Chapter 65: A Glimmer of Doubt

Ren fell silent under Ino’s fierce interrogation. Of all the people in Konoha, only she and the old woman at the dango shop had ever shown him unwavering kindness during the years he’d been forced to play the fool to survive. While everyone else forgot him, they had remembered. If there was any lingering guilt in his heart for Konoha, it was reserved for those two.

He found he couldn’t muster the same cold disdain for her. A wry, almost sad smile touched his lips. “Ino… it’s been a long time.”

A ripple of confusion ran through the Konoha shinobi. The cold, murderous rogue was gone, replaced by someone who sounded almost… nostalgic.

“Don’t change the subject!” Ino snapped, though the shift in his tone made her hesitate for just a heartbeat. “Tell me! What did you do to Ren? Where is he?!”

Ren let out a soft, humorless laugh. “That guy? You might as well consider him dead.” ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel[f]ire.net

“What did you say?” Ino’s voice dropped to a deadly whisper.

“I said,” Ren repeated, voice hardening, “the idiot known as Uchiha Ren of Konoha is dead.”

“No… that’s impossible… you’re lying…” Her face paled, hands trembling.

“Believe what you want,” he said, cold and unwavering.

“Did you… did you hurt him?” The question was barely audible.

“Let’s just say the Uchiha Ren you knew was… dismantled by me,” Ren stated flatly. He spoke the truth in a way—his former, helpless persona had been erased forever.

“YOU BASTARD!” The scream ripped from Ino, raw and unfiltered. Hope turned to blinding hatred. She forgot she was a sensory-type, forgot her clan’s mind-based techniques. She charged, kunai gripped in white-knuckled hands, aiming for the boy who had destroyed the one she never stopped caring for.

“Ino, wait!” Shikamaru yelled, but she was already moving.

“Tch. What a drag. Choji!” Shikamaru’s hands formed the clan’s signature seal. “If we can’t stop her, back her up!” His shadow shot across the ground like a black serpent, seeking to snare Ren.

Choji took a deep breath. “Human Juggernaut!” His hands ballooned to massive proportions, swinging downward to pin Ren.

Ren didn’t retaliate against Ino. He simply weaved through her grief-stricken strikes with precise, economical movements.

“Die! Die! Die!” Ino screamed, slashing frantically.

“Why so angry?” Ren taunted, still dodging effortlessly. “Maybe that fool Uchiha Ren never cared about you. Maybe you were just another face in the crowd.”

“SHUT UP!” Her attack intensified. “Ren wasn’t like that! He was bright, kind! A cold-blooded murderer like you has no right to speak!”

“You’re wrong,” Ren countered, cold. “He was selfish. He never cared. He hid behind a mask. You were deceived.”

“I SAID SHUT UP!” Ino’s final, enraged punch connected solidly with his jaw. Ren’s head snapped sideways, a trickle of blood seeping from his mouth.

Ino froze, stunned. She had hit him.

He chuckled softly, raising a thumb to wipe the blood away. “Nice punch, Ino. Didn’t know you had it in you.”

“You… why didn’t you dodge?” she asked, trembling.

“Consider it a debt paid,” he replied, wry smile returning. “Maybe it makes me feel a little better.”

Before she could respond, Ren’s expression sharpened. He spotted Shikamaru’s shadow tendril racing toward his feet. In a fluid motion, he leaped backward, evading capture.

Shikamaru!

Ino thought, glancing back.

Above him, Choji’s giant hand descended like a meteor. “Tch!” Ren grunted, performing a flawless Body Flicker Technique, vanishing and reappearing several meters away. Choji’s fist slammed into the ground with a thunderous BOOM, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

“Naruto! Sakura! Support them! Restrain him!” Kakashi commanded.

“Right!” they yelled in unison, charging. “I’m not letting you get away this time, Sasuke!” Naruto roared.

This is troublesome. Kakashi is the real threat. The others are persistent. Time to end this, Ren thought. His Sharingan flared, crimson patterns spinning. He met Naruto head-on, fists and feet clashing in a rapid taijutsu exchange, each move far surpassing his former rival.

“Sasuke, please, just come back with us!” Sakura pleaded, joining the assault. Her chakra-infused punches struck, but he wove through them with contemptuous ease. Against several Chunin-level shinobi, his Elite Jōnin prowess was overwhelming.

A Chidori flared in his palm, forcing Naruto back; a Rasengan deflected Shikamaru’s shadow and Choji’s giant fist.

The battle was brutally one-sided. Shikamaru sank to one knee, blood streaking his face. Choji panted, exhausted. Naruto bore fresh bruises, and Sakura nursed a shallow cut.

“Damn it…” Shikamaru muttered, bitterly laughing. “Not even a contest. When did he get this strong?”

The only ones relatively unscathed were Ren, Kakashi—who had yet to move—and Ino, reeling from emotional shock.

“Interesting, Kakashi,” Ren said, finally turning his gaze to the Jonin. “You held back from the start. That’s unlike you. What were you thinking?”

Kakashi’s eye narrowed, focused. He had tracked every move, every micro-expression.

“I was thinking,” Kakashi said low and deliberate, “are you… really Sasuke?”

Ren’s confident smirk faltered for a heartbeat. Kakashi’s observation had pierced deeper than anticipated.

“Oh?” Ren recovered quickly, tilting his head in mock amusement. “And why would you say that?”

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