Within Konoha, a steady stream of information was being gathered at the Hokage Building.
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned deeply, his gaze fixed on the crystal ball atop his desk.
Within the sphere was the image of Uchiha Yashiro, Hazuki, and Fugaku leading the clan's children onward.
From the slight movements of their lips, Sarutobi Hiruzen, relying on his mastery of lip-reading, gleaned quite a bit of useful information.
One thing was certain—the Uchiha Clan was showing an unprecedented tendency toward unity.
"Unfortunately, the Uchiha compound is protected by a barrier. It's difficult to see what's really going on inside."
The Third Hokage's eyes flickered.
He had always held complicated feelings toward the Uchiha Clan.
Beneath his deep wariness, there was also a trace of sincere hope—
Hope that they could truly integrate into Konoha, obey his commands, and help him accomplish the great undertaking that even his teacher, Senju Tobirama, had failed to achieve: building an unprecedentedly powerful hidden village of Konoha.
Yet the ever-restless Uchiha Clan was also steadily wearing away at his patience.
After Kagami Uchiha, the bridge of communication, had died, and with the daily admonitions of his three advisor friends, his view of that clan had long since changed.
"I hope the Uchiha Clan can fulfill its duty properly in this coming war..."
A faint sigh settled in his heart. Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly looked up, his blazing gaze shooting toward the door.
At that moment, a crisp knock sounded, followed by the low report of an Anbu outside.
"Lord Hokage, the Uchiha Clan Head requests an audience."
"What is he here for?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen swiftly reined in every trace of emotion and answered in a deep voice.
"Let him in."
Uchiha compound, Naka Training Ground.
The thin morning mist draped over the Naka River like a veil. Under the dawn light, the river gleamed with a cold shimmer, its gentle murmur blending with birdsong.
The air carried the moist scent of grass, trees, and earth. The quiet was broken by the sharp whistles of bodies cutting through the air and the blazing eruptions from the training ground.
Two figures crossed fiercely through the hazy dawn like hunting leopards. The force of their punches and kicks tore through the mist, sending dew from the grass along the bank scattering in every direction.
A vicious roundhouse kick swept out, while the other figure crouched low to block it. Arm and shin collided with a dull thud.
Uchiha Mikoto moved with agility. Her toes lightly tapped the wet river stones as she drifted backward, her hands already becoming blurs.
Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson!
The kunoichi gave a quiet cry in her heart as she completed the hand seals.
Dozens of crimson fireballs burst from her mouth, accompanied by shuriken flung from her hands with piercing whistles. Like a rain of red flowers flowing upstream, they tore through the mist and shot straight toward the pursuing Uchiha Ren.
Faced with the dazzling yet deadly assault, Ren's eyes remained calm.
He did not counter with ninjutsu. Instead, his right hand instantly gripped the hilt at his waist.
Uchiha Style: Gale Sword!
Shing—!
The clear ring of steel split the dawn sky.
The blade flashed like a newborn crescent moon, tracing a perfect arc around his wrist.
Chakra clung to the blade, forming a razor-sharp current comparable to a B-rank Wind Style ninjutsu.
Where the sword wind passed, the blazing fireballs and concealed shuriken were knocked aside and shattered.
The scattered sparks seemed to set off a fleeting display of fireworks along the riverbank at dawn, competing with the rising sunlight.
Ren's swordsmanship has grown even stronger...
Mikoto murmured inwardly. Her Three Tomoe Sharingan had already appeared in her eyes, catching the nearly imperceptible opening as Ren sheathed his sword.
She lowered her body, activating the Body Flicker Technique and leaving behind a fading afterimage.
Her true body slipped into Ren's range like the morning breeze. Her kunai carried a chill as it stabbed straight for his sword-holding right wrist.
But Ren seemed to have expected it.
His right wrist turned slightly, and the guard of his sword precisely knocked the kunai aside with a clear clang.
At the same time, his left hand shot out like lightning, reaching directly for Mikoto's wrist joint.
Knowing that her taijutsu was inferior to his, Mikoto reacted quickly. She used the force to spin away and retreat, her movements as fluid as a dance. As she withdrew, the seals with her other hand were already complete.
Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!
Chakra condensed to an extreme degree, and a massive fire dragon roared forth.
The fire dragon vaporized the moisture in its path and charged straight at Ren with scorching waves of heat!
Facing this stronger Fire Style, Ren's gaze sharpened. His Three Tomoe spun as Chakra erupted within him, and his body seemed to merge with the light of dawn as he charged directly toward the fire dragon at an unbelievable speed!
At the moment he was about to be swallowed, his body seemed to turn insubstantial.
He brushed past the roaring fire dragon, leaving only a fading afterimage distorted by the heat waves behind.
The next moment, he appeared at Mikoto's side, his long sword already sheathed.
One hand gently pressed against the wrist holding her kunai, while the other hovered beside her waist, which rose and fell with her breathing.
"You lost, Mikoto."
His low voice sounded beside her ear, but the beautiful kunoichi immediately retorted.
"Ren, it's not over yet!"
Mikoto tilted her head slightly to look at Ren so close beside her—then their two pairs of Three Tomoe Sharingan suddenly met!
The air seemed to freeze in an instant.
Ren felt the scene around him twist and fade. The training ground, the Naka River, and the morning light peeled away like shattered mirrors.
In their place stood countless enormous mirrors reflecting his figure, enclosing him from every direction—Sharingan: Genjutsu, World of Mirrors!
Every "Ren" in the mirrors moved stiffly, with hollow eyes, like puppets under someone's control. They stepped out of the mirrors one by one, advancing toward him with cold killing intent.
"A beautiful counterattack."
In reality, Ren's lips curved slightly. The Three Tomoe in his eyes spun at high speed, and powerful ocular force surged out like a tide.
The entire world of mirrors let out a strained wail. Cracks instantly spread across every mirror before they exploded with a deafening crash!
The instant the genjutsu space shattered, reality returned.
The two remained extremely close, both of their bodies pausing slightly.
Mikoto let out a muffled groan. The backlash from having her genjutsu forcibly broken made her vision go dark, and her body swayed.
Had Ren's hand hovering at her waist not applied a steadying force at just the right moment, she would have nearly staggered backward.
Mikoto took several quick breaths. Her Sharingan slowly faded, revealing her originally clear eyes. The flush on her face from the exercise was even more radiant than the morning clouds on the horizon.
She let out a soft breath, her face carrying the unwillingness of someone who had fought a hundred battles and lost a hundred times. Her cherry lips pouted slightly as she complained, "You never give me even one chance. At least let me win once."
There was genuine helplessness in her tone, but so too was her reliance on the person before her strength—and the hidden pride she felt in it.
"However."
Mikoto changed the subject, curiosity overpowering her small resentment.
"That last move of yours... wasn't an ordinary Body Flicker Technique, was it?"
"Mm, you could say it's a new application of the Sharingan."
Ren removed his hand from beside Mikoto's waist, his gaze falling on her lovely face as he leaned close with a smile and whispered into her ear.
"Want to learn it?"
"My dear... Lady Mikoto?"
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