Chapter 34 - New Leaves
Chapter 34 - New Leaves
The air in Konoha felt different.
Not just cleaner, or warmer—but calmer. It reminded Ren of a place he couldn't name anymore. Something from another life, maybe. The gates behind them had closed. The war was far away now. For the first time in months, Kota wasn't walking with one eye over his shoulder.
"Do you think this place is safe?" Kota asked, clutching a small satchel someone had given him.
Ren's eyes scanned the streets. Market stalls buzzed with morning chatter. Children laughed in the distance. Shinobi in flak jackets passed by without suspicion.
"Probably not," Ren said, dry as stone. "But it's safer than where we came from."
Kota blinked, then gave a small chuckle. "You sound like an old man sometimes."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "And you sound like someone who forgot to tie his sandals."
Kota looked down and yelped. "Hey!"
Up ahead, Juro was speaking with a pair of shinobi at a side checkpoint—getting housing assignments, civilian clearances, maybe schooling details. His voice was calm but firm, and the guards didn't argue. They kept glancing at Ren and Kota, curious, but didn't press.
Ren leaned in close to Kota. "Stay quiet, don't stare, and if someone offers candy, say no."
"What if it's good candy?"
"Especially then."
Their little exchange earned a tired smile from Juro as he walked back. "You two done with the stand-up routine?"
"We're just blending in," Ren said. "Very stealthily."
Juro gave a quiet laugh under his breath. "You might actually fit in here."
- - -
After the conversation with Hiruzen had ended, Juro and Ren made their way back through the bustling streets of Konoha. The weight of the Hokage's decision hung in the air, but for the first time in a while, there was a sense of relief. The civilians, including Ren and Kota, were now under Konoha's protection, at least temporarily.
Ren walked beside Juro, his eyes taking in the village around him. There was something calming about Konoha—the way the people moved with purpose but not haste. It was as if the whole village had a pulse, and he could sense it now, more sharply than ever before. His chakra felt alive, humming quietly in the background, giving him a sense of awareness he hadn't had before.
Juro glanced over at Ren, noticing his distracted state. "You're quiet," he said, voice steady as always.
Ren blinked, breaking his thoughts. "Just... taking it all in," he replied, his voice thoughtful. "It's different here. It feels... safe."
Juro nodded, though there was something in his eyes that suggested he wasn't as certain about that safety. "It is for now. But it won't last forever, Ren. You'll have to be ready."
Ren's expression turned serious. "I will be."
They reached the edge of the village's center, where the Hokage's building loomed ahead. Juro looked at Ren again, as though measuring something in him.
"You know," Juro began, "I did something I don't normally do today. I vouch for you and the others to Hiruzen. I don't trust people easily, but..." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "You're not like anyone I've met before."
Ren didn't say anything right away. He knew what Juro was referring to—the strange sense he had when around Ren, as if there was more to him than just being an orphan. But Ren had to keep that to himself, for now at least.
"I don't know what you see in me, Juro," Ren said quietly. "But I'll prove I'm not a burden."
Juro studied Ren for a moment. "I trust you," he finally said, his tone softer than usual. "But don't mistake my trust for leniency. Konoha isn't a place where you can afford to slip up."
Ren nodded. "I understand."
---
Meanwhile, Kota, having been caught up in his own world, wandered off a little, looking around the village with wide-eyed curiosity. He was excited—Konoha was nothing like the camps they had been hiding in before. It felt like there was an endless horizon of opportunity here.
Ren caught sight of Kota just as he darted down the street, distracted by something. He quickly excused himself from Juro's side to catch up.
"Kota!" Ren called out.
Kota stopped in his tracks, looking back at Ren with a grin. "Hey, Ren! I wanna see the training grounds! They look so cool!"
Ren smiled softly at Kota's enthusiasm. "Maybe later. We should stick together for now."
---
Back with Juro, he paused for a moment as Ren left. His gaze softened just a little, watching the boy. There's something about him...
With a shake of his head, Juro sighed, resuming his walk towards the village's main square. He had to keep his focus on the bigger picture, on the mission ahead. But part of him wondered just how much Ren was really hiding from them all.
---
Later, as the group reached their designated living quarters, Ren found himself lost in thought again. The quiet hum of chakra within him was both comforting and unsettling. He could sense everything—every movement, every breath—and yet, he wasn't sure what to make of it yet. His chakra was growing stronger, more refined, but it felt like there was something waiting to be unlocked.
Kota's voice pulled Ren out of his thoughts. "Hey, Ren! You look like you're in another world. You good?"
Ren smiled slightly, pushing his worries aside for now. "Yeah. Just thinking."
Kota grinned and nodded, obviously not concerned. "Well, whenever you're ready to take a break from thinking, I found something cool by the training grounds!"
Ren chuckled softly and ruffled Kota's hair. "Alright. Let's go check it out."
---
As they left the quarters and made their way back toward the center of Konoha, Ren couldn't help but feel the weight of the city's peacefulness surrounding him. The village thrived in a way that was almost surreal. But there was an undercurrent of tension that he could feel, faint but undeniable. This place was peaceful now, but for how long?
He glanced up at Juro, who was a few paces ahead of him, and noticed a quiet resolve in the older man's posture.
Whatever was coming, Ren knew one thing: he had to be ready.
- - -
Ren and Kota made their way through the bustling streets of Konoha, the village now a living, breathing thing in their eyes. The buildings towered above them, some with intricate carvings, others with vibrant signs calling attention to stores and businesses. The streets hummed with life as people walked by, the chatter and laughter blending into a familiar rhythm that Ren was beginning to understand.
Kota, as usual, was practically bouncing with excitement. He had caught sight of the training grounds from a distance, and his energy was infectious. "There it is!" Kota exclaimed, pointing eagerly toward the open space lined with various practice dummies, training poles, and distant figures sparring. "This is what I was talking about!"
Ren smiled, amused by the boy's boundless enthusiasm. "You sure you're ready for this?" he asked, half-teasing.
Kota gave him a determined look, puffing out his chest. "Of course! I've got tons of energy today. I'm gonna be the best ninja ever!"
Ren chuckled. "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, we need to make sure we're allowed to use it."
The two of them approached the training grounds, Kota already bouncing ahead, eager to try out some moves. However, as they drew closer, a ninja standing by the entrance, clipboard in hand, waved them down.
"Hold it right there," the ninja said, his tone firm but polite. "If you want to use the training grounds, you need to book it in advance. It's policy."
Ren blinked, the reality of the situation slowly dawning on him. He was excited to train, but he quickly realized he hadn't considered something as simple as logistics. They weren't just walking into an open space for random training. Konoha had its systems, its order—and that included reserving time for the training grounds.
Ren felt his stomach tighten. He reached into his pouch, where he usually kept some ryo, but his hand came up empty. "Wait…" he muttered under his breath. No ryo. He had nothing.
Kota, who had been talking excitedly about trying some basic taijutsu moves, suddenly paused when he noticed Ren's expression. "Ren? What's wrong?"
Ren's hand dropped to his side. "I don't have any money," he admitted, his tone more sheepish than he intended.
The ninja at the gate raised an eyebrow. "No ryo? Then you'll need to book in advance—either pay or show proof of permission from a higher rank. This is a restricted area, after all."
Ren's heart sank a little as he looked around at the training grounds, at the dummies and sparring rings that felt so tantalizingly close. He had always trained in makeshift areas, places where there were no rules, no restrictions. Now, in the heart of Konoha, the idea of needing permission felt... foreign.
Kota, seeing Ren's hesitation, frowned. "But we don't have any money either. What do we do now?"
Ren thought for a moment, his gaze scanning the area. It wasn't like they had any other options. There was a long pause before Ren took a deep breath and looked at the ninja again. "Is there any other way to get access? Something... outside the usual method?"
The ninja tilted his head, studying Ren for a moment. His eyes softened slightly, sensing Ren's genuine desire to train, to improve. "Well... I could make an exception just this once. But you'll need to prove yourself next time—either with ryo or by having an official training time booked."
Ren nodded quickly, grateful for the small favor. "Thanks. We'll... we'll figure something out."
As the ninja allowed them entry, Ren turned to Kota, who was still slightly confused. "Hey, don't worry about it. We'll figure out how to get training in without making any more mistakes."
Kota's face brightened again. "Alright! Let's go!"
They stepped onto the grounds, the open space welcoming them. The air felt different here—alive with the scent of earth and the sharp tang of sweat. As Ren looked around, his thoughts swirled. He couldn't help but feel like an outsider in this world. Money, resources... those things weren't always something he had to think about back in the warzones. Here, however, everything was structured.
Ren squared his shoulders, pushing the thought aside. This was a new beginning—a new life. But he'd need to adapt, to survive. He wasn't going to let something like a lack of money stop him from reaching his goals.
And when Kota pulled him into the middle of the training grounds, eager to show off his own unrefined moves, Ren was reminded that sometimes, the simplest of things—like the joy of training with someone—could still feel like a victory.