Seeing the absolute sincerity on Ren Kurogane's face, Hikari hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "My name is Hikari Uchiha. But the current me has nothing to do with the Uchiha anymore. If given the chance, I wouldn't hesitate to destroy them!"
By the end, she was staring fixedly at Ren, searching for even a flicker of panic or unease on his face.
She was destined for disappointment. Ren didn't care at all about what happened to the Uchiha. Besides, after seeing Sasuke just now, he knew the clan would be fine—or at least, they hadn't been completely wiped out by a "filial" son in the future.
In truth, of all the characters in Naruto, the one Ren admired most was the "Resilience King," Sasuke. If Ren had experienced what Sasuke went through—betrayed by his closest kin, finally getting revenge only to learn everything he knew was a lie, and that the brother he hated had loved him all along... Ren didn't think he could be "Talk-no-Jutsu'd" by Naruto. Even if he fought Naruto to the death, he'd definitely find time to slaughter every last person in Konoha to vent his rage first!
Of course, those were just idle thoughts. Looking at Hikari, he asked, "So, you were actually an Uchiha war machine?"
At the words "war machine," Hikari's body went rigid. Dark memories resurfaced—the windowless cells, the daily persecution by madmen. Even the memory alone was enough to make her shiver.
Suddenly, Hikari felt herself pulled into a warm embrace. Startled, her consciousness fought its way out of the trauma, looking up at the person holding her.
The Tsukuyomi space was no longer peaceful. Demonic spirits swirled around them, and viscous, foul blood lashed against them, transforming into ghostly faces that hissed with dark energy and tore at Ren's body.
This was because Hikari's subconscious pain had altered the environment. Though she had initially shared control with Ren, the ultimate authority over the Tsukuyomi remained hers. It shifted according to her emotions.
Ren held her tight, ignoring the ghostly faces gnawing at him, and offered a warm smile. "Don't worry. From now on, I will protect you."
Hikari felt her heart skip a beat. Looking at Ren's gentle face, the surrounding horrors vanished in an instant, replaced by a world of pure, blinding white.
Ren looked back at her. Through their time together, he had developed a special affection for her. Even if she tried to run now, there was no escaping his grasp.
Thump—
Hikari bumped her forehead against Ren's chest. While he winced in mock pain, she let out a small smile and stepped back, creating some distance. Her usual spunky, mischievous persona returned. "I don't need protection from a playboy like you! I'm very strong! You should worry about how you're going to explain your 'harem' plans to Konan!"
"I just want to give you all a home..."
Then, the world of Genjutsu collapsed. Their consciousnesses returned to reality; only a split second had passed.
Ren looked at Hikari, catching her gaze just as she looked his way. She recoiled as if struck by an electric shock, her eyes darting around nervously. "Just now... that..."
Ren stepped forward and smiled. "Rest assured. I'm a man of my word. I will protect you."
"...Oh."
Watching Hikari walk away, Ren scratched his head in confusion. "Did I say something wrong?"
Fortunately, by the next day, Hikari was back to her usual self. She was the type to be slightly tsundere but ultimately honest with her feelings; she wouldn't let a petty attitude ruin something important.
"Let's head back to Konoha. I'll tell everyone you're my newly recruited research assistant. As long as you don't show your Sharingan, no one in Konoha should bother you."
"Will showing it cause trouble?"
"Yeah, the Uchiha clan will definitely come over to bark about it." Ren realized his phrasing was a bit off and quickly apologized. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean you! I meant the Uchiha in Konoha. They'll start shouting about 'protecting the bloodline' and try to take you away by force."
Hikari sneered. "Then they had better be prepared for the consequences." She added, "Also, don't worry about speaking ill of the Uchiha in front of me. I hate that clan too."
Ren wasn't surprised by her words; he was actually happy. It meant Hikari had her own thoughts and wasn't a brainwashed puppet.
The two successfully returned to Konoha. With Ren's guarantee, Hikari became a legal resident. Although she was a mysterious newcomer, Ren's status as a "Gold Card" asset meant the high-brass gave him a fair bit of leeway. After a brief interview, they left her alone.
They had just left the Hokage building when they ran into Nawaki.
Seeing Ren, Nawaki sprinted over at top speed, hollering, "Master! You're finally back!!"
Nawaki looked at Ren with tears in his eyes. During his master's absence, he had endured inhuman torture. If his resolve hadn't been firmer than even Obito's, he would be a hollow shell by now! The moment he heard from Tsunade that Ren was back, he had used every trick in the book to escape Lady Mito's training and wait at the village entrance.
Seeing Nawaki's runny nose about to smudge his clothes, Ren quickly held him at arm's length. "Why aren't you home training? What are you looking for me for?"
At that, the dam of Nawaki's grievances burst!
He wailed loudly, sobbing his heart out to Ren. "Master! You have no idea what a nightmare my life has been! I wake up before the roosters and go to bed after the dogs! Even my meal times are strictly controlled! Grandma and Sis take turns watching me—I have zero freedom!"
Ren ignored the dramatics and got straight to the point. "So, did you awaken Wood Style?"
Nawaki looked embarrassed but eventually nodded. "I did... but... it's a bit different from what I imagined~"
"Different? In what way?" Ren's interest was piqued, waiting for Nawaki to explain.