Seeing Hōzuki Mangetsu standing across from him, Ren Uchiha's eyes narrowed instantly. It wasn't just because of the man's immeasurable combat power—he was the older brother of Suigetsu, after all.
Ren knew Mangetsu likely mastered everything Suigetsu knew: Hydrification, Great Hydrification, Water Pistol, Tate Eboshi... and even the legendary Second Mizukage's techniques like Oilification or the Steaming Danger Tyranny. Furthermore, in this era, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were at full strength, meaning Mangetsu could potentially summon all seven blades. He was a "Hexagon Warrior" with peak offense, defense, and stamina. Though only a few years older than Ren, his tactical system was complete. On paper, he already possessed the power of a Kage.
But was that why Ren felt wary?
No. Ren had been willing to "operate" even against Kakuzu. A "buffed version of Suigetsu" wouldn't paralyze him with fear. What troubled Ren was Mangetsu's current status.
Why is Mangetsu a Hunter-nin (Oinin)?
Kirigakure was a village of extreme political rigor. Hunter-nin reported directly to the Mizukage, tasked with hunting down defectors. Their creed was "Leave no one alive." This information contradicted everything Ren knew about the original timeline.
Ren quickly analyzed the "big picture" of the Mist based on his meta-knowledge:
The current high-level officials of the Mist are likely working with (or controlled by) an elderly Uchiha Madara.
Yagura Karatachi should be the "pure-hearted" candidate for the Fourth Mizukage.
In the future, Zabuza Momochi would launch a coup against Yagura's "Blood Mist" policy, supported by Mangetsu.
But right now, Mangetsu was here as a Hunter-nin, interrogating Mei about Yagura's whereabouts. This meant he wasn't Yagura's ally yet.
Ren realized with a heavy heart: He was standing at the pivotal node that would determine the future of a Great Nation. Saving "extras" like Setsuna or Seiichiro had limited impact on the grand plot. But this? This involved Madara's schemes, the Blood Mist coup, and the imminent Third Great Ninja War. Everything changed because Mei had followed him here to open a path for Hidan.
The Hunter-nin's mission was simple: Kill. The undercurrents of the Dark Era were finally surging to the surface.
Standing on the blood-red carpet in the center of the hall, Ren felt like he was at a crossroads. One path led to a throne of corpses; the other, to the "perfect" ending from the original story.
Ren's body began to tremble. Was it excitement? Fear? His heart hammered against his ribs. Adrenaline surged from his toes to his skull. His right fingertips turned pitch-black, and his left hand gripped four shuriken between his fingers. He looked up at the six enemies, his expression grim.
Above, the dark clouds under the dome churned.
Drip. Drip. An indoor rain began to fall. Ren frowned as the water hit his hardened skin.
"Suiton: Kirisame (Cutting Rain)?"
The rain was eroding his Earth Spear hardening. To maintain his defense, he would need to consume three times more chakra, and even then, it would be continuously weakened. This was a specialized Mist secret technique designed to neutralize almost any non-water ninjutsu.
They scouted me. They did their homework after seeing me fight on the wall, Ren thought. Fine. But I won't let Mei die here.
Ren took a deep breath, deactivated the Earth Spear to save chakra, and drew his ninja sword. In his eyes, the crimson Sharingan ignited, two tomoe spinning rapidly as he scanned the battlefield.
Mangetsu Hōzuki noticed Ren's battle stance and spared him a cold glance. A numb, world-weary killing intent flared in his purple eyes.
"Oh? An Uchiha too?"
He turned back to the trembling Mei Terumī. "Mei... have you fallen so low that you must recruit outsiders to support your rebellion?"