Chapter 4

Poison, I've heard about abominable concoction mixed from viper's venom and a Toad Summon's saliva. The viper's venom was the thing that damaged and poisoned, but the saliva is what forces the venom to invade every vein and every fiber of a victim's body. The only place I've heard that stuff being used was by rouges who were rumored to be the cause behind many a Kage's assassination. There's even a rumor about a rouge who was the cause of both the Unsealing of the Nine-Tailed Fox, the destruction that followed, and more importantly, the death of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

I felt as if I was floating in emptiness, but a blinding light pierced my eyelids. Therefore prevented me from being unconscious comfortably. I groaned, feeling the numbness in my limbs slowly fading as I struggled to open my eyes.

But when I did open then, I saw something I could only describe as majestic.

A palace you'd only read about in stories was amoung a garden of sakura trees and a few cherry trees that have yet to blossom. I was laying in the center of a green grassy clearing, directly before the jade steps that led up to the main building. And after I'd gotten to my feet, I made my way up said steps.

The palace was made in the traditional Japanese style with large decorated lanterns that depicted birds and samurai hanging from every corner of the uniquely-designed roof. The walls didn't exist and the entire building was being held up by massive columns made from pure jade with beautiful carvings of equally beautiful creatures. A few nine-tailed fox demons here and there, a funny-looking Oni with it's mask being chewed on by a dog was my favorite one.

Then I noticed a gigantic stone wall that was carves to depict a oddly gruesome scene. A hornes woman with a third eye in her forehead was being forced into a seal by a pair of men with a single horn on their head. And beneath the large figures was five symbols. And what those symbols were nearly had me on my knees. They were the symbols of the Hidden Villages. And based off the attire of the figures, this scene occured long before the Villages existed. Almost as if it was a prophecy. One that had already came to pass.

I suddenly had my attention drawn to a sculpture that was half-carved from a giant crystal. It was a man that had striking resemblance to the two men from the prophetic wall. But instead of any odd parts on his face like horns, or a third eye, he had a blindfold over his eyes and a katana on his hip. With his left hand resting on it's hilt, almost as if he was ready for battle. And his right hand was in front of his face as if he was ready to speak a jutsu or something along those lines.

Suddenly a voice echoed from nowhere in particular. But more like everywhere. "It's a beauty isn't she? I carved everything here from a mountain by hand. Being sealed away in a pocket realm for thousands of years, you can learn a thing or two about boredom and how to counter it."

I was spinning on my heels looking for the speaker, then I actually broke down what the voice had said. "You said you carved this entire palace..." I stared at every inch of the place in awe, "-by hand? How is that even possible?!" I couldn't for the life of me find the speaker.

I had started to begin to doubt if there was even anyone speaking and I wasn't just going insane, then the voice spoke in a lighthearted tone. "Ha ha ha, you won't be able to see my form, child. I transend mortal comprehension, therefore I cannot be seen by a mortal eye. Now if you were a user of one of the Three Great Doujutsu, that'd be a different story. Reminds me of a story about a boy who lost half his body to a rock and came back to terrorize his former village using a long-dead warmongerer's name. But that's a tale for another time. But I don't have time to tell it. You'll be waking soon so I'd best explain quickly. You are Jageu of the Matsushi clan, yes?"

I was still pondering what he'd said about a boy and a warmongerer, but when I'd came around to answering the question, I was struck dumb. "Matsushi clan? Who are they?"

A silence filled the entire little realm. Not even the wind blew nearly a mile away. You could hear a twig snap from a dozen miles away, that's how silent it was.

Then the voice sighed, "So you were left in the dark. Imbeciles lead our clan, I'm telling you. Go to the statue of one of my many depictions and touch the base of it. There we'll see if you're Matsushi, as well as your potential if trained correctly. Don't be afraid if you see sime cracks, the more cracks the more power you can obtain."

I slowly inched toward the crystal statue. But when I arrived close enough to lick it if I wanted, I hesitated to touch it. "What if nothing happens? Will I be punished?"

The voice cackled loudly, almost enjoying my inate fear of death. "Much worse. You'll be transformed into chakra and absorbed into the Matsushi Clan Blades, thus seeving a use and strengthening our clan. But I'm fairly certain you will be promising. Anywau, don't keeo my waiting, this is the exciting part!" He said, waiting anxiously for the results.

I swallowed my fear, which is something I've mastered, and touches the base of the statue.

For moments, nothing happened. And I'd started to panic, you don't have to be a genius to know why.

But as soon as the sigh came from the voice, the statue began to crack slowly. Then with a harsh flash of purple light, the statue blew into thousands of shards and embedded into everything around, including my clothes, which were still the raggedy ones.

And once again, silence. Almost as if the voice was trying to understand what just happened. "Y--you're him... By Kaguya's horns... I didn't expect this to happen so quick. If you're here then that means she's close to rising. I have even less time than I thought." The voice began to ramble in a panic.

"What happened? Does this mean that I've done so badly it rejected me and blew itself apart?" I began to panic alongside the voice.

Suddenly the voice began to come froma specific direction, and I felt the winds change. And the world turned slightly grayer as I turned to see the form of the voice.

A exact replica of the statue I'd just blown to bits stood before me. Down to the scar on his left hand. His mouth opened as his voice bacame more crisp and human-like, "Jageu, you've spoken with the Nine-Tailes Demon, Kurama. The Beast was not lying or exaggerating. You, my grandchild, are the catalyst that can either save this reality, or doom it to destruction. I wish I had more time to speak, but I can merely grant you a gift and the direction to the place where you can grow strong enough to face the coming war. And so I ask, what is your favoured element? Or rather, what element do you wish to master and wield with a blade?"

I just stood there staring at the blindfolded man like a deer staring at a hunter. "Ele.. element? I've never been able to use a jutsu in my life. I can barely raise my voice enough to speak a sentence. Much less a entire name." I blinked and rubbed my eyes, trying to convince myself I was dreaming or I was dead. Either one would be prefered.

"I'll explain it simply, as you've never had to worry about jutsu before." the man sighed and unsheathed his katana, inspecting the guard and running his calloused hands along its razor-sharp edges. "Jutsu are a easy form to use Chakra. But members of my clan, the Matsushi, can imbue weapons, their body, or objects with immense amounts of Chakra. And all this without running the risk of dying from overuse. The Matsushi was divided into six houses. The House of Stone, House of Fire, House of Water, House of Air, House of Lightning, and finally, the House of Sealed Spirit. The first five are merely wielders of the Kenjutsus related to their respective elements. But the House of Sealed Spirits is a special one. Hailed as the most dangerous House to encounter in battle, they used the sealing arts to remove their enemy's abilities and bolster their own. Not to mention their extreme capabilities in mastery of Yang Chakras and the use of. The Sixth House was seen as too powerful, so they were forbidden to have children once they were discovered. But through the odd decision of my father, the Patron Lord of the Blade, he bestowed the abilities of the Sixth House upon a descendant of a illegitimate family." He looked at my absolutely stupefied face and sighed, "To explain in simpler terms, you have the most potential for great power than any of the other clans that walk the Shinobi World."

I nodded as I understood the final sentence. Which was about the only thing I understood. "So do I just choose what House I want to be a part of?"

"Typically? Yes." he chuckled, sheathing his katana, "But you've been bestowed the most responsibility and power since birth. But for safety, it seems Father placed a seal only me and him can remove. Which is what we will do now." The man held his held directly foward, as if grabbing something. Then he began to chant something in a strange language.

Suddenly a searing pain made me fall to my knees as a purple glow that resembled what came out of the statue showed up in the form of a symbol matching the one Naruto had that sealed the Beast Kurama inside him. But as soon as it appeared, it began to act like a liquid and begin to drip off my hand. But instead of dripping onto the floor, it levitated up, as if gravity didn't aoply to it. But when the former ink or whatever it was got about a foot above my head, it combusted into orange flames and vanished.

Once the entire symbol had 'dripped' off, I felt a sudden surge of power and adrenaline, as if I'd just been injected with a adrenaline stimulant. I began to notice every single thing around me. Almost as if my senses went from '0 to 1000' in sensitivity. My head started to ache as my brain tried to process all the information it acquired too quickly.

The man lowered his hand, his forehead shining with sweat from the exertion. "There...now I notice that I can't grant you the gift of a House change, so I gift you a weapon. You can optionally have it resting on your hip like a proper samurai, or you could summon it. But wielding it requires great skill, as well as willpower. The Sword of Matsushi is a strong willed spirit, if it deems you unworthy as its wielder, it will destroy your spirit an absorb your immense Chakra. And now, rest your hand on the blade's hilt. We will see if you are worthy of the great honor as the first mortal wielder of 決意, in your tongue, Ketsui." The man undid the strap holding the sheathe and blade to his side and kneeled in front of me, presenting the sword as a honorable warrior would to a noble of emperor, "Before you do, find the Snake Sage Orochimaru and force him to lead you to the Ruins of Matsushi Palace. Good luck, and carry the sword with honor. For you wield the power of an entire clan behind each swing."

I slowly caught my senses and reeled them back in. And as soon as I could move, I placed my hand on the sword's hilt. And instantly I felt a stab of pain resonated in my entire hand and finally stop at my wrist. And when I looked down at my hand after squinting my eyes in pain, I found a tight-fitting jeweled bracelet made from jade, some sort of metal, and a simple ruby jewel to top it off.

When I looked at the blindfolded man for any sort of explanation, I only found a stone statue of his body, still kneeling. But he'd placed each hand on his right knee and was looking dead at me, a look of pride on his face. And he'd stay like that for all eternity. As long as this realm exists, that is.

Then I felt the same warmth in my body that told me I was waking up. I bowed to the blindfolded man and said, "Thank you, I will remember you always. And I will never disgrace the clan." I finally accepted that I've found my clan. And I've found my purpose.

To get stronger so I can combat the darkness or evil that looms over the Shinobi World. And nothing, no one, will stand in my way.