"Maybe the one who dies... will be you?"
Hayashi Ren sneered coldly.
The dog-masked Root operative was about to retort with another insult, but before he could even speak, Ren suddenly turned around and lashed out with a powerful kick—his speed was blinding.
So fast, in fact, that the masked ninja didn't even have time to react. All he heard was a loud "BANG", and then he was launched into the air.
"Leaf Dancing Shadow?"
The Root agent was stunned.
Did that mean Hayashi Ren hadn't only gained the ability to sense his presence, but also acquired a taijutsu technique?
It surprised him, but that was all—just surprise.
After all, in everyone's eyes, Hayashi Ren was nothing but dead weight. A good-for-nothing.
What could a useless kid like him possibly do? Even if he attacked fiercely, it would be no more than a tickle.
"Pathetic little brat."
The masked agent let out a cold laugh.
"Pathetic? Are you talking about yourself?"
Ren shot back sarcastically. Then he quickly formed a cross-shaped hand sign, drew out chakra from within, and said coldly:
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"What?"
The Root operative was stunned. Before he could react, a burst of smoke exploded with a sharp "POOF!", and four identical versions of Hayashi Ren appeared around him.
The four clones lunged toward him and pinned down his limbs with precision.
"What are you doing?! You do know that killing a fellow Leaf ninja is a serious offense, right?!"
The Root agent panicked and shouted.
"Punishment?"
Ren chuckled coldly.
"What a joke."
As he spoke, chakra began gathering in his hand.
A ball of spinning blue energy formed—dense, unstable, and emanating terrifying power.
"That's… the Fourth Hokage's jutsu?!"
The masked ninja's voice trembled with fear.
At that moment, he was filled with regret.
Regret for his arrogance, for thinking he could "teach Hayashi Ren a lesson."
If he could do it all over again, he'd rather never have crossed paths with Ren at all.
"Hayashi Ren, calm down! I'm with the Root division! If you kill me, you'll bring huge trouble down on yourself!"
The operative shouted desperately.
"Kill a little dog, and of course the old dog will come barking."
Ren's voice remained ice-cold.
"But so what?"
With that, he leapt into the air, blue energy swirling violently in his palm.
His voice thundered:
"In the end, it's just an old mutt!"
"Rasengan!"
With a furious cry, the Rasengan slammed into the masked agent's back.
The sheer force of it left him no time to scream.
A deafening "BOOM" echoed through the alley.
And just like that—his body burst apart into chunks of flesh.
Blood rained from the sky.
It wasn't like the soft drizzle of spring rain—there was no pitter-patter, only sharp, wet splats as blood and meat landed on the white snow.
That was the sound of flesh and blood hitting the ground.
"An old mutt… dragging a few puppies behind."
Ren muttered coldly.
This was the first time he had truly killed someone.
In his past life, and even until this very moment in this life—he had never taken a human life before.
But in his heart, there was no discomfort. No panic.
Only a faint paleness on his face.
He turned, walking calmly toward the Uchiha compound.
Leaving behind a trail of white snow, now stained with gore.
In the frigid silence of the street, that bloodstained snow seemed otherworldly—almost demonic.
Ren didn't even glance at it as he walked away.