Two days later.
"Mito-sama said what?" Ren Takashi paused, one brow raised in confusion as he glanced at Kushina. "Koharu and Homura reached out to her in secret and asked to meet… with me?"
"Yup," Kushina confirmed with a frown. "They said it's something important, but they want to keep it private. Sounds shady, doesn't it?"
Ren folded his arms, deep in thought. I've never even had direct contact with those two old hawks. What could they possibly want?
Kushina leaned in slightly. "Aren't they supposed to be Sarutobi's loyal dogs? Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Good question," Ren murmured, then smirked. "But I'm curious now. If nothing else, I might get a good laugh out of it."
With that, he left a Shadow Clone behind to continue guiding the others in their training, and in a flicker of light, he vanished with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
A heartbeat later, Ren materialized in the quiet courtyard of Uzumaki Mito's residence.
"Come to the living room," Mito called out warmly from the pavilion, a smile already tugging at her lips.
He followed her in, and soon they were seated before two familiar figures—Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura—calmly sipping tea.
Ren's sharp senses immediately picked up on a discrepancy. Shadow Clones. Their chakra flow was diluted and slightly uneven—not easy to detect, but Ren's spiritual perception was beyond elite.
Mito glanced at him, confirming with a slight nod that she was aware of their true identities as well.
Once everyone was seated, she spoke. "These two have expressed a desire to switch sides. They want to act as our informants from within Sarutobi's faction and support us in overthrowing him."
She looked to Ren. "Their offer is genuine. But the decision is yours."
Ren tapped the table lightly, thoughtful. "That's… unexpected."
His gaze drifted to the clones, eyes narrowing. "You two were Sarutobi's inner circle, weren't you? The so-called 'Konoha F4'? Why the sudden shift in loyalty? That doesn't sound like you."
The two elders exchanged glances. Then Koharu sighed.
"We're not idealists," she said frankly. "We're survivors."
Homura picked up the thread. "And right now, survival means aligning with the winning side."
Koharu continued, "Over the past year, we've seen the writing on the wall. Sarutobi's power is waning. His strategies are outdated. And you…"
She looked directly at Ren.
"You've grown into a force no one can deny. If we stay with Sarutobi and he loses—which seems inevitable—we'll be destroyed with him. We'd rather switch now than die later."
"Besides," Homura added bitterly, "even when we supported Sarutobi, we only got scraps. He hoarded the village's resources for the Sarutobi clan. Did you know they now number over fifteen hundred ninjas?"
"If things go on like this, he'll turn Konoha into Sarutobi Village. That's not a future we're willing to accept."
They both leaned forward, voices lowering.
"We want to be part of your alliance," Koharu said. "Not just informants—stakeholders. We know we're late, and we're not asking for much. But we want something concrete to secure our family's future."
Ren and Mito exchanged a silent glance.
Then Ren smiled, thin and cold.
"I'll allow it," he said. "You can join my interest alliance. But no full shares. I'll grant each of your families 0.25% of the refrigerator company's equity."
"That'll earn you a steady monthly dividend," he added. "Enough to grow your clan, but not enough to threaten mine."
"In exchange," his tone sharpened, "you'll sign a soul-binding spiritual contract. No playing both sides. No second chances."
The elders didn't hesitate.
"Agreed!" they said in unison, joy flickering in their eyes.
Even 0.25% was generous—especially knowing how advanced Ren's refrigerator technology was. Unlike the bulky, inefficient models from the Land of Lightning, his designs were sleek, powerful, and decades ahead.
This wasn't just a gesture—it was a golden ticket.
"Excellent," Ren said with a smile. "Now inform your main bodies to prepare for transfer. We'll conduct the contract signing in person."
The Shadow Clones vanished immediately.
Ren didn't act in haste. He closed his eyes, using his enhanced spiritual sense to track their movements from miles away.
Once he sensed that they were alone and in a secure location, he lifted his hand. With a flick of his chakra, the two real bodies shimmered into his presence, drawn across space with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
They stumbled slightly from the sudden displacement.
"Wh—what?" Homura gasped. "You… didn't even plant a marker in us?"
"Or did you?" Koharu asked, her face pale with realization.
"I leave my marks everywhere," Ren said cryptically. "But don't worry. If you're truly loyal, you'll never feel them."
They nodded nervously.
"Time for the contract," he continued, forming a seal.
From his forehead, two radiant spiritual runes floated out, hovering in front of them.
"Use your spiritual energy to bind with the seals," Ren instructed. "Don't resist."
The two elders followed his command.
As their mental energy touched the runes, the symbols flared with light and merged into their brows, sinking into their minds. A wave of unfamiliar pressure washed over them—then settled into a steady, protective rhythm.
Both flinched slightly, startled by the strange sensation.
"…Wait," Koharu murmured. "My mental energy feels stronger?"
Homura nodded slowly. "Mine too. It's… clearer. More solid."
Ren chuckled. "A little bonus."
"This seal will reinforce your sea of consciousness, stabilize your mental defenses, and make you resistant to most illusion techniques."
"Unless someone's spiritual strength exceeds mine, you're basically immune to genjutsu now."
Their eyes widened.
"That's… incredible."
"That's me," Ren said with a smirk.
Mito laughed softly from the side. "You agreed to this surprisingly quickly," she said, glancing at him. "Weren't you always disgusted with these two?"
"I was," Ren admitted. "But they've changed—or maybe, they've just become honest."
"And when someone offers to betray the very people they once worshipped, I don't turn that down lightly. It'll be fun watching Sarutobi's face when he learns that his loyal supporters were the first to stab him in the back."
Mito snorted, stifling a laugh. "You're terrible."
"I'm practical," Ren replied. "And I intend to win."