A/N: sorry if this chapter took awhile, but I had gotten writer's block on a few areas.

Chapter 7

Forbidden Love

The following morning as Kikoshi, Naruto, Hinata, Kakashi, Yamato, Kiba, Shino and Sai entered Konoha though its main gates. The ANBU black op agents also accompanied them into Konoha. Walking with Kikoshi was Sakiko, after they were inside Konoha… Sakiko stretched out her arms and smiled.

"If you need me I'll be hitting the casino."

"I don't know if Konoha has a casino." Kikoshi commented.

"Come on with an old hag with a compulsive gambling addiction in charge of this village is certain to have casino or two in this village."

Kikoshi sighed as he shrugged his shoulders before answering. "I suppose there is no point in trying to stop you. Just remember to check in with the Second Otokage later when you are finished. But as usual I will have two of our men to accompany you…to provide help with guarding and carrying your winnings."

"Oh no need to worry I brought some scrolls I am just going to seal them into." Sakiko replied with a smile before wandering off.

"Is she even old enough to gamble?" Kakashi asked.

"Doesn't matter…she'll assume a different appearance and then proceed to clean out the casinos in your village."

"Clean them out?" Naruto said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes…where did you think the money that was used to create and manage the Sound Village, not to mention the money to fund Orochimaru's experiments, came from?"

"Are you saying that woman's winnings are what helped finance Orochimaru's village and experiments?" Yamato asked as he seemed surprised.

"Well let me just say that she is so good that not only has she never lost a bet, a game of cards or playing the slots machines that casinos throughout the world were paying Orochimaru to keep her away from their casinos." Kikoshi mused with a smile on his face "She even earned a nickname…The Legendary Gambler."

"The Legendary Gambler."

"Yes…the gambler who never loses."

"Naruto, Lady Hinata." A voice called out as all eyes fell upon a young man wearing the traditional robes of the Hyuga Clan wearing a Konoha forehead protector.

"Hey Neji!" Naruto said as he waved at the Hyuga Clan Branch member.

Neji greeted Naruto with a smile as he approached the group. Kikoshi took notice as he stopped walking to turn his attention to the approaching Hyuga Clan member. "I see you were met with some trouble along the way." Neji commented as he noticed the Hidden Mist ANBU agents walking with them.

"Yeah…that guy" Naruto was trying to say under his breath as he shot Kikoshi a glance "nearly killed Sasuke." Neji looked over at the young man in the white robe and was surprised to see it was another possessor of the byakugan.

"So he must be the one Tsunade mentioned after her meeting with the Second Otokage."

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Yesterday a convoy arrived carrying the new Mizukage and the Second Otokage. According to Lady Tsunade the Second Otokage was a skilled medical shinobi and member of the Hyuga Branch Family. I understand she was at one time an understudy of Tsunade and the private physician for the entire Clan."

"Not to mention she is my beloved mother." Kikoshi replied with a smile as he approached the two. "I am Kikoshi Hyuga…former apt pupil of Orochimaru and the strongest shinobi of Otogakure. I have heard much about you Neji Hyuga…I must say your progress in your development of skills and abilities are impressive." Kikoshi said as he offered the Hyuga Clansman his hand.

"Well…" Neji wasn't sure how to reply. "Thank you" as he took Kikoshi's hand and shook it. Neji turned his attention to Hinata as he said "Excuse me Hinata, but your father wanted me to tell you that he must see you as soon as possible."

"Do you know what it is about?" Hinata asked.

"Your father didn't say anything, but he seemed troubled."

"If that is the case then you should go see him Hinata. For now we'll be in Konoha until we resolve this matter." Kakashi said as he stepped in after overhearing their conversation.

"Thank you Kakashi-sensei." Hinata said as she and Neji walked away. Kikoshi was silent, but knowing that talented shinobi like Neji was being chained to the branch family unable to ever succeed the head of the family because he was born into the branch family. Although the thought angered Kikoshi, however another thought in his mind suddenly reserved his mood causing a smile to appear on his face instead.

"What are you smiling about?" Naruto demanded.

"It's nothing…nothing that you will know in good time." Kikoshi replied as he turned and continued on his way towards the Hokage's office.

Later at the Hokage's office; Kikoshi, Naruto, Kakashi and Yamato were standing before Tsunade with Shizune standing next to her. The female leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves eyed the albino shinobi. "So the famed legendary medical shinobi of the Sannin...we meet face to face. I'll admit this is a pleasure." Kikoshi noted with a grin.

"So you're Orochimaru's student and Maya's son." Tsunade replied.

"I take it you have already met with my mother…the Second Otokage."

"Yes and I am hoping you would care to explain more to me about this alliance your mother and the new Mizukage proposed."

"Of course…I am certain my mother's arrival here in Konoha must have surprised you. Very well I'll lay out the details of the suggested Alliance that will be formed between Leaf, Mist and Sound if approved."

"Strange that I wasn't informed that such an arrangement was being made." Tsunade said as she cast a glare on the young man.

"Well that's a surprise…I was under the assumption that you had approved of the thought of an alliance being made hence why we were summoned to your village to discuss the treaty before its signed." Kikoshi said as he appeared surprised, but Kakashi and Tsunade weren't convinced.

"Is there a catch to this?" Kakashi asked.

"No catch…Orochimaru's self-severing operations and his attempts to destroy your village has hindered our village and brought it close to the brink of collapse so his death came as a blessing for us. We only wish for a cease of hostilities between our villages and a treaty of peace…our village cannot really afford fighting your village and Akatsuki so it's in the best interest of our village that this peace treaty goes through."

"I see, but there is a personal question I would like to ask you?" Tsunade inquired.

"Shoot."

"Exactly how did a child of the Hyuga Clan end up in Orochimaru's hands and no one in this village was unaware of it until now?"

Kikoshi smiled "A good question…how did a single child from the branch family avoided becoming a caged bird without anyone aware of it? Alright I'll tell you…it began about two years prior to Hinata Hyuga's birth." Kikoshi began as he told them the same story his mother had told him.

"As you know Lady Tsunade my mother was avoiding romantic entanglements with other people because I am sure she mentioned that she had no wish to have a child who would only become a slave to the main family. However when you left with a few shinobi to conduct a mission with your boyfriend Dan my mother was in fact seeing someone secretly."

Tsunade was a little surprised…it was true…Maya had purposely avoided having relationships with anyone out of fear she may end up convincing a child with them.

"The man my mother was seeing was a close friend of hers since childhood…despite the difference in positions and responsibilities within the Hyuga Clan they were good friends. I don't know the exact details, but during the time you were gone something inconvincible happened…my mother became pregnant with that man's child…namely me."

"Exactly who was the father?" Kakashi asked.

"I'll get to that part." Kikoshi said before he continued, "anyway my mother had conducted a private pregnancy test upon herself and confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. She told my biological father about it…although they kept it to themselves it turns out that despite my father's place within the clan I would be doomed to become a branch member thus I would be branded with the curse mark. She was told to just accept it, but he did promise I would be treated well." Kikoshi grinned. "Needless to say my mother wouldn't hear of it. Heartbroken and desperate to save me from becoming a slave she turned to the one shinobi who could possibly help her."

"Orochimaru" Tsunade said as she continued to listen.

"Correct…you see she explained her plight to him and eventually agreed to provide assistance. In exchange she would donate her skills as a medical shinobi to help him in his experiments. One noteworthy experiment she was involved in was the one that attempted to integrate the First Hokage's genes into sixties babies."

Tsunade and Yamato including everyone else present were surprised by this revelation.

"There were others, but despite the set backs encountered during the experiment to endow a infant with the First Hokage's genes they were successful in another experiment that only successful thanks to data gathered during previous experiments."

"Another experiment? You mean the one where Orochimaru perfected the Immortality Jutsu?" Yamato asked.

"No there were two other experiments before it that lead to its completion."

"Two?"

"Yes, but let me continue with my story…the answer you want will be given in due time." Kikoshi said before he went on with his story. "When the signs of her pregnancy were becoming clearer, Orochimaru and my mother staged a certain incident that would aid her in her escape from the village."

"Yes I know which incident you are referring to…the one where your mother supposedly committed suicide by setting herself and the home she stayed in on fire thus killing herself and her unborn child. Or so we thought." Tsunade answered as she remembered learning about the incident several days after another tragedy that happened.

"Orochimaru and my mother used a woman my mother altered to stand in as herself. They caught the woman outside the village…she was homeless from what I was told so no one would really miss her. After which my mother was covertly smuggled out of the village as firefighters were putting the fire out while Orochimaru following the incident would lead the investigation into the matter where he could bring it close swiftly without anyone becoming aware of what really happened."

"Then what became of you…where were you born?" Kakashi asked.

"Once Orochimaru had covered up their tracks following the matter and closing of the investigation into my mother's so-called suicide…he would then arrange for himself to receive a long term mission to the north where he would go to his hideout in the north where Orochimaru conducted the bulk of his human experiments. My mother ran the laboratory there on his behalf once construction was complete. I was born and raised in that place ever since until after Orochimaru established his new village."

"As you grew up I image Orochimaru trained you as his student." Naruto noted.

"Yes…when I was old enough I leant him a hand in jutsu development along with my mother. And that is it…that is my story…most of it."

"You may seem that you don't know your village's intentions, but I want to know what you're intentions are?" Tsunade asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you planning to destroy the Hyuga Clan?" Kakashi asked.

Kikoshi grinned before he answered "No…I would rather just live with the wonderful knowledge that they will know that there is a member of the cadet branch who is stronger than all of them combined. I could at my leaser wipe them out, but why waste my time with them when they can be living in constant envy and fear of me."

"Is that it?" Yamato inquired.

"Yes, but I should take it at this time to mention that if any member of the Hyuga Clan attempt to attack me I will fight back and I won't think twice about killing anyone who tries."

"Is that a threat?" Tsunade asked.

"No, only a warning." Kikoshi turned as he proceeded to leave. "If you wish to speak to me again then notify my mother and she'll send me. I'll be late reporting to my mother so I must go…I'll see you all later."

"Hey…are you going to kill Sasuke if you see him again?" Naruto asked.

Kikoshi looked over his shoulder at the young man "We'll see…he is only a warm up. I am really looking forward to facing his brother again, and then…the one who is stronger than Itachi. The man who is the leader of Akatsuki." With those words Kikoshi left the room before anyone could ask Kikoshi any more questions.

A short time later on the rooftop of a three-story building, Kikoshi was leaping from rooftop to rooftop making his way towards the hotel where his mother was staying. Suddenly Kikoshi activated his byakugan as a smile appeared on his face. He suddenly changed direction and moved towards the Nakano River that ran through the village.

Eventually Kikoshi arrived at a sidewalk that ran long the riverbank. Kikoshi walked up to the railing looking out at the water. Without looking the albino shinobi said, "Why I am not surprised that the Hyuga Clan would send assassins?"

"Then you knew we were coming for you." A voice said as Kikoshi turned around and saw four people standing there. Three of them were middle-aged men wearing dignified robes of the Hyuga Clan main branch family. The last person among them was an older man in his late sixties with long gray hair…he too was a member of the main family of the Hyuga Clan.

"I noticed you following me after I left the Hokage's office. So I led you here so we could have our little chat."

Without blinking one of the younger members of the Hyuga Clan accompanying the elder rushed forward ready to strike Kikoshi down with a blow to the chest, but Kikoshi was faster than the older man as he struck down the Hyuga with a lightning fast blow to the chest. He extended his left arm closing the distance quickly and with a fair amount of charka focused into his hand…Kikoshi caused the man's internal organs to explode killing him instantly.

The man fell to the ground with blood coming out of his mouth and nose. "How dare you?" The elder spat as Kikoshi smiled.

"I knew this was going to happen, and just as I warned the Hokage. I will defend myself if attacked." Kikoshi replied...he knew a battle was imminent now. "You just can't handle the fact that a member of the branch family roams free. Not to mention I am superior to all of you."

That last remark angered the Hyugas standing before Kikoshi, as the elder shouted, "die you bastard child!" The Hyugas all rushed Kikoshi at once who quickly somersaulted into the river. Kikoshi rushed to the other side as he began performing hand signs while the Hyuga were already in hot pursuit.

On the shoreline after making fifty four hand seals Kikoshi shouted "Water Release: Water Dragon Blast Technique!" The pursuing Hyugas were halfway across the river when Kikoshi launched his counterattack. The dragon hurried towards its target as the elder hurried to left to get out of its way while the other two evaded, but the third young man didn't move in time and was hit head on by the current.

After Kikoshi's attack had hit one of its marks, two more members of the Hyuga main branch leapt out from the trees behind Kikoshi as the two younger Hyugas who evaded Kikoshi's water dragon were also almost upon the albino shinobi. With a smile on his face Kikoshi preformed a hand sign before he holding his hands near his side with the middle finger and his index finger extended out on both hands just as their blows made contact.

At the last moment a cocoon of charka enveloped Kikoshi as he began to spin his body around as he shouted "Wind Release: Eight Trigrams Cyclone of Blades!"

The Wind Release: Eight Trigrams Cyclone of Blades is one of Kikoshi developed form of gentle fist fighting technique. Like the Eight Trigram Palms Heavenly Spin Kikoshi's own enhanced version of this technique works the same way, but the difference is that Kikoshi applied his wind element charka to the rotation and using the same technique the Sand Shinobi Baki uses which is the (Kaze no Yaiba) Sword of Wind.

Kikoshi can now envelope anyone who is repelled by his rotation into a cutting whirlwind, which will decapitate them and anything else within the range of his rotation, which he could extend up to fifteen meters. The four Hyugas were sliced to pieces within the horrific whirlwind of blades that overtook them causing the air to shower limbs and blood. Even the trees near Kikoshi were cut apart by the technique he unleashed.

"Impossible!" The elder said as he saw the carnage Kikoshi had created with his last technique.

"Not impossible…you see I have simply taken gentle fist to a new level taking all I have learned and developed new and better techniques. The Wind Release: Eight Trigrams Cyclone of Blades is one of the four new techniques I invited using what I learned from mastering gentle fist and the Eight Trigram Palms Heavenly Spin."

"You couldn't have learned those techniques."

"I did…once my mother taught me gentle fist figuring out the other techniques the Main Branch kept to themselves were easy to figure out with time and training. You were a fool to think you could just come and kill me with no effort. You were wrong to judge me by my appearance and linage which allowed you and your friends to be careless."

The elder Hyuga didn't reply, but only looked at the young shinobi in anger. To him it was an outrage that a branch family member had completely surpassed the main family in strength…the thought of Neji being the strongest young man in the family was bad enough.

Suddenly Kikoshi was standing behind the elder Hyuga with his sword drawn.

"And now you will die."

As Kikoshi swung his sword about to deliver a killing blow someone shouted, "Stop it!" Kikoshi stopped his blade right next to the Hyuga's neck and looked to his right, as did the elder.

"Lord Hiashi!" The elder declared as the leader of the Hyuga Clan was seen standing on the water.

"So its you…I trust you came to do what your pitiful excuse of relatives couldn't?" Kikoshi said with a smirk on his face.

"No…when I noticed a few members of our family left I quickly realized what they were going to do." Hiashi gave the elder a cold stare. "Are you a fool…despite the situation that boy and his mother are under the diplomatic protection of our country's lord? We cannot act against them while they are."

"But Lord Hiashi the blood of our clan must be kept within the village…I was acting in the best interest of our clan."

"No…you were acting in the best interest of your pride. If you were successful you would have invited war upon our village where Konoha cannot afford to wage a war with anyone right now since our strength is still depleted from the Sand and Sound Invasion two years ago."

"Well I guess you got lucky this time." Kikoshi replied as he kicked the old Hyuga away from him. The strength his kick carried sent him flying across the river and slamming into the ground on the other side. "But attempt to kill me again and you will not live to see another day."

Kikoshi sheathed his sword and turned to walk away, but Hiashi stopped him.

"Wait…Kikoshi is your name right?"

Kikoshi stopped "Yes…and what do you want?"

"I" Hiashi began, but stopped short when another voice interrupted.

"Hiashi it's been awhile." Hiashi looked to his right and saw Maya standing there in her Otokage robes minus the hat. "You look well."

"Maya!"

Maya surveyed the area examining Kikoshi's handiwork. With a smile accompanied by a laugh Maya said "well done my son…you have proven you are superior to the main family. All of my work and sacrifices has finally bore fruit."

"Thank you mother…those fools attacked me, I fought back in self-defense."

"So what do you think Hiashi…what do you think of our child?" Maya said with a wicked smile.

A/N: information chapter with a battle near the end. Kikoshi's linage has been revealed, but another secret will be learned next chapter. Stay tuned and thanks for your reviews on the last chapter they are very well appreciated.