Naruto: The Medical Ninja

Chapter 82: Chapter 81: King with a fancy hat

The excitement and laughter filled the grand hall of the ancestral home of the Hamura family. Bright balloons and streamers decorated the walls, bringing a joyful vibe that seemed to uplift everyone’s spirits. The soft glow of lanterns cast a warm light over the scene, highlighting the joy on every face. The air was filled with the delicious aroma of various dishes, from savoury grilled meats to sweet confections, tempting even the most reserved attendees.

At the centre of it all, a group of orphan children ran around, their faces beaming with joy as they played games and indulged in treats they rarely had the chance to enjoy. Their carefree laughter was infectious, spreading smiles across the faces of the adults who watched them. Most of the people there were already known to Ryu, and a few old friends of Dan had also come to the party. But it was mostly filled with children, as Dan’s circle was very small.

Ryu stood by the refreshment table, his eyes scanning the room with a mixture of contentment and wistfulness. He spotted Hana making her way through the crowd and smiled warmly.

”Thank you, Hana, for coming,” Ryu said, his voice sincere.

Hana nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. ”I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, Ryu-sensei. It’s wonderful to see everyone so happy.”

Isao, who had been observing the festivities with a thoughtful expression, opened his mouth to speak when suddenly, a hush fell over the room. All heads turned towards the entrance, where the imposing figure of the Hokage had appeared.

The ANBU guards were absent, but two regular guards flanked the village leader, their eyes alert despite the festive atmosphere. As the Hokage entered, the children swarmed around him, their voices rising in excited chatter.

Outside, perched on a nearby tree, the Hokage’s hidden ANBU guards watched the scene unfold. One turned to the other and remarked, ”This party seems quite lively. It’s good to see the village at peace.”

The village leader’s weathered face broke into a warm smile as he surveyed the gathering. ”Please, don’t let my presence interrupt the festivities,” he said, his voice carrying across the room. ”This is a day for celebration, after all.”

As the initial excitement subsided and conversations resumed, Ryu’s attention was drawn to the corner of the room. He noticed Dan making his way towards the grand piano. Their eyes met, and Dan gave a slight nod.

Ryu excused himself from his orphan friends and weaved through the crowd to join Dan at the piano. The polished black instrument stood like a silent sentinel, waiting to come to life under their touch. As they sat side by side on the bench, Dan whispered, ”I’ve been practicing, Ryu. I hope I can keep up with you this time.”

Ryu smiled encouragingly. ”Grandpa, I know you will do fantastic.”

Then, as if on cue, they began to play. As they played, their hands moving in perfect synchronisation, the room fell silent, save for the music. The complex harmonies wove together seemed to touch something deep within each listener. The Hokage watched with undisguised surprise, his eyes fixed on Ryu’s fingers as they danced across the keys with a skill that seemed beyond his years.

The orphan children gathered around the piano, their eyes wide with wonder as they watched Ryu and Dan play. The music had even the adults spellbound and standing motionless. When the final notes faded away, there was a moment of awed silence before the room erupted in applause.

As the applause died down, Hana turned to Dr. Yuki, her eyes wide with amazement. ”Did you know Ryu could play like that?” she asked, her voice filled with admiration.

Dr. Yuki shook her head, equally surprised. ”I had no idea,” she replied, watching Ryu with newfound respect. ”It seems our young friend has many hidden talents.”

As the party began to wind down, the Hokage approached Ryu, gesturing for him to follow. They made their way to a balcony where a small table had been set up, a shogi board laid out on its surface.

”Would you care for a game, Ryu?” the Hokage asked, his eyes twinkling with interest. The distant sounds of the village at night provided a gentle backdrop to their conversation as they began to play.

”That was quite impressive, young man,” the Hokage said, his voice low as he moved a piece. ”I had no idea you were so accomplished at the piano. It makes me wonder, Ryu, what other talents you might be holding back. Why do you hide your true potential?”

Ryu met the Hokage’s gaze steadily, his hand hovering over the board. ”I think you already know the answer to that, Lord Hokage”

A flicker of surprise passed over the Hokage’s face, quickly replaced by a look of understanding. ’So he knew about Danzo, just as I had guessed,’ the Hokage thought to himself.

”Tell me, Ryu,” the Hokage said, his voice barely above a whisper, ”what are your thoughts on the current state of affairs in our village?”

Ryu’s hand paused over a piece. He looked up at the Hokage, his eyes searching the older man’s face. ”You want my honest opinion?”

Ryu took a deep breath, then spoke, ”Well, I am a bit disappointed. One elder is too decisive, more than one should be, and he doesn’t even think about what he has done; the other is too indecisive; no offence. The rest are even more useless. If this is the state of the elders of this village, then I can only hope the next batch of elders are better at this job. Well, other than Orochimaru.”

Ryu did not even try to filter his disappointment in front of the leader of the village. Hiruzen’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at the mention of his student’s name. ”Orochimaru? What do you know of him?”

It wasn’t yet time that Orochimaru betrayed the village and became a rouge ninja. Ryu’s eyes hardened slightly as he replied, ”I met him at the orphanage when they came, threatening to harm the children if the orphanage didn’t give up children to fill Root’s ranks.”

”So Orochimaru has been working with the Danzo,” Hokage thought.

A heavy silence fell between them, broken only by the soft click of shogi pieces being moved. After a brief period of silence, Ryu carefully considered what to say and then quoted Edmund Burke, a philosopher from his previous world.

With a taunting straight face, Ryu said, ”The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

The Hokage’s eyebrows rose slightly at the profound statement. ”And where did you hear such wisdom?”

Ryu placed his pieces and waited for the Hokage to make his move. The older man’s hand hovered over the board, his mind clearly more focused on their conversation than the game.

”Someone wise. I’m not sure who,” Ryu said. ”But I believe it holds true. Those who allow injustice to happen are often more complicit than the actual perpetrators.”

The Hokage’s hand stilled over the board. He looked at Ryu with a new intensity and said, ”So you know about the history of your family.”

”Yes, I know,” said Ryu without any emotion in his voice. ”It’s not exactly a bedtime story I’d recommend.”

The Hokage nodded slowly, a mix of emotions playing across his face. ”You speak with wisdom beyond your years.”

As the game progressed, the Hokage found himself caught in a trap Ryu had set up, using his king as bait. He stared at the board in disbelief, then looked up at Ryu with newfound respect.

”You used your king as a pawn,” the Hokage mused, shaking his head in amazement. ”Most would never risk their king in such a way.”

Ryu’s response was calm but filled with conviction. ”You were thinking I would use my soldiers as pawns, weren’t you? That sort of thinking is better for someone like Danzo. But I am not him. A king should treat his subjects like family. After all, a king without his people is just a guy with a fancy hat. Again, no offence,” he said, looking at Hokage’s hat.

As the Hokage turned to leave, Ryu’s voice stopped him. ”Hokage-sama,” he said, his tone respectful but firm, ”I believe in this village and its potential. But it is shackled. You need to set your priorities straight for the future of this village. And bound the unbounded and free those who are shackled.”

The Hokage looked back at Ryu, a newfound respect in his eyes. ”Indeed, young Ryu. Let’s rejoin the celebration for now and leave serious discussions like this for another time. Tonight is for joy and new beginnings.”

He stopped for a moment and said, ”And don’t hold back anymore. I guarantee that nobody will bother you or those around you as long as you are enrolled in the academy. Just spread your wings.”

As they walked back into the warm glow of the party, the sounds of laughter and chatter washing over them, both the Hokage and Ryu knew that the future of the Hidden Leaf Village had just shifted, ever so slightly, onto a new and promising path.

The Hokage cast one last glance at Ryu before leaving and thought to himself, ’The Will of Fire’ burns strong in this one. Perhaps... perhaps it’s time for some changes.