Chapter 28 - New abilities

"What on earth did you just say?!" Riku shouted at the intelligence Shinobi while the Mist's Ninja assembled hastily. "That massive wave of Chakra originated from a dead-spot in our patrols, and the scout unit of ten Anbu has yet to return," the Shinobi reported in an emotionless voice. Riku's face darkened with concern, "Did you find out who the moles are?"

"Yes, sir. We apprehended some Anbu who tampered with the patrol documents, ensuring that a specific area of the surrounding forest was never checked. It's quite far, perhaps a day's distance, so it went unnoticed," the man reported. Riku's frustration was palpable as he responded, "That's no excuse! Send a squad over there imm—" He stopped himself mid-sentence, a sudden thought crossing his mind. 'Wait... A hidden place that infiltrated our ranks so deeply must know something about Haru's son. That distance, while not close, is definitely in the area where we lost Ryu. Maybe they're the ones who took him! If I interrogate them, I can figure out where he is now!'

With renewed determination, Riku changed his orders, "Forget my previous command. Gather the strongest Shinobi we have, aside from the Kage. We need to leave immediately!"

"Yes, sir!" The Shinobi said before flickering away. As the realization settled in, Riku clenched his fist in anticipation. "Finally, I have a lead!"

---

Meanwhile, in a medical room within the clinic, concern grew for Ryu's well-being. Akina and Arakan hurried into the room, their faces filled with worry as they found Ryu unconscious on a bed, with Daisuke at his side. Daisuke's voice was steady as he explained, "I'm not sure what happened. He found out about his father's death, and he went into a frenzy. But then, blood started pouring from his eyes, and he collapsed, screaming in pain."

Arakan's eyes widened in shock. "Blood came out of his eyes? Let me examine him." He carefully prepared his Ninjutsu, focusing as he began to cast his diagnostic technique. After a minute, he sighed with a mixture of relief and confusion. "It seems there's nothing wrong with him now, but I can't determine what caused his eyes to bleed."

Daisuke furrowed his brow. "We'll have to investigate further later. For now, we should prepare for another attack. That massive Chakra beacon Ryu created is sure to draw unwanted attention."

Akina nodded in agreement. "You're right. They'll likely arrive even faster than last time. Let's get ready." As the trio turned to leave, Daisuke placed a hunting knife on the drawer beside Ryu's bed. "In case he wakes up to an enemy," he explained to Akina and Arakan. The three of them shared a solemn nod before exiting the room.

---

After some time passed, Ryu began to stir. "What is this headache..." he muttered, gripping his head tightly. 'Where am I?' he wondered, scanning the room frantically. He found himself in a typical patient room, with white walls surrounding him. Apart from his bed, there was only a drawer near him with a knife on top of it and a bathroom near the door. As Ryu slowly regained his composure, he heard some strange, distant sounds.

'What is that? It sounds like the whistling of the wind, the crackling of a raging fire, and the gushing sound of a flood. Did the Anbu unit come? I need to assess the situation!' With that thought, Ryu sprang up from his bed.

As if by fate, Ryu moved just in time, for a blade pierced his pillow mere moments later. "What?!" he exclaimed, leaping back in reflex before observing his surroundings. 'Anbu! I'll have to use my Sharingan!' Determined, Ryu activated his Sharingan, but the transformation he had performed on his eyes was still active, so the Anbu agent remained unaware.

However, Ryu felt something unusual. He had activated his fully matured Sharingan as he always did, but an odd sensation washed over him - a feeling that he could push it even further. It reminded him of what happened when he learned about... about his father's death. The thought brought great sadness to Ryu, but he knew he needed to focus. Concentrating on his Sharingan, he pushed it beyond its limits, awakening his Mangekyo.

With the Mangekyo activated, Ryu recalled the events from when he first awakened it and channeled a small amount of Chakra into his left eye. Suddenly, his vision expanded, allowing him to see the entire room with crystal clarity, including the Anbu lurking in the corner. As the Shinobi prepared to launch another attack, Ryu darted toward the knife on the drawer. The Anbu reacted swiftly to his sudden movement, aiming to decapitate Ryu with a clean, quick slice. But just as the sword neared Ryu's neck, he managed to grasp the knife.

In an impressive display of skill, Ryu flickered away, leaving the Anbu's sword slicing through nothing but air. Capitalizing on the confusion, Ryu channeled Chakra into his legs, then sprang off the wall, deftly slashing the Anbu's throat before they had a chance to react. He performed a front roll to dissipate the excess momentum before flipping back onto his feet. Panting heavily, Ryu realized he had never learned any of these techniques before.

'What the...?! How c-' Ryu's thoughts were interrupted as a flood of memories surfaced. They showed a child around his age, surrounded by Anbu and Jonin. The boy attempted the same maneuvers Ryu had just executed but failed miserably. His Flicker Jutsu was sloppy, he couldn't augment his limbs with Chakra, and his swordsmanship was abysmal. The instructors forced him to repeat the drill thousands of times, punishing him harshly each time he failed. Over the years, he honed the technique to a masterful degree but bore the scars of his physical and mental torment.

"AHHHH!" Ryu screamed as the memories flashed by. He experienced them as if they were his own; while he gained the skill, he also absorbed the abuse. Although his body remained unharmed, he still 'remembered' the pain, the scars. The years of brutal mistreatment compressed into mere seconds overwhelmed him, causing him to cry out in agony.