Chapter 80 Return! The New Renjiro!

Hello everyone,

I want to sincerely apologize for not being able to post yesterday, and for today’s delay as well. I’m currently dealing with an unexpected situation at home that needs my attention, and it may take me about a week to fully handle it.

I truly hate keeping you waiting, but I hope you can understand that sometimes life gets in the way. Your patience and support mean the world to me, and I promise I’ll be back on track as soon as possible.

Thank you for standing by me, and as always—happy reading!

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For the past two years, Renjiro devoted himself almost entirely to research, and as a result, his abilities grew stronger and sharper.

Take his Mangekyo Sharingan as an example: at first, his left eye could only use fixed-point teleportation. But after constant study of Space-Time ninjutsu, he pushed its limits—now it could teleport to random places, as well as create a personal pocket dimension.

In short, Renjiro’s left eye had advanced to the level of Obito’s Kamui.

---

Hokage’s Residence

Hiruzen sat behind his desk, slowly puffing from his old wooden pipe. He wasn’t idle—his mind was deep in thought.

“Renjiro…” He whispered softly, a faint, relieved smile formed on his wrinkled face.

From the moment Renjiro stepped into Konoha, Hiruzen had already knew his return. Still, he chose not to summon him immediately, wanting to give the young man some time to rest.

Knowing Renjiro’s character, Hiruzen was certain he would come to his office the very next morning, so he waited.

Knock! Knock!

The gentle sound at the office door pulled Hiruzen from his thoughts.

“Come in.” He said with a smile, turning his gaze toward the door.

Creak!

The door opened slowly, and Renjiro stepped inside. Standing before the old Hokage, he bowed respectfully, and said in a calm voice: “Hokage-sama, forgive me for keeping you waiting."

“There’s no need to apologize.” Hiruzen set aside his pipe, his face broke into a broad smile: “I’m simply glad you’ve chosen to return to the village.”

He studied Renjiro’s calm, mature expression, and said: “You’ve grown… It seems my decision to let you wander the world was the right one.”

Renjiro gave a small, embarrassed laugh, scratching the back of his head: “It’s already been three years. Even if I hadn’t left, I suppose I would’ve grown up eventually. Still… I’m grateful for your advice back then.”

Hiruzen’s eyes softened with satisfaction: “You truly have changed. That’s a good thing.”

From just a few words and gestures, Hiruzen could already see it, Renjiro was no longer the reckless boy of three years ago.

The young man standing before him carried himself with the calmness, humility, and quiet confidence of a true leader.

Looking at him now, Hiruzen felt as though his lifelong dream was finally within reach, that all his years of waiting and guiding had not been in vain.

“You must be tired.” Hiruzen said at last: “Take some time to rest, reconnect with your friends… After that, there will be much work to do.”

But when Renjiro met his gaze, filled with such hope and expectation, he hesitated. After a moment, he lowered his voice; “I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you, Hokage-sama.”

Hiruzen said nothing, his sharp eyes were studying Renjiro as he waited for him to continue.

“I’ll be leaving again soon.” Renjiro said firmly.

The Hokage’s brow furrowed: “You’ve only just returned… Why leave again so soon?”

"I have something I have to do, it's very important to me." Renjiro hesitated before saying in a calm voice.

“Renjiro, you know my health weakens with each passing day. The time has come for the title of Hokage to be passed on to the younger generation.”

Hiruzen didn’t ask about Renjiro’s plans, he went straight to the heart, using emotion card

Renjiro’s expression tightened. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes clouded with conflict: “Well… about that, Hokage-sama…”

“What is it?” Hiruzen asked in a calm tone, though a heavy feeling stirred uneasily in his chest.

Renjiro lowered his head. His voice was steady, but quiet: “I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you, Hokage-sama… but I have no desire to become Hokage.”

The weight of his words hung in the air. Renjiro knew exactly what kind of hopes Hiruzen had placed upon him—he had sensed it long ago, even before leaving Konoha three years earlier, after his fateful clash with Danzo.

But Renjiro was no longer the same person he had been three years ago. His outlook had changed, especially after becoming the Hoshikage of Hoshigakure.

Even though he left most of the daily duties to Natsume so he could focus on his research, the position still demanded his attention.

Important matters required his review and approval, and since he planned to make Hoshigakure his long-term base, he had to remain the one in charge.

Yet, even leading that small village often felt exhausting. And Hoshigakure was nothing compared to Konoha.

The Hidden Leaf was the wealthiest and most powerful shinobi village, with a population of over thirty thousand people. Managing something of that scale would consume endless time and energy.

Even with the help of Shadow Clones, Renjiro saw it as nothing but a burden, a responsibility he had no desire to shoulder.

Renjiro’s only focus now was on becoming stronger. Everything else felt like a distraction.

The Hokage’s seat no longer crossed his mind, because while the title carried great prestige, he understood that in front of absolute strength, it meant nothing.

“What do you mean by that?” Hiruzen’s expression darkened, his voice turned serious. To see the successor, he had waited years for reject the responsibility cut deeply: “You are the one I believe most suited to this role.”

"Ahhh!" Renjiro met the old Hokage’s gaze, then let out a long sigh, and said in steady, deep voice: “I’m sorry, Hokage-sama… but I have no interest in becoming Hokage.”

“Ahh!” Hiruzen leaned back with a weary sigh, frustration written on his face. “First Jiraiya, then Tsunade… and now you, Renjiro. What is going through your minds? The seat every shinobi in Konoha dreams of—you’re being offered it on a golden plate, and still you refuse.”

It was almost ironic, two of his brightest candidates for Hokage had journeyed across the continent, only to return with no interest in the role. Hiruzen couldn’t help but regret ever encouraging them to leave the village.

Yet, he wasn’t ready to give up. Leaning forward, his voice softened: “Renjiro… I don’t know what you’ve experienced these past years, but Konoha is still your home. And you—you are one of its brightest stars. Right now, the village needs you.”

This wasn’t the plea of a man desperate to cling to power. Hiruzen truly longed to retire. But with no worthy successor, he had no choice but to carry on.

Renjiro was his perfect candidate, yet the ideal successor in his eyes was now refusing the role.

Renjiro gave a faint, embarrassed smile: “Of course Konoha is my home. My family is here. But Hokage-sama, as I said before… I have more important things to focus on. Becoming Hokage means getting caught up in politics balancing the power of the great clans, keeping their struggles within control, and constantly mediating between them. All of that would demand endless time and attention. To be honest… I simply don’t have that kind of time.”

At last, after speaking with Renjiro and realizing his mind would not change, Hiruzen leaned back heavily in his chair.  A crushing weight of helplessness and bitterness pressed down on his chest like a mountain.

He sat in silence, his eyes fixed on the empty doorway where Renjiro had stood just moments before.

Slowly, he let out a long sigh, his shoulders sagging: “He has grown into a fine shinobi… but so too has his heart grown distant…”

---

One week later

Land of Sound, deep within a secluded valley.

After parting ways with the Third Hokage, Renjiro spent several days in Konoha, reconnecting with old friends and comrades he hadn’t seen in years.

Even his former captain, Zeri, whom he hadn’t spoken with in ages came to greet him warmly.

But the visit was short-lived. After a few lingering days filled with farewells, Renjiro once again set out on his path, leaving behind his home, his friends, and his loved ones.

His first destination on this new journey was the Land of Sound. He had come here with a clear purpose—to meet someone he had not seen in a very long time.

---

Renjiro didn’t have to wait long. Before he even reached the main gate of Otogakure, the air shifted.

Whoosh!

A sudden flare of fire erupted before him, twisting upward until it shaped itself into the figure of a man.

Pale skin, golden, snake-like eyes, and an aura that carried a bone-chilling weight, Orochimaru had arrived.

“Really now? That’s how you choose to make an entrance?” Renjiro muttered, as he rolled of his eyes.

Orochimaru’s cold gaze locked onto him, sharp and hungry, though tinged with curiosity. The boy he had once guided in the study of Senjutsu had returned to stand before him once more.

Renjiro’s name might have quieted after his clash with Danzo, but the fact remained, he had fought the Nine-Tails almost as an equal. That alone was enough to make Orochimaru’s interest burn brighter.

A glint of greed flickered in Orochimaru’s snake-like eyes, Renjiro’s body was far too perfect, far too valuable. Yet, Orochimaru was no fool. He knew this was not the time to provoke a fight. With practiced ease, he buried those thoughts deep within and curved his lips into a thin, unsettling smile.

“Renjiro…” He hissed in his serpentine tone, each syllable drawn out like a coil tightening: “It has been far too long. I never expected you to be the one seeking me out again.”