บท 718: C717 Hyuga Reckoning

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The air seemed to freeze in the Hyuga courtyard as the implications of Peter's actions began to sink in. "…"

Hizashi knelt in stunned silence, his hands trembling as he reached out to touch his son's forehead. The cursed seal—the mark that had bound his family for generations—was gone. His wife, still in shock, wrapped her arms around Neji, pulling him close as tears streamed down her face.

"Thank you… Thank you," she sobbed, her voice breaking as she held Neji tightly.

Hizashi, overwhelmed with emotion, just stared at his son in shock. "…"

Neji, still too young to fully understand the weight of what had just happened, stood there with wide eyes, looking up at Peter in awe. He could feel the tears from his parents' faces dampening him as they continued to embrace him.

Hiashi and his wife watched the scene unfold, their emotions a mix of happiness and worry. They were genuinely relieved for Hizashi and his family, but a looming sense of dread gnawed at the back of Hiashi's mind.

As much as Peter's actions had brought a sense of hope, the political reality of the Hyuga clan was far more complicated.

The elders…

If they found out about this, they wouldn't sit idly by. They might even force Neji to endure the cursed seal again.

Hiashi's wife shifted nervously beside him, her hand reaching for his. "Hiashi," she whispered, her voice filled with concern. "What will the elders say? You know they won't allow this."

Hiashi's expression darkened, his gaze flickering toward the entrance to the courtyard. "I know. And we won't have to wait long to find out. They're already here…"

As if summoned by Hiashi's words, a group of five elderly Hyuga men and women in ornate robes entered the courtyard. Their expressions were stern, their movements deliberate as they made their way toward Peter and the others.

Hiashi's stomach tightened at the sight of them, knowing all too well what their presence meant. These people were the true power behind the Hyuga clan—elders whose influence extended far beyond his title as clan head. They had the authority to overrule his decisions, and in most cases, they acted as the final word on all matters.

The elders approached, their eyes scanning the courtyard with cold precision. Though they were outwardly respectful, Hiashi could sense the discomfort in their expressions. They didn't want Peter here, and they certainly didn't want him meddling in the affairs of the Hyuga clan.

But they weren't foolish enough to cross him directly. Even they understood that Peter held the power to destroy the Hyuga if he so wished.

One of the eldest, a stern-looking man with a long white beard, took a step forward, his eyes narrowing as he noticed Hizashi and his wife on their knees before Peter. His lips curled in disdain, assuming the worst.

"Have you offended our guest?" the elder demanded, his voice sharp. "Why are you groveling like that?"

Before either Hizashi or his wife could respond, the elder formed a hand seal, his fingers moving in a practiced motion. "If you've disrespected Peter, I'll have to remind you of your place."

Without warning, the cursed seal on Hizashi's forehead activated, followed by his wife's. Both of them screamed in pain, clutching their heads as the familiar, agonizing sensation tore through their minds. Their bodies convulsed, unable to resist the torment inflicted by the seal.

Neji watched in horror, his small voice trembling as he called out to his parents. "Mom! Dad?!"

The elders froze, their eyes snapping toward Neji. It was then they realized the boy wasn't writhing in pain alongside his parents. He stood there, untouched, his eyes wide with panic.

One by one, the elders' gazes shifted to Neji's forehead. Where the cursed seal should have been, there was nothing. The mark had vanished.

"What…?" one of the female elders muttered, her voice filled with disbelief. "The seal… It's gone."

Meanwhile, Madara stood at Peter's side, his eyes narrowing as he observed the chaos unfolding before him. His lips curled in disdain as he watched Hizashi and his wife writhing in pain, their bodies contorting under the torture of the cursed seal. The screams that echoed through the courtyard didn't faze him, but the barbarity of the act itself struck a chord deep within.

"How barbaric," Madara muttered under his breath, his voice dripping with contempt. "Even in my time, the Uchiha never stooped to something like this. And our eyes are worth far more than some pathetic Byakugan." His sneer deepened as he cast a cold glance at the five elders.

The elders, now fixated on Neji's unmarked forehead, turned livid. Their once measured and respectful demeanor toward Peter evaporated, replaced by an ugly rage. They marched past Hizashi and his wife, completely ignoring their agonized cries and their sobbing son. The child's pleas fell on deaf ears as the elders stormed up to Hiashi and his wife, their faces twisted with fury.

"Hiashi! How dare you remove the seal from Neji?" one of the elders spat, their voice filled with venom. "Do you think you're above the traditions of this clan? How could you do something so reckless?"

The others joined in, their voices rising in anger as they berated Hiashi and his wife, forgetting entirely about Peter and his group in their outrage.

Hiashi stood there, silent and seething, his fists trembling at his sides as he watched his brother and sister-in-law writhing in pain. The desire to strike down the elders where they stood gnawed at him, but he knew he couldn't act on it. As much as he wanted to end this nightmare, his position as clan head was tenuous, and the elders held too much power.

"They'll die if you hold the seal any longer," Hiashi finally said through gritted teeth, his voice straining to maintain calm. "Please… release them."

One of the elders sneered, their lips curling into a cold smile. "Why should we care if they die?" he asked, his tone dripping with malice. "They aren't from the main family. Their lives are insignificant."

Hiashi's fists clenched tighter, his knuckles white as he fought to keep control. He could feel his blood boiling, his restraint thinning with every passing second. The casual cruelty with which they dismissed his brother's life was almost too much to bear. His body shook, his eyes burning with a barely contained rage.

Just as Hiashi was about to snap, a soft voice cut through the tense air.

"How unsightly."

The words were spoken calmly, but they carried a weight that instantly silenced the courtyard. Everyone turned their eyes to Peter, who had begun walking toward Hizashi and his wife. The elders, mistaking Peter's comment for disdain toward the suffering couple, exchanged smirks and sneered.

"We apologize, Peter," one of the elders said, chuckling. "For showing you such an unsightly pair. If you wish, you can end them yourself? After all, they're only from the branch family. Their lives don't matter."

Peter's steps didn't falter as he reached Neji, who stood beside his parents with tears and snot streaming down his face. Kneeling down, Peter gently patted the boy's head, his gaze softening as he looked at the crying child.

Neji looked up at Peter, his small voice trembling as he begged, "Please… help my mom and dad… Please…"

Peter smiled warmly at the boy. "Sure," he replied softly.

Then, his eyes shifted back to the elders, and the warmth disappeared, replaced by a cold, unyielding glare that froze them in place. "I wasn't talking about them," Peter said, his voice low and dangerous. "I was talking about you."

The smirks on the elders' faces vanished in an instant, replaced by fear. Peter's gaze alone was enough to make them tremble, and for the first time, they seemed to fully grasp the gravity of the situation.

Peter then turned back to Neji, his expression softening once more. "Don't worry," he reassured the boy. "They'll be fine."

With a simple snap of his fingers, golden light flared briefly around Hizashi and his wife. In an instant, the cursed seals on their foreheads vanished, the pain dissipating as quickly as it had come. Both of them let out relieved sighs, their bodies relaxing as they collapsed to the ground, unconscious but alive.

Neji's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched his parents' pain vanish before his eyes. He rushed forward, tears streaming down his face as he hugged them both. "Mom! Dad!"

Peter stood, watching the reunion with a soft smile. "They'll be fine," he said quietly. "They just need to rest."

The elders, who had been reduced to trembling silence, now stood frozen, too afraid to move, Peter's glare bore down on them.

Despite the fear that choked her voice, one of the elders managed to stammer out, "You… you can't do this. This is Hyuga clan business. It's our law!"

Peter scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "Your law, huh?" He crossed his arms, a dark smirk tugging at his lips. "You know, I don't think I like the Hyuga clan."

Beside Peter, a low chuckle rumbled as Kurama stirred. "Should we exterminate them?" the nine-tailed fox growled, his sharp fangs glinting. His question hung in the air like a threat, his gaze locked on the elders, clearly enjoying this.

Madara, who had been watching the scene with cold amusement, smirked, his voice laced with dark satisfaction. "For once, I agree with the furball."

Kurama's growl rumbled louder at the name, his fiery eyes flickering with annoyance, but he didn't bother to respond. Instead, he kept his attention fixed on the elders, savoring their growing fear.

Hearing the words "exterminate" and sensing the lethal intent in the air, Hiashi stepped forward quickly, his face pale but determined. He dropped to one knee, his head bowed as he begged, "Please, spare my clan. Punish the elders if you must, but don't destroy the Hyuga."

The elders, hearing Hiashi's desperate plea, turned on him instantly, their fear giving way to anger. "Hiashi, you coward!" one spat. "How dare you throw us to the wolves? You are supposed to protect the clan!"

Peter watched the exchange with a flicker of amusement in his eyes. When Hiashi looked up, Peter could see the calculation behind his request. He wasn't just trying to save his clan; he was using this opportunity to rid himself of the elders—something Peter found himself willing to facilitate.

Peter nodded slowly, his voice casual as he said, "Alright, but if I'm going to help you pull some weeds, I might as well pull them all."

The elders paled, their fear returning tenfold. They scrambled to their knees, begging Peter for mercy. "Please, spare us! We'll change! We'll—"

Peter ignored their pleas, his eyes shifting to Madara. "Madara, deal with these elders and get them to give you every name of those who have misused the branch family seal to abuse their power."

Madara's smirk widened, his Sharingan spinning lazily as he stepped forward. "And what should I do with them once I have the information?" he asked, his voice thick with dark anticipation.

Peter tilted his head toward Kurama, whose smirk widened dangerously. "Give the information to Kurama," Peter replied. "He'll handle exterminating the vermin hiding in the Hyuga clan."

Kurama chuckled, the low, menacing sound causing the elders to tremble even more.

Before Peter could say anything else, Yahiko stepped forward, flanked by Nagato and Konan. Yahiko's eyes gleamed with righteous fury as he said, "We'll help with that as well. This kind of injustice shouldn't be allowed to continue."

The elders' pleas for mercy grew more frantic as they realized their fates were sealed. Desperation setting in, they made a last-ditch effort to escape. In a swirl of leaves, they disappeared from sight, their decades of training and experience as ninja kicking in.

But they weren't the only ones with that skill. In an instant, Madara vanished as well, his smirk widening as he pursued them.

Barely a second passed before they reappeared in the courtyard, Madara standing over the elders with his arms crossed. "Too slow…"

The once-proud Hyuga leaders lay on the ground, their legs broken, their anguished screams echoing just as loudly as Hizashi's had moments earlier.

Peter sighed, kneeling down to shield Neji's eyes from the sight. "No need to scar the kid," he muttered, shooing Madara away. "Take them somewhere else…"

Madara rolled his eyes, his tone dry. "I killed my first man at his age," he said, clearly unbothered. But, seeing Peter's look, he complied without further complaint. He gathered the screaming elders, disappearing with them once more.

As the chaotic scene dissipated, Peter rose to his feet, dusting off his hands as if nothing had happened. His expression turned serious as he walked up to Hiashi, who was still kneeling, his mind reeling from the events that had just transpired.

"Now," Peter said, his tone shifting back to business, "onto the matter that brought me here in the first place."

Hiashi blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden change in tone. "Yes… of course. What… what can I help you with, Peter?"

Peter glanced over his shoulder at his group, then pointed directly at Nagato. "I have a long-lost family member of yours who's hoping to see if he has any direct relatives here in the village. Would you be able to help?"

Hiashi's brow furrowed, his gaze sweeping over the group. His eyes lingered on Nagato, noting the unusual color of his eyes but not quite understanding. "A family member?" he asked, confused. "But… none of them have the Byakugan."

Peter's smirk returned, a knowing gleam in his eyes. "That's because Nagato here doesn't have the Byakugan. He has something much stronger. He has the Tenseigan."

Hiashi furrowed his brow. "The Tenseigan?" he echoed, unfamiliar with the term.

Peter nodded. "An evolved and much more powerful version of the Byakugan."

"?!"

A/N: 2340 words :)

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