Ryuu’s decision

After the mission was over, Team Jiraiya left the town and was on their way back to Konoha, Ryuu was silent the whole way back as he was thinking about what he just saw Jiraiya and Minato realised his strange behavior, but they saw that the best thing they can do is to leave him be.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office…

The Hokage is having a meeting with the elders of the village, Danzo, Homura, and Koharu.

"Ryuu Uchiha is the son of a great friend of mine, Danzo. for your sake, I hope we don't find out that you were involved in his parents' murder."

Danzo had a smug look on his face as he said." How could you even think of such a thing Hiruzen, after all this time you still don't trust me?" 

The elders were silent just listening to their old teammates arguing. They were already used to it after all these years.

"Danzo all the evidence, points towards your kind of assassination, clean without a trace of evidence. You even had the motive to do so after Hanzo humiliated you."

Danzo frowned from remembering the time he tried to kill hanzo, but he was at his mercy in just a second.

He stood up in fury and slammed his hands on the table.

"He and I were never on good terms but we had one thing in common, our love and desire to protect this village, how could you even think I would ever harm the village hiruzen, everything bad that has happened to this village has been your fault and your fault only, because of your naïve and soft ways of always seeking peace and nonsense." 

"ENOUGH DANZO!" 

The Hokage let out a chilling shout and silenced Danzo. He flexed his chakra, adding pressure to the room.

Danzo felt cold sweat drop from his head.

"Calm down, hiruzen. 

Danzo quit provoking the Hokage even further."

Koharu said.

"Danzo, you will treat me with respect and I will not take back my words. If I find even just a thread of evidence that ties you to this murder, there will be dire consequences. It's been too long without any new lead. It's almost like someone is stalling this investigation." 

Danzo just sat back down.

"Now, for the real reason, we're actually here for," Homura said.

Hiruzen just nodded and stood up, grabbing his pipe. 

"Ryuu Uchiha, his potential is far beyond anything I've ever seen and I would like to build his reputation in this village." He took out Ryuu's grades in the academy and tossed it on the table. The elders were the first to read it, their faces lit up in shock, then Danzo picked it up, he read it and even his eyes couldn't believe it he was in awe. "Impossible." 

"From what I can see here, he truly is a genius.

Hiruzen, let me guide and teach Ryuu, he will join the root and become the strongest version of himse- "The Hokage silenced him with his hand and said, "There's no need for that he already has a sensei, one of the sanins Jiraiya, not only that but he also gets taught by his adoptive father, Sakumo Hatake."

Danzo's face turned bitter as he heard Sakumo's name. He started thinking to himself. 

A man not to be trifled with, unlike the sanins not only is he far more superior in battle but also in intelligence and will, Orochimaru can always be influenced by mentioning experiments and jutsu, Jiraiya can be easily influenced by women and drinks, and Tsunade, well her fear of blood is easy to use against her and her will was already broken.

Sakumo Hatake it's not as simple as the rest. I will have to be careful if I make a move against him and his family.

As Danzo was lost in his own mind, he snapped back to reality and realised that the meeting had already concluded.

"Then it's settled. We will build his reputation through his achievements in the academy. This war is far from over and the villagers could use someone like Ryuu to give them hope for a grand future." 

Tch Danzo clicked when he heard Hiruzen's words.

Hiruzen heard and noticed Danzo's problem, but he didn't give it a thought. The elders left Danzo and Hiruzen in the office.

Meanwhile, at the Hatake household…

Sakumo was alone relaxing on a sofa thinking about what he was going to do before picking up Kakashi. Then He remembered he was supposed to read the letter that Hanzo left for him.

He had locked it and sealed it near his bed, where he was the only one who could get it.

He went and took it. He opened it and read.

"Dear Sakumo, 

if You're reading this, I am dead, and you've been chosen as Ryuus adoptive father but this letter isn't about that, unfortunately, I had to distance myself from everyone because I didn't want anyone to get Hurt, Danzo and his men are after me, he wants to have revenge for what I did to him, but he also wants my eyes, that's why I hid them.

By the time I'm dead I'm sure you'll notice that my body has no eyes, Danzo has probably stolen them, but I already saw that coming, I hid my real eyes because I couldn't risk Danzo getting his hands on all that power.

I can only imagine the look on Danzo's face when he realises they were fake. Anyway, take care of Ryuu for me, his the last thing I have left and the reason behind all my actions, everything I did was for him.

 Oh, and don't go to the Hokage immediately, you have to take down Danzo swiftly and carefully don't rush in, the Hokage trusts him and won't take any action against him without irrefutable evidence, unfortunately, a letter from a dead man wouldn't do It, and please be careful, don't pull ryuu back into the darkness.

Thank you, old friend." 

Sakumos' eyes were balancing tears, but his fist curled up, He was confused. He didn't know how to feel. He felt enraged and yet he still felt happier knowing that Hanzo would be happy knowing that Ryuu was safe and living with him.

"Do not worry, Hanzo. Danzo will pay for what he did to you and your family." 

He said as he clenched his fist. He sealed the letter and locked it away, then he left to go train.

Three days had now passed since Sakumo read the letter and Word of Ryuus Incredible achievements had already spread throughout the village, everyone was praising Ryuu's achievements and how he was already being trained by one of the sannins, even some Jonins were intimidated or jealous of him.

Jiraiya and his team have finally arrived back in Konoha…

"Man, it sure is great to be back home, right Ryuu?" Minato asked.

Ryuu was still lost in his head and didn't even hear Minato's question.

Minato frowned.

"OK, this had gone on for too long. What's wrong?"

Ryuu snapped back and glanced into Minato's eyes.

"What's wrong, big bro?" I asked.

"You tell me, you've been too silent since you fought that sand ninja. What did he do?" Ryuu thought about what had happened during that fight and said.

"Nothing happened. I'm just tired." 

Minato frowned.

"You're lying." 

This surprised Ryuu, and his eyes widened while looking at Minato.

"No, I'm not." He stubbornly replied.

"Ryuu you haven't spoken a word for three straight days, Jiraiya-sensei instructed me not to say a word because he thought you were probably tired, but I know you better than that, there's no way you could get tired that easily, so I'll ask again what's the matter?" 

Ryuu stopped walking and looked down.

"He showed me." Ryuu said in a low tone.

"Huh, I didn't hear you."

Ryuu looked up and said.

"I said he showed me!" 

Minato was stunned.

"I don't understand Ryuu. What did he show you?" 

Ryuu looked annoyed and breathed out heavily.

"That man, he was an experienced ninja who fought since the 2nd shinobi War. Apparently, he was the only shinobi who survived an attack from my father, and he showed it all to me." 

Ryuu started frowning once he remembered what he saw.

"I heard screaming coming from everywhere, women, men and even young Shinobi. sure it was their choice to guard the kazekage and it was my father's duty as a shinobi to do his assigned mission, but still." 

Ryuu frowned, and his fist curled up in anger.

"I'm going to change this world no matter what the cost is, I will bring peace to our world!" He energetically said. "I know it won't be easy and that it's a foolish dream bu- "He got interrupted by Minato, who put his arm on his shoulder and smiled, then said.

"I too want to change the world we live in after I become Hokage. You and I share a dream. The only difference is the path we will take to achieve that dream."

A smile grew on Ryuu's face.

"I'm glad that you're all agreeing on the same dream, but can we keep moving? I haven't done my research for nearly a week." Jiraiya said with a wicked smile.

"You're such a perv Sensei plus, isn't it too late for such things? It's almost dark, don't you sleep?" Ryuu asked while rolling his eyes.

"Why would I sleep when I've got women and sake? Am I right?" Ryuu just rolled his eyes, and Minato slapped his face. 

"Anyway Ryuu, you did well considering your first mission was a C-rank." Jiraiya said.