Hokage: Ryo's Path

As she was staring at the mad killing figure that’s been slaughtering the Mist Ninjas, her body could not stop trembling, and tears fell unstoppably from her eyes.

“Ryo, is that... Obito?” She asked with a very small, pessimistic voice.

“Don’t worry about this Rin; Obito will be fine. I’ll take you to see him in a moment.” Ryo tried to make his friend feel better.

She nodded and said nothing. Rin was never much of a skeptical person. She knew that Ryo had his plans.

The reason why Ryo wasn’t moving in was that he wanted Obito to improve even further.

In fact, when the Uchiha suffer great grief, their strong emotions stimulate their Sharingan; that’s how the Mangekyo is activated in the first place. With grief further intensifying during the Mangekyo’s first activation, this could make it even stronger.

With Obito’s Mangekyo just opening, it still had potential to become even stronger.

Ryo guessed that Obito’s witnessing of “Rin’s” corpse would further dig into his potential.

Indeed, that was what happened. After slaughtering the Mist, Obito went and took “Rin” in his arms.

Confirming that was indeed deceased, his Mangekyo turned even redder. He looked up and looked at the moon, desperately saying: “Here is hell!”

His Mangekyo’s power was further improved, and Ryo reached his purpose. He took Rin to Obito’s side immediately.

Obito was drowning in sorrow. He did not feel Ryo and Rin approaching, but Guruguru sensed them as soon as they approached.

He was too surprised to react at the sight of Rin alive and well. Ryo’s took that chance to transport his consciousness to the Ice World.

When Rin saw Obito, and could no longer hold her feelings, rushing to him and shouting his name!

Deep in his despair, Obito faintly heard Rin’s voice, shouting his name. As she touched Obito’s shoulder, he said: “Did I miss you that much? I can actually hear your voice.”

Ryo was both happy and sympathetic, torn between cry and laughter; Rin was hysterically crying; and Obito was still holding a dummy mourning over its passing.

The scene was too unharmonious, so Ryo just dissipated his Chakra and the dummy turned back to its clone previous form.

As Obito watched the change, he became agitated.

“Obito, you’re not in hell. Why don’t you look behind you?” Ryo used a Genjutsu he had learned from Shinku Yuhi to try to guide Obito’s consciousness to turn around.

Sluggishly, Obito looked behind him, to see Rin’s face before his eyes.

“Rin!” Seeing Rin, Obito’s Chakra became agitated, and he immediately broke out from Ryo’s Genjutsu.

“Rin! RIN! You’re okay! Thank god!” At her sight, Obito smiled, and then he fainted.

“Obito!” Rin saw Obito fainting and immediately stopped crying. Her Medical Ninja instinct made her immediately rush to check him for injuries.

As she was about to examine him, Ryo stopped her: “Rin, don’t be so nervous! Obito was emotionally overwhelmed, but not hurt.”

Ryo did want to wake him up right there, but he sensed several Ninja approaching from Konoha’s direction.

Ryo had to give the clone Rin’s appearance back, and then take the two into the forest in the distance.

Konoha’s Ninjas who had recieved Kakashi’s distress signal rushed in. They were led by Shin Sarutobi, one of the Ninjas who operated under Ryo in the Puppet Carriage interception mission back in the Wind Country. Now, he was a Jonin.

They arrived at the scene, just to be all slaughtered by the sight what had just happened.

Shin ordered everyone to spread out to confirm the safety of the perimeters, and he looked at the corpse of the tall man before him with his face all gloomy.

This was a one Mist Ninja that Shin had encountered during the war. He was at least quasi Kage tier, but he had a wooden branch in his heart.

Shin also noticed he had no other scars! Only his heart was fatally wounded. This means he was stabbed before he could do anything.

The Jonin was in cold sweat. Whoever killed this quasi Kage with such ease should be at least Kage tier, and not a lower tier one. If that person is still nearby, then they might just follow...

He did not like the idea, and immediately ordered the rest of his team to move faster.

A few minutes later, they had already finished scanning the area. They found Kakashi and “Rin”. Kakashi was known by most of them, as the Hatake’s new prodigy. As for “Rin”, they could only confirm she was from Konoha.

Shin Sarutobi ordered everyone to get the two and head back to the village.

In the woods, Obito and Rin were holding each other tightly. Seeing that Rin is fine, Obito’s despair was swept away, and he had a big smile on his face!

“Cough, I’m most sorry to distrupt your reunion, but we have to talk, Obito. Can you give me some of your time?” Ryo was running out of time, and had to interrupt the intimate moment.

Obito separated himself from Rin reluctantly, and then said impatiently: “What do you want?”

Ryo laughed out loud for a while, as he saw Obito living his dream.

“Obito, have you encountered Uchiha Madara?” Ryo said with a smile.

Obito did not expect that Ryo would ask him about that. After being stunned for a while, he nodded and said: “I met him indeed. After I was crushed by the boulder, he saved me.

“Obito, do you know why he saved you?”

“He said it was for the sake of real peace!” Ryo had a grin of disdain upon his face.

After thinking about it, Ryo finally decided to tell Obito almost everything!

“I have also encountered Madara, just after the Battle of Kikyo Pass. I have also found out that he was saving you. However, since Medical Ninjutsu wouldn’t have helped you, I let him temporarily take you away.”

Obito nodded, believing Ryo, as he remembered his injury.

“After performing a task in the Water country, I learned that Madara wanted to capture Rin, and use her death to provoke your Mangekyo Sharingan to activate, and then use you as a pawn.”

“What? Ryo, you’re saying that everything that happened was a plan of Madara?” Obito interrupted Ryo in disbelief.

“Obito, it’s true. Uchiha Madara did send the Water Country Ninjas to catch me. If it wasn’t for Ryo, I would’ve been dead!” Rin confirmed Ryo’s information.

Obito finally realized Madara’s plot, and he was furious!