Recently, Uchiha Ren had been searching for traces of the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
With Odai's help, every suspicious burial site across the Land of Grass had been marked. These locations were all remote, hidden, and rarely visited.
According to rumor—
In the Warring States Era, and even earlier, shinobi had sealed away "treasures" in such places.
Forbidden jutsu.
Dangerous beasts.
All kinds of things were too troublesome to destroy—so they were sealed and left for future generations.
What a ridiculous habit.
After dealing with yet another grotesque monster, Uchiha Ren muttered curses under his breath as he crossed another mark off the map and moved on.
Compared to sitting in the office handling paperwork—
This was far more enjoyable.
Soon, he arrived at a valley.
"Why is there a Senju clan crest here?"
After some searching, he found a sealed location.
The unmistakable Senju emblem stood out.
A treasure left by the Senju?
His interest piqued.
Without hesitation, he forcibly broke the sealing formation and stepped into the dark interior.
Then—
A crimson eye opened in the darkness.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
No warning.
A massive fireball roared toward him.
Uchiha Ren was caught off guard, forced to retreat immediately.
He withdrew from the confined space at once.
Fighting in such terrain was a terrible idea.
Too easy to collapse the area and bury himself alive.
As the smoke cleared—
He lay in ambush outside the cave.
A figure stepped out.
Wearing classic Uchiha attire.
Hair styled like Madara's.
An Uchiha.
A girl.
"Wait—there's a misunderstanding!"
"I'm the current Uchiha clan head—Uchiha Ren! I came to rescue you!"
He introduced himself immediately.
A Senju seal containing an Uchiha—
It made perfect sense.
But—
He was Uchiha too.
Uchiha didn't fight Uchiha.
"Die!"
"Uchiha or Senju—it makes no difference!"
The girl attacked viciously.
Every strike aimed to kill.
"The shinobi world is rotten!"
"I'll destroy everything!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Uchiha should die! Senju should die!"
"I've seen through this world!"
"Destruction!"
"…."
Uchiha Ren's expression stiffened.
He had released a world-hating lunatic.
And those lines—
Too classic.
If she didn't awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, it would be a waste.
…Wait.
She actually had it.
Moments later—
He triggered her second phase.
The Mangekyō Sharingan activated.
Her attacks intensified instantly.
"Damn… she's strong."
Uchiha Ren quickly entered Sage Mode.
"Sage Art: Ice Release — Ice Age!"
The battlefield froze over, restricting her movement.
"Can we talk?"
His answer—
Black flames.
Amaterasu.
The ice melted instantly.
Then—
The flames formed a raging tornado and surged toward him.
That level of control…
Even he hadn't achieved it.
Just who was she?
Uchiha Ren dodged rapidly.
People always joked that Amaterasu couldn't kill—
That was nonsense.
He absolutely could not withstand that attack.
He searched his memory.
Not in Shippuden…
Boruto…
Right.
He remembered.
Uchiha Hikari.
"You're Uchiha Hikari, aren't you?"
For a brief moment—
She reacted.
But it meant nothing.
A girl sealed in darkness for who knew how long—
That kind of trauma couldn't be erased with a name.
Even Boruto had needed time, effort, and a beating—
Along with talk-no-jutsu—
To reach her.
Words weren't enough.
For Uchiha—
There was only one way to communicate.
Uchiha Ren stopped holding back.
He surged forward.
A purple Susanoo armor formed around him.
A true warrior fought like this.
The clash—
It was explosive.
Hikari's Susanoo matched his.
But hers—
Was cloaked in black flames.
Both offense and defense.
Any contact—
Would burn.
Troublesome.
But—
She wouldn't last.
Susanoo consumption was enormous.
Even for her Mangekyō—
And she had four abilities.
"Sage Art: Lava Release — Rasenshuriken!"
A massive molten shuriken formed in his Susanoo's hand and was hurled forward.
She dodged—
But the explosion still struck.
The battlefield collapsed.
Magma flowed.
The ground was scorched black.
Crater after crater—
Dozens of meters wide.
The land—
Ruined.
In the end—
Uchiha Ren won.
Hikari collapsed, exhausted.
Lying on the ground—
Waiting for death.
Her entire life had been as a weapon.
Defeat meant—
Death.
Uchiha Ren rubbed his eyes.
Blood lingered at the corners.
Overuse.
He needed to be careful.
"Was that really necessary?" he asked.
Standing before her, he extended his hand.
"Grab hold of the future."
"Kill me."
She didn't even look at him.
Her voice—
Calm.
Almost relieved.
"Why would I kill you?"
"You attacked first."
"And that jutsu nearly killed me."
He wasn't about to waste a Mangekyō-level asset.
He took out two vials.
Medicine developed by Senju Tobirama.
Infused with Hashirama cells.
Rapid recovery.
Chakra.
Even ocular power.
Expensive.
Extremely.
But it was worth it.
He drank one himself.
Then fed the other to her.
Mint-flavored.
Slightly sweet.
"Good, right?"
"…It is."
She hadn't tasted sweetness in over a century.
The warmth spread through her body.
Relief.
Exhaustion.
Fear.
All mixed together.
Her body reacted.
Dopamine surged.
And with it—
Something unfamiliar.
A hint of… attachment.
Uchiha—
Were starved for affection.
Even the smallest kindness—
Could move them deeply.
And this wasn't small.
This was a seven-figure gift.
Anyone would be affected.
Uchiha Ren noticed the moisture in her eyes.
She tried to hold it back.
Almost crying.
He smiled.
This was working.
He helped her up.
Then spoke seriously.
"The Warring States Era is long gone."
"Uchiha and Senju made peace."
"They built Konoha together."
"You're Uchiha Hikari."
"I've read about you."
"Will you come back with me?"
"Start over?"
He extended his hand again.
She hesitated—
Then I took it.
"I will."
She chose the future.
Her hand—
Small.
Soft.
Yet capable of immense force.
He didn't let go immediately.
A few seconds later—
She pulled away, flustered.
"…."
Cute.
With that, Uchiha Ren abandoned the search for the box.
It could wait.
The Land of Grass was already under control.
He would find it eventually.
For now—
He would return.
Soon, the Third Kazekage would arrive.
Ōnoki still hadn't responded.
Strange.
Such a profitable deal—
And no interest?
As they traveled back—
Hikari grew closer to him.
Her cold demeanor softened.
A faint smile appeared more often.
But the darkness within—
Remaining.
"I haven't forgiven the Uchiha," she said.
"I'm only going because…"
"This world means nothing to me."
Uchiha Ren smiled.
"We're friends."
"You can trust me."
Then—
He reached for her hand again.
"Your hands are small."
"And soft."
"Can I hold them again?"
"…Fine."
Reluctantly—
She agreed.
"You're holding too tightly!"
"I'm not blushing!"
"Idiot!"
She broke free and ran ahead, face red.
Back in the Land of Grass—
The Third Kazekage had already arrived.
Earlier than expected.
Clearly—
He hadn't hesitated at all.
Meanwhile—
Kusagakure had transformed.
With Konoha's backing—
Everything changed.
Better food.
Better pay.
Better structure.
Konoha United Fruit Company has fully taken over.
Local industries—
Collapsed.
Workers—
Returned to farming.
Bananas.
They had been farmers once.
Forced into factories.
Now—
They returned.
This time—
With stability.
Contracts guaranteed income.
Three meals a day.
Incentives for productivity.
Higher yield—
Higher rewards.
Simple.
Effective.
As long as people could eat—
They didn't care who ruled.
The old elites—
Or Konoha.
It didn't matter.
"Just what did the Third Hokage do…?"
The Kazekage muttered.
A year ago—
This place had been lifeless.
Now—
Though still poor—
There was light in people's eyes.
Hope.
And that—
Changed everything.
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