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The List of The "ANBU" Member:
-ar4ngel
-Cain
-Ryan biggins
-Kreios
-Sabo
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"Then."
Kaito glanced at the Hyugas in the room and asked with a smile, "Miss Hanabi, have you decided who will go first?"
"It's decided," Hanabi nodded, her gaze shifting to an elderly man with graying hair standing at the door. "Grandpa Masatoshi."
"Yes."
The old man stepped forward.
"Esteemed ones, I am Hyuga Masatoshi. Let the removal of the curse mark begin with me!"
This elderly man, Hyuga Masatoshi, appeared to be in his seventies, and his strength was rather limited.
Tsunade immediately understood the Hyuga clan's intention: to have the "less valuable" elder take the lead in testing whether the curse mark removal technique carried any risks.
This was a common practice in the shinobi world, and Kaito was well aware of it as well. Thus, neither of them objected.
"Very well," Tsunade spoke up. "However, to save time, let's call one more person. Kaito and I can remove the curse marks from two people simultaneously."
"Agreed," Kaito nodded in agreement.
"In that case, we will follow the arrangements of Lady Hokage and Lord Kaito," Hanabi nodded, her gaze shifting to another elderly man. "Grandpa Yoshitaka."
"Yes."
Hyuga Yoshitaka also stepped forward.
"Then let's begin!"
Tsunade stood up decisively and walked over to Hyuga Masatoshi, who had already sat down cross-legged on the floor.
"From my estimation, the removal process will likely be quite painful."
Tsunade began forming hand seals, then placed her right hand, enveloped in green chakra, on Hyuga Masatoshi's forehead.
"Begin, Lady Hokage!" Hyuga Masatoshi closed his eyes calmly. "Do not worry about me."
"Endure it"
Tsunade's chakra slowly penetrated Hyuga Masatoshi's brain, methodically unraveling the complex curse mark within.
Hyuga Masatoshi's face began to pale, and he clenched his teeth tightly.
As Tsunade's chakra delved deeper, his entire body started to tremble, and cold sweat poured down from every part of him.
"Hold on!" Tsunade's voice rang out. "If we fail, there's no turning back!"
Hyuga Masatoshi's aged face twisted in pain, and he let out a muffled groan.
Time passed second by second, and Hyuga Masatoshi had never felt time drag on so slowly before.
The pain in his brain was soul-deep, excruciating!
In his decades of life, he had always been an honest man, never offending the main family, and had never experienced the punishment of the Caged Bird Seal.
But now, he thought to himself, perhaps the punishment that others feared so much was just like this.
As he pondered this, his thoughts began to blur.
"Hold on! It's almost done!" Tsunade's voice rang out again.
In that case, I'll endure a little longer!
After all, my grandson is watching me over there!
Though I have no talent and have lived my life as an unknown chunin, even an ordinary old man like me has moments when he wants to earn his grandson's admiration!
"It's done!"
At that moment, Hyuga Masatoshi felt Tsunade's voice was like a heavenly sound.
When Tsunade withdrew her hand, his body was drenched in cold sweat as if he had been pulled out of water, and he collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted.
"Grandpa!!!"
Masatoshi's grandson anxiously rushed forward to help him up.
"Are you okay, Grandpa?"
"I'm fine."
Masatoshi's voice was weak. He opened his eyes, searching for Hyuga Yoshitaka, who was in the same predicament.
"Grandson, how is Grandpa Yoshitaka?"
"Ah, don't worry, Grandpa Yoshitaka is fine." Masatoshi didn't notice the subtle tone in his grandson's voice.
"That's good. Help me down, so we don't delay the others." He patted his grandson's arm.
"Yes, Grandpa." The grandson half-carried the exhausted old man to their original spot.
"Wow, you really look rough, Masatoshi."
It was Yoshitaka.
"Huh?"
Masatoshi looked up at Yoshitaka, who was dry and full of energy.
"Yoshitaka..." He examined Yoshitaka's appearance. "You... didn't go through the curse mark removal?"
"It's already done," Yoshitaka patted his smooth forehead. "Masatoshi, your eyesight isn't what it used to be."
Masatoshi blinked, staring at Yoshitaka's bare forehead.
No curse mark, no hair.
What's going on? Could Yoshitaka be so much stronger than me?
We're both just old men!
"Grandpa, look over there," the grandson quickly prompted, seeing his grandfather's confusion.
In the center of the hall.
In front of Tsunade sat a trembling young man who couldn't help but tilt his head back in fear as Tsunade began forming hand seals.
In front of Kaito, a young girl walked over with a joyful expression, her eyes sparkling as she sat down and looked at him.
Kaito smiled gently, his eyes flashing red. A pentagram formation appeared on the floor beneath the girl.
His right hand glowed with spiritual light as he placed it on the girl's forehead.
The girl closed her eyes, a smile on her face.
The light flashed, the formation disappeared, and Kaito withdrew his hand.
"It's done," he said softly.
The girl opened her eyes, touched her smooth forehead, and then glanced at her clan brother, who was trembling under Tsunade's hands. She couldn't help but break into a wide smile.
"Thank you, Lord Kaito!"
"Mm, go ahead, next."
Kaito nodded.
"Yes!"
The girl stood up cheerfully and walked back to her seat with a bright smile.
"..."
On the other side, Masatoshi, who had witnessed all of this, trembled as he muttered, "How... how could this be..."
"Grandpa..." His grandson comforted him, "It can't be helped. After all, this method was developed by Lord Kaito."
The grandson leaned in and whispered, "You were just unlucky today, ending up with Lady Hokage. She might not be as skilled."
Yoshitaka, sitting nearby, patted Masatoshi's shoulder and comforted him with a righteous expression, "You've worked hard, Masatoshi."
"I... he..."
Masatoshi glared at Yoshitaka, who was looking at him, certain that the old man was secretly gloating.
Remembering the torment he had endured under Tsunade's hands, he had felt proud of himself for enduring it. But now, seeing someone else go through it so effortlessly, the old man couldn't bear the injustice!
"Wahhh..."
After much thought, the old man finally broke down in tears.
The sudden crying drew the attention of everyone in the hall.
"Grandpa!"
The grandson quickly covered his grandfather's mouth and loudly announced, "My grandfather is just overwhelmed with emotion after finally being freed from the Caged Bird Seal."
We understand!
The Hyuga clan members averted their gazes, silently praying.
Ancestors, please don't let me end up in Lady Hokage's hands!
"Wahhh..."
You unfilial grandson!
Masatoshi glared at his grandson.
"Grandpa, we're in the clan leader's house," the grandson whispered soothingly.
Ah, the older my grandfather gets, the more he acts like a child.
"Wahhh..."
I can't accept this...
Tears wet Masatoshi's graying temples.