"Kurenai, could you… Maybe stop looking at me like that?" Walking down the street, Renzou turned to Kurenai, a helpless expression on his face. Ever since they'd left the training grounds, Kurenai had been gazing at him, her red eyes sparkling with admiration, a constant, unwavering look.
"Huh? Oh, sorry…" Kurenai blinked, a blush immediately staining her cheeks. She lowered her gaze to the path, then looked back up at Renzou, her admiration evident. "Renzou, you were incredible! You actually defeated Kakashi! If you're this strong, why haven't you applied for early graduation?" Her admiration mingled with genuine curiosity. She knew Renzou was strong, but beating Kakashi? That was unexpected. If he was this skilled, why wasn't he already a ninja?
"Hahaha, Kurenai, the short answer is, I'm not eager to wear the label of 'genius' prematurely," Renzou chuckled, then his gaze drifted to the distant Hokage Rock. "Kurenai, we need to get stronger quickly. We don't have much time." The sudden shift in topic was unprompted.
"Huh?" Before Kurenai could decipher his meaning, they had arrived at her house, Kaede's voice interrupting her thoughts.
"Don't overthink it. I wouldn't want to leave you alone at school, constantly worrying about you. Are you tired today? Go home and rest early. See you tomorrow, Kurenai, hahaha." With a playful ruffle of her hair, Renzou turned and walked towards his own home, leaving a flustered Kurenai behind. A whirlwind of emotions – confusion, a growing blush, and then the sting of his teasing. As she finally processed his words, his retreat disappeared from view. She shook her fist twice in the air, as if Renzou were still within reach. "Hmph, idiot Renzou! I'll pack extra chili peppers in your lunch tomorrow, just you wait for touching my head!" Kurenai huffed and turned towards her house.
"Ah, finally home." The moment Renzou stepped inside, he collapsed onto his bed without even taking off his shoes. This afternoon's spar had been draining. He barely had enough chakra left for a C-rank ninjutsu. But thankfully, his goal had been achieved. "Tomorrow's Friday already. Time flies." Renzou stared at the ceiling, muttering to himself. The agreement with Jiraiya for Summoning was settled. Now, his focus could shift to Orochimaru. Advanced ninjutsu, even forbidden techniques, weren't out of reach. And he needed a proper weapon. Relying solely on kunai wasn't ideal in the long run. Every renowned ninja possessed a signature tool: Minato's Flying Thunder God Kunai, Sasuke's Kusanagi Sword, Itachi's Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror, and Madara's Gunbai Fan. In low-level encounters, kunai were sufficient, but against stronger opponents… Renzou gritted his teeth at the thought. He'd started with nothing but basic scrolls; all his equipment depended on his efforts. If only I could return to the Uchiha clan with some standing…Interrupting this unrealistic fantasy, Renzou shed his jacket, slipped under the covers, and stared at the ceiling, his consciousness gradually fading… A pity that the world offered everything, except a rewind button.
The next day:
Renzou sat in the classroom as usual, the familiar drone of his teacher, Murayama Shigeru, the sight of his classmates, and Kurenai diligently taking notes beside him. But the desk next to his remained empty. Renzou glanced at Uchiha Yusuke's seat, idly twirling a kunai in his hand, lost in thought. Kurenai had mentioned this morning that Uchiha Yusuke had taken the day off, something to handle at home. A sense of unease settled over Renzou. He decided to visit Yusuke's family over the weekend to see what had happened.
As time ticked by, the school bell rang once more. Renzou and Kurenai walked towards the ninja school entrance, chatting idly. Upon stepping outside, Renzou paused, pulling Kurenai beneath the sprawling branches of a large tree, near a swing set. As a figure emerged from behind the tree, both of them quickly saluted.
"Jiraiya-sama."
Jiraiya nodded in acknowledgment, then looked at Renzou. Understanding, Renzou turned to Kurenai. "Kurenai, could you head home first? I'll come by your place tomorrow."
"Alright, be careful. Jiraiya-sama, farewell." Kurenai had witnessed the end of yesterday's spar and knew Jiraiya was taking Renzou to learn the Summoning Technique. Her presence would be inconvenient. She bid them goodbye and started towards her house.
"Follow me," Jiraiya said, glancing at Renzou before turning and leading the way. Renzou consciously trailed behind him. They navigated the bustling streets, eventually arriving at a secluded training ground.
"This is… Training Ground Five," Renzou observed. Jiraiya turned his head and nodded.
"Yes. It's been abandoned for a while, so no one should disturb us here. Summoning is a space-time ninjutsu. If interrupted, who knows what could happen?" Renzou nodded, well aware of Jiraiya's less-than-smooth introduction to the technique. As a boy, after witnessing Sarutobi Hiruzen demonstrate Summoning, a Tsunade-obsessed Jiraiya had practiced in secret, eventually reverse-summoning himself to Mount Myōboku before even forming a proper contract. After aiding Gamabunta against a python, under Gamabunta's guidance, Jiraiya had first met Fukasaku-sama and begun his training on the mystical mountain. Those teenage years spent on Mount Myōboku had laid the strong foundation for his future strength.
"I'll demonstrate first. Remember, the hand seals for the Summoning Technique are the key." As he spoke, Jiraiya bit his thumb, swiftly weaved a series of hand seals, and then slammed one hand onto the ground. "Summoning Technique!" A burst of white mist erupted. When it cleared, a massive scroll had appeared out of thin air. Jiraiya then swiped his finger through the air, and the rolled-up scroll slowly unfurled, revealing a circular array of runes within. "This is the Summoning Scroll. Write your name in your blood, then touch the blank space beside it with your bloodied finger."
Renzou listened intently, unrolling the scroll. He bit his finger and carefully wrote his name from top to bottom in blood: Uchiha Renzou. Then, he firmly pressed his bloodied fingerprint below his name.
Jiraiya leaned against a large tree, arms crossed, and spoke again. "Next, focus your chakra on the area where you want to summon. Place the hand that signed the contract there, and then perform the Summoning Technique I just showed you. As for where you end up… that depends on your luck."
Renzou nodded, took a few steps back, and began to weave the hand seals. "Summoning Technique!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Chapter 27