Hokage: Ryo's Path

Maan hated Danzo and was dissatisfied with Ryo. However, he still had deep attachment to his clan. He did not want to let them fall into an unfavorable situation because of him.

Danzo noticed Maan’s feelings and tired to confuse him: “Maan, you’ve been in Root before, so I’m giving you a second chance. Dig out your eyes and give them to me, and it will be as if I never saw you.” Danzo looked at Maan’s eyes greedily thought the translucent walls of the barrier.

Maan said with a massive grudge: “Danzo, it’s too early for such words! Do you think you’ve won?”

He smirked as his eyes flashed, and one of the Kunai thrown on the ground outside the barrier disappeared, just for Maan to get in its place! He was right next to Danzo, slitting his throat on the spot!

“What is this? Space-Time Ninjutsu?” White Zetsu asked Black.

“No it shouldn’t that simple. I guess it’s Maan’s second Mangekyo ability. Have you noticed that the Kunai that he teleported to appeared in his initial spot? I guess he can switch places with his Kunai. This is highly valuable nevertheless; even similar to Minato’s technique.”

“Danzo sama!” All the Root Ninjas were stunned and did not have time to react.

“You’re next! If none of you leaves, no one will hear of this!”

Just as Maan finished his words, he could hear Danzo behind him: “So these are your Mangekyo abilities? Fascinating!”

“You...” Maan was shocked once again. He could clearly feel Danzo’s flesh getting cut against his blade; how come was he alive?

“Well, you have been with me for so long; aren’t you being foolish? If I didn’t have some hidden cards, would I ever risk my life?”

Danzo’s words pissed Maan off: “Then I’ll just kill again and again, and see how many times you rise again!”

“Protect Danzo sama!”

“Huh... just you?” Maan was now a fully fledged Kage Tier Ninja. These Ninjas around him were some of Danzo’s elite, but they were all just Jonins. Facing Maan, it only meant their death...

However, Danzo wasn’t just going to sit still and watch his men getting killed. After Maan killed the first one, and as he was about to end the life of the 2nd, he found Danzo standing in his way.

The two exchanged blows, and Danzo could soon understand that he was no longer a match for Maan. On top of that, his arm by now only had 3 Sharingans, and only two of them was left for Izanagi.

This made him want to retreat, and he began to evade without hitting back. Meanwhile, taking advantage of his edge over Danzo, Maan finished off the other Ninjas around. Obviously, he didn’t want to let go of his target, but he wanted no witnesses to remain alive.

Soon, most of the Ninjas in the ambush were finished. Besides Danzo and the two closest to him, only a couple of Root Ninjas were still alive.

Danzo’s face was getting gloomier by the moment, and he began to be flustered, but still, he gave no window for Maan to take him down again.

Just as the two sides were in deadlock, a young girl, who looked around thirteen or fourteen years old came out of the woods.

As soon as she saw the situation, she frowned and turned around to leave.

“STOP!”

“Lain Yamanaka; HELP ME!”

Danzo and Maan almost shouted at the same time.

Danzo wanted Lain to help him against Maan, while the latter didn’t want her to leak the news of his attempt to assassinate Danzo to the village.

Lain helplessly turned around muttering to herself: “They had the entirety of the Fire Country to fight in; why did I have to be so unlucky that they chose my route back home?”

When Maan heard her name, he remembered that Ryo’s sister had the same name as well, so he tentatively asked: “Ryo’s sister?”

“Well you seem to know me; so who are you?” Lain never saw Maan before, she just sensed from his tone that he was familiar with her brother.

Maan felt relieved, and temporarily dismissed the thought of killing her: “Well, I’m your brothers comrade and... former friend!”

Maan’s thoughts about Ryo were still very complicated. On one hand, he couldn’t forget the days on which they put their lives on the line together in battle. On the other hand, he was feeling very betrayed by Ryo.

“Lain Yamanaka, don’t care about that nonsense! Help me stop this madman. Don’t forget, you are a Ninja of Konoha!”

“Gigi, I am indeed a Ninja of Konoha, but so are you, and so is he. You’re no Hokage, so why exactly should I listen to you instead of him?” Lain did not like Danzo, and since Maan seemed to be close to Ryo, and was having the upper hand, she did not want to interfere.

“I am the leader of Root, and I belong to the Anbu. An Anbu squad was attacked by the Uchiha; won’t you help your fellow Ninjas of Konoha? Quickly, use your wood release and stop this madman!”

Lain was a monster when it came to strength, but in the end, she was but a little girl! All of this big talk from Danzo began to overwhelm her.

“You still won’t do it? Aren’t you afraid of how the Hokage would think of your brother because of your indifference?”

Indeed, Danzo always knew where to hit. After hesitating for so long, when Lain heard this last sentence, she just made a massive tree sprout of the ground to block the way between the two.

“Hey mister, can you let him go today?” She asked cautiously.

Maan felt frustrated, for he didn’t not expect Danzo to be able to convince Lain.

“Lain, you must let me do this; I must kill him today!”

Reluctantly, the little girl shook her head. Maan on the other hand was starting to have a headache. If Danzo was to be let go, the Uchiha were going to suffer greatly because of his actions.

“In that case, I am sorry, Lain!” After he finished his words, Maan’s eyes rotated, and a Black and Purple giant skeleton was formed about his body, which was then wrapped with muscles, until it became a full body holding a Fuma Shuriken.

As the giant appeared, Maan’s eyes turned filled with blood and tears.

“The same technique as my brothers?” Lain’s face turned gloomy, and she made her hand seals, making a massive Wood Human appear underneath her.

“[Wood Human Jutsu]? I never thought Ryo’s sister was such a genius. Since that’s the case, let’s ee how strong the 1st Hokage’s Wood really is!” After finishing his words, Maan threw his Fuma Shuriken.

Seeing the incoming attack, Lain extended the Wood Human’s palm hands and braced for impact.

The Shuriken’s power was great, and the Wood Human was pushed back a great distance before it could stop it!