Naruto: Mixed Heritage(Rewrite)

The battlefield, scarred and marred by the intense spar, stood in eerie silence. The tension in the air was palpable as Renjiro's adrenaline-fueled mind tried to process what had just happened. His body, poised for defence, relaxed only slightly, though confusion still clouded his face.

"What the hell just happened?" Renjiro muttered, his voice low but sharp with disbelief.

He had been racing against time, his mind and chakra working in unison to erect his Susanoo, knowing Riku's incoming attack carried a threat unlike anything he had faced before. But the anticipated impact never came.

"And who the hell is that?" Renjiro wondered aloud, quickly deactivating his Mangekyō Sharingan. A small wave of relief washed over him—he had thankfully not expended the energy to summon his Susano'o, sparing his body from the tremendous strain.

Still, he couldn't shake his confusion. He had been meticulously tracking the battlefield. His Sharingan was active, and his chakra field was spread out to monitor any fluctuations around him.

Yet, he hadn't sensed this man's approach. It was as if he had materialized out of thin air, effortlessly closing the distance without disrupting the chakra around him.

The mystery deepened as Renjiro heard his sensei's subdued voice.

"I am sorry, Elder Eiji," Riku said, bowing slightly in a show of respect.

Renjiro blinked. It wasn't every day that he saw Riku so... docile. The man who had just moments ago been hurling relentless attacks now stood like a chastened child.

'Then he must be important,' Renjiro thought, his gaze flicking toward the old man who had suddenly appeared.

Renjiro wasn't one to bother with village politics or hierarchy outside of the essential figures he needed to know. While he had lived in Konoha for half of his life, the myriad of elders and influential figures from various shinobi clans had never interested him. As far as he was concerned, their numbers were too vast to keep track of.

'Besides, every shinobi clan seems to have its revered elders—keeping up with them all is a fool's errand.'

Eiji Senju's presence, however, was impossible to ignore.

The elder carried himself with a quiet authority that spoke of both experience and restraint. His long white hair framed a face lined with age but illuminated by sharp, discerning eyes that seemed to see through everything in the clearing.

Eiji was no ordinary shinobi. Though not as gifted as his father, Hashirama Senju, his uncle, Tobirama, or even his daughter Tsunade, Eiji had once been a formidable warrior in his own right. His contributions during the Second Shinobi War were well-documented, earning him a place of reverence among the Senju.

After the war, he resigned as the Senju Clan Head, choosing instead to serve as an elder—a role in which his wisdom often guided the younger generation.

Eiji's sharp gaze shifted to Riku, who had straightened from his bow but kept his head slightly lowered.

"What were you thinking?" Eiji's voice was deep and commanding, carrying both exasperation and disappointment. "I had to be woken up because of this... commotion. Did it not occur to you to carry out such activities during the day?"

Riku's lips pressed into a thin line. "I... I apologize, Elder. It was not my intention to disturb you."

Eiji wasn't satisfied. His tone grew harsher as he continued, "And using that technique on a child? Have you completely lost your mind, Riku? Or are you simply incapable of distinguishing between training and endangerment?"

Riku bowed his head again, his tone laced with remorse. "I accept full responsibility."

Despite his outward humility, Riku's mind raced. 'How did Eiji even find out?' His eyes darted to the side, and that's when he spotted two old men standing a few meters away—the Senju elders, Shimada and Okabe. Their stern expressions left no doubt that they had been the ones to alert Eiji.

'So they were the ones,' Riku thought grimly, feeling his frustration mount.

Eiji's gaze shifted to Renjiro, who had been standing silently, watching the exchange. The elder's sharp eyes scanned him from head to toe, lingering briefly on his red hair and faintly glowing chakra.

"And who might this be?" Eiji asked, his deep voice softening slightly. 'A boy with red hair,' he thought. 'He must be that person.'

Riku cleared his throat, stepping forward. "This is Renjiro Uzumaki," he said, gesturing toward the young shinobi. "And these are his teammates—Aiko Nakamura and Hiro Hatake. They were all my former students."

Eiji's demeanour shifted instantly. A welcoming smile spread across his face, and Renjiro felt a warm, almost overwhelming presence wash over him.

"So, you're the ones," Eiji said, his tone more genial now. "My nephew's former students... talented enough for two of you to achieve the rank of jōnin at such a young age. Impressive."

Renjiro dipped his head slightly in acknowledgement, unsure how to respond to the elder's praise.

Eiji turned back to Riku, his tone light but laced with an undertone of warning. "Your former students are indeed talented. But let me remind you, Riku—being seen with three shinobi in the middle of the night in the clan compound, even if they are your former students, will raise questions. Questions that won't reflect well on you... or the clan."

Riku stiffened slightly, but he caught the elder's meaning. "Understood, Elder," he said. He was aware of the situation in the village after all. Turning to the three younger shinobi, he added, "It's good to see how much you've all grown. I'm proud of your progress. But this spar is over—go home and get some rest."

Renjiro exhaled sharply as they left the training ground, tension draining from his shoulders. "Well, that was anticlimactic," he remarked dryly.

Aiko smirked. "What's next?"

"We go home," Renjiro said with a tired sigh.

"What? I thought you could go all day," Aiko teased, her tone smug.

Renjiro shot her a sidelong glance but chose not to respond.

Hiro, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "I'll see you both later," he said, his voice subdued before flickering away in a blur of movement.

Renjiro frowned. "What's wrong with him?"

Aiko tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear. "Nothing's wrong. The Hatake Compound is closer to the Senju Compound than anywhere else."

Renjiro wasn't convinced but let the matter drop.

As the sun climbed higher, Renjiro and Aiko walked through the village streets, their conversation meandering from mundane topics to idle banter. Finally, Renjiro broke the lull.

"That technique you used earlier," he began. "What was it?"

Aiko glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "It's simple, really. I infused fire chakra into a basic medical ninjutsu. Instead of healing, it disrupts the chakra network, causing minor burns internally. It's not lethal... it just slows one down, but it is very effective."

Renjiro raised an eyebrow, impressed despite himself. "Not bad."

Back at the training ground, now eerily silent, Riku turned to Eiji, the tension between them palpable.

"What do you think?" Riku asked cautiously.

Eiji gave him a long, searching look before answering. "He has potential," he said finally, his tone neutral but thoughtful.

Riku nodded, bowing respectfully before leaving.

Alone in the clearing, Eiji stared into the distance, his expression unreadable. After a long moment, he murmured to himself, "He definitely has it, doesn't he?"

The elder's words hung in the air as the first rays of sunlight illuminated the battlefield, marking the end of a long and eventful night.

=====

Bless me with your powerful Power Stones.

Your Reviews and Comments about my work are welcomed

If you can, then please support me on Patreon. 

Link - www.patreon.com/SideCharacter

You Can read more chapters ahead on Patreon.