Chapter 89
2-in-1-chapter
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"Fujika, Yakumo, come here."
Rēn stepped onto the black eagle's back and beckoned his sister and student to join him. He planned to give the two youngsters some real combat experience. Sixteen Mist shinobi—just the right warm-up.
"Rēn, I want to ride too!"
Uchiha Chihaya looked over with pleading eyes.
She wanted to fly too. In the shinobi world, very few could achieve flight. For over 90% of shinobi, flight was an unreachable dream—even for the Uchiha.
The complete form of Susanoo could soar through the skies,
But how many in the clan had truly mastered that form? Most didn't even have Mangekyō Sharingan, let alone a complete Susanoo.
Thus,
Flight was equally alluring for the Uchiha.
After seeing Rēn fly using Super Beast Imitating Drawing, Chihaya had tried to learn it too. Rēn hadn't withheld anything, teaching her in detail—but she failed.
Lacking the foundation and insight in Yang Release, she couldn't even begin. Even given eight or ten years, she might never get it.
Secret arts were harder to master than Kekkei Genkai.
Kekkei Genkai were hidden in one's blood. As long as one lived, awakening it was possible. But secret arts required years of cultivation, great talent, adaptability, and long-term dedication.
These harsh conditions eliminated 99% of would-be users. Even in Root, out of fifty children Danzō had trained in Super Beast Imitating Drawing, only one had succeeded.
That alone showed how difficult it was.
As for clans like Ino-Shika-Chō…
Generations of hard work had refined their secret arts to near-Kekkei Genkai levels. The Nara were born clever, the Akimichi large and chakra-rich, and the Yamanaka with powerful mental energy—all results of centuries of selective development.
Truthfully, the Yamanaka might one day rival the Kurama clan of old.
"Didn't we already fly once this morning?"
Rēn sighed. In the end, he relented—there was room. As Chihaya gleefully climbed aboard, Rēn turned to the only one left on the ground—Uchiha Akitarō.
"Akitarō, if anyone catches up, tell them I'll be back soon."
Nearly 4,000 shinobi made up Rēn's army, but they didn't march in long, snaking lines like samurai troops.
Shinobi warfare had its own system.
High-speed mobility, large-scale jutsu, conflicting techniques—these meant that unless dealing with Tailed Beasts or fortified positions, shinobi rarely moved in groups over a hundred.
Even in war, the squad structure remained dominant.
Rēn's 4,000-strong force was divided into squads. Each moved independently. As commander, Rēn led from the front, leaving his army to follow.
"Understood, Clan Head!"
Uchiha Akitarō nodded.
The massive black eagle spread its wings and soared into the sky, flying swiftly toward their target under Rēn's command.
"Amazing!"
Uchiha Fujika stood on the eagle's back, eyes gleaming as the mountains and forests below shrank in size. Feeling the wind whip against her face, she could hardly contain her excitement.
Even though this wasn't her first flight, her thrill hadn't lessened.
Uchiha Chihaya was no different.
She drew her blade, brushing its gleaming edge. Wind chakra danced at her fingertips as she lost herself in practicing Wind Release.
By contrast, Kurama Yakumo—pale and trembling—was the most normal of the group.
"The Uchiha bloodline, huh?"
Watching his childhood friend and sister's abnormal excitement, then glancing at Yakumo's very human fear, Rēn could only chalk it up to the Uchiha's arrogant, battle-hungry bloodline. Their chakra—especially from the Sharingan—tended to influence emotions, and this wasn't prejudice.
It was only natural.
Power born of extreme emotion wouldn't be calm or peaceful.
It would always carry bloodlust.
Rēn didn't dwell on these trivial thoughts. He looked down. The explosions from the detonation tags below had already helped him locate the target area. With a gentle stomp, the black eagle began descending rapidly.
As they neared the treetops, Rēn grabbed the two younger ones at his sides and launched downward like a missile toward the earth below. As for Uchiha Chihaya—strange as she was—she was still one of their generation's geniuses. He didn't need to babysit her.
Boom!
A black figure descended from the sky, snapping a thick tree branch and slamming into the ground like a meteor.
The sudden noise interrupted the battle between the Kirigakure and Konoha shinobi.
"Who's there?"
The Kirigakure ninja stopped advancing, turned their blades, and watched the smoke-filled area with heightened alertness.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of armor clashing echoed through the forested mountains.
Rēn waved away the smoke in front of him and stepped into view of the Kirigakure ninja.
Clad in black combat gear and crimson-layered armor... this archaic attire confused the Mist ninja, especially since they couldn't see a Konoha forehead protector. Who was this guy? A Konoha shinobi? Or some other strange individual?
Then—
"Careful, he's Uchiha. Don't look into his eyes."
A Mist ninja standing atop a tree caught sight of the small Uchiha fan emblem at Rēn's collar.
With that warning,
Even though Rēn hadn't activated his Sharingan, the Mist ninja collectively lowered their heads, perfectly synchronized as if trained for it, avoiding his eyes. Instead, they focused on his hands and feet, moving cautiously, preparing to strike first.
A rain of shuriken,
Kunai strung with explosive tags—
A probing volley shot toward Rēn.
"You really didn't recognize me? Has it only been five years and you've already forgotten my name? Looks like I'll have to jog your worthless memories." Before the Mist ninja launched their attack, Rēn sighed with a hint of disappointment. He let go of the two kids he'd been holding by the neck, and formed a simple tiger hand seal.
Then—
Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation
He gathered a massive amount of chakra at his throat and unleashed a tsunami-sized wall of fire. The searing blaze blew away the incoming shuriken; the explosive tags ignited prematurely before they even reached Rēn, their flames and shockwaves instantly consumed by the torrent of fire.
From a bird's-eye view, a crimson sea engulfed half the mountain forest.
"Water Style—use Water Style now—"
"It's no use... we can't stop it..."
"Run! Everyone run! I remember now—it's the Flame Demon! He's the Flame Demon!!!"
The Mist ninja's panicked cries made it clear they hadn't escaped the firestorm. Some tried to use Water Style to resist the intense blaze, but before they could finish their seals, the roaring flames had already swallowed their lives.
But it was this overwhelmingly powerful Fire Style technique that finally shook loose the sealed memories of the Mist shinobi.
*Flame Demon — Uchiha Rēn*
*Shunshin — Uchiha Shisui*
These two Uchiha brats had repeatedly humiliated the Mist during the Third Shinobi War, earning terrifying reputations walking over countless bones. Especially Rēn, who, with his unparalleled mastery of Fire Style, reversed the natural element disadvantage and suppressed the Mist's Water Style users, leaving deep psychological scars.
The few who escaped the range of the firestorm didn't survive the streak of blinding white blade light.
Rēn's landing had made such a huge noise that the Mist ninja failed to notice Uchiha Chihaya's arrival. By the time they sensed the flash of her blade from behind, it was already too late. Their lives were taken swiftly.
The battle was over in an instant.
Rather, calling it a battle was generous—it was a one-sided massacre.
Not a single true jōnin among the sixteen Mist shinobi. Four tokubetsu jōnin couldn't hold up against a real jōnin. They might have been able to bully Konoha patrol squads lacking full jōnin strength, but unfortunately, they ran into Rēn and Uchiha Chihaya.
Even without Rēn,
Uchiha Chihaya alone—wielding a fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan and skilled in Wind Style, Fire Style, and kenjutsu—was more than enough to crush these Mist ninja.
"Ugh—"
Seeing the silhouettes collapsing in the fire and smelling the nauseating stench of burning flesh... Kurama Yakumo couldn't last more than a few seconds. She clung to a tree and vomited, retching up her undigested breakfast.
It was her first time witnessing such a visceral, shocking scene.
"So disgusting..."
Uchiha Fujika's young face also turned pale.
But unlike Kurama Yakumo, she didn't throw up. Even though her face was ghostly white, she endured the discomfort, silently watching the still-burning fire and the fallen bodies.
Through the flickering illusion-like flames, the corpses—disfigured beyond recognition—were barely visible.
If the fire lasted a bit longer, it could serve as instant cremation.
"Excuse me... are you from the Uchiha clan?" A middle-aged man cautiously approached and spoke to Rēn from what he believed was a safe distance.
"Uchiha Rēn, current head of the Uchiha clan, Commander of the Konoha Police Force."
Rēn stepped forward.
His armor rattled with each movement.
He activated his crimson Sharingan and stared directly at the man.
"The clan head of the Uchiha?" The man looked at Rēn in shock, as if he'd seen a ghost. So young... was this a joke? Wait—he recalled Uchiha Akifusa once mentioning the Uchiha had recently changed clan leaders.
Back then, Akifusa had even smiled like an excited kid.
The Border Defense Corps was a highly isolated unit.
To prevent its members from being tempted by the outside world, and to endure the harsh conditions of the border, strict information control was in place. Many within the corps still didn't know the Uchiha had a new clan head.
However, Akimichi Torifu becoming the acting Fifth Hokage was well-known.
"Please forgive my rudeness. I am..."
"Is that Akifusa?"
Rēn walked over to the unconscious Uchiha Akifusa.
"Yes—yes! That's Akifusa!"
The man called Kagegū was so nervous he stumbled over his words, not realizing Rēn hadn't been asking him.
Rēn didn't mind. He examined the unconscious Akifusa carefully, confirmed he wasn't in critical condition, and finally exhaled in relief.
Uchiha Akifusa was one of Rēn's peers.
Unlike Rēn and the others who returned to the village after the war, Akifusa, lacking talent, chose to remain in the Border Defense Corps to temper himself and awaken his Sharingan. His two-tomoe Sharingan was earned through sweat and blood.
"Tell me, what happened? How did a mere patrol unit draw the pursuit of four elite Mist teams?"
Rēn cut through the unnecessary introductions, now fully focused on the secret these people carried.
"The Mist strike unit broke through the Ōkawa Cape defenses." Fearing Rēn might not recognize the location, he explained: "Ōkawa Cape is only seven kilometers from the Black Tides Mountain command post. If the Mist launches a raid, the command center might not hold."
Rēn understood.
The Mist was executing a decapitation strategy—
They were aiming to cripple the coastal defense line by cutting off the command hub. Without the command post's coordination, the long coastline would descend into chaos.
"For them to pinpoint the exact location of the Border Defense Corps' command post..."
Rēn muttered quietly. If Uchiha Obito and Zetsu weren't behind this, he wouldn't believe it. Only White Zetsu's infiltration skills could uncover such information without being detected.
So now the question was:
What exactly are Uchiha Obito and Zetsu trying to do?
Could they really be planning to help the Mist defeat Konoha?
Rēn frowned slightly. His instincts told him something was definitely wrong here.
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