Konoha Village — Hokage Tower.
Inside the top-floor conference room, the air had finally eased.
Uchiha Ren sat at the head of the table, relaxed—one arm draped over the chairback.
Around him sat the pillars of Konoha's new order: Hiashi Hyūga, Chōza Akimichi, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, Shibi Aburame… and even Kakashi and Might Guy.
Shikaku unrolled a scroll. His voice stayed controlled, but the excitement still leaked through.
"Iwagakure, Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure have all surrendered. They've paid massive reparations—resources, territory, everything."
He lifted his eyes.
"Konoha is now, beyond any doubt… the number one shinobi village."
Fugaku's lips curved faintly.
"And with the Three-Tails, Five-Tails, and Eight-Tails stationed around the village—under seals and strict control—crime has dropped sharply. Almost to zero."
Kakashi spoke next, calm as ever.
"ANBU has been rebuilt. The new structure is stable."
Might Guy slammed a fist into his palm, eyes blazing.
"And the Ninja Academy—leave it to me! I've basically figured out how to be a hot-blooded principal!"
He flashed a grin bright enough to sting.
"I'll make sure the students study hard, train hard, and keep moving forward!"
Ren chuckled and leaned back.
"Good."
Then his gaze sharpened.
"From today onward, the so-called 'Will of Fire' indoctrination is abolished. Konoha isn't a cult. We don't need brainwashing."
He spoke like he was stating the weather.
"Let every clan develop freely. Let civilians rise if they have talent. Let the village grow however it wants."
He paused.
"But remember one thing."
"Strength is the root of everything."
The room fell quiet for a breath—then everyone nodded.
They understood.
A new ruler meant a new era.
And no one in this room was foolish enough to cling to the old one.
Fugaku drew a slow breath.
"One more matter… Ren."
"The village can't go a day without a Hokage."
Hiashi immediately followed, voice firm.
"I nominate Ren as the Fifth Hokage."
"I agree."
"Same."
"Only Ren is qualified."
One after another, the people in the room spoke—without hesitation.
Ren glanced at them, expression unreadable.
He wasn't interested in titles.
But at this point…
Konoha and him were already tied together by blood and fate.
"…Fine," he said at last, indifferent. "If you insist."
And just like that—
the Fifth Hokage was decided.
History would record it as an inauguration.
But everyone in the room understood the truth:
Konoha had already chosen its ruler the day Ren stood alone against the four great villages.
The remaining discussion was straightforward—timing, ceremony, invitations, reforms, and what benefits to roll out.
By nightfall, the meeting ended.
And Ren vanished into the darkness with a single flicker of motion.
Later that night—
He appeared inside the abandoned Senju clan district.
The place was dead.
Collapsed rooftops.
Cracked walls.
Courtyards swallowed by weeds.
Ren stood in the center of it all, quietly staring.
"So this was once Konoha's strongest clan…"
He exhaled.
"Now it's nothing but ruins."
Through the broken buildings, he could almost glimpse the old glory—when Senju and Uchiha stood shoulder to shoulder.
But in the end…
they'd been ground down, erased piece by piece, until nearly nothing remained.
Ren's eyes narrowed.
"System."
"Sign in: Senju Clan Grounds."
One second.
Ten seconds.
Thirty.
Then—
[Ding!]
[Sign-in successful: Senju Clan Grounds.]
[Reward obtained: Super Strength.]
[Reward obtained: Summoning — Fivefold Rashōmon.]
[Reward obtained: Regeneration (Seal-less).]
[Rewards stored. Once accepted, you may activate them at will.]
Ren clicked his tongue, only mildly satisfied.
"…Better than nothing."
He'd hoped for something bigger—Sage Mode, perhaps.
Instead, he got a brutal close-combat enhancement, a high-level defensive summon, and regeneration.
Still…
that last one was interesting.
On the battlefield, Madara once said—
"No one could kill Hashirama."
If this regeneration was even half of that…
it had value.
Ren lifted his gaze, voice calm.
"Alright."
"You can stop hiding now."
"As one of the Sannin… Tsunade, are you really going to sneak around like a thief?"
Silence.
Then, from the shadows, a woman stepped forward—blonde hair, sharp eyes, expression complicated.
"How did you know I was here?"
Ren didn't answer.
Tsunade's gaze swept across the ruins. Her jaw tightened.
When she'd heard her teacher—Hiruzen—had been killed…
she'd been furious.
But the moment she returned to Konoha—
the moment she stepped into this shattered clan district—
something inside her went quiet.
Because staring at the Senju's graveyard of a home…
she finally understood one thing.
If the Uchiha hadn't fought back…
they would've ended up exactly the same way.
Gone.
Erased.
And she hated herself for how much that truth made sense.
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