290-Condition
Renjiro hesitated, glancing from Iha to Jiraiya before giving a reluctant nod. "It's because of a condition of mine." He let the words sink in for a moment, aware that both were listening intently. "Any foreign chakra entering my body gets purified."
Iha's mouth parted slightly in surprise, and she leaned forward, her eyes intent. "Purified?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Iha, with her fingers thoughtfully resting on her chin, cast a pensive look at Renjiro.
"So… that's why it wasn't working?" she asked, her gaze both bewildered and intrigued.
'Does this mean I can't use Mind Transfer on him?' she thought. The implications were astounding. For a shinobi, and especially a Yamanaka, accustomed to bending minds and spirits to her will, the idea of someone possibly being immune to such techniques was nearly unfathomable.
Jiraiya's reaction was less subtle; his face twisted into a frown as he considered the implications. "So… that means you can't be healed by others, either," he muttered, almost to himself.
Renjiro shrugged, trying to keep his tone casual, though he knew the risks of such an ability. "Good thing I know some medical ninjutsu," he replied, forcing a lightness into his voice. "Unless it's a serious wound, I should be able to manage."
The truth was that Renjiro hadn't relied on medical ninjutsu in a while. His regeneration ability, unknown to most, had served him well, healing wounds with an efficiency that made traditional medical ninjutsu unnecessary. He'd never had to call on those techniques in the field, and frankly, he doubted if he would be in a position where he would have to use them.
But revealing that bit of information wasn't something he was inclined to do, not when he could leave it up to their imaginations.
Renjiro preferred the half-truths, the strategic omissions. If they guessed the nature of his abilities on their own, he wouldn't have to give specific details, wouldn't have to let them into the intricate workings of his chakra seinou or its effects on foreign chakra. His chakra seinou was a tool, a weapon, and he was reluctant to expose its full capabilities even to trusted allies.
Jiraiya gave him a skeptical look, perhaps sensing there was more to Renjiro's words than he was letting on. But instead of pressing him, Jiraiya turned his attention back to Iha.
"Strange, isn't it?" he mused, his voice quiet yet contemplative. "This boy's got something quite rare. But it makes sense why Takata couldn't place a proper tracking mark on him."
Iha nodded, though her expression still held a hint of frustration. "This is a peculiar case. I'd like to understand it better." Her fingers drummed thoughtfully against her chin, as if already formulating hypotheses and theories.
For her, a member of the Yamanaka clan, such an anomaly posed an intellectual challenge she couldn't ignore.
Renjiro shifted uncomfortably, not wanting the discussion to linger any longer on his strange chakra condition. He glanced at Kakashi, who was still lying unconscious on the examination table, and used the opportunity to change the topic.
"What about him?" he asked, nodding toward Kakashi. "Are we just going to leave him here passed out?"
Jiraiya, ever resourceful, flicked his wrist with a casual grace. In an instant, Renjiro and Kakashi's clothes materialized in the air above him, descending in a messy heap. Renjiro barely had time to react before the clothes landed on his head and shoulders, obscuring his vision and making him stagger back in surprise.
Pulling the clothes off his head, Renjiro fixed Jiraiya with a blank stare, his expression caught between annoyance and disbelief.
"What?" Jiraiya asked, feigning innocence.
Renjiro opened his mouth, then closed it, as if struggling to decide whether to press the issue. Finally, he sighed, his voice flat with exasperation. "You… you had them all along?"
Jiraiya shrugged nonchalantly. "Yes," he replied, his tone matter-of-fact.
Renjiro stared at him for a moment, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation. "Couldn't you have given them back before flickering us here?"
Jiraiya coughed, clearly caught off guard, but quickly tried to gloss over it. "We were in a hurry."
Renjiro rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath. 'This perv…' he thought, suppressing a smirk as he slipped back into his clothes. It was just like Jiraiya to overlook the details in his haste.
Once he was fully dressed, Renjiro turned back to Jiraiya, a look of mild impatience on his face. "Are we dismissed now?"
Jiraiya's expression turned serious again, and he shook his head. "Not quite yet," he replied. "Before you leave, we need to complete the mission report."
Renjiro stifled a groan, mentally kicking himself for forgetting about the matter. Beside them, Iha and the Aburame shinobi exchanged a quick glance, clearly understanding the need for privacy.
"We'll leave you two to it, then," Iha said, giving a polite nod before stepping back.
As soon as they were alone, Renjiro turned to Jiraiya and began recounting the events of their mission, his voice steady and calm as he described the squad's encounter with A, the Raikage's son, and the Kumo ANBU.
He spoke of the ambush, the tension, the deadly dance of kunai and the lightning chakra that had filled the air. But when he reached the part where Yano fell, his tone grew quieter, his eyes darkening with the weight of memory.
Jiraiya listened without interruption, his gaze hardening as he absorbed the information. The loss of Yano weighed heavily on him, as it would for the rest of the Anbu, especially those in Danzo's circle and his clan in general. Jiraiya's expression grew grim, and he looked down, letting the silence linger between them.
"How did you escape?" he asked finally.
Renjiro took a breath, the memory still fresh and sharp. "Kakashi and I managed to get away, thanks to my summon," he replied, offering no further details.
Jiraiya noted the deliberate vagueness but decided not to press him. There was a quiet understanding between them, an acknowledgement that some things were better left unsaid.
Jiraiya's mind turned to the repercussions this would bring. 'This is going to be troublesome,' he thought, his face grim.
He knew the bond between Yano and Danzo, and he could already feel the weight of the inevitable confrontation. Breaking the news to his clan was a task he wasn't looking forward to.
'Hopefully, he channels his anger toward Kumogakure and not me,' Jiraiya mused, though he knew it was wishful thinking. Danzo wasn't one to let grudges slide easily, and the loss of Yano would be a personal blow.
"Were you able to recover Yano's body?" Jiraiya asked quietly, his voice almost hesitant.
Renjiro reached into his pouch and retrieved a small scroll, handing it to Jiraiya with a solemn expression. "It's all here," he simply said.
Jiraiya accepted the scroll with a nod, his face unreadable as he tucked it away. "Thank you," he said softly. The preservation of a fallen comrade's body was a gesture that would be honored and respected.
Clearing his throat, Jiraiya shifted the conversation back to the future. "Well, since Yano is no longer with us… You and Kakashi will have to take on your ranking-up mission sooner." His gaze flickered between Renjiro and the unconscious Kakashi, "But after what's happened, I think a two-month break is in order. That should give you both time to prepare."
Renjiro's eyes widened in surprise, and a spark of joy flickered in them. 'Two months of no work?' he thought, barely able to contain his excitement. That meant two whole months of uninterrupted training, a rare opportunity to hone his skills without the pressure of missions looming overhead.
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sama," he said, barely able to hide his grin.
Jiraiya chuckled at the young shinobi's enthusiasm. "Don't get too comfortable," he warned with a smirk. "You'll be back in action soon enough."
Renjiro gave a respectful nod, straightening himself as he prepared to leave. Just as he reached the door, Jiraiya's voice stopped him.
"One more thing, Renjiro," Jiraiya called, his tone curious. "This condition of yours… it purifies any foreign chakra, right?"
Renjiro paused, his hand hovering over the door handle. "Yes," he replied cautiously, wondering where this line of questioning was headed.
"So…" Jiraiya's eyes held a spark of intrigue. "Does that mean it can counteract all genjutsu used against you?"
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