The sound of that wail made Ren Uchiha's brow twitch. He recognized it instantly—it was his "little brother," Hidan.
But wait... didn't Hayato Dōgō put a spear through his heart? How is he still screaming?
Before Ren could process it, Seiichiro slid the door open, a vein throbbing on his forehead. "How did that brat bite through the gag again?" he cursed under his breath.
Seiichiro led Ren to the room across the hall. Inside, a silver-haired boy was tied tightly to a wooden post, squirming like a dark caterpillar.
"This is the first matter," Seiichiro said, pointing at the prisoner. "This kid talks absolute nonsense, screaming that you're his 'Lord Jashin Big Brother.' But according to the interrogations of other Steam ninja, he was the disciple of Hayato Dōgō—the man you killed."
"He's linked to the Cloud's ambush. We wanted to kill him, but his constitution is... strange. And since he has a connection to you, you decide his fate."
Ren understood what had happened. Hayato had intended to sacrifice Hidan to gain immortality. But Ren had killed Hayato so thoroughly that even his ashes were gone. The "System" (or the World's Will) had blocked the dark reward from reaching Ren, so the immortality instead flowed into the only other ritual participant left alive: Hidan.
Ren looked at the squirming boy. "Kill him."
He didn't need these dangerous bonds messing up his insurance fraud plans!
Seiichiro immediately drew his blade, but Ren sighed and grabbed his wrist. "Forget it. Feed him first. Then send him back to the Steam Village. I don't want to see his face for a while."
They moved to a private room on the second floor. Seiichiro's face turned solemn.
"The second matter: While you were unconscious for three days, War broke out."
Ren's heart leaped. Finally, some good news!
"Two days ago, the Sand ended their skirmishes with the Mist and officially declared war on Konoha. A large-scale battle has already begun in the Land of Rain. The Third Great Ninja War has officially started."
"The Stone and the Cloud are moving too. Chaos is spreading through the Land of Rice and the Land of Grass."
Ren stood up, slamming his hands on the table. "Then the Chinoike clan in Hell Valley is a major bargaining chip for the Cloud! We need to move! We have to go to Hell Valley immediately!"
Hell Valley was Ren's true target. A war zone filled with Cloud elites, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, and the powerhouse En Oyashiro. It was the perfect place to get "accidentally" killed while fighting for his life!
But Seiichiro shook his head. "No. Hell Valley doesn't need us anymore."
"The Great Elder, Setsuna Uchiha, made contact three days ago. He's already stationed there with the reinforcements Captain Fugaku brought out. The Cloud's ambush failed, their plan collapsed, and both the Cloud and the Chinoike have gone quiet for now."
"YOU WHAT?!" Ren stared at Seiichiro in disbelief. You lost once and you just... quit? Keep fighting, you cowards! If there's no fight, why am I even in the Land of Steam?!
Seiichiro looked at him as if he were a war-crazed maniac. "Calm down. It's just a temporary stalemate. The Cloud is focusing their forces on the Land of Rice. As long as they want the Chinoike's eyes, this fight will come back eventually."
Ren sat back down, frustrated. He realized his arrival had caused a butterfly effect. Setsuna Uchiha was alive, the defense was reinforced, and En Oyashiro—who should have been slaughtering his clan and fleeing by now—was likely laying low, intimidated by the Uchiha's strength.
Seiichiro tapped the table to get Ren's attention and smiled. "And the final matter..."
"Ren Uchiha, after a consultation within the clan, we have agreed to a request from the Third Hokage. You are no longer just a clan ninja."
Seiichiro placed a tray on the table. On it sat a Konoha Forehead Protector and a ninja ID.
"Congratulations! From today on, you are the Disciple of a Sannin!"
Ren froze, his jaw dropping. Disciple of a Sannin? Who?! Did Tsunade hear how handsome I am and decide she needed a student?
"What... what happened?"
Seiichiro smirked, looking at Ren with a strange, "matchmaker" kind of pride. "Stop being modest. Lord Orochimaru is truly a good man!"
"Three days ago, he exhausted himself to save you. He left looking pale and staggering. But the very next day, he showed up at Fugaku's door with the Root at his back, swords drawn, demanding to take you as his student."
"He said... he was captivated by your 'potential'."
Ren stood there, paralyzed. Captivated? He felt like he had been struck by lightning. Orochimaru didn't want a student—he wanted a test subject that wouldn't die!