The door clicked shut as Hidan left. Silence reclaimed the room.
Ren Uchiha stared at the scroll in his hands, his heart sinking. He was supposed to be dead inside that volcano, yet here he was, alive, lying in a bed with an S-Rank forbidden jutsu scroll. He didn't see this as luck.
The fresh air he breathed, the sunlight piercing through the cracks in the wall, the warmth against his skin... it was all because Great Elder Setsuna had chosen to burn himself out to carve a path for him.
"Dammit! Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!"
Ren gripped the bedsheets, his face showing no joy for his survival. Instead, there was only fear. He lowered his head, his crimson Sharingan spinning violently, his heart drumming against his ribs. The weight of 'Setsuna Uchiha' was pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.
Ren knew himself well. He was an ordinary guy. He laughed when happy, cried when hurting, and got angry when insulted. He had normal human emotions. If someone sacrificed their life for him—like Karin did for Sasuke—could he really just stab them like a cold-blooded revenger? Or could he be like Itachi and slaughter his own kin?
No. That wasn't solving problems; that was a pathological venting of rage. He had tried so hard to avoid deep bonds with people in this world. But now...
Just then, a small slip of paper fell from the unrolled scroll into Ren's palm. One line of text made him freeze:
'You go ahead and keep trying to die, I'll find a way to stop it. Also, I'm not dead.'
Ren: "..."
He blinked. He scratched his head. Finally, he let out a massive sigh of relief, his face twisting into a scowl as he snapped the scroll shut.
"You old geezer! If you're not dead, just say so! Why act all dramatic?!" He waved his hands in the air as if shooing away a ghost. "Be gone! All of you, be gone!"
Setsuna Uchiha was a veteran Jōnin from the Warring States period. Of course he knew Izanagi—the ultimate technique to rewrite one's own fate. Ren had been so worried he'd forgotten the Uchiha's most broken "cheat code."
Creak—
The door opened. Hidan walked in with a doctor, catching Ren mid-hand-wave, looking like he was practicing some invisible sword style.
Hidan snickered. "Yo, I didn't think you'd be this energetic. Nice! Keep at it. I've read about this 'phase' in books. No need to be shy, I get it, I get it."
Ren's face went deadpan. You've read about it? You're the one stuck in this "phase" forever, you arrogant brat!
Feeling a bit embarrassed under their gaze, Ren looked away and coughed. "There was a fly."
The tall doctor behind Hidan looked up, his voice calm. "That's impossible. I sprayed insect repellent around the area."
[System Notification: Shinno feels contempt toward you.]
Ren's face flushed red, but he froze when he saw the subtitle.
"Oh, let me introduce you," Hidan said, pointing a thumb at the doctor. "This is Mr. Shinno, a traveling physician. Thanks to him, you didn't bleed out."
Ren looked up, a flash of surprise hidden in his eyes. The doctor wore a brown hood, revealing light grey hair and a pale yellow lab coat. This look... and the name...
Isn't this the leader of the Sky Ninja (Sora-nin), Shinno?!
The big boss who roams the world in a flying fortress? Why was he here in the Land of Hot Springs during this era? And why was he with Hidan?
Shinno's gaze was indifferent, as if he were looking at a worthless piece of meat. After a moment, he said: "I've treated your wounds. Drink plenty of hot water. That's all."
With those brief words, Shinno turned to leave, seemingly uninterested in the Uchiha boy. Ren didn't stop him. They had no connection, and Shinno didn't fit his goal of "dying for a grand cause." Even though Ren knew this man was a powerhouse who could use the Eight Gates and survive, he had no interest in provoking him.
There's a difference between suicide and insurance fraud, Ren thought. Especially when the other party hasn't shown any malice yet.
"Mr. Shinno is a noble doctor. He doesn't even charge for his work," Hidan said respectfully as Shinno left. He walked over to the bed and tossed an apple to Ren.
Ren didn't respond to the "noble" comment. He just looked at Hidan thoughtfully. Noble? Doubtful.
Ren mused that the only reason Shinno would be near Hidan was for the secrets of the Jashin Cult. Shinno's own forbidden technique, "Body Revival," allowed him to open the Eight Gates without dying. It likely had some connection to the Jashin Cult's "Immortal Body" constitution.
Hidan sat down cross-legged on a stool, leaning in. "Listen, Ren. I didn't save your life just so you could lie there. Mr. Shinno says you're fine, so come with me. I need you to do something."
Ren tilted his head, amused by the kid's audacity. "How do you say that with such a straight face? Why should I help you? You should be thanking me for not stabbing you yet, and you want to hire a wandering ninja?"
Hidan didn't care. He grinned. "I read about this in a book... I think it's called 'Repaying a Favor.' You're a 'good guy,' so you'll definitely help me!"
Ren rolled his eyes. Okay, I take it back. This Hidan is still an idiot.
He shook his head and smirked. "Tell me what it is first. But let me make one thing clear: if there's no danger to my life, I'm not doing it."
Hidan's smile vanished. He turned dead serious.
"Tell me, Ren... do you know about the Jashin Cult?"