Chapitre 10: Chapter 10: Want Some Noodles?
The night in the forest.
A sharp blade pierced flesh, blood splattered, and a Konoha ninja, clutching his bleeding throat, let out a faint gurgle before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
Ren leaped down from the tree branch nearby, gripping a blood-dripping blade in his hand.
Standing beside him, Kakuto observed the entire battle. From start to finish, it took less than a minute to cleanly and efficiently eliminate the enemy.
This kid kills more like a real member of the ANBU than the ANBU itself...
Kakuto thought to himself.
"No need to leave any survivors, right?" Ren pulled out a white cloth, wiping the blood from his short sword before sheathing it behind him. His tone was casual, not seeking confirmation.
"Lord Danzo's orders. This has always been Root's style." Kakuto calmly replied, "This person turned traitor, there's no point in keeping him alive."
After speaking, he crouched down and searched the corpse, finding a palm-sized scroll. Seeing that it was sealed, he didn't attempt to open it lightly.
"Someone's coming," Ren suddenly said.
Shhh, shhh, shhh...
Several figures dashed through the night sky, surrounding Ren and Kakuto.
"Root?" The leader, a young man with white hair and a fox mask, recognized them immediately. His tone carried a hint of surprise.
"Did you kill him?"
Kakuto tucked the scroll into his pocket, his hands casually in his pockets, and his black hooded cloak rustled in the night breeze.
There was no response or conversation. Ren glanced at the white-haired ANBU member in front of him, instantly recognizing the identity behind the mask.
Kakashi, seeing the other party casually pocket the scroll, frowned but knew it was unlikely they would engage in a fight over it.
The ANBU members awaited Kakashi's orders.
Seeing that Kakashi didn't act, Kakuto instantly vanished from the scene.
Ren, after taking one last look at Kakashi, turned around and disappeared just as swiftly, leaving the group of ANBU behind.
Both sides knew who the other was, and none of the ANBU attempted to stop them.
"Captain?" The ANBU members looked toward the white-haired young man for guidance.
Kakashi hesitated for a moment before issuing orders, "Check the body, see if there are any letters or scrolls."
His mission was to capture this suspected rogue ninja and bring him back for interrogation. However, by the time they arrived, the Root members had already dealt with him.
The Root's methods were still as ruthless as ever…
The image of Danzo flashed through his mind. Seeing his team come up empty-handed, he said, "Bring the body back."
At Root.
Kakuto returned alone to report the mission. Ren had already been dismissed.
Danzo held the scroll in his hand but didn't seem interested in reading it. He was already aware of everything that had happened during the mission, including the encounter with the ANBU.
"What do you think of that boy?"
"Very capable," Kakuto replied succinctly.
Danzo lifted his gaze slightly. "How does he compare to Shisui?"
"I never worked with Shisui, but Ren's abilities are among the best of his generation," Kakuto responded.
"In the Academy, he was second only to Shisui. He made quite an impression during the war as well," Danzo said slowly, "Yet after the war, he suddenly faded into obscurity."
"Wasn't it because of that incident?" Kakuto asked.
"It was never proven. It was just something Tsunade said, which led to those rumors," Danzo countered, showing he was well-versed in the past. "But those rumors were enough to destroy someone. Do you think this boy seems like someone who survived through that?"
"I've seen many talented ninjas," Kakuto said. "What sets them apart isn't just their skills; many of them struggle with inner conflicts."
"But..." Kakuto's tone shifted.
"This boy isn't one of them. He has no reservations—he's like a pure tool."
"A pure tool?" Danzo's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Would Shisui leave such a person with me? Misuse him, and it might backfire."
"Then discard him?" Kakuto asked.
Danzo shook his head. "That would be a waste. This boy is no saint—his heart harbors darkness. He can be of use to me."
"A double-edged sword, when used well, can yield surprising results."
Ren had been on missions for over a week straight.
However, these missions were all fairly standard ANBU tasks—some were even assignments he had already encountered before joining Root.
Testing—relentless testing.
Danzo's paranoia ran deeper than Ren had anticipated.
But Ren wasn't impatient. Even if Danzo's suspicions were never fully allayed, Ren had an ace up his sleeve.
After returning home, Ren took a long shower, washing away the exhaustion of the day.
He changed into his casual home clothes and, like shedding a burden, tossed his forehead protector onto the table.
The fridge contained only bread, milk, and some fruits that were starting to spoil.
Ever since joining Root, he hadn't cooked for himself. He hadn't bought any fresh meat or vegetables either.
Throwing out the spoiled fruit, Ren sat at the table, staring blankly at the cup of instant noodles in front of him.
No matter in this life or the last, it seems my life is always a mess...
The initial excitement and anxiety he felt upon arriving in the world of Naruto had long since vanished. Alone in every world, did it really matter what his life was like?
Knock, knock, knock.
A sudden knock at the door interrupted Ren's thoughts.
Who could it be? Shisui?
There were hardly any other people who would knock on his door.
Ren got up and walked over to the door.
"Good evening, Ren!"
There stood Tenten, hands behind her back, smiling brightly as she greeted him.
"Can I eat at your place? My mom's not home."
"...Where's your mom?"
"She went out of town to pick up supplies. She won't be back until tomorrow."
"You can cook for yourself, can't you?"
"Of course I can, but I don't want to." Tenten shrugged.
"You're eating, right? I can smell the food already." She spoke as if it was natural, pushing her way past Ren into the house. Then she noticed the steaming cup of noodles on the table.
"I can make you a cup too if you want."
Ren pulled out another cup of instant noodles from the box and placed it on the table. He noticed Tenten glaring at him, puffing out her cheeks.
"Don't give me that look. The fridge is empty—I can't cook anything," Ren said helplessly.
"I could cook something at my place for you," he finally relented.
But Tenten's face suddenly lit up with a smile. "Ren, let's go out to eat!"
"But my noodles are already made..."
"Noodles aren't good for you, and they're not healthy!" Tenten sounded like a little adult as she grabbed Ren and pulled him out of the house.
The evening hadn't set in too deeply yet, and the streets of Konoha were still bustling.
Tenten carried bags of snacks in both hands, bouncing happily ahead, her twin buns bobbing cutely with every step.
"Are we here to get dinner, or just to buy you snacks?" Ren asked, lazily following behind her.
"It's all the same!" Tenten grinned as she turned around, offering him a squid skewer. Walking backward, she didn't notice someone behind her and bumped into them with a thud.
"Sorry, sorry!" Tenten quickly turned and apologized to the person, knowing it was her fault.
"It's fine..." The man, dressed like a ninja, didn't seem to mind until his gaze fell on Ren. His expression changed, turning sour as he spat on the ground and walked away.
Tenten stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the man's retreating figure.
"I..."
"It wasn't your fault," Ren said, glancing at the man's back calmly.
"But I was the one who bumped into him..."
"He only acted that way after he saw me."
Tenten was stunned for a moment before becoming visibly angry. "Why does he get to treat you like that?!"
"..."
Ren's eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing.
"Ugh, that's so unfair! I want to make him apologize!" Tenten exclaimed, ready to chase after him, but Ren stopped her.
"Let it go. It's not a big deal."
"But he treated you so rudely!" Tenten fumed.
"Even if it was my fault, that doesn't give him the right to act like that!"
Ren reached out, grabbing Tenten by the arm and pulling her in the opposite direction. "Let's go. I still owe you a meal."
"Eh? Eh?"
Tenten's strength was no match for Ren's, and she found herself being dragged along.
"Ren, you're holding me too tightly. It hurts! Let go."
"You'll stop causing trouble?"
"Fine, fine. I get it. Geez, I was just trying to stand up for you..."
"...I don't need you to stand up for me."
"Ren, where are we going to eat?"
"How about noodles?"
"We came all the way out here, and you still want noodles?"
"This place is different."
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