"I didn't..."
Natsu quickly denied.
Kiyoshi continued, "By wearing a headband, are you pretending that you are no different from the main family?"
His tone was gentle, and even contained a hint of pity.
"But you clearly know that this Caged Bird Curse Seal is your true identity."
"How about this, to express your sincerity, let me see your curse seal."
Kiyoshi didn't like the existence of such a curse seal.
But then again, if he were to implant it on others, it would be different.
That's right, Kiyoshi knew he was being biased.
He didn't claim to be a good person either.
If someone was kind to him, Kiyoshi would repay them.
Kiyoshi couldn't do something like repaying kindness with hatred.
But for those who had no kindness towards him, or even actively discriminated against him, he had no burden at all.
They say the Uchiha are born evil, if he's not a little evil, how can he live up to that saying?
First of all, he has to see what the curse seal looks like in order to break or imitate it.
Natsu's pupils suddenly shrank, she suddenly looked up, looking at him in disbelief.
"This… this won't do."
Her voice tightened, "Can't show it to outsiders…"
"Can't show it to outsiders?"
Kiyoshi repeated in a low voice.
"Are you saying, I'm an outsider?"
Natsu choked. Her lips slightly opened, as if something was stuck in her throat.
She couldn't even say a word of explanation. Perhaps she hadn't expected Kiyoshi to say that.
Kiyoshi didn't urge her. He just patiently watched her, as if admiring her struggling appearance.
His pupil power rippled once again.
At this moment, Natsu was like a helpless little lamb.
After a long time, Kiyoshi slowly said, "It's just looking at the Caged Bird Curse Seal, will you die if you show me?"
Are the branch house members really so generous, willing to sacrifice for the greater good?
Protect the secret of the Byakugan forever?
If that's the case, the Caged Bird Curse Seal should be displayed generously.
This should be a symbol of guardians and heroes.
But in reality, all the branch house menbers cover up the Caged Bird Curse Seal.
When they become ninjas, those with ninjas headbands use them to block it, and those without use ribbons.
Natsu's fingertips trembled. She lowered her head deeply, and her lips pursed until they were white.
"My patience is limited. You don't want this matter to escalate, right? After all, you said you would apologize to me." Kiyoshi said in a faint tone.
One of Kiyoshi's hands rested on Natsu's soft and fragrant shoulder, causing her to instinctively want to retreat.
But Natsu's back was already against the cold stone wall, with no way to retreat.
And Kiyoshi's other hand went to her forehead.
Natsu clenched her clothes tightly, her knuckles turning white.
She knew that she had no choice at all.
After the headband was taken off, a dark curse seal pattern entrenched on her forehead appeared in view.
Kiyoshi's gaze slightly sharpened, carefully observing this pattern.
The curse seal pattern in the manga version and the anime version are different.
The curse seal on Natsu's forehead seems to be the latter version.
Kiyoshi stretched out his hand, his fingertips slowly stroking her forehead.
Natsu's body trembled violently, but she didn't dare to move.
She could only tightly close her eyes, and hold her hands.
"So that's how it is."
Kiyoshi murmured in a low voice, trace of contemplation flashing in his eyes.
He quietly activated the Sharingan, recording all the patterns of this curse seal.
"Alright."
Natsu suddenly opened her eyes, staring blankly at him, her eyes full of humiliation and grievance.
"I have received your sincerity, so what about Ginka's apology and sincerity?" Kiyoshi said with a smile.
"Wa… wasn't this the sincerity just now?" Natsu said in shock.
She had already taken off her headband for Kiyoshi, the curse seal on her forehead was in full view.
But Kiyoshi actually said that it still wasn't enough?
"Your apology now is for your prejudice against the Uchiha by following the crowd. As for Ginka's matter, I didn't say it was over." Kiyoshi shook his head and said.
"Or do you think the Caged Bird Curse Seal is very rare, is it something so valuable that it cannot be seen?"
Kiyoshi lowered his head, lifted a strand of Natsu's dark green hair, and slowly said in her ear.
[Eloquence (White)] was quietly activated.
In the Chunin Exam, Neji had shown the curse seal to everyone in order to prove his point.
Natsu's heart clenched suddenly, the tears in her eyes could no longer be suppressed, and quietly slipped down her cheeks.
But she couldn't say anything anymore.
Kiyoshi didn't look at her again. He turned around and left the cave.
When the night wind blew into the cave, bringing a trace of coldness, his figure disappeared into the darkness, leaving only a vague cry echoing in the cave.
"Natsu?"
Outside the cave, Tetsu vaguely realised that something was wrong.
When he wanted to rush in, he saw Kiyoshi and Natsu walking over one after the other.
"Why did it take so long?"
Kurenai had eaten only half of the grilled fish, but her cheeks were bulging.
"It indeed took a bit long." Kiyoshi said.
The skewer of grilled fish he had prepared in advance was almost cold.
"Natsu, what did you talk about inside?"
Tetsu pulled Hinata Natsu to the side and asked in a low voice.
Natsu's lips trembled, but she couldn't even form a complete sentence.
"No… nothing, a small matter."
Her voice was hoarse.
Tetsu's brows furrowed even tighter, staring at her suspiciously, his eyes filled with worry.
But Natsu lowered her eyes, unwilling to say another word.
The night was dark, her shadow trembled slightly under the bonfire, as if swallowed by the shadows.
…
The next day, the sky was just dawning.
The sound of footsteps came from afar.
"This area is the only place left that hasn't been searched." Terumi Mei said.
Behind her was a team of many ninjas, all of whom were drawn by Terumi Mei.
They are all ninjas who intend to plunder kekkei genkai or get scrolls by fishing in troubled waters.
They have temporarily allied for now.
"Someone's coming."
Kiyoshi opened his eyes and looked in a certain direction.
Beside him was Kurenai, who was keeping watch for him.
"Who?"
"Enemies."
Kiyoshi didn't say much, and stood up.
The appeal of kekkei genkai is quite fatal, which can be seen from the fact that Kumogakure had dared to abduct Kushina.
"I was wondering why we couldn't encounter any Sharingan or Byakugan wielders, so you were all here together." Kaguya Katsuya said slowly.
Kiyoshi raised his eyebrows.
According to this statement, it seemed that they had not encountered Tekka's team.
This movement also alarmed Natsu and the others.
There were still dry tear stains on the corners of Natsu's eyes.
She hurriedly wiped them away, looking at the crowd that had surrounded them at some point.
In the second round of the Chunin exam, there was never an explicit rule that stated that teams could not be formed.
After all, being able to unite everyone when all teams are enemies is also a manifestation of their ability.
Kurenai had never seen this kind of lineup.
She pulled on the corner of Kiyoshi's clothes a little fearfully.