บท 243: 242-Anonymity
Yano's brows furrowed slightly, his dark eyes focusing on Renjiro and Kakashi as if trying to gauge the truth of the situation.
"Do the two of you know each other?" he asked, his voice calm but with a sharp edge to it.
Kakashi, caught off guard by the question, blinked behind his mask. He opened his mouth to deny it—after all, he didn't consider Renjiro a friend, much less an acquaintance. But before Kakashi could speak, Renjiro cut him off with a surprising response.
"Yes," Renjiro said, his tone steady and casual as though the answer was obvious.
"My genin teammate is very close to him, and... I am also close with his Jounin sensei."
Kakashi's visible eye widened just slightly before narrowing again, processing what had been said.
'What does he mean by that?' Kakashi thought.
Renjiro and he hadn't worked together extensively, and they hadn't formed any meaningful bond. Sure, they had crossed paths more times than Kakashi cared for—but Kakashi had never thought much of Renjiro beyond that. In fact, he often found himself irritated whenever Minato-sensei or Hiro brought Renjiro up for some reason.
The praise for Renjiro from his sensei, Minato, and Hiro had always struck a nerve. Minato, ever the encouraging sensei, often spoke highly of Renjiro's potential, describing him as talented, driven, and reliable.
Hiro, too, seemed enamoured by Renjiro's exploits, recounting missions where Renjiro had performed impressive feats, or speaking of how he had saved teammates in the heat of battle. It felt like every time Kakashi saw Hiro, there was another story about Renjiro's valour or skill.
But to Kakashi, all this praise made Renjiro seem overrated. Sure, he might be talented—he had earned his Jounin rank, after all—but so had Kakashi.
And Kakashi was the youngest Jounin in Konoha's history, a title that carried its own weight. He had risen through the ranks at an unprecedented speed, driven by his need to prove himself. After what had happened to his father—after his father's disgrace—Kakashi had learned that power, strength, and skill were what truly mattered.
Friendship? Bonds? He had no time for them, no need to dwell on what others thought of him. He had been groomed to excel, and he had excelled beyond anyone's expectations.
In Kakashi's mind, Renjiro was just another shinobi, albeit one who was often praised for his talents.
'Overrated,' Kakashi thought dismissively, pushing aside any admiration that others had for Renjiro.
'Yes, he might be talented, but so am I.'
And in Kakashi's mind, that was all that mattered. He had no time to worry about others in his rank, especially those older than him.
So when Renjiro claimed that they "knew" each other, it rubbed Kakashi the wrong way.
'We're not friends,' he thought, a flicker of irritation coursing through him.
'We're barely acquaintances.'
Yet here Renjiro was, casually throwing out a claim of familiarity as though it meant something. But Kakashi was too experienced, too controlled, to let his true feelings show, especially in front of someone like Yano.
He had learned long ago that his reputation as a prodigy and a genius made him a target for those trying to curry favour or gain influence. Many shinobi, even those older than him, sought to align themselves with him for their own purposes.
Kakashi immediately classified Renjiro in the same mental category as those shinobi.
'He's just another one of them,' Kakashi thought, masking his annoyance with a cool, indifferent expression beneath his mask. His visible eyes remained calm, betraying none of the inner conflict.
If Renjiro knew what the young Jounin was thinking, he would just chuckle and think,
'If he is this bothered by me, wait till he meets the true genius who Mikoto is about to give birth to.'
"Aah, I see," Yano said, his voice neutral, though there was an undercurrent of curiosity.
He didn't press further, as though sensing that there was more to the story but choosing to leave it alone for now.
"But that's not an issue," Yano continued. "You just have to be careful with your interactions so that it doesn't raise any eyebrows. I trust the two of you know how to carry yourselves?"
Renjiro nodded without hesitation, his expression composed, while Kakashi gave a quick, sharp nod of agreement.
The conversation moved forward, and Yano's tone shifted, becoming more instructive.
"One more thing," Yano said, his voice firm. "When we are in the field, it's crucial that you leave no trace of your identity. That includes more than just your masks and cloaks." His eyes flicked between them again, sharper this time. "No identifying marks, no personal weapons or anything someone could use to recognize you. Even personal jutsus are prohibited. You're ANBU now, which means anonymity is everything."
Both Renjiro and Kakashi remained silent, absorbing the gravity of Yano's instructions. Being in the ANBU was a different world from the regular shinobi corps, or even the police force in Renjiro's case.
Here, their identities had to disappear—sacrificed to the shadows in which they would now operate. Kakashi had already come to terms with the idea of living as a ghost within the village, but Renjiro seemed to take an extra moment to process the reality of his new role.
Yano's eyes landed on their hair, his brow furrowing slightly in thought.
"That means your hair as well," Yano said, focusing particularly on Renjiro. "Your hair is too recognizable."
'I kinda understand.'
Renjiro thought as his hand instinctively rose to brush a strand of his bright red hair away from his face. His hair had always made him stand out, but in the world of Konoha, standing out wasn't always a bad thing. But now, as a member of the ANBU, standing out could get him, and his comrades, killed.
"Your hair, Renjiro, stands out," Yano reiterated, his tone turning slightly sharper. "You're one of only two people in the entire village with that hair colour. Kakashi's grey hair is less of an issue—it's not as distinctive. But you..." Yano gestured to Renjiro's head.
Renjiro's face remained impassive, but his mind was already processing the best solution. "I'll just use the Transformation Jutsu whenever we're in the field," Renjiro said evenly.
His voice held no hesitation, but inwardly, he was already considering the extra effort it would take to maintain the jutsu. Using the Transformation Jutsu for extended periods wasn't difficult for someone of his skill level, but the need to always be on guard would add to the mental burden.
Yano nodded approvingly. "Good,"
"We can't afford to take any chances. From this point forward, the three of us will operate under complete anonymity. Even within the village, no one should be able to link us to our ANBU assignments."
Yano's gaze remained on them for a moment longer before he continued. "You're both Jounin. I don't need to explain how important this is. You will follow my lead until you're ready to take on missions independently, but until then, consider yourselves shadows. Nothing more, nothing less."
Renjiro's thoughts drifted for a moment, considering the idea of what the Anbu would mean for him. He would have to fade into the background, becoming nothing more than a whisper in the wind.
Something that he had always wanted but he always stood out like a sore thumb. If it wasn't about his physical appearance, it was about his abilities.
'Maybe it won't be bad after all,' He thought.
Kakashi, on the other hand, seemed almost unbothered by the transition. To him, this was nothing new. He had lived his life as a solitary figure for years, never allowing anyone to get too close, never letting his true self be seen.
The mask he wore wasn't just physical—it was emotional, mental. Becoming a literal ghost within the ANBU felt like a natural extension of who he already was.
Yano nodded to both of them before stepping toward the door. "That's all for now. We'll begin formal training tomorrow. For now, get some rest." He paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "Remember—no one knows you're here. And no one should ever suspect."
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