Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. However, the original characters and plot of this fic belong to me.
Author Notes: This chapter will explain more things and is basically the set up to the next part of the story. Enjoy.
Chapter 29: Value Of Courage
The steam ascended into the air, the tea still hot. Jiraiya placed the cup on the table, his tongue slightly burnt. He had stayed up all night, along with Hideaki, trying to discover how to strengthen Naruto's seal. He was surprised that the notes the blonde had made were a great deal of help. They displayed his advanced knowledge of seals and his understanding behind them. He doubted he'd have been able to get this far so quickly without them.
Jiraiya scribbled a few more lines across the piece of parchment, before observing what he had done. He stood up, clearly deep in thought. "I think I've done it."
"Are you sure?" Hideaki was eager to get the procedure started if that was true.
Jiraiya nodded, "Naruto's already planned a lot of the work. I just had to connect it all."
Hideaki was relieved, "Go ahead."
Jiraiya walked towards the unconscious jinchuuriki, stopping next to him. His peaceful face and features reminded him of the Yondaime. Forming hand seals, he placed his palm on Naruto's stomach. A circle escaped his hand and surrounded the flashing seal which kept Kyuubi imprisoned. It enveloped the withering seal and vanished.
Hideaki waited for a few moments, "Why isn't he waking up?"
"He'll be up soon." Jiraiya stared at the whiskered face before moving back. "Is it time yet to tell us what's happening?"
"Sakura-san went to eat her breakfast; the others will be there too." He turned around, "I'll tell you all at once."
Jiraiya picked up his cup of tea and followed the old man through the house. They walked past several rooms, eventually reaching the kitchen. The dishes clattering could be heard; Sakura had washed the dirtied tableware and placed it back.
Kakashi and Tsunade were sitting around a table, the former engrossed in his reading material. The Godaime was picking her teeth with a chip of wood, "There's no sake in this house."
Hideaki sat down on one of the chairs, "Well, it does belong to Naruto and he doesn't drink."
Jiraiya decided to lean against one of the many cabinets. "Where's Sasuke?"
"He must have left earlier." Kakashi closed his book and put it inside his vest.
Sakura dried her hands with a cloth, before picking up the tray of cups and placing it on the table. She picked up one of the cups for herself and took a seat. "What's going on?"
"I've finished with Naruto. If everything went as planned, he should be waking up soon. While we wait, its best we learnt of what's happening." Jiraiya folded his arms.
Kakashi agreed with the frog hermit. He had been in the Confederation for a few days and he still had no clue as to what was going on. Granted he was having some difficulties by knowing his father was still alive, but it was time to get on with the current issues.
Sakura took a sip of her tea, "This is to do with the Tsuchikage, isn't it?"
Hideaki acknowledged her question, "Yes, amongst other things. Now is the time to tell you of the dangers that lie ahead and the reason why I've called you here."
XXXXXXXXXX
"I've been thinking about this whole experience and who you are." Naruto followed Light up the squares, "I don't know why, but I feel like I know you."
Light arrived at the next door. There were only two more remaining after this and they were visible from where they were standing. "What makes you say that?"
Naruto shrugged, scratching his head, "It's just a feeling I have; you remind me of someone."
Light put his hands in pockets, "Who do I remind you of?"
Naruto struggled to find an answer, "I don't know; that's the problem."
"Oh…" Light sounded disappointed that he didn't recognise him. "Once this is all done, hopefully you'll know."
Naruto walked towards the door, "Yeah." He didn't hesitate, walking straight through and letting the familiar sensation engulf him.
Naruto was sitting on the edge of the cliff top, along with Yuudai. He was now 15 years old, and had grown into one of the strongest shinobi in the encampment. He was regularly taking missions and enjoyed helping people. The sight of the smiling faces always filled him with harmony.
Yuudai was reading his book, slowly turning the pages so as not to miss anything which was important.
Naruto stared at the sun in the horizon, "What's so great about these books?"
"They're written by one of Konoha's legendary ninjas, Jiraiya. They interest me." Yuudai's voice was emotionless.
"What kind of ninja writes sex novels? It's weird." Naruto scratched his chin.
"There's more to them than that." Yuudai placed the book on the grass.
Naruto laughed, "I should read one of them. You really like them, they must be something special."
Yuudai nodded, before beginning to stare at the sparkling sea. The scene was soothing and beautiful. A few minutes passed in silence while he gazed in awe at the natural spectacle. "I never get tired of coming here."
Naruto faced the man, "What do you mean?"
"It's peaceful compared to everywhere else; away from the blood, screaming and death." Yuudai had a serious expression.
Naruto didn't interrupt him since it was rare to see him speak of his feelings. At times like these, he simply listened and tried to understand.
"I got bored quickly of becoming the leader of this place. 3 years without any missions, without doing what I had done for as long as I could remember." He brushed his hair back, "But whenever I come here, I forget everything. It's nice."
Naruto sighed, "Yuudai-san…"
"What was your dream Naruto?" Yuudai tore his eyes away from the horizon and looked at the blonde.
Naruto was surprised, "Dream?"
Yuudai resumed, "When I gave you the choice of giving up your training, you said you couldn't because your dream could only come true as a ninja."
Naruto remembered, laughing nervously, "Oh, that; I wanted to become Hokage. It might sound foolish for someone like me." It had been years since that occasion.
Yuudai shook his head, "What you said isn't foolish; a person's dream shapes his destiny. In order for a dream to come true, you can't give up hope. And just like the vast sea before you, hope is eternal."
Naruto looked at the sea, "How do you achieve your destiny? It's not easy."
Yuudai rested his arm on his knee, "Between every person and his destiny lies a bridge. In order to cross it, one must have courage." He stood up, brushing the grass from his back, "Without courage, you can't move forward."
Naruto listened to the words of the shinobi, "It still feels like something larger than life."
"Stand up Naruto." The wind blew past Yuudai roughly.
Naruto wondered why but stood up anyway. "What now?"
Yuudai stared into the distance, putting his hand out in front of him, "Copy my actions."
Naruto did the same thing as the black haired man, "Why are we doing this?"
"Close your eyes and relax." Yuudai closed his own eyes, staying in his stance. "Wait until you can feel everything around you."
Naruto followed his actions, bringing himself to darkness. Slowly but surely, the sounds of the sea and wind became more apparent. He enjoyed the peaceful feeling.
Yuudai's voice could be heard, "Look beyond yourself Naruto; tell me what you see."
The words confused the jinchuuriki, breaking him out of his concentration. "What do you mean?" He opened his eyes and faced the man.
Yuudai had been observing him, "It doesn't matter." He picked up his book from the ground. "There was another reason I requested you for this training. I wanted you take over the encampment after me. But if you want to become a Hokage, then I understand. Once we've dealt with Akatsuki, you can go back to Konoha."
The man started to walk away from the area. Naruto quickly spoke, "Wait." Yuudai stopped when he heard him, "I don't want to go back."
Yuudai was confused, "What about your dream?"
Naruto sighed, "I gave up on that a long time ago. My home is here…" He hesitated before finishing, "…with you."
Yuudai's shock was clearly written across his visage. Those words filled him with some sort of happiness. Nodding, he vanished from his spot.
Naruto looked at the scorching sun. "Destiny huh? I wonder where I'll end up."
Light saw Naruto exit the door, a thoughtful expression adorning his countenance, "How was it?"
Naruto looked over the edge of the square, noticing he was very high up. "I was happy at that time, more than I've ever been. I knew I finally had someone who would always be there for me."
"He was there for you, until the very end." Light turned around.
Naruto didn't move, focused on the path before him, "It's unfair, why am I losing everything?"
Light held his hands behind his head, "Life isn't fair to anyone; it's just harder on some more than others. It's up to the people who are given these hardships to stand and move forward."
Naruto had a despondent look on his face, "I just want to be free."
XXXXXXXXXX
It was cloudy, the sun out of sight. The streets were still wet and a few puddles could be seen. There weren't many people active early in the morning. Sasuke had his hands in his pockets, calmly walking through the village. His kusanagi was tied to the side of his waist.
Entering what looked to be the main market, he searched for a place to eat. Avoiding the locations where too many people were gathered, he ended up at a small restaurant. He was pleased to see that there were only a few people gathered. Approaching the counter, he placed his order before sitting down in a booth near a window.
Leaning back, he closed his eyes. His life felt like it was wasting away but he had no idea what to do. At least with his vengeance, he had some sort of goal. Now, having fulfilled his ambition, there seemed to be nothing else to accomplish. Was this what Kakashi and Jiraiya had warned him of, when they said his path would lead him to his own destruction?
"Mind if I join you?"
Sasuke opened his eyes, coming face to face with Sakumo, "No."
Sakumo sat down and the Uchiha could only assume he was smiling by the way his eyes shaped themselves. It was like Kakashi in so many ways that it was kind of startling. "I'm surprised to find you here. This place has the best food but people like to go to more popular restaurants."
Sasuke stared through the window, "It's quiet here." One of the waitresses walked towards their table and placed down his dish. The mixture of beef and vegetables looked highly appetising, giving off a pleasant odour. He wasted no time and began to eat, filling his stomach.
"You didn't bring any of your companions." Sakumo was waiting for his own order, which would take a few more minutes.
Sasuke poured himself some water, drinking it, "They're with Naruto."
"That's understandable; he's in a terrible state. I'm not sure how he'll react when he wakes up." Sakumo rested his arms on the table.
"How do you know him?" Sasuke placed his cup down and began to eat again.
Sakumo laughed, "He came here a few years ago to train. I helped him out whenever he needed something." His demeanour changed and he became serious, "I think I did so much for him because I felt it would make up for Kakashi."
Sasuke finished eating, wiping his mouth, "If you try, he'll forgive you."
Sakumo was surprised to hear the man's words. Was it that obvious how much he was affected? "You sound quite confident."
Sasuke nodded, "He just needs some time." Hearing a racket, he diverted his attention to the entrance.
"Hey, this doesn't look that great. Aoba, I thought you were going to give us the best food we've tasted!" Konohamaru's voice was recognisable.
Aoba's face became visible, "The food here is the best, believe me."
Neji cautiously observed his surroundings, followed by Tenten. Shikamaru was scratching his head, "I agree with you a lot of the time, but maybe you're wrong this time."
Lee slapped the chuunin on his back, "We should trust in Aoba. Who else knows this village like he does?"
"Well said Lee." Gai walked into the restaurant and began looking around. "It doesn't look too bad. With our presence, it'll liven up." His eyes caught Sasuke's form.
Gai was surprised to see the Uchiha, making his way to his table. Sasuke didn't move, wondering why there were other Leaf-nin in the Confederation.
"Where's the rest of your team?" Gai wanted to know about Kakashi. He had some spare time on his hands and felt up to a challenge.
Sasuke stood up, "He's busy."
Gai placed his finger on his chin, "Are you sure he's not just reading his book?" He noticed the man across Sasuke, his eyes widening when he looked at him. There had to be something wrong, "Sakumo-san?"
XXXXXXXXXX
The dripping tap was the only noise audible in the otherwise silent kitchen.
"Where would you like me to start?" Hideaki stroked his beard.
Tsunade spoke first, "After all the time you've been hidden, why reveal yourself now?"
"We need your help." Hideaki said.
Jiraiya started to drink his tea, "With what?"
"I am offering an alliance to Konoha for a war against Iwa." Hideaki waited for a response.
Tsunade didn't expect that, "What?" She shook her head, "No, I'm not dragging my village into a war."
Hideaki sighed, "I understand that it's not the best of proposals."
"Of course it isn't! War only causes suffering; I don't want my people involved with that!" Tsunade had forgotten everything else; the images of Dan and Nawaki kept flashing through her mind.
Jiraiya walked forward and placed his hand on Tsunade's shoulder, "Let him finish."
Hideaki grabbed a cup of tea, "Iwa was an ally of ours or they acted like they were. Their leader, Hajin, is going to ignite a conflict which could destroy this world."
Sakura had finished drinking her tea, "He did seem possessed when we saw him."
"Do you know how the shinobi life began?" Hideaki was addressing the Godaime.
Tsunade didn't answer, prompting Kakashi to speak, "We don't have records about those kinds of things."
"A millennia ago, there was a great war which ravaged this land. The people of this world couldn't defend themselves and were being massacred. Our opponents weren't human, they were from another world." Hideaki drank some of his tea.
"What do you mean they weren't human?" Jiraiya was intrigued.
Hideaki placed his cup down, "They're called the Tengu. They came from another dimension and held powers beyond our imagination. They were harbingers of war and wanted to conquer everything."
Kakashi made sure he took all of the information in, "How were they defeated?"
Hideaki smiled, "One of their own was against what they were doing. He taught humans about fighting, chakra and spirits. He gave bloodlines to different people and trained them so that they could defend themselves, and they did."
Sakura tucked her hair behind her ear, "That's how it all started then."
"It was a war which lasted a hundred years. Because of the humans' courage and will, they were able to win. But due to this occurrence, laws were made." Hideaki finished drinking his tea, "These laws were to stop any such conflicts in the future."
Tsunade rested her chin on her hands, "Hajin is going to ignite a conflict on this kind of level. Am I right?"
Hideaki placed his hands in his sleeves, "Yes you are. There are 3 dimensions that we know of; our own, the Tengus' and the Summon realm. The thing connecting them all is a place we call the Void."
Sakura rubbed her temple, "That's a lot of things."
Hideaki laughed, "I'll explain more. The Void is the space between everything; it's where time stands still. It's the bridge connecting us all but is also extremely dangerous."
Jiraiya moved back to the wall, "How is Hajin going to ignite this conflict?"
"We have good relations with the Summon realm; we use them as comrades in battle but there are regulations between us. Just like we don't expect them to come to our dimension without permission, they expect the same." Hideaki placed his cup back in the tray, "Hajin not only wants to step foot on their land, but he wants to conquer it. This will cause a terrible backlash. The summons won't hesitate in coming to our own dimension and they'll kill many."
Jiraiya was shocked, finding out so many things he had no idea about. He was good friends with Gamabunta and it was frightening to think that the Toad boss would know of these laws, and possibly retaliate horrendously.
Tsunade shook her head, "This is insane. Why's he willing to do this?"
Hideaki leaned back in his chair, "I don't understand why but he'll go through with it."
Sakura had numerous thoughts on her mind, "Has anyone ever travelled to the Summon realm?" She looked at the old man, "You said permission would be required right?"
Hideaki continued speaking, "There hasn't been anyone who's entered their dimension. The 4 Celestial Summons have to agree on anyone travelling there."
Kakashi decided to speak up, "Wasn't Genkei a Celestial? Pakkun, my own summon, addressed him as such."
Tsunade had no clue as to what they were talking about, "What are these Celestial Summons?"
Hideaki decided to clear the confusion, "The Summon realm is like our own, there is a hierarchy. The 4 Celestial beasts are at the top of everything."
Sakura tapped her chin, "Who are they?"
"Their world is divided and the Celestials command one section each; the Sphinx is the ruler of the deserts and mountains, the Unicorn rules over the forests and grassland, the Whale rules over the ocean and the Dragon rules over the sky. There is also a point which connects all their territories but belongs to no one." Hideaki finished speaking.
Jiraiya scratched his head, "Who is Genkei?"
"Naruto's summon, the Dragon King." Sakura answered quickly.
Tsunade was surprised, and slightly impressed, "He wasn't so normal after all."
"That doesn't explain why Pakkun was addressing Genkei like he followed him though." Kakashi said.
"The Celestials each command the tribes which are living in their sections. Pakkun was probably one of the ones living under Genkei's rule." Hideaki's throat was getting dry from all of the talking.
Tsunade watched the old man rise from his chair and go to the sink, pouring himself some water. The kitchen was engulfed in silence before she spoke, "Can you stop this without us?"
Hideaki finished drinking the water, "Anything is possible but Hajin commands a strong army; it's unlikely."
Tsunade closed her eyes, her thoughts in conflict. She hated war because she had lost two of her most precious people in them. She didn't want to get involved with another one and possibly cause others the same pain she suffered. But at the same time, if she didn't help the Confederation, the price could be higher. "I need to think about this."
"That's no problem. Let me know when you've decided." Hideaki wanted to go check on Naruto, leaving the kitchen.
Jiraiya sighed, "This is the biggest thing we've faced so far. Whatever you decide, make sure it's what you want."
XXXXXXXXXX
The stadium was packed with shinobi, all of them locked in conversation. The chatter resonated through the air as Tenjou observed them all calmly. Upon his arrival in the village a day ago, he set up plans for the ninjas of the village to meet up today. He tried to flatten his scruffy hair but was unsuccessful.
"Tenjou-san, that's everyone." A masked shinobi stood behind the advisor of the Tsuchikage.
Tenjou nodded at the man before facing the crowd of people. He was standing several feet above the ground, allowing him to grasp the full size of the gathering. He put up his hand and the noise slowly faded away. The crowd gave him their undivided attention before he spoke, "The reason you have all been called here is because there is a war coming."
A few gasps escaped the people along with some whispers. There was some shuffling, and then a voice could be heard, "Why are we going to war?"
Tenjou adjusted his eye patch, "The Tsuchikage loves his village. He is going to bring us all peace and prosperity. But in order to do so, we will have to stand by his side and help him. There are those who will oppose us, but we will stand and fight against them. You are the shinobi of Iwa, this is your duty."
"We just recovered from the last war! It took us over a decade to do so!" An old shinobi at the front of the crowd was the one shouting.
"And with whose help did Iwa recover? It was Hajin-sama who stopped everything from crumbling." Tenjou stared over the crowd, "Would such a man put you at risk, when he gave it his all to make sure you were able to stand up on your own two feet?"
A lot of the shinobi in the crowd were shaking their heads. They knew of the poor state Iwa was in and were appreciative of what Hajin had done for them.
Tenjou took out his sword, holding it high in the air, "We have always prided ourselves on moving forward. This is another step we must take to greatness, and we shall all do it together. Are you with the man who helped you in your time of need?"
The crowd of ninjas broke into a roar of cheers which thundered through the air. The deafening sound filled the entire village.
Tenjou smiled, "Prepare yourselves; tomorrow we begin our crossing into history!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Naruto stopped in front of the second to last door. Its light covered his entire body but it didn't bother him. His eyes were squinted, trying to see beyond the door. "I'm close to the end."
Light didn't want to talk too much, "Just remember, this is all for your own good."
Naruto massaged his neck, "You make it sound like I'm going to witness something terrible." He walked into the passageway.
The clock was ticking away as Naruto held a pen in his hand. He was holding a notebook and was trying to think of what to write. He had finished the second step of his training close to his sixteenth birthday. Yuudai had told him that he shouldn't take the final step until some time later, because it would be hard for him in his current state.
The 16 year old chewed on the end of his pen, struggling for ideas. He had started reading the novels Jiraiya had written and was surprised to find they were fascinating. The experience motivated him to start writing one of his own books as a gift to Yuudai.
The door to the house opened, "So this is where you were." Yuka closed the door and walked towards him. "You're still working on that?"
Naruto sighed, "There's nothing else to do. Yuudai-san doesn't want me taking missions now that Akatsuki is more active."
Yuka folded her arms, "He's just looking out for you. Besides, he should be back tomorrow. I wonder why he needed to go to the homeland for."
Naruto sat up, laughing, "Probably to get the latest book out."
Yuka shook her head, "How did you get interested in these anyway?"
"You know the flower I gave you was an idea from one of these books. They kind of helped to make you fall in love with me." He grinned like a fox, "Maybe that's why."
Yuka tried to look at his notebook, "How much have you written?"
Naruto grabbed the woman, tugging her. Yuka let out a slight scream before falling on top of him. Naruto was smiling, "I need some inspiration."
Yuka had an amused look across her face, "Really?"
Before they were able to do anything, an explosion occurred outside. The house shook violently as the two ninjas jumped up and exited. Naruto looked around before seeing a column of smoke rising into the air, "What happened?"
A wave of water rushed through the encampment. Along the top of it were small sculptures of clay, moulded into the shape of fishes. A series of explosions thundered through the area.
Naruto looked at Yuka, "Find anyone that could be hurt and help them!" He ran towards the source of the commotion before Yuka could say anything. He speeded through the encampment, noticing 3 figures shrouded in cloaks. Gritting his teeth, he pointed at the individuals, "Who the hell are you?"
"It's common courtesy to tell your own name before asking for someone else's." The tall man took off his hat and threw it to the ground, "Didn't you even know that?"
"Hey Kisame, stop screwing around and let's find the jinchuuriki. I don't know why he sent 3 of us anyway." The blonde haired man was already moulding clay in his hands.
"Uzumaki Naruto, the container of the Kyuubi." The last individual took off his hat and unbuttoned his cloak.
"Are you saying this is him, Itachi?" Kisame was pointing his Samehada towards Naruto.
"I've had enough of talking to you all! You'll pay for doing this!" Naruto clenched his fists, his eyes turning crimson. A blast of red chakra escaped him and he sprouted 3 tails.
Vanishing from his spot, Naruto appeared in the middle of the Akatsuki members. The chakra exploded from him, sending them all off their feet. He rushed towards Deidara and started to punch him repeatedly.
Deidara couldn't defend himself and let go of the clay which he was holding in his hand. Before it could detonate, it was thrust into the air because of the Kyuubi's chakra. Naruto grabbed the man, before bringing back his hand and driving it into his face. Blood escaped the mouth of Deidara as he was sent rolling across the ground.
Naruto snapped his head backwards, noticing Kisame charging at him. Swiftly dodging to the side, he slammed his foot into the blue man's stomach. A blade of red chakra formed on the end of his hand. Naruto wasted no time in taking advantage of the situation and swung his chakra blade through the arm of his opponent.
Kisame let out a roar of pain as his arm fell to the floor. "You bastard!"
Naruto grabbed the criminal by his hair and drove his knee into his face. Jumping into the air, he stomped on his face a few more times before kicking him in the neck. Kisame was sent flying through the air but managed to recover midway.
Naruto ducked as a kunai passed him. He looked towards Itachi, only to find his form evaporate into ravens. He understood that it was a genjutsu, quickly forming hand seals to escape. However, before he could finish, a sharp pain entered his anatomy. The skin had been shaved off his back.
Naruto fell onto his knees, blood falling from his mouth. His back felt like it had been decimated, pain emanating from every point of it. He could make out the bruised face of Deidara, who threw a clay sculpture towards him.
Naruto couldn't recover since his Kyuubi chakra had been taken away from him by Samehada. Not able to call upon his reserves quick enough, the clay exploded in his face. He fell flat on the ground, gasping for air.
"I'm going to rip this kid's limbs off!" Kisame was incensed.
"Calm down. We were ordered to bring him in without any harm done." Itachi's composed voice was hard to hear.
"Let's get going. This is the final one." Deidara grabbed Naruto.
Naruto couldn't resist them any longer, slowly falling unconscious. He had been captured.
Light moved to the side as Naruto escaped through the door frantically. He was breathing heavily, "Why was I shown that?" He moved back from the passageway.
Light sighed, "It's one of the things which troubles you most. You have to be able to confront it."
Naruto faced the last door which stood alone at the top, "What's behind that?"
"What are you afraid of most?" Light closed his eyes, hoping that the man wouldn't do anything drastic.
Naruto realised what lay beyond the door, his face being flushed of all colour, "No, I'm not going through that."
Light opened his eyes, "You have to!"
Naruto stepped backwards, "I don't have to do anything!" He turned around and started running down the squares.
Light could be heard shouting, "Are you going to keep on running?"
Naruto didn't care what the boy said, he was afraid. He didn't ever want to witness that scene again, the image which had haunted him for years. Jumping off the squares of light, he was surprised when his foot went through the ground. "What the…"
The Uzumaki began sinking and tried his hardest to escape. He was waving his arms as Light arrived at the bottom of the steps. "You'll never be able to move forward if you can't come to terms with who you are."
Naruto's whole body had nearly been submerged, "Light! Help me!" Before sinking completely, his eyes caught the sight of Light's face which was now identifiable. The sad look on his features was apparent as he realised who he was; a younger version of himself.
Author Notes: Well there you are, Naruto's journey was cut short before the final door. You now have a better idea of the Summon realm and what surrounds it. Tenjou is preparing Iwa's army and Naruto is still afraid. Also, you can tell Naruto was a lot stronger before and rightfully so, considering he took a 2 year break and did nothing at all during that time. Laters.
