The heavy clouds in the sky turned from white to a deep crimson before the red light faded, dragging the city of Unming into the embrace of night. Under the vast, somber sky, birds fluttered their wings and perched on utility poles, tilting their heads to watch the desolate streets.
Specifically, they watched a group of people flitting across those streets.
Ren Uchiha, Minato Namikaze, Mei Terumi, and Mangetsu Hozuki.
In this heavy, silent, and nearly suffocating atmosphere—where the night wind felt as though it were being scorched by an invisible fire—everyone was caught between the joy of a long-awaited reunion, the arrival of old rivals, the shadow of a life-and-death farewell, and the weight of a monumental event about to unfold.
No one spoke, yet everyone had so much they wanted to say.
But they were ninjas—warriors running for their respective "Greater Good." And a ninja must be a person capable of enduring their own emotions.
Ren couldn't help but lament internally: Danzo Shimura truly directed a masterclass of a play.
Even with his eyes closed, Ren could see everything through his [Mind's Eye].
Beside him, Mangetsu Hozuki was baring his sharp, shark-like teeth. His single violet eye was fixed on Ren, brimming with suppressed battle intent. His hand constantly rubbed the broad blade of Hiramekarei, like a starved man about to unfasten a beauty's bodice—his bloodlust and desire for combat were palpable.
On his other side, the spirited young woman no longer looked so carefree. Mei turned her head time and again to look at Ren's face, her eyes lingering on his shut lids. She looked as if she wanted to speak but stopped herself every time, her expression heartbreakingly sorrowful.
Seeing the girl who had somehow found a place in the center of his heart so worried, Ren desperately wanted to stop, pull her into a tight embrace, open his eyes, and tell her in the most nonchalant tone: "I'm fine, see? These eyes are quite beautiful, aren't they?"
But he couldn't.
Because of Kakashi, if he opened his eyes now, he would unleash a murderous ocular jutsu.
And compared to fighting, talking, or being honest with each other, the most immediate priority was to stop the man in front of them—the best friend who was wearing a smile so strained it made Ren's heart ache. He had to stop Minato from making a meaningless sacrifice.
In the deepening twilight, everyone remained silent, yet a thousand words seemed to have been exchanged.
Finally—
Crunch.
The sound of a foot crushing gravel broke the silence. The four of them landed before a high peak just outside the inner city. Before them, a massive vermilion gate stood slightly ajar. Two giant stone statues of guardian deities stood at the entrance, brandishing spears and greatswords.
Soon, a majestic yet hollow, grand yet dim young voice floated out from within.
"Are these the guests seeking an audience?"
"Then, let the envoy of Konoha enter first."
"I wish to see you... personally."
Hearing this voice, Minato's expression instantly turned solemn. He took a deep breath, his face etched with the gravity of a martyr. Then, with determined strides, he began to walk toward the massive inner courtyard.
A ninja exists to protect.
That was Minato Namikaze's "Greater Good." Danzo's manipulation had merely opened a door in that direction, but the choice was Minato's own. He understood that as long as the shinobi system existed, a true order of peace might never be established.
The root of the shinobi system lay in its existence as a mercenary institution. This system restricted ninjas from developing in other directions, forcing them to become mere chips for those in power—cold, heartless killing machines.
How could tools of slaughter ever give birth to love? To inherit hatred and form unbreakable shackles was their destined fate.
Now, Minato was going to practice his will. Using the crack in the system that Ren had accidentally hammered open, he would be the first to die for the sake of rewriting the shinobi code. He wanted to assassinate the Daimyo, but he wasn't just killing a person in a seat. He wanted to sever the power, cut the prestige, and abolish the status!
More importantly, he wanted to promote Ren Uchiha—the person he recognized as someone who could see through the darkness clearly. He wanted his young best friend to be the one standing in the sunlight.
Ren would receive his legacy, protect Kushina, protect everyone in the village, bridge the gap between the Uchiha and the village, and lead this unified force.
Ultimately, Ren would become the Hokage and build an era that truly belonged to ninjas. An era of freedom.
And he, Minato Namikaze, would remain a guardian in the shadows, silently protecting it all. Of course, it would be better if Kushina didn't call me an idiot for this! Minato thought to himself as he stepped through the gates.
However—
"Ren, why did you follow me?"
To Minato's surprise, Ren was following him step for step.
"Are you an old man? Why so much chatter?" Ren raised an eyebrow and snorted coldly. "Can't I just see you off?"
Minato felt a wave of warmth in his chest and gave a faint smile. He had only asked because he was worried the Daimyo's son might have set an ambush. He wasn't afraid for himself, but Ren... having lost his Sharingan and Tailed Beast, Ren was no longer as powerful as before.
But after a moment's thought, he let Ren follow. He believed that with Flying Raijin, even if they encountered a foe as strong as the Third Raikage, he could at least get Ren out safely.
They passed through the vermilion gates, crossed over water pavilions, and soon arrived at a palace-like structure.
There, a young man with pale skin and a faint look of terror in his eyes sat upon the main throne. This was the son of the Lightning Daimyo, the Young Lord of the Land of Lightning:
Sugaya Ryuzoji.
To his left and right stood rows of samurai, hands resting on their sword hilts, watching the two newcomers with dangerous gazes.
Ren frowned slightly. With his senses enhanced by the [Mind's Eye], he could sense others hiding behind the tapestries on the palace pillars—quite a few of them, and all possessed chakra signatures.
It seems this Young Lord is a man with very little sense of security.
Neither side spoke until Minato and Ren drew closer. Sugaya Ryuzoji studied the two men carefully.
His gaze completely ignored Ren—who, despite being handsome, had ordinary black hair, was a head shorter than Minato, and appeared to be blind. He looked like nothing more than a sidekick. Instead, Sugaya's eyes fixed onto the exceptionally handsome Minato Namikaze.
Upon seeing Minato's iconic golden hair, Sugaya seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He asked curiously, "You... are you Minato Namikaze? The ninja known as the 'Yellow Flash'?"
Facing the Young Lord of a foreign nation, Minato remained poised and respectful. He gave a slight bow. "Yes, Young Lord."
Sugaya Ryuzoji spoke with a hint of excitement. "I have seen the conditions you sent me, and I have no objections. However, I heard that you are very strong."
"How strong are you, exactly?"
It was strange. At this moment, the point Sugaya cared about most wasn't the near-treasonous conditions Minato had presented—conditions he had agreed to entirely. Even when Minato told him they were going to kill his father, his sire, his old man, he hadn't shown a shred of displeasure.
Noting this, combined with the man's lack of security, the hidden reinforcements, and the string of terrifying events in Unming City that day, Ren's mind cleared.
He understood why this Daimyo's son had chosen to meet Minato at this time.
Facing such a blunt question, Minato intended to be humble. But then, Ren's voice cut in from behind him, calm and indifferent:
"He is strong enough to keep you safe and sound in a situation where everyone outside wants you dead."
"Ren! You..."
Hearing this, even if it was the truth, Minato couldn't help but glare at Ren reproachfully.
Sure enough, the samurai guarding Sugaya saw Ren's lack of etiquette. Their eyes turned cold as one roared, "How dare you! To be so insolent before the Young Lord—"
However, before the samurai could finish, Sugaya Ryuzoji stood up excitedly.
"Good! Good! Good!"
He stared at Minato as if looking at a legendary, peerless treasure. The whites of his eyes were suddenly shot through with blood vessels. Receiving such a blunt, arrogant answer from Ren hadn't made him angry; instead, he stood up gesticulating wildly, speaking with great emotion to Minato.
"Lord Minato!"
"I know what you intend to do! And I have long harbored such thoughts myself!"
The Daimyo's son suddenly threw his head back and laughed maniacally. "Good! Excellent!"
"Nobunaga Ryuzoji... that man abandoned his humanity, abandoned his wife and children! Facing danger, he fled alone to hide in Kumogakure. He actually... he actually left me here alone to face so many bandits!"
His laughter stopped, and his face twisted into something distorted and terrifying, as if he had swallowed a whole unpeeled durian. He clenched his fists and kicked over the table in front of him!
"A man who cowers without fighting is no ruler! Even if he is my father, the sovereign of this nation... he must be struck down!"
Watching Sugaya's performance, Minato couldn't help but frown slightly. This Young Lord was acting like a startled bird... It made Minato worry if their plot could truly be accomplished in the hands of such a man.
The moment Minato frowned, Sugaya Ryuzoji panicked, as if terrified that this legendary ninja might leave him if he felt the slightest bit of displeasure. He frantically waved his sleeves and shouted to his subordinates:
"Quick! Bring the national treasure of the Land of Lightning to me!"
"I shall gift it to Lord Minato! The legendary divine artifact—"
"The Sword of the Thunder God: Futsu-no-Mitama!"
Note: Support me and get early access to chapters on Pat reon.com/XareonMTL