Chapter 59 New Mission

Evening had fallen over the Hidden Leaf.

Renjiro stood quietly on the stone head of the Third Hokage, his deep-purple cloak fluttering over a dark blue kimono. The breeze ran through his soft hair, making it ripple slightly. His calm, handsome face showed a hint of worry, he was lost in thought.

The year was nearly over. Soon, it would be the 48th year of the Hidden Leaf Village. That meant one thing: the Nine-Tails Attack was coming.

Renjiro had been thinking about it for a long time: "Where would he be during that crisis? What could he do?"

He remembered everything clearly from the anime. The Nine-Tails Incident had come out of nowhere, striking just outside the village.

It had killed many shinobi, some couldn’t escape in time, others couldn’t fight back. It was one of the darkest days in Konoha’s history.

Minato had sacrificed his life to protect both the village and his family. Others had died too. The village lost so much strength that it was almost like surviving another Great Ninja War.

Renjiro believed in his skills, but when it came to facing the Nine-Tails, he felt completely powerless. The beast wasn’t just strong, it was like a natural disaster, something far beyond what any normal shinobi could fight. It was sealed inside Kushina, but that didn’t make it any less dangerous.

In all the history of the ninja world, only a handful of people had the courage and power to stand against the Nine-Tails. And right now, Renjiro wasn’t one of them.

But then Renjiro remembered Minato’s warm, gentle smile, and the soft glow in Kushina’s eyes when she spoke to him during his promotion ceremony.

He thought about how the village had changed since Minato became Hokage. People smiled more. The air felt lighter, more hopeful.

After thinking it over for a long time, Renjiro came to a quiet but firm realization—he couldn’t stay out of this. Even if it meant risking his own life.

He wasn’t made of stone. He wasn’t cold or heartless. Yes, he had spent most of his time in this world away from the village, but whether he liked it or not, he had become deeply connected to the Hidden Leaf.

His friends were here. His mentor. Every success he had earned, it was all tied to this place.

“I can’t just stand by…” Renjiro whispered.

He wasn’t some perfect, self-sacrificing hero. But he wasn’t indifferent either. He was human, the kind of person who would celebrate a friend’s wedding, or give a coin to a beggar who truly needed it.

And Minato… he wasn’t just a Hokage. He was the Hokage chosen by the people. A leader who brought hope. The village had grown under his leadership, not because the Third Hokage had failed, but because Hiruzen had guided them through an era of war. Minato had simply inherited the light of a new dawn.

Rebuilding was always harder than tearing things down, but Minato was doing it brilliantly.

Under his leadership, Konoha’s economy and morale were rising again. The pain of the last war was slowly fading. For the first time in years, the village was starting to feel peaceful.

Minato was like the sun, driving away the darkness.

Renjiro thought in himself: "If Minato could survive, if he could keep leading the village, maybe peace wasn’t just a fantasy. Maybe Konoha could finally break free from the endless cycle of bloodshed. Maybe tragedies like the Uchiha Clan’s downfall could be avoided..."

Not that Renjiro dreamed of saving the world. He wasn’t chasing some noble idea like “world peace.” That wasn’t him.

But Minato... Minato was someone special. Someone who deserved to live and reach his full potential.

Even Renjiro, who had been a stranger from another world, had slowly come to admire and care about him. Minato’s light had a way of pulling people in.

Crrrkk!

Renjiro’s fists tightened as a gust of wind rushed past, whipping his violet cloak behind him. His sharp, narrow eyes caught a spark of lightning.

He whispered the names that would haunted the village very soon: “The Nine-Tails… Obito…”

---

Renjiro’s long absence from the village and his rare appearances left many people puzzled.

But those who knew him well didn’t ask questions. Given his personality and reputation, they simply assumed he had his reasons. And they trusted him.

Now that his self-imposed isolation and training were over, the village wasn’t going to let someone as valuable as him sit around doing nothing.

The very next morning, Anbu arrived at his door with a message:

The Fourth Hokage wanted to see him.

Renjiro wasn’t surprised. He knew this wasn’t just a casual meeting. So instead of putting on his usual comfortable kimono, he walked to his wardrobe and picked something more fitting—an outfit he had designed himself.

After getting dressed, he paused in front of the mirror.

Slim black pants tucked into sharp leather boots. A custom utility belt holding his gear, cleverly hidden.

On top, he wore a crisp white shirt under a short black jacket. And finally, a tie—not just for style, but made from a special material. In an emergency, it could be used as a ninja tool.

Looking at his reflection, Renjiro couldn’t help but smirk: “Damn… I’m way too handsome. No wonder I don’t have many guy friends.”

“Woof!”

Inmaru, his loyal companion, let out a bark—his face full of what could only be described as pure judgment.

“Oh, come on.” Renjiro laughed, completely misreading the look. He crouched down and gave the large dog’s head a vigorous rub.

“You agree with me, right? I knew you had good taste.”

---

Not long after, Renjiro left his home, with Inmaru lumbering along behind him. But when the huge dog started struggling with the stairs, Renjiro stopped and sighed.

“…Maybe it’s time to find a new place.” He muttered.

Since today’s meeting could involve official matters and Inmaru’s playful behavior wasn’t exactly helpful, Renjiro decided to drop him off at the Inuzuka Clan compound before heading to the Hokage Residence.

He arrived without any trouble.

At the door, he gave a light knock. A few seconds later, it opened, and a short Anbu member stepped out.

As they passed each other, Renjiro paused, blinked in recognition.

That Anbu... it was Kakashi.

He didn’t say anything. By now, he’d seen Kakashi enough times that it didn’t feel like a big deal anymore.

Renjiro just shrugged and stepped inside.

“Wow… that’s a flashy outfit.” Minato said with a soft chuckle, raising an eyebrow: “Doesn’t it affect your combat performance?”

“Not at all!” Renjiro grinned, instantly diving into an enthusiastic explanation. He went on about how every part of the outfit was designed for maximum utility, movement, and style.

Renjiro even suggested Minato should get one too—said it would’ve made a perfect wedding outfit… if Minato hadn’t gotten married so early.

Minato gave a helpless smile and eventually had to clear his throat to cut him off, otherwise, Renjiro might have gone on forever.

Then, with a shift to a more serious tone, Minato said: “Renjiro, I have an important mission for your team.

Renjiro’s expression shifted immediately. The air grew more solemn: “What is it?”

Minato leaned forward: “While it’s true that we’ve signed a peace treaty with Iwagakure… that peace only holds on the surface. Beneath it, the shadows still move.”

“Espionage, sabotage, assassinations—those haven’t stopped. Our intelligence network has reported that a squad of elite Iwa-nin has entered the Land of Fire. Their mission is to assassinate a prominent merchant loyal to the Leaf.”

Minato’s gaze locked with Renjiro’s: “I want you to protect him. Ensure he returns home alive.”

“Iwa-nin, huh…” Renjiro said in a confident voice: “Leave it to us.”

---

Somewhere deep in the forests of the Land of Fire—

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Renjiro and his team moved swiftly through the trees.

At the back of the formation, Maemon, now a full-fledged Chunin was grumbling nonstop. His new green flak vest fit terribly and looked worse. He kept muttering under his breath, eyeing Renjiro’s sleek outfit with clear envy: “Too flashy… way too flashy…”

Meanwhile, Meri kept stealing glances at Renjiro, practically glowing with admiration. Hearts might as well have been floating above her head. But the moment Renjiro looked her way, she snapped to attention like a perfect shinobi—calm, professional, innocent.

“Woof!”

Up ahead, Tsugami was riding Domaru, his massive companion, watching the whole scene with quiet amusement. Domaru barked as if to agree: they were definitely a weird bunch.

Finally, Renjiro sighed and turned his head back: “Maemon, can you not? You’re a Chunin now. Might be leading your own squad soon. Try acting like it.”

Over the past month, the village had handed out rewards and promotions to the returning war heroes. Unsurprisingly, every member of Renjiro’s team had made Chunin, both Maemon and Meri included.

As for Tsugami, his rank hadn’t changed, but his profile now had a special note: High Potential. Once he gained more field experience, his family name alone could fast-track him to Special Jonin.

Their current mission was to protect a wealthy merchant from the Land of Fire—a task given directly by Minato. But Renjiro had no interest in waiting around for the Iwa-nin to make their move. Instead, he took the fight to them.

Renjiro wasn’t worried about the enemy sneaking in while he was gone. Not only had he gotten much stronger during his month of intense training, but he’d also planned ahead—leaving a Shadow Clone behind to protect the target.

That’s right—a Shadow Clone.

Unlike most shinobi who kept their techniques secret, Renjiro was generous with what he created.

When the higher-ups in Konoha started drooling over his Lightning Flash Jutsu, he didn’t hesitate. He went straight to Minato and proposed a trade—just like he had once done with the Third Hokage.

This time, Renjiro offered three techniques:

Body Stimulation

Lightning Release: Lightning Flash

Taijutsu: Tekkai

In return, he asked for three things:

The Shadow Clone Technique

Basic Sealing Arts

And Minato’s personal help creating a new move—Rankyaku.

Renjiro was never afraid of being surpassed. His true weapon was Arkain—a mind-enhancement system that let him learn, adapt, and invent jutsu at a speed no one else could match.

Even if someone managed to copy his techniques, it didn’t matter. By the time they caught up, Renjiro would already be miles ahead.

Renjiro had even requested a special metal from the village to forge a new ninja blade. His current sword was outdated—it simply couldn’t keep up with his evolving strength.

As for the trade with Minato, it had been more than worth it. The Shadow Clone Technique alone was invaluable.

In the original Naruto timeline, its usefulness had been shown over and over.

And Sealing Techniques? Renjiro understood just how powerful they were—standing apart from the basic three ninja arts. Learning them was no longer optional; it was a must.

Improving Rankyaku with Minato’s help? That was an obvious decision. If anyone could master and refine chakra shape manipulation, it was Minato.

Minato had been genuinely impressed by Rankyaku’s concept—especially the fact that it didn’t require hand seals, much like his own Rasengan. After several days of intense training and refinement, the technique evolved.

It could now be unleashed not just through kicks, but also through hands and sword strikes. With this major upgrade, they gave it a new name:

Shinku Shinken

(Vacuum Divine Blade)