Chapter 45: Sasuke's Departure
The next day, early morning.
Renji arrived at the Hokage Office feeling refreshed, ready to start his shift. No external missions were scheduled today; his main task was to stay by Tsunade's side, ready to follow her commands at a moment's notice.
Tsunade was quiet, buried in a stack of documents, her pen scratching steadily across the pages. Usually, she gave no other instructions, leaving Renji with idle time to sort through his plans. He leaned against the wall, his mind already spinning with schemes.
His most recent mission was to assist Sasuke in his defection. Incidentally, he'd cooperate with Orochimaru to help heal his hands—a side gig with a big payoff.
For payment, Renji wanted Hashirama Senju's cells. Orochimaru had conducted human experiments in Konoha, implanting Hashirama's cells into Danzo and Yamato; Renji didn't believe for a second that Orochimaru would've left such valuable material behind after defecting. Those cells were a treasure trove, and Renji intended to claim them.
With his ability to freely modify his own body and others', Renji could neutralize any rejection reactions once Hashirama's cells were in his system. Better yet, he could analyze their properties and tweak his own cells to mimic them. Wood Release would be his for the taking. But even with Wood Release, the gap between Hashirama Senju's mastery and Yamato's weaker version came down to physique and chakra volume.
Physically, Renji was confident even Hashirama couldn't match him. But chakra? That was his bottleneck. He was still far from the monstrous reserves needed to rival the First Hokage. Earning more chakra was always priority number one.
The Revivalist Alliance would have to wait until he awakened Wood Release. He'd use the Malice Value harvested by the Alliance to boost his chakra and push Wood Release to its limits. Hasumi Maki, his Akatsuki alias, was tasked with openly collecting Malice Value while healing Akatsuki members, touching their souls to plunder powerful ninjutsu for his own growth.
Everything was falling into place, just as Hasumi Maki had planned. All he needed was to stick to the script and move forward steadily.
"Renji," Tsunade's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She handed him a scroll from the Hokage's desk. "This ninjutsu is perfect for you. You might be able to learn it."
Renji took the scroll, confusion flickering across his face. He unrolled it, and the words Spirit Transformation Technique leaped out at him. His pupils widened slightly, a rare spark of genuine shock.
Dan Kato's famous ninjutsu? A forbidden jutsu sealed by Konoha?
"Lady Hokage…" Renji started, but Tsunade cut him off, her expression serious, as if she'd anticipated his reaction.
"The previous user of Spirit Transformation Technique used it to protect Konoha and earned fame across the ninja world. I believe you can do just as well," she said, her voice firm but warm. She couldn't help but think that if Dan were still alive, Renji would've been his ideal disciple. Dan would've loved him. This jutsu deserved to shine again in the right hands, and Renji was the perfect fit.
Renji clutched the scroll tightly, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes. "I definitely will." He hadn't expected Tsunade to drop such a bombshell. A grin tugged at his lips. Tsunade was full of surprises, a dark horse in every sense.
Tsunade's lips curved into a faint smile at his response. She believed in him completely. No one in Konoha was better suited for Spirit Transformation Technique than Mahito.
Renji had considered Spirit Transformation Technique before, but Dan Kato's early death had closed that door. Edo Tensei was a Fourth Great Ninja War issue, far off in the future, leaving him no chance to tap into Dan's soul. But now, Tsunade had handed him the key.
Spirit Transformation Technique was an S-rank soul ninjutsu, letting the user's soul leave their body as a living spirit. It could cross distances to kill enemies, possess and control bodies, or dive into mental worlds. It was as broken as Flying Thunder God, a cheat code of a jutsu. The spirit could collapse enemies from within, sense other souls regardless of distance or prior knowledge, and perform tasks like transmitting information, confirming life or death, or channeling chakra, depending on the user's will.
Dan Kato had earned his wartime fame with this jutsu, making massive contributions to Konoha. For Hasumi Mahito, with his unique physique and jutsu, Spirit Transformation Technique would make him untouchable. His body was already immortal, and now his soul would be a weapon. Once mastered, he could hide his soul in others' bodies, reshaping them with his jutsu. Every body in the ninja world could become his, as long as his soul could infiltrate it.
After work, Renji strolled through Konoha's streets, humming a cheerful tune, his mood sky-high. Life was looking up.
"Renji." A familiar voice called from behind. He turned to see Sasuke, his expression as brooding as ever.
Since Sasuke and Naruto's recovery, they'd resumed their Genin missions. Renji, swamped with his own tasks, rarely saw them. Naruto would occasionally drag him for ramen, Sakura would drop by with homemade meals, but Sasuke? His introverted nature meant their one-on-one time was rare, practically nonexistent.
"Sasuke, mission done?" Renji asked, seizing the chance to nudge his plans forward. Seeing Sasuke nod, he waved the scroll playfully. "I just learned another powerful ninjutsu. How about I treat you to barbecue?"
Sasuke paused, his fists clenching slightly. He met Renji's expectant gaze, suppressing the restless urgency in his chest, and nodded. "Okay."
They stepped into the Akimichi family's barbecue restaurant, the air thick with the sizzle of meat and the smoky aroma of grilling.
"Sasuke, you seem down lately," Renji said casually, flipping meat on the grill, the oil dripping with a satisfying hiss. He kept his tone light, but his eyes flicked to Sasuke, catching every shift in his expression.
Sasuke raised his gaze, meeting Renji's sparkling eyes and gentle smile, the same warmth he always carried. After waking in the hospital, Sasuke had pieced together from Naruto's reaction that something big had gone down while he was out. When Sakura and Renji weren't around, he'd grilled Naruto for answers.
Through relentless questioning, Sasuke learned a shocking truth: Renji had nearly been killed by his brother, Hasumi Maki. A twisted spark of joy, almost shameful, flickered in Sasuke's heart. They were the same. In Team 7, in all of Konoha, only they could truly understand each other. Their lives, their pain, their destinies—they were intertwined, fated from the start.
Kakashi had filled in the gaps: Renji's brother wanted him dead. How absurd. How tragic. The ones who caused the deepest wounds were always the closest. Sasuke's heart swelled with sorrow for Renji—and for himself.
"Renji, do you hate him?" Sasuke asked, his voice low, eyes locked on Renji, watching for the slightest crack in his expression.
Renji's hand froze for a split second. He blinked, offering a helpless smile. "The moment he hurt Naruto, I hated him."
Sasuke stared at the vulnerable Renji, a cruel impulse rising within him. "He wants to kill you, to make you suffer, every single moment. Don't you want revenge? To kill him?"
Seeing Renji's pained expression, Sasuke's heart twisted, but a masochistic urge pushed him to keep digging, to tear into that wound.
"I…" Renji faltered, unable to answer. But Sasuke wasn't letting it go. He grabbed Renji's retreating hand, his grip tight, unrelenting.
"I won't let him hurt the people I cherish," Renji said softly, but to Sasuke, it sounded like weak surrender, a retreat from the truth.
"But when he does kill someone you cherish, it'll be too late." Sasuke released his hand, his gaze cold as ice. Looking at Renji was like staring into a mirror of his former self. The only difference? Renji hadn't yet lost everything. He still clung to illusions about his "brother."
"I want to kill him, right now, but I'm not strong enough." Sasuke's fists clenched, veins bulging, his dark eyes blazing with the fire of vengeance.
Renji was getting stronger. Naruto was getting stronger. Even Sakura was moving forward. But Sasuke? He was stagnant, trapped in the same place. These child's play missions weren't enough. At this rate, revenge would stay out of reach forever. Just like last time, facing Uchiha Itachi, he'd been powerless to protect those around him.
"Renji, whether it's you or me, we have to become stronger—strong enough to kill them first," Sasuke said, lost in his nightmare of revenge. He didn't notice Renji, mid-bite of barbecue, smiling with quiet satisfaction.
Sasuke's mindset was perfect—Renji barely had to lift a finger. Sasuke was already spiraling on his own. It was time for him to leave Konoha.
After finishing their barbecue, they parted ways at the intersection. But Renji didn't head home. Instead, he shadowed Sasuke, moving silently through the evening's lengthening shadows.
He watched Sasuke return to the Uchiha compound, quietly pack a heavy backpack, and sling it over his shoulder. Night fell, cloaking Konoha in darkness.
The Sound Four appeared beside Sasuke, their presence like ghosts in the gloom. Sasuke didn't hesitate. He glanced back at the Uchiha compound one last time, then followed them toward Konoha's gate with resolute steps.
Seeing Sasuke's lack of surprise at their arrival, Renji knew the Sound Four had approached him before. This was no spur-of-the-moment decision.
The moon hung round and bright, casting a silver glow over the village. Renji stood on the path to Konoha's gate, inevitable as fate. Footsteps approached, slow and deliberate. Sasuke's figure emerged from the distance, his silhouette sharp under the moonlight.
Seeing Renji ahead, Sasuke stopped. The Sound Four frowned, visibly annoyed by the unexpected obstacle.
"Are you leaving, Sasuke?" Renji's voice was soft, his sadness clear under the moon's glow.
"Yes. Our paths were always meant to diverge. I thought I could stay with you all, but I'm still set on revenge," Sasuke said calmly, the words long rehearsed in his mind. When spoken, they carried a strange peace.
Itachi's appearance had cemented his resolve. Itachi had shown him, again, how weak he was, how powerless he'd been to protect those he cared about.
Sasuke braced for Renji to stop him, to argue. But to his surprise, Renji only smiled, his eyes full of understanding. "Sasuke, I respect your decision."
"As you said, everyone has their own path, their own choices to make. You're just walking yours with conviction. That doesn't mean we're no longer comrades, right? We're still Team 7," Renji said, his words weaving a spell that made Sasuke's departure feel like a temporary journey.
"Sasuke, no matter when or where, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and I will be waiting for your return in Konoha." Renji waved, a bittersweet smile on his face.
Of course, Renji wasn't ruling out the possibility that Sasuke might return only for Renji to be long gone. He was a busy man, with plans piling up across the ninja world. The future was unpredictable, so for now, pretty words would do.
Beyond his weakness against Itachi, what Sasuke couldn't stomach was always being the one protected when it came to Renji. He wanted to protect Renji with his own strength, to stand as an equal.
Sasuke clenched his fists and walked through Konoha's gate, the moonlight guiding his path.
Renji watched his retreating figure, arms crossed, a pout tugging at his lips. A ROOT ninja materialized beside him. Renji yawned, his voice casual. "Uchiha Sasuke confirmed to have defected, following Orochimaru."
"Eyewitness, Team 7's Renji Mahito, was ambushed by Uchiha Sasuke and fell unconscious, found on a bench twenty-three meters from Konoha's gate. Time of discovery: tomorrow morning at nine."
Renji glanced at the ROOT ninja. "After nine tomorrow, spread the news." The ninja nodded, vanishing into the night.
Renji stretched, plopped onto the bench, and crossed his legs. By tomorrow, once Sasuke's defection was announced, Naruto would storm into Tsunade's office, demanding to bring him back. Tsunade, well aware of the last Uchiha's importance to Konoha, would agree instantly. Renji could join the retrieval team, quietly pulling the strings of his own plans from within.