Five years had passed since the night the Uchiha district became a graveyard of illusions.
To the world, the Uchiha clan was a tragic memory—a once-great lineage wiped out in a single night of madness by a "traitorous" genius named Itachi. Only two survivors remained in the village: Sasuke, who lived in the empty compound fueled by a confused, burning desire for answers, and Ren, the quiet prodigy who stayed in the shadows.
But the Hidden Leaf was not the same village from the original history books. Because Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, had survived the Nine-Tails' attack, the village was stronger, more unified, and far more wary of the darkness lurking in its own councils. Minato had spent the last five years quietly dismantling Danzo's influence, but the "Snake of the Leaf" was resilient, always hiding behind the legality of the Council.
Ren Uchiha was now twelve years old.
He stood 5'7", with a physique that was lean and corded with functional, explosive muscle—a result of his 'Perfect Sage Body' reaching 35% integration. His black hair was slightly longer now, falling over his forehead, and he often wore a custom-made black blindfold or dark, polarized goggles.
To the teachers at the Academy, the goggles were a medical necessity for his "sensitive" eyes. To Ren, they were a way to hide the Jogan Stage 2, which now hummed with a constant, low-level perception of space-time.
He walked through the Academy halls, his footsteps producing no sound. Students moved out of his way instinctively, feeling an aura of authority that didn't belong to a child.
"Ren! Wait up!"
A loud, familiar voice echoed through the hallway.
Naruto Uzumaki came skidding around the corner, a massive grin on his face. He was wearing his signature orange jumpsuit, but it was reinforced with light armor plating, and his blonde hair was tied back with a blue ribbon. Because his father was the Hokage, Naruto was trained, disciplined, and highly popular—the polar opposite of the lonely prankster he was in the original timeline.
"Today's the day, Ren!" Naruto shouted, bumping Ren's shoulder. "We're finally getting our headbands! I'm gonna be assigned to the best team, and then I'm gonna surpass my old man!"
Ren offered a small, rare smile. over the years, he had formed a genuine bond with Naruto. He saw the boy not just as a source of extractions, but as a necessary light in a village full of shadows. "Surpassing Minato-sama is a high bar, Naruto. You might want to learn how to tie your sandals first."
"Hey! I tied them perfectly today!"
Sasuke Uchiha joined them, walking with a measured, brooding grace. He was the Academy's #2, always a step behind Ren. His hatred for "the force that killed the clan" was still there, but it was controlled, channeled into a cold, diamond-hard focus.
"Ignore him, Naruto," Sasuke said, his eyes flicking to Ren. "Ren, I heard the graduation teams are being hand-picked by the Hokage this year. If we're on the same team... don't expect me to let you lead."
Ren tilted his head, his Jogan seeing the flicker of chakra in Sasuke's eyes—the 2-Tomoe Sharingan was already active. "I don't lead, Sasuke. I just survive. The rest is up to you."
They entered the classroom, where Iruka Umino stood at the podium, looking at his students with a mix of pride and sadness.
"Today, you leave these halls as Shinobi of the Leaf," Iruka began, his voice thick with emotion. He went through the list of teams until he reached the final, most anticipated announcement.
"Team 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Ren Uchiha. Your sensei will be... Kakashi Hatake."
The room erupted. Everyone knew Kakashi—the Copy Ninja, the man of a thousand jutsus. To put the three greatest prodigies of the generation under him was a clear signal from the Fourth Hokage: Team 7 was the village's future spearhead.
**[Ding! Quest Complete: Graduate as the Top Student!]**
**[Reward: +10,000 Points!]**
**[Reward: Skill 'Chakra Sensory Masking' (S-Rank) - You can now hide your true power even from the Jogan's equivalent!]**
Ren stood up, his mind already moving to the next phase. *Kakashi... the man who possesses my mother's second eye. It's time to see what the Copy Ninja is truly made of.*