"I am going to Unming City to assassinate the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning!"
The bonfire blazed, its flickering light dancing across the dilapidated ruins of the Land of Frost town. The night wind sighed through the empty shacks, creating a mournful wail.
The two men, having retracted their overwhelming powers, sat in silence around the fire. Through the stranger's unique eyes and the female infant he carried, Ren Uchiha had already recognized the man—this was the hidden boss who, in the original story, slaughtered the Chinoike clan: En Oyashiro.
En Oyashiro carefully placed his sleeping daughter onto a soft cushion made of folded old clothes. After a long silence, he spoke in a raspy voice:
"Three months ago, my wife was chosen by the clan to deliver a letter of apology to the Lightning Daimyo's estate. She was chosen... because she was beautiful."
"She had purple eyes, like the most exquisite jewels in the world. Anyone who saw her would be intoxicated by her beauty."
As En Oyashiro told his story, Ren vaguely recalled a pair of clear, emerald eyes—a description that fit En's memory of jewelry and flowing clouds. He couldn't help but let out a small, bitter smile.
En Oyashiro remained silent for a while longer, his expression wooden. "But she was pregnant with my daughter at the time. When the clan chose her to see the Daimyo, I knew exactly what they wanted her to do."
"I could not refuse, nor could I resist. I was the Young Head of the clan. Only by sending my woman to serve the Daimyo would it be seen as true... submission."
"Instead, it was my wife who smiled and comforted me. She said, 'En, we will be free soon. We'll build a grand castle for our daughter and name it after her. Our family will live there happily forever.'"
"Heh... Hahaha... Hahahaha!"
En Oyashiro laughed, a twisted, savage sound that made the skin on his face contort. "But I must say, the Kumogakure shinobi did a marvelous thing! They intercepted and killed the Daimyo's returning messengers! My wife's sacrifice was rendered utterly pointless. Shortly after returning to the clan... she chose to take her own life."
"It was on that day that I obtained these eyes, surpassing everyone in the clan. It was also on that day, when I intended to slaughter every last one of them, that the Raikage's son arrived with his so-called 'Brotherly Covenant'..."
En Oyashiro's expression turned into a terrifying mask of ice. "This world is constructed of layers of deception. The clan deceived my wife, she deceived me, and the Raikage's son deceived my foolish kinsmen. Everyone lives in a lie, whispering to themselves that tomorrow will be better, while those at the top enjoy everything."
"Only I—" He ground his teeth, an unquenchable fire burning in his eyes. "With these eyes, through the tears of regret my wife shed until her death, I saw the truth!"
Ren tried to put himself in the man's shoes and felt a chill run down his spine. Even knowing the dark side of the shinobi world, hearing the raw history from the victim himself was unsettling.
As En spoke, Ren finally pieced together what had happened to him. After losing consciousness during the fall, En had taken him and implanted the Ketsuryūgan. It was a miracle Ren's body was so resilient—his heart, eyes, and organs seemed to support any "hot-swappable" part like a modular machine. Anyone else would have died instantly.
But this coincidence had allowed him to awaken the Susanoo.
In a way, Ren owed En Oyashiro a debt. He looked up at the man and asked, "Then, why did you save me? You slaughtered your own kind, but you saved an Uchiha who helped imprison you for twenty years. I can't understand that. You could have just killed me."
En Oyashiro didn't answer. He didn't care to explain the momentary softness of heart that stayed his hand. He merely looked up.
"The battle above Hell Valley only happened because the Cloud came to fulfill the Raikage's son's pact with the Chinoike. If I'm not mistaken, you were attacked by Kumo and fell. We have the same enemy."
"And as it happens, I need a guide. I haven't left Hell Valley since I was born. I need you to understand the outside world... and I need you to lead me to Unming City!"
Ren perked up. He didn't care about the awkwardness of the request because Unming City was exactly where he was headed! His "little brother" Hidan was surrounded by cultists and Kumo forces; it was time for the "Big Brother" to deliver some justice from the heavens.
"Anyway, thanks," Ren nodded. He looked at En Oyashiro. "I pay my debts. Since I owe you, I don't care if you want to kill the Daimyo, the Raikage, or tear the capital apart. I'll help you."
"I might be struggling with some things, but if it's a fight against the Cloud, count me in!" Ren grinned, patting his chest.
En Oyashiro looked at him in surprise. This kid was as stubborn as a mule a moment ago, why is he so agreeable now? He hadn't even mentioned the terms of the deal or the rewards, and the kid was already jumping on board. This generation is... strange.
Ren rubbed his stomach. The intense hunger at a cellular level made him want to fly to Unming City and eat ten oxen to replenish his chakra. He looked at En.
"Since the misunderstanding is cleared up, what are we waiting for? Lead the way!"
"Let's go! Time to do something big!"
En Oyashiro stared at Ren, bewildered. "I asked you to be the guide. Why are you telling me to lead the way?"
Ren froze. "The problem is... I don't know the way either!?"
In the year or so since he'd arrived in this world, he'd mostly been in Konoha. Aside from the village and its immediate mission routes, the rest of the world was a complete mystery to him.
The two men, who had been ready to set off, sat back down in a heavy silence. En Oyashiro put his hand to his face, feeling a headache coming on. I tried to pick up a guide, and I got this guy. Are we both lost?
Staring at the flickering fire, Ren rested his chin on his hand. "I think... we need a guide!"
En Oyashiro looked around the ruins of the town. "In this wasteland where even bandits won't nest, where are we supposed to find anyone?"
Just then, a faint, rustling sound of footsteps echoed from the end of the ruined street.
"Hey, look at that! Someone's coming!"
Their eyes lit up simultaneously. They looked toward the source of the sound. Emerging from the darkness was a boy in a black robe with short red hair, who was looking at them with equal delight.
"Excellent," Sasori thought, his eyes gleaming. "In this wasteland, I've actually found two 'collectibles' with decent chakra fluctuations!"
Without hesitation, Sasori reached into his robe, drew his revolutionary flintlock pistol, and strode forward. Before his era-defining weapon, he was certain these two "flesh-and-blood" shinobi wouldn't last a single shot.
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