Chapter 61 Senjutsu

“Phew…”

Renjiro sighed in relief as he felt Orochimaru’s presence finally disappear. He relaxed and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“As expected from one of the Legendary Sannin.” He thought: “If we had actually fought just now, it would’ve been a tough battle… especially with my current strength.”

Honestly, his chances would’ve been 20% at best. He was lucky they were still inside Konoha’s borders—and lucky that Orochimaru still saw him as someone worth being cautious around.

Fighting someone like Orochimaru felt like trying to make a deal with a tiger, it was both risky and unpredictable.

Still, the good news was that Renjiro had finished his new technique, and unless something serious happened, he had no reason to deal with Orochimaru again.

Since the war ended, Renjiro hadn’t just learned a few new Jutsu or completed his Shinku Shinken—he was aiming much higher. With threats like the Nine-Tails and Obito approaching, he needed real power, and fast.

After going through many options, he realized most took too long or didn’t offer enough strength. In the end, there was only one path that made sense, Senjutsu.

Everyone knew how powerful it was. Sage Mode spoke for itself. Even Orochimaru’s Curse Mark was based on its power.

Arkain had picked up traces of natural chakra a long time ago, but Renjiro didn’t rush into it. He understood the danger. In the original Naruto timeline, using natural chakra carelessly could turn you into stone or kill you.

That’s why he waited. He let Arkain study it in detail. Only after confirming it was safe did he start using it.

It wasn’t fear. It was smart. He couldn’t afford to die from a curse or become a statue. He had too much at stake.

Teaming up with Orochimaru had always been part of Renjiro’s plan.

In today’s ninja world, only two people truly had access to Senjutsu: Orochimaru and Jiraiya. But with Jiraiya traveling outside the village, Orochimaru was the only one left in Konoha.

Even if Jiraiya had been around, Renjiro still wouldn’t have picked him. Jiraiya just followed the frog sages of Mount Myoboku—he never truly understood the deeper science behind Sage Techniques.

Orochimaru, however, had studied it directly. He experimented, gathered data, and understood how it actually worked. That made him the better choice.

So how did Renjiro get in touch with someone like Orochimaru? Simply, he made himself interesting.

Renjiro went to Orochimaru openly, using the research Arkain had collected. He explained everything he’d learned and shared his idea for a new Jutsu. Orochimaru didn’t even hesitate, he was immediately intrigued and offered to help develop the technique right away.

Of course, Renjiro knew the truth. Orochimaru wasn’t helping out of kindness, he wanted a live test subject, and Renjiro was perfect for the role.

But that didn’t bother Renjiro. As long as he got something valuable from it, Orochimaru could plot all he wanted.

And in the end, thanks to Orochimaru’s knowledge and Arkain’s advanced simulations, the new technique was completed.

Orochimaru’s offer to make Renjiro his subordinate was probably because he noticed something unusual—he saw Renjiro’s "talent," which was really Arkain’s AI-level intelligence, and realized it could be useful. Most likely, Orochimaru saw him as a possible key to unlocking immortality.

But Renjiro had no plans to work for someone who saw people as nothing more than tools.

They would never be true allies. In fact, if they ever met again, they’d most likely end up as enemies.

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The next morning, Renjiro woke up a bit earlier than usual.

He was still wrapped in the warmth of his blankets and didn’t really feel like getting up, but he had to. Today was special. He had invited his friends over for a small feast to celebrate his new home, so he needed to prepare some good food and drinks.

This wasn’t just any house. It used to belong to a noble from the Land of Fire.

At first, the owner didn’t want to sell it, but after some persistence, and because of Renjiro’s reputation as the “Lightning Flash,” he finally agreed.

And it was worth the effort. The estate felt like it was made just for him: a main house, two guest rooms, a weapon storeroom, a kitchen, a loft, a warehouse, a peaceful courtyard, and best of all—a small private training field.

But Renjiro’s favorite part of the property was a quiet pond tucked beside a graceful cherry blossom tree.

Cherry blossoms—symbols of beauty, honor, and purity.

The whole place was stunning. According to the former owner, it had been designed by a famous architect. Every detail, every corner, had been carefully thought out and beautifully crafted.

Inmaru absolutely loved the new house. Renjiro did too, except for one thing: the cost. To afford the estate, he had to drain his savings and borrow money from his friends. His wallet was still recovering from the trauma.

Naturally, a new home called for a housewarming party. Renjiro’s original plan was simple, to book a table at a restaurant and be done with it. But Meri shut that idea down fast.

“How can you half-ass a housewarming party?” She scolded him directly: “Your friends and comrades are coming! It has to be done right.”

Before he could argue, she offered to take over the entire thing. With no way out, Renjiro just let her take charge.

Early the next morning, the two of them hit the market and came back loaded with groceries.

The house’s exterior was beautiful, its walls built from polished red wood, and the front gate painted a deep, matching crimson.

The courtyard wasn’t massive roughly 300 square meters, but it was thoughtfully designed. With the pond, cherry blossom tree, and a few rock garden elements, there were still about 200 square meters of open space more than enough room for Inmaru to run and play to his heart’s content.

Back at home, Inmaru was happily playing in the yard while Meri and Renjiro carried groceries into the kitchen.

“All right—let’s get to work!” Meri said with a grin as she tied her golden hair into a ponytail and rolled up her sleeves, revealing her smooth, pale arms. She was practically glowing with energy.

Renjiro froze, caught off guard.

“Huh? What are you staring at?” Meri asked, noticing the blank look on his face.

“Oh—uh, nothing!” He stammered, snapping out of it. There was no way he’d admit that, for a moment, he was completely mesmerized by how beautiful she looked.

“Out, out! Shoo!” Meri laughed, playfully pushing him toward the door: “Cooking is a woman’s job today—I’ve got this!”

“But I could help—”

“Nope! Out! Time’s ticking!”

Before he could argue, she gave him one last push and shut the kitchen door.

Left outside, Renjiro stood in quiet stillness, watching her move gracefully through the kitchen window.

For some reason… he felt a strange sense of peace. A soft warmth bloomed in his chest, something he’d never felt before, not even once in either of his two lifetimes.

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By sunset, the guests had started to arrive.

Renjiro stood by the front gate, dressed in a deep-blue kimono, welcoming each one with a calm smile.

The first to show up were the classic Ino–Shika–Cho trio, followed closely by Guy and several of Renjiro’s trusted comrades.

He had also invited some fellow shinobi from his missions in the Land of Water and the Land of Waterfall. However, after hearing that prominent clan heirs like Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka would be attending, they politely declined. Renjiro didn’t take offense, because he understood why they declined his invention, so promised to catch up with them privately another time.

As for Maemon and Tsugami, they hadn’t even needed invitations. They’d arrived around noon and helped with preparations all afternoon.

Thanks to Tsugami’s connections, members of the Inuzuka clan came as well. Fortunately, they already had a good rapport with the Nara and Yamanaka clans, so they fit right in, putting Renjiro’s worries about social tension at ease.

Finally, Minato arrived with Kushina by his side.

Renjiro was stunned. He had invited Minato, of course, but he never expected Kushina to come too, especially not with her due date so close.

Seeing her round belly, Renjiro gave a sheepish chuckle: “Yondaime-sams, you’re really giving me too much honor bringing Kushina-san along…”

Naturally, Kakashi came with them. But before anyone could say more than a few words, Guy appeared out of nowhere and dragged Kakashi off for yet another ridiculous challenge.

Renjiro used the moment to quietly slip away, there was no way he was getting pulled into that madness.

As for the Third Hokage, he hadn’t come in person, but he did send a handwritten letter: “You young folks enjoy yourselves. This old man will sit this one out. Have fun!”

With all the guests accounted for, the banquet officially began.

And what a feast it was.

Meri’s cooking blew everyone away. Platters of delicious food were passed around, accompanied by laughter, compliments, and the clinking of glasses.

 Once the guests found out Meri had prepared everything herself, the noise only got louder with cheers, teasing, and heartfelt praise filling the air.

Kushina sat next to Meri, occasionally shooting glances between her and Renjiro with a sly smile.

At one point, she leaned in and whispered something to Meri, something that made the girl’s cheeks turn red… and then even redder with every passing word.

By the end of the evening, Meri was still blushing, and no one could quite get the truth out of her.

Whatever had been said, one thing was certain: the housewarming was a huge success.

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Next Chapter: The Nine-Tails Attack Begins!

Stay tuned—everything’s about to change.