Chapter Twenty: The Confrontation

                                    

                                          
     "Why don't you ever wake up by yourself?" Chi said, shaking Ryu.
                          
     Ryu opened his eyes, and the first thing he said was, "You're annoying."
                          
     Chi, pissed at him, stood up and kicked him hard in the back.
                          
     "Ow!" Ryu immediately sat up and turned to face her with an angry look.
                          
     Oops, Chi thought. I made him angry.
                          
     Ryu ignored her, stood up, and, grabbing his jacket, put in on. That's when Chi saw what was behind the jacket.
                          
     "It's first time I've had a good look at that," Chi said, pointing at the jacket. "Is that your clan's mark?"
                          
     Ryu looked behind and nodded. His father had bought the jacket for him several years ago for him to wear when he was growing up.
                          
     "Anyway," Ryu said as he tied his grandthater's sword to his back and put away the scrolls, "I'm moving on to Uzushiogakure. Go back to the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
                          
     "Why are you going there in the first place?" Chi asked, almost sure that he would tell her to mind her own business.
                          
     To her surprise, he said, "Revenge. I'm going to kill the man who murdered my parents."
                          
     "Then let me come with you," Chi said. "I'm sure I can be of some help."
                          
     "Come if you want," Ryu said. "Just stay out of my way."
                          
     With that, he began running toward the direction of Uzushiogakure once again. This time, he would arrive there this time. Chi quickly began chasing after Ryu.
                          
     I'll get you back for what you did to my parents, you monster.
                          

                          
Several hours later, just before sunset, Ryu and Chi arrived in Uzushiogakure. It had been rebuilt several years after its destruction, and now it looked as good as new. Ryu and Chi walked side-by-side down the street of the village.
                          
     People stared at the new group of kids wherever they went. But who could blame them? They looked out of place there with their strange clothes.
                          
     Out of nowhere, a man walked up to them and blocked their path. "I'm afraid I'll have to stop you right there. Who are you, and why are you here?"
                          
     "Just visiting, sir," Chi said.
                          
     "Well, we have news that someone is here to assassinate the Uzumaki Clan leader, so we have to check everyone who enters the village."
                          
     "Where is he?" Ryu asked.
                          
     "Who?"
                          
     "The Uzumaki Clan leader."
                          
      "Why would I-"
                          
     Ryu activated his Sharingan and made direct eye contact with man. The man froze in his spot, and when Ryu worked his hypnosis, the man answered, "Smallest house at the right corner of the village."
                          
     "Thanks," Ryu said as he walked past the man, who was now paralyzed. Chi waved her hand in the man's face, and, once she didn't get a reaction, followed Ryu.
                          
     After minutes of walking, they reached the house, which looked old and abandoned.
                          
     "There's someone inside," Chi said. "I can sense their Chakra."
                          
     Ryu kicked the door down and entered. In the middle of the room sat an old man with his eyes closed. When Ryu came in, his eyes opened and looked at the intruder.
                          
     "How did you find me?" the old man asked.
                          
     "It's none of your concern," Ryu said. "I'm after the man who's coming to kill you."
                          
      "And why is that?" the old man asked again.
                          
     "Like I said," Ryu said, "it's none of your concern."
                          
     BOOM! Suddenly, the wall on the left side of the room blew up and smoke and dust covered the room. When it had all died down, a man stood among the rubble that was once a wall.
                          
     "I'm here for you, old man," the man said.
                          
     "You finally showed up," Ryu said, stepping between the old man and the assassin. "If you want to get to the old man, you'll have to go through me."