Naruto: Did i Just Get Reincarnated as Gojo?

Chapter 145: The Death of a Branch Family Hyuga Ninja

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"Waiter, tea!" Gojo Kaigetsu called out.

"Right away, sir!"

Gojo Kaigetsu and Hiashi Hyuga quickly excused themselves from the wedding reception and settled into a teahouse a short distance from the Uchiha compound.

Hiashi Hyuga sat stiffly. This was his first private meeting with Advisor Gojo.

He felt a knot of anxiety in his stomach.

While he'd observed that Advisor Gojo generally supported initiatives that empowered ninja, the outcome of this meeting was uncertain.

What if... Advisor Gojo was a wolf in sheep's clothing? What if, for the sake of political expediency, he betrayed Hiashi and sided with the Hyuga elders in exchange for... financial incentives?

Then the branch family ninja might never know true freedom.

But if he, as the Hyuga Clan Head, didn't fight for them, who would?

'I carry the burden of their liberation. I cannot fail.'

Hiashi Hyuga's gaze hardened with resolve. "Advisor Gojo, I have a... request."

"I..."

"Hold on a moment." Gojo Kaigetsu produced a blank sheet of paper. "Let's write down the topic we're about to discuss. If they match, you owe me a favor. If not, I owe you two."

"What? Sure." Hiashi was taken aback. He'd come here to ask for a favor, not grant one.

He wrote on the paper with tea, as did Gojo Kaigetsu. They flipped their papers simultaneously. Both read: [Branch Family].

"It seems I win. I'll remember that favor, Hiashi. Now, tell me what's on your mind." Gojo Kaigetsu poured them tea.

Hiashi Hyuga got straight to the point. "Advisor Gojo, I wish to liberate the Hyuga branch family. I want to abolish the Caged Bird Seal."

"That's... a rather delicate matter, Hiashi. As an advisor, I can't interfere in a clan's internal affairs. And I'm just a Chunin, my influence is limited."

"Besides, you're the Clan Head. Surely your clansmen can't defy your authority?"

Hiashi Hyuga smiled wryly. "Advisor Gojo, you jest. As The Hyuga Clan Head... I hold no real power. I'm merely a puppet for the elders."

"If I were to abolish the Caged Bird Seal today, my younger brother might be dead by tomorrow. And then... more branch family members. They'd pressure the village leadership to reverse my decision, and all my efforts would be wasted. Most of the main family also supports the elders. After all, the Caged Bird Seal protects their interests and ensures their safety."

Those within the system fiercely defended it, while those outside fought to break free.

But resources were finite. Liberating the branch family meant less for the main family. It wasn't that they lacked empathy, but their current privileges outweighed any such... sentiments.

The Hyuga clan... that's how they operated.

The Hyūga clan had a high floor, but a low ceiling.

Though their Byakugan and related taijutsu techniques made them formidable in the early stages, a saying circulated in the ninja world:

When you're poor, you aim for precision. When you're rich, you use overwhelming force.

The Hyuga, limited by their close-range combat style, were destined to be early-game powerhouses. Jonin, elite Jonin, Kage... the higher the rank, the less effective the Hyuga's abilities became.