Two years melted away, marked by the changing seasons and the relentless passage of time. In a secluded clearing, two figures stood poised: Uchiha Kai and Uchiha Renzou, now teenagers. A flipped coin spun in the air, its descent signaling the start. As it struck the earth, both boys surged forward.
The familiar dance of shuriken opened the exchange. This time, Renzou effortlessly intercepted Kai's trio of projectiles with three of his own, the metallic clashes echoing through the trees before they fell harmlessly. Closing the distance, hand-to-hand combat erupted. Uchiha Kai launched a sharp whip kick aimed at Renzou's chest. Blocking with his left arm, Renzou simultaneously drew a kunai with his right, feinting towards Kai's throat. Kai's eyes widened, his own kunai blurring into a defensive maneuver, the two blades meeting and sliding apart.
Renzou swiftly sheathed his kunai and began a rapid sequence of hand seals. Completion! "Wind Style: Wind Cut!" Razor-sharp blades of wind materialized around him, lashing out at Uchiha Kai from all sides. With a guttural cry, Kai countered, his own hands flying through seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Chakra erupted from his throat, forming a spinning sphere of intense heat, easily three meters in diameter, scorching the very air. The grass beneath it withered and browned.
The wind blades collided with the fireball, a maelstrom of opposing forces creating a crackling, tearing sound. The central patch of grass was consumed, the earth beneath cracking. A small, smoking crater appeared between them, the lingering heat causing the air to shimmer. Uchiha Kai, his gaze fixed on the dissipating smoke, remained vigilant, kunai held ready.
Suddenly, a kunai shot out from the lingering haze, aimed directly at Kai. His heart leaped; he swung his own blade, deflecting the projectile. At the same moment, movement stirred within the smoke. "Lightning Style: Ground Walk!" Renzou, using the kunai's trajectory as cover, advanced, his hands already weaving the final seals. A surge of lightning erupted from his palms, spreading rapidly across the ground. Uchiha Kai, caught off guard, was instantly paralyzed by the electric current. The next instant, a kunai pressed against his throat.
But the Kai before him dissolved into a puff of white smoke. A chilling premonition prickled Renzou's skin. A sharp pain lanced through his back. A kunai had pierced him from behind. Yet, there was no sensation of tearing flesh.
Uchiha Kai's expression shifted from triumph to confusion as he tried to turn. He found Renzou's kunai already pressed against his neck once more.
"Are you convinced, Kai?" Renzou asked, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Hmph! I'll definitely win next time!" Kai huffed, crossing his arms and looking away with feigned indifference.
"It's dinner time. Let's go eat ramen. My treat," Renzou offered.
Kai nodded, and the two walked out of the clearing. Soon, they passed Training Ground Seven and reached the bustling street.
"Did you hear? Lord Sakumo failed a crucial mission because he chose to save his comrades, causing significant losses to the village."
"Yeah, I heard. Does someone like that deserve to be called a hero? If it were me, I'd always put the village's interests first."
Renzou paused, glancing at two middle-aged women nearby, their voices hushed but carrying the unmistakable bite of gossip. A ninja's hearing, however, was far sharper than that of ordinary civilians. Both Renzou and Kai caught every word. They continued walking, Renzou breaking the silence.
"Kai, what do you make of this?"
Uchiha Kai glanced around, lowering his voice. "My father says the water runs deep here. Best not to ask or say anything foolish."
Renzou nodded, understanding dawning. Even the Uchiha sensed something amiss. A single failed mission, no matter how serious, seemed a paltry justification for the sudden vilification of Konoha's White Fang, a ninja with decades of distinguished service. The public outcry felt orchestrated.
It looks like some higher-ups don't want another strong contender for the Hokage seat. There's an eighty percent chance it's the Third Hokage's preference, with Danzo pulling the strings in the shadows. As someone from a world with its own share of political maneuvering, Renzou recognized the scent of it. A failed secret mission ending up like this? Unlikely. But this could be an opportunity. Saving the White Fang could avert a tragedy and gain him a powerful, Kage-level ally. But it also risked drawing the attention of Shimura Danzo, a master manipulator. Sakumo might just end up targeted by Root on some fabricated mission. Need a foolproof strategy. How could he save the White Fang while simultaneously diverting Danzo's gaze?
"Say, Renzou," Uchiha Kai said, as if a thought had just occurred to him, glancing sideways.
"Hmm?" Sensing Kai's unusual tone, Renzou turned his head slightly.
"Well, my father and some of the other Uchiha elders were talking about you yesterday." A seriousness Renzou hadn't seen in a while flickered in Kai's eyes.
Hearing this, Renzou's gaze instinctively drifted to the Uchiha crest on Kai's jacket. "About me?"
"Yeah. They were discussing the possibility of you returning to the Uchiha clan." Kai's eyes seemed to brighten at this.
"Is that so? But I don't have the Sharingan." The Sharingan was the very symbol of the Uchiha. Without it, acceptance would be difficult.
"My father mentioned that to the others. The elders seem to be planning to discuss it with Uncle Fugaku." Uchiha Fugaku's name resonated with Renzou, a figure from a time he only knew through fragmented memories. He had met Fugaku once. According to his father, Fugaku, as the clan leader, had been the one to formally exile their branch of the family. Yet, Renzou suspected it was a decision influenced by the older generation and the Uchiha's rigid sense of pride. Fugaku, not entirely bound by tradition, likely hadn't held much personal animosity.
"Doesn't matter to me either way," Renzou said with a shrug, a chuckle escaping him as the Ichiraku Ramen stand came into view.
"Hey, I'm serious! If you could return to the clan…" Kai began, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Renzou simply patted Kai on the back of the head. "Come on…"
They ate their ramen in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging light banter. Ever since their initial clash, their relationship had deepened. Training and sparring together had forged a genuine friendship.
After the meal, they parted ways. Renzou waved goodbye to Kai and headed home, his mind already racing, trying to formulate a plan to help the White Fang. For now, all I can do is be ready to act if an opportunity arises for a private conversation. Whether he chooses suicide later… that's beyond my control. Damn it, I'm still not strong enough. A renewed determination solidified within him.
"Bloodline limit…" He extended his right hand, a swirling, dark blue energy coalescing into view. It shifted and crackled with arcs of electricity. After two years of relentless experimentation and countless failures, Renzou had finally mastered the Nature Transformation of water and lightning, merging them into Storm Release!
The seemingly unremarkable teenager had already attained a chakra level and strength comparable to a Chūnin. Fearful of exposing his bloodline limit and attracting Danzo's unwanted attention, he had deliberately concealed his true power, quietly preparing for the inevitable Third Great Ninja War. Renzou firmly believed that the tallest trees caught the most wind. Without the power to protect himself, exposure was simply courting death. And the other villages would undoubtedly target anyone wielding such a potent kekkei genkai.
What I need to do now is become stronger. I try my absolute best to become stronger! In this world, strength is the only currency that truly matters. Failure to climb is to become a stepping stone for others.
"Renzou! Are you home? Let's have a duel, with youth as the wager!" A passionate voice shattered his thoughts. Shaking his head, he walked to the door and opened it. Standing there, predictably, was Might Guy in his signature green spandex. Over the past two years, Renzou had also joined Might Dai and Guy's rigorous training regimen. His current physical prowess was largely a result of their relentless drills. Sparring with Guy regularly had also honed his taijutsu skills to a level that made him a prodigy among his peers.
"No, Guy. I have something I need to do today. Maybe next time," Renzou declined, shaking his head. He wasn't in the mood for Guy's boundless energy right now.
"Okay, Renzou! But as one of my eternal rivals, you must not slack off in your training! Youth is for hard work and STRUGGLE!" With that, Guy turned and bounded away.
Renzou watched him go, a helpless smile on his face. He closed the door, preparing for an early rest, his mind already strategizing for the days ahead.
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End of Chapter 6