Chapter 17: Gathering Enthusiasts (Part 2)
"Have you been lurking there for so long without coming out? You over there?" A voice, though youthful, emanated from Kudo Ryoan, filled with undeniable authority.
While Uchiha Ryo was shocked by Kudo Ryoan's strength, what astonished him even more was that his stealth technique had been spotted by a mere child.
"Since you've seen through me, are you ready to face death?" Uchiha Ryo, feeling the pressure, activated his Sharingan, revealing the two tomoe in each eye.
The reason the previous assassin failed was primarily due to underestimating this six-year-old. In a bid to eliminate him before the Anbu arrived, Uchiha Ryo raised his hand and unleashed his signature ninjutsu.
"Tiger, Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!!" A massive fire dragon soared forth from Uchiha Ryo, rushing toward Kudo Ryoan at a speed hard for the naked eye to follow.
This was not something Kudo Ryoan's modified version of the C-ranked water ninjutsu could block. Calculating quickly, Kudo summoned all his chakra.
"Pig-Snake-Rabbit-Rat-Pig-Rooster-Pig-Horse-Rooster-Rat-Tiger-Dog, Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!!" This jutsu consumed 80% of Kudo Ryoan's chakra.
Another massive dragon, this time made of water, surged forward. Water and fire clashed! A vast amount of steam filled the entire forest.
At this moment, the Anbu protecting Kudo Ryoan's home sensed the tremendous chakra fluctuations. Two of them remained to guard "Kudo Ryoan," while the other two hurried towards the battleground.
Noticing that Uchiha Ryo could not rely solely on the Great Fire Dragon to eliminate Kudo Ryoan, he turned to flee without hesitation.
After all, the murder of a talented ninja from his own village could only be carried out in the shadows. If discovered by the Anbu, the consequences would be dire. Unfortunately for Uchiha Ryo, Kudo Ryoan was not the kind of person who would let him escape after showing off.
Just in front of Uchiha Ryo's escape route, a water-formed Kudo Ryoan appeared silently, a small hidden shuriken appearing in his right hand.
Since obtaining this shuriken, no one had ever suffered a loss at its edge! Today, you would be my first trophy.
With no intention of ambushing him from the shadows, Kudo Ryoan boldly stood in front of Uchiha Ryo, precisely locking onto his throat.
The stunning strike was like a flash of white light that would astonish the heavens and weep for the spirits. The last thing Uchiha Ryo saw was that flash, accompanied by the whispers of a demon, before everything went dark.
Uchiha Ryo's corpse, with the shuriken embedded in his throat, fell from the air. After gently pulling the shuriken from the body, a system notification echoed in Kudo Ryoan's mind.
"Ding! You have killed 2 elite chunin. Reward: 500 virtue points.
Bonus for killing an opponent of a higher rank: One bottle of Bitter Sweet Breeze.
You have special loot to pick up: *2 items. Would you like to collect them?"
The rewards were secondary; what caught Kudo Ryoan's eye were two special treasures: Sharingan. More importantly, they had already developed into two tomoe.
Not wanting to waste any resources, Kudo silently thought: Yes. Soon, Uchiha Ryo's eyes appeared in the system's inventory.
The Uchiha clan's coveted treasure throughout the ninja world was the awakened Sharingan. If that bunch of Uchiha knew that their clan's Sharingan had fallen into someone else's hands, there would surely be great upheaval. With a mind to erase all traces, Kudo Ryoan used the last of his chakra to completely obliterate the corpse.
Within moments, two Anbu arrived at Kudo Ryoan's location, both displaying expressions of shock. After all, the Kudo Ryoan they had been "protecting" should be right in his home's courtyard!
How could he possibly be here? Although they didn't have the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan, managing to evade the attention of four experienced and skilled Anbu directly under the Hokage was astounding.
This incredible ability truly exceeded their expectations. After a brief inspection confirmed that Kudo Ryoan was unharmed, the two, on routine, escorted him to the Hokage's office.
After explaining the situation to the Third Hokage, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise upon realizing that the two fallen ninjas were both elite chunin!
"Is there anything you'd like to tell this old man?" The Third Hokage smiled warmly at Kudo Ryoan, his old face nearly bursting with pride.
This was his precious apprentice! The Third Hokage thought to himself as Kudo Ryoan provided a detailed recount of the events, especially emphasizing Uchiha Ryo's blatant intent to kill him.
Of course, only the Third could suppress those Uchiha brats who thought they were invincible. Since a grudge had been formed, he needed a reliable protector; who better than the Third Hokage right in front of him?
Unlike the old, weakened Hokage seen later in the story, the current Third Hokage was among the top five shinobi in the entire ninja world!
"I will send two Anbu of jounin strength to protect you." The Third was treating Kudo Ryoan like a treasure, fearful of any mishap occurring.
"Then, why not join your Anbu directly? This way, when we go out on missions, we can distract the Uchiha clan while also enhancing my combat skills. Of course, Grandpa Sanda, can you continue to send people to protect my parents?" Kudo Ryoan, already planning to go on village missions, seized the opportunity to voice his thoughts.
This way, he could trust the most important people in his life to the Third's protection. At this point, the Third Hokage had completely lowered his guard against the boy.
By exposing Kudo Ryoan's vulnerability to him, what worry could he still have regarding the boy's loyalty to the village? Having thought it through, the Third Hokage swiftly agreed to Kudo Ryoan's proposal.
They arranged for Kudo Ryoan to report to the Hokage's office early the next morning. Under the protection of two elite jounin-level Anbu, Kudo Ryoan returned to the one place where he could leave all his troubles behind: home.