After a long silence, the Third Hokage coughed and said:
"Ahem! Child, your clan's Third Elder is here to see you. Do you… want to go back with him?"
Renjiro wiped his nose and flicked it toward Jiraiya, who was gritting his teeth in jealousy.
Ignoring the burning glare in Jiraiya's eyes, Renjiro simply nodded at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Mikoto's eyes were red as she was led out of the room by Uchiha Junko.
"Two people just came downstairs. One wanted to arrest him with malicious intent, and the other seemed to want to protect him!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said calmly.
"One is a Jōnin sent by the Great Elder of the Uchiha, and the other is the Third Elder, Uchiha Junko. It seems Uchiha Junko wants to protect him!"
"Teacher, what do you mean? This kid is a real genius. He actually learned a ninjutsu and a genjutsu just from two scrolls. And that genjutsu…" Jiraiya said seriously, his usual playful, lewd expression gone.
Everyone present understood what Jiraiya meant. It wasn't terrifying for a five-year-old to barely use a C-rank Fire Style ninjutsu. That wasn't unheard of — even Uchiha Sasuke learned the Great Fireball Technique at the age of six.
But for a five-year-old to master a C-rank genjutsu? That was terrifying.
Just imagine — how much experience, knowledge, and spiritual energy could a child that age possess? Is spiritual power something so easy to accumulate?
In their understanding, a child that young might have enough chakra to release a simple C-rank ninjutsu, but to wield a genjutsu requiring such refined mental energy… impossible.
Uchiha Renjiro was an unbelievable anomaly.
"A true genius? No… anything that defies common sense is a demon!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a long plume of smoke, his tone solemn.
"Monster? Even more dangerous than Orochimaru?" Jiraiya muttered, his expression grave.
"Haha… at this moment, he surpasses everyone of his age," Orochimaru chuckled hoarsely, his golden eyes gleaming with interest.
"He's from the Uchiha clan, Hiruzen. What do you think? The Uchiha clan cannot be allowed to produce another Madara," Utatane Koharu said with a deep frown.
"The Uchiha are Konoha's people too, aren't they?" Sarutobi replied calmly. "Besides, this child is clearly ostracized by the rest of his clan. That, in itself, might be a good thing."
Danzo, standing in the shadows, narrowed his eyes. His voice was cold.
"Hiruzen, don't tell me you've gone soft because of Kagami."
The Hokage's gaze sharpened. "Danzo… enough."
His words landed like a blow. A terrifying wave of chakra surged out, making the entire Hokage building tremble faintly. At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen was still in his prime — not the weary old man he would one day become.
After leaving the Hokage building, Uchiha Renjiro noticed that the Jōnin sent by the Great Elder had already left. Only a frail old man with graying hair and a slightly hunched back remained.
"You little brat, all you know how to do is cause me trouble…"
Uchiha Junko glared at Renjiro before turning and walking ahead. Renjiro bowed politely to Tsunade, then quickly followed behind.
Once they were out of sight of everyone — and after confirming he no longer felt the Third Hokage's spying technique on him — Renjiro finally lifted his head, which he had kept lowered for a long time.
"Good acting," Uchiha Junko sneered.
"What acting? I don't know what you're talking about. Didn't you tell me to teach Uchiha Fugaku a lesson?"
Renjiro's expression was calm, no trace of childish innocence remained.
"Haha, you brat! I told you to teach him a lesson, but not to use such ruthless methods. Uchiha Fugaku's spirit has been severely traumatized! He's still lying in bed, unable to wake up!"
(Back in the original novel, even the teenage Uchiha Sasuke was stunned for a long time after suffering the Narakumi no Jutsu. Compared to that, Fugaku at six years old was far too weak to endure it.)
"There are six or seven other Uchiha with minor or moderate burns, and three or four injured in the trampling. Your actions… were far too cruel!"
Uchiha Renjiro snorted.
"If I didn't use force, how could I make them fear me? If I didn't show them, how could I make them stay away from Mikoto? As for those losers… shouldn't they be the ones ashamed?"
Uchiha Junko halted, turned his head, and looked at him intently. His tone was heavy:
"I already know everything that happened at the academy. Mikoto wasn't the main reason. The real reason… is your mother, isn't it? This incident is serious. More than a dozen Uchiha clansmen have already reported it to the Great Elder, demanding that you be severely punished."
After saying this, Uchiha Junko sighed and added:
"Uchiha Fugaku is the Great Elder's most cherished grandson. I saw his Sharingan narrowing — he clearly harbors killing intent toward you!"
Renjiro stopped in his tracks.
He closed his eyes, his face calm and resolute.
"The fact that you came to me in person means this matter is still within your ability to resolve, doesn't it?"
"You're so confident… but you're wrong!"
Uchiha Junko suddenly exclaimed, his composure slipping for a moment.
"This… how is this possible!!!"
He saw it — a scene so unbelievable it overturned his decades of understanding.
A pair of scarlet eyes, each bearing two tomoe, gleamed in front of him, burning with a charm both terrifying and mesmerizing.
The thin, small figure was bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, standing proudly before him, reflected in his own three-tomoe Sharingan.
He recalled the words this child had spoken when they first met, a month ago:
"Jōnin, this will not be the end for me."
Now he understood.
This was a child of terrifying potential — the first in Uchiha history to open a double-tomoe Sharingan at just five years old!
Back when Uchiha Madara awakened his Sharingan at fifteen, it had only been a single tomoe. Yet this boy… he already bore two.
Unbelievable. And yet the oppressive force Renjiro radiated left no room for doubt.
"You're… a monster!" Uchiha Junko muttered hoarsely, his teeth clenching as his own three-tomoe Sharingan spun violently.
Then, after a long pause, his expression shifted.
"Among the Uchiha I've met, you are the one most likely to become the second Madara… No, perhaps you may even surpass him."
He exhaled a long breath and finally said,
"I'll help you with the Great Elder's matter."
End of the chapter.