It might have been because of Naruko's cheerful personality, but the two girls quickly returned to their usual selves. Laughter even bubbled up from time to time, which left Hayashi Ren rather amazed.
"As expected of Asura's reincarnation—she really does bring joy to others easily."
"...Of course, that doesn't include Indra."
The corners of Ren's mouth twitched as he glanced over at Sako, who still wore her usual cold and indifferent expression.
With a sigh, he reached out and gently pinched Sako's cheek. "You—always so cold, like someone owes you money or something. Can't you smile a bit more?"
"Hmph. Don't pinch my face." Sako snorted and turned her head away, no longer acknowledging him. But if one looked closely, they'd notice a soft blush creeping across her cheeks, and the corners of her lips had curved into a subtle smile.
"Ramen's ready!"
With a cheerful shout, Ayame, the daughter of Teuchi from Ichiraku Ramen, carried over two steaming bowls of ramen and placed them in front of the group. She gave a polite bow and said, "Please enjoy."
"Thanks!"
Ino and Sakura responded, and Ayame stood upright and left. However, her gaze lingered on Hayashi Ren's face a few seconds longer than usual.
Ren noticed it clearly, but he didn't say anything. He'd been through situations like this far too many times to make a fuss.
—
Outside the ramen shop, up in the old snowy tree, the Root operative with the dog-faced mask was seething with rage.
He'd been lying in wait in the freezing snow for ages, his body on the verge of going numb from the cold, while Hayashi Ren sat comfortably inside, surrounded by four beautiful girls and eating ramen. It was driving him mad.
"Just a useless brat," he growled through gritted teeth. "Still out this late? Trying to get himself killed?"
"Damn it. I have to teach him a lesson—let him know that staying out late is dangerous."
His tone was icy.
But it wasn't really about teaching Ren a lesson. He just couldn't stand that Ren was still wide awake, which meant he couldn't rest either. What made it worse was that Ren was enjoying ramen in good company, while he was freezing his butt off in a tree, gnawing on tasteless ration pills.
The stark contrast made the bitterness burn even more.
In his eyes, Ren was still that same worthless nobody from before. Completely talentless, and yet somehow living a cushy life. And him, an elite chunin of the Root division, had been reduced to babysitting duty. It wasn't just frustrating—it was humiliating.
It felt like his pride had been stomped on.
So now, all he wanted was to give Hayashi Ren a painful and unforgettable lesson.
—
The wind blew.
Snowflakes danced under the glow of streetlights.
Beautiful, yet bitterly cold.
Outside the ramen shop, the five youths finally parted ways.
They were just kids, and when they separated, their figures looked even more fragile and thin beneath the snowy sky.
—
As they stepped into the Uchiha Clan compound, Hayashi Ren suddenly stopped and offered a slightly awkward smile to Naruko and Sako.
"Ah… I think I forgot something. You two go ahead, I'll catch up in a bit."
"Huh? Then we'll go with you! That way it'll be easier to find," Naruko said cheerfully, grabbing Sako's hand with one of her own and reaching for Ren's with the other.
"It's fine, really. I remember where I left it. You two go ahead, I'll be back soon," Ren replied with a smile.
"Are you sure? But I think it's better if we all go together," Naruko pouted.
"Don't worry, I'll be back quickly." Ren gently patted her head and smoothly slipped his hand out of her grasp. He turned and walked in the direction of Ichiraku Ramen.
"Ren-kun…" Naruko looked after him, a bit worried.
"It's fine. He said he'll be back soon," Sako reassured her, gently tugging her toward the house.
What neither of them noticed was the change in Ren's expression as he stepped outside the compound.
His face had gone completely calm—calm in that distinct way it only ever did in the MOBA space.
"…Come out. I can sense your filthy presence, like a cockroach."
Ren didn't go to the ramen shop. Instead, he walked to a nearby tree and spoke coldly.
"Oh? I didn't expect you to notice me. So this is what you gained from the MOBA world, huh?"
A voice fell from above, and with a rustling sound, a lean, shadowy figure dropped down in front of Ren. He crouched in a strange, serpentine posture—like a coiled viper.
And when the viper lifted his head, Ren was met with the image of a snarling dog mask.
"Such a foul, dark presence. Smells just like Danzo. Disgusting," Ren said icily. "Of course the old dog is followed by little dogs."
"Heh. I hope your fists are as venomous as your tongue. Otherwise…"
Before the masked man could finish his sentence, he lunged forward like a venomous snake, fast and ruthless.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A flurry of shuriken sliced through the air, aimed straight at Ren. Almost simultaneously, the man's figure blurred, flashing behind Ren at terrifying speed. In his hand, a kunai slashed toward Ren's throat.
A chilling voice whispered in his ear:
"You might just die, you know…"