Chapter 11: Blood on the Bridge
"Ah!"
"Renji!"
Two cries pierced the air. Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami, covered her mouth, her face a mask of horror as she stared at the blood-soaked figure before her. She rushed forward but froze mid-step, overwhelmed by the sight. Kakashi, who had been gazing out at the sea, turned sharply at the commotion. His brows furrowed, his usually calm expression turning grave as he swiftly approached Renji. "What happened?"
Renji, looking utterly drained, replied in a faint voice, "I ran into a ninja seeking revenge for Zabuza. I've already handled it." His Domain Expansion—Self-Embodiment of Perfection had been devastatingly effective, but it had sapped every last drop of his chakra, leaving him teetering on the edge of collapse.
Kakashi didn't press further. Renji's blood-drenched clothes and exhausted demeanor told a story of a battle far more brutal than his casual words suggested. "Go wash up, change into clean clothes, and get some proper rest," he instructed, then turned to Tsunami. "Please assist him."
Tsunami's emotions steadied, though her eyes held a complex mix of gratitude and unease. "You're too kind," she said softly, shaking her head before heading off to prepare bathwater and fresh clothes.
Renji followed her to the bath, scrubbing away the crimson stains that clung to his skin. The borrowed clothes were ill-fitting, hanging loosely on his frame, but they were clean. Exhausted, he collapsed onto the tatami mat, sinking into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Kakashi watched Renji's peaceful sleeping face, a pang of guilt tightening his chest. This mission had escalated to A-rank, far beyond what fresh genin should face. Yet, for Konoha's sake, he'd pushed his students into danger and failed to shield them adequately. Renji had borne the brunt, fighting alone, risking his life to protect the others without ever putting them in harm's way. If Renji had died in that forest… Kakashi exhaled heavily, the weight of responsibility pressing down like a boulder.
"Kakashi-san," Tsunami's voice broke his thoughts as he closed Renji's door and stepped outside.
"Yes?" he asked, meeting her gentle yet resilient gaze.
She shook her head. "I just think… you shouldn't blame yourself."
Kakashi blinked, caught off guard. "You saw right through me, didn't you?"
She smiled faintly. "Let's have a big dinner tonight. Tomorrow's the bridge's official completion."
Night fell, and moonlight spilled over the sea, the water glittering like a forest of white birches rising from the ocean floor.
"Renji! Renji!" Naruto burst into the living room, his voice booming with excitement, only to be halted by Kakashi's firm hand.
"Kakashi-sensei…?" Naruto tilted his head, confused.
Sasuke, trailing behind, raised an eyebrow, equally puzzled.
Sakura glanced at Renji's closed door, her voice soft. "Kakashi-sensei, is Renji resting?"
Kakashi nodded. "He's fine, just exhausted."
"What the heck!" Naruto scratched his cheek, pouting indignantly. "That Renji's been sleeping all day! We should wake him up!"
Kakashi grabbed Naruto by the collar, tossing him toward the dining table with a practiced flick. Sitting down, he explained the day's events to his three oblivious students, detailing Renji's solo battle against Zabuza's avenger.
Sakura's pupils dilated, her gaze fixed on Renji's door, shock rendering her speechless. Sasuke lowered his head, fists clenched tightly, frustration simmering beneath his cool exterior. They'd let Renji face danger alone again. Naruto, usually the loudest, fell uncharacteristically silent, his sapphire-blue eyes glistening with unshed tears. "This will never happen again! Never!" he vowed, his voice trembling with conviction.
"What will never happen again?" Renji's voice cut through as he opened the door, catching Naruto mid-pose, striking a dramatic, vow-making stance.
"Renji! You're finally awake!" Naruto lunged at him, nearly tackling him in a bear hug.
Renji blinked, bewildered but quick to piece together the context. "I'm fine. Just starving," he said, patting Naruto's back with a performative warmth that masked his calculating thoughts. Perfect. Their trust is deepening.
"Wow, I'm starving too!" Naruto grinned, dragging Renji to the table. "Oh, and guess what? I can climb to the very top now, dattebayo!"
Renji glanced at Sasuke, who gave a subtle nod. If Naruto had mastered tree-climbing, Sasuke, ever the prodigy, surely had too. "That's great," Renji said, his smile genuine but laced with a hint of amusement. They're catching up… but not quite to my level.
At the dinner table, Tazuna raised a glass, his voice thick with gratitude. "To Team 7, for protecting me and the bridge. Thank you."
Renji ignored him, his expression neutral. Your lies nearly got us killed, old man. His focus was elsewhere—Gato would likely strike tomorrow, and Renji was ready to turn it into an opportunity.
...
The next morning, Kakashi led Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura toward the bridge, packs slung over their shoulders, to witness its final completion. Renji trailed behind, his steps light but his mismatched eyes sharp, scanning for trouble.
As they approached, a thick mist hung over the sea, and a dense crowd emerged—Gato, flanked by rogue ninja and wandering samurai, blocking their path.
"Ah," Kakashi remarked, his tone calm but his Sharingan glinting with readiness. "They've come, as expected."
Renji's lips curved into a sly smile. "Zabuza and Haku both failed him. Gato must be itching with impatience."
Kakashi glanced at Renji, his eye crinkling with a mix of amusement and caution. "So, Renji, what do you think we should do?"
Naruto didn't wait for an answer, his fist pumping. "We beat them black and blue! Make sure they never dare come back to the Land of Waves!"
Renji turned to Naruto, his voice calm but pointed. "These rogue ninja and samurai are vicious criminals. They'll stop at nothing to survive and amass wealth. If you drive them out, they'll just prey on another land, continuing their evil deeds."
Naruto blinked, caught in a rare moment of speechlessness, his knowledge blind spot exposed. "Then… what do we do?"
Renji's gaze flicked to Kakashi, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "Kakashi-sensei, let them be my training partners."
Kakashi studied Renji, his recovery from yesterday's ordeal almost unnaturally swift. "If you're sure you're not overexerting yourself."
Renji shook his head, his smile widening, a predatory glint in his heterochromatic eyes. "Not at all." This is a feast of malice, and I'm starving.
He stepped forward, and Gato's men erupted into mocking laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
"Are you out of people?!"
"They sent a wet-behind-the-ears brat to fight!"
"How pathetic!"
"Wah wah wah! He still needs milk!"
"Ever seen a sword, kid?!"
"Want Uncle to take you out to play?!"
"Ahahahaha!"
The ninja and samurai doubled over, some slapping their thighs, their taunts echoing like a pack of hyenas. Renji watched their arrogance with detached amusement. Stupidity and ignorance—classic human traits. Getting angry would only drag him down to their level. Instead, he mused, 'Kakashi-sensei was right. The weaker and more powerless people are, the louder they shout.'
Kakashi's words had originally described Naruto's boisterous nature, but they fit this rabble perfectly.
Renji's figure blurred, moving faster than the eye could track.
Slap!
A crisp sound rang out as his hand connected with a samurai's cheek. The man's pupils constricted, stunned by Renji's speed, but the light impact made him scoff. "Hahaha! What's this, kid? Didn't eat breakfast? Tickling your old man—"
His words choked off. Saliva dribbled from his mouth, his body no longer his own. His cheeks and skin swelled with grotesque lumps, as if something were clawing its way out from within. In an instant, his flesh turned a sickly bluish-green.
Renji stood calmly, the corners of his mouth quirking into a wicked grin that echoed Mahito's sadistic glee. "Go," he whispered, his voice soft but dripping with menace.
The transformed human—now a monstrous abomination—roared, its massive maw snapping open. It lunged at Gato, who stood closest, and chomped down. Gato's head exploded like a watermelon smashed against the ground, blood and gore splattering across the bridge.
Screams of terror erupted as the rogue ninja and samurai scattered in panic, the scene descending into chaos. Renji watched with calm detachment, his mind racing. This opportunity is too perfect. Time to harvest.
He extended both hands, seizing a ninja in each. The men were paralyzed with fear, drenched in cold sweat, their eyes wide with horror as they stared into Renji's unyielding gaze.
"Let me try something!" Renji said, his voice almost playful, but his eyes gleamed with a cold, calculating hunger. Become the nourishment for my strength.
"Soul Multiplicity!"
He forcibly kneaded the two transformed humans into a single grotesque sphere, a pulsating mass of warped souls. A surge of power erupted, tearing toward the fleeing ninja and samurai.
Boom!
The bridge shook with the force of the blast, leaving a chaotic mess of bodies strewn across the ground. The transformed humans, their purpose served, were swiftly dispatched by Renji's hand.
He turned, meeting the varied expressions of his team. Kakashi's face was solemn, his gaze complex—equal parts awe and unease. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood frozen, their eyes wide with shock, unable to process the carnage.
"Kakashi-sensei, let's go. Gato's been dealt with," Renji said, his smile gentle and disarming, as if he hadn't just orchestrated a slaughter. The contrast was chilling, impossible to reconcile with the blood-soaked bridge behind him.
Kakashi suppressed the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind. "Let's go," he said, addressing the stunned genin, his voice steady but heavy with unspoken questions.