In the span of a single breath—
Ren vanished.
The next instant, he reappeared behind the Rain Ninja squad like a ghost slipping through shadows. Hidden behind a dense patch of bushes, his hands had already completed a rapid series of seals.
His eyes sharpened.
His chest expanded.
Then—
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!!!"
Boom—!!!
A massive fireball erupted from his mouth, roaring forward like a blazing comet. The flames twisted violently, swelling as they surged toward the four Rain Ninja who had just turned around—faces frozen in pure shock.
The air warped under the intense heat. Even the surrounding leaves curled and shriveled from the sheer temperature.
"Scatter—!"
Two of the fastest Rain Ninja reacted instantly, their instincts honed by countless battles. Their figures flickered as they used the Body Flicker Technique, attempting to escape while forming hand seals.
"Water Release—!"
But before their jutsu could be completed—
Ren disappeared.
In his place stood Kakashi.
Calm. Precise. Already prepared.
Kakashi inhaled deeply, facing the incoming inferno. His silver hair fluttered as chakra surged through his body.
Then he unleashed his technique.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!!!"
Whoosh—!!!!
The wind roared like a raging storm.
In an instant, Ren's already terrifying fireball swelled to an unimaginable size, fed by the violent currents of wind chakra. Flames spiraled outward, expanding into a blazing sphere nearly ten meters in diameter.
Its color shifted—
From orange…
To red…
To a blinding, incandescent white.
It was no longer just a fireball.
It was a miniature sun descending upon the battlefield.
The Rain Ninja froze in horror.
They had seen fire jutsu before.
But not like this.
Not something that devoured the air itself.
---
[Great Fireball Technique: Ahhh! This is amazing! That's it, Ren! Let them witness my power!]
[Great Fireball Technique Favorability +2]
[Current Favorability: 93/10 (Attachment)]
---
Ren didn't even glance at the notification flashing in his mind.
His focus was absolute.
This combat style…
It reminded him of someone.
Minato Namikaze.
Strike fast. Close distance instantly. Kill before the enemy reacts.
Ren's technique wasn't as refined as the Flying Thunder God. His reaction speed wasn't at Minato's level either.
But—
That didn't matter.
Because their enemies…
Were only Chunin.
In a fair fight, things might have been uncertain.
But this?
This was an ambush.
And for the Rain Ninja—
This was a nightmare.
---
"Water Release: Water Chaos Wave!"
"Water Release: Water Wall Technique!"
At the last possible moment, the two Rain Ninja managed to release their techniques.
Water surged forward—
But it was too late.
The overwhelming heat of the enhanced fireball instantly vaporized their defenses, turning the battlefield into a cloud of scalding steam.
"Ugh—!"
"My eyes—!"
The boiling mist blinded them, searing their skin and disrupting their senses. Panic spread instantly.
And in that moment—
Kakashi moved.
His short sword flashed like lightning as he dashed through the steam.
Slash—!
One Rain Ninja didn't even have time to scream before collapsing.
---
At the same time—
Ren burst out from behind the rocks.
While sprinting forward, his hands blurred through another sequence of seals.
"Water Release: Water Clone Technique!"
His figure split—
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Four identical figures charged through the mist, surrounding the disoriented enemies.
The Rain Ninja were completely thrown off.
Were these clones?
Or multiple attackers?
Both Ren and Kakashi had white hair, similar builds, and moved with deadly precision. In the chaos and steam, distinguishing them became nearly impossible.
Still—
They were trained shinobi.
Even in panic, they fought back.
---
Ren kept himself behind his clones, observing calmly.
Two of the Water Clones were quickly destroyed.
One was cut apart by a kunai—
Another was shattered by a powerful kick.
But the moment they dissipated—
Something changed.
A surge of heat exploded within Ren's body.
It spread through his limbs, his muscles, his very bones.
His strength increased.
His speed skyrocketed.
Even his perception sharpened—
The world seemed to slow down.
---
—[Clone Technique: One-Man Army] activated!
---
The Rain Ninja had just finished destroying the clones—
When suddenly—
A white blur appeared before them.
Too fast.
Far too fast.
Ren's blade cut through the air with a heavy, crushing force.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Rain Ninja desperately raised his kunai to block.
Each collision sent violent vibrations through his arms. His grip trembled, the webbing between his fingers numb from the impact.
He staggered backward, step by step, panic rising.
"Damn it—! Help me!"
---
From behind—
The last Rain Ninja reacted.
"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!!"
At the same time, several shuriken shot forward, aiming to trap Ren's movements.
Water bullets surged like drilling spears—
Closing in from behind.
It was a perfect pincer attack.
But—
Just as the water bullets were about to hit—
Ren vanished again.
---
He reappeared—
Behind the first Rain Ninja.
---
"What—?!"
The man's eyes widened in horror.
Before he could react—
The Water Fang Bullet struck.
But not Ren.
Him.
---
"ARGH—!!!"
He was slammed forward, body torn by his ally's attack.
Before he could even recover—
Another fireball exploded behind him.
Boom—!
He was sent rolling across the ground, engulfed in flames.
---
At this point—
Kakashi had already finished his opponent.
He dashed over without hesitation.
With the two of them working together—
The battle ended swiftly.
One by one—
The remaining Rain Ninja fell.
Silence returned to the forest.
Only the faint crackle of burning grass and the hiss of evaporating water remained.
---
The Rain Ninja squad… had been completely wiped out.
---
After confirming there were no survivors—
Ren crouched down.
Business time.
He began searching the corpses with practiced efficiency.
Kunai.
Shuriken.
Explosive tags.
Rations.
Standard gear.
Then—
His eyes lit up.
A scroll.
---
[Potential Conquest Target Detected: "Water Release: Water Wall Technique"][Timed Encounter Mission Triggered!]
---
Ren's lips curled slightly.
Good.
Very good.
As expected—
Looting corpses was the fastest way to grow stronger.
---
The scroll contained the exact technique one of the Rain Ninja had used earlier—
Water Wall Technique.
A solid defensive ninjutsu.
From the looks of it, the original owner hadn't fully mastered it yet, which was why he carried the scroll for reference.
And now—
It belonged to Ren.
---
He glanced at the other corpses.
A pity.
The user of Water Fang Bullet hadn't dropped a scroll.
Otherwise, this harvest would have been even more valuable.
Still—
One new jutsu was already a huge gain.
Greed had its limits.
There would be more opportunities in the future.
---
After finishing the search—
Ren stood up.
And immediately—
He met Kakashi's gaze.
Sharp.
Evaluating.
---
Kakashi spoke first.
"That technique just now…"
His tone was calm, but there was clear curiosity behind it.
"The one where you swapped positions instantly. What was it?"
---
Ren didn't hesitate.
"You mean that?"
He shrugged slightly.
"You could call it a ninjutsu I developed myself. A modified version of the Substitution Technique."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly.
Ren continued.
"I call it… my own style of Substitution. It lets me swap positions with a pre-set object within a certain range."
"And the limitations?"
"Quite a few."
Ren raised a finger.
"First, the range is limited—about forty meters."
He lied smoothly.
The real range was nearly double that.
"Second, the chakra consumption is high. Much higher than a normal Substitution Technique."
He exhaled lightly.
"After using it several times just now… I'm almost drained. My head's already starting to feel light."
---
That part?
Also exaggerated.
---
In the ninja world—
Information was life.
Especially ninjutsu.
Even teammates wouldn't casually reveal their abilities.
But Ren had his reasons.
Kakashi was trustworthy.
And more importantly—
This was an investment.
A step toward gaining Kakashi's trust.
And later…
Perhaps even learning from him.
---
Kakashi remained silent for a few seconds.
His expression barely changed.
Then he spoke.
"The effect is impressive."
A pause.
"But incomplete techniques are dangerous."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"I won't tell anyone."
Another pause.
"But you should report it to Minato-sensei."
"He might be able to help you improve it."
---
Ren nodded.
"I'll think about it."
---
Just then—
Rustling sounds came from the forest.
Branches snapped.
Footsteps approached.
---
Inuzuka Tsume emerged from the trees, dragging a bound and battered man behind her.
Fujiwara.
The spy.
Beside her—
Obito followed, looking slightly disheveled but unharmed.
---
The mission—
Was complete.
--------------------------------
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