"Home sweet home…"
Uchiha Ren hummed softly as he walked toward his house.
Home—
It was always a refuge.
A real man had to care about family.
In life, only career and family truly mattered.
(Director Wen really knew what he was talking about.)
The endless affairs of Konoha had left Ren mentally exhausted—
But the moment he saw his front door—
The anxiety faded.
Bang.
The door opened.
Kaede and Rin were sitting on the sofa, just like usual.
The floor was spotless.
Fresh fruit rested neatly on the table.
…Perfect wives.
"Uchiha Ren, you're finally back!"
Manji was lying on his back, eyes closed, enjoying a belly rub from Kaede.
The moment the door opened—
His eyes snapped open.
Then—
He leapt.
A fat cat missile.
Straight into Ren's arms.
"Manji… you've gotten heavier, haven't you?"
"That's your imagination!"
Ren weighed him in his arms.
Ever since becoming Hokage—
Manji had stopped going on missions.
Now he just lounged at home—
Sleeping, eating, repeating.
Before, Ren hadn't noticed.
But after being away—
The difference was obvious.
…He was evolving into Garfield.
Well—
It didn't matter.
Ren could afford it.
"Alright, alright."
"You've had Kaede and Rin keeping you company."
Ren stroked Manji's tail.
Still smooth as ever.
"Welcome home, Master."
Kaede and Rin stepped forward—
One on each side—
Wrapping themselves around his arms.
"I'm back."
Ren smiled, gently patting their heads.
After a moment—
The three headed toward the bathroom.
Then—
The bedroom.
A hero couldn't resist beauty.
Tonight—
One versus two.
Ren fought fiercely—
Through the night.
No rest.
Meanwhile—
Uchiha Madara also did not sleep.
He sat alone on a street corner in Konoha.
Under the dim streetlights—
Reading.
Relentlessly.
The newly compiled Will of Fire—
Written by Uchiha Ren and Senju Tobirama.
This "new edition"—
Was a fusion of ideological frameworks—
Refined.
Localized.
A complete reconstruction of how the ninja world was understood.
Madara had never seen anything like it.
"Why must the Daimyō stand above all?"
"Why must ninja exist as tools—"
"Carrying out missions for nobles to survive?"
"Is there no other way to live?"
"What if productivity reached its peak?"
A world—
Where ninja were educated—
No longer dependent on missions—
Participating in production—
A society of abundance—
Where needs were fulfilled—
Where both material and spiritual life were rich—
Could such a world exist?
Would war still exist in such a world?
Madara read—
And thought—
Step by step—
Following Ren's logic.
Without realizing it—
Time passed.
Dawn arrived.
The sun rose—
But Madara didn't notice.
Still crouched there—
Eyes locked on the page.
"Sir… breakfast?"
"You look like you've got nowhere to go…"
"I've got fresh rice balls—take a couple."
A street vendor stopped.
Seeing Madara—
Half-white hair.
One blind eye.
Holding the Hokage's book.
…A refugee, perhaps.
Pitiful.
Helping was only natural.
Konoha valued compassion.
"…Thank you."
Madara accepted the rice balls.
Only then did he realize—
Morning had come.
He had read all night.
…When was the last time he was this absorbed?
He couldn't remember.
"This book…"
"…Interesting."
"Was it really written by that Uchiha brat?"
Something shifted.
Ideas he never considered—
Now it has structure.
A new perspective on the world.
Productivity.
Education.
Reforming systems.
Ending the root of suffering—
Scarcity.
A new path.
"…Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Madara's head ached.
Too many thoughts.
Too little rest.
"…Troublesome."
"I'm… hesitating."
He took a bite of the rice ball.
Warm.
Simple.
The lively streets—
The morning air—
Slowly filled the emptiness inside him.
Living alone in darkness—
Breeding obsession—
That had taken its toll.
"I came here to find flaws in his logic…"
"To break him."
"To make him see the darkness of the world."
"But…"
"This theory…"
"This path…"
"…It's flawless."
"…Even I'm curious."
Madara wasn't a fool.
He saw Konoha's transformation.
One year.
That's all Ren had.
And yet—
This level of change.
Ten years?
Twenty?
Could humanity—
Through productivity and education—
End war?
Even his Mangekyō Sharingan—
Couldn't see that far ahead.
Hashirama's ideals—
He could see the end of those.
Clearly.
"…If I had seen this ten years ago…"
"…I might not have left Konoha."
"This path…"
"…is worth trying."
But now—
Too much had been sacrificed.
His people.
His beliefs.
Even—
Hashirama.
The sunk cost—
It was immense.
And yet—
The pull of the Eye of the Moon Plan—
It was weakening.
Because—
He hadn't reached the point of no return yet.
The Rinnegan—
Still unopened.
Ten years—
Nothing.
Doubt lingered.
"…Annoying."
He took another bite.
"…Delicious."
For a moment—
He didn't know what to do.
Return to the cave?
Continue chasing the Rinnegan?
Or—
Find Ren.
Reveal himself.
"I'm not dead."
"Your ancestor has returned."
"Your ideas are interesting."
"Let me help you conquer the world."
"…And see where it leads."
If it failed—
There was always Plan B.
Continue pursuing the Rinnegan.
"…I need time."
He looked around.
Workers filled the streets.
Heading to construction sites.
Factories.
Their eyes—
Held something rare.
Hope.
"…That look…"
He had seen it before.
Long ago.
When Konoha was first founded.
A poster slipped into his hands.
"Move to Konoha — Live in New Housing!"
Modern apartments.
Clean.
Orderly.
"…Perhaps…"
"I'll stay here for now."
No rush.
He could observe.
Study Ren.
Watch Konoha grow.
Both paths—
Still open.
Decision postponed.
Madara followed the directions—
Toward the sales office.
To buy a home.
Hokage Residence
"…Thirsty."
Ren woke up at noon.
Half the day—
Gone.
Skipped work.
But—
After last night—
Understandable.
One versus two.
Total annihilation.
Even a Hokage needed rest.
"Already noon?"
"…I've already skipped half a day."
"May as well skip the rest."
"Who's stopping me?"
"Konoha won't collapse in a day."
"The world might end tomorrow…"
"…Better enjoy today."
He lay back down.
Completely unbothered.
Elsewhere—
Chiyo had gone wild shopping the night before.
Bags filled the room.
Luxury goods.
Beautiful.
Useless.
Her savings—
Gone.
Meanwhile—
The Kazekage, Rasa—
It was already hard at work.
Mining gold.
Handling paperwork.
If he saw this—
He'd drag her to the mines immediately.
Hokage Office
"Why isn't the Hokage here yet…"
Chiyo waited.
And waited.
Instead—
She was greeted by Konoha's top commercial negotiator.
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