{Training Ground #44, Konohagakure}
{5:51 PM, 2nd July 13 Yrs ANB}(4 days ago)
{3rd Person POV}
Ren was looking down on a team from Amegakure, trying to see if there were any obvious weaknesses in their formation. He still needed an Earth scroll to pass the test, and although he had healed his left hand, it still was not in perfect fighting condition, he needed to end this fight quickly.
'There is not that much room for me to work, I might have to go for a lethal attack-' Ren thought, he shifted and took a defensive stance as he sensed someone else body flicker into his range. When he looked back, the last thing he expected to see was Hayate sensei flickering toward him.
He looked down and the team from Ame hadn't noticed his arrival so at least his cover wasn't broken. Hayate stared at the blood patches on Ren's right hand and then the patched-up bruise on Ren's left hand.
"Is your hand okay?" Hayate asked.
"Yeah It's fine, I healed it, what are you doing here, we aren't allowed any contact with our sensei right?" Ren asked with a confused voice.
"No, there is an urgent mission that was specifically assigned to you, Hokage-sama asked me to deliver these scrolls to you," Hayate spoke as he threw 3 scrolls to Ren.
Ren was startled at the sudden action and he had to use chakra to stick the scrolls to his right hand to not let them fall. Hayate stared at Ren's left hand with narrowed eyes but he didn't say anything.
Ren on the other hand opened the first scroll and began reading...
'''...Field Promotion Chunin Request
Name: Ren
Shinobi ID no: 012603
Strength Evaluation: High-Chunin
Issuing Authority: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage...'''
...
'Why the sudden promotion...' Ren thought as he closed the scroll and chucked it into his inventory, there were some additional storage seals that were embedded into the scroll but he would look at that later.
He opened the second scroll and then slowly everything became a little more clear.
'''...Mission Number: S-01231
Team: Ren
Mission Objective: To leave Konoha and go around the land of Fire with a missing-nin identity. Harrass a couple of known locations that have connections with Land of Wind in the next week and go into hiding and wait until further instructions...'''
...
'Why go to such extreme lengths all of a sudden though, is it related to me killing Suna's Jinchuriki...' Ren thought and he gave Hayate a puzzled look.
"The redhead you killed was also the son of the current Kazekage," Hayate explained and Ren's eyes widened in response.
'Well fuck... why didn't something that important pop up in Gaara's status block. Every other time the skill is far too interested in telling me people's distressing background but when it mattered the most...' Ren ranted in his mind.
Seeing Ren in a daze Hayate explained, "You don't have to do this, I have a secret safe house outside Konoha where you can hide until this thing blows over..." Hayate tried to calm Ren down, he didn't want to make a rash decision. No matter what he wouldn't let the same thing that happened to Sakumo Hatake happen to Ren.
"I'm fine sensei," Ren spoke in a calm tone, other than having to alter some of his plans, Ren wasn't that opposed to this mission. The main reason was that he was kind of feeling the lack of EXP he was getting when he fought against fellow Genin.
But outside Konoha, in addition, if he was operating with a missing-nin identity, he would be free to act as a bounty hunter. He just had to make sure not to overextend and he needed to use his trump cards and saved-up missions to level up before leaving.
"How will the negotiations even go, I'm pretty sure that Suna won't back down so easily," Ren spoke not really paying attention to Hayate's bitter look as he opened the third scroll.
'''...Official Pardon: Any crimes within Sections I and II, committed by Ren, during mission #S-01231, are pardoned by Konohagakure.
In the event of a Reshuffle, this message is also linked to specific Black Scroll #01231, Password: A new Leaf springs a deeper shadow...'''
...
"There will be few skirmishes along the borders and then everything will calm down, Suna is a lot weaker than Konoha so they won't be too excessive..." Hayate replied, trying not to worry Ren.
'But anything can happen, Shinobi World War 2 broke out because of Land of Sky's skirmishes right? Every country just needed a reason to duke it out and Land of Sky provided it at the perfect time...' Ren thought, the situation wasn't looking that good right now but he craved the freedom being a missing-nin would give him, plus this was his best choice right now.
'I could reject the mission but that just means not only having to deal with the pressure from fellow shinobi. But I would become a pawn with no control over my fate,' Ren sighed as he looked at Hayate. He looked at him for a moment before he shook his head.
'No pessimistic thoughts, worse comes to worst, I'll get a chance to level up some more when I leave, I should clear also some missing nin's operating around Konoha and go from there, I still need to figure out how this bounty system EXP bonus worked.' Ren thought as he closed all three scrolls.
He was about to say he was ready to go, but a flash of sunlight that he saw from the corner of his eyes reminded him of someone, he paused and then asked, "Can I talk to Ino once before I go?" Ren asked.
Hayate also froze at the unexpected request, he had heard rumors about the two being an item, but he hadn't seen the two of them hanging around each other more than usual in the past 6 months. He wanted to nod but he didn't know where Ino was and finding her would be a bit difficult.
Ren sensed someone flicker beside him once again, a familiar mop of white hair appeared as Kakashi casually walked out of a body flicker showing impressive control over his body as he stood in front of them.
"Yo~" He greeted casually as he threw another scroll toward Ren, while Hayate found the perfect person that could fulfill Ren's request.
"Kakashi-sempai, can I talk to you for a bit?" Hayate asked, "Can you track down Ino, Ren wanted to say goodbye before..." The words after that stopped as Kakashi stopped listening to him, Kakashi looked at Ren for a bit and then nodded.
Boar -> Dog -> Bird -> Monkey -> Ram
'Summoning Jutsu: Pakun'
Kakashi bit his finger and slammed his hands on the ground, a sealing matrix sprung from his fingers and Pakkun was summoned.
"Pakkun, track down nearby teams..." Kakashi instructed, he didn't have anything that might have Ino's scent, and after looking at Ren with a questioning look, Ren also shook his head as well.
Pakkun started sniffing around and after a few moments he spoke, "I got one, let's go."
All three of them dashed away and followed Pakkun as he hopped from one tree to another.
'Should I leave without saying bye...' Ren thought. If he delays too much the scenario of his escape won't make much sense and there would be loopholes in the story.
-----------------------------------
AN - Solo arc incoming.
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