Chapter 109: The Reluctant Gift
After Orochimaru and a still-shaken Kabuto departed, Ren didn't linger in his room. A new objective had formed in his mind. He left the cold stone confines of his quarters and made his way back to the vast, subterranean training ground.
As expected, the cavernous space was dominated by a single, relentless figure. Uchiha Sasuke moved with a furious, almost desperate energy, his movements a blur of practiced strikes and evasions. Since his arrival, the other Sound ninja had learned to give this place a wide berth. This was Sasuke's domain, a temple to his all-consuming vendetta.
A faint, amused smirk touched Ren's lips as he leaned against the entrance, observing. Sasuke, utterly absorbed in his training, seemed not to notice his arrival. Or so Ren thought.
In a heartbeat, the scene shifted. Sasuke, mid-kata, completed a rapid, one-handed set of seals. He spun on his heel, a move so sudden it was pure aggression. Chakra gathered in his throat, glowing a fierce red.
*Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!*
A massive sphere of roaring flame, ten meters in diameter, erupted from his mouth and shot across the training ground directly at Ren. It was a calculated ambush. Sasuke had known he was there all along, biding his time to launch this surprise attack. He knew it likely wouldn't harm his brother, but he craved the satisfaction of seeing him flinch, of forcing him into a moment of panic. A petty revenge for the humiliating kick from the day before.
The fireball closed the distance in an instant, the heat washing over Ren. Yet, he didn't move. His smirk never wavered. Just as the inferno was about to consume him, his eyes shifted. The Mangekyō pattern bloomed in his crimson irises.
There was no grand summoning, no full manifestation. Just the barest flicker of spectral, purple ribs materialized around him for a fraction of a second—the most minimal defense of Susano'o.
From Sasuke's perspective, Ren was simply swallowed whole by the blazing cataclysm. The fireball impacted the ground behind him with a thunderous roar, scorching a massive, smoldering crater into the stone. The air filled with the acrid smell of ozone and superheated rock.
Sasuke's triumphant sneer faltered, replaced by a frown. *He didn't dodge? He couldn't have... No. That's impossible. He's tricking me.* A sliver of unwelcome concern pierced his anger. Despite his rage, despite the betrayal he felt, the idea of his brother—his last remaining kin—being truly harmed sent a cold jolt through him. The bond, buried deep under layers of hatred and pride, was still there.
The flames died down, leaving a landscape of devastation. Thick, black smoke coiled from the crater. As it slowly cleared, a sight made Sasuke's eyes widen.
In the very center of the blast zone, a single, perfectly intact circle of ground remained untouched. And standing calmly upon it was Ren, looking utterly unimpressed. The faint, translucent vestiges of a skeletal rib cage faded from around him.
"Not bad," Ren said, his voice cutting through the settling silence. "You've got some power behind it now. Good thing my defense is adequate, or I might have actually been embarrassed."
"Tch!" Sasuke clicked his tongue in frustration, his fists clenching. All concern vanished, burned away by renewed anger at his brother's infuriating nonchalance. "What are you doing here?" he spat. "Come to mock me again?"
"Heh. Don't be so hostile," Ren said, stepping out of the crater and walking toward him, the Mangekyō fading away. "We're still brothers, aren't we? I wouldn't waste my time just to mock you." Chapters first released on novel{f}ire.net
"Humph! If you have nothing to say, then leave. I need to train." Sasuke turned his back, a clear dismissal.
"So cold. And here I brought you a present. A little treasure I went through a lot of trouble to acquire." Ren's tone was light, teasing.
"I don't want anything from you. Now get out of my way." Sasuke's voice was stiff, his pride a wall between them. He didn't believe for a second that Ren was being genuine.
"What a shame," Ren sighed, a theatrical note of disappointment in his voice. He pulled a familiar vial from his pouch—another bottle of the luminous, azure Pulse. He uncorked it. Instantly, that same wave of potent, life-giving energy washed over the area, a stark contrast to the lingering scent of char. "I went all the way to the Land of Wind for this. It's called 'Pulse.' Enhances your physique, boosts your chakra... really skyrockets your strength. But since you're not interested..." He made a show of recorking the vial and turning to leave. "I guess I'll just have to find someone else who appreciates it. Don't let me interrupt your training."
He took a few deliberate steps away.
Sasuke froze. His back was still turned, but every sense was screaming. He had felt the raw power emanating from that vial. It was tangible, intoxicating. It was everything he craved. The desire for power warred violently with his stubborn pride and resentment. He couldn't bring himself to ask, but he couldn't let it walk away.
The word was torn from him, quiet but sharp.
Ren stopped, a victorious smirk spreading across his face that Sasuke couldn't see. He turned back, feigning innocence. "Hmm? What is it? I thought you needed to train?"
Sasuke didn't turn around. His shoulders were tense. He kept his face resolutely pointed away, his cheeks burning with a mixture of shame and frustration.
"You... said before..." he began, the words forced and halting. "That it was... to repay me... for looking after you. That's why you... brought that... thing. Right?"
"Oh, that?" Ren said, playing along. "Yes, that's right. A repayment of a debt. Nothing more."
"Then..." Sasuke's voice was barely above a grumble. He took a breath, steeling himself. "I... can accept it. To settle the account."
He finally turned his head, just slightly, refusing to make eye contact, his expression the very picture of tsundere reluctance—a mask of annoyed indifference trying to hide his intense desire.
Ren chuckled softly, walked back, and tossed the vial to him. Sasuke caught it with surprising speed, his fingers closing tightly around the precious object.
"Don't mention it," Ren said, his smirk softening into something almost genuine for a fleeting second. "Now try not to blow yourself up with all that new power, little brother."
With that, he turned and left Sasuke alone in the training ground, clutching the vial of Pulse, his pride wounded but his future suddenly blazing with new potential.
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