Night fell in silence, draping the Hidden Leaf Village in a veil of calm. Yet beneath that tranquility, unseen currents churned—intentions sharpened, and danger stirred in the shadows.
In a quiet corner of the village, far from the bustle of the main streets, stood a modest orphanage—Ren's home. Inside, he sat cross-legged in the center of a dim room, eyes shut tight. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow, his breath quick and shallow.
He was attempting something perilous—something that could either elevate him beyond his limits… or destroy him entirely.
Eye technique fusion.
His encounter with Naruto earlier that day—and the unmistakable presence of Root operatives watching from the rooftops—had pushed his sense of urgency to its breaking point. Relying on a single-tomoe Sharingan, basic ninjutsu, and rudimentary genjutsu would never be enough to stand against a predator like Danzo Shimura. If he wanted to survive—and fight back—he needed to unlock the true potential of his Infinite Eye Technique System.
According to its description, the system didn't just copy kekkei genkai—it could fuse them, forging entirely new dōjutsu from the essence of bloodlines. That was its true, heaven-defying power.
And Ren had already chosen his ingredients.
The foundation would be his Sharingan—already awakened, though still in its earliest stage. The second component? The Byakugan, Konoha's other great ocular bloodline, wielded solely by the Hyūga clan.
With its near-360° field of vision, ability to see chakra pathways, and penetrating X-ray sight, the Byakugan was the perfect complement to the Sharingan's predictive and copying capabilities. What might emerge from their union? A dōjutsu that saw everything—not just movement, but intent, energy, and the very fabric of light and shadow?
The thought sent a thrill through him.
Of course, copying the Byakugan was no simple feat. The Hyūga guarded their bloodline with fanatical vigilance. But Ren had his methods.
During daytime training, he'd studied Hyūga students—especially Neji, the clan's so-called prodigy. Though Neji never activated his Byakugan openly, Ren's Sharingan detected subtle chakra shifts in his eyes during Gentle Fist drills: minute distortions, pressure changes, the ghost of ocular activation.
It wasn't enough.
So he went further.
In a sparring match with a branch-family Hyūga, he engineered "accidental" physical contact. At the moment their skin touched, the system—ever-hungry for data—snatched fragments of Byakugan chakra signature, a sliver of its sensory architecture.
It was incomplete. Imperfect. But for the system? Sufficient.
"System," he commanded silently. "Initiate fusion. Primary: Sharingan (one tomoe). Secondary: Byakugan (incomplete data)."
A prompt flashed in his mind:
[Fusion request confirmed.]
[Primary: Sharingan (1 tomoe)]
[Material: Byakugan (partial)]
[Analyzing optimal fusion path…]
[Based on host's chakra nature, soul resonance, and tactical profile—fusion trajectory: Light-Shadow Manipulation + Genjutsu Amplification.]
[Estimated duration: 10 minutes.]
[WARNING: Severe ocular and neural strain expected. Maintain consciousness at all costs.]
Then—agony.
A searing torrent of information slammed into his consciousness. His eyes burned as if molten needles were drilling into them from within. He bit back a cry, muscles locking, body trembling under the weight of the transformation.
In his mind's eye, he watched the crimson swirl of his Sharingan clash violently with the pale, pupil-less glow of the Byakugan imprint. They repelled each other—oil and water—yet the system's will forced them together, twisting, merging, rewriting his very perception.
One misstep, and he'd be blind. Or worse—his mind could shatter under the strain.
Gritting his teeth, Ren channeled chakra with desperate precision, stabilizing the fusion under the system's guidance. This was the price. And he would pay it.
Minute by minute, the pain receded, replaced by something… new.
He felt light. Not just as illumination—but as texture, as structure. Shadow wasn't absence—it was potential. And he could shape it.
[DING!]
[Fusion successful!]
[New dōjutsu unlocked: ILLUSIONARY LIGHT EYE (Beginner Stage)]
[Abilities:]
1. Light-Shadow Insight: Partial Byakugan inheritance. Enhanced perception of ambient light gradients and shadow dynamics; slight boost to dynamic vision.
2. Genjutsu Amplification: Partial Sharingan inheritance. Increases resistance to illusionary techniques and subtly enhances the depth and concealment of self-cast genjutsu.
3. Light-Shadow Clone (Core): Generates up to three non-corporeal clones composed of manipulated light and shadow. Extremely difficult to detect via standard sensory methods. Negligible chakra cost. No physical substance.
[Evaluation: Promising foundation. Further evolution possible through additional fusions and host growth.]
Ren's eyes snapped open.
For a heartbeat, a strange luminescence—neither red nor white, but something in between—flickered in his irises before fading into stillness.
He rose unsteadily, walked to the darkest corner of the room, and focused.
"Light-Shadow Clone."
The shadows at his feet rippled. Three figures peeled away from the darkness—silent, fluid, eerily lifelike. They mirrored his posture, his breath, even the faint creases in his clothing. To an untrained eye—or even a trained one—they were indistinguishable from the real thing.
"No physical form… but perfect for misdirection," he murmured, awe threading through his voice. For scouting, evasion, or setting traps, this ability was gold. And it cost almost nothing in chakra.
But beyond utility, beyond survival—this was his. A dōjutsu born not of bloodline accident, but of will, risk, and cunning.
He had just taken his first true step toward standing among legends.
However, just as Ren was rejoicing over the birth of his new eye technique, a chilling killing intent—cold as a venomous serpent—struck without warning from beyond the window!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Three kunai, gleaming with lethal intent, tore through the air in a precise triangular formation—aimed at his brow, heart, and throat!
Blindingly fast. Razor-sharp angles. Infused with potent chakra.
Root.
They'd made their move—and gone straight for the kill.
Ren's pupils contracted sharply. Without time to think, his body reacted on instinct: "Illusionary Eye!"
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
In an instant, three shadow clones sprang into motion alongside his real body, each executing a different evasive maneuver within the cramped room.
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"
The kunai struck true—but sliced only through illusions, embedding themselves deep into the wall behind.
Outside, two Root shinobi in faceless masks flickered with surprise. This brat had only just awakened his Sharingan—yet already wielded such an uncanny ocular ability?
But they were elite assassins. No hesitation. No wasted motion.
They slipped through the window like wraiths. One drew a short sword and lunged at Ren's core; the other began weaving hand seals for a binding jutsu.
Flawless coordination. Ruthless efficiency.
Damn it! Ren's mind raced. These two were stronger than chūnin—maybe even low-level jōnin. A straight fight would be suicide.
He had to leverage his Illusionary Eye.
"Illusionary Eye: Light and Shadow Clone Technique!"
His body and three shimmering clones blurred into motion, weaving and swapping positions so rapidly that four identical Rens filled the room—indistinguishable, even to trained eyes.
The swordsman faltered, unable to pinpoint the real one. His blade slashed through a fading afterimage.
The seal-user, too, hesitated—his jutsu delayed by a critical fraction of a second.
Now!
Ren's true form erupted from a blind spot, a kunai drawn from his system-stored tool pouch flashing toward the seal-user's ribs—the only opening he could exploit.
The Root ninja sensed the strike at the last moment, aborting the jutsu to twist aside and block with armored forearm.
"Clang!"
Sparks flew. The impact sent a jolt up Ren's arm, forcing him back—Night Flying, his body screamed from the sheer disparity in strength.
But he'd done it: the ninjutsu was interrupted.
Before he could recover, the swordsman closed in again, blade singing with killing intent.
Ren had nowhere to dodge.
Was this it?
Would the eye technique he'd just perfected become his death rattle?
Then—
"Whoosh!"
A silver-white blur exploded through the window like a bolt of lightning!
"Lightning Blade!"
A cry like a thousand birds split the night. Blinding electricity erupted, carving a path straight through the darkness—straight toward the two Root operatives.
"Sizzle!"
Faster than sight. Faster than thought.
The Root shinobi froze, twin crimson lines appearing across their necks before their heads slid from their shoulders in perfect silence.
Blood arced through the air.
Only then did the figure land—silver hair tousled, face half-hidden by a mask, left eye veiled beneath a tilted forehead protector. His visible eye, sharp yet weary, regarded Ren with calm intensity.
Kakashi Hatake.
The Copy Ninja. Konoha's White Fang's son. Legendary jōnin.
What's he doing here?!
Ren stood frozen, stunned beyond words.
Kakashi's gaze flicked to the corpses—brows furrowing almost imperceptibly—before settling on Ren. His right eye narrowed, analytical… and faintly intrigued.
"You're Ren?" His voice was as languid as ever, betraying nothing.
"Y-Yes… Kakashi-senpai?" Ren stammered, unsure of the protocol.
"Hn." Kakashi gave a single nod, eyes lingering on Ren's still-glowing oculars. "That eye… was that a new dōjutsu?"
Ren's pulse spiked. Of course Kakashi noticed.
He chose honesty—calculated, strategic honesty.
"I fused traits of the Sharingan and Byakugan," he admitted. "I call it the Illusionary Light Eye."
Kakashi's visible eye widened—just slightly. Then understanding dawned.
"A fusion… with the Byakugan?" He exhaled, almost amused. "No wonder. That's… interesting."
He stepped forward, crouched beside Ren, and studied his eyes with quiet intensity. After a long moment, Kakashi straightened.
"The Root have their eyes on you," he said, voice low but steady. "You can't stay here any longer. Come with me."
"Where to?" Ren asked, wary but hopeful.
"My place—for now," Kakashi replied. "And from today onward… you're my disciple."
Disciple?
Ren froze. Kakashi—the Copy Ninja, a Jonin of elite standing, personally chosen by the Hokage—wanted to take him as a student? It felt like a miracle dropped from the sky.
Becoming Kakashi's disciple meant more than access to powerful ninjutsu. It meant protection—real, tangible protection. Danzo might still scheme in the shadows, but openly moving against a direct student of Hatake Kakashi? That would invite scrutiny even he couldn't afford. At the very least, it bought Ren time… and safety.
"What?" Kakashi tilted his head, one eyebrow lifting. "You don't want to?"
"I do! Of course I do!" Ren blurted, nodding so fast he nearly strained his neck. "Teacher!"
The word came out with genuine reverence—not just gratitude, but a spark of desperate hope.
A faint, almost imperceptible curve touched the corner of Kakashi's lips—there and gone in an instant.
"Good," he said. "Pack your things. And leave the body to me."
"Yes, Master!" Ren swallowed his excitement, moving quickly to gather his few belongings.
As he stepped out of the cramped, blood-tinged hut, he cast one last glance over his shoulder. He knew—this moment would redefine his fate. Again.
But he wasn't naive. Kakashi hadn't taken him on simply because of the Illusionary Eyes fused into his own. That lazy-eyed Jonin was far too sharp for sentimentality. There were calculations here, unspoken stakes.
And Kakashi's protection, while formidable, wasn't absolute. Root operated in silence and shadows. They wouldn't stop—they'd only grow more cautious.
The real danger hadn't passed. It had just changed shape.
"Master," Ren asked as they walked through the dimming streets of Konoha, "are the higher-ups… interested in my eye?"
Kakashi slowed, glancing sideways at him. "Konoha isn't one voice," he said quietly. "Some see power they don't possess and think only of taking it—by any means. Your best defense isn't my name. It's your strength. Grow fast. Because even I… can't shield you forever."
Just as Ren suspected. The confirmation hit like cold water—but it also steeled his resolve.
He clenched his fists, eyes burning with quiet fire. "I understand, Master. I'll become strong. Strong enough that no one dares take what's mine."
Kakashi watched him for a beat longer. In those determined eyes, he saw something rare—not just ambition, but the will to survive against impossible odds.
Maybe… just maybe… taking this disciple wouldn't be such a bad move after all.
Who knew what kind of storm this boy, forged in secrecy and shadow, might one day unleash on a world grown complacent?