True Path of a Jinchuuriki Ch 9: Meeting of the Kages (Extended Edition)

(Italics: Thoughts/Flashbacks/Dream sequence. Bold: Title and Kyubi's / Demon's / Inner Characters's Speech. Underline: Time Skips)

"Fellow Kages thank you for attending this meeting on such short notice, but the topic is of the utmost importance to our villages as an entirety. Approximately twenty-four hours ago the elemental seal of earth was removed, the defense forces wiped out with ease. We need to tighten our security and strengthen our military power if we are going to stop whoever is responsible."

Due to the nature of the Jutsu and the amount of chakra it took to keep the illusions in place the forms of the Kages were blurred and distorted. After a moment of silence the Tsuchikage spoke. "I was foolish to not add more security to the shrine but I personally never thought anyone would ever attempt to break the seal, we must protect the remaining seals at all costs, but in order to do that I propose that we as fellow shinobi combine our forces into a single peace-keeping Army-" The Tsuchikage was cut off however as the Raikage interjected.

"Forgive me for my intrusion Tsuchikage but I see no reason to create a peace-keeping force unless this world is truly at peace, all of us have known war our entire lives and our rivalry among one another has been the cause." The Raikage said. "Although what you say is true Raikage one of the seven seals have already been released and we cannot risk a full-scale war over the power of the Frozen Flame, especially when our very enemy is the unknown, I agree with the Tsuchikage, a single peace-making military force would be adequate counter-measures for such a disaster-" The Raikage was cut off however as the Mizukage spoke.

"How are we sure all this is even true!? For all we know Konoha's shinobi have been releasing the seals because they want the power of the frozen flame for themselves!" Tsunade glared at the distorted image of the Mizukage's form.

"You fool! The very purpose of this meeting contradicts your suspicions! Why the hell would I organize a meeting to inform you of a threat if I wanted to break the seal and claim the forbidden power of that accursed object for ourselves!? Fools who don't understand the severity of the situation we're in should remain silent." Tsunade said as she glared at the Mizukage, the other Kage mirroring her act.

"I understand how distrustful we are of another, our countries have waged war countless times in the past and deception was the greatest weapon of all at the time, but we are no longer at war with each other and we need to forget the past and work toward building a future for the next generation, all those in favor of creating a united peace-keeping force raise your hands now, your decision may decide countless innocent lives, do not disappoint me."

Tsunade said as she immediately raised her own hand. After a minute of uncomfortable silence the Tsuchikage, Kazekage, Mizukage, and Raikage all raised their hands in unison. Tsunade nodded her head.

"Very well, an agreement has been reached, let's work out the details in the near future."


Six Hours Later...

Naruto sat in front of the shrine, cross-legged as dark thoughts involving Neji entered his mind every conscious moment, countless scenarios flashing before his very eyes. He was forced back to reality as footsteps approached from his left. He tilted his neck and shifted his gaze in the direction the sound came from, coming face to face with none other than Neji Hyuuga. "Your shift's up, get some rest." Neji ordered. Naruto merely glared at him and nodded in response, walking over to join Hinata as Neji took his position. Naruto sat down next to Hinata and sighed as he leaned his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Hinata smiled and strokes her fingers through his spiky locks.

"Don't let Neji get to you Naruto he just acts that way sometimes... So just please don't take it personal, okay...?" Hinata told Naruto. Naruto pulled his head off Hinata's shoulder and shook his head as he his gaze drifted away from Hinata. "You're wrong Hinata, I made sure he understood that destiny crap he preached to me was a bunch of bullshit when I wiped that smirk from his face during the Chunin Exam six years ago, it's beyond that he doesn't respect me, he just sees me as that annoying brat from six years ago only stronger." Hinata merely nodded in response, finding truth in his words. "I'll show him... I'll show all of them..." Naruto said, a hint of anger in his voice as he clenched his fists.


Sasuke and Orochimaru stood by a cliff overlooking Konoha, the entire village as well as the Great Hokage Monument coming into view, Orochimaru standing in front of Sasuke. "Since you mastered the final technique I have nothing left to teach you." Orochimaru explained, turning his back to his apprentice. "Now let us continue breaking the seal, then I shall possess the unlimited powers of the Frozen Fla-" He was cut off as a blade of chakra pierced his back, protruding from his chest. Orochimaru's eyes narrowed and lit up in anger as he shifted his gaze toward his attacker, Sasuke. "What is the meaning of this!?" Orochimaru demanded. "It's just as you said, you have nothing left to teach me which no longer makes you my master!" Sasuke said slowly with his eyes closed, his blade in a stabbing motion as a sharp, a thin blade of chakra extending from the tip and impaling Orochimaru's stomach.

"You think I'm that easy to get rid of!?" Orochimaru's body fell to the ground useless like a disposable puppet. A dark entity of chakra rushing toward Sasuke as a twisted laughter filled the air. "Your body will be mine Sasuke Uchiha!" Sasuke's eyes snapped open, his sharingan activating. "These eyes of mine see through your pathetic illusions." Suddenly Sasuke's sharingan transformed, the three red pin-wheels in his pupils connecting in a trinity. Orochimaru's spirit form came to a sudden halt as Sasuke's eyes pierced his very soul. Suddenly Sasuke's eyes began to glow a bright crimson and the dark entity of chakra became absorbed into his eyes and sealing it in his chakra veins. His dying thoughts rushing to Sasuke like a wave of energy, then nothing. Brining a sinister grin to himself. "Do not worry Orochimaru your death will not be in vain, with your power locked inside of me I will release the remaining seals, only the power of the Frozen Flame will be mine alone..." He thought aloud.


Naruto approached Neji with a hint of anger and impatience reflected in his eyes. Neji's gaze shifted toward the approaching blond, locking gazes with him. "Your shift is over, get some rest that's an order." Neji said in the same mocking tone as before. Naruto picked him up by the front of his shirt. "You arrogant bastard who do you think you are!? Just because you're a Jounin you think you're so much better than me!? Show me what you got almighty Hyuuga Jounin!" Naruto yelled as he threw Neji across the room, Neji flipping and landing on his feet as he observed Naruto, a look of amusement in his eyes. Something about that look triggered something in him. He underestimated me again! He thought to himself, flexing his fists and clenching them into a fist out of concentration as an aura of multi-colored chakra surrounded him, alternating between pale blue, blood crimson, golden, and dark violet.

His eyes alternating between the colors as well as he made the cross hand symbol. "Ego Clone Jutsu!" Naruto announced, in incantation echoing through the cave as three alternate forms of himself manifested from nothingness. Appearing at first to be his signature move but upon closer observation the replications had original features to them. One form of him was clad in a full-body black cloak, a look of seriousness in his eyes as blond locks covered the rest of his face from view.

One was dressed in black shinobi pants and a matching t-shirt, bold whisker-marks running across his cheeks and demonic slits for eyes, giving him a terrifying look, an aura of blood-red chakra radiating from his body as a strong blood-lust filled the air. The last two forms were each clad in traveling cloaks, one of them black and the other white, the figure in black had night-black hair, an aura of darkness-based chakra radiating from his body. And lastly the figure in white was clad in a white cloak and has golden locks that appeared to glow, an aura of golden light-based chakra radiating from his body.

"This is my Kekei Genkai Neji, I've been training relentlessly for six months on top of doing mission after mission every other week and I'll be damned if I'm going to be disrespected by some arrogant bastard who thinks they're better than me because they're from some prestigious clan!" Naruto roared. Light and Darkness Naruto leaned against the wall and observed as Naruto and Kyubi Naruto stood before Neji.

"I wiped the floor with you six years ago without the use of any special clan powers, that's why I'm going to show you... Show everyone... What I'm truly capable of!" Naruto announced as an aura of blood-red chakra surrounded his own body, his eyes lighting up in a bright shade of crimson. Suddenly Hinata threw herself in front of Naruto, putting her arms out.

"Please Naruto-kun stop this..." Hinata pleaded. Naruto took a step backward as his red slits transformed back into his pupils of cerulean. "What am I doing?" Naruto asked himself as he staggered backwards, his ego clones disappearing in clouds of white smoke. Hinata sighing out of relief and returning to Naruto's side as Neji stood up on his feet and shifted his gaze in Naruto's direction.

"You think I'm impressed by a simple display of your strength? If you truly wish for me to respect you you'll have to do more than that." Neji explained. Naruto clenched his fists and glared at the Hyuuga Jounin in response. "Someone's coming." Neji said suddenly, his Byakugan activating as footsteps approached, getting steadily louder.

Suddenly the heavy temple doors swung open as a single shadowed figure emerged from the doorway. The figure was dressed a full-body black cloak and the only visible part of their body was the spiky black locks covering his face. Naruto turned to Neji, his focus remaining on the shadowed figure. "Neji what's the status on the squad of ANBU guarding the exterior?" Neji's eyes scanned the radius around the Temple exterior, his widening at what he saw. "What is it?" Naruto asked out of curiosity. His gaze still directed at the mysterious attacker. "The entire ANBU squad was eliminated... But the strange part is there's no sign of a struggle..."

Naruto's gaze narrowed. "Who are you and what do you want!?" Naruto demanded. "You already know why I am here and as for who I am... I must say I'm insulted. I thought you of all people could tell who I am..." The figure said. Naruto's eyes widened after a moment of observation. "Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "I see your mind is as sharp as always, right Naruto?" Sasuke said with a dark grin on his face. With those words Naruto, Neji, and Hinata got into defensive positions, a moment later a realization suddenly hit Neji.

"Where is Orochimaru?" Neji thought aloud. "Oh you mean that pathetic excuse for human existence? I killed him of course... Well that's not entirely true I destroyed the vessel harboring his spirit but all his power, all his secrets... Now belong to me!" Sasuke said with a sinister expression on his face, his eyes widening as his Sharingan activated, pulling up his sleeve as a black tattoo of a serpent began to glow a bright crimson.


Tsunade and Jiraiya sipped glasses of Sake as they had a casual conversation. Shizune's breath became shallower with every step as she desperately ran up the long, spiral staircase leading to Tsunade's office. Bursting through the front door suddenly, unable to wait due to the urgency of her mission. "Lady Tsunade we have a problem! We've lost contact with the ANBU squad we sent to guard the Temple exterior, we need to send reenforcements immediately!" Shizune explained with intense urgency. Tsunade and Jiraiya's facial expressions reflected absolute seriousness, making eye contact with one another and nodding in confirmation. "Lead the way!" Jiraiya said.


Neji and Hinata lied face-down on the ground unconscious. Naruto and Sasuke glared at one another, each breathing heavily from fatigue. "Well Naruto I have to admit you're stronger than we last fought so let's skip the warm-up and start getting serious." Sasuke said with a smirk on his face, his Sharingan activating.

I was about to suggest the same thing...

Naruto thought to himself with a sly grin as he put his hands together in a cross hand symbol, in a burst of multicolored chakras two manifestations of Naruto split off from his body: Light Naruto and Darkness Naruto. All three of them made a cross hand symbol in unity as they all announced the same technique. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Ten shadow replications of the three forms of Naruto manifested in multiple clouds of smoke.

Sasuke merely smirked as he mirrored Naruto's jutsu, a considerable amount of Sasuke shadow clones manifesting in clouds of smoke. "You're so predictable Naruto, well what are you waiting for come at me!" All three forms of Naruto roared in rage as they charged forward. Sasuke's clones taking on three opponents at a time with their replicated Sharingans. The original Naruto jumped upward into the air, channeling his chakra into the Kunai as he threw it, the Kunai splitting off into a barrage. "Shadow Kunai Jutsu!"

All of Sasuke's clones as well as Naruto's bursted into clouds of smoke as all of their concentrated chakra were sent to both of them all at once, a black orb concentrated in Sasuke's palm. Sasuke grinned at Naruto sinisterly. "This is a new technique, I haven't perfected it yet but it makes my chidori look like the move of an amateur!" As he said this he extended his arm into the orb of darkness, the black entity devouring his form as Sasuke took the form of an all-black humanoid form without any human features, two wings sprouting from his back as his eyes snapped open, two demonic slits staring Naruto down.

"He's challenging us Kit... Let's show that bastard how strong we actually are!"

As the Kyubi's words echoed in the back of Naruto's mind he felt a surge of power rushing through him, the demonic energy healing his wounds instantaneously as his body made a demonic transformation, darkness and light Naruto fusing with him to enhance his strength. "Reminds you of our last battle doesn't it?" Sasuke asked Naruto in a distorted tone. Naruto ignored him as he glared his enemy down, bloodlust and hatred in his eyes as a multi-colored orb of chakra rotated in his palm, becoming brighter as the chakra merged into one mass. Naruto charged forward with insane speed, slamming the orb of energy into Sasuke's chest. "Ultimate Rasengan!" Naruto roared, Sasuke's technique crumbling off his body like broken armor, shattering like broken glass as an explosion of chakra blinded their vision.

As the dust settled from the destruction and their vision returned to them the form of Sasuke stood up, an evil look in his eyes as he got up on his feet effortlessly. As he stood up he walked toward Naruto slowly, grinning darkly as he charged up a concentrated orb of fiery dark violet chakra in both his palms and charged forward at Naruto. In just enough time to react Naruto charged up a Rasengan and slammed his palm forward in desperation. "Rasengan!"

Naruto announced, the incantation echoing through the cavern. As the orbs of chakra came into contact with one another it resulted in an explosion of chakra, sending Naruto and Sasuke flying in opposite directions, crashing into opposite walls to the left and right of the shrine housing the Elemental seal, the hovering orb of elemental chakra sensing it was in danger as it glowed a bright crimson, a humanoid figure composed of chakra-based flames manifesting from nothingness as it stood guard in front of the Earth Element.

As the dust settled once again Sasuke and Naruto were back on their feet, glaring at each other. "Enough of your games Sasuke!" Naruto roared. Vertically half of Naruto's body took on the form of Kyubi Naruto, one of his hand and half his teeth transforming into razor sharp fangs and claws. The other vertical half of his body becoming black as night as the two powerful chakras merged together, a Rasengan charging up in each hand, one of them a fiery crimson and the other a fiery violet. Naruto roared at the top of his lungs as he charged forward like an animal, slamming both orbs of spiraling energy into one another as he directed all the energy toward his opponent all at once. "Double Rasengan!"

Naruto roared. Sasuke counter-attacked by slamming both black orbs of electrical-based chakra together and slammed the combined vortex of energy into the oncoming attack. "Chidori!"Sasuke yelled at the energies came into contact with one another, resulting in an explosion of chakra, sending Naruto flying backwards into the same wall as before, getting to his feet as the aura of red chakra around his body immediately sealed up his wounds.

As the dust settled an injured, fatigued form of Sasuke emerged from the destruction. "I'll admit Naruto you've gotten more than stronger, you've gotten better, but I'm afraid I'm out of time to play your games..." As Sasuke said this he pulled out a concealed dagger from his cloak, unsheathing it quickly as a blade of chakra extended from the blade at an alarming rate toward the element, going right through the flames of the guardian and piercing the element, the orb of chakra shattering to pieces like broken glass as an uncomprehensible symbol beneath the shrine began to glow a bright crimson.

Naruto stared wide eyed at the light, in a state of disbelief as a bright, crimson light shot upward, shifting the clouds as it connected the Earth to the Heavens. Sasuke merely began to laugh darkly as his body hovered upwards. As the bright, crimson light filled the room Neji began to stir as he awakened, his eyes widening as a realization hit him. They had failed. A moment later the forms of Jiraiya and Tsunade emerged from the open doorway of the temple, coming to a sudden halt.

"Damn it! We were unable to stop it!" Jiraiya said. Sasuke's gaze drifted toward the two Sannin. "You're too late, the seal has been broken, and the rest will be as well in due time..." Sasuke said darkly. "Why are you doing this?! Don't you realize the destruction you're causing out of lust for power!?" Tsunade yelled at the Traitor Uchiha. Sasuke laughed at this, wiping a tear from his eye. "You think I honestly care what happens to those pathetic people!? In this world the strong survive and the weak die! Soon you shall all know true suffering..."

Sasuke replied. And with those words Sasuke Uchiha vanished into oblivion. With Sasuke's departure the entire temple began to crumble around them, the building beginning to collapse. Naruto picking up Hinata's unconscious body as he, Neji, Tsunade, and Jiraiya exited the ancient temple, not looking back as the structure's destruction symbolized an uncertain future.


A/N: Well I'm in a strange state of mind right now so it probably reflects in my writing, I haven't been able to sleep all night and now its tomorrow. Insomnia is a bitch, wish I had something to calm my nerves, think I'll go drink or something. Anyway I've been unable to upload this for a few days because of a website glitch so forgive the lateness of the chapter. If you REVIEW I know you care!

Peace! - DL555