With the incident settled, Renji found little reason to linger in the village. Before leaving, he cast one last look at Kakashi Hatake. This boy's situation was far better than what Renji remembered from the original story.
Though his father's death had struck him deeply, the Hatake clan possessed far greater wealth and foundation here. On top of that, with Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara's care, Kakashi's personality had become much brighter.
Kakashi felt deep gratitude toward the Uchiha clan. He knew that without them stepping forward, his father would have carried a lifetime of disgrace. Even in death, the higher-ups would not have spared him.
If not for the Uchiha, things would have turned far worse. The memorial had opened his eyes, shown him truths, and helped him understand certain principles.
Yet whatever he realized, Konoha would not change according to his will. Strength was everything. Only by becoming stronger could he revive his clan and reclaim his father's honor.
He decided to follow in his predecessor's footsteps and graduate early. He shared this thought with that very predecessor, expecting to be advised to wait, to keep his head down until his father's affair faded from memory.
Unexpectedly, his predecessor gave him full support, even telling him that graduating would allow him to break the very record his predecessor had set. He even congratulated him in advance and gifted him his personal insights into kenjutsu training.
The Uchiha treated those they acknowledged with such warmth. Obito was proof of that, and so was Renji. Kakashi engraved this kindness deep in his heart, vowing to repay it one day.
Before leaving the village, Uchiha Clan Head Nobunaga announced a new clan policy: a two-child rule.
Every Uchiha jōnin was required to have at least two children, to continue the bloodline and expand the clan. The second child's upbringing would be funded entirely by the clan.
The Uchiha's superior bloodline was too scarce. In the past, economic concerns held them back, but with newfound wealth flowing in from the Land of Fire, the coffers were full. Now money was no concern. Better to invest in descendants than let riches gather dust in warehouses. True strength came from raising more powerful shinobi.
The handsome older generation of Uchiha men were especially pressured. Their sons not only had talent but sharp wits too. More sons like that, and the Uchiha would soar to the heavens.
The clan supported free love, but for those without suitable partners, any ninja over sixteen could be matched by the clan. With parental consent, an engagement would be arranged, and marriage at eighteen. For older singles, the clan even organized matchmaking gatherings.
In short: those unmarried must wed quickly. The married, if they had gifted bloodlines, must give the clan another child. The young and busy were to be matched early. The Uchiha must flourish. Birth was the command.
Renji bolted from the clan in haste. His own age was nearing the line, and if caught, he too might be dragged into an arranged marriage. At most, a year remained. His brothers Retsu and Yan had already been seized, their families preparing engagements. "Brothers, I'll go on ahead. No need to see me off."
Upon reaching the Land of Fire, Renji was met with a furious Uchiha Duantian and Uchiha Xingye. They demanded to know what ridiculous advice he had given the clan head. Now both were being forced into marriage, yet neither knew who their brides even were.
"I didn't! I swear I didn't! I escaped too! With you two gone, who's guarding the Twelve Guardians?" Renji tried desperately to change the subject.
"Huoluo's already engaged, he'll replace me," Duantian growled, veins bulging, glaring daggers at Renji.
"Renji, listen. You need a broad-minded wife with a strong body. My second uncle's daughter is seventeen years old, over two hundred pounds perfect for you. Great cook, quiet at home, won't cause you trouble," Xingye started eagerly promoting his cousin.
At that, Duantian vanished in an instant. Clearly, he too had been pitched the same cousin before, perhaps even knew her.
Cold sweat broke over Renji. He quickly stammered, "My mom already found someone for me, that girl from… you know which family." With that, he spun around and fled.
Renji climbed onto the roof of the Royal Chamber of Commerce, the tallest building in the Land of Fire. Lying there in the sunlight, he felt at ease. Closer to the sun, he always felt more comfortable.
So much had happened recently. But at least he had dragged the Uchiha's feet free from the mire. Anyone who wanted to push them back into the mud again would find it far harder.
Now his own training needed to intensify. His kenjutsu was already formidable, useful in the early and middle stages. If pushed to higher mastery, it would still serve in later battles. But against reincarnations or Kaguya herself, it would fall short.
Those were towering gods of destruction, shattering worlds. A blade alone would mean nothing.
So Renji resolved to develop his unique power: Light Release. He had hidden it long enough, hoping to live as a different kind of Uchiha. Yet the constant oppression from the higher-ups left him no choice.
It was time to reveal his hand. He was a man blessed by light.
Renji threw himself into training with reckless abandon, especially under the sun. Other than eating and drinking, he never stopped. Everyone feared he might collapse, but he pushed on like a man possessed, shouting slogans as he trained taijutsu and ninjutsu by day, and practicing swordsmanship blindfolded by night.
When the sun rose, his vigor flared like a man injected with fire. Many whispered, "He's gone mad. White Fang's death must have scarred him deeply."
Six months passed. Renji traveled beyond the capital into a remote forest. Grinning, he said, "Let's begin."
"Light Release: Laser."
Golden rays shot from his fingertips, piercing through a distant tree and leaving twin holes.
"Light Release: Shockwave."
Hands cupped like a blossom, he formed a glowing orb at his waist, firing it like a comet, blazing with a tail of light. The blast carved a path through the woods.
"Light Release: Refraction Blitz."
A beam of light ricocheted between objects, creating a track of brilliance along which Renji himself could move at light speed. Not unlike the Flying Thunder God, though requiring a light path rather than instant teleportation.
"Light Release: Yata Beads."
His body glowing, Renji soared upward, raining countless luminous projectiles down in a devastating barrage, clearing a wide swath of forest. Smoke rose from the cratered earth.
"Light Release: Elementalization."
Golden light engulfed him, turning his body translucent, phasing through trees as he floated in midair. Yet after only three minutes, he fell, crawling desperately toward sunlight. Flying consumed far too much stamina, no wonder Kizaru never flew.
But under the sun's rays, chakra and stamina swiftly replenished. In sunlight, Renji could fight from dawn until dusk without tiring.
"Soon," he muttered, "I'll rise to jōnin before the Third War begins. Then I can lead a squad of my own. That war will be the rebirth of the Uchiha."
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