Scene 1: The Mission Scroll
The morning sunlight filtered through the paper doors of the Academy classroom as Iruka-sensei stood at the front, holding a freshly stamped mission scroll. His expression was unreadable, though a hint of mischief curled at the corner of his lips.
"Today's mission," he announced, "is a team assignment. Three students per squad. You'll retrieve a special ink scroll from the Naka River outpost—recently lost in a bandit attack. This is real-world tracking and retrieval. Not a simulation."
Eyes lit up around the room. A real mission.
Renji straightened in his seat, already calculating routes and possible danger points.
Naruto bounced in his chair like a hyper squirrel. "YEAHHH! Finally!"
And Hinata… was silently praying that fate would put her on the same team as Renji.
Iruka looked down at his list.
"Team 4: Renji, Naruto Uzumaki… and Hinata Hyuga."
Hinata gasped.
Renji blinked. "…Well now. That's convenient."
Naruto pumped his fists. "Aw yeah! Wait… Hinata? Huh…"
He looked sideways at her—just in time to catch her face practically melting into a bright crimson.
Renji, cool as ever, smirked. "Let's see what you two are made of."
Scene 2: Into the Forest
The trio set off after noon, moving swiftly through the underbrush of the forests east of the village.
Renji led, eyes scanning every branch and footprint.
Naruto… mostly crashed into things.
Hinata remained behind the boys, quietly observing, her Byakugan occasionally activating to watch from afar.
"So," Renji said as they paused near a stream, "the outpost is two klicks ahead. We'll move in quietly and look for survivors. Naruto, no clones unless I say so. Hinata, keep those eyes ready."
Naruto pouted. "Why're you giving the orders?"
Renji turned to him, serious. "Because I'm the only one who's actually read the mission scroll."
Naruto opened his mouth. Closed it.
Hinata stifled a giggle.
Scene 3: Ambush
The outpost was a wreck—burned tents, scattered ink containers, shattered kunai.
Renji crouched beside the remains of a cart and picked up a half-burnt scroll.
Just then—crackling.
Leaves rustled.
A shuriken flew toward them from the treeline.
Renji grabbed both Naruto and Hinata, yanking them to the ground just as a volley of kunai sliced past their heads.
"Ambush!" he hissed, leaping to his feet.
From the trees emerged three rogue shinobi—bandits with scratch-marked hitai-ate and filthy gear.
"Well, well," one grinned. "Kids playing ninja?"
Renji's eyes sharpened.
He stepped forward slowly.
"Hinata. Stay close. Naruto, now you're allowed to go wild."
Naruto grinned savagely. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
He learned the justice after renji can't help it anymore and ask him to go to his grandpa and ask for better clone justu and surprisingly he did and got a justus.... bloody blond and their bloody luck
With a poof, a horde of orange-clad clones flooded the clearing.
The bandits looked startled—but not enough.
Two of them dodged, weaving signs, launching fire-style bursts toward the clones.
One aimed straight for Hinata.
She froze—
—until Renji moved.
With an elegant spin and a flick of his palm, a seal shimmered midair and absorbed the fireball completely.
Hinata stared. "Y-You can absorb jutsu?"
Renji smirked. "Chakra sealing barrier. Handmade. Took me two weeks."
Then he was gone—in a flash of wind.
Scene 4: Unleashing Renji
Renji moved like water—gliding across the terrain, his chakra chains coiling around his forearms in shimmering spirals. Not enough to reveal his true power, but enough to terrify a seasoned shinobi.
One bandit launched a spear of wind toward him.
Renji caught it—caught it—then shattered it with a surge of chakra.
The trees shook.
The rogue ninja cursed. "What the hell is this kid?!"
Renji closed the distance, slammed a seal onto the man's chest, and whispered: "Sleep."
The seal pulsed—and the man collapsed, unconscious.
Scene 5: Hinata Awakens
Meanwhile, Hinata found herself backed into a corner by the third enemy. Her hands trembled.
"You gonna cry, little Hyuga?"
He lunged.
And for a second, she wanted to freeze. To give in.
But then she heard Renji's voice in her mind:
"You're stronger than they think. Even stronger than you think."
Her fingers moved. "Byakugan!"
With a sudden grace, she sidestepped the strike and drove her palm into his arm.
Then his chest.
Then his ribs.
"Gentle Fist – Twin Strike!"
The man gasped—and collapsed.
Hinata stood, chest heaving, eyes wide in shock.
"…I did it…"
And across the clearing, Renji smiled.
"Hell yes, you did."
Scene 6: Spilled Ink
They retrieved the scroll.
It was intact—but had a strange red symbol drawn over the top. A rune none of them recognized.
Renji stared at it, expression unreadable.
"…This wasn't just a random robbery," he murmured. "This was marked. Tracked."
Hinata stepped closer, brushing her fingers near his arm. "What does it mean?"
Renji looked at her.
And for the first time since arriving in this world… he felt afraid.
"…It means someone knows I'm not from here."
Scene 7: Campfire Confessions
That night, back at camp, the three sat by a quiet fire.
Naruto was snoring with his face half-buried in ramen noodles.
Hinata sat beside Renji, the flames casting soft gold across her pale skin.
"…You saved me today," she whispered.
Renji chuckled. "You saved yourself."
They sat in silence for a moment.
Then Hinata leaned slightly against him.
Just for a second.
Just long enough for Renji to freeze… and smile.
"…You know," he murmured, "I used to think this world was just a story."
She blinked. "Story?"
He shook his head. "Never mind."
He turned to her, gently brushing her dark hair away from her face.
"…But then I met you."
End of Chapter 20