Late at night, inside the laboratory.
Senju Tobirama stared at Renya, who lay unconscious on the operating table. His voice trembled, unable to contain the excitement in his heart.
"Kid, I'll be able to cure you very soon!"
Five years of effort—finally, success was within reach!
"Mind Mirror Reflection Technique!"
Senju Tobirama formed a hand seal, and a black mirror appeared before him, reflecting the image of the unconscious Renya.
His consciousness passed through the chakra mirror and entered Renya's spiritual world.
...
The desert of the spiritual realm stretched endlessly beneath a blood-red moon.
Uchiha Renya sat cross-legged in the barren sands, propping his chin on one hand, looking with interest at the suddenly appearing Senju Tobirama. In his eyes flashed a fleeting glimmer of anticipation.
"Old man, you're here again."
Renya chuckled softly, his voice echoing through the silent desert.
"It's been five years—how have you still not given up?"
The old man entered his spiritual world every ten days or so to fight him, always returning in defeat—yet he had never once considered giving up.
Tch. That kind of willpower was far beyond ordinary men.
Senju Tobirama's red eyes swept across the surroundings, and suddenly a faint smile curved his lips.
"So, still pretending to stay calm, are you?"
Uchiha Renya frowned, his tone cold.
"Old man, what do you mean?"
"If I'm not mistaken, you've grown too weak to control this space anymore!"
Tobirama spoke with firm conviction.
After five years of constant combat with this guy, he had come to understand his opponent's every habit—like how much he loved to change the battlefield mid-fight.
Yet, in the last few dozen encounters, this guy hadn't altered the environment once, nor used any of his usual flashy battle tactics.
That could only mean one thing—he could no longer freely manipulate the spiritual world.
"Interesting."
Uchiha Renya rose, dusting off imaginary sand from his clothes.
"So sure of yourself, are you?"
"No need for nonsense," Tobirama said coldly. "You won't live past tonight!"
"Old man, are you planning to erase me?"
Renya tilted his head.
"I'm the same person as Renya. Can you really bear to kill me?"
For a brief moment, hesitation flickered in Tobirama's eyes. But soon, his gaze hardened once more.
"You're not Renya at all—you're just a naturally evil Uchiha!"
"Hahaha, is that your decision then?"
Renya stopped laughing. His three-tomoe Sharingan spun wildly, transforming into the eerie pattern of a Mangekyō.
"Let's hope you won't regret it!"
"Regret?"
Tobirama's hands blurred through seals.
"My only regret is not destroying you the moment I could!"
In the next instant, the sand beneath his feet collapsed, forming a massive hand of sand that lunged upward to grab him!
At the same time, the surrounding sand gathered without warning, forming dozens of Renyas who surrounded Tobirama and simultaneously began weaving hand signs—
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
From all directions, roaring flames surged forth, engulfing Tobirama in an inferno so intense that even the air seemed to warp.
"Water clone?"
The real Uchiha Renya arched an eyebrow as steam exploded within the sea of fire.
The true Tobirama had used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport behind him, a specially crafted kunai thrusting toward his back.
Everyone knew—the markings of Flying Thunder God never disappeared.
"Flying Thunder God Slash!"
"Clang!"
Renya spun around sharply, blocking the kunai strike with his blade.
"Old man, aren't you tired of that move already?"
"Then how about this one!"
"Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness Technique!"
Without hesitation, Tobirama cast the jutsu that stripped away all light, plunging the world into utter blackness.
A genjutsu perfectly suited for countering the vision-dependent Uchiha!
Complete darkness swallowed everything—even the Mangekyō's sight was sealed away.
...
"Heh, interesting. But don't forget—here, I control everything!"
Renya's vision returned in an instant.
But Tobirama had already anticipated that. The moment his sight was cut off, he had formed hand signs and summoned dozens of shadow clones, all simultaneously weaving seals.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Water Style: Water Severing Wave!"
"Water Style: Water Surge!"
"Water Style: Exploding Water Dragon Bite!"
A barrage of powerful Water Release techniques roared toward Renya from every direction.
"Useless. Let me show you my third power—Susanoo!"
A dark red skeletal armor formed around Renya's body, effortlessly blocking all incoming attacks.
However, in that split second—
"Now!"
All of Tobirama's shadow clones slapped the ground simultaneously.
"Mutual Multiple Explosive Tags!"
Originally designed to be used alongside the Edo Tensei Technique, but to destroy this monster, Tobirama had no choice but to unleash it early.
Explosive tags materialized on Susanoo's outer frame—then detonated in a massive chain explosion.
Boom—boom—boom—boom—boom!
A relentless storm of explosions swallowed Renya completely.
This jutsu was the ultimate counter against defensive ninjutsu!
No one knew how long it lasted. Finally, the roaring detonations subsided.
Renya's Susanoo was shattered and broken, its skeletal frame crumbling away.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he staggered, his injuries grave and fatal.
"Cough… cough… didn't expect you to pull it off, old man."
As he spoke, the fractured Susanoo faded entirely, and his Mangekyō receded back into the normal three-tomoe Sharingan.
The old man had been right—he had already lost control over this mental world.
Otherwise, such an attack never would have struck home.
Years of constant battle had drained his spirit, and without replenishment, this result was inevitable.
"Old man… are you really going to finish me off?"
Renya pressed a hand to his chest, asking the same question again.
"I'm the same person as him. Can you really bear to kill me?"
"Are you begging for mercy?"
Tobirama's face remained expressionless, his voice devoid of emotion as he stared at Renya.
"Begging for mercy?"
Renya gave a faint smile.
"You could call it that, I suppose."
"Even if I can't leave this space… who doesn't want to live, if they can?"
"Don't you agree?"
Gone was the arrogance from before—only quiet pleading remained on his face.
"Old man, can you please not kill me?"
"Of course not."
Tobirama gripped his kunai tighter.
"Your existence threatens Renya's safety. I can only erase you completely from this world!"
"I see."
Renya's expression smoothed, his voice calm once more.
"Then I hope you won't regret this decision someday."
With that, he closed his eyes and spread his arms wide.
"Go ahead—kill me!"
Without a shred of hesitation, Tobirama appeared before him in a flash and drove the kunai straight through his heart.
Pchhk—
The sound of steel piercing flesh echoed.
Renya's expression relaxed into one of release.
Thud.
He fell straight to the ground.
"Thank you… old man…"
Tobirama's pupils shrank sharply.
He couldn't help but ask, his voice trembling.
"What do you mean by that?"