My name is Uchiha Akira.
I am a transmigrator.
But I have never once believed that being a transmigrator made me noble, special, or superior.
At most, it meant that I once stood at a god's-eye view, possessing broader vision and more information than the natives.
Nothing more.
Life.
Love.
Battle.
Raising children.
Managing a ninja village.
Dealing with people and the world.
I have always treated every part of my life with seriousness and sincerity.
When I finally resolved to awaken my own Rinnegan, one question kept lingering in my heart.
What, exactly, makes me stronger than the original protagonists—Naruto and Sasuke?
Because I know things they don't?
Because I was lucky enough to awaken abilities beyond common sense?
None of that is enough to justify stealing their spotlight with a clear conscience.
Protagonists become protagonists not merely because they are powerful.
It is because they possess convictions they are willing to uphold at any cost.
So-called…
Never giving up.
I have never denied Naruto's and Sasuke's ninja paths.
Just as I have never denied the Will of Fire.
The reason they stood opposite me and lost so miserably was not because their beliefs were weaker than mine.
It was because their perspectives were limited.
Their information incomplete.
Their understanding insufficient.
They wasted more than ten years in ignorance.
That was all.
Put that aside—
Their determination to protect the ninja world is in no way inferior to mine.
If I were not prepared to stake everything on the beliefs I intend to carry through…
Then I would have no right to claim that I should lead ahead of them.
No right to bring Uncle Madara and Obito with me…
To challenge the Ōtsutsuki clan.
Twin Blossom.
The technique my younger brother exchanged his life for.
It allowed me to break free from the limitations of non-reincarnators and forcibly meet the hardware requirements for awakening the Rinnegan.
What remained…
Could no longer be decided by "hardware."
From the moment I chose to awaken these eyes as someone who was not a protagonist…
I had already decided how I would face that sacred moment.
I might die here.
I might lose everything I have gained so far.
Even so…
I would not regret it.
Break to rebuild.
Destroy to establish.
Ruin to be reborn.
Fearless in life.
Free in love.
For the sake of those I cherish—
So that they may live unrestrained by any external force,
So that they never have to compromise with what they do not desire—
I am willing to pay even my life in exchange for the power to guarantee that freedom.
This is my ninja way.
The great vow I made the moment I stepped onto this stage.
What I am about to do next…
Is like forcing out years of hardened waste.
It might feel excessive.
Brutal.
Overdone.
But I must do it.
Because I am not the protagonist.
So I must risk more than the protagonist ever would.
…
"Standing at the brink of death… Of course I know that."
Akira's expression became more solemn than ever before.
Before setting out, he had already engraved a technique into his right eye—
Set to activate with a delay.
He glanced down at his watch.
Eight o'clock sharp in the morning.
The time when the sun shone brightest over the ninja world.
The time he usually began his daily work.
"About time…"
Buzz!
The next second, Akira's right eye suddenly lost its luster—
Turning into a bleak, lifeless white.
"What!?"
Madara and Obito froze in shock.
"Akira! What did you do?!"
"I engraved Izanagi into my right eye," Akira replied calmly.
"Delayed activation."
"Just like when you escaped Hashirama back then, Uncle Madara."
Blindness would not prevent the awakening of the Rinnegan.
This had already been proven by Madara's later life.
Once the Rinnegan awakened, vision would return.
And the dōjutsu would remain.
The real question was—
"Why would you do this?! You're not fighting anyone here!"
"Of course I'm fighting," Akira said gravely.
"I'm fighting myself."
"Yourself?"
"Yes."
"I have to make sure I leave myself no retreat."
"If my subconscious believes I can rewind time with Umotoryū…"
"I'll always leave room for luck."
"And then what should succeed… won't."
"So I had to cripple this right eye first."
"It's necessary."
"All-out… commitment?"
"Exactly."
As he finished speaking, Akira drew the Kusanagi Sword from his waist.
Under Madara's and Obito's horrified gazes—
He reversed the blade and drove it into his own chest.
"Stop!"
Madara rushed forward—
Too late.
Crack!
The blade pierced straight through Akira's heart.
His handsome face twisted into agony.
He staggered, barely steadying himself, then clenched his teeth—
Gripped the hilt with both hands—
And twisted.
Crack!
His heart was completely destroyed.
At the same time—
Under Twin Blossom's life link—
A gaping hole appeared in the chest of the Hashirama artificial body on the Demonic Statue.
This injury…
Was even worse than when Kakashi pierced Obito's heart.
Worse than Sasuke's back then.
Madara was shaken to the core.
This kid… he's ruthless to himself.
With a family, with children… and he can still do this.
Impressive…
Obito was equally moved.
If it were me and Rin… with two daughters…
I couldn't do this.
Akira… you were born to do great things.
Akira pulled out the blade and collapsed to the ground.
Blood soaked into the soil beneath him.
"Huff… ha… huff… ha…"
He panted heavily.
Through his remaining eye, Madara's and Obito's figures blurred.
"I came prepared…"
"With the resolve to succeed or die trying."
"Uncle Madara… Obito…"
"If I'm lucky and survive today…"
"Please keep this from Kaori."
"If I die…"
"I'll resurrect you with Edo Tensei and then revive you properly," Madara cut in coldly.
"All three of us came out together."
"Not one is allowed to fall behind."
Suddenly, Akira's breathing worsened.
"Ha… ha… damn… this is bad…"
"Don't talk," Madara commanded.
"From now on, nothing else matters."
"Your only task is to live."
"Stand back up with the Rinnegan."
His gaze slowly lifted—
Locking onto the spatial vortex above.
The two figures looking down upon them with arrogance.
Akira sensed the newcomers as well.
But death's shadow had swallowed his mind.
He had no energy left for anything else.
Heh… their timing is really perfect.
I don't have a protagonist's fate…
But I sure have protagonist-level debuffs.
Still… I'm not alone.
As enemies, these two are terrifying.
As allies, they're the most reliable partners imaginable.
I'll fight myself.
You two…
Please buy me time.
Uncle Madara. Obito.
Above—
Crack.
Momoshiki's Byakugan swept the land.
"Detected… suspected Ten-Tails vessel."
"Three inferior creatures."
"Oh? One of them is about to die?"
At this critical moment—
Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki.
Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki.
Descended in full ferocity.
Heaven and earth faced off.
Madara looked at Akira, sitting in a pool of blood.
Akira… I tried to stop you because suicide alone can't awaken the Rinnegan.
Near-death isn't the real goal.
What matters is facing unavoidable death…
With despair, unwillingness, and a desperate yearning to live.
Only then does the mind generate the special spiritual energy the Rinnegan needs.
Suicide weakens that chain.
It pollutes the motive.
And disrupts the process.
But…
If it's you…
I'm willing to believe in a miracle.
Madara spoke firmly.
"Obito."
"Take Akira into Kamui immediately."
"Stay with him. Don't leave his side."
"There's another one—Urashiki—who can use space-time."
"Be extremely careful."
"And you?" Obito asked.
"I'll stay," Madara replied.
"I'll meet them."
"Don't underestimate them," Obito warned.
"Even Edo Tensei bodies aren't invincible against that clan."
After that, Obito quickly warped Akira away—
Then followed.
"Don't let them escape!"
"It doesn't matter," Momoshiki said calmly.
"Let them go, Kinshiki."
"As long as the main prize—the Ten-Tails vessel—stays here…"
"The other two can be hunted down anytime."
"True," Kinshiki agreed.
…
Whoosh!
Inside Kamui's dimension, space stabilized.
Obito stood atop a cube, fully alert.
Meanwhile, Akira's world had fallen into darkness.
The tearing pain from his chest spread to his neck, shoulders, and back.
Circulation faltered.
Breathing grew labored.
His face turned pale.
Fortunately…
He had experienced this once before.
Back when Kaori had disturbed his meditation and nearly killed him.
That brush with death had given him rehearsal.
This body—equal to Hashirama's—
Possessed terrifying regenerative power.
Even with his heart pierced, it could still initiate "Creation Rebirth."
That was why he had twisted the blade—
To destroy the heart completely.
To force true near-death.
Even so, regeneration had already begun.
Slowly repairing cardiac cells.
This…
Was his foundation for standing again.
As long as his will endured.
Soon, he entered hemorrhagic shock.
Blood pressure plummeted.
His body felt plunged into ice.
His consciousness faded…
Suddenly—
In the dark sea of his mind—
A face rose before him.
Upside down.
Parallel to his own.
Akira's left eye widened.
"Jin…"
He whispered.
It was his younger brother—
Uchiha Jin.
Short-haired.
Resembling Tobirama and Izuna.
Blood crawled from empty eye sockets down his cheeks.
His voice was resentful and twisted.
"Big brother…"
"Didn't you say you'd protect me forever?"
Akira knew.
The real Jin would never blame him.
So he understood—
This was a manifestation of guilt and regret.
A shadow of his heart.
Like Naruto's dark self at the Waterfall of Truth.
His memories were dragged back—
To the autumn of Konoha's seventy-third year.
…
In the desolate land of the Origin Space—
Madara stood beneath the Demonic Statue.
Rinnegan sharp as blades.
Gazing at the two figures above.
"Kinshiki. Momoshiki."
"Two members of the Ōtsutsuki trio Akira showed me in his genjutsu."
His long hair fluttered in the wind.
"Come."
"Let me see what you've got."
"Ōtsutsuki."
Enjoyed these chapters? Access advanced chapters and exclusive content by visiting my Patreon. https://patreon.com/WillOFD129?