"You little brat! Even if you reattach my head, I still won't forgive you…"
Seeing Ren actually reattach his head—
and even use medical ninjutsu to treat him—
Hidan thought Ren had become afraid.
He grew even more arrogant.
"But if you're willing to join the Jashin Cult, Lord Jashin will definitely be very pleased!"
However—
the next moment, his expression changed drastically.
Because after reattaching his head,
Ren calmly pulled out a storage scroll from his ninja pouch.
Staring at Hidan—who was tightly bound by tree vines and struggling desperately with a growing sense of danger—Ren smiled faintly.
"Although storage scrolls usually can't hold living things… I imagine someone with an immortal body like yours won't suffocate to death that easily."
"You—!"
Bang!
In an instant,
smoke filled the air.
The previously blank storage scroll was now covered in complex sealing formulas.
At the center,
a miniature human-shaped figure appeared.
It was Hidan—
perfectly rendered.
"You brat…"
Watching Ren's skilled operation,
Tsunade and Shizune were speechless.
If ordinary kids encountered such an unkillable monster, they would probably be terrified.
But Ren?
He treated the guy like experimental material.
"A test subject like this is extremely rare. Killing him would be too wasteful."
Ren shrugged.
Of course he had ways to deal with Hidan's immortality.
At worst, he could simply chop him into pieces and burn the remains to ashes with Fire Release.
But compared to killing him outright,
where would he find such a perfect experimental subject again?
"Now then… it's your turn."
Ren smiled slightly.
He suddenly stomped his foot.
Boom—
The ground trembled violently.
Under the astonished gazes of Tsunade, Karin, and Shizune,
a white figure was violently blasted out of the ground by a rising wall of earth.
Whoosh—!
Several vines shot out instantly.
They pierced straight through the figure.
It was a White Zetsu.
"How is this possible?! You actually found me?!"
White Zetsu screamed in terror, staring at Ren in disbelief.
"And you even possess the Wood Release bloodline limit…!"
"What is that thing?"
Tsunade frowned while looking at the humanoid creature that clearly wasn't human, its body covered with strange spikes.
Karin looked at the pale creature with disgust.
"That thing is so gross!"
Why were all the people they met today such weird monsters?
"You really are good at hiding. Ordinary sensory abilities probably wouldn't detect you."
Ren looked calmly at White Zetsu.
"But I am essentially part of nature itself. I've already memorized your unique aura, so it's easy for me to distinguish it."
His eyes suddenly turned crimson.
White Zetsu was horrified.
But before he could scream,
he had already been caught in a genjutsu.
"Tell me your purpose."
Ren asked directly.
White Zetsu showed no resistance.
He answered mechanically,
"The main body ordered us to search for the murderer in the Land of Hot Water."
"Ah—!"
A scream echoed.
Sharp vines pierced through him.
Within moments,
his body was completely devoured.
"So you were looking for this guy?"
Ren stroked his chin thoughtfully.
He guessed that Hidan's reckless killings had caused too much panic.
The Akatsuki organization, currently acting as a mercenary group throughout the ninja world, had likely received a commission from the Land of Hot Water.
At the same time,
they probably wanted to use the opportunity to scout powerful individuals suitable to join them.
"Alright, now that it's resolved, let's head back."
Tsunade said.
She pointed to the scroll in Ren's hand.
"As for that guy, you can study him when you have time."
"Mm."
Ren nodded with a smile.
But as if sensing something,
he glanced into the distance.
Then he followed Tsunade and the others as they left.
However—
not long after they departed,
another figure emerged from the ground.
It looked exactly like Ren.
Soon after—
Whoosh!
A black-cloaked figure appeared before him.
He knelt on one knee.
"Lord Ren!"
The newcomer wore dark glasses and had a cold expression.
Insects crawled across his face, yet he ignored them completely.
If Orochimaru were here,
he would recognize him instantly.
This man was once his partner in the Root organization—
Danzō's most trusted subordinate.
Aburame Ryoma.
"Mm. Did you bring everything I asked for?"
Ren asked calmly.
To avoid exposing his relationship with Danzō—
and to maintain a convenient communication channel—
Ren had long ago used Kotoamatsukami to control this capable subordinate of Danzō.
"They're all here."
Aburame Ryoma nodded.
He took out two storage scrolls and presented them.
"Secret techniques from the Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi clans and other major Konoha families…"
"These are all the sealing techniques, secret techniques, and forbidden techniques that Root has been able to gather from Konoha."
Looking at the incredibly young Ren before him, his expression was filled with reverence.
"Additionally, records left behind by the Second Hokage during the development of forbidden techniques have also been copied inside."
"In the other scroll are the corpses of bloodline-limit ninja that Root has collected over the years…"
"As well as DNA samples of past Kage from various nations, gathered over the last two years according to your request."
He paused briefly before continuing apologetically.
"However, aside from Konoha's past Hokage… we were only able to obtain the remains of a few others."
"The Second Kazekage Shamon, the Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hōzuki, the Second Tsuchikage Mu, and the Third Raikage."
"What about the Edo Tensei technique?"
Ren asked.
He wasn't foolish or naive.
Naturally he wouldn't ignore such a useful tool as the Root organization.
Long ago he had already ordered Danzō to collect the corpses of bloodline-limit ninja.
Root itself had already accumulated many such specimens.
There was no reason for him to run around collecting them personally.
"It's included."
Aburame Ryoma replied.
"Along with the Flying Thunder God Technique, the Spirit Transformation Technique, and the Eight Gates."
Over the past two years, in order to fulfill Ren's request to collect the remains of past Kage,
Root had sent elite agents to infiltrate the hidden villages and rob graves.
They had lost quite a few personnel in the process.
"You may leave."
"Yes."
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