Chapter 70 Team Renjiro’s Situation

The message from Tsugami had one urgent message—Maemon needed help.

While Renjiro was away, Konoha went through a rough period. First, Orochimaru and Jiraiya, two of the legendary Sannin, left the village. Then came the biggest blow, Kumogakure declared war.

Konoha didn’t want another full-scale conflict, but they also couldn’t sit back and do nothing.

A vanguard force was quickly formed to meet the threat. With the Sannin gone, only one man was fit to lead—Nara Shikaku, the brilliant strategist of the Ino–Shika–Cho trio and captain of the elite Jonin corps.

Once Shikaku took command, he called on his old subordinates. Naturally, Team Renjiro, his most trusted squad, joined him without hesitation.

This marked the start of fierce battles between Konoha and Kumo in the Land of Hot Water.

Even without Renjiro as captain, the squad shone in battle. They had grown stronger, both in skill and in spirit, determined not to let the Renjiro Squad’s name be tarnished.

Their presence quickly caught attention—this was, after all, the team of the “Lightning Flash of Konoha.” Kumo knew exactly who they were.

This was the same squad that had humiliated Iwagakure in the Land of Waterfalls, changing the tide of that front.

Not wanting to repeat Iwa’s mistake, Kumo moved quickly. They learned Renjiro wasn’t there and decided to take out the rest of the squad first. But they underestimated the strength of Renjiro’s teammates.

Even so, when Kumo sprung a carefully planned trap, the squad was caught off guard. They could still fight their way out, but it would be costly.

As acting leader, Maemon realized they couldn’t guarantee everyone’s survival if they fought head-on. The only other choice was to abandon the mission and retreat with everyone alive.

The decision was in his hands.

Maemon and Renjiro were close friends because they shared the same core belief, protecting their comrades above all else.

So, when faced with a deadly trap, Maemon made the hard choice, abandon the mission to keep everyone alive, even though the mission itself was important.

Thanks to his decision, the Renjiro Squad withdrew without a single casualty. However, their failure gave Kumo the upper hand in the Land of Hot Water—at least until Shikaku’s strategy turned the situation back in Konoha’s favor.

Normally, that would have been the end of it. Konoha valued camaraderie, and while retreating from a mission was shameful, Maemon’s reasons were understood.

Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, would never allow a repeat of the tragedy that befell the White Fang. Shikaku, too, had no intention of punishing him—failure could be forgiven, as long as one learned from it and made amends.

But no one saw Danzo coming.

The leader of Root stepped in, accusing the entire Renjiro Squad of treason and demanding their arrest.

The Inuzuka Clan intervened to protect Tsugami, while Maemon took full responsibility to shield the others. With Shikaku’s support, the rest of the team escaped punishment—but Maemon was taken away by Root operatives.

Danzo’s official charge against him: collaborating with the enemy.

“Maemon? A traitor? Impossible!” Renjiro muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.

His friend’s family, his comrades—everything Maemon cared about was in Konoha. There was no reason for him to betray the village. This was nothing more than an obvious frame-up.

“What’s your goal, Danzo?”

Renjiro couldn’t understand why Danzo would suddenly target Maemon. There had never been any known link between his friend—or his friend’s family—and Root. His gut told him this somehow involved himself.

But there was no time to dwell on it. The priority now was to get back to Konoha and free Maemon before Root could do irreversible damage.

Renjiro knew exactly what Danzo and his organization were capable of cold, ruthless, willing to do anything to achieve their goals. If he was too late, Maemon’s life could be in danger.

“Danzo, you’d better pray. If anything happens to Maemon…” A dangerous glint flashed in Renjiro’s eyes.

Crkk!

Whoosh!

Pushing his body to the limit, Renjiro sped toward the village, arriving just before sunset.

His first stop was the Hokage’s office—only to find it empty. The Third Hokage was gone, and so were both his advisers.

A quick inquiry gave him the answer: with Kumo’s sudden declaration of war, the Daimyo had summoned them for urgent talks.

That explained Danzo’s sudden boldness, there was no one left to restrain him.

“Damn it…” Renjiro clenched his fists. This wasn’t a coincidence. Danzo had planned it this way from the start.

Without the Hokage in the village, there was no one left to keep Root in check.

Renjiro made up his mind—Hokage’s backing or not, he would break Maemon out himself. Root’s headquarters was no place for any normal human… and certainly not for his friend.

He didn’t know the exact location, but he knew Root’s base was hidden somewhere underground in Konoha. With a general idea of the area, he could narrow it down.

Mind Net!

Time was running out. Renjiro activated his sensory Jutsu without hesitation. Enhanced with the principles of bat echolocation, it now offered not only greater range but also far better concealment.

Konoha was vast, more like a bustling city than a mere village. Even with his upgraded senses, scanning the entire place at once was impossible. So he divided it into sections, searching each one for maximum efficiency.

“Where are you…?” He muttered under his breath.

Three sections yielded nothing. But in the fourth, he found it. A massive tunnel, exactly like the ones he remembered from the manga.

“This is it.”

Crkk!

Whoosh!

In an instant, he was gone.

---

Inside Root’s Stronghold – Interrogation Room

Maemon hung from a cross-shaped frame, wrists and ankles chained in place. His body bore fresh wounds and bruises—clear evidence of brutal torture.

Beside him, a masked Root operative stood panting, whip in hand. From the moment Maemon had been dragged in, the man had been relentless.

“You stubborn bastard.” The shinobi growled, a cruel smile appeared on his face: “What’s that mouth of yours good for, huh? Keep it shut—see what happens next.”

Maemon didn’t respond. He didn’t even flinch. He just hung there, still as a corpse.

Crack!

The heavy door swung open. Danzo stepped in, flanked by two Root operatives.

The torturer immediately dropped to one knee: “Lord Danzo.”

“Rise.” Danzo said, not even sparing him a glance.

He walked forward until he stood directly before Maemon, the chains rattling softly in the silence.

“Raise your head.” He ordered coldly.

Maemon obeyed, lifting his gaze to meet Danzo’s with a flat, emotionless stare.

Bang!

Danzo’s palm cracked against his cheek, snapping Maemon’s head to the side. The sting burned hot, but before he could recover, Danzo’s left hand shot out, gripping his throat like a vice.

The war-hardened leader’s single, exposed eye bored into Maemon’s as if he were already a corpse.

Maemon’s vision blurred, his face turned red as he fought for air.

“Tell me.” Danzo said in a low, icy voice: “Was abandoning the mission on the battlefield done under Takane Renjiro’s orders? Did you disobey because he commanded it?”

Maemon froze for a heartbeat: “…Renjiro?”

The question made no sense. What did Renjiro have to do with this? Why bring up his name at all?

In an instant, Maemon’s thoughts sharpened: "No… this isn’t about me. This is about Renjiro. He’s after Renjiro, not me."

The pieces fell into place.

"So that’s it… Danzo’s targeting him. But why? What could Renjiro have done to earn the full malice of one of Konoha’s most powerful elders?"

Struggling to speak, Maemon asked: “Why are you so determined to drag Renjiro into my mission?”

“You don’t need to know.” Danzo replied flatly.

Maemon narrowed his eyes: “It’s because he’s in your way… isn’t it?”

Danzo’s lone eye hardened, and the room seemed to grow heavier with his silent pressure.

Taking that as confirmation, Maemon pressed on: “I’ve heard the stories about you—student of the Second Hokage, teammate of the Third, one of Konoha’s most influential elders. Your dream has always been to command armies, to understand and control the very structure of this village’s power. And in that structure, you hold one of the key seats.”

His voice dropped to a razor’s edge: “So why… would you go so far as to destroy one of the village’s heroes?”

Whoosh!

Danzo’s killing intent flared, filling the air like a suffocating weight. But Maemon didn’t flinch—he only sneered.

“I know.” He said in a mocking voice: “At the last High Council meeting, Renjiro’s name came up as a Hokage candidate. That’s why you’re after him, isn’t it? He’s young, capable, respected… and that terrifies you. You’d smear him, ruin his reputation, even kill him if you had to—just to clear your path.”

Bang!

Danzo’s backhand cracked across Maemon’s face, snapping his head to the side.

For a long moment, silence hung heavy between them. Then, Danzo spoke, his was voice cold: “Yes. He is a threat. An obstacle between me and the Hokage’s seat. From the Third to the Fourth, every Hokage has been the same—soft, naive. That is why villages like Kumogakure dare to wage war against us without fear. Konoha does not need another weak Hokage. It needs someone like me. Under my leadership, the village will rise to heights it has never dreamed of.”

Maemon let out a sharp, mocking laugh: “So to climb to that seat, you’d crush anyone in your way… even those who’ve bled for this village?”

“‘Hero’?” Danzo scoffed: “He’s just a brat who rose to fame too quickly. That’s all. And you’re mistaken, it’s not destruction. It’s necessary sacrifice. You and Renjiro should take pride in that. Your deaths will have meaning.”

“You’re insane.” Maemon spat.

Danzo’s expression returned to icy calm: “Enough talk. I see you still don’t understand the greatness of the role you’re about to play… but that’s fine. I never expected someone like you to.”

He turned toward the two Root operatives standing nearby.

“Gen.”

One of them stepped forward instantly: “Lord Danzo.”

“It’s your turn.”

“Yes.”

The shinobi named Gen walked toward Maemon and began weaving hand seals—fast, precise, at least a dozen in quick succession. When the final seal was formed, he pressed his palm firmly against Maemon’s forehead.

A wave of dread crashed over Maemon: “What are you doing?!”

“Nothing much.” Danzo replied coldly: “Just… making a small adjustment to your personality.”

“Personality… alteration?!” Maemon’s blood ran cold. The very idea was horrifying.

“Faster, Gen.” Danzo ordered.

“Yes, Lord Danzo.”

Gen’s chakra flared, pouring into the Jutsu. Maemon’s vision began to haze. It felt as though an unseen hand was reaching into his mind, kneading it, twisting his will.

"Damn it… my thoughts… they’re changing…"

He gritted his teeth, fighting to hold on, struggling to remain himself.

“I can feel it… my consciousness… shifting. Renjiro—my friend… my enemy… No! This is a lie! I have to warn him… Danzo’s after him. He’s in danger!”

Maemon’s vision blurred, his body screaming for rest.

"Damn it… I can’t hold on… it’s too strong… so tired… If I fall asleep now… I won’t wake up as me. I’ll be someone else entirely."

Yet through the haze, one last thought burned in his mind: "If I survive this… I have to learn Genjutsu, and how to break it."

“It’s working.” Danzo murmured with satisfaction, watching Maemon’s eyelids droop. The moment they closed, the Jutsu would be complete, and Maemon would awaken as a petty, jealous man obsessed with tearing Renjiro down.

Danzo’s lips curled faintly: “Let’s see how you fare with a traitor at your side, Takane Renjiro.”

But to his surprise, Maemon’s eyes refused to close. His will clung to consciousness like a man gripping the edge of a cliff.

The truth was, this wasn’t even a high-level Genjutsu. It only seemed overwhelming because of the vast gap in power between Maemon and Gen—especially since Gen was a master of Genjutsu, while Maemon knew nothing about it.

Even so, the Jutsu was dangerously flawed. Its side effects were terrifying: anyone who succumbed to it would spiral into insanity within ten days, their personality warped beyond recognition. And because it directly attacked the brain’s core functions, there was no known way to reverse it.