Chapter 75: Reunion and Resentment
Ren followed Kabuto through the winding paths leading into the Land of Sound. It was a small, insignificant nation that had gained notoriety only after Orochimaru, having defected from Akatsuki, had usurped its name and established his Hidden Sound Village within its borders. The village itself was now Orochimaru's primary stronghold.
"Ren-kun, our Hidden Sound Village is just ahead," Kabuto announced, coming to a stop and gesturing towards a cluster of buildings nestled in a valley. "Lord Orochimaru and Sasuke-kun are awaiting your arrival within."
"Oh. It's... a village," Ren remarked flatly, his tone devoid of any real interest.
"Shall we? I'm sure they've been waiting."
"Lead on."
The two proceeded toward the village gates and into its heart, eventually arriving at a large, foreboding structure. The air grew colder, the light dimmer.
Inside a dark, expansive hall, two figures waited. One was the master of this place, Orochimaru, his pale skin seeming to glow in the gloom, a perpetual, unnerving smile on his lips. The other was Ren's twin brother, Sasuke Uchiha, his expression a storm cloud of conflicting emotions.
"Hehehe~ They should be arriving any moment now, Sasuke," Orochimaru rasped, his voice like dry leaves scraping against stone. "I imagine you're quite eager for this reunion with your brother, Uchiha Ren."
*That bastard... I'm going to kill him!* Sasuke's thoughts were a whirlwind of fury and bitter humiliation. The "idiot" he had spent years pitying and protecting—Uchiha Ren. The deception was a profound personal insult.
Sasuke Uchiha had built his entire identity around being a genius, an avenger. The massacre of his clan had forged him into a weapon singularly focused on one goal: killing Itachi. He trained relentlessly, always at the top of his class, believing his path was clear and his superiority assured.
Then, the world had begun to contradict him. During the Chunin Exams, he encountered monsters like Rock Lee, Neji Hyuga, and Gaara, whose power dwarfed his own. The final, crushing blow was Naruto—the dead-last, the class clown—surpassing him with terrifying speed and power. The sight of Naruto's Rasengan causing far greater destruction than his Chidori on the hospital rooftop had been the last straw. The feeling of powerlessness against his brother Itachi had cemented his decision. He had left Konoha, seeking greater power from Orochimaru, believing it was the only way.
And now, this. The ultimate betrayal. The brother he had cared for, the one he believed was lost and broken, had been hiding immense power all along. Not only had he left Konoha, but he had also single-handedly destroyed a hidden village. The most recent report—that Ren had defeated Kakashi—was the final, unbearable twist. All of Sasuke's struggles, his sacrifices, his entire journey to Orochimaru, felt meaningless. Ren had achieved everything without any apparent effort, mocking Sasuke's suffering from the shadows. The care Sasuke had shown him now felt like a cruel joke at his expense. Resentment boiled within him, hot and corrosive.
Footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. Orochimaru's smile widened. Sasuke's fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white, his Sharingan unconsciously activating to stare at the door.
It swung open. Kabuto entered first, followed by Ren.
"Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto said, bowing deeply.
"Hehehe~ You've worked hard, Kabuto. I heard you were injured. Nothing serious, I hope?"
"Thank you for your concern, my lord. It is nothing."
Orochimaru's slitted yellow eyes slid past his subordinate and landed on Ren. "Tsk, tsk, tsk... As expected of twins. The resemblance to Sasuke is uncanny... Uchiha Ren. A pleasure to finally meet you. I am Orochimaru, leader of the Hidden Sound." His voice was a silky, predatory purr.
"I know who you are," Ren replied coolly, his own gaze dismissive. "Orochimaru of the Sannin. Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja. The one who murdered the Third Hokage. It's not exactly a secret."
"Hehe~ It seems Ren-kun is well-informed."
"Please. Everyone in the shinobi world knows that. No flattery necessary."
Orochimaru let out an awkward, rasping laugh and fell silent.
Ren's attention finally shifted to the other figure in the room. Uchiha Sasuke. Their eyes met, Sasuke's burning with a hatred that had been festering since the moment Ren entered. Ren, however, had initially ignored him, focusing on Orochimaru, a slight that only stoked Sasuke's fury higher. Though his face remained an impassive mask, his entire body was tense with rage.
"Yo! My dear brother, Sasuke!" Ren said, a casual, almost mocking smile on his face. "Long time no see. I've missed you."
"BASTARD! DIE!" Sasuke's control shattered. His Sharingan blazed crimson. His hands flew through seals with practiced speed, a massive surge of chakra coalescing into a screeching sphere of lightning in his right palm—the Chidori.
Without a second's hesitation, he lunged, driving the technique straight for Ren's heart with lethal intent. Orochimaru watched, immensely amused, making no move to intervene.
"Go to hell!" Sasuke screamed.
"Really? Attacking the moment we meet?" Ren said, his voice still infuriatingly calm. "Even using the Chidori. You really want me dead, don't you?" He moved at the last possible second, a blur of motion that effortlessly evaded the lethal thrust.
"Too slow. You can't even touch me," Ren taunted, now standing slightly to the side.
"Damn you! DIE!" Sasuke roared, whirling around for another attack, only to be dodged again with contemptuous ease.
"Is this all you're capable of? I'm... disappointed." Ren's assessment was cold and clinical. Sasuke's strength was, at best, high Chunin level. It was a pathetic showing. Ren felt a strange sense of responsibility. This was his brother. In this life, despite his initial reservations, Sasuke *had* looked after him during his years playing the fool. That loyalty, however misguided, deserved something in return. He had initially believed Orochimaru was the best path for Sasuke's growth, but seeing this... he reconsidered. Perhaps he himself, with the System's resources, could do a better job.
Decided, Ren stopped dodging. As Sasuke lunged forward with another Chidori, Ren sidestepped and his hand shot out, clamping like a steel vise around Sasuke's forearm. Sasuke struggled, but he was utterly overpowered. Ren used his grip to swing Sasuke around, forcing his Chidori-wielding hand toward the nearest wall.
***CR-BOOM!***
The technique discharged into the stone, blasting a hole in it and dissipating in a shower of dust and rubble.
Before Sasuke could recover, Ren delivered a powerful kick to his midsection, sending him flying across the hall to crash painfully onto the hard floor, skidding to a halt at Orochimaru's feet.
The hall fell silent, save for Sasuke's ragged, furious gasps and Orochimaru's soft, appreciative chuckle. The reunion had gone exactly as Ren had expected—a whirlwind of resentment and violence. Now, the real conversation could begin.
𝗚𝗨𝗬𝗦, 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 𝗠𝗘 𝗢𝗡 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗠 𝗔𝗧 𝗚𝗘𝗛𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪9