Author's Note: And with this chapter, this story breaks the 500K words mark! Whohoo!
Something I want to point out: many reviewers asked how Obito put Toneri under a genjutsu if he had no eyes. The answer is simple: he used Kotoamatsukami, which doesn't need to make eye contact in order to work (remember that Danzo used it with his eye bandaged). With that said, I'm not going to address this point again.
So, here we being an arc that I've been wanting to write since pretty much the beginning of this story. Man, time sure flies, doesn't it? Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it:
Chapter 56
The Byakugan Princess, Part I
or
When you find yourself part of an ancient conspiracy
Naruto was in the Hokage's office. The only other people in the room besides him and his adoptive father were Tsunade and Shizune. After giving him the report on the Suna mission, Naruto requested to talk with him, Tsunade and Shizune about certain developments that happened during the mission. Most importantly, the fact that Orochimaru had somehow cloned Hagane and Kaida.
"I can't believe that monster would go such lengths for mere Bloodline Limits," Shizune commented in disgust.
"Sadly, I can. Orochimaru always wanted our children the moment knowledge of their abilities reached his ears, and if he couldn't have the originals, he'll get replacements," Jiraiya said in subdued anger.
"Mom?" Naruto asked Tsunade, who had been silent the whole conversation.
Tsunade didn't say anything, and merely looked at the village outside the window. Her breathing was rather heavy. Naruto felt compelled to crack a quip on how he was expecting her to trash the whole office in a fit of righteous anger upon hearing her former teammate's actions, but she remained surprisingly calm.
"If Orochimaru send our kids' clones against you is because he doesn't care if we know about them. And in my experience, that's never a good sign," Jiraiya stated, crossing his fingers under his chin. "Did they have cursed seals?"
"No. Well, they may have, but if they did, they didn't use them. And given that we ended up winning, the fact that they choose retreat over using them points towards not having it," Naruto reasoned.
"Of course. According to Anko, there's only a ten percent chance of surviving the sealing process. He probably doesn't want to risk them," Shizune said.
"That doesn't remove the possibility of branding them in the future," Jiraiya added.
"Indeed. But what we should ask ourselves is what are we going to do with them," Shizune pointed out. An air of uneasiness set upon the office. "I know they're clones of your children, but they're also Orochimaru's minions. How should we...deal with them?"
"Save them," Tsunade said, turning around, a determined fire burining in her eyes. "Those kids shouldn't be judged by the crimes of their creator. In fact, I'm sure they aren't even aware of their origins. Maybe we can use that to convince them to come to our side."
"Easier said than done," Shizune said with a sigh. "Orochimaru conditions his servants into being devoted to him with an inhuman zeal."
"Yes, but Orochimaru shows little to no care about his minions either. Plus we do have a history of turning our enemies to our side, if Zabuza and the Sound Genin are any indication. And once they're safe..." Tsunade pointed out. Her eyes then narrowed. "...I'll beat the life out of that pale skinned bastard with my own bare hands."
"That's if I don't beat you to it first," Jiraiya interceded, before forcing himself to calm down. "Well, now that we know this, we can plan for the next time Orochimaru sends those clones against us," Jiraiya said, closing the discussion. "Is there anything else you'd want to tell us, Naruto?"
"Actually, yes. During the mission, I talked with the Kyubi," Naruto stated.
Tsunade and Shizune's eyes snapped open, but they didn't say anything. He then explained what the Kyubi told him, about the statue, the Sage of the Six Paths, the Rinnegan and one of the Akatsuki possessing it, as well as the possibility about an Uzumaki among them.
"Those are indeed troubling news," Jiraiya said. "But the more information we know about the enemy, the better."
"Do you know about the Rinnegan, Jiraiya-sama?" Shizune asked.
"Not much. Rumors, legends, but nothing concrete. I'll put a few agents to investigate this issue. If there's nothing left to discuss, then you can go, Naruto," Jiraiya told him.
Naruto nodded, and walked out of the office, followed by Shizune, who said something about meeting her team for training. That only left Tsunade in the office.
"Jiraiya, you know about the Rinnegan," Tsunade pointed out.
"I do," he admitted.
"Then why you didn't say anything?" Tsunade asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"I...okay, I admit that I don't want to think that one of those kids ended up in Akatsuki," Jiraiya confessed. "Even if I'd be happy to know that they survived their clash with Hanzo..."
"I understand. You spent two years with those brats, it's normal that you feel a strong bond with them," Tsunade said, placing a comforting hand in his shoulder.
"While I'll try to remain unbiased, I don't want to do anything rash. I'll put somebody to do some research and see if Nagato is truly an Akatsuki," Jiraiya told her.
"Okay but...if the worst come to pass, try not to do anything foolish, okay?" Tsunade sofly pleaded. "A lot of time has passed, and you don't know how much those kids have changed ever since."
Tsunade bent down, and gave Jiraiya a chaste kiss in the lips. And with that, the Slug Princess finally left the office, leaving Jiraiya alone.
…
A Month Later
Kurenai's Assault Squad were having dinner at Shushuya, the team's Jonin-sensei's favorite restaurant, to celebrate the succesful completion of an A-Rank mission. The mood was cheerful so far.
A month has passed since Gaara's kidnapping, and during that time, Konoha didn't hear any news about Akatsuki. Even if they knew better than lowering their guard due their apparent lack of activity, they were indeed going to enjoy the reprieve as long as it lasted. Especially now that once again, Konoha hosted the Chunin Exams, and such topic was on everybody's mouths.
"I heard your little siblings managed to make it to the final round, right?" Kurenai asked Naruto and Hinata.
The couple nodded happily. "Yeah, did you really doubt it? Those kids are just as awesome as we are. I bet they will earn a promotion on their first try just like Hinata-hime and me."
"I heard that this time around, the finals will consist on team matches reather than individual ones," Haku pointed out.
"That's even better! The three of them form a really solid team. Just as good as us," Naruto continued his unabashed praising.
"It would have been interesting if we were able to fight in the finals as a team unit, instead of on our own," Hinata commented.
"Yeah. I'm sure you would have been of a lot of help in my fight against Sasuke Uchiha," Haku pointed out, remembering his fight against the black haired teen.
"Sasuke would had had his teammates to help him as well," Kurenai pointed out.
"Yes, but Naruto-kun and Hinata-san are much better fighters than Sakura-san and Karin-san. We could take the latter two easily, then triple team him," Haku explained.
"Any other teams of interest that made it to the finals?" Kurenai inquired.
"As far as I heard, the team with Old Man Hokage's grandson made it to the final as well. And so did Temari's Genin," Naruto recalled.
"Shikamaru-kun is really happy that he gets to see Temari-san every day. Of course, he will never admit it out loud," Hinata said with a giggle.
"Haha, yeah, sometimes wonder what can make him drop that 'everything is troublesome' attitude he has," Naruto added, laughing as well.
"Ah, thank goodness that we already passed the Chunin Exams ourselves, and even moved in rank past Chunin as well," Hinata mentioned. "I'm positive Haku-kun and myself will soon be promoted to Jonin as well."
"And we will be an all-Jonin squad!" Naruto cheered.
Kurenai nodded, and smiled. "Yes, you three certainly grew a lot since you left the Academy and were assigned under my watch. While I knew you three had a lot of potential, I never expected it to be so great. I can safely say that you no longer need me as your sensei anymore."
"Don't say that, Kurenai-sensei. You will always be an integral part of this team," Hinata softly protested.
"Yes. Besides, I still have much to learn regarding genjutsu if I ever want to get close to your level," Haku added.
Kurenai smiled sadly at them. "Unfortunately, you'll have to do without me for some time in the near future," the Genjutsu Mistress said, much to her students' shock, before her smile grew warmed. "Because I've been removed from active duty due maternity leave."
The reaction was instant, and the faces of Kurenai's students morphed into expressions of pure joy, and quickly proceeded to congratulate her.
"Thank you, guys. I'm really happy for this, even if it means not being part of this team anymore," the raven haired woman replied. She then turned at Naruto. "Naruto, since you're the one with the highest rank, you will be the new leader of the Assault Squad."
"Understood, Kurenai-sensei! I'll do my best to fill your spot as the team leader," Naruto enthusiastically replied.
"And I'll do my best as well to fill your spot as the genjutsu specialist," Haku added.
"Let's say we'll do our best to make up for the fact that we'll be one member short for some time," Hinata finished.
"I'm sure all of you will do an splendid job," Kurenai replied.
…
Meanwhile, as this conversation happened, a black haired girl with green eyes wearing what appeared to be religious robes crossed Konoha's gates. As with most newcomers, she was interrogated by the Chunin guarding the gate, namely Izumo and Kotetsu.
"Name?" Kotetsu asked.
"My name is Nori. I'm a priestess from the Land of Tea," the girl told the pair of Chunin, showing a rather pleasant disposition.
"What business brings you to Konoha, miss Nori?" Izumo asked.
"I wish to hire the services of one of your ninjas. Isn't that the reason most people come to a ninja village?" Nori asked, tilting her head a little.
"I guess...you have a point," Izumo awkwardly admitted. "In that case, you should head to the Hokage's Tower to conduct your business. Is a large, red building with the kanji of fire on the front. It can be seen from here."
Nori smiled at the duo. "Yes, I see it. Thank you very much," she said, before she walked into the village, and headed towards the Hokage's Tower.
…
Hokage's Office, Next Day
The Assault's Squad daily training was interrupted by an ANBU appearing there and telling them that the Hokage had an urgent mission for them. Not wasting any time, the now three ninja squad headed to the Hokage's Tower and see what it was.
Turns out, Naruto's team wasn't the only one Jiraiya had summoned for a mission, since Gai's Close Combat Squad was present as well. Haku and Tenten were obviously happy with the fact that they'd get to be on a mission together.
In front of both teams was the Hokage. His face reflected a serious and even tense expression, unlike his usual cheerful and laid back disposition. Whatever this mission was, it seemed it was important.
"Yesterday, we had a visit from a priestess from the Land of the Tea. She requested a team of ninjas to escort her back to her home," Jiraiya asked.
"Wait. You assembled two of the strongest teams Konoha has for a mere escort mission?" Neji asked, skeptical. "Who is this priestess?"
"Come on Neji, is very unyouthful to deny a request from help like that, especially from a holy woman!" Lee loudly protested.
"I'll get to that shortly. Said woman belongs to a group called Order of the Moon Acolytes," Jiraiya's eyes rested on Hinata. "Hinata, does that name sound familiar to you?"
The Hyuga heiress titled her head in confusion. "No, it doesn't. Should it be familiar?"
"I was asking mostly because the priestess requested especifically you to be among the escort group. She even knew your name," Jiraiya casually said. Naturaly, the effect of his words were instant.
"Wait, what?" a shocked Hinata asked.
"Now I demand to know who is this woman!" an angry Neji hollered.
"This situation seems rather suspicious to me. Taking this mission might mean putting Hinata-san in danger," Haku sagely noted.
"And I agree," Jiraiya said, taking a look at Gai's team.
"Wait, that's why you called us, right?" Neji said in realization. "We're Hinata-sama's escorts, just in case something happened to her."
"Exactly. It took me very little to realize that said woman is not interested in any kind of escort. She just wants to take Hinata somewhere else," Jiraiya explained.
"And you're going to let Hinata-hime walk into a potential trap?" Naruto asked, growing outraged. "What the hell, dad? Did you forget that somebody tried to kidnap Hinata when she was little?"
"I'm aware of the implications, Naruto," Jiraiya said, hoping to soothe his son. "That's why I assembled the best ninjas I have currently available to diminish the risk to a minimum."
"You haven't told us why you agreed to do this mission to begin with, Hokage-sama," Neji asked, crossing his arms while fixing a hard stare on the white haired man.
"Said woman claims to have important information regarding the Hyuga Clan, and Konoha as a whole. She shared some of that information with me as well, which is more than enough incentive to continue with the mission," Jiraiya replied. "She said she can't share the rest until Hinata sees what she has to show her."
"Understood, Hokage-sama," Hinata softly replied. "We'll do our best to complete this mission."
"In that case," Jiraiya snapped his fingers, and the door opened. "You should meet out client."
All seven ninjas turned around, and saw the girl in question, escorted by an ANBU. She let out a little gasp when her eyes rested on Hinata.
"Nori, these are the ninjas that will escort you to your home. Guys, this is Nori," Jiraiya introduced both parties.
"It's an honor to meet you," Nori softly said, making a bow. She then walked closer towards Hinata. "By any chance, are you Hinata Hyuga?"
Hinata nodded. "Yes, I am."
Nori's smile grew, and even let out a swoon. "Oh, you have no idea how long I've been waiting to meet you, Hinata-sama. The whole purpose of my Order leads up to this day."
Hinata laughed awkwardly, and took a step backwards. "Uh...nice to meet you too...I guess..." Hinata unsurely said.
"Now that everything's settled, when can we leave? Time is of essence," Nori insisted.
"Don't worry, it won't take long. Give them an hour so they can get prepared for the journey ahead," Jiraiya told her. "Gai, given that of all the Jonin you're the most veteran, you'll be the leader of this mission."
"Yosh! Thank you, Hokage-sama! You won't regret this decision! And if you do, I'll run five hundred laps aroudn Konoha on my hands, with boulders tied to my ankles!" Gai enthusiastically shouted, as he give Jiraiya a thumbs up.
"I'm starting to regret it," Jiraiya grumbled under his breath. "Anyway, you're dismissed. I'll be eagerly waiting your report once you get back."
…
A couple hours later, the seven ninjas and the priestess were already heading south, to the Land of the Tea, leaping from one tree branch to another as fast as they could. In order to be there as fast as possible, Gai offered to carry Nori on her back, while Lee carried her bag with the few supplies she had brought with her. They estimated that, at the current pace, they'd reach Nori's home in a little less than two days.
The end of the first day arrived before evereybody realized it.
"Alright, the sun will set soon, so let us set as well!" Gai cheerfully ordered. "This seems to be a good place to set up a camp. Let's distribute the chores, shall we?"
Haku offered to look for firewood, while Tenten rather unsubtly volunteered to go with him. Fortunately for them, nobody disagreed. Gai, Lee and Naruto went to find some food in the forest, either berries, fruit, or by hunting. That left Neji, Hinata, and Nori to set up tents and the rest of the camp.
Neji had been waiting for an opportunity to approach Nori and talk with her. The Hyuga was a reserved clan to the point of paranoia, if the cursed seal on his forehead was any indication. Yet this Nori treated Hinata as if she was some sort of celebrity, known by all. As far as his experience went, whenever somebody showed disproportionate interest in a clan, it was never because of good intentions.
After he finished setting up the tents, his keen eyesight spotted Nori checking her sleeping bag. She walked towards her.
"Excuse me," Neji said, in his usual stoic tone. "May I have a word with you?"
Nori turned around, and smiled at the Hyuga. "Of course! Your name was Neji, right?" the Branch House member nodded. "What can I do for you, Neji-sama?"
Neji was taken a bit aback. After a lifetime of using that honorific to refer to other family members, it felt incredibly weird, almost to the point of sounding wrong, that somebody else used it with him, to the point that it took him a couple seconds to regain his bearings.
"Uh...listen, I'm going to be blunt. I noticed that, for somebody who isn't from the Land of Fire, much less Konoha, you seem to know quite a lot about Hinata-sama and the Hyuga clan," Neji pointed out. "I'm sure you'll understand my suspicion."
"Of course I do, Neji-sama. But I'm confident that such suspicion will turn into trust once the truth about the Hyuga Clan is revealed," Nori engimatically said.
"Truth of the Hyuga Clan? What truth?" Neji asked, half annoyed, but half curious.
"Everything will be revealed at the appropriate time. More specifically, when we reach my home. It is not safe to speak of such things here. Who knows who may be listetning," Nori replied.
"Your evasiveness isn't helping," Neji bluntly stated. "How do I know you're not taking us to a trap? It wouldn't be the first time somebody pretended to be a friend of us to kidnap Hinata-sama," Neji accused.
"You talk about that incident with Kumo, right?" Nori asked. Neji was a bit taken aback by her knowledge of that event, given that Konoha did their best to make sure it never reached the public ears. But given how much this girl knew, it wasn't that surprising. "Yes, that was the work of our enemies."
"So you made enemies with Kumo then?" Neji asked.
Nori shook her head. "No. I'm talking about somebody far worse than a single ninja village. Kumo were nothing but puppets of this enemy."
"And who is this enemy you speak about? Akatsuki?" Neji guessed, though he immediately tossed the idea aside. The Akatsuki were jinchuriki hunters, and were not interested in collecting Bloodline Limits. Well, one of the Akatsuki was, but as far as he knew, that wasn't the goal of the organizaton as a whole.
"Again, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you right now. It's too dangerous to talk about that here," Nori insisted. "But try to quell your frustration. Once we're in a safe place tomorrow, you'll learn everything."
Neji didn't look frustrated, but he didn't look relieved or satisfied either. "I see. In that case, I hope you don't mind if I don't take my eyes from you as long as this mission lasts."
"A sensible, and very understandable course of action, Neji-sama," Nori replied with a nod, before she smiled at him. "I'm going to prepare some tea. Do you mind helping me?"
"Not in the slightest," Neji agreed.
A little later, the two Hyugas and the priestess heard two set of steps coming close to the campsite.
"We're back!" Tenten's happily announced as she and Haku returned from the forest. Both of them looked a bit red and sweaty, had messy hair and slightly disheveled clothes. It didn't take a genius to guess what the two of them have been doing.
Neji walked towards them, looking even more serious than usual.
"Where is the firewood?" Neji asked.
Haku titled his head. "Firewood?"
"The firewood you were supposed to gather in order to start a fire," Neji clarified. "You know, in order to stay warm once night arrives and we can cook the food Gai-sensei, Lee and Naruto will bring back. That's it, unless the three of them decide to also have an impromptu three way makeout session and forget about their duties."
Tenten's face became even redder. "OH SHIT! I knew we were forgetting about something!"
She took Haku's hand and hurriedly dragged him back to the forest.
Neji then shuddered. "Gai-sensei, Lee and Naruto in a three way makeout...why I even came up with that? Now that image will never leave my brain..."
…
An hour later, everybody had returned to the campsite, and were enjoying the meal Gai, Lee and Naruto had brought. Haku and Tenten also brought some firewood as well. The group of seven ninjas and the one priestess sat around the campfire, and enjoyed their meals. The dinner then made way for some conversation.
"Hey guys, check it out this little thing I've been working on for the past months," Tenten excitedly said as she rummaged through her backpack, until she finally produced some small tool. "Here it is!"
"What is that?" Naruto asked.
Tenten answered by pressing a button, which made the tool to expand and develop into a finely crafted bow with no string. A set of seals inscribed across it started to glow with a blueish white light, and it produced a string made of chakra of the same color.
"Ta-daaaa! This is the chakra bow! A ranged weapon that needs no ammo, only your chakra to attack!" Tenten proudly explained. She stood up, tensed the string, and an arrow also made of pure chakra was automatically created. Releasing the string, the arrow softly flew until it crashed against a tree branch, producing a small chakra blast that cut that branch from the tree, falling to the ground below.
"Wow! That was such an amazing weapon, Tenten!" Lee praised.
"Indeed! As long as you have chakra, this weapon will always work! And you can put more or less chakra into the arrows to regulate their power," the odango haired girl explained.
"It's kinda the same idea behind my chakra sword, right?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, I took your chakra sword as the base idea, though my intention was to make a ranged weapon," Tenten replied.
"Can I try it?" Haku asked his girlfriend.
Wordlessly, Tenten collapsed the bow and tossed it to her boyfriend. Haku unfolded and activated the bow, pulled the string, and generated an arrow made of chakra. The arrow then generated a frosty aura, and quickly turned into ice.
"It also works with elemental chakra," Haku pointed out, before returning the bow to Tenten.
"Of course it does! I thought of everything!" Tenten boasted. "So, if you guys want one, you only have to tell me!"
"I think that with my Byakugan, I can make a good use of such weapon," Hinata pointed out.
"It's a very useful tool. I'm interested in having one as well," Haku said.
Tenten then looked at Naruto and grinned. "What about you, Naruto? Do you want one so you don't feel left out? You guys can be the Archer Squad!" she asked, and everybody else laughed.
"I'd like to think that I stand out, thank you very much," Naruto replied, in a half joking self important tone, making everybody else to laugh harder. "But since we're talking about fitting with the rest of the team, maybe Neji and you could get a pair of nice green jumpsuits."
Evererybody laughed, except Neji and Tenten this time around, who instead suddered, as their faces made a grimace.
"OH! That's a great suggestion, Naruto-kun!" Lee excitedly agreed, as he turned towards his sensei. "Gai-sensei, do you think that when we go back to Konoha we can get Neji and Tenten some green jumpsuits?"
"That won't be neccesary, Lee..." Gai replied, prompting Neji and Tenten to sigh in relief. "...because I always carry several spares with me! Now we only need to find the right size!"
Naruto felt a massive killing intent focused on him coming from Neji and Tenten, though that didn't stop him from sharing a laugh with his friends.
…
While the group of eight chatted and laughed, they were unaware that there was a certain somebody spying on them. And since neither of them were sensors, they couldn't detect this presence. And said spy was feeding all this information to Akatsuki's newest member, who wasn't that far away from there.
"So, those Moon Acolytes are finally making their move," Toneri said to no one in particular. His lips curved into a small smirk. "Then it should be time to make my move as well. Byakugan Princess...you shall be mine."
…
The Next Day, Land of Tea
Once sunrise arrived, the group of eight continued with their journey towards Nori's home, which was completed without incidents. Or at least, that's what it appeared when they arrived to what appeared to be a large wall of rock, and the priestess started that they had arrived, much to their confusion.
"Are you sure it's here?" an skeptical Naruto asked.
"Let's ask somebody with a better eyesight," Nori cryptically replied, giggling a little. "Hinata-sama, Neji-sama, can you use your Byakugan and tell me what you see?"
The two Hyuga obliged, and activated their Bloodline Limits. Both of them let out a soft gasp in unison.
"What did you see?" Haku asked.
"There's a door in there!" Hinata pointed out. "It's both made and protected by innumerable chakra seals invisible to the eye."
"Exactly. We might not be ninja, but we still know how to use chakra," Nori added, as she placed a hand on the wall, and send a pulse of chakra into it.
The effect was instant. The earth started to shake, as a large rectangular section of the stone wall sunk down, leaving a large entrance hole of the same shape. Everybody could see a path that led inside, illuminated by torches on both siders.
"Hurry, let's get there. Once we get inside, we'll be safe, and all your questions will be answered," Nori urged as she quickly entered in, followed by the eight ninjas.
Once all of them were inside, the section of the stone wall rose again, sealing the entrance with a loud slam, inevitably making some of the Konoha ninja felt that they've walked into a trap, though that may have been their instincts. Nori walked forward, with the rest of the group following her. She cretainly looked far more relaxed, as if she took a weight off of her shoulders.
"What is this place, Nori-san?" Gai asked the priestess.
"Our home," Nori replied. "Our shrine. Our refuge. At least, until now."
They eventually left the tunnel, which ended in a massive underground chamber, which looked like nothing the Konoha ninjas had seen. It had the appearance of a massive temple, complete with pillars, statues, smaller temples and shrines, and other religious ornaments. There were a few waterfalls that fed a river that crossed the chamber. It was illuminated by beams of light that came from holes in the chamber ceiling. There were multiple people dressed in the same white robes at Nori, who took no time to notice the newcomers.
"Hey, look, Nori is back!" a man said.
"Yes, it's Nori!" a woman replied.
"Did you find her, Nori?" a second man asked.
"Yes, my brethen, I have returned. But that's not important," Nori then grabbed Hinata by the wrist and pulled her forward. "Because I found her! The Byakugan Princess is finally with us!"
The chamber was filled by cheers and shouts of joy and jubilation, many repeating "Byakugan Princess" over and over. Hinata really didn't know what to make out of that. Nori seemed to catch the Hyuga's confusion.
"Don't worry, everything will become clearer once you meet my father. He's the leader of our order, and the one with all the answers," Nori assured. "He'll explain everything. Now follow me."
Nori took the group of Konoha ninjas to the temple in the opposite extreme of the underground cavern, which was also the biggest. On their way there, they noticed something odd about the statues scattered around the area, which depicted a man and a woman. The man had horns, an the woman had four arms. They wondered what kind of deities these religious people worshipped.
When they entered the temple, a strong smell of incense invaded their noses. The temple, just as finely decorated as the rest of the place, was empty, save for a single burly man with a beard and a moustache that was sitting on a table-like altar, reading from a large tome, under the light of several candles. He took no time to notice the newcomers, and recognize Nori.
"Ah, Nori, welcome back. It pleases me to see you so soon, and completely unharmed," the man got up, and walked to hug his daughter. After that, he turned towards the Konoha ninja, and made a head bow. "Welcome to our humble home, Konoha ninjas. My name is Takuya, High Priest of the Order of the Moon Acolytes."
Everybody else introduced themselves in return as well. Unfortunately, the atmosphere wasn't as cordial as Takuya would have hoped.
"I never heard of such group," Neji suspiciously said.
"That's because we didn't want to be heard of," Takuya sagely replied. "We were created with a a single purpose, which is to complete a sacred mission. Unfortunately, we do have powerful enemies that don't wish us to succeed in our endeavor."
"But they're about to fail. Now that the Byakugan Princess is here, our mission shall be completed," Nori added, her voice overflowed with hope.
"Okay, I think it's time for some answers," Naruto impatiently demanded, as he took a step forward. "You keep calling Hinata-hime 'Byakugan Princess' and refer to her as if she's some sort of world savior. What's with that?"
"Fear not, your worries and doubts shall be elucidated," Takuya assured. "However, our history is a really long one. You might want to take a seat," Takuya said with a hand motion. All the Konoha ninja and Nori sat on the floor around him. "But first of all, answer me this questions: what do you know about the Sage of the Six Paths?"
"They said he was the very first man who ever used chakra, and that taught humankind how to do it as well," Tenten replied.
"But that's just an old myth. There are no historical records that such figure ever existed," Neji pointed out.
In the past, Naruto would have been quick to agree with Neji. But now, he wasn't so sure. It would be better to remain silent and listen before opening his mouth, or even forming an opinion.
"Wow, that's SO unlike me," Naruto thought, repressing a chuckle.
"Part of the reason of the very existence of this order has been to preserve the knowledge of ancient times. Work we wouldn't be able to do if we didn't keep such secrecy," Nori interceded. "Now father, if you may tell our guests what they need to know..."
"I was about to do that," Takuya replied, before clearing his throat. "The story of ninjutsu begins with a woman. A woman that came from a faraway land. Some even said that her home was in the sky beyond the stars. Though that's irrelevant for this tale. Her name was Kaguya Otsutsuki, and she was the first Byakugan user."
Naturally, Neji and Hinata were taken aback, but decided to remain silent for the time being.
"Nobody knows why she came to this planet or what she wanted, though she claimed that she came to bring peace to the world. To do so, she sought to consume the fruit of a powerful tree called the Shinju, or Divine Tree. That fruit only appeared once every thousand years, and whoever ate from it, it would gain the power of a god. Something she managed to achieve, and using her newfound divine powers, she put an end to all wars, and instated world peace. Due this, Kaguya ended up being worshipped as a goddess.
"It was known that Kaguya was pregnant when she ate the Divine Fruit –the name of her lover and father of her children was sadly lost to history, but beyond that he isn't relevant to this story either–, and she gave birth to two twin chidren, both boys, which she named Hagoromo and Hamura. The older, Hagoromo, would become the Sage of the Six Paths.
"At first glance, Kaguya's peaceful world looked like the kind of future we strive for. But the peace she created was aritificial. Conflicts still existed, she simply shut them down by force rather than trying to properly solve them. People grew more and more unhappy, and they started to see Kagura as what she really was: a tyrant with far too much power. People went from worshipping her as if she was a goddess, to fearing her like a demon.
"Hagoromo and Hamura inherited their mother's vast power. Hamura had a Byakugan, just like her, while Hagoromo developed a doujutsu known as the Rinnegan. Despite their power, the brothers tried to solve conflicts in a peaceful way, and they did try to convince their mother to drop her oppresive ways, but Kaguya refused to do so. Having no other options, the brothers engaged Kaguya in combat. Kaguya found her sons way stronger than she thought, and in order to have a chance at beating them, she merged with the still existing Divine Tree, and became an abomination as horrifying as powerful: a beast named the Ten Tails."
"Ten Tails?" a startled Naruto asked. Takuya and Nori realized it wasn't the first time he heard that.
"Is it related to the other Tailed Beasts? I thought then one with the most tails was the Fox," Tenten pointed out.
"Yes, it is. I'll explain in a second, but first you need to let me finish," Takuya replied.
"Sorry, Takuya-san. Please, continue," Lee politely asked.
Takuya nodded as well. "Anyway, the battle that ensued was of such scale, is pretty much impossible to imagine, to the point that it pretty much changed the face of the planet forever. Think of the Valley of the End, only applied to the whole world.
"After literal months of battle, the brothers reached a grim conclusion: the Ten Tails was functionally immortal, and no matter how much damage they did, it would never die. The only way to end the battle was to incapacitate it. To do so, they drained the Ten Tails of its chakra, and sealed it inside Hagoromo. Then, using a powerful jutsu, they sealed the Ten Tails' empty husk inside the Moon.
"The battle over, the brothers planned how to rebuild the world and heal it from the damage their mother had caused. Hagoromo stayed on Earth, while Hamura and his followers traveled to the Moon, in order to watch over what it used to be their mother, as well as other possible threats from beyond the stars.
"Despite their power, Hagoromo and Hamura considered themselves human, and despite having the means to prolong their lives indefinitely to live forever, they choose instead to age and die like humans. That means that something had to be done with the Ten Tail's Chakra Hagoromo sealed inside him. So, when Hagoromo's life was about to reach its natural end, he released the Ten Tails' chakra, split it in nine parts, gave them shape and a mind of their own, and became the Tailed Beasts you know today."
"That's exactly what the Nine Tails told me!" Naruto excietedly interrupted.
Naturally, all eyes were drawn to him.
"Naruto, you shouldn't reveal so casually your status as a jinchuriki," Gai said in a jarringly serious and chiding tone.
"S-Sorry," Naruto stammered.
"Naruto-san's status as a jinchuriki does not matter to us. But it seems that it matters for this situation in particular," Nori calmly reassured, before her eyes rested on the blond. "You said the Nine Tails told you this story before?"
"Yeah...well, a very summarized version. He didn't told me the name of the Sage of the Six Paths or that Kaguya lady. But he did told me about the Ten Tails," Naruto explained. "Also, I think the Ten Tails' lifeless husk might not be sealed inside the Moon anymore."
Takuya and Nori paled. "What do you mean by that? Elaborate, boy." the latter requested.
"The Akatsuki can summon it. It's called the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. They use it to seal the Tailed Beasts they capture there," Naruto told them.
"What? Naruto-kun, if you knew that, why didn't you tell us about it?" Hinata asked, sounding almost hurt.
"Yes. Any information regarding Akatsuki should always be shared," Neji insisted.
"Sorry again! The source wasn't exactly the most believable!" Naruto defensively replied. "But it's not that I kept it a secret from everybody! Mom and Dad know too!"
The two priests paled even further. "But if they're doing that...no! They can't be trying to revive the Ten Tails! Nobody would be stupid enough to do that!"
"Father, we're obviate something. Only a bearer of the Rinnegan can unseal the Demonic Statue, and there hasn't been one since the Sage himself. Clearly, somebody in this Akatsuki group has one."
"Nonsense! If a second Rinnegan bearer existed, we would know it!" Takuya protested.
"While I don't want to suggest anything about your ability to gather information, evidence suggest otherwise," Lee argued, trying to sound as polite as possible.
"In that case, it's a good thing the Byakugan Princess is here. We're going to need her power in order to counter this threat," Takuya replied, sweating a little.
"My power? I help as much as I can, but what can I do on my own against Akatsuki? Especially against somebody with a Rinnegan?" Hinata asked.
"You'll know soon enough. Father, resume the tale, please," Nori requested.
Takuya nodded, and cleared his throat again. "Before we continue, I think it's important to establish the source of Kaguya, Hagoromo and Hamura's power. By eating the fruit of the Shinju, Kaguya's chakra turned into we call Divine Chakra, or Six Paths Chakra. A kind of Chakra way more powerful than normal human chakra. Naturally, her sons inherited said kind of chakra as well."
"So that's why the Sage is of the 'Six Paths', right?" Haku ventured to guess.
Takuya nodded. "Exactly. Said chakra is what allowed Hagoromo to develop his Rinnegan, as well as plenty of other powers we normal humans can only dream of. Now, our tale here diverges into two branches. Hagoromo's life on Earth, and Hamura's life on the Moon. I'll begin with the former.
"Hagoromo tasked himself with the quest of bringing peace to the world. To do so, he created the Ninshu, a set of religious and philosophical beliefs whose goal was to use chakra to bring humanity together and give them a better understanding of each other, which would lead to eventual peace. However, he knew that it would take generations for such thing to happen, and since he chose to live and die like a human, he would never live to see this.
"Hagoromo, however, had two sons, and he had to chose one of them to carry on his legacy once his life came to an end. His older son, Indra, inherited the Sage's Yin Half of the Six Paths Chakra. Said half allowed him to develop the Sharingan, and he's indeed, the very first Sharingan user, and the ancestor of the Uchiha Clan," Takuya explained.
"Whoa! Do the current Uchihas know this?" Naruto asked in shock. "I mean, they're pretty much direct descendants of the Sage of the Six Paths!"
Tayuya just shrugged. "I don't know, more than likely not. Now, pay attention young Uzumaki, since this part will be of interest to you. The younger son, Asura, inherited the Sage's Yang Half of the Six Paths Chakra. Said half allowed him to develop Wood Release, and he's the progenitor of the Senju and Uzumaki clans."
"WHOA!" Naruto echoed, this time even louder. He sounded really giddy. "So does this mean that I'M a descendant of the Sage too! And mom, and Kaida and Hagane!"
"Yes you are. Though I doubt very few people will take those claims seriously, as valid as they are," Takuya replied, rolling his eyes a little. "May I continue?"
"Yeah, sorry," Naruto sheepishly replied.
"The older son, Indra, believed that the key to peace was power. Somebody, or a group of people, that should wield power in order to stop conflicts and punish those who start them. The younger son, Asura, believed that the key to peace was through love and mutual understanding. As you can see, Indra's beliefs were a parallel of Kaguya's failed system, while Asura's embodied the cores of Ninshu. Naturally, Hagoromo chose Asura as his succesor.
"However, such choice didn't come without repercussions. Hagoromo thought that Indra would accept his decision, and didn't foresee how displeased he was. Feeling he was claiming his birthright, Indra attacked Asura with the intent to kill him. That would be the beginning of a blood feud that would last generations, since, as Indra failed to kill Asura and Hagoromo, he promised that his descendants would carry his hatred, and would never stop until Hagoromo and Asura's legacy was a thing of the past.
"That's what we called the Uchiha's Curse of Hatred, which had and will lead them to a quest for power, and the extermination of those who are descended from the younger brother, Asura."
The mind of the Konoha ninjas collectivelly traveled back to the night the Uchihas pulled their coup d'etat on the village. Was this the result of Indra's curse, or it was a mere coincidence? So far, these revelations lend some credence to the former.
Hinata raised her hand. "Uh, excuse me...you said it was the Ying Half of the Six Paths Chakra what causes the Sharingan to awaken?"
"Yes. The Yin half of the chakra is the one tied to the emotions and thoughts. So, when an Uchiha feels intense emotions, it causes the Yin Chakra to strongly react, and it manifests in the Sharingan. When an Uchiha experiences an even more intense emotion, it causes it to evolve even further into the Mangekyo Sharingan. Are you aware of its existence?" Takuya asked. All of them nodded. "With the Senju, it's a similar process. Yang Chakra is the one tied to the body, but unlike the Uchihas, a Senju or an Uzumaki won't be able to use Wood Release unless they're born with an exceptionally powerful chakra, such as the case of Hashirama Senju."
"Wait, what's so special about Wood Release? I thought it was just an elemental combination just my own Ice Release," Haku asked.
"It might be at first glance," it was Nori who replied. "But becomes clearer when you think about it. Tell me, Haku-san, what's the origin of the Six Paths Chakra?"
"The Divine Tree," Haku automatically replied, before the realization dawned upon him. "Wait, don't tell me..."
"Yes. Wood Relese isn't just summoning a bunch of trees. You're channeling the raw power of the Shinju itself. That's why it has the ability to bind and control the Tailed Beasts," Nori explained.
"I have a question," Tenten asked. "So...what would happen if an Uchiha and a Senju or Uzumaki had a child together? That child would have both the Yin and Yang halves of the Six Paths Chakra, right?"
Takuya nodded. "Exactly. Albeit the virulent hatred both clans had for each other prevented from such thing to while the kid would be powerful, the parents should also be strong in their respecrtive halves of the Six Paths Chakra for the resulting child to reach its full potential. And in that case, the kid should be able to awaken the ultimate from the Sharingan: the Rinnegan itself."
The revelation led to another silence, as the Konoha ninjas pondered those words. Naruto's thoughts, however, were leading him to a grim conclusion: he suspected that one of the Akatsuki might be an Uzumaki, and now had the confirmation that one of the Akatsuki also possesses the Rinnegan. Now, he was told that a powerful Uzumaki has the potential to develop the Rinnegan if they also have strong Uchiha ascendency. How did this happen?
Nori's eyes rested on Hinata. "Now that you have understanding of the working of Six Paths Chakra, you'll understand better your role as the Byakugan Princess. Father, tell them about Hamura-sama."
Takuya nodded. "Hamura and his many followers traveled to the Moon. There, they built a small civilization, whose purpose was to watch over the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, preserve the historic knowledge of Kaguya and the Otsutsuki Clan, and watch for more threats from beyond the stars, like Kaguya herself.
"Like his brother, Hamura had Six Paths Chakra, and this allowed him to manifest a higher form of the Byakugan: the Tenseigan."
"Wait, what? The Byakugan also has an evolution?" Neji asked, sounding visibly agitated, a far cry from his usual stoicism. "How is that our clan isn't aware of such a thing!?"
"Such knowledge had to be kept a secret for the safety of your clan, until the time was right. If you let me finish my story, I'm sure you'll understand," Takuya replied, a little annoyed at the constant interruptions. "Like his brother, Hamura also had two children, though they were girls: his eldest was named Kalika, and the youngest was named Shiva. Like Indra an Asura, Kalika and Shiva inherited the Yin and Yang halves of Hamura's Six Paths Chakra respectively. "
"That means that only Kalika developed a Byakugan, right?" Hinata guessed.
Nori shook her head. "No. The Sharingan was a byproduct of the Six Paths Chakra. The Byakugan, however, is something Kaguya already possessed before eating the Divine Fruit, and both of Hamura's daughters inherited it. The Ying half enhanced Kailika's Byakugan, while the Yang half boosted the power of Shiva's chakra as a whole. Their descendants inherited these powers as well,. Why Hagoromo developed a Rinnegan instead of a Byakugan, is something we have no answer for."
"Exactly," Takuya agreed. "Like Hagoromo, when Hamura's life came to an end, he had to choose an heir to lead the Otsutsuki Clan. His choice was Kalika, and before dying, he transferred his chakra into her, allowing her to develop the Tenseigan, something Kalika herself also did with her own heir once her life came to an end. And thus, the Tenseigan became the symbol of the leader of the Otsutsuki Clan.
"Eventually, the Otsutsuki Clan was reorganized into two groups: the Main Family, composed by the leader and their close family members, which ruled over the clan, and the Branch Family, composed by pretty much everybody else, including Shiva's descendants. However, tensions began to rise, as every gerenation passed. As they kept watch over the Earth, they saw how Hagoromo's gift of Ninshu was perverted into Ninjutsu, and used as a weapon to wage countless wars. Branch Family members believed that they should do something about it, but the Main Family refused to interfere. But depsite their superior numbers, they couldn't change anything since they couldn't match the power of the Tenseigan.
"And thus, the Branch Family started to work on a weapon that would equate the Tenseigan in power. Once said weapon was finished, they declared war on the Main Family, which were then crushed. The then current Otsutsuki Clan head was killed before he could pass on his Six Paths Chakra. The Branch House members, which possessed the Yang Half of the Six Paths Chakra, seeked to obtain the Yin-enhanced Byakugan from the Main House, however, they found an obstacle they were unable to overcome: the Caged Bird Seal."
Once again, Neji was taken aback. "Wait a minute. The Main Family wore that seal?" he incredulously asked.
"Yes. Its original purpose was to make sure no Main House Byakugan ever fell into the Branch House, so they wouldn't be able to obtain the Tenseigan. That way, when a Main Family Member died, their Byakugan would be destroyed with them. And they made sure they weren't captured alive," Takuya explained. "Now, the ensuing war decimated both families, and the few Main House members managed to escape the Moon and reach Earth, with several Branch House members they took prisoner.
"Their original plan was to force said Branch House members to transfer their chakra into the current heir, so a new Tenseigan could be created, but in the end, they decided against it, since there was the problem of the Branch House family's superweapon, and thus, decided that a new beginning was in order.
"The Otsutsuki survivors realized that they had to cut all ties to their past if they hoped to escape the Branch House's purge, and have a chance to regroup. The first thing they did was to change their clan name to Hyuga, which as you know is a reference to the Sun, to hide their ties to the Moon. But that wouldn't be enough. The newer generations had to forget about their past entirely so they wouldn't become targets, but doing so would imply to destroy all the knowledge they had accumulated during the centuries. And thus, a solution was devised.
"The first Hyuga Clan head created the Order of the Moon Acolytes, which would safekeep all the Otsutsuki knowledge, as well as the Yang half of the Six Paths Chakra they managed to extract from the captured Branch House members. The Hyuga Clan would continue with the Main House/Branch house division, albeit with a single, but meaningful change: the Caged Bird seal would be carried by the branch house members, and it would be modified so Main House members could inflict great pain upon them with a single hand seal. That way, a new uprising could be averted.
"From that point onwards, the Hyuga became a nomadic clan that traveled the world, until less than a century ago, when they joined Konoha," Takuya said. "Let's say that made our mission to keep track of your clan considerably easier. As for ourselves, our secret order thrived in the shadows, waiting for the right moment until a new Tenseigan could be created again."
"And that moment...is now?" Hinata asked.
"Yes. We knew that the Otsutsuki clan that remained on the Moon slowly declined, and hoped that the clan would die out, and thus the problem would solve itself, and a new Tenseigan wouldn't be neccesary," Nori told them. "But even if the Otsutsuki clan is reduced to a single member, said member is still in possession of that superweapon, and is planning to use it to finish what his ancestors started so long ago. And after the Hyuga are gone, the rest of the world will follow suit."
"And...you want Hinata-hime to be that bearer, right?" Naruto asked. He didn't need them to reply.
"But...why me? Why not Neji-niisan?" Hinata protested. "He's much stronger than I am. The Tenseigan would be better in his power than in mine."
"Neji-sama would be a fine candidate, but unfortunately, the new Caged Bird seal might be a danger for the process," Nori countered, shaking her head. She then turned at Neji with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, Neji-sama, but the stakes are too high to take such risk."
"It's okay. It's not a power I desired to begin with," Neji replied, letting out a weary sigh. While he spoke the truth, he was upset that that seal had robbed him of such chance to begin with. "Besides, it's obvious that Hinata-sama was fated to have this power bequeathed to her."
"If it's as urgent as you say, then I'll do it," Hinata sated, albeit some insecurity could be noticed in her voice. "What should I do?"
"Follow us," Takuya said as he stood up.
He went to the other end of the temple, and moved a candelabra to the side. It produced a clicking noise, instantly opening a secret door on that wall, leading to a dark and narrow passgeway. Wordlessly, the high priest walked in, and everybody else followed in. After a few minutes, they finally emerged from the other side of the passageway, into a different chamber.
Like the main instance, there was a hole in the ceiling that allowed light to illuminate the place, even if the sun was no longer in the sky, the moon took its place. The only thing worth noting in the chamber was a rather large pool of water, which reflected the moonlight.
"What is this place?" Hinata asked.
"This is what we call the Moonwell," Nori began. "Before I explain any further, Hinata-sama, Neji-sama, would you kindly check the water with your Byakugan?"
The two Hyuga complied, and when they did so, Hinata gasped. Neji's reaction was far more subdued, but couldn't completely hide his surprise.
"The water is teeming with chakra!" Hinata noted.
Takuya nodded. "Yes. The Yang Half of the Six Paths chakra. Anyone who will enter this pool and does not posses at least either half of Six Paths chakra will have their own chakra drained and die. However, if somebody who does enter this pool, they will absorb the chakra of the water."
"Hinata-sama, you now must enter the pool. When your inherent Yin Half chakra mixes with the Yang Half of the pool, they will merge into Six Paths Chakra, and your Byakugan will become a Tenseigan," Nori instructed the Hyuga to do so.
"Wait, what if you're wrong? What if Hinata doesn't have that kind of chakra and she dies?" Naruto worriedly asked.
"I understand your doubts, Naruto-san, but you must understand the importance of this. If we weren't sure Hinata-sama wouldn't survive the process, we wouldn't have asked her to do it," Nori replied.
"Okay, I'll do it," Hinata stated, sounding now more determined. "If this power is neccesary to face our future enemies, and I'm the only one who can bear it, I'll take it then."
"Good," Nori said in approval. "Neji-sama, watch over her with your Byakugan to make sure that the process happens as it should."
Neji nodded, and kept his Bloodline Limit activated.
Taking a deep breath, Hinata entered the pool. Contrary to what she was expecting, she didn't feel anything when her skin touched the water, other a bit of cold. She walked to the center of the pool, where the water covered up to her waist, and waited for something to happen.
"So...what do I do now?" Hinata asked.
But before anybody had the chance to answer, the pool's water surface erupted into a massive wall of purple flames, engulfing Hinata.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Hinata screamed from behind the fire.
"HINATA!" Naruto yelled, as he dashed towards the pool, before he was stopped by Takuya.
"NO! Don't do it! Not only will you interrupt the process, but you'll die!" Takuya urged, as he struggled to contain the blond.
"Get out of my way! Hinata needs my help!" Naruto said, before finally pushing the man aside.
"Naruto, stop," Neji calmly said.
"Huh?"
"Hinata-sama...she's in no danger," Neji stated, a bit in awe. "In fact...the chakra of the pool is being drained into her body."
"Finally. After so many generations...a new Sage of the Moon will be born," Nori said in awe and expectation.
…
Somwehere Beyond Time and Space
When Hinata opened her eyes, she was no longer in that underground pool illuminated by the moonlight. She found herself in the middle of what appeared to be an ancient palace.
"Hello, Byakugan Princess. I've been waiting for you," an elderly male voice said.
Hinata turned around, and saw an old man looking at her. Said old man was dressed in a white robe similar to that wore by Takuya. The man had pale white skin and light gray hair. Two small horns grew from his forehead. Eight black spheres the size of grapefruits floated behind his back on a circle.
But the man's trait that drew Hinata's attention the most were his eyes. His eyes were light blue, with dark blue pupils, and glowing white floral patterns that overlapped with each other that slowly spun around the pupil.
A realiaztion of who this man was dawned upon her with the force of a giant sledgehammer.
"You...you are..." Hinata stammered in shock.
"My name is Hamura Otsutsuki. Nice to finally meet you, Hinata Hyuga," Hamura courtly greeted her. "There's much we need to talk about."
Author's Note: Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuun! Hinata met Hamura Otsutsuki and awakened the Tenseigan! What will happen now?
Like I said at the beginning, I've been dying to get to this arc. Mostly because Hinata finally gets the Tenseigan (seriously, I was so pissed when The Last didn't gave her one despite being imbued with Hamura's chakra).
You know, besides that part, I also enjoyed a lot writing all the backstory of the Otsutsuki. While the part with the Senju and the Uchiha was more or less the same, I had a lot of work to do with the Hyuga, since we know pretty much nothing about their origins. Not helped the fact that Kishimoto's mythology for the series makes almost no sense, so I had to make an herculean effort in order to create a backstory that was both compliant to canon, as well as being coherent. Hope I succeeded. So, what we have here is what TVTropes would call Fan Wank. And Fan Wank of an epic magnitude.
Regarding Kurenai, yeah, she said goodbye for the time being, but don't worry, she will be back to active duty once she delivers the baby. I'm not going to do the same thing as canon and have her retire being so young. And even then, I'll make sure to give her enough screentime during the breather chapters.
Funny thing, I was planning to introduce a replacement for Kurenai, which would be Yakumo Kurama, that girl from one of the last filler arcs pre-shippuden. However, I realized that introducing her in an arc that's mostly about Hinata and the Hyugas really didn't work, so I had to cut her out, and decided that while Kurenai is on maternity leave, the Assault Squad will stay a three man squad.
And this is the second chapter that isn't betaread due my usual beta being unavailable. So I think it's time to ask for a new beta. So if you're interested, send me a PM.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the beginning of this arc. Tell me your thoughts in a review! Reviews make me really, really, really happy!