Chapter 63: He Told You To Kill Sasuke
Naruto and Sakura's eyes flared with synchronized fury, twin flames igniting in their gazes. Their anger burned hotter with every passing second, the air around them practically crackling with tension.
Renji watched the scene unfold, his stitched face unreadable. Sai, meanwhile, fixed him with an intense stare, his pale eyes glinting with an unsettling mix of familiarity and challenge. Renji's gaze flicked to Sai, who flashed a smile—too quick, too practiced. Renji's mind churned. 'What's twisted you so much, Sai?' He hadn't done anything to provoke this… had he?
"All right, that's enough. Meeting's over," Tsunade barked, cutting through the brewing storm before Naruto and Sakura could explode. Her voice carried the weight of authority, silencing the rooftop.
Kakashi Hatake, the true leader of Team Kakashi, crouched nearby, nose buried in Icha Icha Paradise. He flipped a page, blissfully ignoring the chaos of his team. Sakura shot him a glare, but Naruto just huffed, used to their sensei's antics.
Tsunade's eyes swept over the group, her expression stern. "Now, for Team Kakashi's mission." She paused, letting the gravity sink in. "Given the tight timeline, the five of you—Kakashi Hatake, Renji Mahito, Uzumaki Naruto, Sakura Haruno, and Sai—will head to Tenchi Bridge. Your objective is to set an ambush, infiltrate Orochimaru's organization, capture the Akatsuki's informant, and bring them back to Konoha."
Naruto and Sakura snapped to attention, their earlier anger giving way to focus. Tsunade's voice softened slightly, but her words remained sharp. "This is a critical chance to gather intel on Orochimaru and Uchiha Sasuke. It's also a foundation for two key operations: assassinating Orochimaru and retrieving Sasuke."
She leaned forward, her gaze piercing. "But you must act with caution. If the situation turns dangerous, abort the mission. Your lives come first." Her eyes lingered on Naruto and Renji, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the boy with a mysterious Bloodline Limit—both irreplaceable to the village. Kakashi and Sakura, too, were vital assets. A single mission wasn't worth their blood.
"Do you understand?" Tsunade's tone was solemn.
"Yes!" Naruto's voice rang out, fierce and determined.
"Yes!" Sakura echoed, her fists clenched.
"Yes!" Renji nodded, his smile steady.
Sai merely inclined his head, his expression unreadable. Kakashi closed his book and gave Tsunade a small nod to show he understood.
Tsunade sighed, turning to Kakashi. "It's on you now, Kakashi." With that, she strode toward the Hokage Office, shoulders slumping at the thought of the paperwork mountain awaiting her. Shizune trailed behind with Tonton.
Kakashi faced his team, now expanded with Sai's addition, and adopted his usual laid-back tone. "You've got one hour to pack your ninja tools. We leave immediately. Meet at the Konoha Main Gate. Dismissed."
Naruto and Sakura instinctively glanced at Renji, seeking his reaction. Sai caught their looks, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. Before anyone could move, he slung an arm around Renji's shoulder, leaning in with an overly familiar smile. "Renji, let's go together."
Naruto's glare could've melted steel. "Tch!"
On Konoha's bustling streets, Naruto and Sakura walked side by side, their frustration palpable. "That Sai guy's such a pain!" Naruto grumbled, his mouth twisting into a pout that could rival a duck's. "Why's he gotta act like he owns Renji? And replacing Sasuke? No way!"
He kicked a pebble, sending it skittering across the pavement. "Team Kakashi was fine with just us. We've been through everything together since graduation. Sai doesn't get that bond—he's just some newbie!"
Sakura sighed, her anger cooling as reason crept back. "His words are venomous, no doubt," she admitted, recalling Sai's cutting insults. "But… don't you think he's a bit like Sasuke? His face, his voice… that cold vibe." She paused, frowning. "Though Sai's smile is so fake it's almost creepy. Like he's mocking us."
Naruto scoffed, crossing his arms behind his head and staring stubbornly at the sky. "No way! Sasuke's way cooler!" He'd never admit it in front of Sasuke, but with him gone, Naruto could grudgingly acknowledge his rival's edge. Still, in his mind, neither Sai nor Sasuke held a candle to Uzumaki Naruto's charm. "Hmph!"
Sakura chuckled, a rare moment of levity. Naruto praising Sasuke, even indirectly, was a miracle. But her smile faded as she thought of Renji. "Renji does seem to know Sai, though…"
Naruto's pout deepened. "Doesn't matter! Nobody's taking my spot as Renji's best friend!" he declared, puffing out his chest. "Not Sasuke, and definitely not that creepy Sai!"
Sakura's expression softened, a mix of amusement and exasperation. Renji was kind to everyone, not just Naruto. His warmth wasn't favoritism—it was just who he was. Naruto's clinginess made their bond seem tighter, but now Sai, even clingier, was throwing a wrench into things. She sighed again, shaking her head.
...
Meanwhile, Renji and Sai walked through Konoha's quieter streets, heading toward Renji's bachelor apartment. Sai stayed close, his eyes never leaving Renji, studying every detail of his face—his relaxed brows, his sharp, heterochromatic eyes.
"Renji, are you happy to see me?" Sai's voice was soft, almost tender, but it carried a chilling undercurrent. "I really missed you. Especially you." His words hung in the air, heavy with a gloom that felt more like a ghost's whisper than a friend's reunion.
Renji didn't respond, his expression neutral. Sai knew part of his true nature—his Mahito-like abilities. Engaging with him now would only give Sai an opening to exploit. Better to keep him at arm's length.
Sai trailed Renji into the apartment, his gaze sweeping over every detail—the sparse furniture, the neatly made bed, the faint scent of dango lingering in the air. His eyes landed on a framed photo on Renji's bedside table: Team 7, smiling together. Naruto's grin was wide, Sakura's shy, Sasuke's coolly aloof, and Renji's stitched smile was angelic.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +1,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +1,000!]
[Chakra (72,451,500 / 100,000,000)]
Crack!
The photo frame hit the floor, glass shattering in the quiet room. The image blurred, the team's faces distorted by the fractured surface. Sai's hand lingered near the table, his expression apologetic. "Oops, it slipped."
Renji's eyes flicked from the broken frame to Sai. That smile in Sai's eyes betrayed him—there was no accident here. "Shall I throw it away for you?" Sai asked, reaching for the frame with mock concern.
Renji's hand shot out, snatching it from Sai's grasp. "Don't touch my things," he said, his voice low and firm, his gaze locking onto Sai's.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +1,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +1,000!]
[Chakra (72,452,500 / 100,000,000)]
Sai's chest heaved slightly, his smile unwavering but his eyes darkening. "We don't even have a group photo yet," he said, his tone almost petulant.
Renji raised an eyebrow. "Why would I have one with you?"
Sai didn't flinch. His smile widened, and he leaned closer, clinging to Renji like a shadow. "Because we're the true companions," he murmured, his voice dripping with eerie conviction.
Renji ignored him, focusing on packing his ninja tools—kunai, shuriken, explosive tags—securing them to his thigh pouch. Sai's presence was suffocating, but Renji refused to let it rattle him. Sai, undeterred, sat on Renji's bed, his fingers brushing the pillow as if searching for a trace of Renji—a stray hair, perhaps. Finding none, he withdrew his hand with a disappointed sigh.
"Don't you want to know the confidential mission Lord Danzo gave me?" Sai asked, his tone deliberately baiting.
Renji didn't look up, buckling his pouch with practiced ease. "Let me guess," he said flatly. "He told you to kill Sasuke."
Sai's eyes widened briefly before narrowing, his smile returning. "You got it on the first try. Not bad."
"It wasn't hard," Renji replied, his voice devoid of emotion. His omniscient perspective—honed from years of absorbing Naruto's plot—made Danzo's schemes predictable. The only surprise was Sai's transformation into this clingy, unsettling shadow of his former self.
"You're no match for Sasuke," Renji added, his tone matter-of-fact. He wasn't trying to provoke Sai; he was stating the obvious. Sasuke's skills, even now, outclassed Sai's ROOT-honed abilities.
Sai's smile froze, his eyes glinting with something dangerous. Renji's words had struck a nerve.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +3,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +3,000!]
[Chakra (72,455,500 / 100,000,000)]
"You trust Uchiha Sasuke that much?" Sai's voice was low, his smile intact but his gaze stormy. He grabbed Renji's arm, his grip tight. "Have you forgotten? ROOT has no name, no emotions, no past, no future—only missions." His forehead pressed against Renji's, his breath warm and unsettling. "You're not Team Kakashi. You're ROOT. Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto aren't your companions. We are. We're the shadows of ROOT."
Renji's expression didn't waver. 'The only thing in your head is ROOT,' he thought, exasperated. He pushed Sai's head back, creating distance. "Get a grip."
Sai's smile didn't fade. He leaned closer, whispering, "You know why I admitted Danzo's order so easily? Because you're the other target, Renji. Lord Danzo wants us to team up and kill Sasuke."
Renji paused, his hands stilling on his pouch. Danzo's schemes were never simple, but this? This was a new level of manipulation. He met Sai's gaze, his stitched smile unyielding. "Good luck with that," he said, brushing past him.
...
At the Konoha Main Gate, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura waited, their ninja tools packed and ready. Naruto's arms were crossed, his foot tapping impatiently. Sakura stood beside him, her eyes darting to Naruto, worried he might snap at any moment.
Renji and Sai arrived, Sai glued to Renji's side like a persistent shadow. Naruto's nose practically twisted with irritation. "Tch!"
Sai ignored him, claiming the spot next to Renji with a smug smile. Naruto seethed, unable to squeeze past Sai to stand by his best friend. This guy's like chewing gum! he thought, glaring daggers.
"Everyone's here," Kakashi said, snapping Icha Icha Paradise shut with a dramatic flourish. "Let's move out." He took the lead, his nose already back in his book, a faint blush creeping up his neck as he read.
The five walked along the wide road out of Konoha, Kakashi in front, engrossed in his novel. Renji, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai followed, the tension between them thicker than the morning mist. Sai positioned himself between Renji and Naruto, blocking Naruto's attempts to get closer. Sakura stayed on Naruto's other side, keeping a wary eye on him, ready to intervene if his temper flared.
Naruto stuffed his hands in his pockets, his gaze burning holes into Sai's back. His resentment was palpable, his eyes practically shouting, Get away from Renji!
Sai, sensing the stare, glanced back, a flicker of impatience in his eyes. His smile remained, but his tone was sharp. "Stop staring at me like that."
Naruto's fists clenched. "You're the one acting all high and mighty, you jerk!"
"I mean no harm," Sai said, his smile widening, though it dripped with insincerity. "I just really want to be part of this team." His eyes flicked to Renji, the implication clear. A team with just me and Renji would be perfect.
"You're full of it!" Naruto snapped, stopping dead in his tracks. His chest heaved, his voice booming. "You're trying to ruin Team 7!"
Kakashi glanced back, his tone bored but firm. "Can you two knock it off? A team needs trust and cooperation." His words carried weight, but his eyes were still glued to his book, undermining his authority.
Naruto pointed at Sai, his face red with frustration. "He's not Team Kakashi! Sasuke is! This guy's just a placeholder until Sasuke comes back! I'll never accept him!"
He looked to Renji, hoping for a nod of agreement, but Sai's broad frame blocked his view. Naruto's heart sank—did Renji agree with him, or was Sai's influence too strong?
Sai chuckled softly, unfazed. "You're right. It's easier if you think that way." His tone was light, but his words cut deep. Who'd want to be teammates with Uzumaki Naruto and Sakura Haruno? He turned to Renji, his smile softening. "Betraying Konoha, joining Orochimaru—would you really compare me to trash like that, Renji?"
Renji met Sai's gaze, his expression unreadable. Sai's smile widened, waiting for a reaction.
"You bastard!" Naruto roared, lunging forward, his fist raised. Sakura grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
"Teamwork is important," Sakura said, her voice calm but firm, addressing both Naruto and Sai. "Sai, Naruto's just angry because he doesn't know you yet." She turned to Sai, her tone apologetic but strained. "I'm sorry for him. Please forgive Naruto."
Kakashi glanced at Sakura, subtly stepping back to avoid the brewing conflict. Smart move, Sakura.
Sai's smile was all warmth, but his eyes were cold. "I didn't take it to heart," he said, addressing Sakura with mock kindness. "No need to worry."
Sakura's smile matched his, sweet and disarming. "Really? That's great."
Bang!
Her fist connected with Sai's face, sending him sprawling to the ground. The impact echoed, dust kicking up around him. Sai blinked up at her, bewildered, his cheek already bruising. Was her smile fake? He hadn't seen it coming.
"You don't need to forgive me," Sakura said, her eyes icy as she retracted her fist. "Talk about Sasuke like that again, and you'll get worse."
Sai stayed down, his gaze shifting to Renji. His voice dripped with disappointment. "I thought your companions were better than this, Renji. Turns out they're just bullies who gang up on the new guy."
Naruto froze, realization hitting him. Renji and Sai had history—ROOT history. Were they closer than he thought? Sakura's expression faltered, her eyes darting to Renji. "He insulted Sasuke first," she said, her voice softer but firm. "You know Sasuke isn't like that, Renji."
Sai tugged at Renji's sleeve, his eyes wide with feigned hurt. "Did I say anything untrue?" he asked. "After all, we grew up together, Renji — I know you share my views on this."
----
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