"Hiss… is that really true?"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged stunned glances, the weight of Ren Takashi's words sinking in. Joy lit up their eyes.
Immunity to illusions, greater spiritual strength—such enhancements were priceless, even for seasoned veterans like them.
"Thank you, Ren-sama!" the two chorused, bowing with sincere gratitude.
Ren waved it off. "Don't mention it. That was just a bonus effect of the contract seal."
He leaned back, eyes gleaming with confidence. "Work hard, contribute enough, and I'll open more doors for you—methods to strengthen the body, sharpen the mind, and refine chakra far beyond what Konoha has ever seen."
He listed them off calmly.
"• Internal body-forging arts to toughen your physique.
• Spiritual meditation to strengthen mental energy.
• Chakra Circulation Techniques that allow for gradual accumulation of chakra—enhancing both its volume and purity.
• And yes, even life-extending potions that restore lost vitality…"
Ren's smile sharpened. "But everything has a price. Earn it."
Koharu and Homura blinked, momentarily speechless.
Life-extension was fantastical enough—but those training systems?
"Are… are those even real?" Koharu asked in disbelief.
Without a word, Ren pressed two fingers to their brows and passed on surface-level knowledge—just enough to let them glimpse the depth of what he offered.
A moment passed.
And then the two elders reeled as the knowledge downloaded into their minds.
"What… what is this?!" Homura gasped.
"These techniques are an entirely different system!" Koharu whispered. "They complement the chakra network… and can build chakra over time? This changes everything!"
They had lived their lives believing that chakra capacity was bound by bloodline, body, and spirit. But now—if these techniques truly worked—anyone could push beyond their natural limits through sheer effort and discipline.
This… this could make even a civilian reach the power of an elite Jōnin.
Ren grinned. "Uchiha, Senju, even the Uzumaki have already begun training in these systems. Their growth over the past six months? Not a coincidence."
"They're earning their skills—and you can too."
"You want to train your clansmen in them? Fine. Earn the right. But every trainee must sign a soul contract with me."
Koharu and Homura nodded without hesitation, eyes gleaming.
"To have this power… without bloodline shackles? Even our families can rise again!"
No longer would they need to rely on Sarutobi's crumbs. Now, they had the potential to stand tall—on their own terms.
"How do we earn merits?" Koharu asked eagerly. "What should we do first?"
"For now," Ren said, "focus on gathering evidence of the Third Hokage and Danzo's corruption. Monitor their movements and report anything significant."
"You don't need to see me or Mito-sama directly. Just channel your spiritual energy into the contract rune in your consciousness—it will notify me."
"But don't overuse it. I hate spam."
"Understood!" both replied with solemn nods.
Ren smiled. "Good. With you two on the inside, we'll stay several steps ahead of Sarutobi."
He paused—then glanced at Mito.
Koharu suddenly frowned, hesitating. "…Ren-sama, just now you mentioned the life-extension potion. Does that mean—"
She looked toward Uzumaki Mito in realization.
"Has your lost vitality been… restored?"
Mito chuckled gently. "It has. Thanks to the potion, my body has recovered its life force. And with the chakra circulation and martial arts systems, I've stabilized my vitality."
She allowed her inner life energy to surge briefly—just enough for them to sense it.
Koharu and Homura's eyes widened in terror.
"That means… Sarutobi and Danzo's calculations were wrong. You're not dying at all…"
"Correct," Mito said calmly.
"They've been dancing around, thinking they were running out the clock." Ren chuckled. "They were wrong. Very wrong."
The two elders exchanged a glance filled with both horror and relief.
So Sarutobi never had a chance to win to begin with…
If they hadn't defected today, they would've died without even knowing how they lost.
Koharu bowed deeply. "We won't breathe a word of this. Even with the soul seal, we swear it."
"Good," Ren said. "Let them stay arrogant. Let them play checkers while we play shogi."
"We're not quite ready for open war, and the time for succession isn't here yet. But when the curtain falls…"
"…they'll never see it coming."
Homura suddenly felt a weight lift from his chest. For once, the path forward was clear.
And he silently thanked Koharu—for dragging him into this betrayal.
Best friend indeed.
After giving the two elders some further instructions, Ren dismissed them with a gesture.
As they left, he turned to Mito with a sly grin.
"Not bad for an unplanned meeting, right?"
Mito chuckled. "You really know how to turn every opportunity into gold."
Ren leaned back. "Now we've got eyes inside the Third's camp, airtight contracts, and eager new tools. It's only a matter of time."
Half a Month Later
Inside the grand Chenliha Conference Hall in Konoha, the atmosphere buzzed with tension and anticipation.
Representatives from every major village, country, and economic power in the ninja world had gathered.
Daimyos, nobles, merchants, elite clans—no one wanted to miss the bidding war for Project B73, the newest electrical tech company from Uchiha Industries.
"Is that the Daimyo of the Land of Iron over there?"
"They say even the Lightning Country's dignitaries are here in secret…"
Voices whispered from every corner. Clan leaders and merchant families cast sharp glances at one another.
Uchiha Nobuhiko stood at the front, calmly observing.
"This turnout is insane," murmured Nara Luming.
"The whole world wants a piece of this company."
"Do you think we, the Inuzuka clan, have a shot?" asked Inuzuka Arashi anxiously.
Nara Luming gave him a noncommittal smile. "Hard to say."
Beside him, Akamichi Pingshi and Yamanaka Hidemitsu exchanged subtle glances.
The truth?
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio had already secured insider backing from Ren Takashi himself. At least one stake in the new company was practically guaranteed for them—maybe more, depending on the bidding chaos.
They wouldn't say a word to Arashi, of course. Why invite another rival?
Inuzuka Arashi narrowed his eyes. "You three are hiding something from me."
"Haha, what? No, no!" Luming waved it off, laughing too loudly. "Just your imagination!"
The awkwardness hung for a beat.
You three snakes… Arashi thought grimly, but said nothing.
Opportunities like this weren't handed out—they were seized. And Arashi knew he'd been late to the party.
Ren Takashi's network wasn't just military anymore.
It was economic. Strategic. Global.
And today, another chapter of his dominion was about to be written.