Chapter 11


    Hiashi needed more courage to sacrifice himself, especially when Neji still needed him alive to lure more members of the Hyuga n. With this crucial captive, even with the Caged Bird Seal, Neji''s efficiency in hunting would significantly increase, and the risk of exposure would increase, making his n to eradicate the n seem distant and achievable.


    Thus, even if Hiashi wanted to die, Neji wouldn''t let him go. The hinge mechanism from the Torture Department was designed from the start to leave no room for prisoners tomit suicide. After sealing the chakra points, even a Kage-level strongman could only die with regret.


    However, while Hiashi didn''t care about his own life, he did care about others.


    From the moment he handed over information about some elders not in Konoha in exchange for his daughter Hinata, he lost any capital to continue resisting in front of Neji.


    Retreat a step, then retreat every step; in the days leading up to Neji''s defection from Konoha, he squeezed Hiashi dry, blood and bone together, which was the fate the Hyuga n leader had to face.


    For instance, right now, everyone knows the eye exchange between him and his daughter Hinata was just a pretext Neji used to extort him. If it weren''t this, it would be something else. But Hiashi couldn''t argue; his backbone was broken. He could only let Neji take whatever he wanted, hoping he might show some mercy to his daughter, Hinata.


    Hinata walked in with small steps, buried her face in Neji''s arms, and then peeked through the gap at the disheveled man at the desk.


    "Don''t you recognize him?" Neji didn''t react for a moment.


    "My father was sitting there before, he told me many things, told me to endure the pain, I did… and then… my father disappeared!" Hinata didn''t continue, but her meaning was clear.Hiashi watched Hinata run towards Neji, the culprit behind everything, feeling immense bitterness.


    After Hinata exchanged one of her eyes and saw through the illusion, she immediately ran away from him.


    She couldn''t connect the elegant father in the illusion with reality. By this time, Neji had tortured Hiashi beyond recognition, so not recognizing him was understandable.


    Moreover, not recognizing him was fine, as long as she remembered what he told her before the eye exchange—to dig out her mother''s corpse and ce it in a prominent position in the courtyard, even if she couldn''t escape the illusion.


    However, looking at his daughter snuggling in the enemy''s arms, he shook his head.


    Hiashi knew his daughter had been living poorly within the n recently. No one cooked for or bathed her, and she was suffering—an unprecedented disaster for ady who had been pampered since childhood and was as pure as a nk sheet of paper.


    Maybe because of this, her spiritual sense remained longer in the illusion than others, so Hiashi chose her over other members like Hanabi.


    But hisst effort to save the n failed in an unexpected ce.


    Hinata, the eldest daughter of the leading family, ultimately had no talent or ability…


    After a long silence, Hiashi sighed.


    s.


    After all, she was of the leading family bloodline, talentless or not. There was no need to talk about revenge. She could live a peaceful life. The Hyuga n would have a chance to prosper again in the future.


    Hiashi looked directly at Neji. This time, he didn''t resist anymore, didn''t utter a harsh word, and simply admitted defeat.


    Since you want ransom money, I''ll give it all to you.


    "On the left wall of my study, there is a secret room. To prevent Byakugan from detecting it, the secret room needs a summoning seal, the sequence is Tiger, Ox, Boar… Inside, there are threepartments, and a lot of gold and silver, you can take them all."


    Unlike the shops and forests, which were public property of the Hyuga n, the treasure in the secret room was the private wealth of the n leader''s line. As a rogue ninja, Neji needed such a windfall; he couldn''t afford to be penniless, or he''d have to resort to constant robbery, which was too low-level and unsustainable.


    "Alright." Neji nodded indifferently, signaling him to continue.


    "In the secondpartment are some summoning scrolls containing many ninja tools and emergency supplies."


    These should be the resources left for survivors in a n extinction crisis.


    Unfortunately, the Hyuga ancestors who prepared beforehand couldn''t have foreseen that the most significant crisis woulde from within the n…


    Nejizily said:


    "These things aren''t enough to spare her life."


    Hinata, for the first time, showed hesitation.


    She could hear the conversation between the two, sensing something was off.


    What is Brother Neji talking about?


    What things?


    Whose life is being exchanged?


    "I know, don''t worry."


    Hiashi paused, looked at Neji meaningfully, then calmly said:


    "In the thirdpartment… there are over a dozen Byakugan passed down by Hyuga ancestors."


    Hmm?


    Neji''s eyes widened.


    The branch family''s Byakugan would be destroyed the moment the owner died, meaning those Byakugan were all passed down by deceased prominent family members…


    Over a dozen of them!!


    Your n leader''s line had such reserves?!


    How could I have progressed so slowly if I had known earlier?


    "You knew I was collecting Byakugan, why didn''t you give them up sooner?" Neji gritted his teeth. If he hadn''te back by chance, wouldn''t all those Byakugan essences have remained buried underground?！


    At this thought, Neji felt incredibly fortunate.


    Hiashi, this man still had potential, but you only know his limits once you push him.


    "I don''t know what you n to do with so many Byakugan, but now that I told you, can you spare a few lives?" Hiashi said, a hint of pleading in his eyes.


    Neji thought that a dozen high-purity central family Byakugan, even with the loss of life force from being stored too long, should provide him with at least arge portion of Byakugan essence. Next week''s n annihtion n doesn''t need to wipe out the remaining Hyuga memberspletely.


    ——No.


    Just as the thought of mercy arose, Nejipletely suppressed it.


    Since the decision was made, it had to be thorough!


    Bing a rogue ninja meant he might never return to Konoha!


    Now, with so many Byakugan essences within reach, he had to consider this might be his only chance in life.


    Neji had a faint hunch, and even if his eyes advanced to the final stage, the Byakugan essences would still be beneficial.


    "I can spare her." Neji patted Hinata''s head.


    Thetter still needed rification.


    Hiashi nodded. This answer didn''t surprise him.


    Greedy was the Neji he knew these days.