Ryu and Kohinata were heading back to the village.
Ryu reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glass vial containing the blood-soaked cloth inside.
He studied it for a moment, his mind working through the implications.
"The sole living wielder of Wood Release," Ryu thought. "And the only survivor of Orochimaru's Hashirama cell experiments. What made him different?
...Either his genome was remarkably similar to Hashirama Senju's—compatible enough to accept the grafting—or his cells had the same adaptive qualities as Shin Uchiha's. A natural compatibility for foreign genetic material."
He tucked the vial back into his pocket carefully.
"Worth studying. If I could get a sample of his blood from before the experiments... that would be far more valuable. A baseline to compare against. To see what changed, what allowed him to survive when others died."
Kohinata walked a few paces ahead. Ryu quickened his stride to match him.
"I know a shortcut," Kohinata said. "It'll save us some time."
Ryu nodded. "Lead the way."
As they neared the village, still a few kilometres from the gates, a familiar figure appeared on the path ahead.
The Hokage.
Ryu stopped, bowing slightly. "Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen nodded, his sharp eyes studying Ryu carefully. "Ryu. Kohinata."
Kohinata bowed respectfully and stepped back, giving them space.
"I wanted to speak with you before you returned," Hiruzen said, his tone calm but measured. "About the Iburi Clan."
"Of course."
"What's your assessment?" Hiruzen asked. "Can they be integrated into the village?"
"Yes," Ryu answered without hesitation. "If we help them, the village will gain a valuable bloodline. Their ability to transform into smoke—true intangibility—is exceptionally valuable. With proper training and medical support, they could become excellent ninjas."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. "I agree. What do you need?"
Ryu paused, then spoke carefully. "The old labs. Orochimaru's labs."
Hiruzen's expression darkened slightly. "Those were confiscated."
"I know. But if the data and equipment are still intact, they could give me a head start. Orochimaru may have been savage and inhumane, but his research might be thorough. If I can access it, I can stabilise the Iburi bloodline faster."
Hiruzen sighed, then nodded. "Very well. The equipment and data will be sent to you. But I trust you'll use them responsibly."
Ryu said, "I will. I have space at my home for a dedicated lab. The compound has more than enough room, and it would be secure."
"Good," Hiruzen said. "And the clan? I'll allocate land for them within the village. They deserve a proper home."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage," Ryu said. "I'll design and construct their compound myself."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Yourself?"
"Yes. Their condition is triggered by strong winds—it destabilises their smoke form and risks dispersion. My design will address that with reinforced structures, controlled air circulation, and stabilisation systems."
Ryu's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "It'll be a state-of-the-art modern home. Something the village has never seen before. Comfortable, functional, and safe. A place where they can actually live, not just survive."
Hiruzen's expression eased slightly, a faint smile crossing his worn features.
"Perhaps you could design my retirement home as well?" Hiruzen asked with a weary smile.
Ryu raised an eyebrow. "Retirement? You still need to find a Fifth first. That won't be easy."
The humour vanished from Hiruzen's face, replaced by exhaustion. "Don't remind me."
Kohinata, who had been standing quietly nearby, spoke up. "Don't give him a headache, Ryu."
Ryu chuckled. "My apologies, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen nodded. "We'll discuss the finer details later. For now, I must attend to other matters."
He flickered away, disappearing in a blur of motion.
Ryu stood there for a moment, then turned to Kohinata. "Let's head back."
Back in the cave
Kinoe sat against the cave wall, breathing shallowly. Yukimi knelt beside him, tending to his injuries with careful hands. Kakashi stood nearby, his posture tense, scanning the cave entrance. Kaori sat with the Iburi Clan members, keeping watch.
The Iburi Clan members huddled together, murmuring amongst themselves. Fear hung over them like a heavy blanket.
Suddenly, Kakashi's head snapped toward the entrance. "Someone's coming."
The clan members froze. Kaori rose to her feet, hand moving to her kunai pouch.
"It must be Lord Hokage," Kakashi murmured, relaxing slightly.
He moved to stand but found he couldn't. His body wouldn't respond.
Kakashi's eye widened. "What—?"
A cold voice echoed through the cave. "Shadow Possession Jutsu."
Kakashi looked down and saw the shadow stretching from the cave entrance, locking him in place. Kaori froze mid-step, her body seized by the same technique.
A Nara, Kakashi thought. Root ANBU.
More figures appeared—silent, masked operatives stepping into the cave like phantoms. Each one moved with cold precision. Kakashi spotted specialised equipment on several Root ninjas.
Three Root ANBU closed in on Kaori's position, surrounding her while she remained paralysed. Two more positioned themselves near Kakashi.
His mind raced. "In this darkness, the Nara is king. I must neutralise the shadows first."
With immense difficulty, Kakashi formed a one-handed seal—a kunai he'd prepared earlier as a precaution detonated. A bright flash erupted—a flashbang seal he'd readied as any ninja would.
The cave lit up like daylight, blinding white light searing through the darkness as shadows dissolved. The Nara ANBU flinched as his shadow's possession was released.
Kakashi moved instantly. The Nara crumpled from a precise strike to the neck—unconscious but alive.
Kakshi thought, "I cannot go for kill or they will find the excuse to go for the kill...I need to buy time."
The three Root ANBU surrounding Kaori attacked the moment she regained mobility. She deflected the first strike, ducked under a kunai, and began forming hand seals while evading.
Kakashi's eye caught the sequence—Tiger, Rat, Dog.
"A Fire jutsu." Kakashi realised
"Stop!" he shouted. "No fire jutsu in the cave!"
Kaori's hands froze mid-seal, and that split-second hesitation cost her. A Root ninja caught her wrist mid-block. She twisted free with a sharp elbow strike, kicked another back, and deflected a kunai aimed at her throat.
But the Root ANBU moved with coordinated efficiency—one swept her legs while ninja trap wires shot out from multiple angles. The wires wrapped around her arms and torso, pulling taut. Two high-ranking Root ninjas controlled the wires with expert precision, immobilising her completely. One pressed a blade to her throat.
"Don't move," the Root ninja commanded.
Kaori froze, her jaw clenched in frustration.
"Can't use high-level jutsu either," Kakashi thought, images of Obito's crushed body and Rin's blood flashing through his mind. "The cave might collapse."
The remaining Root ninjas turned their attention to Kakashi. He activated the ReflexGuard barrier, blocking the first wave of shuriken, but a kunai from his blind spot nearly struck home. He barely dodged.
"They know about the blind spot," Kakashi realised. "Non-chakra-based attacks from unseen angles bypass the barrier."
He glanced at the Iburi Clan members—they were transforming into smoke, trying to defend themselves, but they were no match for trained Root ANBU. The Root ninjas kept their distance, avoiding the smoke entirely.
Then—pop.
A small bomb exploded in the centre of the cave. A small wind flowed through the cave.
The Iburi Clan members screamed. Their smoke forms shimmered violently, destabilised by the pulse, and they were forced back into solid, vulnerable forms.
"They've prepared countermeasures," Kakashi realised. "They knew about the clan's weakness before arriving."
He looked around. Kinoe was in no condition to fight—Root ninjas had him surrounded. Yukimi was pinned. Kaori bound and struggling.
"Surrender," a Root ANBU commanded.
Kakashi was again trapped by [Shadow Possession Jutsu]
Two Root ninjas moved in, forcing him to his knees and binding his hands behind his back.
Then, the sound of taps echoed through the cave. Slow. Deliberate. The tap of a walking stick against stone.
Everyone fell silent.
Danzo entered the cave like a ghost. No expression on his face, no blinking, moving as though he glided through the air like a shark cutting through water. Silent and predatory. Even his footsteps made no sound—only the deliberate tap of his walking stick against stone.
When he opened his uncovered eye, a cold dread washed over the Iburi Clan members. Several transformed into smoke instinctively, only to reform seconds later, too terrified to risk dispersion even to escape.
They understood immediately—this man was dangerous.
Danzo turned to Kinoe first. "You were asked to spy on the clan and gather information on Orochimaru's undiscovered bases. Not to mingle."
"I was gathering intelligence on Orochimaru's bases," Kinoe replied, his voice tight. "Nothing more."
Thud.
A Root ANBU punched him in the gut. Kinoe doubled over, gasping.
"Do not speak to Lord Danzo unless you are asked to speak," the Root ninja said coldly.
Danzo looked at the Iburi Clan members lying on the ground. They were no longer even trying to turn into smoke—they were too afraid of dispersion.
"Capture the clan members," Danzo ordered. "Take them to the base."
His gaze shifted to Kakashi, then back to Kinoe. "At least you accomplished something useful. I was in need of a spare... You brought me a Sharingan."
He moved forward and his hand reached out towards Kakashi when suddenly he was surrounded by swords of multiple ANBU personnel. Root ANBU were surrounded by regular ANBU of the Hokage. Each one by two Leaf ANBU. Danzo himself was surrounded by five.
"Do not move," the ANBU commander said to Danzo.
A voice spoke. "Don't bother... he's not there."
The Hokage entered the cave, his eyes sharp. Danzo's form vanished into smoke—a shadow clone.
The real Danzo stepped out from the shadows behind the Hokage.
"Good to see you, old friend," Hiruzen said, turning his head slowly.
##PoWeR StOnEs PLeaSE##
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