Chapter 190
2-in-1-chapter
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This branch, taken from the original, complete God Tree, contained mysteries that could not be easily explained in words. But so far, Rēn's greatest revelation from studying the Gunbai was confirming that the Sharingan, this Bloodline Limit of the Uchiha, ultimately originated from the God Tree itself.
Unlike the Hyūga clan's Byakugan, which descended from the Ōtsutsuki lineage, the Sharingan came from the God Tree. When Ōtsutsuki Kaguya consumed the fruit of the God Tree, she awakened the Rinne Sharingan. That power was passed down to her elder son, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, and from Hagoromo's "Sage Eyes" was born the Uchiha ancestor, Indra, and the Sharingan.
Having confirmed the Sharingan's origin within the God Tree, Rēn also comprehended from the Gunbai a way to perfect the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Though time had not yet allowed him to evolve his eyes to the stage of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he was but one step away. Given patience, it would come naturally. Moreover, his understanding of Yin and Yang Release had deepened considerably.
In truth, when he compared himself to the clan's legendary founder, Uchiha Madara, who had once helped the First Hokage establish Konoha, Rēn found himself lacking only in that his eyes had not yet reached the eternal form. In every other respect, he believed himself no weaker than his ancestor.
The greatest difference between the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan lay in stability. Aside from that, there was no vast gulf between them. With Samehada in his possession to replenish his ocular chakra at will, Rēn had already found another path to compensate for that shortcoming.
That meant his words in the Hokage Building conference—that he possessed only one-tenth of the First Hokage's strength—had been pure modesty. If he were to face Senju Hashirama at his peak now, he could not guarantee victory, but he was certain his performance would not fall far behind Madara's. At most, his battle experience was still slightly lacking in comparison.
Yet this was an age without a Senju Hashirama.
And ever since mastering the Gunbai, Rēn's enemies were no longer the Five Great Shinobi Nations. His true adversaries were Uchiha Obito, the temporarily dead Uchiha Madara, Nagato with his Rinnegan, the shadow that had lurked in the world for a thousand years—Black Zetsu—and even the sleeping Ōtsutsuki Kaguya upon the moon.
Still, Rēn understood that meals must be eaten one bite at a time, and roads must be walked step by step.
Before he could confront Obito, Nagato, and the others, he had to stabilize the chaos in the shinobi world. Only then could he turn his attention to those who lay ahead.
The meeting ended in a way no one could have predicted. Though many present harbored resentment toward the Supreme Commander's autocratic tone, when they saw the crimson, murderous light in Rēn's eyes, not one dared to voice objection. Even Hyūga Hiashi, who seemed several times on the verge of speaking, ultimately chose silence.
Thus, under Rēn's firm and unquestioned command, everyone began to act, burdened by unease about the future but also holding a faint, fragile hope. Perhaps, before long, a triumphant report from the Kusatsu Highlands would reach them after all.
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By the time the council meeting concluded, the advance unit dispatched by Rēn had already reached the border between the Hot Water River Plain and the Kusatsu Highlands. Here, shinobi from both Konoha and Kumogakure patrolled day and night, each side searching for opportunities to hunt the other.
"Shisui, did Rēn give any specific orders or strategy?"
After their rapid advance, the unit halted near the border zone to rest and reorganize.
Uchiha Fugaku approached Shisui, the commander of the advance unit, to ask about their next steps. Although Fugaku had once been clan head, that title no longer held weight—each new leader brought his own generation of retainers. Now Fugaku was only an elder, not the highest authority. Within this unit, he served merely as Shisui's deputy.
"Strategy?"
Shisui's expression was uneasy.
"That's right. We've come all this way; there's no need to worry about information leaks anymore. You can share the operation plan now, can't you?"
"Well… Elder Fugaku, I'm sorry, but Rēn never actually told me about any detailed plan."
"Shisui—you mean there's no plan at all?"
Fugaku's eyes widened.
"According to Rēn, our operation doesn't require one. His instruction was to defeat the Kumogakure forces stationed in the Kusatsu Highlands with the most direct and overwhelming method possible." As he spoke, Shisui unconsciously touched the massive bandaged sword strapped to his back—Samehada. His mind replayed his last conversation with Rēn.
"Just use Susanoo and crush everything in your path."
"Don't worry about exhausting your dōjutsu. Samehada will be with you for now—it will replenish what you lose."
"Use absolute power to break through the Kumogakure line in the Kusatsu Highlands. Let those mountain savages understand how foolish their southern campaign truly was."
Rēn had not given Shisui any time to object. He had already made the decision himself—assembling a vanguard centered on the Uchiha clan, supplemented by elite non-clan shinobi like Might Guy. Fewer than three hundred in total, this force was obviously not enough to defeat Kumogakure's full army.
But against the roughly two thousand shinobi stationed in the Kusatsu Highlands, victory was not impossible.
Even Shisui himself was confident in that. If he fought with all his strength and used Susanoo without restraint, he believed that even if a tailed beast appeared before him, he could still break through.
If not for that belief, he never would have agreed to such a reckless mission. His own safety meant little—sacrificing himself for the village would have been an honor—but he could not bear the thought of leading so many of his clansmen and comrades from the village to their deaths alongside him.
"You young ones… truly, you're insane."
Fugaku let out a long sigh. He stared at Shisui for several seconds before shaking his head in resignation. "Very well. I only hope your decision is the right one. Don't let the clan's finest be wasted in vain."
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"Itachi, Kimimaro, the battle will begin soon. Are you afraid?" Shisui found the two small figures crouched in the corner, chewing on their rations—Uchiha Itachi and Kaguya Kimimaro. These two children had also been brought out of the village by Rēn and placed directly into Shisui's advance unit.
"I don't like war."
"There's nothing to be afraid of."
They answered in unison, though their words could not have been more different in meaning.
From these contrasting replies, one could see the difference in their natures. Both were geniuses, calm and confident, but shaped by very different influences. Itachi, molded by Shisui and Sarutobi Hiruzen, carried a self-sacrificial spirit and longed for peace rather than chaos.
Kimimaro, raised among the battle-obsessed Kaguya clan and later taught by Orochimaru, possessed a colder, more detached heart—one that lacked a clear sense of self and saw only Orochimaru as his center.
"You don't like war? Neither do I," Shisui said, placing a hand on Itachi's shoulder, though his gaze had already turned toward Kimimaro. "But there are times in life when we have no choice. When that happens, the best thing we can do is end the war as quickly as possible. Kimimaro, don't be careless. The shinobi of Kumogakure have many powerful fighters. Keeping a sense of respect for your enemy is not a bad thing."
"Before I return to Lord Orochimaru's side, I absolutely will not die."
Kimimaro's answer made Shisui sigh helplessly. Correcting the boy's twisted thinking would clearly take time.
"Itachi, I'm leaving Kimimaro to you."
Rēn's decision to entrust Kimimaro to Itachi's care was, in Shisui's opinion, a wise one. The two were close in age—both still children—and both exceptional prodigies. Shisui repeated his request.
"Don't worry, Shisui. I'll keep an eye on him. He won't leave my sight."
Uchiha Itachi spoke seriously, giving his assurance.
Kimimaro glanced at him but said nothing. He could not defeat Itachi. They had sparred more than once in recent days, and though Kimimaro had fought with all his strength, he had never been able to grasp the full extent of Itachi's power. Since he could not surpass him, it was natural that Itachi would take the lead in their actions.
The strong deserved to command. Kimimaro accepted this truth. Until the day he could defeat Uchiha Itachi, obeying him was, in his mind, only natural.
"All right, finish your food quickly. Once you're done, we move."
After speaking a few more words to the two of them, Shisui continued walking through the camp, greeting the other clansmen one by one. He reminded the Jōnin to watch over the Chūnin, cautioned the hot-headed young Uchiha not to rush into battle, and warned the arrogant ones not to underestimate those who were not from their clan.
Time passed, minute by minute.
The sun had already climbed to its highest point in the sky. If they were in the village, smoke would be rising from chimneys like a gray forest by now. The Kumogakure forces stationed in the Kusatsu Highlands were likely preparing for their midday meal.
Shisui's advance unit had already finished their rations.
"Move out!"
At Shisui's command, more than three hundred Konoha shinobi set out, racing toward the distant line of mountains faintly visible on the horizon. Shisui led from the front, not bothering to hide his chakra or attempt any surprise attack. He charged straight in, openly and without hesitation. The sentries of Kumogakure were no fools, and certainly not blind.
Pillars of black smoke—signal fires—rose swiftly into the air.
The shinobi of Kumogakure were every bit as combative as their reputation suggested. Rather than fortify themselves and wait for an assault, nearly a hundred of them, led by their commander, rushed out to meet the enemy head-on. Their intent was clear: to clash fiercely with Shisui's forces and see for themselves which side's will burned fiercer.