Chapter 64 - A Conversation
Kazane glanced sideways toward Might Duy.
"Uncle Duy, last time we let the Seven Ninja Swordsmen escape. This time, they're yours. No objections, right?"
His tone was light, almost casual, but beneath it lay an unshakable certainty.
Might Duy's eyes flashed with determination. Ever since Kazane made him realize his own potential, a fire had been simmering in his chest—one fueled by the regret of nearly opening the Death Gate unnecessarily.
Now?
He was burning for a rematch.
"Leave them to me! This time, I won't let any of them get away!" Duy declared, slamming a fist against his chest.
Standing nearby, Sasaki Akira and Hizashi Hyūga exchanged uneasy glances.
Neither of them could comprehend why Kazane was entrusting Might Duy, of all people, with such a dangerous task.
He was a well-known 'eternal Genin'—a laughingstock among Konoha's shinobi.
How could he possibly stand against the elite Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?
Was this a joke? A test?
Or—did Kazane see something in Duy that they didn't?
Regardless, neither dared to voice their doubts.
Instead, Sasaki took a deep breath and turned back to Kazane.
"Kazane-dono, even if Duy manages to handle the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the enemy still has the Fourth Mizukage Yagura, elite Jonin like Taketori Souchou and Mizunoyuki Izumi, and over a hundred other Jonin-level fighters. Even with your strength, those odds are—"
His words trailed off.
Because the moment he looked into Kazane's eyes, he saw something unchanging.
A confidence that could not be shaken.
Kazane smiled faintly.
"I have my ways, Sasaki-san. Trust me."
There was no arrogance in his voice—only absolute certainty.
A certainty that made Sasaki hesitate.
"…Understood," he finally relented. "I'll begin making the preparations."
He turned and walked out of the tent, leaving only Kazane, Hizashi, and Duy behind.
As Hizashi prepared to leave as well, Kazane spoke again.
"Hizashi-san."
Hizashi paused mid-step.
"…Yes, Kazane-dono?"
"Do you know why I personally requested for you to join this campaign?"
Kazane's voice was calm—too calm.
Hizashi turned to face him fully, his expression carefully neutral.
"I am merely following orders. If you have a task for me, I will carry it out."
Kazane chuckled softly.
"How disciplined."
Then, he leaned forward, his voice lowering just enough to make Hizashi tense unconsciously.
"Tell me, Hizashi-san. You serve the Hyūga Clan, but… are you truly content with your place?"
Hizashi's fingers twitched, though he quickly masked his reaction.
"I do not understand what you mean, Kazane-dono."
His words were measured, carefully chosen.
But Kazane saw right through him.
"The Hyūga Clan is divided into Main House and Branch House. The Branch House exists to serve and protect the Main House—no matter the cost."
"You were born into the Branch House."
"You were branded with the Caged Bird Seal."
"You were denied your right to choose your own fate."
Hizashi's jaw tightened.
"Yet," Kazane continued, his gaze sharp, "the Main House never fights on the front lines. It is you and your kin who die for them, while they sit comfortably in their estates."
A heavy silence settled between them.
Hizashi did not respond immediately.
But Kazane noticed the way his breathing had deepened—how his hands, once resting calmly at his sides, had curled into subtle fists.
Kazane smiled slightly.
'He's listening.'
After a long pause, Hizashi exhaled slowly.
"The division of Main and Branch exists to protect the Byakugan from falling into enemy hands," he said.
His voice was firm, but there was a hesitation—a crack in the foundation.
Kazane seized upon it.
"Oh? And tell me, Hizashi-san… has the Byakugan ever truly changed the course of history?"
"…What?"
"Look at the Uchiha. Their Sharingan and Mangekyō have produced legends. Uchiha Madara alone shook the entire world. Even now, their strength dictates the balance of power in the village."
Kazane's eyes gleamed.
"But the Hyūga? Despite being one of Konoha's most prestigious clans, tell me… where are your legends?"
Hizashi stiffened.
His silence was answer enough.
"There are none. Because the Main House has caged you. Because the Branch House has been deliberately kept in the shadows, wasting your potential."
Kazane's words were low and cutting, like a blade slipping between the cracks of Hizashi's armor.
His next words struck even deeper.
"What about your son, Hizashi-san?"
At that moment, Hizashi's composure shattered completely.
His entire body went rigid, his pale eyes widening in a barely concealed alarm.
"My son…"
"Neji Hyūga," Kazane said, without hesitation.
"A genius, by all accounts. But when the time comes, will he be allowed to choose his own future? Or will he, too, be branded—enslaved—forced to die for the sake of those who will never fight alongside him?"
Hizashi's breathing turned uneven.
"…Stop."
A whisper.
But Kazane wasn't done.
"I don't expect you to betray your clan," Kazane said, pulling back slightly.
"I don't expect you to make a decision now."
"But when the time comes—when the opportunity to change the fate of the Hyūga Clan presents itself—"
His crimson eyes bore into Hizashi's pale ones.
"…Will you have the courage to reach for it?"
Hizashi said nothing.
For the first time in his life—he did not know how to respond.
Eventually,
"…You may go," Kazane finally said, stepping aside.
Hizashi hesitated, then gave a slow, deliberate nod.
"…Understood."
Then, without another word, he turned and left the tent.
Alone now, Kazane let out a slow breath.
He had planted the seed.
He would let it grow.
Hizashi Hyūga…
When the time comes, will you choose your clan?
Or will you choose freedom?
A small smile tugged at Kazane's lips.
Either way…
The war would decide everything.
And he was going to make history.