The battle was over.
As the final drop of chakra poured into the giant sword of flowing fire, Ren Uchiha collapsed to his knees, still gripping the hilt.
His body was no longer made of flesh and blood; he had been burned into a charred, carbonized mass. From a distance, he looked like a statue of glittering black crystal. The threads of the [Earth Grudge Fear] had replaced his incinerated muscles, acting as a temporary skeletal structure while being constantly scorched by his own flames.
This eruption had been longer and more thorough than his fight with Kakuzu.
The threads held him together. The [Body Activation] desperately regenerated flesh, only for it to be instantly converted into fuel for the fire. The Dark Chakra from the Zero-Tails kept the loop running until everything was spent.
Ren didn't have the strength to check his appearance. He pulled up his system interface with a final, fading thought: Is Hayato Dōgō dead?
[DING!]
[You have fiercely retaliated against the Jashin Bishop, Hayato Dōgō.]
[The retaliation was extreme; target confirmed deceased. Critical Reward generated.]
[You have obtained a random skill from the target: Immortality (Fragmented, Time-limited, A+).]
[Critical hit triggered! Skill solidified into Talent: Immortality (Fragmented, S-).]
[Your 'Heartsteel' stacks have increased.]
[WARNING: You are being observed by a being between the gaps of the world. The System has automatically blocked this gaze.]
[WARNING: Immortality is not absolute. You are currently on the brink of death. Please seek immediate medical aid.]
Ren let out a ragged, whistling breath of relief.
Hayato was dead. Hidan was avenged. In this timeline, the Akatsuki had lost one of its most troublesome members. He had changed the future. He had saved Asuma and Shikamaru from their tragic encounter years before it could even happen.
As for the "brink of death" warning? Ren almost wanted to laugh. He had no friends here. Orochimaru wanted to dissect him, and the Uchiha were... complicated.
"Finally... I've reached the end."
Ren's lips curled into a faint, satisfied smile as he prepared to close his eyes for the last time.
Suddenly, the sound of urgent, frantic footsteps echoed at the cavern entrance!
A figure covered in needles and carrying a massive scroll stumbled toward him. When he saw the charred remains of Ren Uchiha, the tomoe in his eyes spun violently until they matured into a 3-Tomoe Sharingan.
"REN UCHIHA!"
Seiichiro Uchiha fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. His hands trembled as he reached out to touch Ren's crystalline skin.
"How could this happen? Am I... am I too late?!"
Ren's brow twitched, a piece of charcoal falling from his forehead. He saw the Uchiha crest. Good. At least it wasn't a medic who could save him, but someone to bring his body home. Obito would see his face one last time, and Orochimaru wouldn't be able to play with his corpse.
Ren smiled tenderly at Seiichiro, lifting a blackened arm to pat his shoulder. But halfway there, his strength failed. His fingers grazed Seiichiro's forehead before sliding down his cheek and hitting the floor.
Ren Uchiha closed his eyes and lost consciousness.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
Eight figures descended at once. The Uchiha squad stood around the charred boy, scratching their heads in confusion. They were experts at killing, but saving someone in this condition was beyond their expertise.
"Captain, what do we do?" one asked Fugaku. "The kid still has a spark of life left!"
Fugaku rubbed his temples. "I know, but where are we going to find a medical ninja in this wilderness? Besides, wounds like these..."
Seiichiro, still cradling Ren, suddenly looked up. His 3-Tomoe eyes were bloodshot and filled with a terrifying rage as he glared at Fugaku.
"Why?" Seiichiro's voice was a jagged blade. "Why didn't you save him?!"
"You were here the whole time, weren't you?! You just watched your own clansman die?!"
"WHAT IS YOUR POWER EVEN FOR?!" Seiichiro roared. "ANSWER ME, OUR 'RESPECTED' NEXT CLAN LEADER, FUGAKU UCHIHA!"
Fugaku opened his mouth to explain. He had wanted to see if Ren would awaken the Mangekyō. But Ren had opened a different, far more dangerous door. Any excuse he gave now felt hollow.
Eight pairs of Sharingan—the entire squad—turned toward Fugaku. Their gaze was no longer respectful; it was an interrogation.
"Hehehe... HAHAHAHAHA!"
Seiichiro let out a tragic, broken laugh. He looked like a demon, his eyes fixed on Fugaku with absolute contempt.
"I finally understand why the Great Elder refuses to officially name you successor, Fugaku. You are UNWORTHY!"
"If someone like you becomes Clan Leader, it will be the greatest disaster in Uchiha history! I would rather follow this 2-Tomoe boy as my leader than support you! Compared to him, your will is as weak as sh*t!"
Seiichiro lunged forward, throwing a desperate, powerful punch at Fugaku's face.
CRACK!
The punch connected squarely with Fugaku's nose, sending the "strongest Uchiha" tumbling to the ground. Seiichiro leaped on top of him, ready to rain down blows on that stoic, cowardly face.
The other Uchiha finally pulled him off. "Orochimaru is still here," they hissed. "We'll settle this with the Elder back at the village. Don't let others see us like this."
"And what about Ren?!" Seiichiro screamed, his voice cracking. "Who is going to save HIM?!"
Silence fell. None of them had an answer.
Then, a slow, deliberate sound of footsteps echoed through the cavern.
A man with golden snake pupils and a playful, mocking expression stepped over the kunai that had been meant to block him. The torchlight played over his pale, beautiful face, making him look otherworldly.
Orochimaru smiled, his voice a raspy whisper.
"Since you cannot save him..."
"Why not... give the child to me?"
The Uchiha squad bristled. Fugaku stood up, wiping blood from his face, and stepped in front of Ren's body.
"What do you want, Orochimaru?! Stay away from the boy!"
"Hehe," Orochimaru chuckled, unfazed by the eight pairs of Sharingan. "The boy has one breath left. I have a way to save him, though I cannot guarantee success."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed. "What way? What are the chances?"
Orochimaru looked at the charred body of Ren Uchiha, a predatory glint in his eyes.
"It is a power that transcends the mundane. I call it—"
"The Cursed Seal of Heaven."
"As for the chances of success?"
Orochimaru let out a dry, raspy laugh. "I don't have a single successful case yet. In other words..."
"The chance of survival is zero!"