Chapter 314: The Tenseigan
There's another, more malicious interpretation.
It's that the ancestors of the Hyuga clan always knew how the Tenseigan could be awakened, but since they had lost the pure Otsutsuki chakra, the only way left was to collect a large number of Byakugan.
The members of the Hyuga branch family who bore the Caged Bird Seal were essentially chosen as prey. The power of life and death, along with the control of the Byakugan, rested solely in the hands of the clan head.
Once the conditions were met and enough Byakugan gathered, the head would take all the sealed eyes at once to complete the transformation into the Tenseigan.
But as time passed, the original ancestor might have died or faced an accident, causing later generations to only see the Caged Bird Seal as a means of controlling the branch family and ensuring the supremacy of the main house, completely forgetting about the Tenseigan.
Regardless of which interpretation is true, the fact remains that since the time of Otsutsuki Hamura, no one from the Hyuga clan had ever awakened the Tenseigan.
Therefore, the Hyuga clan itself had forgotten that their Byakugan had the potential to evolve into the Tenseigan.
Originally, the reason the Byakugan could stand alongside the Sharingan was because it was far easier to awaken and master than the Sharingan. Fully developed Byakugan may not have as many abilities as the three-tomoe Sharingan, but each had its own strengths—Byakugan for perception and chakra point visualization, and Sharingan for dynamic vision and illusion enhancement.
It wasn't until the appearance of the Mangekyo and Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan that the Byakugan seemed inferior. Yet, if it was just a comparison between the three-tomoe Sharingan and the fully awakened Byakugan, they would still be relatively equal in terms of advantages and disadvantages.
The Tenseigan, however, was a different matter entirely. It could rival the Rinnegan, and its abilities were beyond what anyone in the current world knew. Even Tonari found himself deeply curious about its powers.
Still, rationality told him that allowing the Tenseigan to fully awaken would be a huge threat, especially if controlled by the pure Otsutsuki chakra. It would unleash unimaginable destructive power.
Tonari's body flickered as he arrived at the entrance of the Hyuga main estate. What used to be a majestic compound was now a mess of shattered walls and debris, with smoke rising from a large crater.
Above the estate, puppet-like figures were flying on grotesque bird-shaped puppets, hurling glowing yellow energy balls at the estate, causing more destruction.
Two figures on the ground fought desperately: Hyuga Hiashi, the current clan head, and his brother Hyuga Hizashi, head of the branch family. Despite their combined efforts, the onslaught of puppet enemies seemed endless.
Tonari observed them calmly, noting that despite their fatigue and disheveled appearance, the brothers still stood their ground, deflecting attacks with their Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation.
Seeing that Hiashi was still safe, Tonari relaxed slightly, though he couldn't help but feel a trace of disappointment at not witnessing the Tenseigan himself.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Boom!
Massive trees burst from the ground, their roots sweeping away the invading puppets with overwhelming force. Only the airborne puppets, hovering high enough to evade the onslaught, remained intact.
"Wood Release! It's the Hokage!"
Hiashi and Hizashi's faces lit up with relief as they bowed to Tonari.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
Tonari waved his hand dismissively.
"No need for formalities. Are you both alright?"
Hiashi stepped forward, his face solemn.
"Hokage-sama, please save my father."
Tonari's expression darkened.
"You mean... your father was captured?"
Hiashi nodded, his face filled with regret.
"Yes, a group of unidentified puppets took him. My father has been in poor health since stepping down as clan head, and his combat prowess has significantly declined."
Tonari's eyes narrowed.
"Where are they now?"
Hiashi pointed toward a small hill of puppets in the distance. At the top of the mound stood a distinct puppet, different from the others. It had four arms, each wielding a blade, and bore a headband marked with a crescent moon and sun symbol—a mark associated with the Otsutsuki branch family on the moon.
This puppet was defending a specific area, where clusters of identical-looking puppets were stationed, guarding a single location. Tonari couldn't help but feel a chill at the realization.
"You two handle these remnants. I'll take care of that area."
Tonari leapt toward the puppet leader, who immediately rushed forward to confront him, its four arms swinging with deadly precision.
Tonari effortlessly sidestepped the attack, pressing his palm against the puppet's face.
With a mighty push, he smashed its head into the ground, shattering both the puppet and the earth below.
Boom!
The impact sent cracks spreading like spiderwebs through the ground, dust and debris flying in all directions.
"That was annoying," Tonari muttered, striding forward. The remaining puppets, seeing their leader destroyed, hesitated for a brief moment before resuming their mechanical advance.
Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed over the battlefield. Tonari glanced up to see a towering two-tailed cat—Matatabi, now free from Tonari's body, prowling across the battlefield with blazing blue flames.
Matatabi seemed invigorated, her full power unleashed, smashing puppets to pieces with every swipe of her claws and swish of her tails.
"This power... It's been so long since I felt it fully," Matatabi muttered, relishing her regained strength.
As the puppet forces dwindled, a figure slowly emerged from the center of the guarded area. It was the supposed "River ninja" who had survived the Chunin Exams so far.
He raised his head, revealing his eyes. Gone was the blind appearance—instead, his eyes glowed with a light-blue radiance, the pure white of the Byakugan transitioning into a pale azure hue.
"So... this is the Tenseigan," he murmured, an unsettling smile spreading across his face.
"No... it's not complete yet," he corrected himself, realizing that his eyes had only partially transformed. They were still in the process of evolving.
Tonari's gaze sharpened as he saw the man caressing his new eyes.
"That's not a complete Tenseigan. It's still evolving... But this is bad enough."
The Otsutsuki descendant looked at Tonari, his expression one of disdain.
"You... How do you know about the Tenseigan and the Otsutsuki on the moon?"
Tonari remained calm.
"I know more than you think. But you should know this: I won't let you complete that transformation."
The man's eyes glowed even brighter, his chakra surging.
"You think you can stop me? This power... will change the world!"
Tonari exhaled slowly.
"People like you always believe that power alone shapes destiny... Fine. Let me show you what true power is."
Matatabi roared behind him, her fiery aura intensifying as she prepared to support Tonari.
The Otsutsuki descendant sneered, activating his evolving Tenseigan's power, ready to test his newfound might against the legendary Wood Release and the might of a Tailed Beast.
In that moment, the air around them seemed to warp, as the battle between power and ambition was about to commence.
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