054 The Collapse of the Time Difference

The newcomer was Hiashi Hyuga, the younger brother of Hiashi Hyuga, the clan leader of the Hyuga family. His strength was formidable, standing out even among the ranks of elite jonin, and during this war, his mastery of Gentle Fist had shone with remarkable brilliance.

Unfortunately, he belonged to the Branch Family. Perhaps because he stood at the very pinnacle of the Branch Family, just half a step away from the Main Family’s status, Hiashi inevitably harbored many thoughts. He usually wore a troubled expression, his demeanor uncannily similar to Fugaku before the war with the Cloud Village—a face etched with the same deep, bitter resentment.

Yet, compared to Fugaku, Hiashi's situation was even more hopeless. Branded with the "Caged Bird" seal, he had no possibility of rising any higher. Of course, none of this concerned Orochimaru. All he knew was that with the Caged Bird seal in place, Hiashi’s value for experimentation was little more than that of an ordinary jonin; there was no need for special consideration.

At this moment, Orochimaru was waiting for the Djinn’s answer and had no time to deal with such people. Before Hiashi could even speak, Orochimaru’s face had already turned cold. "What is it you want?"

Hiashi looked uneasy, but to Orochimaru’s surprise, he did not back down. After a slight bow, he spoke directly, as if oblivious to Orochimaru’s displeasure. In fact, Hiashi truly didn't notice—his focus was elsewhere, and given Orochimaru’s usual mercurial moods, this shift from indifferent to icy made little difference to him.

"Lord Orochimaru, I overheard your conversation with the elders outside the medical ward..."

Hiashi took a deep breath, suppressing the eagerness in his eyes, and asked tentatively, "The physical enhancement surgery you mentioned—would it also be effective for the Hyuga clan?"

Orochimaru was momentarily taken aback. Then, a thought crossed his mind, and his gaze grew more intrigued. "Of course it would have an effect. Do you wish to undergo it?"

Hiashi nodded. He did indeed want it. During the war with the Cloud Village, he had witnessed Orochimaru display the overwhelming might of a tailed beast in human form. While he was shocked, his desire grew even stronger.

Hiashi had often wondered: If he possessed such power, would the Main Family still dare to humiliate him so casually?

He wasn’t certain of the answer, but at the very least, they would probably become more cautious.

The physical enhancement surgery—just money in exchange for strength—naturally filled Hiashi with anticipation.

Now, having received the answer he hoped for, the fervor in his eyes burned even brighter. But Orochimaru’s next words made his heart sink.

"The surgery would indeed be effective for you, but I cannot perform it for you."

"Why not?" Hiashi blurted out. He didn’t believe it was because Orochimaru feared the elders’ objections. Orochimaru’s reputation was well known; most of Konoha’s shinobi believed he would conduct human experiments in secret.

"Let’s not mention that thirty-five million ryo is an enormous sum—how would you come up with it? Nor the trouble I’d face if the surgery failed..."

Orochimaru looked at Hiashi with a meaningful expression. "Say you succeed and become even stronger—then what? Do you really think the Main Family of Hyuga would let things go your way? No, they’d only see their status as threatened."

"Influence and intimidation are the tools of the wise, but Hiashi, do you consider your clan’s elders wise?"

Hiashi’s face went pale, his body trembling, as though his chest had taken a heavy blow.

"You see? You know the answer yourself. Giving you the enhancement surgery would only worsen the rift between the Main and Branch Families."

Orochimaru smiled. "That won’t do. More than a little money, what I need now is a peaceful Konoha."

Hiashi was stunned upon hearing this. His expression went blank, his spirit broken, like an eggplant struck by frost.

"So that’s how it is..." he murmured.

It wasn’t the risk of surgery, nor simply the trouble of failure; just the need for stability in the village was enough to deny him the chance.

Orochimaru’s merciless, almost frank words forced Hiashi to confront the reality he’d subconsciously been avoiding. Beyond the Caged Bird seal and the Main Family, the obstacle he needed to overcome was the village’s willingness to tolerate the Main Family’s dominance.

Hiashi suddenly understood: unless he possessed a means to completely counter the Main Family without inciting turmoil, the village would always stand with the Main Family.

It wasn’t about justice—just about maintaining order.

Hiashi’s eyes grew hollow and numb, his expression slowly collapsing. There is no greater sorrow than a heart that has died; that described him perfectly at this moment.

Orochimaru, however, was quite satisfied with Hiashi’s expression. After scrutinizing him, he asked in thought,

"Is this enough? In his current state, can he repay my debt?"

"Of course," the Djinn replied with a faint smile. "As I mentioned before, 'a wish can only be balanced by another wish.' To offset the price of your wish, you must, in turn, fulfill a wish I accept."

Orochimaru’s mind raced. "That doesn’t seem so difficult."

With his abilities, even a hundred or a thousand wishes wouldn’t be troublesome. For example, Shisui’s wish to regain his sight, or Susuke Uchiha’s wish to become stronger—there were so many he could grant.

His thoughts became lively.

"You’re oversimplifying things. Not every thought can be judged as a wish by the Djinn."

The Djinn glanced sidelong at Orochimaru, sneering, "Like pearls and oysters—without endless nights of tossing and turning, a grain of sand remains just a stone. A stray thought cannot become a wish as precious as a pearl."

"Do you think everyone in this world is like you?"

Praised by the Djinn, Orochimaru grew solemn, now understanding that a wish had its own standards.

"Hiashi’s wish qualifies for judgment, but even if a wish is valid, its difficulty must also be considered."

The Djinn gestured toward Hiashi, who now stood wooden and spiritless. "What do you think his wish is?"

Orochimaru paused, then heard the Djinn continue,

"He wants the surgery, he wants greater strength, he wants to be free of the Main Family’s humiliation..."

"But these are just the surface. Hiashi is an interesting one—his deepest wish is for the Main and Branch Families of Hyuga to coexist as equals, like other clans."

"Is that a wish you can fulfill?"

Orochimaru frowned. If it were only Hiashi, he had several ways. But if it was the entire Branch Family...

The needs of the many are a hundred times more difficult than those of the few.

Moreover, in his eyes, Hiashi’s wish was nearly impossible to realize.

"It seems you understand," the Djinn remarked lightly. "The Caged Bird seal is the foundation of the Main Family’s control over the Branch Family, the root of their inequality. But can it be abolished?"

"Without the Caged Bird, the Branch Family would become a thousand walking bloodline thieves."

"Not only would the Main Family object, but even the Branch Family, for the sake of safety, would not agree."

"In the face of life and death, what does a little dignity matter?"

"In the Hyuga food chain, the roles of eater and eaten are firmly set, both sides consenting—there is no space for equality."