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"No, Grandfather."

After falling silent for a moment, Kiyomi looked up and said to Souya.

Seeing not a shred of falsehood in those pure, jade-white pupils, Souya felt the weight that had long hung in his chest finally drop.

Souya had seen Kiyomi constantly pushing herself in her training, and he had assumed she still could not let go of that incident, which had left him secretly worried. On top of that, the events that transpired in the Hokage’s Office earlier today had reached his ears, making his concern grow even deeper.

It was possible that the centuries-old conflict between the Main Family and Branch Family had triggered Kiyomi’s memories of Mirai. This was a taboo subject within the Hyūga Clan, yet among all its members, Kiyomi was the only one who brought it up from time to time.

Fortunately, under her administration, the Branch Family’s hearts had been twisted into a single rope. She led the charge on the battlefield, meted out rewards and punishments fairly in peacetime, and maintained a clear sense of duty. She never used her Main Family status to oppress the Branch Family, and she forbade her personal guards from mistreating branch members of more distant relations.

Ever since he passed the position of Fourth Elder down to Kiyomi, Souya had kept a close eye on her. She had reached her current standing not through the intimidation of the Caged Bird Seal, but through the responsibility and dignity of a true parental figure.

The branch members of their lineage spontaneously rallied behind Kiyomi. Cohesion—a word that had long been absent from the Hyūga Clan—was something Souya now witnessed in his granddaughter.

"Kiyomi, I know you possess this talent. Perhaps I should have trusted you from the start. This is all my fault," Souya said with a touch of self-reproach. If he had chosen to trust Kiyomi a little earlier, perhaps the Hyūga Clan wouldn’t have embarrassed themselves quite like this today.

"Grandfather, this has nothing to do with you."

Kiyomi spoke in a decisive tone. She had never pinned today’s events on any single individual; perhaps her grandfather had handled a few things suboptimally, but it could by no means be called solely his fault.

"The fault lies with the entire Hyūga Clan. Grandfather, the Caged Bird must return to its true purpose. Aside from protecting the Byakugan, the Caged Bird has no other use. Nor should the Main Family rely on the Curse Mark to drive the Branch Family; instead, we must become the guides of the Hyūga Clan, leading them toward a better future."

"Grandfather, if things continue down this path, the Hyūga Clan will not be destroyed by external enemies; we will perish at the hands of our own people."

Kiyomi stated this with absolute conviction. If the conflict between the Main and Branch Families was not resolved, ruin would eventually claim them all.

*.*Kiyomi, I am old, but I have poured all my hopes into you."

Souya spoke slowly, pulling a yellowed, aged booklet from his sleeve. He placed it on the table and pushed it across toward Kiyomi.

"Do it. Change the Hyūga Clan according to the vision in your heart. No matter what happens, Grandfather will always support you."

"Thank you, Grandfather, but this is…" Kiyomi picked up the scroll with a measure of doubt. Judging by its appearance, it had to be centuries old. Where on earth had her grandfather managed to unearth this?

Souya smiled and replied, "This is a method to make you stronger."

Picking up the booklet, Kiyomi opened it and began scanning the contents. The text was brief, and it took her only a moment to read through the whole thing.

The contents appeared to be casual notes jotted down by some unknown ancestor. Because the Hyūga Clan placed great emphasis on passing down records, it had been preserved. Yet too much time had passed, leaving behind nothing more than this single volume.

Yet within these pages lay something almost impossible for Kiyomi to believe. During a battle, this particular ancestor had his Byakugan severely injured by an enemy, but through the medical treatment of his family, he successfully had them replaced with a brand-new pair of Byakugan. Following that, his strength increased dramatically, allowing him to slay the enemy who had blinded him on the battlefield a few years later.

The incident was simply jotted down as a matter of fact. Anyone else reading it would likely dismiss it as the idle boasting of some ancestor, for the booklet described the eye transplant in only a few brief sentences, focusing mostly on his subsequent acts of vengeance and slaughtering foes after the procedure.

Only Souya, desperately wishing to aid his granddaughter, had painstakingly searched the archives for any such accounts. If they hadn’t cleared out this book while relocating the clan grounds a short while ago, even he would have struggled to find this method.

"This is the truth, Kiyomi. The Hyūga Clan understands the Byakugan more deeply than anyone, and the Caged Bird was developed precisely because of this. After learning of this method, I investigated through numerous channels to confirm its validity."

Souya smiled softly, a deep sense of joy filling his heart at the thought of being able to help his granddaughter.

"The strength of the Hyūga Clan stems from the Byakugan, yet it is also restrained by it. If one can develop the power of the Byakugan to an ultimate peak, personal strength will naturally advance alongside that evolution. That was true for the Main Family ancestor who obtained the power of Tenji a hundred years ago. Therefore, Kiyomi, if you wish to elevate your own strength, you must elevate your Byakugan."

"Grandfather, the Hyūga Clan’s Byakugan simply doesn’t…"

Before Kiyomi could finish, she realized what her grandfather was implying.

"No, I cannot agree to this."

"Do not refuse me, Kiyomi. Just as you said today, without power, you can accomplish nothing. Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha certainly did not pacify the warring states with mere ideals; that is something you must always remember," Souya said in a deep, resolute voice.

"I am old and no longer need to fight. It is far better for you to take these eyes. From now on, it will be enough for me to simply help you handle affairs within the clan, Kiyomi."

Souya’s tone left virtually no room for argument. To reach this point, he had gathered a mountain of data, all to ensure the absolute viability of the procedure.

He had once believed his granddaughter would simply be the most brilliant successor of the Main Family. Now, however, it seemed Kiyomi was destined to be the reformer of the entire Hyūga Clan.

Because of this, Souya had already resolved to gift away his own power.

The death of Hizashi Hyuga was like a pebble tossed into the vast sea, kicking up a negligible ripple before being swiftly swallowed by other waves.

Aside from Neji, no one else would hold the matter in their hearts.

To commemorate the arrival of peace, Konoha hosted a grand festival immediately after signing the Peace Accord. Just as it had been over the past few days, aside from the Hyūga Clan, virtually every ninja and civilian participated in the grand celebration.

To celebrate the occasion, many merchants brought out a wave of new products developed by the Uzumaki Company.

Game consoles, LCD TVs, handheld computers, and more filled the market. Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo were completely powerless to stop it, as the ones selling these items weren’t the Uzumaki Company itself, but numerous other nobles within the Land of Fire.

The Hundred Herbs Company similarly rolled out a vast array of health and wellness pharmaceuticals, pushing aggressive sales across both the Land of Fire and Konoha. In a ninja world where the average life expectancy hovered only around twenty or thirty years, products capable of promoting health and extending lifespan sparked an immediate, frantic rush the moment they appeared.

Through several years of development, the Hundred Herbs Company had cultivated a sterling reputation that echoed not just within the Land of Fire, but across the entire ninja world. The medicines under its banner had saved countless lives, and their quality and fame had been thoroughly tested by time.

Consequently, virtually no one doubted the new pharmaceuticals developed by the Hundred Herbs Company. Within Konoha, numerous ninjas and civilian families who learned of the company’s health tonics willingly shelled out money to purchase them for their children or aging relatives.

Whether they had raked in massive bounties during the war or received a generous pension, their purchasing power was naturally beyond question.

Rōran.

Having completed a full day of memory infusion, Hyuga Mirai successfully loaded the third scientist template.

Opening his eyes, he first checked the time to confirm that the memory reception duration matched the previous two instances, then began organizing the influx of information in his mind.

Space folding. Laser weapons. Androids.

Second chapter today. Might I ask for some votes?