Although the black lightning that fell onto the wooden floor of the pathway where Ryuma stood did not destroy it dramatically, the floorboards were visibly chipping under the pressure. Thin cracks spread across the wood, and splinters rose into the air. Not to mention that the vast pressure filling the area was nothing else but Ryuma's willpower, his overwhelming will to stop the execution of his parents at any cost.
As this immense mental pressure crashed down upon the Root ninjas, especially concentrated on the two Root ninjas who were in the middle of swinging their swords toward his parents, both of them immediately lost consciousness.
Their arms froze mid-swing. The swords stopped before reaching their targets. Then their bodies went limp, and they collapsed onto the ground.
This was none other than Ryuma's awakening of Conqueror's Haki.
Among all the Root ninjas present in the underground base, nearly thirty to forty percent immediately fell unconscious. One after another, bodies hit the ground with dull thud sounds. Even those who managed to remain standing did not feel comfortable under the crushing mental pressure generated by the Conqueror's Haki. Cold sweat covered their foreheads, and their breathing became heavy. Whenever they looked at Ryuma, it felt as if they were not looking at an ordinary human being at all. Instead, it felt like a supreme king stood before them, a ruler whose authority demanded respect and obedience. An instinctive fear rose within them, warning them that defiance would bring consequences.
Ryuma himself had gone blank for a few moments. When his senses returned, he immediately looked toward the two Root ninjas who had been about to execute his parents. Both of them had already fallen unconscious. Beside them, his parents had also collapsed, unable to withstand the sudden burst of pressure. Looking at the scene, Ryuma instantly understood what had happened. He had awakened Conqueror's Haki.
A trace of relief appeared in his mind. He was genuinely grateful that his Conqueror's Haki had awakened at this exact moment. Otherwise, those two Root ninjas might have succeeded in killing his parents before he could stop them. But that relief lasted only briefly. The image of Danzo's order... risen sword toward his parents was still fresh in his mind. Danzo had crossed a line, and Ryuma had no intention of letting him walk away from it. He was going to kill Danzo.
Thinking this, Ryuma slowly began unsheathing his two swords. The sharp metallic sound echoed through the underground passage as both blades slid halfway out of their scabbards. However, just as he was about to draw them completely, a loud voice suddenly reverberated throughout the entire Root base.
"Stop!"
The command carried unquestionable authority. Ryuma immediately recognized the voice. It was none other than Hiruzen. The Third Hokage had finally arrived with a squad of Anbu ninjas, and among them was Kakashi. Kakashi's gaze first landed on Ryuma before shifting toward the unconscious Root ninjas scattered across the area. His eyes then stopped on Ryuma's parents, Raito and Kasumi, who were lying unconscious on the ground.
Hiruzen, Kakashi, and the Anbu accompanying them were all confused by the scene before them. They could not understand why so many Root ninjas had suddenly collapsed without any visible attack being launched. However, this was hardly the right time to ask questions. For Kakashi, a sense of relief quietly washed over him. No one had died yet. Ryuma's parents were still alive. The situation was terrible, but it had not yet crossed the point of no return. There was still room to maneuver, still a chance to prevent things from spiraling completely out of control now that Hiruzen had arrived.
Ryuma, who had been fully prepared to kill Danzo, also stopped himself. Taking a deep breath, he forcibly suppressed the rage boiling inside him. The killing intent surrounding him gradually settled, and he pushed his half-unsheathed swords back into their scabbards. Then he turned toward Hiruzen. A faint smile appeared on his face, though it did not reach his eyes.
"Well, Lord Third, you arrived at the right time," Ryuma said. "If you had been late even by a minute, then this Danzo would have been dead by my hands. I had just almost lost control of myself."
Hiruzen did not know how to respond to Ryuma's words. For a few moments, he simply looked at Ryuma before giving a slight nod. Then his gaze shifted toward Danzo. His expression immediately darkened. There was clear anger in Hiruzen's eyes as he said in a cold voice, "Danzo, you have gone too far this time. Immediately release Ryuma's parents."
Danzo's expression was equally unpleasant. Clearly unwilling to comply, he looked directly at Hiruzen and said, "Hiruzen..." Then he pointed toward Ryuma. "His strength is completely beyond our calculations. He is far stronger than someone who can simply be left alone. And he is like an unrestrained beast. If he is left unchecked, he will do whatever he pleases. He will not care about the betterment of Konoha. This is our chance to put a leash on him."
The atmosphere immediately became tense. After hearing Danzo's words, Ryuma suddenly chuckled. It was not a happy laugh. Rather, it was filled with anger and mockery.
"Well, you're right about that," Ryuma said. "If I still have to bow and scrape before others despite having this strength, then what kind of strong person am I?" A faint smile appeared on his face as he stared directly at Danzo. The meaning behind his words was obvious: If you dare, then come and try. The provocation was deliberate. Ryuma was practically inviting Danzo to make the first move, because if Danzo attacked him, or simply ordered the Root ninjas to attack, then Ryuma would have every justification he needed to kill Danzo right here.
Danzo's eyes narrowed. He immediately turned toward Hiruzen. "See?" he said. "What did I tell you?" His finger pointed at Ryuma again. "How can you not hear the provocation in his tone?"
Of course, Hiruzen heard it. Anyone could. But Hiruzen also understood why Ryuma was acting this way. After all, Danzo had kidnapped Ryuma's parents and had intentions to kill them. Under such circumstances, Ryuma not attacking immediately already required tremendous restraint. Hiruzen let out a slow breath before speaking. "Enough. Both of you."
His voice carried authority that instantly silenced further arguments. Then he looked directly at Danzo. "Danzo, I will not say it again. Release Ryuma's parents." His eyes hardened. "If not, then I will be forced to use force."
The moment those words left Hiruzen's mouth, everyone understood he was serious. Hiruzen was genuinely prepared to fight. The Anbu ninjas standing behind him immediately tensed, their attention locking onto the surrounding Root members. Their hands subtly moved toward their weapons. They were ready. Likewise, Kakashi also shifted his stance slightly, fully prepared for battle if negotiations collapsed. The atmosphere inside the underground Root base became suffocatingly tense. Root ninjas and Anbu ninjas stared at one another, both sides waiting for the next command.
Danzo looked around and saw everything. His expression became increasingly unpleasant. After several moments of silence, he finally raised a hand and waved it dismissively. The Root ninja standing in front of Ryuma's parents, the one prepared to intercept Ryuma if he attempted to rescue them, immediately stepped aside. The meaning of the gesture was obvious. Danzo was backing down. He was releasing Ryuma's parents.
Without wasting a single second, both Ryuma and Kakashi moved toward them. Ryuma quickly arrived beside his parents and crouched down. Looking toward Kakashi, he said, "Well, check if my parents are okay. Make sure they haven't been injected with any poison or something, or that some curse mark or anything else hasn't been placed on them."
Kakashi nodded. "Understood." He immediately began examining Ryuma's father carefully. As for his mother, since she was a woman, neither Ryuma nor Kakashi conducted an overly thorough physical inspection. Instead, they checked all visible areas for any signs of curse seals, markings, or suspicious abnormalities.
Fortunately, there was nothing. No curse marks, no visible seals, and no suspicious injuries. After several minutes, Kakashi finished his examination. Ryuma watched quietly the entire time. Finally, Kakashi looked up and said, "There are no signs of poisoning. They seem fine. They're just unconscious."
Hearing those words, Ryuma finally relaxed. A long breath escaped from him. The massive stone that had been hanging over his heart since arriving at the Root base finally disappeared. His parents were alive, and more importantly, they were unharmed.
After a moment of silence, Ryuma slowly nodded. Then, with a calm expression and an unexpectedly calm voice, he said, "Well, look after them both."
Kakashi blinked. He immediately looked toward Ryuma, confusion appearing in his visible eye.
----
To read advanced chapters up to 24 chapters ahead, please consider supporting me on Patreon: [https://patreon.com/Hkj822]