章節 242: 241-Not a Coincidence
Renjiro's gaze narrowed as he watched the masked figure standing before them. Though the mask obscured the man's face, Renjiro recognized the chakra signature instantly.
It was faint, subtle, but unmistakable. His time spent with Minato and his squad helped him attune himself to the subtle differences in people's chakra, more so this person.
They hadn't spent much time together—just a few weeks of gruelling missions under Minato's command—but those missions had been enough. Enough for Renjiro to recognize Yano Shimura.
Yano had always been a quiet but sharp presence in the squad, executing his orders with precision and rarely speaking unless necessary. His contributions had always been in the shadows, unnoticed by most but appreciated by those who knew better. Renjiro remembered him well, though they hadn't formed any deep bond during their brief time together.
'Come to think of it, he's from the Shimura clan,' Renjiro mused silently.
'There are probably plenty of them in the ANBU.'
The thought settled uneasily in his mind. The Shimura clan's reputation was well known, and Renjiro couldn't shake the association with Danzo. His face darkened instinctively at the thought.
'Then he's probably in Root, isn't he?'
Renjiro's inner voice had a bitter edge to it. Root, Danzo's secretive and morally dubious division of the ANBU, was infamous for its brutal training and unwavering loyalty to its Leader, more than to the village—at any cost. Renjiro didn't like the idea of being connected to Root, not even tangentially.
'I guess him being here wasn't just a coincidence,' Renjiro concluded, his suspicion growing.
His eyes flicked over Yano's masked face once again, scanning for any hint of emotion or recognition. None came. Yano remained impassive.
Across the room, Jiraiya's keen eyes caught the slight change in Renjiro's expression. The Sannin raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering in his usually laid-back gaze.
'Do they know each other?' Jiraiya wondered, though he said nothing.
Instead, he glanced between the three shinobi—Renjiro, Yano, and Kakashi—taking mental notes of their body language.
Kakashi, for his part, seemed focused entirely on Yano. There was no surprise in Kakashi's demeanour, only the analytical curiosity that came naturally to him.
"Tortoise," Jiraiya said, nodding toward Yano.
Renjiro blinked in mild confusion.
'Tortoise?'
He glanced at Yano's mask again, puzzled. The mask bore no resemblance to any animal, let alone a tortoise. Its design was abstract, with dark markings that didn't evoke any particular creature.
Jiraiya, however, paid no mind to Renjiro's confusion. "Show them to your room and get to know each other," Jiraiya instructed.
Yano—or rather, "Tortoise"—nodded silently and gestured for Renjiro and Kakashi to follow him. The two young Jounins exchanged a brief glance before falling in step behind their new squad captain.
As they exited the dingy room, Renjiro felt a weight lift from his shoulders, if only slightly. The narrow corridors of the ANBU base twisted and turned in a maze-like fashion, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the walls.
The air grew cooler as they descended deeper into the base, the scent of damp stone and cold metal replacing the musty odour from the previous room. Footsteps echoed softly, almost drowned out by the occasional drip of water from the stone ceiling above.
The silence was unnerving, but it seemed intentional—designed to keep secrets hidden within the walls of this underground network. Renjiro's sharp eyes darted to the edges of the corridor, catching glimpses of faint seals inscribed into the walls. Barrier techniques, no doubt. The ANBU took its secrecy seriously.
'Kinda wonder why they didn't just use this place as an office,' Renjiro thought dryly as they continued through the labyrinthine base. The room they had just left was clearly designed for interrogation, not conversation.
This, however, felt more like an actual workplace.
Finally, Yano led them to a small room at the far end of the corridor. He slid the door open, revealing a space that was minimalistic but still better than the one they'd just been in with Jiraiya.
The room was sparse, with plain wooden floors and walls, a low table in the center, and three cushions neatly placed around it. The only other notable feature was a single window, high up near the ceiling, letting in a sliver of natural light.
'Well, it's an improvement,' Renjiro thought. It wasn't much, but at least it didn't feel like a dungeon.
What Renjiro did not know was that Jiraiya rarely spent time in that base or any of the countless bases they had in the village, so he never felt the need to give himself an office.
Once inside, Yano closed the door behind them. Without a word, Yano reached up and removed his mask. His expression remained calm as he revealed his face, his sharp, angular features coming into view.
His dark eyes were serious, and there was a subtle intensity in his gaze that Renjiro hadn't noticed back when they'd worked together under Minato.
"My name is Shimura Yano," he said, his voice measured and even. "I'm a Jounin, just like you, but I will be your squad captain for the time being."
He paused, letting his words sink in. Renjiro remained silent, his mind turning over this new information. Yano may have been a fellow Jounin, but here in the ANBU, ranks mattered less than loyalty and skill. If Yano was the captain, it meant he had earned that position. It didn't bother Renjiro, he preferred knowing where the power dynamics stood.
"As you've been told, this is the only place where you'll be allowed to reveal your identities," Yano continued, his tone firm but calm. "This measure is taken for your protection. In case one of us is compromised or a spy infiltrates, we can limit the damage by ensuring that no one outside this room knows who we are."
Renjiro's lips tightened beneath his mask. 'A spy, huh?'
The irony of hearing Yano, potentially a member of Root, talk about spies wasn't lost on him.
'He's probably in Root, and he's talking about spies.'
Yano continued. "Remove your masks and cloaks," he instructed, his voice steady.
"I've been briefed on your identities, but it's important that we all establish trust in this room."
Renjiro hesitated for a moment but complied, reaching up to remove his mask. The cool air hit his face as he lowered it, revealing his sharp features. He tossed the mask onto the table, then unclasped his cloak and let it fall loosely around his shoulders.
Kakashi followed suit, removing his mask with practised ease, though his face remained partially obscured by his signature cloth mask. Then they all said their names.
Yano didn't acknowledge Renjiro directly, even though they had met before. Renjiro noticed the lack of recognition, but it didn't bother him.
'It's not like we were close or anything,' Renjiro thought, shrugging it off. Yano had no reason to act familiar with him, and Renjiro preferred it that way. They were here to work, not reminisce.
'Hopefully, it stays like that.'
"You'll receive your missions directly from me," Yano said, "Our assignments will be classified, and we won't be discussing them outside of the ANBU. In fact, it's best if we don't interact at all outside of our assignments. The fewer connections people can make between us, the better. If anyone starts asking questions, we need to ensure that no one suspects who we are."
Renjiro listened carefully, his arms crossed over his chest. The ANBU's secrecy was more intense than he'd anticipated, but it made sense. These were the shinobi who operated in the shadows, whose very existence was often denied by the village they served. The fewer people who knew about them, the safer they were.
Yano's instructions were clear, but one detail caused Renjiro to furrow his brows in thought.
'No interactions outside of assignments?' That would be an issue. He still had plans involving Kakashi.
He glanced at Kakashi, then turned back to Yano. "What if we already know each other?" Renjiro asked, his voice calm but with an edge of curiosity.
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