Dark clouds gathered across the sky.
Rolling thunder echoed as rain began to fall—first as scattered drops, then quickly turning into a heavy downpour.
The sound of rain washing across the ruined land seemed endless.
The sky had already dimmed, yet countless ninja still stood atop Konoha's walls, staring into the distance.
Hours had passed since the battle ended.
Everyone had duties to attend to.
Yet whenever a ninja passed by the walls, they couldn't help but climb up and look again.
No one could resist.
"…Is this the power of a god?"
Outside Konoha had once been a lush, vibrant forest.
It had existed there since the founding of the village, mirroring the name Hidden Leaf itself.
But now—
Everything was gone.
Only ruins remained.
Collapsed earth.
Bottomless ravines.
Mountains erased.
Trees annihilated.
The terrain itself had been rewritten.
It was as if the world they once knew had never existed.
"…Unbelievable."
Many ninja whispered under their breath.
They would never forget the sight.
The gigantic figure clad in crimson chakra armor.
A towering Buddha statue that looked less like a savior—
and more like a demon.
The suffocating scale.
The violent aura that seemed capable of destroying the world.
And the golden sword that fell like the sky itself collapsing.
Those images were burned into their minds forever.
"Hey! What are you all doing?"
"Now isn't the time to slack off!"
Several jōnin shouted in exasperation.
"Yes, the battle is over—but who knows if Sand or Sound ninja are still hiding in the village!"
"Stay alert!"
The fighting had ended.
But Konoha was massive.
Enemies could still be lurking anywhere.
Even those jōnin had been stunned by what they witnessed outside the walls.
They desperately wanted to meet Ren.
Even if they barely knew him.
They wanted to see the man who had become a legend in a single day.
But they forced themselves to stay calm.
The village still needed them.
"…Sir."
A chunin spoke hesitantly.
"But after the Hokage Advisor did that…"
"Do you really think anyone would dare cause trouble right now?"
The jōnin froze.
Then looked around.
The surrounding ninja all seemed to agree.
After witnessing power like that—
Who would dare make trouble in Konoha?
High above the village—
Deidara and Darui rode atop a clay bird.
Both stared silently at the devastated land.
"…Tell me honestly," Deidara muttered.
"Am I dreaming?"
"That kind of power…"
"Is that even human?"
Darui didn't answer immediately.
Because he didn't know how.
Ninja could produce unbelievable power.
That much he understood.
But what they witnessed earlier—
That wasn't merely beyond imagination.
It was beyond logic.
"…We should leave," Darui finally said.
"As soon as possible."
"Konoha's intelligence network is terrifying."
Deidara blinked.
"But Danzo is dead, right?"
The moment the words left his mouth—
He wanted to slap himself.
Yes.
Danzo was dead.
But his entire intelligence network had been inherited by Ren.
Which meant—
The most dangerous intelligence chief in the ninja world now served Konoha.
"…Just take my advice," Darui sighed.
"Let's leave."
"We need to report everything."
"The implications are massive."
He felt a headache coming on.
This incident changed everything.
The Sand and Sound Villages attacked Konoha—
yet Konoha barely suffered damage.
Worse—
Mist Village fought alongside Konoha.
Even Rain Village participated.
And the most shocking news—
"The Fourth Kazekage… is dead."
With Rasa gone, the Sand Village had no choice but to fall into Konoha's sphere of influence.
Darui rubbed his forehead.
"Sooner or later…"
"Sunagakure will stand firmly beside Konoha."
Deidara glanced back at the devastated battlefield one last time.
Then murmured quietly:
"…That might actually be real art."
Night fell over Konoha.
Yet no one slept.
Even Ren had been summoned to the Hokage's office.
It would be a very long night.
"Hey."
"Are you alright?"
Tsunade leaned toward him.
"You used a technique like that."
"Can your body handle it?"
Ren tilted his head.
"You should worry about Hikari instead."
Hikari was leaning against his shoulder with her eyes closed.
Tsunade frowned.
"…You're unbelievable."
Hikari might look young.
But Tsunade knew the truth.
She and Ren had excavated Hikari together.
That woman was centuries old.
And you still…
Ren, you really are desperate.
"…Anyway," Tsunade muttered.
"You were the one leading that attack."
"And if I remember correctly…"
"You said Senju and Uchiha powers share the same origin."
"So you must have done something to her."
Hikari opened one eye and glanced coldly at Tsunade.
Ren laughed awkwardly.
"Well… yes."
"I made a few adjustments."
"Her eyes improved significantly."
"They still consume chakra heavily."
"But she no longer risks blindness."
Otherwise—
He would never have allowed her to attempt such a massive synchronization with True Several Thousand Hands.
White Zetsu cells were surprisingly useful.
Combined with Ren's chakra adjustments—
The result was excellent.
But the real reason Ren had to support her with chakra was simple.
The Thousand-Handed Buddha was enormous.
Over a thousand meters tall.
Even Madara's Susanoo was only a few hundred meters.
Without Ren's chakra—
Hikari would be unconscious right now.
"What are you all whispering about?"
Hiruzen approached with Elder Gengetsu.
"Let's begin the meeting."
Tsunade sighed.
"Try to behave, you two."
Surprisingly—
Hiruzen completely ignored Hikari leaning on Ren.
As if he couldn't see her at all.
Tsunade suddenly realized something.
There were no ANBU in the room.
That was unusual.
Normally ANBU remained inside during meetings.
Then she understood.
These two…
They've been like this for a while.
And the old man definitely knows.
Yet he's pretending not to notice.
Tsunade's brain screamed:
Social collapse.
Hiruzen cleared his throat.
"The Sand and Sound Villages' actions were unacceptable."
"Tsunade."
"In a few hours you'll become the Fifth Hokage."
"What do you think we should do?"
Then he turned to Ren.
"And you, Hokage Advisor."
"What would you do?"
Ren answered calmly.
"Danzo already had a plan regarding the Sand Village."
"He wanted either Chiyo or Ebizō to replace Rasa."
Hiruzen waved his hand.
"Let's not talk about Danzo."
Gengetsu was present.
Certain topics were sensitive.
Ren nodded.
"My approach is different."
"Do you know Pakura?"
Hiruzen immediately understood.
"You plan to support her as Kazekage?"
Ren nodded.
Pakura had strong ties with Konoha.
And she had already been cooperating on water infrastructure projects.
"Using the damage caused by the Sand Village's attack," Ren said,
"We can force internal compromise."
Hiruzen smiled slightly.
"Yes."
"And since Rasa is dead…"
"This opportunity shouldn't be wasted."
Gengetsu cleared his throat awkwardly.
"…Let's discuss intelligence."
"Akatsuki used a forbidden technique."
Hiruzen sighed.
"That was the Edo Tensei created by the Second Hokage."
"It summons the dead."
"The more perfected the technique…"
"The closer the resurrected become to their original strength."
Ren added calmly:
"Even so."
"The First Hokage wasn't at full power."
"He couldn't use True Several Thousand Hands."
Hiruzen nodded.
"Even so… his strength was terrifying."
Then Hiruzen suddenly had an idea.
"…Ren."
"What if we summon them first?"
Ren blinked.
Tsunade immediately perked up.
"Wait."
"If we revive Grandpa first…"
"That would make things much easier!"
Ren sighed.
"In theory, yes."
"But Orochimaru controls them."
"And Akatsuki might target other Kage."
Gengetsu immediately stood up.
"…Other Kage?"
"Yes."
"Or any powerful dead ninja."
Gengetsu panicked.
"I must return immediately."
And rushed out of the office.
Meanwhile—
Inside Akatsuki's hidden base in the Rain Country.
Space warped.
Obito arrived with the surviving members.
They looked battered—
but alive.
Kakuzu laughed.
"…This feels familiar."
"Every time we fight Ren."
"Same process."
"Gather."
"Attack."
"Get beaten senseless."
The group silently nodded.
Jūzō glanced around.
"Where's your new partner?"
"Hidan?"
Kakuzu shrugged.
"He tried to tank Ren's attack."
"And turned into dust."
Obito added quietly:
"That was Yin–Yang Release."
"Hidan's body couldn't withstand it."
Still—
the mission wasn't a complete failure.
"At least we understand Konoha's strength now," Obito said.
"And Ren's."
"And that Uchiha girl."
Scorpion tilted his head.
"…Since when is survival considered success?"
Obito's face stiffened.
Pain finally spoke.
"The Gedo Statue lacks sufficient power."
"We still need the tailed beasts."
Obito nodded.
"How long until we begin?"
"Two or three years."
Obito clenched his fists.
Meanwhile—
Nagato thought silently.
I wonder how Konan is doing.
High above Konoha.
Moonlight illuminated the rooftops.
Ren stood beside Konan.
"You're bold."
"Still staying in Konoha."
"Don't worry."
"I avoided attacking Nagato's location."
Konan brushed her hair back.
"Thank you."
Then asked quietly:
"Are you alright?"
Ren smiled.
"Nagato didn't go all out."
"Besides…"
"Rain Village gained quite a lot from this."
Trade routes.
Infrastructure.
New markets.
Even access to the Wind and Water Countries.
Konan nodded.
"We're grateful."
Then she hesitated.
"…When will you be free?"
"I'd like to treat you to dinner."
Ren chuckled.
"Since when are you so polite?"
"Three days."
"We'll return to the Rain Country then."
"Alright."
"Three days."
Ren placed a hand on her shoulder.
They vanished.
Reappearing inside her room.
"Get some rest."
Konan watched him disappear again.
Then whispered softly:
"…Rest?"
"No."
"This is my sincerity."
Back home—
Ren stretched.
Finally.
The day was over.
He sat down cross-legged.
The system interface appeared.
This entire operation—
was for this moment.
[Mission Completed: Chunin Exams]
[Evaluation: SSS]
[Reward: 20 Free Points]
Ren nodded.
Not bad.
But the next rewards made him freeze.
[Special Reward Granted]
[Wood Release Experience — Peak Hashirama]
[Storm Release Experience — Darui]
[Free Points ×2]
Ren immediately stood up.
"Storm Release…"
This was the power he had been waiting for.
Once he mastered its formula—
He could truly begin pursuing Bloodline Expansion.
His path toward godhood had begun.
He was just about to activate the reward—
When suddenly—
Click.
The door opened.
Ren turned.
Hikari walked in.
Wearing sleepwear.
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