370. The Caged Bird, Released!

That said...

Once the principles of the Caged Bird Seal were understood, breaking it became much easier. The key lay in two main aspects:

1. Ensuring that the chakra released by the Caged Bird Seal would not destroy the host's brain and eyes.

2. Removing the Caged Bird Seal in a short amount of time to prevent it from reforming chakra and harming the host.

While these two points might sound simple, the practical difficulty was immense.

In the shinobi world, microscopic manipulation of chakra had always been a significant challenge.

Accurately preventing the Caged Bird Seal from releasing chakra was an extremely difficult task.

Even if one managed to achieve this, the complexity of the Caged Bird Seal, which had been refined and enhanced over centuries, would leave most people helpless.

After all, over the hundreds of years of the Hyūga clan's history, the Caged Bird Seal had undergone countless improvements.

Its complexity far exceeded anyone's imagination.


Even across the entire shinobi world, it would be nearly impossible to find someone with both the precise chakra control and the extensive knowledge and research experience in seals to dismantle it.

Even Danzō couldn't guarantee success...

Although he was confident in his ability to remove seals, he wasn't certain he could stop the Caged Bird Seal's chakra in an instant.

The seal's proximity to the brain was too close. The slightest hesitation, and the released chakra would immediately shred Hizashi's brain.


Even if his eyes could be saved, it would be meaningless.

Therefore, Danzō needed a safer approach—
If he couldn't guarantee stopping the Caged Bird Seal's chakra in time, was there a way to cut off its source entirely?

This was the safest and most suitable method Danzō had found after countless experiments.

With this in mind, he quickly summoned Hizashi to the operating room.

Looking at the cold, sterile room, Hizashi's emotions were mixed.

On one hand, he feared the possibility of death if the operation failed. On the other hand, he yearned for freedom, to break free from his cage.

However, his resolve soon hardened. Even if he died, it would be more meaningful than living a life of mediocrity, trapped in a cage, only to die in disgrace.

With this determination, he lay down on the cold operating table. Just as he steadied his emotions and prepared to face the peril ahead, Danzō suddenly spoke:

"Hizashi, I will do my utmost to fulfill this promise. But the Caged Bird Seal is a complex, centuries-old curse. The probability of failure is high. Are you sure you want to proceed?"

Danzō's words stirred the calm surface of Hizashi's heart once more.

Several times, he wanted to jump off the table and tell himself that living a humble life was enough.

But every time he thought of the arrogant expressions of the main family and the injustices suffered by the branch family, a fierce anger burned within him.

This anger tempered his heart, forging it into unbreakable steel.

"I'm ready, Lord Danzō!"

"Even if I die, I will die standing!"

"Only a demon who returns from hell can truly claim the right to revenge!"

Seeing Hizashi's unwavering resolve, Danzō nodded with a smile.

"Very well. Relax now. Leave the rest to me."

At Danzō's signal, Shisui, standing nearby, pushed the plunger of a syringe.

The pre-prepared anesthetic quickly flowed into Hizashi's body.

Before he could say anything more, Hizashi's eyes rolled back, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Seeing this, Danzō's fingertips glowed with chakra, which he used like a scalpel to cut through the bandages wrapped around Hizashi's forehead, revealing the green, cage-like mark beneath—
The Caged Bird Seal.

This was the terrible curse that accompanied every branch family member of the Hyūga clan, a shackle they could never escape.

As Danzō gently pressed his finger against the seal, a terrifying suction force erupted from his fingertip.

"Chakra Absorption!"

That's right.

Danzō's method of preventing the Caged Bird Seal from harming the host was to use the Preta Path's ability to absorb all the chakra it released!

As for the Caged Bird Seal continuously drawing chakra from the host to destroy them?

Simple—just ensure the host had no chakra left.

Thus, what was supposed to be a surgery determining the future of the entire Hyūga clan turned into a "tug-of-war" between Danzō and the Caged Bird Seal.

Danzō and the seal were on opposite ends, with Hizashi's chakra as the rope in the middle.

If the Caged Bird Seal won, the chakra would instantly destroy Hizashi's eyes and brain.

If Danzō won, Hizashi would become a chakra-less corpse.

At first glance, neither outcome seemed survivable for Hizashi.

The only advantage of the second outcome was that Hizashi might at least keep his body intact.

For others, both results would be unacceptable.

But Danzō was different. He possessed the legendary power of the Six Paths.

The Hell Path, in particular, was a technique capable of resurrection.

Losing chakra was no issue for Danzō.

Even if the first outcome occurred, Danzō could potentially reconstruct Hizashi's brain and eyes... It would just cost more chakra and life force.

Of course, life force was something to be conserved whenever possible.


With this in mind, Danzō silently increased the intensity of his chakra absorption.

Under the relentless drain of the Preta Path, the Caged Bird Seal, which the Hyūga main family had always prided itself on, couldn't function.

Every time it drew a bit of chakra from the host, it was immediately absorbed by Danzō's ability. It couldn't replenish fast enough!

Thus, the seal could only "watch" as the host's chakra dwindled, and with it, their life force...

Finally, Hizashi's body fell still, entering the countdown to death.


Seizing this opportunity, Danzō's fingertips glowed with black seal script as he began dismantling the Caged Bird Seal on Hizashi's forehead.

With Hizashi's chakra completely drained, the Caged Bird Seal offered no resistance during the process.

A few minutes later, Danzō let out a low shout—

"The Caged Bird, release!"