Once things had finally settled down, there wasn't much point in Uchiha Kairen staying behind any longer. Before he left, he glanced once more at Hatake Kakashi — the boy's situation was far better than in the original timeline.
Although his father's death had dealt him a heavy blow, the Hatake clan in this world was far wealthier and more established than before. Moreover, with Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin looking after him, Kakashi had become much more cheerful.
Kakashi felt deeply indebted to the Uchiha. He knew that without their intervention, his father would have carried that disgrace to his grave. Even though Sakumo had chosen death to prove his innocence, the higher-ups still refused to let the matter go.
If not for the Uchiha, things would have turned out far worse. The memorial service had opened Kakashi's eyes to many things — he finally understood some of the truths behind this village.
Yet, no matter what he thought, Konoha would never bend to his will. Therefore, becoming stronger was the only foundation of everything. Only through strength could he revive his clan — and reclaim his father's lost honor.
He resolved to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and graduate early. When he told that predecessor of his plan, he expected to be advised to lie low for a few years, to let his father's incident fade with time.
Unexpectedly, that senior fully supported him — even joked that if Kakashi managed to graduate early, he would break the record he himself had set. He congratulated Kakashi in advance, and even gifted him his personal swordsmanship notes.
"Are all Uchiha this kind to those they recognize?" Kakashi couldn't help but think. "Obito's like that, and so is this senior. I'll never forget this kindness. One day, I'll repay it."
Before Uchiha Kairen departed the village, Clan Head Uchiha Nobunaga announced a new family decree — a two-child policy.
All Uchiha jōnin were required to have at least two children — to extend the clan's bloodline and expand its branches. The second child's upbringing would even be funded by the clan itself.
There were simply too few high-quality Uchiha bloodlines left. In the past, the clan had held back due to financial concerns. But now, after seeing the wealth that flowed from their growing influence over the Land of Fire's economy, those worries had vanished.
"The clan has money," Nobunaga had said, "and money sitting in the treasury won't give birth to heirs. These material things are fleeting — only more strong offspring can make the Uchiha truly powerful."
The middle-aged men in particular were targeted. Handsome uncles were strictly ordered to have more children. After all, the sons they'd already produced weren't just gifted — they were clever little devils too. "If we had a few more like them," one elder joked, "the Uchiha could ascend to the heavens."
The clan encouraged free love, but for those without partners, there were… alternatives. Any unmarried shinobi who turned sixteen could be matched through the clan's introduction system, with the approval of both families. Engagements would be arranged immediately, and marriages held at eighteen.
For the older singles? The clan went so far as to host mass matchmaking gatherings.
In short: "Those who aren't married — get married and have kids! Those who are — and have good bloodlines — have another! Those too young or too busy to date — we'll arrange one for you! The Uchiha must flourish! We need more of you! Now go forth and procreate!"
Uchiha Kairen fled the clan as fast as he could. This restless, breeding-obsessed family terrified him. His own age wasn't far from the danger zone — if they caught him, he'd be forced into a marriage before he could even protest.
Barely a year passed before Uchiha Retsu and Uchiha Honō were both dragged off for arranged engagements. "My brothers, I'll be going on ahead — don't bother sending me off!" Kairen thought as he disappeared into the horizon.
When he arrived in the Land of Fire, Danten and Gorou soon found him, storming toward him in fury.
"Just what kind of stupid idea did you feed the clan head!?" Danten barked. "Now we're both being forced into marriages — and we don't even know who the brides are!"
"I didn't! I swear I didn't!" Kairen raised his hands defensively. "I barely escaped myself! You both left — who's guarding the clan now?"
"Uchiha Kaze got engaged, he's covering for us," Danten snapped, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Listen, Kairen," said Gorou, grinning wickedly. "Since you're so lively, you should find a woman who can handle you — someone kindhearted and, uh… robust. My second uncle's daughter is seventeen and weighs over two hundred pounds. Perfect match for you! Great cook, never leaves the house, won't cause trouble!"
Before Gorou could finish, Danten vanished in an instant — clearly, he'd been "introduced" to the same woman before.
Kairen broke out in a cold sweat. "My mom's already got someone lined up for me — that one girl from that family!" he blurted, then bolted before they could press him further.
He soon arrived at the headquarters of the Royal Chamber of Commerce — the tallest building in the Land of Fire. Lying atop its roof, basking in the sunlight, he sighed contentedly. "Ahh… as expected, being closer to the sun feels the best."
His mind drifted — so much had happened lately. But at least he'd finally pulled the Uchiha out of the swamp they'd been sinking in. Getting them trapped again wouldn't be so easy.
Now, it was time to focus on himself. His kenjutsu had already reached mastery — formidable in the early and mid stages of battle. If he could refine it even further, it might remain useful in the late game as well.
But against reincarnated demigods or Kaguya-level beings? It would still be laughably weak. Those were the mecha-tier battles of the world — even if he shattered his blade, it wouldn't matter.
It was time to develop his own unique power — Light Release.
"Heh… I've hidden it for so many years, trying to live as a 'different kind of Uchiha,'" Kairen murmured. "But all I got in return was suppression and rejection from the higher-ups. Fine, I'll show them. I'm not just any shinobi — I'm the man blessed by light itself."
And so began his mad training regimen.
From dawn till dusk, Kairen trained relentlessly — barely eating or resting, pushing himself to the brink. Everyone feared he'd collapse and die from exhaustion.
But he was like a man possessed — as if Might Guy himself had taken over his body. "I'm not tired! I can keep going! Under the sun, I'll never grow weary!" he shouted while training taijutsu and ninjutsu.
At night, he calmed down, blindfolding himself to practice swordsmanship in silence.
The moment the sun rose, it was as if he'd been injected with pure adrenaline. Everyone thought he'd gone insane.
"Maybe White Fang's death hit him harder than we thought…" some whispered.
Six months passed. Kairen finally left the capital of the Land of Fire, venturing deep into a remote forest. A grin spread across his face.
"Let's begin."
"Light Release: Laser!"
Golden beams shot from his fingertips, piercing through distant trees and leaving smoking holes in their trunks.
"Light Release: Shockwave!"
He clasped his hands like a flower bud at his waist, forming a glowing sphere between his palms — a yellow orb trailing a comet-like tail as it blasted forward, carving a path through the forest.
"Light Release: Refractive Flash Step!"
A beam of light ricocheted between objects, forming a path of reflected light — a route through which he could move at the speed of light. Its speed rivaled the Flying Thunder God Technique, though unlike that jutsu, his required the existence of a light path.
"Light Release: Magatama of Radiance!"
Kairen ascended into the air, his body shining like the sun, firing countless radiant light bullets over a wide area — explosions tearing open the forest floor and leaving craters everywhere.
"Light Release: Elemental Form!"
Golden light enveloped his entire body, turning him into a shimmering, semi-translucent being. Slowly, he began to float — phasing through tree after tree before collapsing to the ground, crawling toward the nearest patch of sunlight.
"Damn… it's too draining," he gasped. "No wonder Kizaru never flies around nonstop…"
Basking in the sun, he recovered nearly half his chakra in no time, the fatigue gradually fading from his body.
"This sunlight… feels incredible."
As long as the sun shone, he could fight from dawn till dusk without tiring.
"It's about time," he said, eyes blazing. "Before the Third Great Ninja War begins… I'll reach Jōnin rank. When the war comes — it'll be the Uchiha's war of rebirth."