The convoy reached the Fire Daimyo's capital without further trouble. At the gates, they met the Second Elder. Uchiha Ming handed him a sealed letter.
With the mission complete, the escort squads could have returned to Konoha. But Renji spoke first.
"We're not heading back. The shinobi world is stirring again. What we need is training, real battles, and a chance to carve the Uchiha name into the world.
We'll divide into two paths. Ming-sensei, you'll take Fugaku's squad toward the Land of Water. Hunt enemy shinobi, raise our renown, and prepare. If another war breaks out, the Konoha elders will surely send us to Water's front. Fire and Water clash naturally. It's the perfect place for them to grind us down. Let's be ready.
My squad, with my uncle leading, will take the line toward the Land of Wind. Rain-nin, Sand-nin, Mist-nin, rogues, chaos enough for us. We're the restless ones anyway, and my uncle's not the quiet type. This route fits us.
Half a year. That's the meeting point. By then, the clan's new plan will be in motion. We'll be needed."
Fugaku straightened. "Big Brother's right. Going home gains us nothing. Out here, we forge ourselves. Yesterday's fight showed how raw my squad is no rhythm, no trust. We wasted strength.
And though I don't know why Big Brother thinks war is near, I agree: testing ourselves early against the world is the best defense. I'm in." His eyes were resolute.
"Good. I'll send word to the clan," Ming said, and strode off.
Renji and Yan watched his back in silence. They had lived through it once already, the painful rift of mistrust. Even if they understood now, the scars remained.
Yan turned. "Renji, how did you know war's on the way?"
Renji smiled faintly. "No prophecy. War doesn't need reason. No one starts it, it starts itself. In ancient times, two women picking mulberry leaves at a border sparked a war between nations.
We need conflict. To drag Konoha's eyes away from us. To give the Uchiha their rebirth. The Third Great War will be our clan's revival."
"Two women picking mulberries? That could start a war?" Retsu blinked.
Renji nodded. "Long ago, Wu and Chu bordered each other. Women from both sides gathered leaves to feed their silkworms. At a disputed tree, they fought. They wept to their husbands. Husbands gathered villages. The brawl grew. Villages became armies. Armies became nations at war.
That's history. Wars snowball from nothing." Inwardly, Renji chuckled. Another world's history, but no one here will know the difference.
"So what do we do?" Retsu asked.
"We don't. We just kill. Let others scheme. Some nations will need war more than us soon enough." Renji smirked, letting the mystery hang.
"Tch. Always half-speaking, dangling riddles. Fine, then. At least explain Light Release again. No way it should feel that empty to me." Retsu grabbed his shoulder.
Renji groaned. "Brother, even if I explain it a hundred times, it won't help. You haven't even nailed one element's shape transformation. Light Release isn't something you just pick up. Honestly, even with three elements, you'd fail. It doesn't come from where you think."
They rested a day, then split routes.
On the march, Retsu perked up. "Rain-nin ahead. Do we hit them?"
Yan frowned. "We've killed plenty this month. More, and people will notice."
Renji chuckled. "They've noticed already. The other villages aren't blind. Shinobi keep dying in this direction, of course they'll smell blood. They might even send bait squads to draw us in."
Kirito cracked his knuckles. "I'll follow whatever you decide. I'm just an extra blade here."
"Then we hunt. Kill enough, and let's see who's the predator and who's the prey," Retsu's eyes gleamed.
"Fine. But we shift toward Grass Country," Renji ordered.
They crept in.
"Fire Style: Majestic Dragon Fire!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Combined Art: "Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Bullet!"
Retsu and Yan opened with their trademark fusion barrage.
"Light Release: Chain Step!"
"Rasengan!"
Renji blurred in on golden feet, Rasengan whirling, to finish the survivors.
"Genjutsu: Sharingan."
"Uchiha Sword Style: Blazing Tempest Cut!"
Xingye and Duantian joined in illusions, shuriken, and relentless kenjutsu.
The skirmish ended in heartbeats, more training drill than battle. Another squad erased, another rumor spread.
And the rumors grew fast.
In the Land of Rain and the Wind frontier: Konoha's Golden Shura, the Twin Flames, the Gale Swordsman, Illusion-Eyed Xingye.
In the Land of Water: Fugaku the Grim-Eyed, Don't-Want-to-Go-to-Class QAQ, Frost Phantom Mugetsu, Swift Blade, Flame Swordhand.
Two squads. East and west. The Uchiha name echoing across nations.
Renji didn't linger in Grass. He pressed north to the Land of Long. And there, his team left nothing alive. Men, women, even children, all cut down.
Renji hated slaughter. But sometimes survival demanded it. His clan's rise depended on secrecy. No witnesses. No leaks. If they failed here, they'd be branded rogues.
And Renji's plan for Uchiha supremacy would die before it began.
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