"So fast? This kind of photographic memory talent is truly enviable!"
Seeing that Ren Takashi had memorized all the contents of the three Forbidden Techniques in less than five minutes, the Third Hokage couldn't help but narrow his eyes and sigh in admiration.
He immediately took the upgraded Flying Thunder God training scroll Ren handed him, setting aside the Sealed Book for now, and immersed himself in examining the scroll in detail.
Ren and Uzumaki Mito exchanged glances and quietly waited.
This wait dragged on for more than half an hour.
"Whew…"
The Third Hokage finally finished reading, rubbing his temples and wiping the sweat from his forehead. Only after confirming the upgraded Flying Thunder God Technique wasn't a farce did he relax. Carefully, he stored the scroll in his robes and re-sealed the Sealed Book before strapping it back onto his back.
Looking at Ren with mixed feelings, he said, "I never imagined that at such a young age, you would not only master the Flying Thunder God Technique but also elevate it to this level."
"Just reading this scroll gave me a headache. You created this? It seems we all underestimated your talent and comprehension."
He regretted not having taken Ren under his wing sooner, to keep him within his influence—brainwash him, use his monstrous intellect to craft countless jutsu and forbidden techniques for the Sarutobi clan…
But it was too late now.
"Haha! Not really, just luck! I had a breakthrough during training," Ren said modestly. "Otherwise, with my regular ability, I wouldn't have managed this."
He downplayed his achievement, attributing it to epiphany.
The Third Hokage, wanting to believe this was a fluke, nodded slowly. That explanation was much easier to digest than admitting Ren Takashi might be far beyond anyone's control.
"The transaction is complete. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. I still have village affairs to attend to."
"I also need to gather the other Konoha elders and arrange suitable territory for the Uzumaki clan."
"Goodbye, Lady Mito."
After saluting Uzumaki Mito and offering Ren a polite nod, he turned and quickly left.
Once he was gone, Ren raised a hand, resetting the isolation barrier over the room. "Tch... that man really never drops the act. Wisdom, kindness, concern for the village—he's always performing."
"A born politician," Uzumaki Mito sighed. "That's why Tobirama made the mistake of appointing him as Hokage. Even I was fooled by his surface-level sincerity."
"You must stay vigilant, Ren. Just because we've had the upper hand recently doesn't mean he's harmless. He still holds more cards than us right now."
Ren nodded solemnly. "I'll remember that."
"If that's all, I'll head back."
"Haha! Go on then. I know you're itching to dive into your new gains." Mito smiled warmly, then added, "Oh, and don't have Ying Fengsheng come here for sealing training the next few days—I'm busy. Give it three days."
"I'll have a little surprise for you then."
"Oho? Looking forward to it!" Ren replied with interest before teleporting away.
Watching him vanish, Uzumaki Mito let out a long breath. "This child carries so much on his shoulders…"
"But it's unavoidable. The fate of Uchiha, Senju, even Konoha rests on him now. We old relics must do our part."
With that, she summoned Uzumaki Luming.
"Ren Takashi saved our entire clan this time. Have you thought about how to repay such a debt?"
"…Honestly? No," Luming admitted. "What could we possibly give him that would be equal?"
Mito didn't hesitate: "Give him a complete copy of our Uzumaki sealing technique legacy."
"Wha—?! Isn't that… too much?"
"Not at all," Mito said firmly. "He deserves it. Besides, this is not just about repaying a favor—it's about aligning ourselves with him for the future. Trust me, this is a long-term investment."
She went on to explain Ren's talents, the teleportation jutsu he derived from the Flying Thunder God, and his potential as the future cornerstone of the ninja world.
Luming was stunned. "A five-year-old who developed group teleportation? From scratch?"
"Yes. And that's not all. I only taught him sealing for a few months, yet he's nearly caught up to me."
Eventually, Luming relented and agreed to begin copying the legacy scrolls immediately.
—
Meanwhile, Ren had returned to his room and was sitting cross-legged, about to make a crucial wish.
"I wish to maximize my comprehension for five minutes. Cost: 100 wish points."
Buzz!
In that moment, his mind transcended to a higher plane. Insight after insight surged like a flood.
In those five minutes, Ren Takashi created the [Chakra Seed Refining Technique: Demonic Heart Seed Path].
This technique allowed the practitioner to silently infect and refine the Chakra seed left behind by the Sage of Six Paths—without alerting the source.
Not only did it refine the seed, but it preserved the external aura and structure, so even if the Sage himself investigated, he wouldn't detect any abnormalities.
Ren didn't stop there.
Realizing that if someone died, their soul might still betray him, he upgraded his Spirit Seal Contract and tied it to the Demonic Heart Seed Path. Now, even the soul's memory could be masked.
Finally, he added a Flying Thunder God seal to every contract rune, enabling remote updates, tracking, and long-distance communication with his followers.
This was the ultimate stealth resistance to the Sage's invisible leash.
Soon after, Ren teleported to his secret base, where Shikaku, Minato, Kushina, Mikoto, and others were training.
"There's something you all need to know," he said, gathering them. "I've created a way to refine the Chakra seed embedded in your body."
He explained the origin of Chakra, the control scheme by the Sage of Six Paths, and the purpose of his new technique.
Everyone was shocked, disturbed… then furious.
"We're just livestock to that old god?" Shikaku muttered.
Kushina's fists clenched. "I want that seed gone."
"Me too," Mikoto added.
"Same," Minato and the others echoed.
One by one, they stepped forward.
"Teach us. We're ready."
Ren nodded. "Let's begin."