Chapter 8: Bloodline Limit?
The cry of seagulls filled the air, their calls mingling with the gentle lapping of waves. A cool breeze brushed across Renji's face like delicate gauze, stirring him from unconsciousness. His eyes fluttered open, greeted by soft bedding beneath him and the bright glow of sunlight streaming through a window. Energy coursed through his veins, stronger than ever, as if the battle with Zabuza had awakened something deeper within him.
"You're awake? Feeling better?" A young woman with long hair stepped into the room, her voice warm but unfamiliar.
Renji's mismatched eyes scanned her face, confirming he didn't know her. The modest wooden room, the salty sea air, and the distant sound of construction hinted at a connection to Tazuna. "Much better," he replied, standing and stretching, his joints popping softly. His body felt light, almost unnaturally so, as if his cursed spirit physique had fully reset.
The woman smiled gently, her eyes softening with relief. "I'm glad to see you so lively. Come join everyone for breakfast."
Renji nodded, watching her leave before stepping to the window. The boundless sea stretched before him, seagulls soaring freely against a clear sky. He rolled his shoulders, savoring the moment of calm, when a familiar electronic chime sounded in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Current Chakra amount: 25,650 / 100,000,000]
Renji froze mid-step, his brow furrowing. What the—? That's a huge jump. Compared to Naruto's absurd 100,000,000 chakra benchmark, it was still a drop in the bucket, but the sudden spike was jarring. What happened while I was out? The memory of his collapse after defeating Zabuza flickered in his mind, but no answers came. He'd have to dig deeper later.
"Renji!" Naruto's voice boomed from the dining area, brimming with excitement. "You're awake!"
Renji stepped into the room, where Naruto patted the cushion beside him, his blue eyes sparkling with anticipation. As Renji sat, Naruto slung an arm around his neck, grinning ear to ear. "Renji, you're too awesome! How'd you do it? I didn't see a thing! How'd you take down that Zabuza guy?"
Sakura shot Naruto a disapproving look, her pink hair swaying as she leaned forward. "Naruto! Renji just woke up. Be gentler, you idiot!"
"Don't worry, Sakura!" Naruto laughed, undeterred. "Renji's super tough!" Still, his grip loosened slightly, his enthusiasm tempered by her scolding.
Renji turned to Sakura, his eyes curving into a gentle smile, his small fangs peeking out. "I'm fine, Sakura. Thanks for worrying." His tone was warm, calculated to deepen her trust, but genuine enough to mask his motives.
Sakura's cheeks flushed, and she lowered her gaze, her voice tinged with self-reproach. "I didn't do anything… I even needed Naruto to protect me. Why thank me?"
Renji shook his head, his expression earnest as he gently took her hand. "No, Sakura, you're wrong. Protecting that annoying drunkard in that chaos was no small feat. You're the bravest girl I've ever met."
Tazuna, nursing a bottle of sake at the table, choked slightly. "Annoying drunkard? Oi…"
Sakura's eyes shimmered, reddening as she smiled, her resolve hardening. "I get it. I'll train harder, Renji! I won't lag behind you guys!" She turned to Kakashi, her voice firm. "Kakashi-sensei, please train me mercilessly from now on!"
Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly, caught off guard. "…" Great, now my only female student's putting me on the spot. The pressure of being a sensei weighed heavier by the second.
Naruto leaned closer to Renji, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Hey, Renji, you still haven't told me how you did it! Teach me that crazy move!"
Kakashi propped his chin on his hand, his curiosity piqued. Sasuke, sitting silently with his arms crossed, also glanced at Renji, his dark eyes sharp with interest.
Renji could've dodged the question, but trust was a two-way street, and he needed theirs to advance his plans. Time to sell it. "It's my Bloodline Limit,(Kekkei genkai)" he said, his tone matter-of-fact, though he was weaving a careful lie.
Kakashi's eye widened. "Bloodline Limit?"
Naruto, whose grades at the Academy were famously terrible, scratched his head. "Uh… what's a Bloodline Limit?"
Sakura sighed, her academic prowess shining through as she explained, her voice patient but exasperated. "There are two types of Bloodline Limits. The first is when two chakra nature transformations combine to create a new ninjutsu, called a Bloodline Limit. Only a rare few ninja can develop this themselves, and if they do, it's passed down through their bloodline to their descendants."
She paused, glancing at Sasuke, then Kakashi, before continuing. "The second type comes from a ninja having a unique organ or trait different from normal people, like…" She hesitated, unsure if she should mention clan-specific examples.
Kakashi filled the gap, pointing to his Sharingan. "Like the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan or the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan."
Naruto's eyes lit up, turning to Renji. "So, which one's yours, Renji?"
Kakashi shook his head, his tone light but curious. "Your sensei's got no clue either."
Renji smirked inwardly. As the only one with this power, I can spin it however I want. "My Bloodline Limit is tied to the soul," he said, his voice steady, eyes gleaming with sincerity. "By touching someone's body, I can touch their soul. By reshaping their soul, I can alter their physical form—sometimes to the point of death."
The room fell silent. Kakashi took a deep breath, his usual calm rattled. A soul-based Bloodline Limit? That was unheard of. Ninjutsu tied to the soul was rare and terrifying, and one that could manipulate a soul's form was beyond comprehension.
Sakura's voice broke the silence, tentative but curious. "If you can touch someone's soul, could you… read their memories or learn their ninjutsu? Since those are stored in the soul, right?"
Renji blinked, genuinely caught off guard. "I… don't know." He hadn't considered that possibility, but Sakura's idea sparked something in him. That could be worth exploring. The soul was a mystery, even to him, and he'd only scratched the surface of Idle Transfiguration's potential.
Naruto grabbed Renji's hand, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Whoa! Try it on me! Did you touch my soul yet?"
Kakashi's eye twitched. "…"
Sakura yelped, alarmed. "Naruto! Be careful! What if you actually die?!"
Renji reached out, his senses brushing against Naruto's soul. It was blinding, like staring into the sun, its warmth almost burning his hand. He recoiled instinctively, tossing the sensation back. Too bright. Too pure.
Sasuke's grip on his chopsticks tightened, his knuckles whitening. Renji's strength was undeniable—taking down a Jonin like Zabuza single-handedly while they were the same age. It stung, fueling a quiet spark of rivalry in the Uchiha.
After breakfast, Kakashi led them to a forest clearing behind Tazuna's house for training. Sakura, still buzzing with resolve, asked, "Kakashi-sensei, aren't we leaving soon?"
Kakashi sighed, his voice heavy. "Not yet. Until Gato shows up, Tazuna's a dead man if we leave."
Renji tilted his head, his tone sharp but playful. "So, if Gato never shows, we're stuck here forever?" His dislike for Tazuna's family, who'd hidden the mission's true danger, was no secret.
Kakashi shook his head. "Gato will show the day the bridge is finished. One week from now."
A week of training in the Land of Waves wasn't the worst prospect. Renji's mind was already calculating how to use this time—and Tazuna's guilt—to farm more Malice Value.
They stopped in a flat clearing, the dense forest looming around them. Kakashi faced his four students, his tone serious. "We're starting with flexible chakra control."
Naruto's face fell, his voice dripping with disappointment. "Huh? Kakashi-sensei, we already know how to use chakra!"
Sasuke nodded, his tone clipped. "All four of us can handle chakra."
Kakashi's eye narrowed, his voice firm. "Wrong. You're not using chakra efficiently. No matter how much chakra you have, if you can't control its balance, your techniques will be weak. Inefficient chakra use means you'll tire out fast, leaving you vulnerable in long fights."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "This training is about mastering that balance with your body. It's grueling, but it's the foundation of being a ninja. The basics determine how far you'll go."
Sakura raised her hand, curious. "So, what do we do?"
"Tree climbing," Kakashi said, a faint smirk in his voice.
"Tree climbing?" Naruto echoed, confused.
"Not with your hands," Kakashi clarified. "With your feet." He channeled chakra to his soles and walked vertically up a tree trunk, moving with effortless grace before flipping upside down and strolling back down. "Like this."
Renji suppressed a chuckle. The Naruto world was already unscientific, but this made him picture Newton getting bonked by an apple. His body and soul were uniquely intertwined, his soul exerting absolute control over his physical form. Commands from his soul translated instantly to his body, with no delay or error. It was why he learned so fast in combat—his soul analyzed attacks, and his body replicated them without needing practice.
Renji approached a tree, channeling a faint trickle of chakra to his feet. He walked up the trunk, hung upside down like Kakashi, and strolled back down, his movements as natural as walking on flat ground. Easy. His soul's clarity made chakra control instinctive.
Naruto gaped, collapsing dramatically to the ground, clutching his head. "No way! Renji got it already?!"
"I'm not losing to you!" Naruto declared, scrambling to his feet and charging at a tree. He made it two steps before slipping, landing on his back with a thud.
Sasuke and Sakura began their attempts, Sasuke's face set in grim determination, Sakura's brow furrowed in focus. To everyone's surprise, Sakura was the second to succeed. She flipped gracefully in the air, landing with a proud smile, sticking out her tongue playfully at Naruto and Sasuke, who were still struggling.
Kakashi nodded, impressed. "Renji, Sakura, you're ready for the next stage. Sasuke, Naruto—keep at it." He gestured for Renji and Sakura to follow him to the nearby beach.
"Your chakra control is precise," Kakashi said, his tone approving. "Walking on water shouldn't be hard, but you still need to try." He pointed to the calm sea. "Apply chakra to your feet and walk on the surface."
Renji and Sakura exchanged a glance, then stepped onto the water together. Their chakra flowed smoothly, keeping them afloat. Within moments, they were darting across the surface, their movements swift and confident. Sakura laughed, splashing water at Renji, who retaliated with a playful wave, turning it into an impromptu water fight.
Kakashi, now thoroughly drenched, stood on the shore, his eye twitching. These kids… His mind wandered to Renji's "Bloodline Limit" claim. A soul-based ability was unprecedented, and the ease with which Renji mastered chakra control only deepened the mystery. Just who is this kid?
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +50!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +50!]
[Chakra (25,700 / 100,000,000)]
Renji paused mid-splash, his smile widening. Tazuna's still stewing, huh? This mission was proving more fruitful than he'd hoped.