Chapter 47 - Allies and enemies

"Naruto, take a break and come here for a moment," Ryu called to the blond kid who was in the middle of doing weighted squats.

Naruto paused, panting, and approached Ryu. "What's going on?" he asked, curiosity mixed with concern.

Ryu's expression was solemn. "I just had a talk with the Hokage. It seems there's going to be a war thanks to that incompetent prick."

Naruto's eyes widened. "A war?! Who's attacking us?"

Ryu shook his head. "No one's invading. It's going to be a civil war."

"A civil war? But why?" Naruto asked, his voice shaking.

Ryu sighed. "I'll explain everything later, but for now, just know that it's a complicated situation."

Naruto looked at Ryu with determination. "Can't you stop it? You said you're the strongest, right?"

Ryu sighed before responding. "I have the power to stop it, but I won't."

Naruto's face fell, disbelief and disappointment evident in his eyes. "Why not?"

"Because if I just come in and force the two sides to stop fighting, nothing will really change," Ryu explained. "The underlying issues between them will still be there, and the resentment will only grow. To maintain peace, I'd have to rule with an iron fist, and that's not a solution I'm willing to pursue. I'm not interested in becoming a tyrant."

As Ryu spoke, Naruto's expression turned thoughtful, beginning to understand the complexity of the situation. The words sank in, and he realized that even with all of Ryu's power, there were some problems that couldn't be solved by force alone.

"However, I won't just stand idly by," Ryu continued. "I'll do what I can to minimize the damage and ensure that this pointless war ends as quickly as possible."

Naruto furrowed his brow, still concerned. "But what about the people who will die in the war?"

Ryu looked at Naruto with a mix of empathy and resolve. "You can't save everyone, Naruto. Someday, when you become Hokage, you'll come to understand that firsthand." Naruto's face fell, but he couldn't deny the truth in Ryu's words. He desperately wished there was a way to keep the village united without bloodshed.

Seeing Naruto's struggle, Ryu decided to give him a task. "Naruto, I have an assignment for you." Naruto's eyes widened, eager to help. "You're not strong enough to fight in the battles, but I want you to observe them. I'll make sure you're safe, so don't worry about getting hurt. This experience will be invaluable for your growth."

Naruto hesitated for a moment, then nodded, accepting the assignment. He couldn't help but ask one more question. "How much time do we have until everything starts?"

Ryu considered the timeline. "Not much. The Hokage is probably beginning negotiations between the two sides as we speak. If he sides with the clans, the civilians will need some time to gather forces and create a supply shortage. But if he supports the civilians, the clans might launch an attack within a day or two."

Naruto listened intently, preparing himself for the difficult days ahead.

---

A day or so later, Ryu was working in the smithy when he heard a shout from outside. "Ryu!" Two familiar shinobi appeared at the entrance. "Ah, if it isn't Itachi and Shisui. What brings you two here?" Ryu asked casually.

"We heard that you'll be providing weapons to those who side with the civilians. Do you have some in stock that we can buy?" Shisui inquired. Ryu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is the Uchiha clan not siding with the other clans?" 'I guess Shisui's Kotoamatsukami did its work. Plus, it's a good chance to improve their standing,' he thought.

Shisui nodded. "Yes, the Hokage decided to side with the civilians, so we and a few other clans have chosen to support them as well."

Ryu was genuinely interested. "Really? Which clans?" As he spoke, Itachi handed him a list of all the weapons they needed.

"The Sarutobi clan, the Nara clan, the Fuma clan, and the Hyuga clan are with us," Shisui answered.

Ryu let out a small, appreciative whistle. "So, five clans in total? I honestly expected worse. I'm glad there are still some decent clans around here. By the way, what forces did the Hokage manage to secure? I mean, are the Anbu still serving him and the village, or did they return to their clans?"

Shisui shook his head. "About seventy percent returned to their clans."

Ryu considered this for a moment before responding. "That's good enough. As for your weapons, I can sell you what you need. And since we're heading into a war, I'll even throw in a discount. Let's see..." Ryu looked over the list one more time. "For all these weapons, I think around 5 million Ryo should cover it."

"5 million it is," Shisui agreed without hesitation. The discount was too good to pass up, especially for weapons of such high quality. "Alright, but crafting that many weapons will take me a couple of days. Are you sure you can wait that long?" Ryu asked.

"Yes, our current weapons will suffice for now. Thank you, Ryu." With that, Shisui and Itachi flickered away, leaving Ryu to begin his work.

However, not even ten minutes had passed when Ryu noticed two more visitors approaching. One of them was from the Yamanaka clan, while the other was from the Inuzuka clan {Ino and Kiba's clans, respectively}.

"Is this the smithy of the blacksmith who crafted weapons for Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui?" The man from the Inuzuka clan inquired, arrogance dripping from his voice.

"Yup, that's me. What can I do for you two?" Ryu asked casually, unfazed by their hostile demeanor.

"We've come for your weapons. Hand them over, and you won't be harmed, civilian." The man spat the words, looking down at Ryu as if he were nothing more than a nuisance.

"Ha! It's been a while since someone had the audacity to talk to me like that. I assume you don't know who I am, so I'll let you leave peacefully this time. But if you speak to me like that again, you won't get off so easily," Ryu chuckled as he addressed the Inuzuka clansman.

Undeterred, the Inuzuka man snarled, "So you want to play it rough? Fine by me!" He charged at Ryu, his fist aimed squarely at his face. Unfortunately for him, he had no idea who he was up against. Just as his fist was about to connect, something inexplicable occurred—the man was suddenly replaced by an ant, which landed on Ryu's open palm.

"That was underwhelming..." Ryu remarked, crushing the ant in his hand. He then turned to the stunned Yamanaka clansman. "So, Yamanaka guy, you want to show me a trick too, or are you just going to leave?"

Jolted out of his shocked state by Ryu's provocation, the Yamanaka hastily positioned his arms in front of his chest, forming a diamond shape with his hands. He shouted and activated the Mind Transfer Jutsu.

... But nothing happened.

Witnessing the terror on the Yamanaka clansman's face, Ryu decided to offer an explanation after chuckling. "You see, my good friend, your Jutsu only works if you can overcome the target's mental barriers. Here's a fun fact for you: the mind and body's strength increases with your chakra. And since I'm feeling generous, here's another fun fact: I have an enormous amount of chakra," Ryu's smirk sent shivers down the man's spine.

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Just to make it clear, the mind's strength isn't referring to intellect. If it was, Naruto would be like Albert Einstein and not the idiot he is. The way I understand it, it's the mind's structure. You can think faster and it's harder to breach into your mind. Just like how Ryu's body evolved with his Chakra, so did his mind.