Ringo Ameyuri: Danger!

"Heh heh…"

Ringo Ameyuri held onto a cable near the ship's mast, feeling powerful and ready.

Her sharp, shark-like teeth clearly marked her as a ninja from Kirigakure.

But her unique rabbit-ear hairstyle and short frame were all her own.

From the moment she showed up, Sarutobi Ryo was on guard, constantly looking around.

He could see several heat signatures in his right eye.

Footsteps echoed as more Kirigakure ninja gathered behind Ringo Ameyuri at the front of the ship.

The Land of Waves was a neutral place, so nobody would question why Kirigakure ninja were there.

It was early morning, with few people around and a light mist in the air, perfect for a secret deal.

"Hmm?"

But something about this normal-looking scene made Ryo uneasy.

Because...

"She... is weaker?"

In his right eye, Ringo Ameyuri didn't glow with the same intense light and heat as before.

Now, her Chakra energy was weak, like a dying sun.

"More than that..."

Yamanaka Hui also noticed something was off about Ringo Ameyuri.

"Where are the twin blades she carries on her back?"

Those were the Lightning Blades Kiba, one of the legendary swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. They were famous for always carrying their swords.

But Ringo Ameyuri was missing hers. Why?

"Heh heh... look who it is."

Yamanaka Hui laughed in a silvery tone as she walked forward, acting just like the person she was pretending to be.

She copied every move perfectly.

This showed just how talented Yamanaka Hui was. She always loved things that were fun or a little bit bad.

"Hey."

Ringo Ameyuri also started walking, stepping off the ship onto the wooden dock.

Her footsteps pat-pat sounded on the wood, and the gentle waves could be heard.

Unlike Yamanaka Hui, who didn't know what was really going on, Sarutobi Ryo immediately understood what was happening to Ringo Ameyuri.

"That guy..."

When Sarutobi Ryo saw the man with dark green hair and thick lips following closely behind Ringo Ameyuri, everything made sense.

"Kurosuki Raiga, a Jonin from Kirigakure with bandages around his neck..."

In the story he knew, Kurosuki Raiga was the next ninja to wield the Lightning Blades Kiba.

"Which means, Ringo Ameyuri is already dying..."

Even though she tried to hide it, Sarutobi Ryo could see her slightly pale face with his right eye.

His right eye could zoom in like a telescope or magnifying glass, which was very helpful for figuring things out.

Ringo Ameyuri was a brilliant girl who got a terrible disease in the original story.

And ninja in Kirigakure rarely died peacefully.

When they became weak, others would come, drawn by the smell of blood, like hungry sharks ready to tear them apart.

Ringo Ameyuri was sick.

So someone was using her illness to try and kill her.

This girl, known for her genius and contributions to Kirigakure, would be betrayed... and then killed.

That was how ninja survived in Kirigakure.

Maybe they thought it was normal, because that's how they all grew up.

But Sarutobi Ryo thought it was cruel, a world where only the strong survived, with no kindness.

Besides...

Ringo Ameyuri, a hero of Kirigakure, was going to be killed by her own people. It was just like Sakumo Hatake!

You couldn't hide evil intentions.

Sarutobi Ryo knew that hungry look in Kurosuki Raiga's and the others' eyes.

He had seen it many times before.

"Which means... Kurosuki Raiga, and the whole group of Kirigakure ninja, are planning to kill Ringo Ameyuri during this deal..."

In Sarutobi Ryo's right eye, Ringo Ameyuri's heat signature was getting fainter.

"Young Master Ryo..."

Nonou was also there, standing behind Sarutobi Ryo.

As a skilled Medical Ninja, Nonou could tell if someone was sick just by looking at them.

She wanted to tell Sarutobi Ryo that something was wrong with Ringo Ameyuri, but she didn't know how to say it.

The enemy was watching closely, all the Kirigakure ninja were looking at them. Any wrong move, and they would probably attack.

And...

Nonou hesitated.

She had seen Sarutobi Ryo make important decisions over the past week.

He had turned the Yakuza into a real shipping company, and the bad people had been killed.

He had cleaned up the whole Port Town in just seven days.

He had also created jobs, giving people hope for a better future.

Unlike the usual son of the Hokage, or even the previous leaders.

This Young Master from a rich family seemed... different.

He understood the poor people, something that other leaders didn't.

Over these past few days, she had started to think differently about Young Master Ryo.

Now, he was leading them in their mission.

Then, Nonou noticed something in Sarutobi Ryo's eyes: "Young Master Ryo... seems to already have a plan? "

Just when Nonou thought that Sarutobi Ryo would attack Ringo Ameyuri, trying to capture her first...

Sarutobi Ryo's order to Yamanaka Hui surprised everyone.

"Save her."

"???"

She was confused, but her body moved without thinking.

They had known each other since they were kids, so Sarutobi Ryo and Yamanaka Hui trusted each other completely.

So... when Sarutobi Ryo told her what to do, Yamanaka Hui didn't hesitate for even a second. She drew her Great Sword and ran toward Ringo Ameyuri.

"Eh?"

Kurosuki Raiga, standing behind Ringo Ameyuri, was confused at first.

Then, he smiled happily.

It would be great if someone else killed Ringo Ameyuri, so he wouldn't have to get his hands dirty.

Just as he thought the Great Sword was about to stab Ringo Ameyuri in the chest.

Whoosh!

The Great Sword turned and slashed at him instead.

"!"

Kurosuki Raiga was a Jonin from Kirigakure, Ringo Ameyuri's teammate, and someone who wanted to wield the Lightning Blades Kiba, so he wasn't weak.

He quickly jumped to the side, dodging the attack.

The next second, Sarutobi Ryo pushed off the wooden planks and jumped into the middle of the enemy.

Most ninja knew some Ninjutsu.

And most Ninjutsu needed some distance to work.

So... getting close and fighting hand-to-hand was often the best way to attack.

--If the person was good at hand-to-hand combat.

And Sarutobi Ryo happened to be very good at it.

"Rock Strike!"

The moment he landed, Sarutobi Ryo's body exploded with power, using the force of his jump.

How strong was Sarutobi Ryo's body at this moment?

With the Steel Release Kekkei Genkai, it was like covering his fist with a layer of Steel Release Chakra.

It was like wrapping a metal object around his fist.

So, after one punch, the enemy's head exploded with a bang , like a watermelon.

Red and white pieces sprayed everywhere.

By the time Sarutobi Ryo was done, everyone had reacted.

"Attack~~!!!"

"Kill them!!!"

The ninja from Kirigakure, their faces angry, shouted and attacked.

"Go!"

Yamanaka Hui grabbed Ringo Ameyuri and jumped backward, carrying her away quickly.

After the shock, Kurosuki Raiga's face changed, and he cursed at Ringo Ameyuri, who looked completely confused: "Ringo Ameyuri... you bitch! You f **ing betrayed Kirigakure!!!"