Naruto: The Flame That Reshapes Fate

Hold Uchiha Rēn accountable?

Don't be ridiculous.

The only reason Senju Hashirama dared to discipline the rogue ninja Uchiha Madara was because he had the strength to beat his friend's face into the ground.

For Danzō to be defeated so easily filled the Third Hokage with unease. In his heart, he knew he himself might not be able to defeat Danzō that easily at his age. Illusions or not, even Uchiha genjutsu shouldn't have been enough to leave Danzō unconscious—unless...

A deeply unsettling thought surfaced in his mind.

He looked at Rēn, bloodied but largely unharmed, and sighed silently. Then he turned his gaze to Uchiha Shisui, who had effortlessly blocked Torune from start to finish, and to Uchiha Fugaku, who had been completely idle the entire time. The latter didn't even warrant further mention.

Just the first two were enough of a headache.

And that wasn't even counting the many other elite jōnin within the Uchiha clan.

It looked like any action targeting the Uchiha would have to be put on hold. If pushed too far, and they fought back with everything they had, Konoha would be severely weakened—and the other four villages would seize the opportunity. That was a situation he would never allow.

"Uchiha Rēn, the Police Force is not anyone's personal toy. I hope you don't go down the wrong path."

The Third spoke every word clearly.

Then turned and left.

The area around the meeting hall was in ruins. Earth release users couldn't handle rebuilding reinforced concrete structures. They'd have to wait for a specialized engineering unit. Fortunately, the Hokage's office wasn't nearby, so it wasn't affected by the fight. At least the Third Hokage didn't have to find a new workspace.

Mitokado and Koharu, both sly and experienced, also left without a word.

"The future of the Uchiha is naturally my responsibility as clan head. That's not something the Hokage needs to worry about."

Rēn raised his voice at the Third Hokage's departing back.

And just like that, the meeting ended abruptly.

The Third and his faction failed to achieve their objective, and even lost Shimura Danzō in the process. What's more, the Third's final statement had effectively acknowledged Rēn's position as commander of the Konoha Police Force. This was a strategic retreat to avoid completely breaking ties and risking an explosive conflict triggered by misunderstandings or deliberate provocation—especially if Uchiha Rēn chose to go to war against the village.

With Rēn's strength still uncertain, launching a conflict was far too risky.

In a world where power could be concentrated into a single individual, a true powerhouse could determine the outcome of an entire war. Numbers were meaningless in such cases. The Third Hokage, who had witnessed the battle between the First Hokage and Madara, understood this better than anyone.

Uchiha Rēn

He might very well possess the same power as Madara—the Mangekyō Sharingan.

On his way back to the office, the Third Hokage felt a heavy weight in his heart. The only small comfort was that Uchiha Rēn didn't seem inclined to rebel against the village. At least for now, there was no sign of such intent. That eased his mind slightly.

"Uchiha... haah. Sensei, you were right. The Uchiha are a dangerous and sinister clan.....I should have dealt with them sooner."

..................

..........

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In the wrecked meeting hall,

The various clan heads began to disperse in groups of two or three, speaking quietly among themselves. But without exception, all of them avoided Uchiha Rēn. Not opposing the Uchiha didn't mean becoming friends with them. After all, few people enjoyed dealing with those who looked down on everyone else.

Akimichi Tofune, that fat old man, ran off quickly. As soon as the Third left, he dragged Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi away with him. He didn't want to be associated with the Uchiha at all—even though he had been helped by Uchiha Kagami back in the day. Personal debts could never outweigh clan interests.

But among the many clan heads, someone quietly watched Uchiha Rēn for a long time. Only when two familiar clan heads nudged him did he reluctantly leave with them.

"Rēn, what are you looking at?"

Shisui approached.

"Nothing. Just had the feeling someone was watching me. I was a little curious, that's all..."

Rēn shook his head.

"Forget it. Anyway, Shisui, did you see it? This so-called peace... is fought for like this!"

He pointed at the walls full of holes and the cracked floor beneath their feet.

Shisui gave a wry smile in response.

He was admittedly moved. When Danzō fell, he thought everything was over, that war between the village and the Uchiha was inevitable. But then the situation took a sudden turn. Not only was there no bloodshed, Rēn's position as Police Force commander had been tacitly approved.

"This is all so ridiculous."

Shisui looked frustrated and confused.

Sure, the outcome was good, but he couldn't shake off the feeling. He couldn't accept that those ruling the village were so inconsistent, so lacking in conviction. Their complete shift in attitude happened so fast it made his head spin.

"It's not ridiculous at all. This is how our world works. The strong rule, and the victor decides what's right!"

With a ripping sound, Rēn tore off a piece of his sleeve and used it to wrap the wound on his thigh. The bleeding had stopped, but without medical-nin assistance, it would take a day or two for the wound to heal.

"Hey, Shisui, how long are you going to keep brooding? Can't you see I hurt my leg? At least help me walk, damn it."

Rēn looked up and shouted at the still-daydreaming Shisui.

And so,

Not long after Danzō was hospitalized, the new head of the Uchiha clan and newly appointed commander of the Konoha Police Force also got admitted to the hospital. The doctors said the injuries were just superficial and could be treated at home, but Rēn insisted on staying.

Not to keep an eye on Danzō.

He just wanted a couple of quiet days to himself.

The last few days had been exhausting.

First the hasty clan succession. Then the pressure from the village. For now, the threat facing the Uchiha on the surface had been suppressed. As for the unseen undercurrents lurking beneath the water, those could wait until he had rested.

It also gave him time to properly reflect on his dōjutsu.

If he went home, as clan head, he'd be buried in endless tasks. If he went to the Police Force, as commander, he'd be buried in even more.

Thinking it through, it was better to just stay at the Konoha Hospital and pretend to be a wounded man, taking the chance to rest both body and mind.

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