DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO
Chapter Six
Eyes, they are a part of a large majority of organisms in the world, and they are our way to see the world beyond us, and yet through our eyes we feel that others could read our souls, our thoughts and our memories that we cherish so much. These things act as a gateway, and they often regulate the intake and release of information, and it was said that we could know the truth in a person's words just by peering at their eyes, watching their movements. It is because of this that makes both the sharingan and byakugan so powerful.
It is their ability to strike fear into us, the ability to make us feel vulnerable, the ability to seemingly read our thoughts, and this is why they are powerful, and by believing that they are powerful, they have made us lose the first battle, the battle of confidence and trust. The nations know of it well, that by such threats, much can be achieved. By weakening the long forged bonds between teammates, victory is easier to achieve, and easier to grasp. Eyes, a powerful weapon in propanganda and ideas, the very reason Orochimaru decided to stick with his snake like eyes, because he knows of the power of fear and panic, often represented by the hounds of Ares, Phobos (Fear) and Deimos (Panic), the might of intimidation that can cause even the wisest of warriors to lose their touch..
Red eyes, slits running across like a deep sword gash across the arms. A pair of dark, satirical, intimidating eyes are very powerful weapons in persuasion.
"Let me out, you human." The dark shrill voice of the legendary ninetails demanded once more, it's blood scarlet eyes attempted to penetrate his mind.
Fear. Has he forgotten it? Why it is at this time, must he be reminded of his cruel destiny, and the fear seemed to awaken slightly to stir his emotions. His arms shivered, and he felt a huge weight of some kind collapsing on him again. What is this, he has always had him inside, yet why is he suddenly afraid.
"No... I won't." The blonde said, his voice uncertain, insecure.
"You will not deny me of my desire to thrash that old showoff." The kyubi spoke with unwavering sharpness, the only change being the rise in intonation and anger.
He remembered the hateful look on the villagers and almost everyone else when they spoke of the kyubi, and his determination to resist strengthened. "No. If I let you out, I would be the demon they say I am, I would be the foul creature of evil they claim I am. So, get lost. I want to train." His sky colored eyes seemed to shine like a sword in the light, and his voice no longer a shaking, timid call.
"... Fine. But just use my chakra and trash that old fool." Kyubi spoke with a certain sense of anger, that Naruto could not comprehend.
"I've seen pigs, bastards and jackasses a million times worst than him, and yet of all people, you want to thrash him?" The boy questioned.
"... Just use my chakra and we'll show that Qi battle amateur." The ninetailed fox of legends past continued to speak.
"I don't even know anything about this whatever-you-call-it-battle."
"Just use my bloody chakra, and I'll guide you, I know about this Qi battle a few million times better than them." Kyubi growled with obvious annoyance.
"... You better not play any tricks on me, demon."
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Then, Naruto walked over to Hideiki-sensei's position, and the strong gale seemed to stop. The leaves stopped rattling when he asked to battle Jishin-sensei, "Sensei, I wish to battle you in this... Whatever you call it."
Jishin-sensei immediately smiled, and he stretched his hand outward to invite Naruto to make himself comfortable.
'What you say your name was again, brat?' Kyubi asked.
"Naruto."
'Fine. Now, the Qi battle is just throwing you big pool of chakra at your opponent as hard as you can to knock him unconscious, simple as that. Now, I'll lend you my chakra, it will come naturally. Remember, Qi battle is essentially instincts, not control like that old fool said. What he said is purely wrong, understand? You just need to let your body react to it subconsciously, that's all. Close your eyes, and just let the chakra act on it's own. Just keep your mind vacant, or if you want, just think about that long ropelike food you eat.'
"But he said..."
'I said that he is wrong, so shut up, and relax."
Then, Naruto could feel his veins flow with a hot, burning sensation that seems to make him feel oddly powerful, yet pained. His arms twitched, and he could not help but feel like he was on fire, a fire that burns him inside out. Kyubi's red chakra made itself seen when it started to swirl around Naruto in nine identical dark red tails, much to Jishin and Hideiki-senseis alarm, but they restrained themselves, although Hideiki-sensei seemed ready to interfere at any time, maybe to assure the safety of Jishin-sensei.
Then, a flare of the scarlet red chakra lunged towards the old man and as it went closer and closer, Naruto's now scarlet eyes could see the chakra changing from it's irregular fluid shape into a small foxlike shape. Chakra in the shape of a fox? When was that ever possible? It was then the old sage responded defensively. A wall of water rised from the nearby pool and it was called to protect him from the visible chakra foxling, and there was a loud gushing echo as the water travelled to form the shield. The small foxlike chakra thing moved with the flexibility and cunning of a very fast fox, and it burned a hole in the thick wall of water to allow passage for the small body of red chakra.
Another swirl of water formed around the old sage, adopting a more offensive approach, but this small fox seemed to only jumped to sidestep the spears of water and the controlled wind lances. A few jumps and flips by the fox, and it landed right in front of the old sage, instantly changing into an offensive stance, ready to attack at the slightest of movements.
It was then when the old, white bearded sage surrendered, "I give up." and the small cub seemed to fade away, and so did the red chakra around Naruto and his red eyes returned to normal.
Jishin-sensei then continued, "I assume Kyubi was in control of the chakra, am I right? Since I observed that Naruto did not happen to be doing anything but drool over ramen. Besides, to allow the chakra to take creature form is a very difficult art to master, which I assume Kyubi would have already mastered, since it is the greatest chakra demon in the known world."
Naruto almost jumped at the old sensei's words, and he was about to ask Kyubi about it.
Used. He felt used, stupid, foolish. He allowed the ninetails to have it's moment of control. Who knew what could have happened? That demon could have killed the old sage, and it would ruin his life forever. He felt anger swirling and gathering inside, yet it was all directed at himself. 'Foolish.' He thought, cursing himself with his own thoughts. 'I should have known that the demon won't be so helpful. I should have at least figured that the fox would try to use his cunning to manipulate me.'
It was then, to the blowing wind, that the Kyubi began to speak once more. "Relax. I won't kill the old man. Because you were never a match to them in combat, so killing that old man would only lead to my own demise, eventually."
Exactly then, Naruto found his bargaining stock. 'Survival.'
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Two snake eyes glared at the ancient manuscripts over and over again, and the same two eyes hovered over pages and pages of other books. Yes, he had an eye for detail, but it seemed that any information of a particular place was very hard to find, and it seemed that he was looking for a golden needle a a few hundred yards filled with haystacks. An impossible task to many, but to Orochimaru, nothing is impossible, as long as it could grant him power, and in this case, the power of a very powerful creature.
The sennin rummaged even more pages of stolen books, trying to find any idea on where might the forbidden summoning scroll is hidden. He had his agents stealing scrolls from every corner of the world, but information on this particular item is as scarce and as rare as sunlight at night, what more is to say about the creature itself. So far, all searches had returned with nothing, and the cat of information remained elusive and slippery. Then, Kabuto came in with more books, placed them on the already full table, and left immediately afterwards, his mind well aware of the intensity and frustration in his master's mind.
The snake sennin then poured his eyes over them, but alas, it was not there. No clue, no idea, no knowledge on it's location.
'Where can it be? My key to the fall of Konoha, and world domination...'
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Hyuga Neji pummeled the tree without pause, using training as a way to escape from the horrible realitiies of life and it's unequalities. The tree was already half destroyed, and both his body and mind is severely exhausted of both energy and water. Yet, he forced himself to take one more punch everytime his body started to wail and scream. Then, blood dripped from his wounded fists and into the floor, and he realized that he no longer had the energy to move on, and he collapsed to the floor, tired and sleepy.
But he forced himself again to not fall asleep.
It was then when Sakura walked over, her hair floating to the dry, coarse wind, and her hand reached out to help Neji with the blood on his hands.
"No. I'll do it myself. You better get Ino and go train before the next chuunin exam." Neji said, trying to act calm and collected in front of his teammates. Then, he reached out to the bandage that Sakura had in her hands and slowly started to dress his wounds.
Sakura felt slightly reminded of Sasuke, but she knew that Neji was a different person. Neji was motivated internally, and he wanted to be strong, and Sakura often found him to be a good motivator, even when he rarely spoke. Not wanting to disappoint him and everyone else, she proceeded to find Kurenai-sensei and Ino to further her own training.
Neji watched Sakura walked away, before giving in to the pain that he blocked out in front of his friends. He looked up into the sky, a small patch of blue not blocked by the thick canopies of the forest.
"My sky seemed small..." Neji forced himself up, but before he could take a step, he collapsed back again. "... Damn. Guess I'll have to rest here." Neji said to himself, then he sighed.
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Survival. These humans seems to be feisty little fellows, and everytime he observed the kid, he held a strong will of iron that would neither bend nor budge to the pain and cruelties that plague the lands like rust. Some peculiar thing this 'will' is, and everytime he wondered again, his assumptions and hypothesises were all proven wrong. It seemed that only one theory held out after the years, which happens to be quite a Machievellian idea. These people seem willing to do anything to survive, would they not? They'd scrap and squeeze just to get a meal and satisfy a desire. Unique, as he would call it. But after a while of consideration, unique was no longer applicable a term to describe and refer to this will, because the animals was not very much different.
Like humans, they'd adapt and change to fit their surroundings and their ultimate goal is none other than survival for themselves, and the survival of generations to come. He began to wonder whether existence is so important, and is such existence is justified by the will to exist and remain. These people would befriend satan and death just to obtain their goals, and what is this thing that drove them so far? Will? Determination? Nothing a thousand years of emptyness would not bend, so there must be something more to it. Something stronger that makes it an important ideal to be inherited through the genetics. Evolution was a matter of natural selection, as Charles Darwin placed it, but what is so important with this... this 'will' that makes it a 100% selection? Why is will to survive so important?
No matter. His observation for today is done. It's time to go back to sleep.
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Naruto watched the serene valley, a sight that anyone would stop to admire, and yet he wasn't. He pondered his possible futures, things that might happen if he fail to restrain the kyubi inside him. His ponderings worried him greatly, yet there were also parts of him that felt that it was his destiny to fulfill, and that part felt he should not run away from it by death. It would only show how weak and foolish he was. He stared silently at the verdant, forested valley and he felt calm.
It was different from Konoha or wherever he went. The forest seemed peaceful, unstained by blood. He then spoke softly, "There is nothing to worry about in the woods."
"No." A crisp, slightly matured voice Naruto immediately identified as Sena spoke out to shatter the gloomy breath around Naruto. "The forest is not as tranquil as you think it is. The animals hunt, and they are worried when they have no food. There is as much blood, and often, the method of killing is much more vicious. It is a jungle out there, a place where survival of the fittest is the only law to follow. We live in a jungle of people, but the law is slightly modified to protect the weak. So, where do you want to be, the woods where everyone will kill you for food, or the jungles of man, where there is a chance for a safe, protected life?"
Naruto again was silent. He glanced out at the green again. He had forgotten to think, well, maybe not. But contemplation part of him is lost somewhere inside the labyrinths, and he is trying to find it.
The ponytailed Sena continued, not giving Naruto much time. "I'd choose the jungles of man, where I can slug it out against others, with allies and friends who would protect you when you are weak, and you'd do the same when they are down. It's easier than going out solo. But, there are risks of being betrayed and disappointed by your allies, acquintances. But still, life is a game of chances, and I'd take my roll on this number."
Naruto only listened. Since when did he began to listen? He wondered inwardly, but he realized that having a friend had taught him to listen, but he feared the day he would be betrayed the same way Sasuke betray him and Konoha.
"Well. There are good and bad on both sides, but it's often up to personal opinion to decide. Anyway, you are supposed to do my chores... But since you are sulking..." Sena words began to wander, but Naruto snapped out of it that instant, not wanting to betray his own words.
"No. It's a promise, I'd have to do it." Naruto then wandered off, and he was gone from Sena's sight.
"Demons. The true demons are often those that hide behind human skins, spreading their venomous lies and rumours, destroying lifes and hopes with the flick of their tongues. The kyubi can kill many, but we would always recover, but ever present foes like hate and deceit are harder to recover from, for the scars that gash souls are harder to see. So tt's always easier to fight opponents like Orochimaru than to fight lies and words." Sena said plainly. "Oh my, I've been reading to much mushy stories..." Sena sighed at his own words.
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Mere silence seemed calming, a beauty need not be spoken to enjoy and describe. His blue eyes wondered again, to take a view at the night.
It is late, late enough that no trace of the sun or it's light could be seen. There were many kinds of sounds in the woods, and yet they lacked the irritating noise of the cities. Soothingly silent, he could not help but just let his mind free and empty, only observing the faint calls of the animals.
For hours he remained silent, but then all the sudden, out of the forest, he saw a large green creature, with dark scales and multiple sharp horns that could be seen even from so far away. He narrowed his eyes to get a clearer look, and he saw it slowly disappear, out of the view, protected by the thick layers of the wooden canopies. But no doubt it was huge, and it would have been surprising that such woods could hide a creature of such size.
"...What is that?" Naruto asked to himself, but he knew he would not find an answer.
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Thus, I've arrived at the end of this chapter.