Even during the New Year, Uchiha Ren didn't slow down.
He was busy.
Very busy.
Busy dating.
The first two days had been chaotic—his house was practically a party venue.
After that, things calmed down.
Mainly because he shut the door and refused all visitors.
During the day, he went out with Uchiha Hikaru.
He needed to keep building her affection.
After all, Uchiha Madara had been whispering nonsense into her ear—trying to convince her to defeat him and "claim" him.
Absolutely criminal.
Thankfully—
Ren hadn't injected her with Hashirama Cells yet.
He had decided to wait.
Observe first.
And now it was paying off.
The classic rule held true—
Those who wait, win.
Their date location?
The arcade.
Hikaru's idea.
Though Ren later found out—
It was actually Madara's.
"Young one—fight me!"
Madara couldn't reveal his identity.
So instead of using force—
He chose video games.
After intense practice, his skill had reached terrifying levels.
He could even go toe-to-toe with Hikaru using a Tobirama Senju character.
Ren tested him briefly.
Then smirked.
Still not enough.
Up, down, left, right—
B A B A.
The hidden mechanic remained.
A cheat left behind long ago.
Victory animation—
Hashirama wins.
"Old man," Ren said lazily, "you need more practice."
"Impossible!"
"My defense was perfect!"
Madara stared at the screen in disbelief.
At that level—
One mistake meant death.
"Again!"
"No," Ren said calmly. "You barely scratched me."
"Waste of time."
He stood up immediately.
Before Madara could adapt.
Then—
He casually wrapped an arm around Hikaru and left.
"Madara-sama is alone for New Year," Hikaru said softly. "Shouldn't we stay?"
Ren leaned closer.
"Don't you want… some time alone?"
"Just the two of us."
Her face turned red instantly.
She remembered that room.
That half hour.
"…Idiot."
"But… let's go."
She took his hand.
Then turned back with a smile.
"Sorry, Madara-sama. You'll have to play alone today."
Madara watched them leave.
Silence.
Then—
A familiar feeling.
That expression.
That atmosphere.
Hashirama…
When he got married…
He looked exactly like that.
"…Damn it!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Madara slammed the arcade machine.
Then inserted more coins.
"I will win."
"That combo… something was wrong…"
Left alone—
He trained.
Obsessively.
Meanwhile—
Ren had no intention of spending the day with just one girl.
The Hyuga.
The Uzumaki.
Tsunade.
Even the Daimyo's princess.
None of them would give up easily.
Thankfully—
There was one solution.
Shadow Clones.
A genius invention.
And an even greater upgrade.
"Tobirama… I truly respect you."
The short holiday ended quickly.
Ren returned to the Hokage building.
The difference was immediate.
Everyone looked—
Alive.
Refreshed.
Because for months—
They had barely slept.
Four hours a day.
Sometimes less.
But they were ninja.
Veterans.
They could fall asleep instantly.
Anywhere.
That was survival.
Ren nodded.
"Good."
"Work hard. Rest hard."
Then—
He had an idea.
"Nara," he said, looking at Nara Shikaku, "your eyebags are better."
"I slept a full day," Shikaku said. "I feel human again."
"Excellent."
"I have a suggestion."
"…No."
Shikaku's expression turned pale instantly.
"This year's workload is heavy," Ren continued. "So maybe we reduce holidays—"
"Absolutely not."
"Please, Hokage-sama, be human."
"Everyone is already dying from overtime."
"You want to remove even the hope of rest?!"
Ren smiled.
"Ninja are those who endure."
Shikaku snapped.
"Ninja endure missions—not become beasts!"
"I refuse."
Ren sighed.
"Fine."
What a pity.
Such a generous Hokage…
Back in his office—
Documents piled high.
Ren got to work.
Most decisions were routine.
Funding approvals.
Projects already planned.
But one report caught his attention.
The Land of Demons.
A creature—
Mōryō.
A shrine.
A sealed body.
A soul seeking reunion.
World destruction.
Ren frowned.
"Why does everyone want to destroy the world?"
He skimmed it.
Not too concerned.
But—
The shrine maiden.
That was interesting.
Prophecy.
The ability to foresee death.
That—
Was valuable.
He made a note.
Send operatives.
Handle the situation.
Collect materials.
Next—
The Land of Rain.
Amegakure.
And one man—
Hanzo of the Salamander.
Ren read the letter.
Then smiled.
"Interesting."
Hanzo had read his ideology.
And awakened.
He stabilized the country.
Crushed rebellions.
Balanced the economy.
And then—
The Daimyo feared him.
Naturally.
So conflict began.
Negotiations failed.
Then—
A certain "book" appeared.
And Hanzo changed.
Radically.
The conclusion?
"Remove the Daimyo."
All of them.
Establish a ninja state.
Spread the revolution.
Ren leaned back.
Impressed.
"…Bold."
Too bold.
Reckless, even.
"If you're going to do it," Ren muttered, "do it quietly."
"Not flip the entire table."
Now—
Every nation would target him.
But still—
Someone had to fire the first shot.
And Hanzo—
Was that man.
Ren picked up a pen.
"Hanzo," he wrote, "I'm glad you've awakened."
"You are not alone."
"Konoha will support you."
Resources.
Advice.
Even—
Strategies from another world.
Symbols.
Uniforms.
Slogans.
Unity.
Structure.
Even darker ideas.
Everything.
Because this—
Was just the beginning.
He finished the letter.
Then called Shikaku.
After reading it—
Shikaku's eyes widened.
"…Who is this man?"
"He's insane."
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