After taking over the snake uncle's foundation, Sasuke came to surrender on his own initiative.

Chapter 260 Breaking the Delusion

The meridian training grounds of Otogakure were paved with a golden Bagua formation. Neji knelt on one knee, his Byakugan slowly rotating beneath his eyes. Golden chakra flowed through his fingertips, drawing fine meridian lines across the pattern. But every time he attempted to inject chakra into the "acupuncture point" at the center of the pattern, the "caged bird" seal on his forehead would suddenly heat up, and his chakra would instantly become disordered. This was the fifth day he had been stuck at the bottleneck of "Byakugan Meridian Control." It was also the day he was closest to achieving the "True Seeing Secret Technique" that Otogaku had spoken of, yet also the day he was furthest away.

"Your chakra is afraid of the seal." Yin Zhu's voice came from the edge of the formation. His black windbreaker swept across the patterns on the ground. In his hand, he held a "meridian crystal" with a light blue glow. The crystal's interior clearly reflected the meridians of the human body, even the tiniest capillaries were visible. "The 'bird in a cage' doesn't lock up your chakra, it locks up your 'heart.'"

Neji looked up suddenly, his eyes flashing with a hint of urgency: "I'm not afraid!" He concentrated his chakra again, and the golden light on his fingertips became more dazzling. But as soon as he touched the acupuncture point, the burning pain of the curse seal came again, and the chakra dissipated instantly like a balloon punctured by a needle. "I just... can't control it well."

Yin Zhu walked up to him and handed him the meridian crystal. "Take it." His fingertips gently placed on Neji's forehead, and gentle chakra seeped into the curse seal, instantly dimming the lavender color. "The system has analyzed the principle of 'Bird in a Cage'—its power comes from your acceptance of 'the fate of the branch family.' The more you feel you 'deserve to be bound,' the stronger it becomes. Conversely, if you consider it 'part of your power,' it will serve you well."

Neji gripped the meridian crystal, its coolness spreading through his palm, gradually calming his restless chakra. He gazed at the meridian map within the crystal and suddenly remembered what his father had said when he was a child teaching him Baguazhang: "The power of the Byakugan is to see through everything, and even more so, through yourself." He hadn't understood it then, but only now, when the crystal reflected the curse seal beneath his eyes, did he understand—what he had been fighting wasn't the curse seal, but the "resigned" self.

"Try to 'look' at the seal with your Byakugan." Yin Zhu's voice was instructive. "Don't look at the patterns, look at the chakra flow. It's connected to your meridians, just like... crystals in a mineral vein are connected to the energy of the earth."

Neji closed his eyes, his Byakugan's perception fully unleashed. This time, he didn't avoid the seal's chakra, but actively channeled his own into it. The lavender energy of the seal, like a frightened snake, darted through his meridians, only to gradually calm down upon contact with his gentle chakra. His Byakugan clearly saw that the seal's chakra and his meridians were inextricably linked, like crystal and the earth.

"That's it." Yin Zhu's voice was encouraging. "Now, use your chakra to guide the seal energy and inject it into the meridian crystal."

Neji took a deep breath, fused the energy of the curse seal with his own chakra, and poured it into the crystal through his palm. The crystal instantly erupted with dazzling light, and the meridian map within suddenly came alive, with countless golden points of light flowing through the meridians, resembling the chakra within his body. On Yinzhu's system panel, the message "Ningji's curse seal fusion degree 75%, Byakugan resolution increased to 88%" flashed.

"This is the foundation of 'Eight Trigrams? True Vision to Break Illusions.'" Yin Zhu lightly tapped the crystal with his fingertips, and golden dots of light instantly condensed into an Eight Trigrams formation. "Your Byakugan can see through meridians, but it can't see through 'disguised chakra'—such as Zetsu's clones, Pain's puppets, and Orochimaru's cursed seals. This secret technique, however, allows you to see beyond appearances and see the most essential chakra flow."

Neji's eyes lit up instantly. He remembered the last time he fought Zetsu's clone, how his chakra blended perfectly with the surrounding environment. If it weren't for Karin's sensory network warning him, he would have been ambushed. He also remembered Pain Tendou's Shinra Tensei, how it was repulsive on the surface, but hidden within was Nagato's chakra. His Byakugan could only see the repulsive force, not the source of the chakra.

"I want to learn!" Neji's voice was firm, and the chakra in his palms gathered again, "No matter how long it takes, I will learn it!"

Yin Zhu smiled and handed the crystal back to him. "It won't take long, as long as you can fully accept the curse seal and let it become the 'eyes' of your Byakugan." He turned and walked to the other side of the training ground, where dozens of scarecrows were placed. Each scarecrow was covered with a different chakra disguise - some carried Zetsu's clone chakra, some carried Pein's puppet chakra, and some carried Orochimaru's curse seal energy. "Now, use the fusion chakra you just learned to see through their disguises."

Neji gripped the crystal tightly and stepped in front of the scarecrow. His Byakugan opened again, this time actively channeling the energy of his curse seal into it. A lavender glow intertwined with the golden Byakugan, creating a unique vision. The chakra disguise that had previously blended in with the environment was instantly revealed by him—Zetu's clone's chakra contained a black devouring energy, Pain's puppet's chakra bore the mark of Nagato's black rod, and Orochimaru's curse seal energy carried a chilling, serpentine pattern.

"Got it!" Neji's fingertips concentrated chakra and precisely tapped each scarecrow's "vulnerability"—Zetu's clone's chakra vulnerability was in the chest, Pain's puppet's chakra vulnerability was at the black rod's connector on its back, and Orochimaru's curse seal's vulnerability was in the head. As each scarecrow was struck, its chakra disguise instantly dissipated, revealing its true form of straw.

Yin Zhu's eyes were full of relief: "Very good, next, let's conduct a combat simulation." He raised his hand and snapped his fingers, and the wall of the training ground suddenly cracked. Dozens of kunai with disguised chakra shot towards Neji - some kunai carried Zetsu's clone chakra, some carried Pain's puppet chakra, and some carried Orochimaru's curse seal energy.

Neji's Byakugan instantly locked onto all the kunai, the energy of the curse seal blending perfectly with the Byakugan. He could clearly see the chakra flaws in each kunai, his body weaving through them like the wind, his Baguazhang palm strikes hitting the kunai's flaws precisely, instantly losing their disguise and falling to the ground.

"It's not over yet!" Yin Zhu's figure suddenly disappeared, and appeared behind Neji the next second, with a disguised chakra condensed in his palm - this was the "Nagato Chakra" he simulated using the system. On the surface, it was an ordinary water escape technique, but inside it was the repulsive force of Shinra Tensei.

Neji's Byakugan instantly saw through the disguise. He didn't turn around, but instead channeled all his curse seal energy into his back, simultaneously concentrating his chakra. "Eight Trigrams? Empty Palm!" A golden palm wind, laced with lavender curse seal energy, slapped behind him. Ototsuki's chakra disguise was instantly shattered, and Shinra Tensei's repulsive force was neutralized by the palm wind before it could even unleash.

"Perfect!" Ototake's voice was filled with admiration. He looked at Neji with recognition in his eyes. "You did it, Neji. Not only did you learn the secret technique, but more importantly, you accepted your past, accepted the curse seal, and made it your strength."

Neji stood there, his chest rising and falling slightly. The curse seal on his forehead no longer burned, instead carrying a gentle chakra that resonated perfectly with his Byakugan. He stared at his palm, golden chakra shimmering with a lavender glow. It was a scene he had never dared to imagine before—the curse seal was no longer a mark of shame, but the "eye" of his Byakugan, a part of his power.

"Thank you, Lord Ototake." Neji's voice was filled with gratitude, and he bowed deeply. "If it weren't for you, I might never have been able to break free from my shackles."

Yin Zhu stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "No need to thank me. It was you who took that step." On his system panel, the message [Ningji's Curse Seal Fusion 100%, Byakugan Secret Technique "Eight Trigrams? True Vision Breaking Delusion" Unlocked Successfully, Bond Value +25%] flashed. "Remember, your fate isn't determined by the 'bird in a cage,' it's determined by you. Your Byakugan is not only the pride of the Hyuga clan, but also the guardian of Otogakure."

Neji nodded, clenching the meridian crystal in his hand. He knew this wasn't the end, but a new beginning. His Byakugan had gained new strength, and his destiny took a new direction. He was no longer the Hyuga branch, bound in a cage, but the Neji of Sound Village, a strong man who could protect his companions and see through all disguises.

The setting sun from the training grounds streamed in through the windows, casting a long shadow on the two men. As Neji watched Ototake's back, he suddenly felt that meeting Ototake and joining the Otogakure Village was the greatest fortune of his life. Here, he had mentors willing to guide him, companions fighting alongside him, the power to transcend his destiny, and a "home" that truly accepted him.

"Lord Ototake," Neji suddenly spoke, his eyes filled with determination, "From now on, no matter what enemy we encounter, no matter how much disguise they have, I will use these Byakugan to see through all dangers for everyone and protect every inch of Otogakure!"

Yin Zhu turned around, smiled and nodded: "I believe you."

The two walked out of the training grounds side by side, the setting sun stretching their shadows long, like a solid barrier. Neji's Byakugan occasionally flickered with a lavender glow, evidence of the fusion of the Curse Seal's energy and his Byakugan, a medal of transcendence. He knew the road ahead was long, with stronger enemies and more complex disguises, but he was no longer afraid—for he had Ototake's guidance, the support of his companions, his all-seeing Byakugan, and a heart unfettered by fate.

The lights of Otogakure gradually brightened, and the laughter of his companions drifted in the distance—Sasuke practicing with his sword in the training grounds, Kimimaro sharpening his bone blade, Karin preparing a healing potion, Haku and Zabuza sorting their ninja tools, and Guren and the Minotaur polishing their crystals. Neji watched all this, a gentle smile playing on his face. He knew that what he protected wasn't just the land of Otogakure, but these companions, this home.

Yin Zhu looked at Ningci beside him with his eyes full of satisfaction.