Hokage: Ryo's Path

H.R.P Chapter 162: Fugaku’s Mangekyo

As soon as Fugaku activated his Mangekyo, Ryo’s consciousness was pulled into a special space.

The space’s color was a peculiar red. There were the ruins of a building, and at its door was Fugaku, who had a hint of sadness on his face.

“Ryo, this is where my father and I grew up. Unfortunately, now, it’s abandoned.” Fugaku sunddenly said.

“Fukagu san, is this...” Ryo wanted to confirm that this space was that of the Tsukuyomi.

“Oh yeah, I didn’t mention that. This is the illusion space created by my Sharingan, my Mangekyo Sharingan.” Fugaku’s eyes turned into its Sharingan’s pattern.

Ryo looked at his eyes with some curiosity. Fugaku thought Ryo didn’t know about the Mangekyo, so he went ahead and explained the matter to him.

“The Mangekyo is the result of the Sharingan’s evolution. It can greatly enhance its initial powers, while granting the owner some unique techniques.”

Ryo nodded, he knew all of this already.

“Fugaku san, is there a reason why you pulled me into this space?” Ryo asked with some curiosity.

“Well... Ryo, I want you to lose to me. This will be very helpful to me to confirm that I get the position of the Uchiha’s clan head.” Fugaku didn’t hide his intentions, cutting straight to the chase.

“You want to be the clan’s head Fugaku san?” Fugaku was already the clan’s head in the Manga on the Kyubi’s attack night. However, Ryo didn’t remember the exact time of his election being stated.

“Well, currently, I don’t have that much credit in the family. So I’ll need your cooperation, and that you deliberately lose to me.”

“Well, win or lose, I’ve had what I wanted. Alright!” Fugaku had helped Ryo a lot in the past, so Ryo wasn’t about to refuse his request.

“Thank you, Ryo!”

“Fugaku san, you’ve helped me a lot, and also, I rather have my “uncle” be the Uchiha’s head over it being a stranger.” Ryo said quickly.

Fugaku smiled and said nothing.

“Right, Fugaku san, do you know how Katachi dono just made my Rasengan disappear?”

“That, I don’t know. This is the 1st time I see that technique as well.” Said Fugaku after giving the matter some thought.

‘Katachi Uchiha... that old man is too sinister! He actually prepared such a Jutsu just for this battle!’ Ryo remembered the battle and just couldn’t help but be surprised.

After that, the two of them talked about the matter of Chinse. Fugaku wanted to visit her with his wife and child after the end of the battle.

Thinking it over, Ryo agreed, as he had no reason to refuse such a visit.

“Fugaku san, what’s your Mangekyo’s ability? If you’re bothered by the question, don’t tell me.” Ryo immediately regreeted asking this question and added that last sentence.

“There’s nothing to bother me. My left eye’s ability is Amaterasu, and my right’s ability is Tsukuyomi that forms this Genjutsu space.” Fugaku didn’t hide anything.

‘Tsukuyomi, and Amaterasu, the same as Itachi! By the Mangekyo itself looks different.’ Ryo thought. (T/N: Also, the placement of the ability’s in reversed.)

“Ryo, we’re almost out of time! It takes me a lot of mental strength to maintain this technique. I’ve just started using this Jutsu, and I’m not strong enough to maintain it much longer. Today’s conversation ends here, we’ll talk when I visit your place.”

“Alright!” Ryo nodded, and Fugaku released the Tsukuyomi.

The two have been talking for so long, but it was only a minute to the people outside.

All they saw was Ryo and Fugaku being all motionless. But everyone there was the best of the elite. They all knew that it was a Genjutsu matchup.

Suddenly, Ryo’s face started getting pale.

Fugaku’s forehead was sweaty, but he looked... better, as if he was winning.

Ryo’s face became paler and paler, and he started to pant, while Fugaku on the other hand was a lot more at ease.

Katachi was shocked. He didn’t expect that Fugaku had reached such a level. He started thinking that if he and the younger man were to face each other, Fugaku might just be the one to immerge victorious!

Finally, this “Genjutsu matchup” ended with Ryo fainting on the spot.

When Minato saw Ryo faint, he flickered in and took him back to his group.

Ryo was an elite medical Ninja, and he had no trouble faking have a serious mental trauma.

Orochimaru was relieved as he examined him, and then said: “Ryo kun’s spirit had been hit hard. That’s why he fainted. But it’s nothing serious; he should be okay after a few days of recovery.”

Everyone heard that there was nothing wrong with Ryo.

Everyone of the Uchiha’s present applauded Wicked Eye Fugaku, for saving face and preserving the name of the Uchiha clan.

Katachi looked at Ryo in Minato’s arms and sighed. Then he turned back at Fugaku showing a happy smile.

Although he wasn’t able to take Ryo into the clan, confirming the clan’s next head was enough to be happy about.

He then turned to everyone, announcing that the matter of Ryo having Uchiha blood shall not be pursued.

Hearing such a satisfying answer, Ryo left the village in the hands of Minato.

Ryo shouldn’t go back home in this state, so Minato was planning have him spend the night over at his place.

But Orochimaru suddenly showed a strange smile, one that disappeared too quickly for anyone to notice it, except for Minato.

Then he proposed that he should be the one taking care of Ryo for the night. Minato remembered Orochimaru’s smile and looked at Ryo, thinking of what the matter might be.

“Kushina, we should let Orochimaru san take him with him. Come home and I’ll explain the matter to you.” Kushina was not at ease, but quickly chose to trust Minato.

Orochimaru returned Ryo to his own house. He casually put him on a chair and looked at him with a wicked smile.

“Ryo kun, when are you going to drop the act?” Orochimaru licked his lips and said.

“Orochi san, how did you figure it out? My act should’ve been perfect!” Ryo opened his eyes, and his initially pale face gradually turned as rosy as usual.

“Who can take heavy mental trauma and keep his breathing so smooth? It was just like you are asleep!” Orochimaru pointed at the flaw in Ryo’s act.

Ryo realized where he goofed, and embarrassedly scratched his head.

Orochimaru didn’t ask Ryo why he helped Fugaku, but instead invited him to continue the research on Hashirama’s cells.

Ryo agreed and went with him to the lab.

On the other hand, in Minato’s house Kushina was so surprised.

“But Ryo’s face was so pale!”

“His breathing was smooth, untypical of people in trauma. But he was able to really pull off a great act! If wasn’t for Orochimaru san’s smile, I wouldn’t have noticed it.”

As she learned from Minato that there was nothing wrong with Ryo, Kushina was finally completely relieved.