bird was second to none.

The Hyuga and the Uchiha, Konoha's two great visual jutsu Kekkei Genkai clans, had been competing, studying, and guarding against each other since the village's founding.

The Uchiha archives contained detailed records regarding the Hyuga's Caged Bird curse mark. As the clan head's son, Itachi had naturally read those records. He understood it deeply.

It was precisely because of this knowledge that he was so profoundly shaken.

He knew very well that the Caged Bird curse mark was virtually unbreakable.

It was not an ordinary Sealing Jutsu, but a curse mark specifically developed to target the Byakugan. Carved into the foreheads of the Branch House members, it was intricately linked to their brains and optic nerves.

It could not be removed by external force, because any outside interference would trigger the curse mark's self-destruct mechanism, destroying the Branch House member's brain and eyes. Nor could it be broken from within, as the Branch House members lacked the power to even shake the curse mark.

But the truth was right in front of him—the Caged Bird had been effortlessly dismantled by Uchiha Taiga.

Judging by his demeanor, it hadn't taken any effort at all. Just one finger and a few breaths of time, and the mark was gone.

Thinking this, he couldn't help but cast his gaze toward Taiga.

Taiga spoke without even lifting his head.

"There is no need to be surprised."

His voice was quiet, his tone casual.

"I also possess the Byakugan."

He picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"I've spent quite a few years researching these eyes."

He set the teacup down.

"In the entire ninja world, if there is anyone who understands the Byakugan best, it would have to be me."

He spoke with a flat tone, as if stating the most mundane fact in the world. Yet the absolute certainty in his voice made it impossible for anyone to doubt him.

Itachi deeply agreed and gave a slight nod.

"Taiga-sensei's abilities are indeed unmatched in the ninja world."

Taiga curled his lip.

"Save the flattery. It's just a minor trick. Once you reach my level, doing something like this will be simple for you too."

Itachi's brow twitched slightly.

Taiga looked at him, seemingly seeing right through his thoughts, and spoke again.

"Don't overthink it. You are still far from that level. To remove the Caged Bird, one must reset the Byakugan—destroying it first and then regenerating it. It is impossible for you to achieve that right now."

Itachi nodded, though he didn't fully understand. He frowned slightly, his mind chewing over the words he had just heard.

He couldn't wrap his head around it, but he knew one thing for certain: the gap between him and Uchiha Taiga was perhaps vastly greater than he had ever imagined.

It wasn't just a matter of being twice or even twenty times as strong. It was a chasm so vast he couldn't even see the other side.

At this moment, Neji struggled to get up. Propping himself up on his elbows and straining his back, he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position.

His movements were stiff, and his muscles were still trembling, but his eyes were bright and resolute.

Once he steadied himself, Neji didn't waste a single word. He immediately dropped into a deep prostration before Taiga. With his hands planted on the floor in front of his knees and his forehead pressed against the ground, his entire body bowed like an arch.

"My lord, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for me. From this day forward, I shall obey your every command."

His tone was unwavering, like a solemn vow. Everyone present could hear the absolute sincerity in his words.

Taiga looked at him and let out a casual chuckle.

"You've got quite the imagination. I merely removed the Caged Bird curse mark, and now you're trying to latch onto me?"

Hyuga Neji was speechless.

'Wait, what does that mean?'

'This isn't how things are supposed to go, is it?'

'I pledged my absolute loyalty. As a superior, shouldn't you gladly accept it?'

'Isn't that the rule of the ninja world?'

Uzumaki Karin burst into laughter, her tone teasing. "What are you thinking? Do you really believe Sensei just takes in anyone?"

Neji subconsciously raised his head, casting her a look of pure confusion.

Karin smiled and said, "Sensei doesn't exactly have the best temper, and he's incredibly proud. You think you have good talent? That you're a genius? But here, you're still far too lacking. If you want to become Sensei's follower, someone like you..."

She shook her head, as if searching for the right words to describe it, before finally saying, "Forget it. Just stop dreaming."

Hyuga Neji was left speechless once more.

He instinctively glanced toward Uchiha Taiga, only to find that the man had absolutely no intention of paying him any attention.

At that moment, Neji finally faced a harsh reality check.

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