(Here's the next chapter.)
After Shikamaru and Lee went their separate ways after coming to the final fork in the road after leaving Konoha, Shikamaru was on his way to find the final dragon in hopes of learning the ancient art of ninjitsu. Shikamaru traveled for three days until his traveling took him to a long since abandoned village that was deserted. He followed his map to an old windmill and looked inside seeing a shrine dedicated to the final dragon, "Well looks like this is it," Shikamaru said to himself as he stood before the shrine, "Let's hope this works." He took out a scroll and read its incantation.
'I call forth the master of Spirit. Kon-Shisho, hear my cry and come forth as I call your name Kon-Shisho!'
The shrine glowed, and Shikamaru looked shocked as he was engulfed in the light and woke up in the void and looked around, "Whoa, where am I?"
"You are in my realm boy." A voice answered.
Shikamaru gasped and saw the very person he was seeking approach him, "You, you're Kon-Shisho."
"Yes, now who are you?" Kon asked a little impatiently.
Shikamaru knew he couldn't be disrespectful so he answered, "Well I'm Shikamaru Nara from the village of Konoha in the Land of Fire. And I've come here because I need your help."
"What could a lowly underling like you possibly want from me?" Kon asked looking unimpressed.
Shikamaru knew he couldn't let this guy talk down on him and knew he had to mean business, "Look I'm sorry, and I know that you're a busy spirit, but I need your help."
"My help?" Kon raised a brow.
"Yeah, long story short, your traitor of an Allie Saki may return and I have been sent to seek you out to learn the secrets of ninjitsu." Shikamaru explained boredly.
"You speak the truth yet you speak it in discomfort." Kon noticed the tone in Shikamaru's voice.
"Believe me I find it troublesome that I was chosen, but it's the way things went. Although I may find it troublesome I know this is something I can't ignore because if not the ninja land will not survive." Shikamaru answered.
Kon studied Shikamaru, seeing past his bored exterior he could tell that he truly meant what he said, "You are an interesting one, Shikamaru. Very well I shall make you an acolyte and teach you all I can about fighting physically and spiritually."
"Arigato, Kon-Shisho." Shikamaru bowed his head.
"Come your training must begin." Kon started as he snapped his fingers and the void transformed into an ancient temple.
"Whoa." Shikamaru gasped.
"First thing's first. I wish to see what spirit you have." Kon explained as he got into a lotus position and motioned Shikamaru to do the same.
"Spirit?" Shikamaru asked.
"Yes acolyte," Kon answered and continued, "While you walk on this earth, your spirit walks in another world. What you see with your eyes is only one plane of existence. What you feel with your heart and chi… That is the world of the spirit. To truly combat the coming evil you must be able to manifest your spirit as an avatar."
"A what?" Shikamaru asked.
"The spirit avatar taps into a warrior's deepest soul manifesting a true totem of each warrior's inner being. For example, each member of the Tribunal including myself manifests a dragon; the ancient symbol for wisdom and strength, which is also a very rare avatar. Now let us see what lies hidden in your heart young warrior. Meditate on your inner spirit, make it manifest." He said as he floated up.
"Meditating, isn't there another way to do it?" Shikamaru asked only to have Kon appear behind him and knocked him on the head.
"Quiet your mind to unleash your spirit." Kon ordered.
"Ok, ok." Shikamaru said as he concentrated his spirit, and soon silver chi was forming around him and above him appeared a spirit stag.
"Shikamaru, your spirit manifests the deer which represents gentleness, caring and kindness. With full concentration and training you will soon be able to meld your worldy form into your spirit totem. You will actually become your spirit avatar." Kon explained.
Shikamaru was in thought, 'That's great and all, but a lot good my deer avatar will do. I still have to be strong to face the true Shredder. Even I know that kindness and purity won't be enough to stop him!' he thought as his chi markings continued appearing on his body and his deer avatar was remolding.
"What is this?" Kon gasped seeing the once deer avatar had molded taking the shape of a silver dragon similar to his own, "The dragon, inconceivable!" he gasped, "It seems there is more to you than meets the eye, Shikamaru Nara."
The dragon avatar vanished and Shikamaru came out of his meditating position and looked at Kon, "So does this mean I am really worthy to be called an acolyte?"
Kon smirked, "Yes young one, for you have just proven to be one of the chosen ones destined to combat the true enemy."
Shikamaru smiled knowing he's finally being taken seriously, "Well then let's get down to training."
Meanwhile far from where Shikamaru discovered the shrine, Naruto and his group were following a foot soldier, who had discovered the whereabouts of an artifact of the true Shredder, "How much further?" Naruto asked his foot ninja as he jumped from tree branch to tree branch.
"No too far from here master." The foot ninja answered as they continued to pick up the pace.
"What artifact do you think it could be?" Misumi asked the other three elite.
"Whatever it is I hope it's not the sarcophagus. It'd be a pain having to lug something that heavy all the way back to the village." Yoroi answered.
"Stay focused you two. You never know what may be guarding the artifact." Hun ordered them as they continued on.
Soon the Foot ninja leading them stopped and held out his arms so not to go further, "We're almost there master, but I fear something's up ahead."
"Yes, I feel it to," Naruto replied as he motioned to his troops to move forward silently.
They finally looked ahead seeing a cave up ahead, "In there." Naruto could tell where the artifact was.
They proceeded with caution upon entering, readying their weapons in case something were to jump them. They crept down the tunnel until they entered a huge cavern, "See anything?" Ino asked, looking around.
Zabuza looked, until he spotted a box like object on top of a rock pillar, "Up there."
As the Foot were ready to get it Naruto stopped them, "Don't rush in unless you know what's there." He said whipping out the sword of Tengu and fired a blast at a wall and they noticed something jump off the wall and land on the ground. The creature was a gargoyle creature.
"So you saw through me?" the gargoyle asked.
"We've come to retrieve the artifact." Naruto declared pointing his sword to the gargoyle.
"Sorry but we have been given orders to protect it until the heralds arrived." The demon responded.
"We?" Neji gasped.
They looked up seeing some of the stalactites hanging from the top transformed into more gargoyles, "Looks like the welcoming wagon." Zabuza said readying his sword.
"Remember get the artifact." Naruto ordered as they all got ready.
"Hai!" they agreed and took off.
The gargoyles attacked, while the Foot fought back. Zabuza ran at some gargoyles and swung his sword, slicing them in half. Hun just swatted some away with his muscular arm, until he formed hand signs, "Fire Style; Dragon bomb Jutsu!" he called releasing bombs of fire from his mouth at the gargoyles hitting one after another.
Neji, Tenten, Yoroi, and Misumi stood ready to fight, "Ok Foot elite, let's do it!" Neji ordered activating his Byakugan.
The four took off using their weapons against the gargoyles, along with their regular jutsu such as Yoroi sucking their energy, and Misumi using his body to wrap around them strangling them to death. Neji saw one flying for him and he concentrated, "Hakke Hasangeki!" he called as he extended chakra from his body, followed by thrusting his palm into the gargoyle. This sent out a wave of chakra that knocked the demon backwards into the wall, "Neji look out!" Tenten called seeing another gargoyle swoop down to attack her fellow teammate, but the weapons mistress threw her trident weapon up to the roof of the cave causing a stalactite to land on the demon.
Naruto and Ino meanwhile were fighting the gargoyles closest to the chest containing the artifact, "Come on Ino, we're almost to the artifact." Naruto said as he slashed a gargoyle with the blades on his right wrist.
"I'm almost there!" Ino called as she got closer to the chest and defeated the last gargoyle closest to it, "I got it!" she called grabbing the chest.
That suddenly got the attention of the remaining gargoyles that let out a roar, and summoned a lot more resulting in the cave filled with gargoyles, "Oh great dealing with the ones before was bad enough." Hun groaned.
"There's no way we can go through another round against them." Tenten doubted.
"We won't have to," Naruto said jumping from the rock pillar the chest was on and landed where his team was being surrounded, "Concentrate!" Naruto said as he concentrated and red markings started covering his armor until chi energy shot up above the cave's ceiling and the chi molded taking the form of a dragon creature with a black and gray body, with red claw and toe nails almost like a dragon version of his new Shredder outfit.
"Whoa." The Foot ninja gasped.
"What is that?" Ino gasped.
"That Mistress Ino is a dragon avatar spirit." Hun answered.
"Avatar spirit?" Misumi asked.
The dragon spirit roared and released an energy shockwave from its body, pushing all the gargoyles back along with causing the cave roof to cave in. However the dragon spirit shielded the Foot clan from the falling stalactites. The Foot ninja removed their hands over their heads to see the dragon spirit letting out one final roar before returning to Naruto, "What just happened?" Yoroi asked feeling so confused.
"By concentrating on my chi I was able to manifest my inner spirit into an avatar," Naruto explained. "This was one of the abilities of the Ninja tribunal when they fought the Tengu Shredder."
"Yes, but when did you learn how to do it?" Neji asked.
"After I discovered the secrets of the Ninja Tribunal I studied up on them learning a majority of what they were capable of. The most I learned was how to manifest my spirit avatar, because I felt it will be one of the main keys to defeating the Tengu Shredder should he return."
"Well we got the artifact, we should go." Zabuza suggested.
"Hold on, which is it?" Neji asked.
The chest opened up and levitating out was the helmet piece, "The Shredder's helmet." Ino gasped.
"This leaves the gauntlet and the sarcophagus." Hun added.
"Yes. Come we must go before others arrive!" Naruto ordered as they took off.
Meanwhile back in the realm of Kon, Shikamaru stood before his trainer wearing his Shredder armor, "Well done acolyte, you have completed your training." Kon explained as Shikamaru concentrated his chi and appearing above him was his spirit avatar dragon.
In the realm of Chikara, Hinata was still wearing her Shredder armor as Chikara spoke, "Now you are ready to face the true enemy should he return." Hinata nodded as she summoned her own dragon avatar which was a green dragon.
In Juto's realm, Lee stood before him in his Shredder armor, "But remember young one, to defeat the true enemy you must strike hard physically and mystically." Juto told Lee as the Guy clone unleashed his blue dragon avatar spirit.
While in the realm of Hisomi, his little dragon spirit assistant was explaining to Chouji, "You and your team must always remember it will take all of your courage and strength to overcome your enemies." Chouji nodded unleashing his golden dragon avatar.
The four Ninja Tribunal members were in a four way split screen as they spoke, "The future has been entrusted to you, good luck." They said as the four chosen ones vanished from their respective realms ready to return to their home.
Meanwhile back at the demolished cavern two hours after Naruto and his group left, Sasuke and the heralds dropped in from the demolished opening in the roof and landed inside seeing all the gargoyles defeated, "No!" the Metal mystic called as he kicked a gargoyle onto his back and placed his foot on it's chest while pointing his staff at it's neck, "Gargoyle Tengu, you wretched demon! Who did this to you?"
The gargoyle stammered nervously, "Ninja, Foot ninja."
"And the cask, where is the cask?" The Metal mystic demanded.
"They have it." The gargoyle panted.
The mystics frowned as did Sasuke as the Metal one spoke, "You had one duty; to protect the cask!"
"But one fought like a demon!" the gargoyle gasped.
"But you are demons! Demons who've failed in your duty!" The Metal one replied.
"Where were they headed?" Sasuke demanded.
"East of here." The gargoyle answered.
Sasuke did the math knowing the closest place going east was his old home, "Konoha."
The mystics then looked at the gargoyles, "The true master doesn't accept failure, and neither do we!" the Metal one said as they raised their staffs while Sasuke unsheathed his sword and they eliminated the gargoyles.
"Now the second artifact has been taken into the village of Konoha." The Fire one said in disgust.
"Exactly," Sasuke started, "Which only leaves us one, option, we're going there personally to retrieve the artifact, one way or another."
The heralds bowed their heads obeying Sasuke and knowing it was the only way, "Let's move out." The Wind one ordered as they headed off for Konoha.
Sasuke thought while moving, 'Naruto, so you want to stand in my way of achieving my vengeance, then so be it.' He glared with Sharingan eyes activated while dark chi markings emitting from his Shredder gauntlet covered his body.
(This chapter is done.)