Chapter 95: I Won't Die
Shikamaru admitted their explanations had no loopholes. Naruto even said Kakashi had already discovered the control. And Uchiha Shisui indeed existed. If Shikamaru went back to check, all relevant information could be found.
So, if Renji had lied, it wouldn't escape detection.
Shikamaru just felt that it was too much of a coincidence.
An indescribable feeling washed over him. All his rationality told him: 'No problem, no logical flaws. Renji was manipulated. It was all Danzo's fault.'
But his intuition was screaming wildly.
'It's not that simple! It's definitely not that simple!'
He felt like he was walking on a tightrope over a bottomless abyss. His decision now, to believe or not, would determine whether he fell.
"Shikamaru, what's wrong?" Ino looked at him worriedly. Shikamaru's face was very pale.
Renji naturally knew what he was concerned about. He pursed his lips and lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Shikamaru, about Kurenai-san..."
Upon mentioning Kurenai, Shikamaru's face paled. He again thought of her being crumpled into a ball by Renji. He couldn't control the murderous intent.
'If Renji is truly the murderer, and I just watch him get forgiven... wouldn't that be ridiculous?'
"No!" Renji's eyes lit up. He suddenly looked up at Shikamaru. "If I did something like that... then maybe I... I could restore Kurenai-san..."
He was a bit incoherent from excitement.
"I mean... since I can change, I can also restore... Maybe, Yuhi Kurenai... she can come back..."
Shikamaru stared at him. He felt it was impossible, but a flicker of hope uncontrollably ignited in his heart.
"I'll try... Shikamaru, I'm sorry... give me some time. I will make amends," Renji's guilt and sorrow seemed to overflow.
Naruto didn't want Renji to take all the blame. "It's not your fault! It's Danzo's! You're also a victim! Danzo even planted a Cursed Seal on you, that's too despicable!"
"What? A Cursed Seal!" Sakura looked at Renji worriedly. "Is it undone?"
Renji nodded. "When Danzo died, it was undone. It was just to prevent ROOT members from leaking information. Since Danzo died, the Cursed Seal disappeared."
Renji lied. The Cursed Seal didn't disappear. He would have his clone, Tsunade, lead ROOT. Danzo's legacy would be fully taken over by him.
...
Renji's apartment.
"Renji, you're still playing them for fools, aren't you?" Sai was helping clean the room.
Renji snorted, not speaking.
Sai didn't expect that Renji could restore his relationship with them like this.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +1,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +1,000]
[Chakra (286,674,002 / 400,000,000)]
Renji turned over in bed and found an extra pillow.
'Damn it! It's Naruto's!'
"Do you want me to throw it away for you?" Sai asked.
Renji shook his head. 'Of course not. Throwing it away wouldn't fit my persona.'
Renji lay on the bed. "Remember to close the door when you leave."
Tomorrow, his clone, Tsunade, should awaken. Next up was urgent preparation for the war.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +1,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +1,000]
[Chakra (286,675,002 / 400,000,000)]
"Can't I stay here with you?" Sai stood at the entrance, his back looking lonely.
"No," Renji smiled and refused.
"Uzumaki Naruto can, right?" As Sai said this, he twisted the doorknob.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +1,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +1,000]
[Chakra (286,676,002 / 400,000,000)]
Click— The door closed.
Renji played with the Kurenai Modified Human from his tool pouch.
When he modified her, he had left a protective layer for her soul.
Renji's hand touched the soul inside. He slowly kneaded and flattened it, molding Kurenai's appearance back to how it was.
He didn't modify the child in her belly. Even when she was modified, the child was not modified and was still developing.
Renji's eyes darted. 'A good idea...'
...
Midnight.
The Nara Clan's door was knocked.
Shikamaru, the only one awake, went to open it. He rarely slept well. Every night, Asuma and Kurenai would appear before his eyes.
Creak—
Shikamaru opened the door. He looked at the figure at the entrance, and his whole body stiffened.
Yuhi Kurenai gently stroked her belly and smiled at Shikamaru.
"Long time no see, Shikamaru."
'Is this a dream? It must be.'
He had dreamed of Kurenai many times, but never once was she safe or gentle.
Shikamaru's breathing hitched, and his gaze shifted. He saw Renji, pale and leaning against the door.
Pale wasn't enough to describe it. His face was deathly white, almost like a corpse, somewhat transparent in the moonlight, as if he was about to disappear.
'It's not a dream!'
Shikamaru looked at Kurenai, a sharp stinging sensation in his eyes.
"Renji sacrificed a lot..." After Kurenai woke up, Renji apologized and recounted everything. Kurenai was a Jonin; she vaguely sensed the conspiracy.
Although she didn't know what Renji sacrificed, she had a premonition it was an immense cost.
"It was my fault to begin with. I should take responsibility," Renji's voice was airy.
Kurenai said helplessly, "I know it definitely wasn't your fault." Otherwise, he wouldn't have expended so much effort to resurrect her.
"He was controlled by Danzo," Shikamaru explained.
'What else is there to question?' Shikamaru thought. 'If Renji was faking it, why restore Kurenai?'
He knew Renji must have sacrificed a lot. Everything pointed to one conclusion: Renji was truly controlled.
"It's late, I need to rest, and he should rest too," Kurenai touched her belly.
"I'll take you to Sakura," Shikamaru looked at Renji's complexion, grabbed his hand, and walked towards Sakura's house.
As soon as he grabbed it, Shikamaru's heart skipped a beat. Renji's pulse was so faint it was almost imperceptible.
"How exactly did you bring Kurenai-san back..." Shikamaru felt a stinging in his eyes, his throat blocked with cotton.
Renji tried to pull his hand away, but couldn't, feeling completely powerless.
"I'm a Medical Ninja. I know my current body. I'm fine, Shikamaru."
Renji smiled at him. He pulled his hand away. 'My body... I can modify it however I want.'
"No!" Shikamaru still forcefully took Renji to Sakura.
Sakura was dazed after being woken up, but then she saw Renji's deathly pale face and her heart almost stopped.
"Renji! What happened to you?"
Sakura noticed Renji's evasive gaze and Shikamaru's grave expression.
Shikamaru told Sakura about Kurenai.
Sakura's face tightened. She grabbed Renji. "No, you have to come with me to the hospital for a full body check-up!"
"No!" Renji's reaction was strong.
Noticing their surprised expressions, he quickly tried to cover it up. "It's nothing, just... just lost a little blood... Sakura, can you make me some blood-replenishing soup tomorrow? I really want to drink your soup!"
It was too strange. His eagerness to hide and change the subject.
Sakura dared not hesitate.
The two of them, while Renji had no power to resist, carried him to the hospital.
The test results scared the nurse pale. "He... his heart..."
Shikamaru pressed, "What about his heart?"
Sakura immediately placed her hand on Renji's chest. Feeling the condition, her tears streamed down.
Sakura was angry at Renji for the first time, scolding him.
"Renji Mahito, you scoundrel! How dare you? Are you trying to infuriate me to death?"
At the same time, the nurse told Shikamaru the results, "Um... his heart... half of it is missing... I've never seen anyone live with half a heart missing..."
The nurse left the room in shock. Shikamaru was struck as if by lightning.
"I'm going to tell Naruto and Kakashi-sensei! They'll surely scold you to death!"
"No, don't." Renji couldn't hide it, so he stopped trying.
He lay on the hospital bed, still able to smile. "Aren't I fine? I won't die from losing half my heart, will I?"
'If they wanted to see, I could even mold my heart into various shapes. Mickey Mouse, anything. Molding Kurenai back took a lot of energy. I was just afraid of molding her into an ugly woman.'
Sakura's heart ached from his nonchalant attitude. Angry and heartbroken.
"Are you crazy?" Shikamaru stared intently at Renji.
"I'm not crazy. I won't die," Renji looked earnestly at him.
"You won't die, but you'll be half-dead. Look at you now, what's the difference?" Shikamaru didn't know how he could be so foolish.
"I'm sorry, don't be angry, Shikamaru," Renji comforted him.
Shikamaru couldn't take it anymore. He took a deep breath and quickly left the room. He didn't want them to see his tears.
In the hospital room, Sakura fiercely threatened Renji, "You just wait! Tomorrow I'll tell everyone! I'll make sure everyone gives you a lesson!"
"No, I have my limits... To restore Kurenai, I had to use my ability... But the ability can't be transferred... Blood was useless... So I could only try with the heart..."
Sakura now wanted to perform a craniotomy on Renji to see what he was thinking.
"You even tried blood transfusions? Renji, do you dare to do anything else that will infuriate me to death!" Sakura's roar came from the room.
Outside, Shikamaru covered his eyes, tears overflowing from between his fingers.
Inside, after scolding him, Sakura looked at Renji, who was lying obediently, and her heart softened. She sat beside him and watched him slowly fall asleep from exhaustion.
She held Renji's hand, placed it on her cheek, and stayed with him.
'Kind to the point of being heartbreaking, yet also infuriating. That was Renji.'
'The Renji who wasn't controlled was still the Renji from before. That was good.'
Sakura closed her eyes.
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