Hokage: Ryo’s Path

After taking control of Tobi, Ryo and Korin returned to the real world along with him.

When Tobi's consciousness returned to his body, Korin instructed him to listen to Obito and follow his orders.

Ryo then discussed details that Obito should pay attention too when coming returning to Madara's side.

It was over half a night since the Mist Ninjas were slaughtered. If Obito didn't get back soon, Madara was likely to become suspicious.

While reluctant to leave, Obito still forced himself and turned away.

As Rin watched Obito's back gradually disappear into the woods, she was very sad. However, being that this was her lover's choice, she could only silently support him.

"Rin, we should return to Konoha, for I have other plans in the village." Ryo patted on Rin's shoulder.

As she nodded, Rin found herself in Orochimaru's lab!

"Hey, Orochi san!" Ryo and Orochimaru greeted each other.

"Orochimaru sama… Hello!" Rin was flustered as she saw Orochimaru's eyes, and immediately greeted him respectfully.

"Ryo kun, what are you doing here with Minato's disciple?"

"Orochi san, I need you to hide Rin temporarily for me, and make her unperceivable in the village!" Ryo said with a very serious tone.

"Ryo kun, why?"

"This should help Minato Ni-san take a better grasp of Konoha!"

Orochimaru's eyes shined, and he was intrigued by Ryo's plan, and then agreed to his request.

Ryo did not inform Minato of the truth of the matter. He needed to deceive him for now, to get him to put pressure over the 3rd. This way, he could gain more privileges even before becoming Kage, and eventually reinforce his status later.

This way, Ryo had his plan well arranged. He remained in Orochimaru's lab for ten more hours, waiting for Shin Sarutobi to return to Konoha.

The matter was about Kakashi, and Shin did not dare to report it immediately.

The 3rd heard that a female Ninja was killed, and he frowned for he had a bad hunch. He immediately made Shin bring her corpse over to him.

Seeing that it was actually "Rin", the 3rd's face instantly became gloomy! This was Minato's disciple, and the 3rd obviously knew that. This made him worry to the extreme!

After a while of thinking, he finally ordered the Anbu to go out…

After another busy day, Minato was having dinner with Kushina. Recently, she began learning how to cook. Although her cooking wasn't that good yet, Minato was very happy to eat it.

"Knock Knock! Minato sama, the Hokage sama wants you in his office right away!" The knocking on the door spoiled the mood, and robbed the two of a rare moment to be by each other's side.

Minato apologized to Kushina, and went out.

After Minato entered the office, he saw a corpse covered with a white cloth on the side. However, as usual, he didn't ask much, and waited for the 3rd to speak.

The 3rd reluctantly sighed, and uncovered the corpse.

Seeing that "Rin" was under the white cloth, Minato felt his whole being shattered. Then, almost immediately, anger took over him, and his bloodlust gave the 3rd chills!

On the side, the Anbu that brought Minato over was in cold sweat, and could not stop shaking as he felt Minato's wrath.

"Minato! Minato… calm down! This thing…" The 3rd did not expect Minato's power to have reached this level.

IT wasn't just this version of the 3rd that was past his prime that was afraid. In fact, even if he was at his peak, he realized that he might have been overwhelmed by the current Minato!

"Who was it?" Minato's tone was very cold, but anger could be felt in every letter.

"Hold on one second Minato, first…" the 3rd was trying to persuade Minato to calmed down, when Ryo appeared before the two.

Back in Orochimaru's office, Ryo also had received the news of Shin's return.

He gave time for Minato to get called to the office, and then teleported in directly.

Seeing Ryo, the 3rd's headache turned into dizziness, for Ryo was also very close to Rin. The day did not look like it's going to end well.

Sure enough, as the 3rd thought, after seeing "Rin's" corpse, Ryo's Sharingan was activated, staring at the 3rd: "Hokage sama, what is going on!"

Facing Ryo's question, the 3rd did not know how to answer, and the mood inside the office became very depressing.

"Shin, Shin Sarutobi is the one who found Rin's body! You both calm down for now, and wait for to come. We'll hear him out and understand together!" The 3rd said.

Minato pulled back his bloodlust, and stood in place without saying a word. Ryo also deactivated his Sharingan.

The 3rd sighed, and immediately made the Anbu summon Shin.

The latter arrived soon, telling the two of the situation and all about the battlefield were Rin was found.

Shin also was overwhelmed by the scary mood in the office, and he was concise in his description, just to be able to get out as fast as possible.

"Minato, Ryo, Kakashi is still in a coma. We need to wait for him to wake up if we are to understand this properly. Don't you think?" The 3rd said.

"I'm going to the Hidden Mist. It seems like the lessons they had received before were not enough!" Ryo said with anger in his tone.

However, Minato did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he looked at Ryo with some doubts.

When Ryo suddenly immerged, he had already felt that there was something wrong. His timing was just "too perfect".

From Shin's description, there were obviously people other than the Mist Ninjas that were involved with Rin's death.

Ryo seemed to deliberately ignore this point, putting the blame directly on the Mist, almost as if he was making them a sacrificial lamb.

With Minato's understanding of Ryo's relationship with Rin, along with Ryo's record of never acting arbitrarily, he started thinking: could it be that Rin's death holds other secrets? Or perhaps, could it be that Rin was not dead at all?!

At this last thought, Minato's eyes became bright, and the haze over his heart also dissipated a lot! He decided to play along with Ryo!

"Hokage sama, I agree with Ryo!"

"Minato, you…. Ryo's not being sensible! How could you say such a thing? If we are to attack the Mist right now, we're likely to provoke a new war, sacrificing the peace that the village had long struggled to obtain!" The 3rd said with panic.

While the 3rd remained silent after Ryo spoke, he could not bear hearing the same thing from Minato. He just felt that this was wrong!

Ryo turned to Minato, just to find him staring back at him.

Ryo did not say anything, secretly revealing a helpless expression. Seeing that, Minato's burden fell completely off his shoulders, for he knew that he had guessed right!