While Ryu's consciousness was playing celestial chess in the Celestial Void with Mr. Beginning, his physical body remained motionless on the battle-scarred ground. Kohinata and Kaori remained close, keeping a quiet watch over him amidst the dust and lingering scent of the recent fight with Jisatsu Squad.
The tense silence was broken when Konoha's ANBU arrived abruptly. Captain Ro, also known as "Rooster," was the first to land. Fox (Kakashi Hatake) and Cat (Yugao Uzuki) followed, appearing almost simultaneously. The imposing figures of Azuma Kaisen's Royal Guards, led by Ikkyu Madoka, the son of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, landed close behind them.
Ikkyu looked at Kaori with his eyes searching as he immediately looked at her with a worried expression on his face. It was with genuine concern for Ryu that he asked, "Is he alive?" His voice was strained with concern.
Kaori nodded, a visible wave of relief washing over her after meeting allies. "Yes, he is," she replied.
Captain Ro's sharp eyes swept over Ryu, assessing his condition, then he looked around and saw the messed-up battlefield.
"What is his condition?" Ro enquired from his secret spy. He was technically Kaori's superior, a secret ANBU he had personally trained.
"Physically, he's alright," Kaori replied, her gaze softening as she looked at Ryu's peaceful expression, a hint of awe and relief evident in her tone.
Ro's brow furrowed slightly beneath his masked face. "What do you mean, 'physically'?"
"He healed himself," Kaori explained, the words still carrying a touch of disbelief. "Then he just... collapsed… The fighting and healing must have taken a toll on him."
Captain Ro then turned to Kakashi for assistance. "Fox, send a message to Lord Hokage. Inform him of the situation and of Hamura's condition. Be precise."
Kakashi gave a sharp nod, acknowledging the urgency of the situation. He quickly summoned Pakkun, his trusted ninken, who appeared in a puff of smoke. Attaching a small, folded note into the dog's ninja pouch, he watched Pakkun vanish into the trees with a soft poof.
"Alright, let's get him to the nearest medical facility," Ro stated, assessing the surroundings and the urgency of the situation. "Considering the circumstances, River City Hospital should be the best option for immediate care."
The Royal Guards formed a protective escort as the group moved quickly after receiving that order, carefully lifting and carrying Ryu towards the city. They quickly arrived at River City and rushed him into the emergency room.
Ikkyu, the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers, and Captain Ro were having a quiet conversation with the attending ninja physician at River City Hospital. This particular ninja physician was the only one present at that hospital. Ryu's secretary and Kohinata had been admitted to the hospital for treatment and were receiving medical attention for their own injuries.
The doctor addressed his concerns, saying, "The others are doing well after their injuries, but Ryu Hamura is in a coma. He is exhibiting symptoms of extreme physical and mental stress."
The doctor paused, adjusting his glasses, and continued, "He pushed himself beyond all limits, depleting every ounce of his chakra, leaving himself completely exhausted. Yet, somehow, he pulled more from somewhere. He suffered chakra exhaustion not once, but twice."
Surprisingly, unlike his companions, he has no physical injuries. I tried to heal him, but there was nothing to heal. He probably healed himself before being knocked out cold in battle. I've heard rumours that this [Healing Seal] that Leaf Village has developed," the doctor added, his voice tinged with professional awe.
"After exerting his chakra to its breaking point, he went into a coma. Fortunately, he is not in danger, but I'm not sure if or when he will awaken." The doctor said, showing real hesitancy with a slow shake of his head.
"According to the information that his fellow ninjas have provided to me regarding his injuries, his body was in a terrible state. It is absolutely incredible that he was able to remedy their condition on his own," the doctor said. It was clear that the doctor was held in so much respect.
Kakashi, typically stoic, felt a flicker of genuine surprise. "You know him, Doctor?" he asked, looking at Ryu.
The physician acknowledged the statement with a nod and continued, "The name Ryu Hamura is already quite famous in the medical circles due to his recent works and his age. Everyone is talking about him at the moment. He's a prodigy, much like Lady Tsunade herself. I suppose that this is also the thing that led to him being attacked."
Captain Ro turned to Kakashi with a firm gaze and instructed, "After talking to others, inform Lord Hokage about Ryu's current status and condition in detail. Send an updated message with all new information."
Prior to dispatching the update, Captain Ro and Kakashi engaged in a brief conversation with Secretary Kaori, delving into the specifics of the intense battle. Kaori presented a brief yet detailed account, emphasising crucial details such as the number of enemies faced, injuries sustained, and the tactical decisions made, all delivered with a composed and resolute demeanour.
"I told Ryu to run away, but he came back for us, Captain," Kaori said, her voice filled with admiration for Ryu's bravery and regret about the mission's outcome. "He fought all those ninjas alone." She lowered her gaze, revealing self-blame in her eyes. "I failed this mission. It was my responsibility to keep him safe, not the other way around. I failed in my duty to protect him."
Kohinata was nearby, listening intently to Kaori's words. After a moment of shared reflection, Kaori finally broke the silence, lifting her gaze to meet Captain Ro's masked face.
Yugao Uzuki asked, "No matter how talented he was or how many forbidden seals he had at that time, he was outnumbered. Why didn't he simply run away?"
Kaori started talking, her voice being soft but clear. "When I asked him why he didn't just run away... he said, 'Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash!'"
The words landed like a punch to Kakashi's gut, shaking him to his very core. Behind his mask, his eye widened slightly, and a wave of intense shock washed over his normally expressionless face.
Kohinata also stiffened, and the sad words that boy, who was about the same age as his own son, said made his eyes widen a little.
Kaori, ever observant, noticed the subtle shift in Kakashi's posture, the sudden stillness that gripped him. "What's wrong?" she enquired, a hint of concern in her tone.
Kakashi swiftly composed himself, subtly shaking his head. "It's nothing," he murmured softly, his tone measured and composed, masking the turmoil within him.
Those words reminded him of someone. Someone important. Someone he had failed. The ghost of Obito's voice, a promise long broken, resonated deep within him, a painful echo from his past.
Captain Ro, understanding his subordinate's past, remained quiet. He knew of Kakashi's tragic past – the circumstances surrounding his father, Sakumo's death, and the demise of his original team. This was not a moment for questions but for quiet support, a shared burden of their harsh world.
Ro turned back to Kaori and Kohinata, offering calm assurance to alleviate their concerns. "Don't feel down," he told her, his voice firm but gentle.
Then, his gaze encompassing Kohinata, he added, "Ryu is safe, and your mission is far from over. You both did what you could, and he made his own choice. A choice of loyalty." He offered a subtle, encouraging nod. "Now, get some rest. We'll handle things here."
"Yes," Kohinata added, his voice firm, his eyes meeting Kaori's. "Don't let that haunt you. If you do, you'll insult the sacrifice the boy made for us… even if he didn't need to."
Kaori nodded, her eyes reflecting gratitude towards Kohinata, coupled with a renewed sense of determination. "Thank you, Mr Mukai."
"Don't worry," Kohinata replied, a slight knowing smile playing on his lips, a shared understanding passing between them. "I can keep a secret."
Kohinata was referring to Kaori's ANBU status, having witnessed her fight and skill set.
"But what I don't understand," Kohinata said, a puzzled frown crossing his face, his gaze drifting towards Kakashi. "He already knew about you. Why didn't he do anything? Normally one would deal with a spy. Even in the corporate world, you'd deal with a leak immediately."
Kakashi answered, his voice a low, thoughtful hum, as if sensing Kohinata's unspoken question. "His relationship with Lord Hokage is complicated… But overall, they are on good terms."
"Maybe", Kohinata mused aloud, a mischievous glint in his eye, "or maybe he really needed a good secretary."
Kohinata and Kaori couldn't help but smile as they remembered Ryu's fury at the Jisatsu Squad for what Ryu called "messing with his secretary." Their respect and admiration for Ryu increased in that moment. Not because of his talents, but because of his nature.
##PoWeR StOnEs##
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