Chapter 10

The Jinchuuriki's Secret Known

Back in Konoha, Team Gai, Team Kurenai, and the old Team Asuma all were training together. "Does anyone know where Team Kakashi is?" TenTen asked, knowing that the last team was always there on time…well, at least Naruto and Sakura.

Neji shook his head. "But it is strange that they aren't here." He said, throwing some shuriken.

"Come to think of it," Ino grunted. "I haven't seen either Sakura nor Naruto since the incident."

Lee growled under his breath. "That's probably because they're avoiding you." Ino shot him a harsh glare. "Especially after you put Naruto-kun in a coma."

Ino threw herself at the Taijutsu specialist, and held up a kunai. "That was on accident." She growled back. "But this will be on purpose." Right when she was about to strike, her body stopped moving. She turned her head to see Shikamaru holding his Kage Mane.

"Don't," he muttered. "Troublesome woman." Shikamaru released his jutsu, and Ino snapped at Lee before turned away. "Now then, has anyone even heard of any news about Naruto lately?"

"Well," Ino muttered. "Sakura was coming to the Flower Shop two weeks ago a lot. Everyday she bought some red roses and white lilies. But she's stopped coming…"

Hinata relaxed her shoulders. "Well, I saw Sakura run off yesterday with tears in her eyes." She sighed. "I was wondering what was wrong, so I used my Byakugan to track her. She went to this clearing, created some hand signs, and then vanished."

Quickly, Kiba dropped low so Akamaru missed him. "Well," he started, dodging another attack from the dangerous dog. "I was up early one morning training with Akamaru," he dodges again. "And I saw Hokage-sama leave with a few medical ninjas carrying a stretcher."

Chouji looked over at Kiba. "So then they were taking Naruto away? To where?" he asked.

Shino sighed. "Probably Kumogakure." The other shinobi looked at him. "They have the best medical ninja around."

The others agreed. Wherever Team Kakashi was, it was probably Kumo.

Just as Neji threw a kunai, Kakashi, Gai, and Kurenai appeared. "Can you guys come with us?" Kakashi asked, and the nine shinobi stopped what they were doing, nodding their heads.

"Follow me, team!" Gai shouted, with the flames of youth in his eyes. Lee ran after his sensei, leaving the others to stagger behind. "COME ON! BE YOUTHFUL!" he shouted, and ran off.

Kakashi sighed as he watched the crazed jounin race off. "Let's go everyone." He sighed, and ran off too, the other shinobi following.

The jounin led the others to the Godaime's office, where Tsunade sat staring at the sky, lost in though. "Hokage-sama," Kurenai greeted as they others came in following her. "They all are here."

The Hokage turned around and laid her head on her hands in a formal state. "Did you tell them why they are here?" she asked, and the eleven shinobi shook their heads. Tsunade sighed. "You are here to hear about Naruto. Your team leaders have already decided that you are old enough to hear about this. Carefully leaning back in her chair, Tsunade stuck her feet up onto the desk.

"You all know the whole Kyuubi deal right?" she asked, and the nine ninjas nodded their heads. "And what did they tell you in the academy?"

Neji sighed. "They said that the Kyuubi was killed."

The Godaime nodded her head. "But it was not." She stated, and stared into the blank eyes of the shinobi that were glazed with confusion. "The Kyuubi was actually sealed in one fellow shinobi. Do you see where this is going?"

Shikamaru's mouth dropped open. "T-the Kyuubi was sealed in Naruto-kun?" he gasped, and Tsunade nodded her head. All the shinobi present put their heads down, remembering everything that pointed it all out.

Their parents hating Naruto.

The special red chakra he possessed, and why his eyes turned red and his whiskers more life-like.

Why he wanted to be recognized by the village.

Why everyone shunned him.

The reason he lived alone.

"You know what's funny…" Tsunade interrupted their thoughts. "It's amazing who put that demon inside him."

TenTen looked at the Godaime, then realizing what she was saying. "Some way to say, 'I Love You'." She growled.

Lee smacked TenTen on the back of the head. "Why do you say that!" he blurted out angrily.

Tsunade glared at Lee. "Because the Yondaime is Naruto's father."

Lee quieted down, and the others stared in astonishment. First learning the Naruto had a demon sealed in him, but the greatest Hokage ever being his father?

"So, his father gave him a curse…" Neji muttered. "Just like me." He thought back to the Chuunin battle with the blonde ninja, and sighed.

You can never know what it's like to have a mark that sets you apart. A mark that can never be wiped away!

Oh how wrong he was that day. "Why don't they just extract the Kyuubi?" Ino asked. "Then he'd be freed."

Shikamaru frowned at his teammate. "You know nothing about people who are jinchuuriki, do you?" he asked, and Ino tilted her head. "When a jinchuuriki has their demon extracted, they die on the spot."

"Plus," Tsunade added. "There is more to that with the Kyuubi." Shikamaru looked confusingly at the Hokage, and she shook her head. "The seal that the Yondaime performed on Naruto, was one that joined life forces with him and Kyuubi. Thus, giving Naruto the ability to have the Kyuubi's chakra." The Godaime took a breath. "But when he uses too much of the Kyuubi's chakra, his chakra coils slowly break, shortening his life. You can tell how much chakra he's using by the number of tails. When it reaches four, it dangerously damages his body. The higher it goes, the quicker he dies."

"If he gets all nine tails, he dies on the spot. Until his chakra coils are fully matured, and the Kyuubi's chakra is fused with his own, he has a very high chance of dying."

Neji gasped. "Wow…" That was the only word to describe all of that. "If you remove my curse seal, then I die…but if they don't, I don't have anything else that kills me. But Naruto…just using the Kyuubi's chakra slowly kills him."

Chouji for once, stopped eating. "No way…" he muttered.

Tsunade was about to speak, but the doors busted open, and some of the medical ninja bounded in. "Hokage-sama,"

The Godaime stood up abruptly. "What is it?" she demanded, a little fumed that they interrupted her. "What's wrong?"

"Naruto-kun,"

"What about Naruto?" Lee blurted out.

"He's…"

"SPIT IT OUT DAMN IT!" Tsunade yelled.

The medical ninja took a deep breath. "Uzumaki Naruto's heartbeat is started to decrease rapidly."

Ino fainted as she heard the news, and the others stared, eyes widened. "They've shortened his life span to three days." He finished, and saw the Godaime punch her chair out the window.

"All of you," she called from over her shoulder. "You are coming to Kumogakure with me. NOW!" The shinobi bolted out the broken window, ignoring a ninja flattened by the hard chair on the ground.

Hinata looked over at Kiba. "What happens if Naruto-kun…" she trailed off.

Kiba shot a glare at her. "Don't even think that!" he growled.

"But still…"

Shikamaru stepped up to Hinata. "What now?"

Hinata stared at Shikamaru. "What happens if Naruto-kun…dies?"

The chuunin stared away. "I don't know Hinata." He answered. What would happen? He thought to himself. If Naruto were to pass on?