Naruto: The Flame That Reshapes Fate

For decades, the Hokage building had enjoyed peace. Since the founding of the village, it had never suffered an internal threat like this. For the first time, it was experiencing pain from within.

Rēn and Danzō were engaged in a fierce fight. Before either had even bled, the Hokage building had already taken significant damage. It was thanks only to the building's reinforced structure as the administrative center of Konoha that it hadn't been completely destroyed.

Of course, that was also because both Rēn and Danzō were holding back from using large-scale destructive jutsu. After all, this was the Hokage building. If they demolished it today, the fallout across the village would be unimaginable.

Danzō, who still dreamed of becoming Hokage, believed it was better to save chakra and focus on high-damage single-target jutsu than waste chakra on large-scale techniques.

As for Rēn,

He was having fun.

The moment Akimichi Torifu and the Ino-Shika-Chō trio chose to stand by and observe, the other clan heads also wisely gave up on siding with the Third Hokage to pressure the Uchiha. If even the Sarutobi clan's allied factions had backed off, no one would blame the others for not stepping up.

As a result, the current standoff had become a direct confrontation between the Uchiha clan and Danzō. Even the Third Hokage hesitated after seeing Torifu's stance. He wondered what hidden card the Uchiha had to make Torifu retreat like that. He hesitated, unsure what to do, and while he shouted at Rēn and Danzō to stop, he made no real effort to intervene.

As long as no one died, it wasn't a big deal for Danzō to take a beating.

The ANBU followed orders to evacuate the building's administrative staff and issued a gag order. No one who witnessed the fight was allowed to speak of it until the Hokage gave direct permission.

"Earth Style: Stone Pillar Rods."

Rēn formed a one-handed seal.

In the next second, a dense cluster of stone rods burst from the ground like a forest of spears.

Naturally, this didn't harm Danzō, but Rēn hadn't intended to. He just needed a more practical weapon. Shuriken were too sharp—accidentally killing Danzō would be troublesome.

Besides, beating Danzō was quite satisfying. The pleasure made his eyes itch faintly.

Perhaps,

Danzō was the trigger?

Maybe the activation of the Mangekyō Sharingan didn't necessarily require overwhelming negative emotion. Perhaps Rēn's proficiency in Yin Release had reached a depth where the dojutsu was already fully saturated at the limit of the three-tomoe stage. Maybe he didn't need soul-crushing despair as fuel to ignite the Mangekyō.

Maybe, that was the real answer.

To him, power itself had no inherent good or evil. Compared to fleeting emotions like joy, deep, lasting despair and sorrow produced stronger spiritual energy, which allowed the Sharingan to evolve to higher levels.

Of course, this was just a flash of thought in Rēn's mind. Whether true or not, he could test it later. Right now, his priority was continuing to beat Danzō to maintain this brief, fragile feeling of joy. Maybe today he would awaken the Mangekyō!

He grabbed one of the stone rods.

The power of Knight Does Not Die Barehanded surged into it. The once ordinary rod became unbreakable. It cut through Danzō's Wind Style jutsu with sheer force. With explosive strength, Rēn charged forward. The strikes were precise enough to make Danzō suffer intensely, but not enough to completely incapacitate him.

Of course, Danzō was not some passive target.

Anyone bold enough to aim for the Hokage seat wasn't just a punching bag. His silent Wind Style strike sliced through Rēn's sleeve and left bloody cuts on his arm. The wounds didn't hit bone but still stung sharply.

"Only able to stop the bleeding?"

Rēn silently observed the change in his wounds.

It was clear that his mastery of Yang Release had not reached the legendary level of the First Hokage's no-hand-seal healing. He couldn't regenerate muscle or skin, only stop the bleeding. Still, Rēn had no complaints. Samehada had helped him train in Yin Release and also supported his development in Yang Release.

He had devoted most of his effort to Yin Release. His Yang Release was still shallow.

But it was enough.

Whether it was halting the bleeding or wielding this already impressive strength and speed, he was satisfied. Desire was the driving force behind progress, but excessive greed was poison.

Besides, right now, he needed the blood-soaked sleeves and shirt to make Danzō look like a threat. It would slow the Third Hokage's response. With Danzō using Earth Style hardening techniques repeatedly, he didn't look badly injured. Meanwhile, Rēn, covered in blood, looked like he might collapse at any moment.

Of course, Rēn's act didn't fool everyone.

There were several skilled sensory-type shinobi present. However— Ever since his younger brother was forced to commit suicide to protect him, Hyuga Hiashi no longer had the heart to compete with the Uchiha for status. He still harbored resentment toward the Third for yielding to Kumo's demands.

He wasn't about to ruin a good show like this.

Yamanaka Inoichi, the division head of the Analysis Unit, glanced at the calm and composed Torifu and chose to remain silent as well.

Even without a report from the sensory shinobi, the Third wasn't senile. He noticed Rēn's performance. Just as he was about to step in with a mix of shock and anger, Rēn made a choice.

He took Danzō's Vacuum Blade head-on with his right leg, swinging his stone rod—rough and unrefined, yet so sturdy it withstood even Danzō's blade—down onto Danzō's right leg.

The sound of breaking bone was music to Rēn's ears.

The only disappointment was Danzō's toughness. Even with his leg mangled and bleeding, he didn't make a sound.

"Fine… Since you helped me open that door, you'll be the first to witness my dojutsu."

Rēn leaned in close to the Danzō now slumped against the wall, whispering in a voice only audible within a foot's distance.

In the next instant, his scarlet eyes changed drastically.

From this moment on, Uchiha Rēn shattered the belief that one had to suffer hellish despair to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

The Uchiha

Could awaken the Mangekyō with joy.