Chapter 24: Two Tomoe!
"That's enough for today. Go back and rest early."
Kakashi looked at the exhausted Uchiha Ren, shook his head helplessly, and muttered to himself, 'What exactly did that Uchiha without eyebrows do to make this kid train so hard?'
Uchiha Ren formed hand seals one after another, but each time he tried, he felt a strange discomfort, preventing him from fully completing the seals.
His chakra's connection to water also grew progressively weaker.
Simply put, he was exhausted.
"Go back for now. We have a mission tomorrow."
This statement made the stubborn Uchiha Ren pause. "What's the mission?"
"Don't worry about that." Kakashi stretched lazily. "Meet at the Hokage Tower tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp!"
With that, he turned and left. Uchiha Ren muttered to himself, "Got it. See you at the Hokage Tower tomorrow after lunch..."
Returning to the Uchiha clan compound.
Just as Uchiha Ren was about to head home, his body stiffened.
He activated his Sharingan and looked up.
A purple-haired shinobi was crouching on his balcony, staring directly at him!
"The clan leader wants to see you."
Uchiha Ren had expected this.
He was learning from Hiruzen Sarutobi's capable subordinate, Hatake Kakashi. It would be strange if Uchiha Fugaku didn't take an interest.
Five minutes later, Uchiha Ren followed Uchiha Fugaku to a side room for a long, private conversation.
Outside, a frowning Sasuke was eavesdropping.
"Lord Clan Leader." Uchiha Ren bowed slightly. "The Hokage's orders are hard to refuse, but no matter how he trains me, my surname will always be Uchiha."
He stood up straight. "No matter where I go, as long as I have these eyes, I will never forget my mission or my identity!"
"I am Uchiha Ren! A member of the Uchiha Clan!"
Uchiha Fugaku breathed a sigh of relief and gestured for Uchiha Ren to sit down.
"Very good. I wasn't wrong about you! Always remember your identity!"
Uchiha Ren bowed again.
Uchiha Fugaku was about to add a few more pleasantries, but Uchiha Ren looked at him again with that same expectant gaze.
"Lord Clan Leader... I've already learned the Great Wind Wheel Triple Blade. Could you perhaps offer me some guidance on genjutsu?"
When it came to genjutsu, everyone's first thoughts were of Itachi Uchiha and Uchiha Shisui.
The only other person of note was the so-called genjutsu master Itachi had instantly defeated, the Konoha Jonin Kurenai Renhi.
But in truth, in the current timeline, the number one genjutsu user was neither Itachi nor Kurenai Renhi.
It was the clan leader standing before Uchiha Ren—Uchiha Fugaku!
In Itachi's memories, Uchiha Fugaku, known as "Fierce Eyes," had used genjutsu to make Itachi break out in a cold sweat.
This was proof enough that Fugaku's genjutsu was powerful, possibly even surpassing Itachi's.
If Fugaku hadn't been completely unwilling to harm his own son, the Uchiha Clan Massacre might have simply devolved into a conflict between father and son.
Seeking genjutsu instruction from a shinobi like Fugaku was an excellent move.
Hearing Ren's request, Uchiha Fugaku nodded slightly. "You must always remember that for us of the Uchiha Clan, genjutsu is a mandatory course."
How could Uchiha Ren not understand Fugaku's meaning? He quickly declared his loyalty, "I swear to serve the Uchiha Clan to the death!"
"Very good." Fugaku gave Uchiha Ren a faint glance. "The so-called genjutsu..."
Fugaku's voice was deep and powerful, each word striking Uchiha Ren's heart like a drumbeat.
However, in that moment of intense focus, Uchiha Ren failed to notice his consciousness slowly sinking into an invisible genjutsu.
His vision suddenly blurred. When it cleared, he found himself standing in a dark, damp prison cell.
In the corner, a skeleton shackled by Seastone lay silently. Its shape and size were startlingly similar to his own.
An inexplicable terror surged through Uchiha Ren's heart. He wanted to flee, but his feet were rooted to the spot.
Suddenly, the skeleton began to transform. Gradually, its face became identical to his, its empty eye sockets seeming to stare into his very soul.
Uchiha Ren screamed in terror. He could finally move, stumbling out of the prison cell in a panic.
He rushed into a corridor lined with countless sake jars. Each was sealed, and something seemed to be squirming inside.
He swallowed hard, mustered his courage, and moved closer to investigate. He discovered that each jar contained one of his own bodies, turned into a human puppet, unable to move or cry for help.
Terrified, Uchiha Ren collapsed to the floor. He felt a searing pain in his hand and looked down to see black flames burning on his skin—the legendary, inextinguishable flames of Amaterasu.
He looked up, and his blood ran cold. Two familiar, yet terrifying, figures stood before him.
It was Uchiha Obito, his mask removed, and Itachi Uchiha, his Mangekyo Sharingan activated.
Their gazes were cold and merciless, as if they were observing prey that was about to die.
Uchiha Ren felt a despair he had never known. His body began to tremble as his mind was consumed by terror.
Just then, the crisp sound of snapping fingers shattered his thoughts. His vision shifted instantly, and he found himself in the bustling metropolis of New York.
He thought he had escaped, but then he saw people around him turning to dust, their faces masks of terror and helplessness.
An even deeper dread washed over Uchiha Ren. His body began to feel weightless. Looking down, he saw his own feet starting to dissolve into dust.
He glanced up at the sky and saw a massive fissure tear open, revealing an endless darkness.
His body continued to float upward, his strength draining away rapidly. Finally, his entire being turned into a wisp of dust and vanished into the air.
In the genjutsu, Uchiha Ren's consciousness had journeyed from terror to despair, and then to absolute nothingness.
Struggling to open his eyes, Uchiha Ren's heart lurched.
He was shocked to find himself back in his own bed.
Standing by the balcony was the purple-haired Uchiha kunoichi.
"You're finally awake."
"Mmm," Uchiha Ren said, clutching his aching forehead. "How long was I out?"
"You weren't out. From the moment you were caught in the genjutsu to your return home, only ten minutes passed."
"Is that so..."
For the first time, Uchiha Ren truly understood the vast gap between a fresh Ninja Academy graduate and a Kage-level powerhouse.
Watching the purple-haired shinobi leave, Uchiha Ren gritted his teeth, got out of bed, and walked to the bathroom.
After splashing water on his face, he looked up at the mirror.
Due to the intense stress, his Sharingan was still active.
"Eyes with two tomoe... they're truly captivating."
He muttered to himself before walking back to the bedroom and lying down.
The moment he closed his eyes, he shot up from the bed.
He ran back to the mirror and stared intently at his own eyes.
"Two... Two tomoe!?"
(end of chapter)
"Access the first 100 chapters of this novel for free on my Patreon. Patrons get exclusive access to 50 advanced chapters, with at least 50 new chapter posted every week." [email protected]/mr_cureoo