HIDDEN STONE SECRETS III
The Sessho-seki slams its stone fists on the ground, shaking the entire plain they're in. Cracks spread on the ground, opening various pits- some big, some small, but the group manages to get back to a relatively safe distance.
"This chakra…" Naruto stands in front of the rest, ready to move out. "It's definitely a Great Beast, alright." His clothes become wreathed in orange flames.
"Naruto…" Hinata reaches out to him and holds his hand. "If what Lady Mito said is true, then that thing is…"
Naruto pensively looks at the Beast. "A person. Yeah." He squeezes Hinata's hand and turns to her, kissing her on the forehead. "But whoever it used to be has become a mindless, rampaging monster. We can't leave it as is."
He Flickers towards it and unleashes Kurama's form, which while impressive in its own right, is much smaller than the stone creature. Not that that's going to slow down Naruto even slightly.
The kids all stare in awe. Kotori has already seen this before, but it's still impressive. Yokumaru and Shoto's eyes are bulging out and their jaws are slacked from the sight.
"Let's go, Kurama!"
"Yeah…" The Fox doesn't sound as enthused as Naruto does.
That doesn't go unnoticed. Even though he's not the hothead of their combo, he's shown a great desire to beat down the Great Beasts to where they're from. Is it because of what they recently found out?
"Oi, you're not chickening out 'cause they used to be human, are you? Since when do you care?"
"No one's chickening out!" He roars. "Focus on the enemy and just shut up."
"Someone's getting testy…"
He leaps high in the air to try and pounce on the creature, maybe even knock it down, but it holds its arm against its chest and swats Naruto to the ground. It goes for a punch, and that's when the Temple's name becomes clear. Even though its parts have shifted around to create its new humanoid form, the tunnel system remains relatively intact, and the massive swing causes air to go through, causing the howling wind to resemble a melody. A slow, almost calming melody that does not fit this being or its current intent.
On hearing the melody, Kurama freezes in shock. "No… It can't be..."
-x-
A vision flashes before Kurama's eyes. He's stood behind a woman with long black hair in front of a creek, humming that same melody. It's slow and beautiful, calming yet somehow somber. She stops and giggles. "You're back." She begins turning around, her silky hair hiding most of her face.
-x-
Naruto tries to get away from the punch but he doesn't have full control over his body. Something's wrong with Kurama. Naruto takes the punch head on and the other arm comes right for him. He just barely managed to get his arms up to block the hit but it still feels like a mountain dropped on him. Mostly because a mountain DID drop on him. He skids back and falls on his back.
"And after telling me to focus?!" He turns around in his mindscape to confront his roommate. "What was that about?"
"It's nothing." Kurama sinks his claws into the ground, scraping the floor.
"It's obviously something!" Naruto protests with increasing annoyance.
Kurama growls and shouts. "If I told you it's nothing, then it's nothing!"
Both of them are jostled from their thoughts by the Sessho-seki ramming into them. It continues its vicious assault, with Naruto not fully able to defend. His movements are slower, his Nine Tails form weaker and less stable from whatever is going on in Kurama's mind.
The Sessho-seki opens its maw and releases a cloud of gas, spread over a vast area. When they come in contact with just a small portion of Kurama's form, Naruto feels the immense sting. This thing dissolves and it works quickly. He shifts back and brings his tails together. In a tested move, he swings them all at once to send the poisonous cloud away from him. There's not much vegetation in the area but what little of it there is, immediately wilts and dies.
Naruto looks back to where Hinata and the kids are. "Can't let any of that stuff near them."
He runs around the Sessho-seki and has its full attention, being the only current threat. What follows is a punching fest, each of them delivering heavy blow after heavy blow, although that proves a bit more of a challenge for Naruto, who often has to resort to hit-and-run tactics.
On the sidelines, Hinata is very clearly agitated. She grips her fist and turns to face the others. "Akatsuchi, please take care of the children."
"What, where are you going?"
"To Naruto." She says having already begun running to him. "He needs help."
The kids call out to her, but ultimately they know this is not a battle they can take part in and they can hardly have a say. This is the level that their mentors fight at.
"Earth Style: Rock Clones"
Two more Akatsuchis rise up from the ground and take a battle-ready position, prepared to guard the kids.
"Don't stray for me, got it?"
They nod in response as they watch Naruto desperately fight, and Hinata running toward him.
She has to stop at intervals to brace herself, as every step this massive behemoth takes causes the ground to shake but she does manage to read Naruto safely, and climb up Kurama's leg to reach her boyfriend at the front.
Being in both Kurama and Sage modes, he sensed her drawing closer long ago so her arrival is no surprise. "Hinata, what're you doing here?"
"Helping you. I said I'll stand by your side, and I meant it." She holds his hand and they stand shoulder to shoulder. Being inside Kurama's chakra cloak increases her power exponentially and makes it easier for her to do what she's about to do.
She closes her eyes and focuses her chakra. The process is much quicker and more fluid than it was before. When she opens her eyes, they're not the pale hue they usually are, but light blue with a white flower pattern.
"Tenseigan!"
Purple chakra flows from her, through Naruto, and into Kurama's form. His arms and legs, his head and back all gain a purple flame-like chakra emanating from them. Naruto can feel the surge of chakra and the form is now more stable than before.
Naruto grins. "Alright! Let's beat this thing together!"
Reinvigorated, they charge at it. It once again swings it fists, causing the melody to sound off again. Hinata molds the flame on Kurama's arm into a spear and sends it flying to the fist. The resulting clash causes a massive wave of chakra to burst forth and push back the fist.
The Tenseigan-empowered Kurama uses the momentary break in its assault to pounce right on his chest. He clings onto its chest with 3 legs, using the 4th one to gather chakra in his palm. Both Naruto and Hinata send their chakra through, to form a familiar technique they've worked on.
"Sage Art Gentle Step: Massive Spiraling Lion Fist"
The lion-cloaked Rasengan slams into its chest, chunks of rock breaking off and flying in every direction, dealing heavy damage to its torso. The open wound, however, releases a big burst of poisonous gas so they're forced to jump back again.
"Naruto, let's try it." She squeezes his hand and brings her hand back a bit, bending her elbow.
Naruto smiles. "Let's." Naruto follows her lead.
Kurama's form bends both arms at the elbow, mimicking Hinata's action. They gather chakra at their hands and thrust forward with impressive force.
"Sage Art Gentle Fist: Vacuum Wall Palm"
The resulting whirlwind covers an area much larger than even the Sessho-seki. The gas is blown away and even the Great Beast is sent back a short distance. Once the wind dies down, so does the gas.
Hinata remains ever watchful. "The gas stopped. That means it's not a continuous source, but an ability that recharges."
"Yeah. If we can just keep at it long enough, we might even damage wherever it's releasing the gas from."
They charge at it and continue their assault. The Great Beast, however, is not without its own abilities. By drawing earth and stone from the ground, it's able to replenish what was broken off. Naruto and Hinata double their efforts to rip into it, but the Beast is strong. Way stronger than the Kappa or Nue that Naruto faced before. This one is unsealed, not burdened by the Rashomon gates and it shows. Every punch resonates and sends shockwaves through the area, and every time it swings its arm, the wind passes through the tunnels, making it sound that melody again.
Naruto and Hinata seem to do fine, until one fateful punch goes their way. The Sessho-seki twists its arm to deliver a more powerful hit, changing the melody that passes through its tunnels.
-x-
Another flash from Kurama's memory. He remembers that same woman, humming that melody as several small birds fly around. They land on her shoulder, on her lap, on her hands. Two larger ones, clearly the parents, hover around them. She laughs with glee as the young ones take flight, some with more effort than the others, apparently they've only just learned how to. She turns around, her silky black hair swaying.
"See? I told you I'd become this forest's mother."
-x-
Kurama's chakra form breaks.
Naruto and Hinata are stranded mid-air with a massive fist heading their way.
Suddenly disconnecting from Kurama has reverted Hinata's Tenseigan back into a Byakugan, but Naruto is still in Sage Mode. They look to each other in a panic, racking their brains as to what comes next. With precious little time to spare, Naruto extends a hand to Hinata and swipes the air. His hand, infused with natural energy, sends Hinata flying away just as it hits Naruto and sends him flying into the ground.
"NARUTO!" She lets out a scream but there's not much she can do flying away.
The kids, seeing this, instinctively run to her but Akatsuchi's Rock Clones grab them.
"Mom!"
"No!"
"Let go!"
Akatsuchi himself slams his hands on the ground.
"Earth Style: Towering Mud Pillar"
The ground in front of him softens and bursts out to meet Hinata before she hits the ground. The impact still hurts but it would've been way worse. The pillar of mud becomes shorter and shorter until she comes at a much safer height, at which point she hops down to safety, holding her sides and hissing in pain.
"What happened up there?"
"I'm not certain. I could feel Kurama's chakra wavering as the fight progressed, but I don't know what happened."
"Dad! Where's Dad?" Kotori looks in a panic to where they saw Naruto's body fell.
Hinata looks around with her Byakugan. "He's fine. He's hurt, but he's fine." She then looks up at the monster that's regained its full form. "But what are we supposed to do about that…"
On the other side of the field, Naruto also hisses in pain, the area around covered by the dust he'd kicked up on impact.
"Sorry for calling you."
An older male voice croaks. "Honestly, what have you gotten yourself into now?"
An older female voice chimes in. "What's that Nine-Tails doing? Your body's broken all over."
"I'm not sure. He's not responding to my calls. Something up but he won't open."
Naruto emerges from the dust and smoke in Sage Mode, with Fukasaku and Shima on each shoulder.
"I'll be counting on you, Ma, Pa. My body can't really take another hit like that."
"You got it, Naruto, my boy." Fukasaku brings his hands together and begins weaving chakra. "I'll handle his injuries, you help him fight, Ma."
"Let's go, Naruto!" Shima calls out, and he runs towards it once again.
The Sessho-seki sees him approach and swings down. Naruto dodges to the side and jump, and when the arm comes low enough, both he and ShiMa lash out their tongues and latch on it and reel themselves closer.
Once on its arm, Shima puffs out her cheeks and releases smoke.
"Sage Art Wind Style: Dust Cloud"
Ducking into the cover, just as it swings with its other hand at him, as if swatting a fly. A total of five Narutos jump out in different directions, moving even higher up on its body.
Two of the Shadow Clones jump behind it, while the other three focus on getting more height. On reaching their positions, they gather swirling chakra in their palms with the help of Shima.
"Sage Art Wind Style: Massive Rasenshuriken" x5
The Clones aim their Rasenshuriken at its legs to knock it off balance, while the original and the other two Clones aim high to push it backward. It works… somewhat, but that poisonous gas covers the area once again. Naruto gets back and is soon encountered by an injured Hinata.
"Naruto! I found where the gas is coming from. It took a while because of the seal that was in place before, but it's severely weakened now." She points to a specific area in the beast's abdomen, or what would be its abdomen if it wasn't made of rock.
"Right, but it's a bit harder now that Kurama's gone completely silent for some reason. We need more muscle."
"That's where we come in!" A very familiar voice resonates through Naruto's mind.
He finds himself in the very core of his mindscape; the place shared by all Tailed Beasts. He stands in a circle, surrounded by a total of nine torii gates, each marked by a number. From the gate marked with a "4", a pool of lava inches its way closer to the centre, while from the gate marked with a "5", hot steam comes rushing forth.
Naruto grins. "Although it looks like we just got it."
Before Hinata could ask, she hears a thundering screech from a distance. She sees a large four-tailed ape pounding its chest and screaming at the top of his lungs. Son Goku leaps and comes rushing right for the Sessho-seki, spewing lava as he does. From the other side, Kokuo comes galloping through the field, boosted by his control over steam that allows him to propel himself forward.
The kids can only stare in awe as they see two more giant creatures join, and apparently to fight the big rock one.
Kokuo bashes head first and cracks the stony exterior, while Son Goku covers his entire body in lava and goes close contact, melting bits and pieces he touches.
The Sessho-seki roars and swings its arm, trying to get everyone that's now in its face. The tunnels continue to sound the different melodies as it does. It grabs onto Son Goku with its massive hand, despite being melted and throws him toward Kokuo, who uses his steam to propel himself to the side to dodge his brother.
"Kokuo!" Naruto calls out. "Try to crack its stomach! We gotta get the source of its poison."
"Right." The steed-like Tailed Beast neighs and runs in head first but his charge is halted. Sessho-seki grabs him by the horns and slams him into the ground, roaring.
All the time, with every movement, the melodies resonate because of the wind passing through it.
"Hold on…" For a bit, Naruto carefully watches the battle rage between the Sessho-seki and Son, Kokuo, and his Shadow Clones joining in along with Shima and Fukasaku's Clones.
"Did you figure something out, Naruto?" Hinata remains by his side, ready to assist him.
"Maybe. Son Goku! How fast can your lava harden?"
"Pretty fast. What're you thinking?" The large monkey responds both out loud and in his mind.
"You see those caves all over its body? Can you fill them up and block them?"
"Can do."
He then turns to his girlfriend by side. "Hinata can you tell me which tunnels lead to dead ends? I can take care of those."
"Right." She focuses her Byakugan and directs him to exact such spots.
Son Goku and Naruto's Shadow Clones get into position.
"Lava Style: Scorching Stream Rock"
Son spews out multiple balls of lava, impacting the tunnels systems dotted all over the Sessho-seki's body. It tries to block some of them but many make an impact nonetheless. They melt down and fill up the caves, solidifying very quickly. Son had thrown lava at it before, but not specifically targeting the tunnels. It's already showing effect, slowing its movements a little bit.
Meanwhile, Naruto's Clones go to where Hinata told him where the spots he's looking for are. He, Shima, and Fukasaku weave chakra.
"Fan the flames for me."
Fukasaku lets out a smile. "Let's see how much you've learned, boy."
"Sage Art: Bath of Boiling Oil"
Naruto spits out a stream of oil, Fukasaku- fire that ignites it, and Shima- a gust of wind that makes the flames much hotter. The five of them each release a small sea of burning oil that fills up its body and burns it from the inside.
Naruto's hunch was right. Now that the tunnels are blocked and the wind can't pass through, its movements are slower than before. Its punches aren't as impactful. They'd still hurt if you get hit by them, but not as much as before.
Kokuo immediately uses the opportunity to kick with all his might, steam shooting from his knees to add an extra oomf. The creature's stomach cracks with each and every kick until nearly the entire torso is gone, revealing the source of the gas, which already begins spreading.
"Lend of some of your power, you two."
"We already are!" Fukasaku protests.
"Not you two. The other two."
"You got it!" Son is curious as ever as to what Naruto plans to do.
"Sure." Kokuo is a being of few words as usual.
The Shadow Clones return to Naruto and help him weave chakra, imbuing it with a foreign chakra.
"Sage Art Lava Style: Massive Rasenshuriken"
"Sage Art Boil Style: Massive Rasenshuriken"
Naruto shoots both of them through the air and targets the spot that Kokuo exposed. The S-rank jutsu breaks even more of the creature, but the result might be more than even he predicted. It does break, but what poisonous gas was still inside, is blown out. And heading right towards Akatsuchu and the kids.
Son Goku and Kokuo move aside so they're not melted away, but both Naruto and Hinata dart toward the kids, but the gas is moving faster than even they are. Akatsuchi created an earthen dome around them, but it begins melting away.
"Damnit!"
"Kotori, Yokumaru, Shoto!"
Seeing this, another memory flashes in Kurama's mind.
-x-
The same woman is sitting besides a creek, tending to a couple injured bear cubs. She seems to be sobbing but is trying to hide by having her back turned. She cleans the cubs' wounds, some bloody arrows thrown to the side.
"I won't let anything happen to them. So long as I'm alive, I won't let any harm befall these children. They must be protected."
-x-
"GRAAAAAAAAHHHH" Kurama roars out as his form appears around Naruto and Hinata. With their chakra now restored, they're able to reach Akatsuchi and the kids in time, before the gas can do anything to them. It all happens in the blink of an eye.
They all now find themselves inside Kurama's chakra form.
Her chakra restored, Hinata once again activates her Tenseigan and cloaks Kurama is purple flames.
"Woah!" Kotori looks around her surroundings, and the orange chakra that now covers them all. In a way, it feels like they should be suffocating but they don't seem to have any problems being in here.
"Naruto, I'm sorry. I-"
"It's fine." Naruto cuts him off. "You said we could talk about it later, right? Let's finish the job we have in front of us."
"Yeah. Let's."
Son Goku lands right next to him. "Took you long enough. Where've you been, anyway? It's not like you have anywhere else to be."
"Shut it, Son."
Kokuo lands at Kurama's other side. "Don't talk, and act." Without being prompted, he begins gathering chakra at his mouth. Dark, heavy chakra.
Son and Kurama join him, adding their own chakra to his and making it as gigantic as possible. The Sessho-seki has difficulty moving in its current solidified state.
"Tailed Beast Bomb"
They fire together and hit it directly in the chest. The explosion covers a wide area and leaves its mark on the surrounding mountains, but something of that power should've been enough to get it.
But it wasn't. Not entirely. The damn thing's still standing.
Son growls. "What else are we supposed to throw at it."
Kurama looks somber at the rock creature, still clinging on and trying to heal itself by absorbing the ground. "You were always stubborn in your own special way. Weren't you, Tamamo?"
Son and Kokuo raise a brow at Kurama's words, but they don't have enough time to question him before the Fox dashes to the Sessho-seki.
"Continuous Tailed Beast Bomb"
He rapid-fires a series of less powerful bombs, but the barrage is enough to keep it occupied. Kurama jumps up and fires a flaming purple spear directly at it. It strikes true and the chakra washes over it.
Kurama jumps onto its chest, knocking it down, and begins charging a point blank Beast Bomb. When the Sessho-seki tries to push Kurama away, Son and Kokuo intervene by keeping its arms down. Kurama digs his claws deep and before he finishes charging, the scene around Naruto changes.
-x-
He's in a white space, much like what he saw when he spoke to his mom and dad. Where before, he was in Kurama form, pinning down a rock creature, he's now in his own Chunin uniform, pinning down a beautiful woman.
She's dressed in an intricate white and silver robe, long black silky hair spread across the floor. Her red lips, contrasting her pale skin, form into a smile as her dark eyes meet his.
"Ah, um, uhh." Naruto's unsure where to start. He's holding her down by the shoulders and knows he should get off but at the same time, he can't.
"I'm glad." Her genuine smile makes him blush. "Kurama finally found his family."
"What? Who are you?"
-x-
"Tailed Beast Bomb"
Before he can receive an answer, Kurama fires the dense chakra directly into the Sessho-seki's chest, causing it to finally break apart. It does not regenerate any further.
Son sits down. "That thing sure was something. Gyuki and Matatabi were right, we'll have to step up our game."
"Thanks for your help, you guys. You, too, Ma, Pa. I couldn't have done it without any of you."
Shima sighs. "You just can't keep out of trouble, can you?"
Naruto gives an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry…" He begins releasing his Kurama form, gently letting everyone down.
Fukasaku pats his student on the head. "If you're ever in a bind, call us, alright?"
"Of course." Naruto smiles and nods, as the two of them de-sumoon themselves and return to Mount Myoboku.
The kids stare at their surroundings and Yokumaru raises a hand as if in class. "Sensei, I have… a lot of questions."
Hinata smiles, and Naruto ruffles the boy's hair. "I know you do. We'll talk about everything when we get back, alright? We'll sit down and have a nice talk."
In his mindscape, Naruto pats Kurama on the paw. "And we'll talk when you're ready."
Akatsuchi sighs and falls on his butt. "I second the getting back part. I never would've thought any of this would happen on this mission. This is easily above an S-rank."
Naruto takes one long look at the stony remains, his mind thinking back on the woman in white he saw briefly. Somehow she knew Kurama's name. Was she the person who this creature used to be? Did she regain some form of sentience just before dying?
His emotions and thought running around unchecked, Naruto calms his mind by squatting down and bringing all the kids into a hug, pulling Hinata in, too.
Eventually, they all pack their things and go to return to the Hidden Stone to report what happened to the Tsuchikage. Son Goku and Kokuo also go their separate ways.
Kurama remains silent, and hopes that Naruto doesn't come speak to him right now. He grits his jagged teeth and slams a fist on the ground. "This was the only way, right? There was nothing else we could've done, right? You... truly were lost, weren't you, Tamamo?" His mind wanders elsewhere. To the distant past.
Once upon a time…
A man is walking barefoot through a secluded forest. His dirtied feet step through fallen twigs and over jagged rocks but he doesn't seem to be bothered by it. The bottom of his grey robes are also somewhat dirty and torn, visibly not being kept in the best of shape. In contrast, his wild orange mane of hair is clean and shiny, and tied up in a ponytail. If it wasn't, it may just reach his feet.
He takes the time to stop and appreciate the sounds of the woodland beings around- the chirping of birds, the squeaking of squirrels, and the noticeable wails of a deer making her way directly toward him, where she stops right in front of him and bumps her head on his chest. He pats her on the neck with his clawed hand, nails long and sharpened to an unnatural degree, but the deer doesn't seem intimidated by it at all. She steps back and motions him to follow, which he does.
After a few minutes of walking, he hears humming. A very melodic, angelic humming that somehow puts his mind at ease. He wasn't even aware that his mind needed to be put at ease. It feels nostalgic even though he's never heard it before, and homely even though he doesn't really have a home.
When the deer leads him to the source of this voice, he finds himself standing in front of a small creek flowing through the woods, and the woman humming the song. He can only see her back, and even then, most of it is taken up by long flowing silky black hair. She's sitting on the muddy ground in her pure white robes, undoubtedly getting them much dirtier than she's probably even gotten them before. But the oddest thing is the young fawn lying on the ground next to her and an elk standing guard over them. The fawn has an injured leg that she's currently treating, washing away the blood with water from the creek, and wrapping it in long thick blades of grass.
The man approaches curiously, once she's done singing. "What are you doing?"
She doesn't turn around, choosing to focus on the fawn. "I'm tending to this young one, of course." Her voice is calm and serene.
He looks over the bite marks. "Why? The wolves were unable to get it this time, but they will eventually."
"Then it's lucky I was here to heal it."
"You've no reason to." His voice isn't mocking or condescending in any way, but he can't seem to comprehend why someone would do it.
"I saw an injured child, and I have the ability to heal it. That's all the reason I need."
"And in that way, you're depriving the wolf cubs of a meal. One child is starving because you saved a different one. You're not its mother, just leave it."
"Then I will become this forest's mother. Be it a fawn or a cub, I'll tend to their every need. Then there won't be any issues with me healing them."
The man scoffs. "That's a ridiculous sentiment."
"Perhaps." The tone of her voice shifts, becoming more somber. Even though he's yet to see her face, he can hear her smile drop. "But it's my own ridiculous sentiment. And no one can take that from me."
The man looks her over before drawing closer, along with the deer. "What's your name, weird one?"
It's then that she turns around and they meet for the first time.
She's the pinnacle of beauty, with her smooth, snow white skin and dark eyes. Her soft features are highlighted by her kind smile, which has now returned to her. She's graceful and attentive.
He, on the other hand, is the very definition of monstrous. His grey robes are loose and he's resting a clawed hand on his open robe rather than in the sleeve. His orange mained hair framed a face that would normally drive people away. Sharp fangs clearly visible every time his mouth is even slightly agape, whisker markings on each cheek, and vertically slit blood red eyes.
"Tamamo. And yours?"
He stares at her with his piercing red eyes for a few moments before responding. "Kurama."
Name meanings
Tamamo (タマモ, Tamamo) = named after Tamamo-no-Mae, a nine-tailed fox, who fuses herself with the Sessho-seki (Killing Stones) which release deadly gas. wiki/Tamamo-no-Mae