"Hopefully you can convince the Uchiha elders…"
Mikoto sighed, rubbing her belly lightly. "So… what name do you want for the baby?"
"If it's a boy," Fugaku's expression softened instantly, "we'll call him Sasuke Uchiha."
"Sasuke?" Mikoto frowned. "Wasn't the Third Hokage's father named Sarutobi Sasuke?"
"Exactly." Fugaku nodded with a straight face. "I want my son to grow into a strong, great shinobi like Sarutobi Sasuke. Isn't that fine?"
Inside, Fugaku snorted.
You want to disgust the Uchiha? Fine. I'll disgust you too—let's see how you like gaining a 'grandson.'
"…Alright." Mikoto gave him a suspicious look.
She felt like he was hiding something.
But she couldn't prove it.
Still… Sasuke wasn't a bad name.
It just carried a faintly ridiculous aftertaste—like they'd somehow shoved the Hokage family into their house by force.
The Aftershocks Continue
The uproar from Ren'spromotion still hadn't died down.
Even people like Might Guy, Hatake Kakashi, Kurenai Yūhi, and Asuma Sarutobi were still processing it.
A simple Jōnin assessment had turned into a public incident so big it pushed Ren straight into Elite Jōnin.
At eleven.
After years of being "forgotten."
Now he was suddenly Konoha's hottest topic again—his "genius" reputation even starting to overshadow Kakashi's.
The only "comfort," at least for outsiders, was that Ren's path was strange:
an Elite Jōnin who specialized in taijutsu.
And in Konoha's eyes, that was the only "weak point" they could cling to.
Naka River — Upstream Gorge
Upstream of the Naka River, inside a secluded canyon—
Ren sat calmly on a boulder.
Behind him, five Shadow Clones worked like machines, repeatedly trying to form Rasengan and refine Chidori.
But it still wasn't clicking.
The Rasengan dispersed before stabilizing.
Chidori crackled and collapsed before it could lock into a clean shape.
"Promoting me to Elite Jōnin out of nowhere…" Ren scoffed softly. "Hiruzen really knows how to disgust people."
He understood the trick perfectly.
This wasn't a "reward."
It was a wedge.
A taijutsu Elite Jōnin with the name Uchiha was a silent insult to every extremist in the clan who worshiped the Sharingan.
It was meant to inflame pride.
To turn Uchiha against Uchiha.
"You think you've got everything under control," Ren murmured, eyes half-lidded. "But it's all a joke."
Then he leaned back, unbothered.
"Whatever. The taijutsu I 'showed' is enough to deal with you."
As for the radicals in the clan?
If they tried something—
He'd make sure they learned, very clearly, why the world bled red.
Sign-In: Naka River
"System. Sign in at the Naka River."
Ding… Sign-in successful.
Congratulations, User: acquired Water Release: Water Severing Wave, Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, plus 0.22% progress.
Ding… Rewards stored in system inventory.
Ren's eyes sharpened. "Show me."
Water Release: Water Severing Wave (Suiton: Suidanha)
A high-pressure cutting jet of water—thin, fast, and lethal enough to slice through stone at close range.
(Upon claiming: instant mastery. No hand seals required—just clap your hands.)
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique (Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu)
Forms a roaring water dragon that surges forward and blasts the target away.
(Upon claiming: instant mastery. No hand seals required—just clap your hands.)
Whitebeard Template progress: 45.00% + 0.22% → 45.22% unlocked
"…Perfect." Ren's mouth curved slightly. "Now I've got Water Release too."
A sign-in here. A sign-in there.
The rewards weren't as insane as the system's refreshed locations, but the feeling was addictive.
Sign in once—feels good.
Sign in everywhere—feels even better.
The Real Reason He Came Here
Ren's gaze hardened.
"System… I want to fuse Hashirama Senju's Sage Body."
That was why he'd chosen this hidden canyon.
If he fused it inside the village, the change might be too obvious—too risky.
But here?
No witnesses.
No eyes.
No problems.
He'd been quietly training chakra for years, but growth was slow.
With Hashirama's physique, he'd finally undergo a true transformation.
And the benefits were absurd:
Near–tailed-beast-level chakra reserves
Monstrous recovery
Endurance far beyond normal shinobi
More importantly—
One day, when he unlocked Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi (Quake Fruit), the Sage Body's recovery would help him absorb most of the backlash.
Whitebeard's power was infamous for how brutal it was on the world—and on the user.
Ren didn't plan on paying the same price.
Not with Hashirama's vitality backing him.
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/StrawHatStudios