— — — — — — —
"Or, you could earn more merit during the war and exchange it with the Third Hokage!"
"Either way, after this trip back, your strength is bound to skyrocket. You'll at least reach elite jonin level, maybe even quasi-Kage!"
"And if you awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, that would be insane! Kage-level strength wouldn't just be a dream!"
Eevee suggested excitedly.
"We'll see when the time comes." Uchiha Renzo shook his head, neither agreeing nor rejecting the idea outright.
The situation in Konoha and the entire Ninja world was complicated.
If he advanced too quickly and drew too much attention—especially as a Uchiha—it would only spell trouble.
As long as he remained a promising but controllable genius, the Third Hokage might be pleased.
After all, another strong piece on the chessboard was always useful.
But if he went from genius to outright monster, if his strength grew too fast and slipped beyond the Third's control, then both the Third Hokage and Danzo would be looking for ways to get rid of him immediately.
Everyone else understood Uchiha Renzo's concerns and didn't press the issue further. They'd just let things play out naturally.
After all, ensuring Renzo's safety was the top priority.
With that, the third Renzos gathering had ended.
— — —
Demon Slayer World – Foot of Mount Fujikasane
Night was slowly falling.
Suddenly, Renzo, who had his eyes closed, twitched slightly.
A drastic transformation erupted from his body.
His presence became deeper, sharper—deadly.
If before, he was just an ordinary but handsome young man,
Now, he was like a towering blade, a hundred meters tall, piercing the heavens.
"What the..."
Nearby, Sabito, Makomo, and Tomioka Giyu all sensed Renzo's sudden change and snapped their eyes open, focusing their attention on him.
OONG!
At that moment, Sabito, along with every examinee at the base of Fujikasane Mountain, felt their swords trembling at their waists.
"What's going on?! Why is my sword shaking?!"
"Mine too!"
"This is nuts!"
The candidates gripped their swords tightly, afraid they might suddenly fly out of their hands. Confusion and disbelief filled their faces as they grumbled.
"Not good! Fall back!!"
On Renzo's side, Sabito and the others suddenly sensed an overwhelming danger radiating from him. With a sharp shout, Sabito grabbed Makomo and Giyu, retreating over twenty meters before stopping.
BOOM!!
The next second, an overwhelming sword aura exploded from Renzo's body, sweeping across a radius of ten meters before shooting straight into the sky.
Clouds in the sky scattered instantly, creating a large gap.
Moonlight poured through the opening, bathing Renzo in silver light, as if draping him in a mysterious veil.
The phenomenon lasted only two seconds before Renzo retracted his aura.
Huff...
Renzo slowly opened his eyes, stood up, dusted himself off, and clenched his fist, feeling the power surging through him. A grin spread across his face.
"Heh! Not bad!"
He had always been physically weak, which prevented him from mastering Total Concentration Breathing, let alone maintaining it constantly.
It had severely limited his combat strength.
But now, thanks to the massive boost in his physique—several times, maybe even over tenfold—along with the rigorous body training done by the Pirate Renzo for over a month, his previously frail body had completely transformed.
Total Concentration Breathing was no longer an obstacle.
Even Total Concentration: Constant was within reach!
However, the most valuable gain from this experience was the sword intent and comprehension of swordsmanship from Swordsman Renzo.
The mastery of Sword Intent was so profound that even Renzo himself wasn't sure how powerful he had become.
He'd have to test it out later.
"I wonder... Can I take on Muzan now like the ridiculous Chinese fanfics I read in my past life?"
Renzo rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
"Renzo!"
Sabito's voice snapped him out of it.
The three rushed over and started patting him all over, their faces filled with concern.
"Are you okay?!"
"What just happened?!"
"What was that sharp aura?!"
Renzo: "..."
He was touched by their worry and care.
But still—💢😠
"Can you guys stop touching me already?!"
He swatted their hands away. "If you wanna talk, then talk! Why are you groping me?!"
Then, he turned to Giyu and narrowed his eyes. "And you, you quiet weirdo... Were you just trying to pull my pants down? You were, weren't you? Huh?!"
Giyu: "... 😒"
Though he felt immensely awkward, he maintained his blank expression and dead-fish eyes. Without moving his upper body, he quietly took two steps back, distancing himself from the awkwardness.
"..."
Renzo twitched at the sight.
"Alright!"
Sabito clapped Renzo's shoulder, breaking the tension with a laugh. "Forget Giyu for now. Let's talk about you. What just happened?"
"Of course, if it's something secret, you don't have to tell us. As long as you're okay, that's all that matters."
He flashed a warm smile.
Despite the scar running down his face, his smile wasn't the least bit menacing. Instead, it made him look even more dashing.
That was just the kind of person Sabito was.
"That's right! We're like family! I just want us all to stay safe and strong together."
Makomo added with a gentle smile, eyes curving.
Giyu didn't say anything but gave a firm nod.
"You guys..."
Renzo was touched by their words and the atmosphere they created.
Grinning, he patted his chest. "Don't worry! I'm perfectly fine! Actually, I'm way stronger now!"
"It's hard to explain, but just know that I'm stronger than all of you now! After the test, I'll train you guys and help you grow stronger too!"
"Just think of it as me receiving divine blessings or a mysterious inheritance!"
Renzo tilted his chin up smugly.
There was no way he could talk about the consciousness-sharing space, nor did he intend to.
That was a silent agreement among all the Renzos.
Besides, even if he explained, who would believe it?
His made-up excuse actually sounded more reasonable.
"Oh, I see!"
Sabito and the others exchanged knowing smiles. "As long as you're okay, that's what matters!"
"And about this 'inheritance'—you don't have to share it with us. Just knowing you care is enough."
"However..."
Sabito's smile suddenly turned dangerous as he cracked his knuckles. "Did you just say you're stronger than all of us now? Feeling a little too full of yourself, huh? How about a little sparring session, hmm?"
.
.
.