Hokage: Ryo's Path

Chapter 61: The End

“Kid, so you’re unable to speak?” Seeing Ryo’s helpless face, Jiraya made that guess.

Ryo nodded with his head keeping on the same expression.

“Ryo, aren’t you a Yamanaka? Use your clan’s secret technique to communicate with us!” Said Sakumo.

Ryo’s face froze, he forgot that he had such a technique he could use. He scratched his head in embarrassment and then began to use his spiritual power to communicate with them.

“Sakumo San, Jiraya San, Great Sage Toads, are you all right?” He asked those he was in communication with.

“We are fine. The Sand’s target is you. They weren’t even hesitant to sacrifice elite Jonins in order to kill you. They made us think that their focus was beating Jiraya’s Sage mode, while it was all made up to get to you.”

Sakumo explained the Sand’s actions to Ryo, and Jiraya still had fear apparent on his face.

Today, if Ryo didn’t have such a card hidden, he would’ve been probably killed by Shukaku.

The death of the leader of the medical team would certainly bring chaos to Konoha’s troops. The village would’ve also lost one of its future pillars. And Jiraya didn’t even want to think about what Kushina would do if she heard such news.

“Hey, Jiraya san! You’d let me die in such a way?” Ryo was connected to every one of them and he could see what they were thinking of.

“Ryo Chan, Jiraya Chan doesn’t mean such a thing. Don’t blame him, we were all afraid. But more importantly, what’s with that form? This is the 1st time I ever see such a gathering of natural energy.” Asked Fukasaku.

Ryo transmitted to them the principle of making [Ice Colossus].Of course, he kept the parts related to his previous life hidden.

Sakumo did not know too much about natural energy, though he did hear about it. He did not expect that Ryo would be able to directly use it with his special Ice Release.

Fukasaku and Shima were also surprised to see Ryo’s transformation. They originally thought that he just had a Kekkei Genkai that allowed him to turn his body into ice, and to use natural energy.

But now it seems that his Ice Elementization allowed him to become Natural Energy itself.

“Kid, how long can you stay in this mode?” Jiraya asked Ryo looking at the situation of Konoha’s Ninja.

“Less than one minute!” Ryo checked out the flow of natural energy within the [Ice Colossus] before answering.

“Great, then go and get rid of that puppet division!” Jiraya was referring to the sand Jonins on the battlefield.

When he looked around, Jiraya had an idea about the situation of the battlefield. Konoha’s losses in deaths and injuries were too heavy. They had to redeem some of them.

Ryo nodded, disconnecting with the lot, and running towards the Puppet division who were also coming his way.

“Sakumo san, if you had to face the kid’s Ice Colossus, could you win against it?” Jiraya asked after Ryo left.

“Ryo’s new technique is really terrible. I wouldn’t be able to take one punch. It’s really a shame that its shortcomings are obvious and too heavy.”

Jiraya understood well what Sakumo meant, and he was already thinking the same. Ryo’s new technique was appropriate to face a tailed beast, but against Ninjas like Jiraya and Sakumo, it wasn’t such a great threat.

Retreating, Chiyo found a wounded Bunpuku.

“How can you fail? How did it happen?” Chiyo was furious as she asked him.

“Ryo Yamanaka suddenly grew in size and wrapped himself in Ice. He was able to block Shukaku’s Air Bullets with one hand. He was extremely strong, and Even Shukaku’s absolute defence was useless. Just one of his punches is enough to pierce Shukaku’s body.”

“Chiyo Ba-San, isn’t that the technique of the Akamichi Clan?” Rasa heard Bunpuku’s description, looked at Ryo and then asked that question.

“It fits the description indeed. Being a Yamanaka, it isn’t too surprising that he got to learn one of the secrets techniques of the allying Akamichi clan. But their techniques rely too much on calories, requiring them to be fat, and the kid is not fat at all.” Chiyo answered with surprise herself.

“Kazekage Sama, Chiyo San, Ryo Yamanaka’s Ice is also very strong.” Said Bunpuku.

“Oh, this battle was a loss, a loss for the Sand. I thought we would be able to kill the kid with this plan, I didn’t expect him to hide a technique that’s so powerful.” Said Chiyo.

“But this time we did get some wins. They’ve lost a Jonin, and at least a 1000 Genins and Chunins.” Said Rasa.

“What should we do next?” Chiyo was confused and didn’t know what to do.

“First, we should retreat. I’m afraid that if Jiraya and Sakumo join the war, our losses would increase exponentially.” Said Rasa.

In the other side, the battle between Ryo and the Puppet Division had ended.

Their ways of attack were varied, and their poison was powerful. However, they couldn’t do anything to Ryo who had the protection of the Ice Colossus, a protection so powerful, that even Shukaku was unable to break it.

It didn’t take long for Ryo to beat them. And at that time, Rasa issued an order of retreat against the Sand. Unlike the last battle, this time, Konoha’s men did not have Ryo’s assistance, and the battle took too long. Their losses were heavy. Over 7000 Ninjas went into the battlefield, but only 6000 have survived.

When they received the retreat order, the Sand Ninjas stopped fighting and withdrew quickly.

Ryo also went out of Ice colossus mode when they retreated. The mode, which relies on natural energy, instantly turned into water after the last bit of natural energy that Ryo had was gone.

After he left that mode, not only was Ryo’s Chakra exhausted, the Natural Energy he Had in his “Yin Seal” had also bottomed out. Where the Ice Colossus used to be, Ryo was left, weak and unable to move.

“Ryo, are you alright?!” Sakumo who had his eyes on Ryo, immediately went in front of him to protect him from the sand Ninjas as soon as he went out of the Ice Colossus mode.

“I’m okay, a bit weak though. My Chakra has bottomed out.” Answered Ryo, smiling.

Sakumo left the battlefield with Ryo leaving the command of the army to Jiraya.

Konoha’s Ninjas cleared the battlefield under Jiraya’s command, bringing back the bodies of their companions.

“Jiraya Chan, I’ll go back with Ma to Mount Myoboku then. Call us whenever you’re in need.”

“Okay, Boss, One-san, goodbye!”

When Ryo was back to his tent, he fell asleep. Sakumo summoned some members of the medical team to take care of him and left. There are still so many things in the camp that required him to handle them.

On the other hand, Jiraya took responsibility of arranging patrols and protecting the camp to prevent any sneak attacks from the Sand.