Ryuu and Fugaku stood outside.
"Uncle, earlier you said you should thank me.
Why is that?"
"Because…
With all due respect to the Third Hokage, things between the Uchiha and the village have always been a mess.
In fact, despite being the other half that started this village, the only time we were equal to the Senju and other clans was back in the first Hokages era. I wasn't alive, but I've heard stories.
Plus, some have lived long enough to see all the Hokages.
But now…
Now that Sakumo is in charge, I know things will change… And it's all thanks to you."
"What do you mean, Uncle?"
Fugaku looked at Ryuu.
"When you were knocked out, the third Hokage and his council were planning on reinstating the Third Hokage.
Sakumo wanted me to become Hokage.
I knew it would not happen, and I also knew Sakumo would not be selected as the next Hokage, despite being so qualified.
Everything was going to be the same…
But then you showed up, from the moment I saw you walking towards that seat, I knew you were going to tip the scales in our favor.
However, I didn't expect the chaos you'd need to bring to ensure victory."
Ryuu started shyly, scratching his head.
"Sorry about that…
I'm sure the Uchiha clan has lost respect for me because I brought so much attention to them." Fugaku shook his head.
"Quite the opposite." Ryuu looked at him, wondering what he meant.
"You stood your ground in front of not only the village leaders but also multiple clan heads, and you did this after defeating the nine tails.
That incident opened the eyes of the Uchiha.
Whether it's for the better or worse, we don't know that yet.
However, I've heard some people compare you to the likes of Madara Uchiha, they call you a reincarnation of him. He warned the clan that this would happen, but the clan didn't listen and so…
So he left the village."
"Oh… I see…" Ryuu frowned.
"Anyway, I'm sure you're busy, being an Anbu member, I don't want to hold you up for too long."
"We'll talk later, Uncle." Fugaku nodded.
Before Ryuu teleported back home, he had a last-minute training session and then went straight to his room and headed to bed.
The next day…
Ryuu wore his Anbu uniform and went to the Hokage's office; a few minutes later, Kakashi and the other Anbu members arrived and awaited orders from Sakumo.
"A select few of you, Anbu, will be chosen to guard the possession of the feudal lord on the way back to his prefecture."
"Yes, sir." They responded.
The Hokage took a red scroll.
"And this will be our plan."
Ryuu and Kakashi exchanged glances.
Later, Kakashi headed to Danzo's hideout.
Kakashi carried the scroll containing the plan.
Looking down, Kakashi's eyes widened as multiple wood branches headed toward him.
"Wood style?" Kakashi dodged it by jumping to the side.
Kakashi looked where the attack was coming from and saw a kid with brown hair reaching his neck. He wore the standard attire of the Anbu, with a sword strapped to his back, a mask that resembles a cat's face covered in green, and red markings, and the Anbu tattoo on his left shoulder.
Kakashi activated his Sharingan.
"Wood style: giant forest jutsu!"
The kid stretched his hand, and it transformed into thick wood stretching towards Kakashi.
Kakashi entered lightning chakra mode and vanished before appearing behind him.
"Enough!" Danzo came out of the shadows.
Droplets of sweat dripped from the boy's head.
Danzo looked at the boy and said.
"I requested he joins us here."
"Yes, sir." He bowed.
Danzo turned around to Kakashi with a smile. Even a blind bat could see through that fake smile.
"I appreciate you coming here."
Kakashi took a knee and gave him the scroll. "This is it."
Danzo read the plans and started grinning.
"It appears that the time has arrived, excellent work, Kakashi."
"Now, you have to go, we can't raise suspicions, especially from your brother." Kakashi nodded.
Kakashi left Danzo's hideout and went to meet up with Ryuu on his training grounds.
"Are they following me?"
Ryuu shook his head.
"Ryuu, you have wood release, do you know anyone else who also has it?"
"It's not like there's a connection between people who can use it. Why?"
"Earlier today when I went to give Danzo the plans, he had a kid who attacked me using wood release."
"I see…" went into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
"You knew about this." Ryuu nodded.
"That kid must be one of the previous experiments, Orochimaru and Danzo used lord Firsts cells to create more wood release users.
He must be the sole survivor."
Ryuu said as he began cooking squid.
"They experimented on kids?"
Ryuu nodded.
"Long ago, the third Hokage allowed Orochimaru to start the experiments and attempt to make a wood release user.
When things were going nowhere, he shut the program down.
However, given Danzo's desire for power, and Orochimaru's uncontainable passion for such experiments, they probably did this all illegally anyway, this is what I was talking about yesterday.
I want to stop every major operation Danzo planned for."
Kakashi helped Ryuu as they talked.
"But anyway, enough about that for now." Kakashi nodded.
"Yawn…" Kakashi yawned and stretched.
"You getting any sleep?"
Kakashi nodded.
"Don't lie to me, you haven't gotten a good night's sleep for a while."
"It's just…" Kakashi was hesitant to speak up.
"Ever since I talked to Danzo, I've had this nightmare.
I'm in a cinema, watching the nine tails attack the village, and Danzo stands across me, convincing me to kill lord third and dad but… when I go for the kill…
My hand is back there."
Kakashi looked at his hand with a worried expression.
"Back where?"
"Inside of Rin's chest." Ryuu's eyes widened.
"Kakashi, it wasn't her, and it wasn't your fault either.
We'll get Danzo."
"I know, it's just…" Kakashi took a deep breath.
"Let's just eat and go home."
"Sure."
After eating dinner, Ryuu and Kakashi walked home.
Sakumo wasn't there, and they had to sleep early because of their mission.
The next day…
"Kakashi and I will go ahead of you all, we'll cover the Hokage from the front and back as you all follow from the shadows."
"Yes, sir!" The Anbu responded.
"Alright, I want to have a word with Ryuu, you've been dismissed."
"Yes, sir!" They Bowed and vanished.
Leaving Ryuu and Sakumo there.
"Ryuu, are you sure Danzo wants to do this?" Ryuu nodded.
"Yes, he expects this to work, let me go instead of you, you stay here, give him a little shock, you know." Sakumo nodded.
"Well alright, if that's the case, you better be going right now, don't raise any suspicions.
I've told lord third that I'll be sending a shadow clone and he's alright with it, he says he won't go." Ryuu nodded.
"Shadow clone jutsu!" Sakumo made a shadow clone.
"Shall we go, Hokage-sama?" Sakumo's clone nodded.
They left the room and went on the journey with Anbu black ops following from the shadows.
They traveled for hours, and Ryuu felt the root members above him.
Ryuu quickly glanced at Kakashi to let him know what was going on.
Kakashi understood and got ready.
"We're being attacked!" Ryuu yelled.
Whoosh! Shurikens came from above them, and Ryuu deflected them with his own.
Ryuu jumped into the forest to fight, leaving the Hokage alone.
The Hokage stood by, alert and prepared to fight back.
Whoosh! A small boy wearing a mask and green armor stood in front of Sakumo.
He made a hand sign and looked at Sakumo; he was prepared to dodge the attack.
"Wood-style jutsu!" Thick branches of wood quickly headed towards Sakumo.
"What?!" They hit him, he was shocked about what happened.
*Poof!* Sakumo turned into a log of wood.
The kid looked up and saw the Hokage standing next to Kakashi.
*Poof!* Ryuu transformed back.
The kid didn't waste any time and made another hand sign.
"Wood style: giant forest jutsu!"
Thick logs of wood stretched from his hand and headed towards them.
"Kamui!" Ryuu teleported the wood style into Kamui, leaving the kid wondering what happened.
"Purple lightning!" Kakashi jumped toward the kid and knocked him down.
"Where did you learn wood style?"
He didn't answer.
"I didn't expect an answer, anyway.
Go." He didn't expect that and for a second he did nothing.
"Leave, quickly, that jutsu of yours will be really useful to the village one day." He got up and ran.
Kakashi switched off his Purple lightning and shortly after, the Anbu members arrived.
"It appears that they were after Hokage-sama and Hokage-sama alone.
They aimed to separate us from him." A man with a deep voice spoke.
"They all scattered somewhere." A lady added.
"Were you alright here?"
"Yes," Kakashi answered.
"Recognise the enemy?"
"No, I don't know who it was," Kakashi stated while looking at him.
"Well, that's alright, I'm sure Hokage-sama will take care of the rest."
They all left.
Meanwhile, in Konoha, Danzo sat in the Hokage's seat and turned around to look at the village.
Grinning, as if he had won already.
"Don't get comfortable in my seat."
Danzo quickly turned around and saw Sakumo walking towards him.
"What's wrong with you? It looks like you've seen a ghost." Sakumo took off his hat and cloak, placing them on the shelves.
Danzo was sweating, he tensed up seeing Sakumo.
"Don't you want to know why I'm still alive?"
"Of course not, I just thought you'd left this morning," Danzo replied, his voice was shaky, he was nervous and terrified.
"Honestly, Danzo, I can't believe I used to think you were cunning and intelligent.
Did you believe Kakashi would betray me?
Or even worse, did you believe Ryuu wouldn't find out and stop you?"
Danzo didn't respond.
"You are a fool.
You're an old, slow, and useless fool." Danzo frowned, he clenched his fist.
"Be wary of what you will do next, I'm not Hiruzen, I don't have principles that prevent me from ending your life right now.
This is the second attempt at taking my life, I won't risk a third time."
Sakumo unsheathed his chakra blade.
Danzo gulped in fear, the last time this happened his hand was cut off.
"However…" Sakumo took a deep breath.
"An unexpected person told me to keep you alive.
He said you had one more role to play before he kills you." Sakumo stabbed his blade on the desk.
"This same person gave back your power and influence."
"Ryuu Uchiha," Danzo muttered his name with much distaste.
"That's right.
But know this Danzo.
If you keep thinking you're smarter than me, my son won't protect you from my wrath."
Danzo gritted his teeth.
"Get out of my office." Danzo stood up and slowly walked out of the Hokage's office.