It had been nearly half a year since Ren arrived in Konoha, yet he'd rarely taken the time to simply wander its streets. Now, strolling with no agenda other than leisure, he noticed a different quality to the village.
While it lacked the frenetic, towering prosperity of the great metropolises from his past life, Konoha possessed a certain pastoral charm, a strong, almost rustic atmosphere—though notably absent of actual farmland.
No wonder they need funding from the Land of Fire's daimyō, he mused. Given Konoha's current setup, self-sufficiency seems like a distant dream…
His gaze drifted toward the distant, ominous silhouette of the Forest of Death. Why isn't that excellent land being cultivated into fields? It struck his dormant "farming genes" as a profound waste—such prime territory left fallow!
Oh, right. That area was terraformed by the First Hokage using Wood Release. He corrected himself. Never mind, then. It's a historical site, a legacy of a predecessor. It should be preserved.
But a more profitable thought quickly followed. Still, Konoha's administration really doesn't know how to monetize its assets. They could develop the Forest of Death into a tourist attraction. Charge admission! This place was literally carved out of nothing by Senju Hashirama, the God of Shinobi himself! Tell me that wouldn't draw a crowd. We could even create a marketing gimmick—claim the secrets of Wood Release are hidden within. Believe me, not just Konoha, but every other hidden village would send people, discreetly or otherwise. The revenue would be staggering!
Kurenai Yuhi, noticing his prolonged silence, nudged him. "Ren, what's on your mind? You're spacing out."
Ren let out a slow, contemplative breath. "I've just had another epiphany. What do you think about leasing the Forest of Death, turning it into a tourist spot, and just charging entry? I've even got the name: Forest of Death 5A-Rated Scenic Area!"
Kurenai Yuhi: "..."
What was the deal with Ren's brain? He kept generating these "dreams," each more outlandish than the last. Opening a shop, becoming an astronaut, achieving world peace, and now this real estate development scheme… What kind of person had so many disparate ambitions? Dreams weren't like silver coins—more wasn't necessarily better.
Since he was her brother, she decided to humor him. She could be understanding too—it wasn't just Rin Nohara who could play that role.
"That would require a huge amount of capital," she said patiently. "I don't think your savings are nearly enough. Besides, aren't you still planning to open a shop?"
Ren responded with an air of casual practicality. "The ramen shop's timeline is flexible. You have to pick the right moment to launch a business, otherwise you risk losses. No need to rush."
Kurenai once again felt the terrifying power of habit; she was becoming acclimated to Ren's unique brand of logic. She continued the charade. "So, when do you plan to open it?"
Ren feigned shock. "Are you crazy? How old am I? Have you ever seen a business owner who's only a few years old?"
Kurenai's expression froze. She took a deep internal breath, telling herself not to rise to the bait. "I'm not the crazy one here! And who has several 'dreams' at once anyway?"
Ren pointed a thumb at his own chest. "Why not? I do! Kurenai, don't judge others by your own limited perspective. Some people are just built different, capable of hosting multiple grand ambitions!"
Kurenai let out a soft, defeated sigh. "Sigh… my mistake. I shouldn't try to debate this with you."
She had reached the conclusion that attempting to follow Ren's train of thought was an exercise in futility. She wouldn't engage on this topic anymore; it was mentally exhausting.
Ren chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "You should learn from me. More dreams mean more potential paths. If one stalls, pivot to another. It's called Staged Dreaming. Who knows? Maybe one will just… coincidentally come true. Then this life won't have been lived in vain!"
Kurenai slapped his hand away and shot him a glare. She realized he'd been teasing her all along and couldn't help but huff, "Hmph! I don't want to talk to you right now."
Ren pointed ahead. "Are you sure? We've already arrived at the hot spring inn. Do you want to pay your own way?"
"..." Kurenai's expression soured. She pouted, weighing her principles against her pocket money, and made a swift decision. "I take it back."
Ren laughed. "Hahaha…"
"Ahhh! You're so infuriating! Why are you like this?! You only know how to bully me!"
"Alright, alright, I'll stop." Ren smiled, ceasing his torment. "Let's go in and enjoy the springs."
Crash! Thud! Bang!
Just as they reached the entrance of the traditional wooden inn, a violent commotion erupted from within. It sounded like furniture being overturned, punctuated by shrill screams, angry bellows, and the furious grinding of teeth.
"AHH! A PEEPING TOM!""GET HIM!""The audacity! Causing trouble on my premises! DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE!"
In the next instant, an assortment of objects came flying out of the entrance: wooden basins, bathing ladles, bars of soap, and even cups. A moment later, a truly pitiful figure burst out, arms covering his head as he fled.
It was a young man with long, shaggy white hair, wearing a distinctive red haori and geta sandals. His left eye was already sporting a spectacular purple-black shiner, as if freshly punched. He was currently in a full sprint, a picture of guilt, not daring to stop even as projectiles thudded against his retreating back.
Ren: "..."
A profound sense of déjà vu washed over him. First Uchiha Obito, the King of Tardiness. Now, a certain… enthusiast of unauthorized bathing aesthetics. The defining characteristics of these individuals were always so unmistakable.
The young man's outfit was far too conspicuous. As far as Ren's memory served, no one else in this world sported that particular ensemble except for a certain Pervy Sage. While the face wasn't Jiraiya's, any ninja worth their salt knew the Transformation Technique. Who in their right mind would use their real face for peeping?
No doubt about it. This was, with 90% certainty, one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya.
Interesting. To encounter him in this manner… it's so perfectly in character. A mischievous glint appeared in Ren's eyes. Time to make a memorable first impression.
"In broad daylight, under the clear sky! How dare you commit such a filthy act!" Ren's voice rang out, clear and sharp, adopting the full moral authority of an outraged citizen. "That a degenerate like you should appear in Konoha Village brings shame upon us all!"
Having proclaimed his righteous stance—and declaring that aiding those in distress was the duty of every upstanding Konoha resident—Ren acted. Chakra surged and exploded in the muscles of his legs. The reactive force launched him forward in a burst of linear speed. In a flash, he appeared beside the fleeing man.
Without ceremony, he drove a fist straight toward the man's other, still-uninjured eye.
"Hm?!" The white-haired youth was startled. He hadn't expected pursuers from behind and an intercepting blocker in front. Someone was actually attacking him? A quick glance confirmed it was just a red-haired kid.
Oh ho. A tiny vigilante. The man almost smirked. The old man's education isn't completely lost, but this kid is still far too green. How could he, the magnificent Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, possibly be struck by a child who hadn't even finished growing all his teeth? More importantly, his identity couldn't be exposed. The embarrassment of being caught as the Sannin who peeped at hot springs was unthinkable!
"Not bad, kid, but—" Jiraiya began, raising his right hand with casual confidence, intending to easily catch the incoming punch and make his escape.
His sentence died unfinished. The moment his palm made contact with Ren's fist, a strange, deeply familiar sensation jolted up his arm.
This feeling… is that Tsunade's Chakra-enhanced Fist ?!
Oh, crap. I underestimated him!!
"You vile degenerate, you dare to resist!?" Ren barked, fully committed to his role as the enforcer of public morals.
As his fist made contact, chakra surged and detonated at the point of impact. Augmented by the perfected Chakra-enhanced Fist technique, the force punched straight through Jiraiya's half-hearted block and connected solidly with its intended target: the man's right eye.
THWACK!
The punch landed with satisfying solidity. The force of it disrupted Jiraiya's chakra control, causing his Transformation Technique to instantly dispel in a puff of smoke. The blow was substantial, forcing him back to his original appearance. Now, both his left and right eyes boasted matching, symmetrical purple-black rings.
Jiraiya winced, his face a mask of pained surprise. What is with this kid?! Is he Tsunade's secret disciple? I never heard about that…
But this was no time for analysis. He absolutely could not let anyone discover that Jiraiya, the magnificent disciple of the Third Hokage, one of the Legendary Sannin, the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku… was a hot spring peeping tom.
Poof!
Almost the instant his true form was revealed, Jiraiya's hands flew through a single, practiced seal. His entire body vanished in a larger, concealing cloud of white smoke—the signature escape of the Body Flicker Technique.