That night, while Shimura Danzo was taking the Raikage's thunderous punches in the north, Uchiha Ren was sitting cross-legged inside his tent in the south, his breathing gradually settling into a rhythm.
The Summoning Technique, a mishmash of Chinese Buddhism and Taoism, further warped by the island nation's local religion, was painfully slow for Ren to cultivate.
Whenever he tried to sense the "spirit" filling his surroundings, that elusive presence, his consciousness seemed to sink into a fog, unable to touch anything real.
Still, although progress was slow, he was gradually finding his direction. At least he wouldn't leave empty-handed after entering a treasure trove.
After a long while, Ren exhaled a breath of stale air and let his consciousness sink back into the space within his Sharingan.
In the deep, empty space of his consciousness, the ancient, mysterious Cyan-White Stone Gate stood in silent majesty, its carvings glimmering faintly.
As he poured in his ocular power, light gradually gathered at the center of the door.
At last, an egg about the size of a basketball appeared before his consciousness, wrapped in a bubble, perfectly round, and radiating a milky-white glow.
Outside the space, Ren's eyes snapped open, disbelief and wild joy flashing across them.
He sprang to his feet, his heart pounding fiercely in his chest with excitement.
Ren paced quickly across the tent, then took several deep breaths.
But he seemed unable to contain the surging emotions. He immediately swept aside the heavy curtain and strode outside.
The clear moonlight poured down like liquid silver, gently bathing the mountains and forests.
At the sound, several Red-Armored Army soldiers standing guard nearby looked over and immediately saluted respectfully.
Ren beamed with an unusually bright smile and waved at them.
The next moment, Three Tomoe appeared in his eyes. He