NOVEL WEB Chapter 170: 170. Childern?
◉◉◉◉◉
Just as Neji was being dragged toward the Hyūga compound by Hanabi, far away in the Sand Village… a storm was already brewing.
An eagle tore across the skies and landed at the Konoha outpost, startling the gate guards.
"That's… Sand's fastest falcon Hayamaru!"
The watchman rushed forward, quickly retrieving a tightly sealed scroll bound with the red seal of urgency. His face paled.
"High-priority intel! Get the Code Division—now!"
Moments later, a team of masked operatives appeared and began decoding the contents.
"What happened now? Sand only sends Hayamaru when it's something big."
The decoder's expression darkened.
"…Something very big."
---
At the Hokage Tower, Tsunade sat in the main hall reviewing logistics for the upcoming Chūnin Exams. Team Kakashi Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi had just assembled for their next mission.
Naruto was already whining. "Why do I always get the lame ones?!"
Suddenly—BAM!
The doors burst open. A breathless shinobi stumbled in, shouting: "Emergency report! Lady Tsunade—trouble in the Sand!"
"The Kazekage… has been kidnapped!"
The entire hall fell silent.
Tsunade's expression sharpened instantly. She snapped her fingers, canceling the current mission. "Kakashi's team, you've got a new assignment. Head to the Sand Village immediately. Assess the situation and stand by for backup orders. You'll follow their lead."
Naruto clenched his fists. Gaara…
He didn't even hesitate. "Let's go!"
---
Meanwhile, at a rest station miles outside the village, Temari nibbled on dango, her cheeks puffed adorably. Skewers piled up next to her as she sipped tea.
Suddenly—CRACK!
Her cup fractured in her grip.
She froze.
A strange chill ran through her chest—a sharp pang of dread.
"…What the hell was that?"
She clutched the necklace Neji had given her. The cold anxiety started to subside, but the unease in her heart remained.
---
Back in the Hyūga Clan compound…
Hiashi stood frozen, his eyes locked on Neji's.
They were no longer the traditional pale white. Now they glowed a deep sapphire blue, encircled by petal-shaped streaks of white light. Soft particles shimmered and pulsed around the pupils like stardust.
Hiashi's hands trembled beneath his sleeves.
"…Neji, these eyes…"
The clan head suddenly recalled ancient clan legends—secrets passed down only to successive heads of the Hyūga family. Secrets tied to the origin of the Caged Bird Seal itself.
> Far above… on the Moon… another branch of our clan exists. A bloodline even purer than ours.
If one of their own awakened the purest form of the Byakugan it could evolve. Into something… transcendent.
Hiashi took a deep breath and composed himself.
"No one else can know about this. Who's already seen your new eyes?"
Neji listed them calmly. "Lady Tsunade, Shizune, Sakura, Hanabi, Hinata… and you."
Hiashi nodded solemnly. "Don't tell anyone else. It would only bring danger to you."
Hanabi and Hinata stood quietly nearby, staring at Neji's eyes in awe and worry.
Neji asked directly, "Uncle… do you know what this means?"
Hiashi hesitated.
"I know of it, yes… But it's all ancient rumor. Even I can't say what's true anymore."
He began to explain.
Long ago, a sect of the Hyūga clan now living on the Moon guarded a forbidden truth. If a Byakugan of supreme purity manifested, it could evolve into something capable of leveling the ninja world.
There was another path too: if enough Byakugan were gathered and merged, they could also evolve into that same terrible form.
To protect against abuse, the Hyūga had created the [Caged Bird Seal]—a system of control disguised as protection. It was designed to:
1. Prevent outsiders from stealing the Byakugan.
2. Discourage the clan from seeking forbidden power.
3. Guard against internal corruption.
Hiashi looked at Neji, his face full of conflict.
"That's why the seal… was never just about control. It was containment. And now you…"
But Neji held up a hand, stopping him.
"No need to explain further."
He pulled a scroll from his robes and set it before Hiashi.
"…I've already redesigned it."
Hiashi's eyes widened.
Neji spoke clearly. "This version protects without restricting. It keeps the eyes safe… without sabotaging their growth."
Hiashi unrolled the scroll, scanning the contents.
His hands trembled again but this time, with emotion.
No suppression… no side effects…
A smile slowly formed on his lips. "You've done something even I couldn't imagine."
"Neji… the Caged Bird is no longer a prison."
Tears welled in Hiashi's eyes.
The Third Hokage is gone. Danzo is locked away. The old ways are finally fading.
Hiashi stepped forward.
"For the first time in my life… I feel free."
He took a breath, looked at Hinata, then back at Neji with fatherly pride.
"This is a day of celebration. Your bloodline has evolved… and you've broken the curse of the clan."
"…and when you and Hinata have children, they'll carry the strongest legacy we've ever known."
Neji's expression froze.
"…Wait. What?"
◉◉◉◉◉
Yo! I've just dropped a brand-new fanfiction "Pokémon: Reborn as a Pokémon"! 🔥 You can check it out by visiting my profile or simply searching the title. (It's uploaded on my second account, so don't miss it!)
◉◉◉◉◉
~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◉◉◉◉◉
For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access Patreon normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!