Chapter 25: Same Cloth
The moonlight washed over Konoha's rooftops, casting long, uneven shadows. Renji stood tall, his figure sharp against the night sky, his eyes flicking from Gekkō Hayate's broken body to Kabuto Yakushi and Baki, the Sand jōnin. A sly grin curved his lips, his gaze cold but playful. "Alright, what's this? Trying to silence a witness or something?" he said, his tone teasing, like he was poking at old friends.
Kabuto's lips twitched into a dark smirk, his glasses glinting in the moonlight. Baki's brow furrowed, his eyes flashing with barely contained hostility. Neither spoke, but their faces screamed guilt louder than any words.
Renji chuckled, his voice light but sharp. "A ninja from Otogakure and one from Sunagakure teaming up to take out a Konoha ninja? That's not something you see every day." He tilted his head, his grin growing cruel. "What's the big plan? Otogakure and Sunagakure joining forces to crash the Chunin Exams and burn Konoha to the ground?"
The accusation hit like a spark, freezing Kabuto and Baki in place. Baki's eyes blazed with anger, while Kabuto's face stayed unreadable, his gaze locked on Renji like a predator sizing up a rival.
Gekkō Hayate, sprawled on the blood-slicked tiles, widened his eyes, a choked gasp rattling from his crushed throat. That voice—Renji! A wave of fear and despair crashed over him, his heart pounding. Run, kid! Get to the Hokage! Warn him! His mind screamed, but his shattered body refused to obey.
Baki's figure flickered, his iron palm slicing toward Renji's neck with lethal precision, fast as lightning. But Renji vanished, reappearing behind Baki like a ghost, his movements fluid and eerie. Baki froze, his heart hammering with shock. That speed… Is this kid really just a genin?
Renji turned, his smile cold and taunting, his eyes glittering with sadistic glee. "Whoa, hold your horses, big guy. Did I say I was your enemy? Let's not jump to conclusions."
A soft, chilling laugh slipped from Kabuto's lips, cutting through the silence like a blade. His eyes burned with a twisted fascination, as if he were trying to dissect Renji's soul. "You know, the first time we crossed paths, I had a feeling we were cut from the same cloth," he said, his voice low, laced with a barely concealed thrill.
Baki shot Kabuto a confused glance, his frown deepening, but a subtle look from Kabuto silenced him. Don't ask questions.
Renji raised an eyebrow, his expression dripping with disdain. "Same cloth? Sorry, Kabuto, I don't think we're playing in the same league." He crossed his arms, his gaze meeting Kabuto's with an icy calm that masked the cruel delight bubbling beneath.
Kabuto's smile widened, his eyes glinting with dark amusement. "Those who wear masks always spot each other." He tossed a kunai toward Renji, its blade flashing in the moonlight. "If you're not our enemy, kid, prove it."
Renji caught the kunai mid-air, twirling it lazily on his finger like a toy, his eyes never leaving Kabuto's. "You're going after the Hokage, aren't you? That's the crown jewel of this little scheme," he said, his tone casual but edged with menace.
Kabuto remained silent, his smile unwavering, a silent dare.
Renji shrugged, his grin sharp. "Here's my offer: before the Hokage goes down, I want a private chat with him. After that, I'll even help you drive the knife in. How's that sound?"
Hayate's eyes widened in horror, his bloodshot gaze trembling with betrayal. His chest heaved, a broken wheeze escaping his lips as Renji's words sank in like venom.
Kabuto's eerie smile deepened, a strange, almost gleeful glint in his eyes. "I'll need to run that by the Kazekage."
Baki nodded quickly, his voice gruff. "I'll talk to Lord Kazekage myself."
Renji sauntered over to Hayate and crouched down, his smile soft but dripping with malice, like a predator savoring its prey's final moments. Hayate's pupils locked onto him, his body trembling under the weight of despair. This isn't the Renji I know… He's a monster.
Time to reap some Cursed Energy, Renji thought, his grin widening into something grotesque, his heart racing with sadistic joy. He leaned closer, his voice a venomous whisper. "I can't wait for the day Konoha burns to ashes. All those ninja, all those civilians—screaming, bleeding, dying in the streets. It's enough to make my blood hum with excitement."
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +1000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +1000!]
[Chakra (49,130 / 100,000,000)]
Hayate's eyes shook, his breath ragged and shallow. Renji's smile sharpened, his words a deliberate twist of the knife. "Such a shame you won't be around to see it. The great Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, brought low like a stray dog. Oh, the humiliation… it's almost too delicious to imagine."
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +2000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +2000!]
[Chakra (51,130 / 100,000,000)]
Renji leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a sickening purr. "Oh, and your girlfriend—Yūgao Uzuki, right? Don't worry, I'll send her to join you soon. A little reunion, courtesy of me."
Hayate's body convulsed, his bloodshot eyes brimming with anguish, his fingers clawing weakly at the tiles. Renji's words were a blade, carving deeper with every syllable, and he drank in the despair like a fine vintage.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +3000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +3000!]
[Chakra (54,130 / 100,000,000)]
Renji sighed, his tone mocking regret. "What a fruitful night, Hayate. I'm very grateful to you, rest in peace."
The kunai gleamed under the moonlight, its blade sinking into Hayate's chest with a wet, sickening thud. Blood sprayed across the tiles, a crimson arc that flecked Renji's face. He flicked the kunai aside carelessly, letting it clatter against the rooftop, his expression one of bored amusement, as if he'd just crushed an insect.
Baki lunged, his palm aiming for Renji's back in a desperate sneak attack. Renji spun, seizing Baki's wrist with a grip like iron, his voice a low, menacing hiss. "What, you want to join him in the dirt?"
Bumps erupted across Baki's face, his body twitching as Renji's Transfigured Humans technique took hold, twisting his form with grotesque precision. Kabuto watched, his eyes gleaming with frenzied fascination, his fingers twitching as if itching to dissect Renji right there.
Renji turned to Kabuto, his smile casual but chilling, a predator toying with its next meal. "No issue if this guy disappears, right? The Kazekage's just Orochimaru in a fancy disguise anyway."
Kabuto's pupils contracted, his composure wavering for a split second. How does he know? Only a select few in Orochimaru's inner circle knew of the Kazekage impersonation. Renji's knowledge was a dangerous wildcard, a spark that could ignite this deadly game of shadows.
Then it hit him like a thunderbolt—Danzo! That old schemer must be the puppet master behind this kid. Of course…
Renji caught the flicker in Kabuto's eyes, and a wicked grin nearly broke free. He suppressed it, his face a mask of calculated innocence. Got you. What's a twelve-year-old kid like me supposed to know, right? His thoughts dripped with mockery as he savored Kabuto's moment of realization.
Stepping closer, Renji's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, laced with sadistic delight. "Tell Orochimaru I won't spill your little secret. In fact, We'll help you pull it off. All I want is to be there when he takes down the Hokage. I want to watch the old man's final breath, up close and personal."
Renji's mind buzzed with anticipation. He knew the battle's script: Orochimaru would use Impure World Reincarnation to summon the First and Second Hokage, and Hiruzen would counter with the Reaper Death Seal, sealing their souls and Orochimaru's arms at the cost of his own life. That's a Cursed Energy jackpot waiting to be harvested, Renji thought, his lips curling into a wicked grin. And the secrets locked in Hashirama and Tobirama's souls? I'm not waiting until the Fourth Great Ninja War to claim those.
Kabuto's smile returned, calculated and cold as ice. "I'll need to run this by Lord Orochimaru."
Renji's eyes narrowed, his tone sharp and mocking. "Run it by him? Come on, Kabuto, it's not that complicated. I'm not here to save the Hokage—I just want to twist the knife myself before he's gone. But if you say no, I can promise you this: by sunrise, Konoha's ninja will have you and your buddies cornered like rats."
Kabuto's smile tightened, his mind racing. Danzo must be in on the plan. This kid's his pawn. He nodded slowly, conceding. "Seems we don't have a choice."
Renji's grin widened, his voice smooth but laced with menace. "No need to worry. Lord Danzo and ROOT are on the same page as you. We won't get in your way—hell, we might even lend a hand."
With that, he'd dragged Danzo and ROOT into the conspiracy, all to serve his own twisted ambitions. Baki, now reduced to a fingertip-sized puppet under Renji's Transfigured Humans technique, was tucked into his ninja tool pouch with a casual flick. Modified human weapon. No sense wasting good material.
dRenji leaped from the beam, his swagger cutting through the night like a blade. His laughter echoed faintly as he vanished into the shadows, a chilling promise of chaos to come.
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