In a large mansion situated at the far end of the Leaf Village, the sole silhouette of Ren lay dormant within.
His legs were crossed and a book was held deftly within his hand. Reading was a rather interesting passion for him nowadays, and this particular book helped greatly in his investigations.
The information his spy had gathered had revealed a large number of things. After cross-referencing appearances, he was able to figure out some of the members of the Akatsuki.
The people his spy had witnessed numbered nine—whether there were more or less was unknown. Only through the book in his hand could he recognize them.
But for now, only the identities of five had been discovered.
Sasori of the Sand Village. An S-rank shinobi who defected multiple years ago—a master at the art of puppetry.
Kisame Hoshigaki of the Hidden Mist. A former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—suspected of killing his fellow comrades.
Kakuzu of Takigakure. After a failed killing attempt on Hashirama Senju, he stole his village's forbidden jutsu and defected.
Hidan of Yugakure. A worshipper of Lord Jashin and rumored to possess an immortality jutsu. An S-rank shinobi.
And finally…
Itachi Uchiha of the Hidden Leaf. Master of the Sharingan and a former member of the Leaf ANBU. Genjutsu prowess unmatched and strength incomprehensible.
All dangerous. All not to be engaged without a team of high-level personnel.
"The Bingo Book really works wonders, doesn't it?" A smile plastered itself on Ren's lips. A Bingo Book was a worldwide text used to identify rogue nin. "But a group of S-rank mercenaries is rather problematic."
His expression contorted into one of contemplation as he immersed himself in his thoughts.
His brain racked around multiple possibilities. Different thoughts entered and were removed immediately as contradictions were found.
"I don't have nearly enough information." His playful tone combined with his childish whining made him look like a baby—hiding the strength he truly held.
The young ninja's expression shifted slightly; he had more than one problem to deal with.
"It looks like I'll be able to give Sasuke the info he needs. But first… I have to deal with that pest that dared attack me."
In a dark and empty room, a single man stood in the center.
His hair was of a black color as bandages covered the left side of his face. A traditional elder robe adorned his body—a clear sign of his high status.
He was Danzo Shimura.
His gaze held an intense focus on a scroll placed on the table.
That specific scroll had an image of Ren Takumi. He had appeared in the Leaf mere days prior and had been accepted so easily.
Was Tsunade growing foolish? Why would she let someone like that into the village?
Danzo had sent one of his best operatives, a member of Root and a Jonin-level combatant, to exterminate Ren.
Since he had received no response, the outcome was as clear as day.
The elder's fingers clenched tightly into a fist. Anger and annoyance flowed through him.
"That beast actually killed a member of my Root. How infuriating." The rage in his voice was clear, but he refused to raise his voice. A mere child wasn't worthy of his reaction.
As soon as he finished speaking, a sound piqued within his ears. The rustling wind could be heard even from within his secluded abode.
"Chakra leaves a rather interesting signature, you see?" A voice echoed through the silence. "And simply tracking down the source of that chakra led me here."
The sound originated from the old man's back. But as he turned to look, the same voice spoke from above.
"Of course, I wouldn't have been able to do this if not for the seal you placed on his tongue. Did you think such a high concentration of chakra wouldn't be noticed?"
Danzo once again turned, only for the voice to disappear once more. But a sudden sensation crept through his neck—the feeling of an arm wrapped around it.
A blade perched at the side of the old man's neck. Far enough to not kill—but close enough to draw blood.
"So you're alive." Danzo's voice was calm, even despite the submissive position he found himself in.
"You show no fear?" Ren couldn't say he was surprised. To his knowledge, Danzo Shimura was a student of the Second Hokage—and teammate to the Third.
"Fear has no place in my heart, child." Danzo's words were simple and direct. Pleasantries were beneath him. Only the mission mattered.
"You know, Danzo," Ren began. His words were tinged with a bittersweet taste—putting even Danzo on edge.
"In my training, I've learned about how versatile chakra truly is."
The elder's eyebrow raised ever so slightly. It would be a lie to claim he was curious. From what Ren had displayed, labeling him as a Kage-level ninja wasn't far-fetched.
"What are you talking about?" Danzo's voice still held the absence of fear. War had conditioned him—he truly could care less about his death.
"Chakra is an integral part of life," Ren explained.
"The nerves in your brain are weaved through chakra—your memories and cognitive function. Your cells use chakra for quicker growth and division. The human body also uses chakra instinctively to enhance one's lifespan."
Ren's finger laced across his chin, his lips curving into a smile. The coy grin forming on his face startled Danzo slightly, but his pride refused to let it show.
"But the most interesting thing about chakra is…" Ren leaned forward—his lips grazing Danzo's ear.
"Its ability to kill."
At that moment, time seemed to stop. No sounds, no movements—all things came to a halt.
But in that fraction of a second, Danzo's neck began to twist. His head popped off without resistance.
His brain was still in perfect function; his eyes could clearly capture the sight in front of him. His body, standing still but lacking a head, stared at him.
Danzo's head lowered to the ground slowly. This view would be ingrained in his mind for what felt like an eternity.
As it hit the ground with a loud thud, the world seemed to flow backwards. His head reattached itself with a resounding pop.
Loud gasps hurriedly left Danzo's mouth. Sweat poured down his face rapidly. All color drained from his face—a lack of life evident in his eyes.
His hands vibrated at high speeds, fingers refusing to slow down.
The memory of his death was haunting.
"Looks like my hypothesis was correct." Ren's intrigued musings broke through the degrading silence.
"Usually, genjutsu implants chakra into a person's brain to twist their perception. So my question was… What would happen if chakra was simply forced into your body with no command or intention?"
Ren's voice slowed to a calm whisper. The tone he used held a devastating secret.
"The answer is simple, really. You would suffer an unorthodox mental death. The brain would be overloaded and would stop functioning for a fraction of a second; in that second, your consciousness remains but you lack the capability to act. You get to witness your own death in whatever gruesome manner your mind imagines."
A large smile began to form at the corners of Ren's face. Sadism wasn't a hobby he necessarily enjoyed—but putting pests in their place was required for him to proceed.
"So tell me, would you like to witness this death again?"
Without waiting for a response, Ren walked away. Opening the door—he left without a second word.
Once outside, Astra's voice mellowed in his head.
'Wouldn't it have been easier to just kill him?'
Ren's lips curved upward into a mocking smirk. His facial expression caused a tick mark to form on Astra's forehead—she, the great Time Goddess, was being mocked by a human.
'Well, what do you think? Would killing him really solve anything?'
An eyebrow of Astra's raised. Confusion registered on her face—the answer was obvious, wasn't it? But the stable smile on Ren's face made her reconsider.
Ren, however, simply basked in the enjoyment of her confusion.
'But wouldn't it solve the problem?' she finally asked. But Ren shook his head—his smug look finally dissolving.
His expression shifted to that of a teacher educating a student.
'Killing him would only be a temporary solution,' Ren stated.
'Can you use your big brain to figure out why?'
The tick mark on Astra's forehead expanded even more. He wasn't even insulting her—yet she still felt insulted.
Reluctantly, she gave the best answer she could think of.
'Because of the cycle of hatred?'
A low hum left Ren's lips. The thought hadn't hit him yet.
'Go on.'
Taking a deep breath, air filled the Goddess' lungs as she prepared to speak. Usually, human problems were none of her business—even she had no idea why she indulged this human so much.
Had anyone else spoken to her in such a way, their time would be stolen in an instant. What made Ren so special was a question that eluded her.
'When a person dies, their impact is felt by those around them. Even if you kill Danzo now, his followers and loved ones will find and kill you. And even if you kill them, their own loved ones will do the same, and the cycle continues.'
For a second, Ren remained silent—pondering the new information.
'That's part of the reason. But more so is that the organization outlives the people. Killing Danzo won't end Root. It simply divides them and instills a sense of agency.'
Ren's eyes sharpened. Horizontal black slits materialized in his eyes—killing intent filling the room.
'And a group without a leader is more unpredictable and harder to control.'
Ren's pupils returned to normal, the aura in the room dissipating. A sweet, almost comical smile appeared on his face.
'So… when can I actually learn to use your time abilities?'
A vengeful smirk manifested on Astra's lips. Now she could pay him back for making fun of her. Without a second thought, she answered:
'When you are able to memorize all the activities in at least five different timelines.'
'But that's impossible!!' Ren whined, but Astra didn't answer him. Instead, she savored the taste of her victory.
…
Mere days later, Danzo Shimura died of suicide.
Suspected reason of death: Unknown.
Age of deceased: 72.
CHAPTER END