Chapter 74: The Road to the Land of Sound
Ren had sensed the tail the moment he left the small town. What he hadn't anticipated was that the one following him would be Kabuto Yakushi, a face he knew from Konoha's files. The sight of the bespectacled ninja sparked a flicker of surprise, but Ren's hands twitched in a series of seemingly random, non-threatening gestures. Kabuto and his two Sound-nin companions subconsciously noted the movement, but seeing it wasn't a combat seal, they dismissed it.
Kabuto stepped forward, a placating smile on his face. "Tsk, tsk, tsk... Uchiha Ren. Rumored to be the Uchiha clan's simpleton. You've hidden your true nature remarkably well, deceiving everyone in Konoha. Even Sasuke, living under the same roof, was none the wiser. Truly impressive. Lord Orochimaru is deeply interested in you." His tone was gentle, almost conversational, but Ren knew the man was a master manipulator, a future player on the same board as Madara Uchiha himself. He didn't drop his guard for a second, his Sharingan flaring to life as he stared the trio down.
"Hehe, there's no need for such hostility," Kabuto continued, his smile unwavering. "We mean you no harm. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Kabuto Yakushi. I was once a shinobi of Konoha, but I have served Lord Orochimaru for a long time now. I am of the Hidden Sound Village. Lord Orochimaru is... curious about you. He has specifically ordered me to invite you to visit the Land of Sound. And... Sasuke-kun is also residing in our village. I'm certain he would be most eager to see you again."
Ren remained perfectly still, his Sharingan fixed on Kabuto, offering no response.
"What's the matter, Ren-kun? Cat got your tongue? Surprised? This is a sincere invitation..." Kabuto's smile tightened slightly. "It would be rather embarrassing if you refused. I would have no way to explain my failure to Lord Orochimaru. So, please, do me this courtesy."
Still, Ren didn't move a muscle, his expression unchanging.
*Huh?* Kabuto's suspicion grew. His hand dipped into his weapon pouch, withdrawing a single kunai. With a deft flick of his wrist, he sent it spinning directly at Ren's chest.
To his astonishment, Ren didn't react. He didn't flinch, dodge, or block. The kunai sailed through the air and passed straight through Ren's torso as if he were nothing more than a mirage.
*Nani?!* Kabuto's eyes widened behind his glasses. *How is this possible? An illusion? Have I been under a genjutsu this entire time?!*
"Kai!" he shouted, slamming his hands together in the standard genjutsu-release seal.
The world shimmered. The road was the same. His location was unchanged. But Uchiha Ren was no longer standing where he had been. He was right in front of Kabuto, a kunai already in a lethal arc towards his throat.
*Too fast!* Kabuto's body moved on pure instinct, twisting backward in a desperate, graceless dodge. The kunai's edge missed his carotid artery by a hair's breadth, slicing a shallow but bloody line across his neck. He stumbled back, warm blood trickling down his collar.
It had all been a trap. The moment they revealed themselves, Ren had cast a subtle, seal-less genjutsu, exploiting their momentary focus on his hands. What they had been talking to was an illusion. The real Ren had used that distraction to close the distance and launch a killing blow. Only Kabuto's exceptional reflexes had saved him.
*Tch!* Ren let out a sound of disgust as his attack missed its mark. His left hand, already clenched into a fist, shot forward, reinforced with the bizarre, internal-shattering power of his unique taijutsu. It connected solidly with Kabuto's stomach.
***OOF!***
The air blasted from Kabuto's lungs. He was thrown backward as if hit by a cannon, skidding across the ground for several meters before finally coming to a stop in a heap.
"Hmph. You overestimate yourself," Ren sneered, looking down at the writhing form of the spy. The initial wariness was gone, replaced by cold contempt. Kabuto, for all his future infamy, currently posed no real threat to him.
He dispatched the two other Sound-nin with brutal efficiencyโthey were mere intelligence operatives, too weak to break his genjutsu and utterly unprepared for his speed. They fell without a fight, their lives not even registering as points on his system.
*Cough... Cough...* Kabuto struggled, pushing himself up onto his elbows. He spat a mouthful of blood onto the dirt, one hand pressed against his surely bruised organs. Thanks to his unique physiology and accelerated healing, he was already recovering, his breathing steadying. "Heh... As expected... of someone Lord Orochimaru praised... truly strong..."
"Your laughter is grating," Ren stated coldly, walking towards him. "State your purpose. Make it satisfying. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to kill one of Orochimaru's dogs."
"Ah... my apologies," Kabuto said, the habitual chuckle dying in his throat. "As I said, Lord Orochimaru genuinely wishes to meet you. My only orders were to extend an invitation to our village in the Land of Sound. That is all. Is that such an unreasonable request?"
"That's all? You must think I'm as gullible as Sasuke."
"My orders were precisely that. As for what Lord Orochimaru wishes to discuss, I am not privy to that information. I was merely sent to extend the invitation."
Ren fell silent, considering. *What does the Snake Sannin want with me? Another potential vessel? But he has Sasuke. Unless...* He weighed the risks. *With my current power, I have little to fear from him. A visit could be... informative. Perhaps I can acquire something usefulโinformation on the Three-Tails' controller, or even a sample of Hashirama's cells if he has any.* His decision was made.
"Well?" Kabuto pressed, having slowly gotten to his feet. "Have you reached a decision, Ren-kun? Don't you wish to see your brother, Sasuke?"
"Hmph. Very well," Ren said, a faint, almost nostalgic smile touching his lipsโa complete fabrication. "I am curious to meet the legendary Orochimaru of the Sannin. And I do miss my foolish little brother, Uchiha Sasuke. I'd like to see how he's progressed. I've always been so worried about him." The lie was smooth, delivered with perfect sarcastic sincerity. "It was so sad when he left. He was always looking after me before that."
Kabuto, of course, knew this was utter nonsense. If Ren had ever cared, he would have intervened long before Sasuke defected. His placid smile didn't falter. "Hehe, Sasuke-kun trains very diligently. I'm sure you will not be disappointed. And I believe he greatly anticipates a reunion."
"In that case, let's go. Or do you need me to help you up?"
"That won't be necessary, Ren-kun. I can manage." Kabuto stood fully upright, his remarkable healing already mitigating the worst of his injuries. He ignored the two corpses of his subordinates completely.
"Good. You lead the way. I'm not familiar with the route to the Land of Sound."
"Of course." Kabuto gave a slight bow and turned, setting a brisk pace. Ren fell into step behind him, and the two unlikely companions began their journey toward the stronghold of the snake.
๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฆ, ๐๐ข๐๐๐ข๐ช ๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ก ๐๐ก๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ช9