A Hyūga's Gate Between Worlds

In response to the shock and anger of the four Hyūga main house jonin, what awaited them was not Hiashi, but four shadow clones.

Whoosh!

The main house jonin only saw a blur before their vision, and then a searing, heart-wrenching pain erupted from their left chests.

Squelch!

By the time they regained their senses, they saw four identical black-haired youths—same appearance, same build, same clothing—standing before them, each wielding a ninja blade, stabbing downward into their left chests.

For this strike, Tanaka had merely used the spatial transposition ability of the Op-Op Fruit and did not employ ROOM's cutting power.

Because of this, the ninja blades pierced through their bodies, and blood gushed from the wounds, staining their clothes and the blades crimson.

"Tanaka!"

"How can this be happening?"

"You… Where is your Caged Bird?"

The four jonin, suffering from deep slashes and fatal wounds, did not die instantly. Instead, they stared wide-eyed, bloodshot eyes fixed on the foreheads of the shadow clones before them.

Because Tanaka's talent was unparalleled among both the main and branch houses, they immediately recognized his identity.

But what truly struck them with terror was the absence of the Caged Bird beneath Tanaka's bangs.

"Shambles."

Tanaka did not bother answering their questions. Instead, while they were still barely clinging to life, he activated his Devil Fruit ability and plucked out their Byakugan one by one.

Their vision turned to darkness, and with their hearts already pierced by blades, the dying main house jonin could no longer hold on and succumbed completely.

"The main house… no longer has jonin."

Witnessing this scene, Hizashi and Natsu, who had participated in the main house jonin's assassination, couldn't help but feel a thought rise in their minds.

"No, after tonight, there will be no more main house at all."

The two of them silently concluded.

"Come out."

After storing away the seven pairs of Byakugan, Tanaka spoke, as if addressing the air itself.

Whoosh!

Under the night sky, figures flickered like ghosts, swiftly approaching from afar. One by one, they knelt on one knee before Tanaka.

Hyūga Homon.

Hyūga Tetsu.

Hyūga Iroha.

Hyūga Tokuma.

All four had the Caged Bird imprinted on their foreheads.

Among the Hyūga branch house, they were not necessarily the strongest. But they were undoubtedly the most talented and had the greatest potential among their generation.

In Hizashi's view, they were the most suitable candidates to become the foundation of Tanaka's future faction.

"So this… is Tanaka-sama's power?"

"Even more terrifying than what Hizashi-sama described!"

Using their Byakugan, they had witnessed firsthand how effortlessly Tanaka slaughtered the main house jonin, as if they were mere chickens. Facing this fellow branch house member, they felt no trace of contempt or negligence—only deep-seated reverence and awe.

Although Hizashi had explained the night's plan to them beforehand, hearing about it was one thing. Seeing it with their own eyes was another entirely.

The overwhelming display of power shook them to their cores.

They now regarded Tanaka as an almost divine existence.

Just as Hizashi did—seeing Tanaka as the savior sent by fate to free the branch house from oppression.

With his back turned to the four kneeling figures, Tanaka activated his Byakugan and ROOM, fully taking in the sight of the Caged Bird Seals on their foreheads.

He knew exactly why Hizashi had singled out these four from the hundreds of branch house members.

Firstly, they were of similar age to him.

Secondly, they were highly talented.

Thirdly, it was to help establish his authority, to build his own faction and solidify his position.

And so, he swung his blade in a reverse grip.

Crack!

The four all suddenly felt their field of vision expand slightly to a full 360 degrees, and the power of their Byakugan surged in an instant.

"The Caged Bird… it's been severed!"

Upon witnessing the changes in their own bodies, the four of them were shaken to their core. They exchanged glances and saw the same emotions reflected in each other's Byakugan—shock, reverence, and deep gratitude.

If witnessing Tanaka effortlessly slice seven main house jonin in half had instilled awe and worship in their hearts, then seeing him break the Caged Bird with a mere gesture filled them with overwhelming gratitude.

After all, nothing could make a branch house member more grateful than being freed from the Caged Bird.

Any branch house member who had endured the seal's restraints and the agony of its backlash would have only one greatest dream—to be rid of the Caged Bird forever.

"Will you fight for me?"

Tanaka got straight to the point, wasting no time on elaborate speeches or appeals to the broader cause of the branch house. He asked them directly.

"We pledge our lives to Tanaka-sama!"

Having just witnessed both his power and mercy, Homon and the others did not hesitate for even a moment before kneeling in allegiance.

They were not fools.

From the clan leader to the elders, down to the main house jonin—every single one had been slaughtered by Tanaka.

After tonight, there would be no more main house.

After tonight, the one who ruled the Hyūga clan would not be Hizashi.

It would be the boy standing before them.

"Before dawn, send the main house on their way."

Tanaka placed an Akimichi military ration pill into his mouth and bit down lightly.

The main house's jonin had already been annihilated.

There was no longer any need to masquerade under the name of Hiashi to lure the main house into a trap.

All that remained was to swing the executioner's blade and send the remaining main house members to their graves.

"Understood!"

Whether it was the branch house leader, Hizashi, or the others, every one of their Byakugan, veins bulging, gleamed with a killing intent so fierce it seemed to pierce the darkness of night.

Whoosh!

Tanaka took the lead, Hizashi and jonin followed closely behind.

Like silent reapers, they infiltrated the residences of the main house members, delivering the "gift" of death to one after another.

Hiashi had his mind and body swapped—turned into a mere dog.

The main house elders were slaughtered without exception.

Not a single main house jonin was left alive.

The main house, already few in number and lacking in battle strength, stood no chance—especially when all their patrolling guards, branch house members, had simultaneously chosen to "turn a blind eye" for the night.

Against the overwhelming force led by Tanaka, the remaining main house members—whether special jonin or chunin—were all slain in their sleep.

One slash, and they were split in two.

Then, before their bodies even hit the ground, Hizashi and the others swarmed in, finishing them off with Gentle Fist strikes.

Time ticked away, and the slaughter continued without pause.

By the time dawn arrived and the first light of the shinobi world tore through the darkness, every main house residence was drenched in blood.

Corpses lay strewn across the ground.

The entire main house had been exterminated.

The depth of the branch house's hatred… was now clear for all to see.

This was how long suppression could turn people into monsters.