The crack in the sky slowly closed, the spatial curtain returning to its original state. The jade-like moon returned to its usual appearance.
The jaw-dropping scene from a moment ago felt like a dream that had never happened.
But the figure that suddenly appeared not far away made everyone present clearly realize that the vision in the sky was no dream.
It was a reality that had unfolded right before their eyes.
Watching Ren walk toward the group, Fugaku asked in a low voice, "My Lord, you were delayed in the spatial rift for a while. Did you discover something?"
"No, it wasn't anything major," Ren said with a shake of his head. "After opening the rift, I saw there were so many people here, so I decided to put on a Gigai."
However, his Gigai still wore his previous attire, which didn't quite match the aesthetic of the ninja world. He had changed his clothes, which cost him a little extra time.
It was a rare occasion to find four Hokage in one place. He felt he should dress somewhat formally to show his respect.
As Ren approached, everyone on the field immediately went on high alert.
"Stop!"
"Who exactly are you? Did you cause that spatial anomaly in the sky?"
A clear voice rang out in the night, filled with caution.
Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life. He carefully observed this being who was suspected of being a Soul Reaper, his hand instinctively reaching for the Kusanagi Sword at his waist.
With those exceptional eyes, Sasuke saw through the person in front of him from head to toe in an instant.
His handsome face clouded with gravity, and his brows furrowed deeply.
In his vision, the man before him showed no faint movements from breathing, nor could he see any physiological reactions from a heartbeat throughout the body.
Even on the exposed skin, there was no opening or closing of those tiny pores.
He simply had the appearance of a human, yet showed not a trace of the vital movement of internal organs. He was like a moving corpse.
All of this indicated that the person in front of him was absolutely not human.
Sasuke recalled the word 'Gigai' mentioned earlier by that mysterious person. This man had just used the word as well, and though his voice was soft, Sasuke had heard it clearly.
Clearly, it was because of this Gigai that a being like him could be seen by the living.
Ren looked toward the voice. The first thing that caught his eye was that pair of shimmering crimson Mangekyō Sharingan.
By the light of the bright moon, Ren saw the handsome face that had inherited the best traits of both his parents.
Before he could speak, Fugaku barked out a reprimand from the side. "Sasuke! Watch your tone. Do not be rude!"
"It's fine. I'm not the type to get worked up over a child."
Ren waved it off. He could understand Fugaku's protectiveness toward his son.
After briefly reassuring Fugaku, he looked at Sasuke, scanning him up and down. His expression softened slightly.
"Sasuke, long time no see."
"There's no need to be so tense. I have no ill will toward you."
Ren's words left Sasuke slightly stunned. While maintaining his guarded stance, a trace of confusion appeared on his face.
"I don't recall ever meeting you."
Someone with such a unique appearance was not someone he would forget, even if he had been a child at the time.
Or was it that the man hadn't been wearing a Gigai when he saw him, making him invisible?
At that thought, Sasuke's face instantly darkened.
Had he been under surveillance since he was a child?
"You were just a child back then. You were only this tall. It's natural you have no memory of it."
Ren stopped and gestured with his hand near his waist to indicate Sasuke's height as a toddler.
He looked at Sasuke again, seeing his grim expression and wondering what the boy was thinking.
"Actually, that's not quite right," Ren corrected himself, shaking his head. "On the night of the Uchiha massacre, you were knocked unconscious by your brother. You wouldn't have had the chance to see me."
Furthermore, since he had been in soul form at the time, even if Sasuke had woken up midway, he wouldn't have been able to see him.
Observing Sasuke once more, Ren let out a sigh of sentiment.
"Time really does fly. In the blink of an eye, you've grown into a man, and quite an exceptional one at that."
Ren looked at Fugaku and couldn't help but offer praise. "Fugaku, you've truly raised a fine son."
Hearing this, a proud smile crept onto the face beneath Fugaku's mask. He bowed humbly. "I do not deserve such praise, my Lord. My son still has a long way to go."
The exchange between Ren and Fugaku immediately gave away their identities.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward, looking at the masked figure in shock, his voice trembling slightly.
"Fu... Fugaku? Is it really you, Fugaku Uchiha?"
Beside him, Minato Namikaze's eyes widened as he looked at Fugaku in disbelief.
"After the night of the massacre, Sasuke was the only one left of the Uchiha clan... Does that mean you are a soul now, Fugaku?"
Seeing their intense reactions, Hashirama Senju asked in confusion, "Who is Fugaku?"
Hiruzen slowly pulled his gaze back, his face full of bitterness as he explained, "Fugaku was the head of the Uchiha Military Police and the leader of the Uchiha clan. He planned to lead his people in a rebellion."
"He is also Sasuke's father," Minato added, looking at Sasuke with a pained expression.
As a father himself, seeing the reunion between Sasuke and Fugaku—now separated by the veil of death—reminded him of his own situation with Naruto.
"I see. So that's what was meant by being a vengeful spirit of the Uchiha clan."
A wicked smile played on Orochimaru's lips as his gaze drifted between the mask on Fugaku's face and Sasuke.
However, he noticed that Sasuke didn't seem very surprised; instead, he accepted the revelation quite calmly.
Orochimaru asked with interest, "Sasuke, you don't seem surprised. Did you already suspect his identity?"
"Yes."
Sasuke nodded slightly, offering only a grunt in response.
His eyes remained fixed on the fox mask, as if he wanted to see through it to the face beneath.
He had expected this ever since Fugaku mentioned he was a spirit.
After all, in this world, who else besides his parents would show him such near-unconditional kindness?
Sasuke's three companions behind him also processed the news, their faces filled with shock.
"He's actually... Sasuke's father?"
"No wonder. He's been so indulgent of Sasuke's selfishness from the start. It's because he's his dad."
'If he's Sasuke's father, then after I marry Sasuke, won't he be my father too?'
Karin thought back to her earlier violent behavior and felt a wave of regret wash over her.
This is bad.
Her crude image had been seen by Sasuke's father. If he disapproved of her because of it, wouldn't he refuse to allow her marriage to Sasuke?
If she had known, she would have been more poised!
Karin wailed in her heart.
Seeing the grand reactions, Ren looked at Fugaku and asked, "In all this time, you never told Sasuke your identity?"
Fugaku defended himself, "Considering our previous objectives, I thought it best to keep it a secret."
"There's no need to be so extreme."
Ren pointed at the mask on Fugaku's face.
"Take off the disguise."
"It's nonsense for a father and son to meet and not even recognize each other."
"As you wish."
Fugaku nodded, beginning to unbutton his cloak and release the mechanism on the mask.
Ren then looked at Shisui and Setsuna. "You two put on your Gigai as well and greet your old acquaintances."
Fugaku pulled off the black cloak along with the mask, revealing his true face.
"Father..."
Sasuke stared at Fugaku's face, biting his lip. He couldn't suppress the awkwardness and tension rising within him.
After so many years, Sasuke's memories of his father had blurred. He could only recall their happy times by looking at the photos his father had left behind.
Now, seeing his father again, he looked exactly like the photos—unchanged.
His father was truly standing before him, just as he had suspected.
But looking at him now, a strange cowardice rose in his heart, making him afraid to take a single step forward.
The countless words he had prepared were suddenly stuck in his throat. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
"Sasuke, I'm sorry for hiding it from you for so long."
Fugaku looked at his son with soft eyes. He tried his best to maintain his stern demeanor, but his voice couldn't help but carry a hint of complexity.
Now that his true face was revealed, facing Sasuke left him feeling somewhat at a loss.
On the other side, Shisui and Setsuna took out the Gigai they carried.
The observers saw two doll-like objects appear out of thin air, hovering. They rapidly grew to the size of normal humans and stood on the ground.
Under the moonlight, the crowd saw the faces of these two figures clearly.
One of them had a handsome face with a distinctive nose and short, curly hair. It was Shisui Uchiha.
The two figures swayed slightly and slowly opened their eyes.
A light smile appeared on Shisui's face as his Mangekyō Sharingan lit up. He scanned the crowd, his gaze finally landing on Sasuke.
"Four Hokage, Orochimaru, and Sasuke. Long time no see."
"Shisui... I didn't expect to see you again under these circumstances."
Seeing Shisui gave Sasuke a new focal point, and he quickly averted his gaze from his father as if escaping.
From their previous conversations, the others weren't too surprised by Shisui's existence.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed as he looked at Shisui, who seemed to be keeping a distance.
"It really is Shisui himself..."
"So this is that genius boy from the Uchiha clan. It looks like he was still very young when he died."
Minato hadn't had much contact with Shisui while he was alive. Looking at him now, he recalled the details and let out a sigh.
"Hey, hey. Is this the attitude you give to old acquaintances you haven't seen since you died?"
A voice rang out from beside Shisui. Setsuna wore a wicked grin as he looked coldly at the Hokage.
Tobirama Senju had been staring at Setsuna since the Gigai appeared and recognized him instantly. Hearing that arrogant voice, his face darkened.
"Setsuna Uchiha. I didn't think a dangerous man like you would be here as well."
"Tobirama, he is one of Madara's clansmen after all. Have a better attitude," Hashirama whispered a warning from the side.
"Brother, you died early so you don't know. This man once tried to incite the Uchiha clan to rebel. If I hadn't reacted in time, the village would have suffered heavy losses."
His brother's words made Hashirama shut his mouth and say no more.
When it came to the Leaf Village, he cared more than anyone.
Hiruzen looked at Setsuna, his face filled with shock.
"You're really Setsuna Uchiha? But how can you look so young?"
He remembered the man being roughly his age, and he had lived until the night of the massacre.
By all rights, he should have been at an age where he was ready for the grave, but his current appearance was that of a man in his twenties.
Setsuna laughed. "Naturally, I have regained my youth."
These words left everyone stunned, and a spark of heat immediately flared in Orochimaru's eyes as he licked his lips.
He had seen Setsuna as an old man. Seeing him now in this youthful state was incredible.
Regaining youth sounded simple, but it was never easy to achieve.
Not to mention, this was restoring youthful vitality to an aged soul.
To be able to do such a thing so easily, it seemed only a god would be capable.
Orochimaru's snake-like eyes narrowed as he looked at the Soul Reaper who clearly held the dominant position.
His expression shifted through a myriad of emotions, his mind racing with unknown thoughts.
Sensing Orochimaru's gaze, Ren gave a casual wave, a hint of a smile appearing on his face.
Seeing Ren respond, Orochimaru quickly lowered his head, not daring to keep looking for fear of offending him.
"Alright, now that the greetings are out of the way, it's time to talk business."
Ren's voice interrupted their reunion. He led the three Uchiha toward the tense group.
While the Uchiha clan was noteworthy, they couldn't ignore the 'god' who had just appeared.
The god standing here was the top priority!
Ignoring their defensive postures, Ren's gaze swept over the four Hokage who had just been brought back by the Reanimation Jutsu, nodding inwardly.
"All four Hokage are here. Fugaku, you've done well."
"I do not deserve such praise, my Lord."
The three Uchiha quickly lowered their heads, their faces full of humility.
Fugaku explained softly, "The original plan was only to collect the souls of the four Hokage. We didn't intend to use the Reanimation Jutsu, but I didn't expect..."
"I know. I saw everything that just happened."
Ren glanced sideways at Sasuke and teased Fugaku.
"To think a father like you would be played by his son. At such a young age, it seems Sasuke has grown to be much stronger than you."
"You are right, my Lord. I underestimated Sasuke's abilities."
"Don't take it so seriously," Ren said. "In any case, the souls of these four are right in front of us. They aren't going anywhere."
Hearing the man talk about them so openly like they were mere cargo, the four Hokage all frowned, their faces showing displeasure.
Hashirama looked at Ren and said, "Even if you truly are a Soul Reaper, saying such things right in front of us is a bit disrespectful, don't you think?"
"Brother, that's not the point!"
Tobirama habitually corrected his brother's wandering thoughts, his eyes fixed intently on Ren.
"Soul Reaper, you collected the souls of the Uchiha clan before and made them serve you."
"Now you've sent them back to the ninja world to collect souls for you, and now you've appeared before the four of us. Are you after our souls?"
Ren nodded, admitting it directly. "Indeed. You are all rare powerhouses. With a little training, you would make for excellent strength."
Tobirama's gaze darkened, but he saw the man reach out and point at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"However, in his case, things are a bit different."
Amidst the confused looks of the crowd, Ren spoke slowly. "I once promised the Uchiha clan a chance for revenge. What happens to the Third Hokage depends on the Uchiha clan's wishes."
"Me?"
Hiruzen pointed a finger at himself. His gaze swept over the three Uchiha; whether it was Fugaku or Shisui, their faces were filled with coldness.
Setsuna sneered. "Hiruzen Sarutobi, our clan's destruction was fueled by your incompetence. You are as much a murderer as the rest."
"We won't let you off easily. Look forward to what comes next."
Tobirama frowned but ignored Setsuna's words, keeping his focus on Ren.
"We can deal with the brat's business later."
"If it were just about collecting souls, the Uchiha clan would have been enough. For a being like you to personally descend, your goal must be extraordinary."
"Why have you come to the ninja world?"
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]