38 Chapter 38 - An awkward meeting

'I hope Shisui is okay, I feel kinda bad for leaving him behind' Ryu thought to himself. 'I have some time before Jiraiya calls for me; maybe I should visit the Uchiha residence.'

With Shisui's memories blending seamlessly with his own, Ryu navigated the streets of the Hidden Leaf as if he had lived there all his life. The detailed recollections of Shisui's past guided him through the village, leading him to the Uchiha residence with ease.

Ryu approached the secluded corner of the village where the Uchiha clan resided, an area marked by the distinctive architecture of their homes. As he drew closer, the Uchihas who caught sight of him stared with furrowed brows and narrowed eyes, their suspicious gazes piercing through Ryu. A pang of sadness and confusion tugged at his heart, as he realized that to these people, he was nothing more than a stranger.

Despite their unfamiliarity with him, Ryu felt a deep connection to the Uchihas; they were like family to him. The memories he had absorbed from Shisui had given him years' worth of shared experiences, laughter, and sorrow with the clan.

He understood their customs, their dreams, and their fears as if they were his own. And yet, the cold, distrustful looks on their faces stung him, even though he recognized the justification behind their guarded demeanor.

"Stop!" Ryu's progress was abruptly halted by a pair of Uchiha police officers, their uniforms consisting of dark green long-sleeved shirts and bright green vests adorned with the police force symbol on the back—a blue four-pointed star encasing the Uchiha emblem.

Ryu obeyed their command, ceasing his movement. "Yes?" he asked, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" one of the officers demanded, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the unfamiliar visitor.

"I just wanted to see the Uchiha residence. Is there a law against that?" Ryu replied, feigning innocence.

"You've seen enough. Now, leave," the other officer chimed in, his tone firm and unyielding. Ryu frowned, puzzled by their hostility. "On what grounds are you asking me to leave? I haven't caused any harm."

"Non-Uchihas are not permitted to venture too far into our residence," the first officer responded, though his words were clearly a fabrication. However, Ryu decided to play along.

"Is that so? Well, in that case, there shouldn't be a problem," he said, allowing his eyes to revert to a three-tomoe Sharingan and releasing the Transformation Jutsu that had concealed his true appearance.

The change in Ryu's appearance visibly stunned the officers, who exchanged bewildered glances as they tried to process the presence of an unknown Uchiha among them. The revelation sent murmurs rippling through the gathered crowd, as other clan members began to question how someone with their distinctive ocular powers could have gone unnoticed within their close-knit community.

"If that's all, then..." Ryu said, attempting to push past the stunned Uchihas. However, before he could make his way through the crowd, a firm hand gripped his shoulder, halting him in his tracks.

"I know every Uchiha here, and we've never seen one like you. No one else seems to recognize you either. Explain yourself, now!" The man's voice was rough and commanding, his grip tightening on Ryu's shoulder.

"First of all, I'd suggest you let go of me before you come to regret it," Ryu warned, his casual demeanor evaporating in response to the physical contact. He had been willing to engage in conversation, but he wouldn't tolerate being manhandled.

Ryu understood that the Uchihas would be wary of him. As a half-blood not native to the Leaf, he knew he would need to prove himself eventually in order to gain their trust and establish his place among them. And as the saying went among the Shinobi, 'Might is Right.'

"Ha, I'd like to see you try," the man scoffed, his grip growing even harsher.

In an instant, Ryu's patience reached its limit. The man found himself hurtling through the air at a terrifying speed, only stopping when he crashed into the wall of a nearby house. "Apprehend him!" someone in the crowd shouted, prompting the surrounding Uchihas to lunge at Ryu.

The first Uchiha leaped towards Ryu with a powerful kick aimed at his head, but Ryu easily dodged the strike, anticipating the move thanks to his Sharingan. Almost instantaneously, he countered with a swift, precise elbow to the attacker's ribs, sending him reeling back into the throng of clan members.

Two more Uchihas rushed in from either side, trying to catch Ryu off-guard with a coordinated attack. One aimed a sweeping low kick at his legs, while the other launched a spinning back fist at his face. Using his Sharingan to predict their movements, Ryu leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the low kick and simultaneously grabbing the wrist of the Uchiha delivering the back fist. With a fluid motion, he used his opponent's momentum to hurl him at the other attacker, sending both sprawling to the ground.

As Ryu landed gracefully on his feet, a group of five Uchihas closed in on him, attempting to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. They executed a barrage of rapid-fire punches and kicks from all directions, but Ryu effortlessly danced around their onslaught, dodging and deflecting their attacks with fluid movements. With every evasion, he launched a counterstrike, incapacitating his opponents one by one with crippling blows to their vital points.

Seeing their comrades fall, the remaining Uchihas began to adjust their tactics. Their Sharingan allowed them to analyze and adapt to Ryu's movements, and they began to execute more complex and synchronized attacks. In one such maneuver, three Uchihas attacked simultaneously, two targeting Ryu's legs with a combined sweep, and the third launching a flying knee aimed at his chest. However, Ryu was unfazed by their efforts. He performed a handspring over the sweeping legs, grabbed the ankle of the Uchiha in mid-air, and slammed him down onto the other two, leaving them all in a heap on the ground.

As the fight continued, the Uchihas resorted to increasingly intricate and coordinated strategies, trying to exploit any possible weakness in Ryu's defenses. One group circled him, feinting attacks to draw his attention, while another prepared to strike from behind. But Ryu's Sharingan allowed him to perceive the ruse, and he responded with a dazzling display of acrobatics, flipping over the hidden attackers and landing in the midst of the feinting group. Before they could react, he unleashed a whirlwind of devastating strikes, leaving them all incapacitated in a matter of seconds.

Time and again, the Uchihas tried to outmaneuver and outthink Ryu, but his prowess in Taijutsu and the power of his Sharingan proved insurmountable. With each passing moment, he adapted to their tactics, shifting his fighting style and incorporating new techniques to stay ahead of their efforts. His movements were a breathtaking blend of agility, strength, and precision, as he effortlessly flowed from one opponent to the next, leaving a trail of defeated Uchihas in his wake.

Finally, only a handful of the Uchiha fighters remained standing. They launched one last desperate assault, but Ryu met their challenge head-on. He parried their strikes and delivered a final series of brutal, decisive blows.

As the dust settled, the Uchihas lay scattered around Ryu, creating an astonishing scene.

"So, are you planning to remain up there?" Ryu inquired, raising an eyebrow as he gazed at an apparently vacant spot on a rooftop. After a brief pause, an Anbu of similar height to Ryu materialized before him. "Hey, Itachi. What's new? I haven't seen you since yesterday," Ryu said with a playful smirk as he addressed the 13-year-old.

"I have never met you in my life," Itachi replied cautiously, his guard heightened. "Really? But we met just before you left for the mission the Hokage assigned to you—the one involving the assassination of a rogue Shinobi. We even had breakfast with little Sasuke. Don't you recall?" Ryu recounted the events, trying to jog Itachi's memory.

"The only person I met that day was Shisui. Are you making some sort of veiled threat?" Itachi asked, anxiety flickering in his eyes. "What? No, I'm Sh—" Ryu began, but stopped himself abruptly. 'What am I even saying? I've never met Itachi before! Damn, the memory clash effect must have been triggered,' he mentally chastised himself.

"...Forget what I just said. Why were you observing me, anyway?" Ryu inquired, attempting to change the subject. "Are you seriously asking me that?" Itachi retorted dryly, gesturing at their surroundings. "Alright, my mistake. But as you saw, everyone's fine. And they started it," Ryu stated in protest.

"...That still doesn't explain how you were aware of my mission or my encounter with Shisui," Itachi pointed out. "Please, just forget about that! I promise I don't intend to cause you any harm!" Ryu pleaded, his voice tinged with panic. "No," Itachi responded simply, much to Ryu's disappointment.

"Well, then enjoy contemplating the mystery. I won't provide any answers. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I have an appointment with the Hokage!" Ryu declared hastily before vanishing in a blur, leaving Itachi with a multitude of unanswered questions.