Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Facing Hanzo

The Rain Ninjas made an ambush in the heights around the meeting place, and Ryo was hidden with them, and he kept sensing the surroundings from time to time.

At dawn, a familiar Chakra entered the Range of his perception. After he sensed said Chakra, Ryo was sure that he had just got one of his best opportunities to gain Yahiko’s trust.

That Chakra was that of the councilor, Danzo Shimura.

Ryo was wondering why such a huge ambush was made, but then learned as he mixed up with the rain soldiers and overheard their conversations that the plan was to annihilate the Akatsuki and kill its members.

Therefore, Ryo kept on perceiving the outside the outside. When he sensed Danzo arriving, he knew that the meeting was close, and that the Akatsuki are about to arrive.

The day was getting brighter, and the light rain in the village kept falling down. The day was peaceful, and it looked like nothing could interrupt said peace.

In the early morning, Yahiko, Nagato and Konan all came to the field with a dozen of their peers, and Hanzo was waiting for their arrival to their deaths.

The three were not so much wary of Hanzo. To them, that man was a sincere protector of the Rain village, and they were all still wearing their Rain forehead protectors.

But they didn’t know that Hanzo felt threatened by the growth of their organization, and he had long wanted to get rid of them. Now, with Danzo secret support and incentives, he couldn’t help but make his step against them.

Ryo had always kept attention on Danzo, waiting for him to make his move.

Sure enough, as the negotiations started, while the three were vigilant, Hanzo had his eyes set on Yahiko.

Just as Hanzo was about to make his move, Ryo used Ice Scalpels that he had buried in advance, and teleported three times, to end up in Hanzo’s way.

The latter was startled by Ryo’s sudden appearance. With his great experience, he know that Ryo did not use a regular flicker, but instead he used something that’s more akin to a space-time Ninjutsu.

Thinking about that, the 1st name that came to his mind was that of Minato, Konoha’s Yellow Flash. But unlike Minato, this young man in front of him looked much younger, and had black hair.

“Who are you? Why are you interfering with the Rain’s internal matters?” People with Space-Time Ninjutsus are not easy to take down. Hanzo didn’t want to fight if not necessary.

Ryo ignored Hanzo, and shouted to Danzo who was hidden on higher grounds: “Danzo San! Since you’re here, than I suppose I have nothing to do?”

Being found out by Ryo, Danzo had no more reason to hide, so he came out angrily.

“Hello! Danzo San!”

“Ryo Yamanaka, you should be on the Lightning Country’s battlefield. What are you doing in the Rain Country? The crime of leaving your post is not a light one!” Said Danzo.

“I also wanted to ask you Danzo San about what you’re doing here. Could it be that you’re conspiring with the Rain Village to do something that might harm Konoha?” Who was the one with something to fear? Ryo was not willing to show weakness, responding to Danzo’s threats with direct accusations of endangering Konoha.

“No those are unfounded claims! I came here under the command of the Hokage to help the Rain get rid of traitors!”

“Would you look at that! Your mission seems to contradict with mine! I’ve received my orders from the Hokage to form an alliance with Yahiko, while delivering Konoha’s and the Stone’s promise to never get the Rain Country involved with any of our wars again!”

Hearing Ryo, Danzo stared at him in silence.

“Oh, I see you do not believe me yet! I have letters from both Onoki and the old man right here!” Ryo took out two scrolls and handed them to the trio behind them.

Yahiko took the scrolls, and upon reading them, he began shaking with excitement.

Then he passed them over to Nagato and Konan, who were both full of joy reading them.

“What do Konoha and and the Rock mean by this? Why interfere with the Rain internal affairs?!” Hearing Ryo, Hanzo asked.

“It was you who interfered first, accepting the Cloud’s terms and intervening in our war!”

Ryo words drove Hanzo into momentary silence. He did not expect to be discovered so soon by Konoha and the Rock.

“Hanzo sama, why intervene in the war between these great powers! We can no longer afford to have war affect the Rain Country! How can you ignore the life and death of the people!” Yahiko said emotionally.

“You kids are so naïve! No involvement in a war where great countries offer great benefits? How would the village develop? We need affiliation with larger countries!” Said Hanzo angrily.

“You’ve gone mad for power! From this day on, we shall protect the peace of the Rain Country out own way.” After Yahiko ended his words, the three turned to leave.

“You’re not going anywhere!” Hanzo was angry and frustrated, and order the surrounding Ninjas making their ambushes to attack.

“You go; I’ll keep them from pursuing you. The climate of the Rain country made it an Ice user paradise, and Ryo wasn’t afraid of anyone of the battlefield.

“Thank you, but we are no fools. We’ve come prepared. But there one thing I would ask you, to bring these scrolls to our headquarter.” Said Yahiko, handing the scrolls to Ryo, and rushing into combat.

Observing the trio, Ryo found problems: They were too weak. Nagato was fighting at the level of a Jonin, while the other two were just Tokubetsu Jonin tier.

It didn’t take them long before they fell under the siege of a large number of Rain Ninjas. As they fell, something peculiar happened.

[Shapeshifting Jutsu]! Ryo didn’t think that Nagato would be able to use this technique so early in his life, and was a little surprised.

It was one of the Rinnegan’s techniques. When activated, people other than the user can get the same appearance as the person designated by the user, getting all their Jutsu, and 30% of their Chakra.

“Danzo san, shouldn’t you leave now? I think the show is over. I’ll be reporting to the Hokage, and you could do the same!” Saying that, Ryo entered the Ice Lightning Chakra mode and left.

Danzo puffed and also left, leaving behind a furious Danzo.

After today’s meeting, Ryo understood why Hanzo didn’t join the Cloud’s ranks in the Manga. It must have been the consequence of Nagato’s rampage.

With everything now being clear, Ryo remembered that moment when Yahiko died. Now, with his interference, there’s no reason for things to develop in that way.

Watching the good show the Trio put out, Ryo was eager to meet them again. He had to admit, Yahiko was a good leader.