"Congratulations on making it back."
Inside a grilled fish shop, Ren smiled as he handed over a freshly roasted salt-grilled sea bream.
He knew Kabuto loved this stuff. Back at the orphanage, Nono had made it herself more than once.
"Thanks."
Kabuto glanced at the fish in Ren's hand. Maybe the memories of getting beaten half to death in Root surfaced—because he only managed an awkward smile.
Then he let out a quiet sigh.
"But even if I'm back… it's about the same. I probably won't be able to go to the orphanage."
Ren nodded.
Root never allowed their people to casually reconnect with anyone from their past. Danzō's earlier words to him were a warning—don't do anything stupid, don't reach where you shouldn't.
Ren didn't care about Danzō's "warnings" in the slightest, but he also knew it was pointless anyway.
Nono had already gone to Iwagakure.
"Talk to me about what happened in Sunagakure."
Ren lowered his voice, then formed hand seals swiftly.
In an instant, an invisible barrier spread around them—sound swallowed cleanly.
"You…"
Kabuto reacted fast. He immediately understood what Ren meant.
He lowered his head slightly, using the angle to hide his mouth, and spoke quietly.
"Where do you think… the Director is right now?"
"That question—I can't answer."
Ren watched Kabuto's caution and felt satisfied.
This kid really was sharp. No wonder Orochimaru liked him so much.
"But I do think there's a high chance…" Ren continued, eyes calm,
"…that wherever you're sent next will be the same place she ends up."
"…What?"
Kabuto looked genuinely confused.
He didn't think Ren would joke about something like this—but he couldn't understand what Ren was implying.
Was Danzō really going to be kind enough to arrange a reunion?
Ren shook his head.
Kabuto was still… a little too naive.
And Ren had every intention of teaching him a proper lesson right now.
He'd already successfully made sure Sasori and Sunagakure both hated Danzō—and Danzō would definitely take the blame on purpose.
So… what harm was there in widening the blast radius a bit?
"It's simple," Ren said quietly, one hand partially shielding his mouth as well.
"Whether it's you or the Director—both of you are in trouble."
Kabuto's eyes narrowed.
Ren didn't give him room to breathe.
"You've said again and again you want to complete your missions and leave Root. But have you ever asked yourself—after everything you've done, would Root let you walk away?"
"And the Director," Ren continued, voice colder,
"she's the same. She still has hope in Danzō—still thinks she can gamble on his 'mercy.' That alone is already planting the seed of disaster."
He tapped the table lightly—subtle, but firm. A warning: don't show your face.
"Don't argue. You still remember how Danzō forced her into Root in the first place, don't you?"
Kabuto went silent.
He wanted to argue—after all, Danzō was Konoha's high-ranking leadership. He couldn't possibly be that shameless, right?
But Kabuto had overheard those conversations back then.
And he knew what Root missions really were.
His throat tightened.
"And as for why I'm saying you and the Director will likely be sent to the same infiltration location…"
Ren's fingers drummed once, slow and deliberate.
"When I was still in Root, I overheard the Director asking Danzō for photos of the two of us."
Kabuto's pupils shrank.
Ren continued, calm enough to be cruel.
"Let's assume I'm Danzō. You're my subordinate. You're disobedient. Your Director has the same kind of thoughts—still clinging to hope."
"If I want to prevent Root secrets from leaking, the cleanest solution is to remove you both."
"But how do I do it without dirtying my own hands… and make you die together?"
"There's an easy way."
Ren's gaze sharpened.
"Give the Director fake photos. Think about it—how old were we when we entered Root? And how many years has it been since then?"
"Time changes. We grow up."
"When you run into her out there, you won't recognize each other—because she won't recognize you at all."
Kabuto's face turned ugly—like the ground had fallen out from under him.
Ren didn't stop.
"Or…" he said softly,
"give her the real photos."
"Then order her to kill the person in the photo."
"And after it's done—tell her the truth."
His voice dropped another degree.
"Then you don't even need Danzō to kill her."
"The Director would probably…" Kabuto whispered, completely drained of color, "…commit suicide."
Ren nodded slowly.
Good. At least Kabuto was still a normal person.
Not everyone could be like Itachi or Obito.
One murdered the teacher and wife who cared for him.
The other "awakened" in the forest, then butchered an entire clan—spare one.
Nono was human.
And Kabuto, right now, still wasn't a madman.
Otherwise, in the future, he wouldn't have broken down the moment he killed Nono and realized she didn't recognize him.
"So," Ren said quietly, watching Kabuto's cracked composure,
"from the very beginning, you've already dragged a lot of people into the mud."
"You. The Director. Even me."
Then he paused and added, just a touch lighter—
"Of course, this is still my speculation. We'll know soon enough. Like whether you get sent out again before long."
Kabuto didn't speak.
He looked lost.
He had always been willing—at least a little—to believe in Danzō.
To believe in Konoha's high-level leadership.
But Ren was his childhood friend. They'd grown up in the same orphanage. Kabuto had even dragged Ren into Root himself.
And Ren's competence in the Land of Wind had been undeniable.
If Ren could reach this conclusion…
Kabuto couldn't ignore it, even if he wanted to.
But now he didn't know who to trust.
He couldn't even trust himself.
"What do you want from me, Ren?"
After a long silence, Kabuto finally recovered. He was an excellent spy—he forced himself back into calm.
"Me?" Ren blinked innocently, stroking his chin.
"Obviously, I want to marry a few wives in the future and live comfortably."
Then he added with a straight face:
"Didn't Buddha say, 'If you don't indulge in lust, all actions become joyless'?"
"…"
Kabuto's expression froze.
That's what I'm asking you?!
And since when did Buddha say that?!
Before Kabuto could snap back, Ren's tone shifted—sharp, grounded.
"But if you want a stable life, some problems have to be solved."
"Entering Root is stepping into the abyss."
"In the shinobi-village system, if you don't have strength and status, you're never anything more than a tool."
"If we want to crawl out of the abyss—if we want to stop being tools and become the ones holding the tools…"
Ren's eyes narrowed.
"…then we have to climb. Step by step."
"Why should we be crushed under someone like Danzō?"
"Why should our lives be something he controls with a flick of his hand?"
"And… why can't the person sitting in that seat…" Ren said, voice low, "…be us?"
Ren was an old hand, sure.
But being an "old hand" only mattered if you could live.
In Root, you could be sold out at any moment. Sent on suicidal missions. Forced through brainwashing until you weren't human or ghost—just an obedient shell.
Ren couldn't tolerate that.
He'd grown up watching the Monkey King—when someone tries to deny you a life, you don't just lie down and accept it.
Ren knew he shouldn't say things like this to Kabuto.
But he also knew something else—
If he didn't leave Kabuto with something, Kabuto the "spy" would never feel safe.
And Ren dared to say it because he had confidence.
"You're not afraid I'll tell Danzō everything you just said?"
Kabuto asked slowly.
"Not afraid."
Ren shook his head without hesitation, then pointed at himself—then at Kabuto.
"I've done massive work for Danzō. And he knows exactly how I treated you back when I entered Root."
"Maybe you've hated me for years and want to frame me."
He smiled faintly.
"So tell me—when the time comes, do you think he'll believe you… or believe me?"
"And even if he suspects me," Ren added calmly,
"you'll already be dead by then."
"And I'll still have a chance to get out."
Kabuto nearly choked.
It made sense.
But hearing it said so shamelessly… was insane.
"Think carefully."
Ren patted his shoulder, voice dropping again.
"Even if you don't do it for yourself—do it for the orphanage."
"Do you want to spend your whole life working for someone else… earning scraps… just to barely keep the orphanage alive?"
"Or do you want a future where you don't have to beg?"
"Where you can just sign your name—and allocate funds to the orphanage."
"Help more kids like us."
"Give people like the Director… a better ending."
Kabuto didn't know how to answer.
But he couldn't deny it.
That last part struck straight through him.
His ambition didn't matter. Ren's dream of "that seat" didn't matter.
But the orphanage?
Nono?
That mattered.
"…What do I do?"
After a long time, Kabuto lifted his head, calm—but heavy—and looked directly at Ren.
Ren opened his mouth to answer—
Then his eyes flicked toward the door.
And in the same motion, he dispelled the soundproof barrier.
A masked ANBU rushed in, glanced once at Kabuto, and leaned in close to Ren.
"Hokage-sama's order. Gear up immediately and assemble at Root."
"…"
Ren froze.
Then, inside his head, one thought exploded like thunder.
What the hell?
Are we… attacking Root?!
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