Naruto: The Flame That Reshapes Fate

Upon hearing those words,

The white-haired ANBU was stunned.

Was this a scheme?

The clan head had been replaced in one night?

When had that happened? If he recalled correctly, today—no, it was past midnight already— so yesterday, Uchiha Fugaku had still submitted official documents to the Hokage in his capacity as both clan head and head of the Konoha Police Force.

Was the Uchiha clan really this… hasty in their affairs? Could a position as significant as clan head be handed over so casually?

And the leadership of the Police Force—was that something that could be reassigned privately as well?

Worst of all, it was Uchiha Rēn who had succeeded as clan head. The ANBU recalled the Third Hokage's orders, and behind the mask of the fox and the black cloth beneath it, his expression showed a rare trace of hesitation and unease. This situation was completely unexpected.

But the Hokage's orders had to be carried out.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been given discretionary authority for this mission.

Most likely, even the Third Hokage hadn't anticipated such drastic upheaval within the Uchiha clan. One moment of inattention, and a full regime change had taken place.

"Commander Uchiha."

The title remained the same, but it was now addressed to a different person.

"This is an order from the Hokage. The application has been approved. Given the recent manpower shortage along the eastern coastal border defense unit, the Hokage hopes your clan can quickly send those listed in the document to take up their new posts."

The white-haired ANBU deliberately avoided sensitive wording as he handed the file to Rēn.

"…Heh. Interesting."

As soon as he opened the file, Rēn saw his name at the top. A bright red seal had been stamped squarely over it.

He had no doubt the Third Hokage had approved Fugaku's request to exile him—an unstable element—by sending him far away. Otherwise, there would have been no need for such a hasty coup. He had originally planned to finish stabilizing the Police Force tonight and confront the Third in the morning to draw the lines of battle.

But clearly, the old man was more impatient than expected. He couldn't even wait a single night.

So this was what old people meant when they said, "Time waits for no one"?

Rēn chuckled quietly to himself and gave the thin document a flick.

"Please inform the Hokage that, unfortunately, there's been a minor internal disturbance within the Uchiha clan. As a result, this document… cannot be enacted as things stand. Consider it temporarily void. I will personally deliver a full account to the Hokage tomorrow. Until then, I advise against making any assumptions or further moves based on it."

With that, Rēn shoved the document back into the hands of the white-haired ANBU.

Or more accurately, He returned it to Kakashi.

Despite being in ANBU, he never changed that conspicuously white hair, and with that left eye deliberately concealed… no wonder the Hokage had sent him to deliver documents. He didn't look like someone suited for stealth missions at all.

"I understand. I'll report the situation to the Hokage exactly as it happened."

Kakashi accepted this without complaint.

He wasn't foolish. This was the Uchiha Police Force's territory, and with so many Uchiha present, even if he disagreed internally, this wasn't the time to speak up. He calmly took the file and turned to leave.

"Wait."

Rēn called out before Kakashi could take a step.

"There's one more thing I need you to deliver to the Hokage."

He turned to the clansmen crowding the rooftop. "Anyone good with paperwork, step forward. Quickly. I need something written."

A bespectacled clansman immediately stepped forward.

"Write a resignation letter for me."

"…Eh?"

The clansman froze. He didn't know who it was for or which department it was addressed to. It was too vague to start writing. Cautiously, he asked, "Um, Commander… who is this for?"

"Uchiha Shisui. He's resigning from the ANBU."

Rēn said it flatly.

Then—

"…Rēn, what are you doing?"

Now it was Shisui's turn to be dumbfounded. He had never said anything about leaving ANBU. Sure, he wasn't exactly happy there—the cold, grim atmosphere didn't suit his warm and cheerful personality.

But that didn't mean he planned to quit.

He had joined ANBU to help ease tensions between the village and the clan. Leaving now, without having achieved anything, felt like a disgrace.

In his panic, he even forgot to use proper titles.

"What am I doing? I'm pulling you out of the swamp. Shisui, staying in ANBU won't help you solve the rift between the clan and the village. On the contrary, ANBU has become a cage that restricts and binds you. Besides… this is the clan head's order. Are you planning to disobey it?"

Rēn spoke slowly and firmly.

"You…"

"That's final. Get it written. Don't keep our ANBU guest waiting."

Rēn made the decision unilaterally.

The bespectacled clansman was quick to act. He pulled out paper and pen, dropped to the rooftop floor, and began writing under the moonlight. In less than a minute, he had finished a properly formatted, formally worded resignation letter. All that was left was for Shisui to sign his name.

"Are you really not going to let me stay in ANBU?"

Shisui hesitated, pen in hand, still trying to resist.

"Stay in ANBU and wait for someone to target you? You want to lose an arm?"

Rēn didn't shy away from saying it out loud, even with Kakashi still present. "ANBU is not where the Uchiha should be. Do you really think you can change those elder's prejudice against us just by staying there? You are not their shield Shisui, remember that."

Kakashi said nothing and remained still, like a scarecrow.

Shisui had no reply either.

In front of Rēn and so many clan members, he couldn't say something that went against his own heart.

"But if you stay with the clan, you might actually have the chance to change it. The two of us, working together, could reshape how the village sees us. Konoha isn't owned by any one person. It belongs to all villagers. It's far better to earn the trust of the majority than to please a handful of people with power. That's the only way for the clan to truly integrate into the village."

He paused, then added, "You've seen how their trust works—it's conditional. Let's stop begging for space at someone else's table and start building our own."

Rēn rambled on.

Though not entirely nonsense. His upcoming plans really did include reforming the clan and the Police Force.

But compared to vague things like reputation, what worried him more was the possibility of Shisui being used. Whether it was Danzō or the Third, their manipulations were not something Shisui could withstand.

Even Rēn didn't think he could withstand all the tricks those old foxes could pull if not for his quick thinking....and that Fugaku had at least some love for the younger generation, Rēn might be six feet under already.

So he could already see the coming conflict between the clan and the village. It might not become all-out war, but if Shisui stayed in ANBU, he would almost certainly be targeted. One misstep, and he could lose his life.

In the original timeline, Shisui had been manipulated by Danzō, lost an eye, and in despair, drowned himself in the river.