As soon as Shikaku Nara spoke, Obito's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
"Wait, wait! Chotto matte! Did I hear that right?"
"Ren... he's a Genin just like me! Is there something wrong with the promotion system?"
"How—how—how—how could he jump straight from Genin to Jōnin?!"
Obito Uchiha looked completely shell-shocked, staring at the bedridden Ren, who looked so pale and frail he seemed ready to float away. It felt as if you and your best friend were sitting at a street stall eating skewers and cursing the heavens together, only for someone to shout that a car needed moving—and your bro casually pulls out the keys to a Land Rover.
This mental critical hit sent Obito spiraling into an existential crisis.
"This is impossible! It's not realistic!"
"Wait..." Obito's head snapped up as a thought struck him. Ren had been taken in as a disciple by Orochimaru of the Sannin. Could it be that this promotion was just Lord Orochimaru pulling strings through the back door?
"Sigh, you caught me."
Ren leaned weakly against the wall as he climbed out of bed, giving Obito a hollow glance before his lips curled into a smirk.
"Tobi..."
"I wanted to get along with you all as an ordinary person, but all I got in return was your posturing."
Ren patted Obito on the shoulder and grinned savagely.
"I'm done pretending!"
"I'm a god-tier powerhouse. I'm coming clean!"
With that, Ren brushed past a stunned Obito and followed Shikaku Nara and Torune Aburame out of the tent, leaving Obito standing alone in the center of the room, his jaw hitting the floor.
Stepping out of the tent, the sunlight was blinding, forcing Ren to squint.
When his eyes adjusted, he realized a group of people outside were all staring in his direction.
Kakashi Hatake, Rin Nohara, Genma Shiranui, Might Guy, Ebisu...
Familiar faces. However, Ren was a "pure" clan ninja who hadn't attended the Academy. He knew them, but they didn't know him. Their gazes met for a brief second before shifting away as Ren continued following Torune toward the central command camp.
Watching Ren's retreating figure, Genma Shiranui, chewing on his signature senbon toothpick, widened his eyes in surprise.
"Did you guys see that? That guy... I think he's Lord Orochimaru's new disciple. Ren Uchiha, right?"
Ebisu stood by, eyes full of envy. As a civilian ninja, he understood the vast chasm between himself and a genius from a Great Clan with a powerful master better than anyone. Yet, he couldn't help but look up, like a moth drawn to a flame. He shook his head and whispered:
"You guys don't know the half of it. Word is, he might be the fastest ninja to ever reach Jōnin in Konoha—maybe even the whole world!"
"News just came in this morning. Because of his 'outstanding performance' in the last battle, Ren Uchiha has been granted an exceptional promotion to Jōnin!"
"A twelve-year-old Jōnin... that's even more incredible than Kakashi!"
Rin Nohara stared at Ren's back in shock, then glanced at Kakashi beside her. "Outstanding performance in the last battle? Exceptional promotion?"
"Could it be... is he the 'Shura' who fought alongside Sensei Minato?"
Hearing this, Kakashi narrowed his eyes, focusing on the red-and-white Uchiha fan crest on Ren's black robes. After a moment, he shook his head and analyzed the situation calmly:
"Impossible."
"'Shura' is Konoha's secret weapon—a powerhouse who held off three hundred Sand shinobi alone, battled their top elders, and ultimately killed the Sand's supreme commander. That person's strength is likely on par with Sensei Minato's; they couldn't possibly be this young."
"This Ren Uchiha is likely like Shisui Uchiha—who was also promoted to Chūnin for this mission. He probably participated in Shura's raid and provided crucial support at a key moment."
"Still... his strength cannot be underestimated."
Kakashi's eyes thinned. For the first time, he was seeing a peer who might be even more brilliant than himself. His heart, which had been silent for so long since his father's death, began to stir with a faint competitive spark.
Meanwhile, Asuma Sarutobi, standing near Kurenai Yuhi with his hands in his pockets, snorted dismissively.
"Ren Uchiha? I know him. He's just a lucky Uchiha Orochimaru picked up because the village needed a gesture. Now he got lucky again by tagging along on Lord Shura's mission."
"Heh... he's just a well-connected 'nepo' ninja."
In the eyes of the crowd, Ren was mysterious, powerful—or perhaps just lucky.
Ren could faintly hear the whispers as he walked away. As he passed through the camp with Torune and Shikaku, he heard even more versions of the story from other ninjas.
He realized Konoha had deliberately obscured his true achievements, attributing the legendary feats to his Root persona, "Shura." To the public, he was "merely" a brilliant twelve-year-old Jōnin.
Torune Aburame adjusted his sunglasses and asked with a slight smile, "It seems you've heard them. Tell me, do you feel a bit slighted?"
Ren shook his head. Keeping the identities separate actually made his daily life easier. The merit of killing Ebizo was even greater than he had imagined; if word got out that he did it, he wouldn't be able to walk down the street without being mobbed for autographs.
While he lost the immediate "glory," there was a different, perversely satisfying feeling in walking past people while listening to them heap praise on his "alt account."
Ren grinned. "This is fine. Who actually knows the truth about my identity?"
"Only Root and the highest echelons," Torune explained. "The teammates who were with you have been placed under a strict gag order."
He paused before continuing. "The world will know that 'Shura' killed Ebizo, not Ren Uchiha. You must understand... we in 'Root' are different. You and I are ninjas who live beneath the mask."
Torune looked up at the blazing sun, then at Ren, whose grin was practically reaching his ears. He let out a short, proud laugh.
"Still..."
"We may vanish, but the sun will rise as usual."
Ren turned back, confused. "What was that?"
Torune pulled his hood lower and coughed. "Nothing. Just keep walking."
The three finally reached the central command tent. Torune stayed outside while Shikaku led Ren in. After a series of forms, photos, and mission logs, the process was complete.
"Here, kid. Your new ID."
Shikaku handed over a shinobi license. Ren looked it over; it wasn't much different from his old one, except for the updated rank and mission history:
Name: Ren Uchiha
Rank: Jōnin
Ninja Registration: 009888
Mission History: 1 S+ Rank, 1 S Rank, 855 D Rank.
Shikaku didn't throw a party or pop any confetti. Instead, he pulled Ren close and whispered into his ear.
"I shouldn't be the one saying this, but Lord Jiraiya has already left the camp. He asked me to tell you—"
"Becoming a Jōnin at such a young age isn't always a blessing. Be wary of the shadows lurking in the dark."
"For instance... the 'Root' you serve."
Ren looked up in surprise, but Shikaku acted as if he hadn't said a thing. He straightened up and handed Ren a final document from the desk.
"Finally, Ren Uchiha. After deliberation, the high command has approved your application to return to the village to recover from your injuries."
"You can go home now."
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