Chapter 24: Snake and Wolf

Words : 1533 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 24 - Snake and Wolf Six months had passed since the academy began, and during this time, a shocking piece of news spread across Konoha— Orochimaru of the Sannin had defected. Caught conducting horrific human experiments on villagers—including young children—his actions had caused an uproar throughout the entire village. Some were angry, others devastated, but most were simply in disbelief. No one had expected one of the legendary Sannin, a hero of Konoha, to betray them so completely. Orochimaru's defection left another massive hole in Konoha's strength—right after the devastation caused by the Nine-Tails attack. The village was already weakened, and now, one of its strongest shinobi was gone. Panic spread among the villagers. There was no telling if another nation might take advantage of Konoha's weakened state and launch an attack. But as always, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stepped forward. With his calm demeanor and undeniable strength, he reassured the people, promising that nothing would happen to Konoha under his watch. And like the sheep they were, the villagers clung to his words. Hiruzen's power was absolute in their eyes, so if he said Konoha was safe—then it was. Ren had watched the Hokage's speech, standing among the crowd. But what caught his attention the most wasn't the speech itself. It was Hiruzen himself. The old man looked way older than he had six months ago. His shoulders were heavier, his face more wrinkled, his eyes duller. Ren knew exactly why. Orochimaru had been his favorite disciple—his pride and joy. And even though he had the chance to kill him, he couldn't bear to do it. The result? A broken man, clinging to a village that was falling apart beneath him. But for Ren, Orochimaru's defection was nothing more than a passing moment in his life. While Konoha mourned the loss of one of its legends, Ren continued his training. His father, Juichi, became even busier, sometimes not coming home for three days straight. But Ren didn't let that slow him down. He had already perfected his training system— Every time one clone dispelled, he would immediately create another one. Over time, his Shadow Clone Jutsu Mastery had skyrocketed to 48%. Now, his clones could last for four hours before running out of chakra. However, when practicing ninjutsu, the time was cut in half—lasting only two hours due to the higher chakra consumption. But that didn't matter. Because Ren knew one thing for certain— He was growing stronger every single day. (Location- Academy) The classroom was silent, the air filled with tension as all the students sat at their desks, waiting. At the front of the room stood Utakata-sensei, his expression as blank and unreadable as ever. Despite spending half a year under his teaching, Ren had never once seen the man's expression change. Today was no different. "It will soon be six months since you all joined the academy." His calm, monotonous voice carried across the classroom, but there was an underlying weight to his words. "Now, it is time for an exam." A few students stiffened, while others exchanged glances of uncertainty. Utakata continued. "Even though you have taken many tests in the past months, this exam will be different. It will be observed by people you will not see. If you impress them, you may receive a reward. If you disappoint them... punishment will follow." Silence. The atmosphere shifted—a mix of nervousness and curiosity spread through the class. Ren, however, was calm. Because he had already figured it out. "Classic carrot-and-stick approach." This was a way to motivate them, but more importantly—this wasn't just an academy test. It meant outside forces were involved. His guess? The observers would likely include members of the Konoha Council and various departments—each looking for potential recruits to mold into their ideal shinobi. Utakata's monotonous voice continued, his words carrying a weight that wasn't there before. "The test consists of a theoretical exam and practical exams. I won't expand on the contents of the theory exam. However, the practical exam will be a fight." A few students perked up, while others looked slightly uneasy. But it was the next part that truly changed the atmosphere. "This time, you may use anything you want. Ninjutsu, taijutsu, weapons—it does not matter. The only restrictions are that you cannot kill your opponent or remove any part of their body. However, you are allowed to injure them until they concede." A noticeable flinch ran through some students. Ren noticed how some of the more cautious ones tensed up, while others—like Itachi, Eiji, and Hitoshi—remained completely unfazed. Utakata didn't acknowledge the reaction. He simply continued, voice cold and firm. "The primary purpose of a shinobi is to fight. No matter what your strong point is, if you cannot use it to improve your strength, then I don't think you should continue as a shinobi." This was the first time Utakata had spoken with such sharpness in his tone. For the past six months, he had always been straightforward, but never this blunt. Ren's mind worked quickly as he processed the shift in tone. "This isn't just about the test. Something changed." And there was only one major event that had recently shaken the village. Orochimaru's defection. "So it's finally trickling down to the academy." The village was weakened—losing Orochimaru after already suffering the Nine-Tails attack had left them exposed. And now, they were pushing harder to strengthen the next generation as quickly as possible. "They need to fill the roster. Fast." This test wasn't just about assessing progress—it was about forcing growth. For the past six months, Ren had wrestled with a recurring thought. Should he continue standing out? Wouldn't it be safer to stay low-key, avoiding unnecessary attention? But in the end, he had come to a simple conclusion— "There's no point worrying about things outside my control." He had trained. He had grown stronger. And the only thing that mattered now— Was proving it. His mind was clear as Utakata continued explaining the details of the test. Ren wasn't going to hold back. Let whoever was watching see. Because in the end, he wasn't just another student in the academy. He was Ren Takahashi. And he wasn't here to be second place forever. (Location- Home) After completing his daily training, Ren sat at his desk, a pencil in hand, sketching something with deep focus. A weapon. A pair of gloves with retractable claws. Ren had previously asked his father about using a weapon, but at the time, Juichi had refused, insisting that Ren should focus on his body first. But recently, after seeing Ren's rapid growth, Juichi had finally given him permission. His reasoning was simple— "You're growing too fast. If you don't start training with a weapon now, your body will take longer to adapt later." Ren had agreed, but that left him with one big question— "What kind of weapon should I use?" He had spent a long time thinking about it. He needed something that wouldn't interfere with his fighting style. Something he could still use while performing ninjutsu. Something that could enhance his Wind and Earth techniques instead of limiting them. Then, he remembered Wolverine's claws from his past life. They would be perfect for Wind Jutsu razor-sharp for slicing, fast and deadly in close combat and easy to reinforce with chakra flow. But there was one major issue— "If I use the claws like that, they'll interfere with my hand signs." And more than that— They wouldn't be as useful for Earth Jutsu. So, he needed to modify the idea. Instead of claws extending from his fingers, Ren redesigned them to emerge from the middle of the back of his hands. Retractable claws to keep them hidden when not in use. Attached to gloves so they wouldn't hinder his movements. Designed with durability in mind, so they wouldn't break easily. Flexible grip to allow full freedom for taijutsu and ninjutsu. In its normal state, the gloves would look completely ordinary—nothing more than simple combat gloves. But when extended they would become a deadly weapon. Originally, Ren had assumed he'd need to ask his father for the funds to get them made. But then he remembered Utakata's announcement about the upcoming test. "If you impress them, you might get a reward." Ren had no doubt in his mind that he would stand out. And since he couldn't exactly ask for a high-level jutsu like the Flying Thunder God, he figured "Why not let the village pay for my weapon?" If it was going to be a reward from Konoha, then the quality would be top-tier. With a satisfied grin, Ren added the final details to his design. Then, placing the finished blueprint beside his bed, he laid down. {A/N:- Add some pictures about the weapon if you got any} {Don't know what happened in the last two days but we got 20k+ views and more than 50 collections.}

Chapter 24: Snake and Wolf

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