Pre-word: Welcome to the start of Part 2!

In a lot of ways, this is kinda like what Shippuden is to the original Naruto. So to kick things off, I've given it a similar title scheme: Hinata Byakurenden (ヒナタ：白蓮伝 Hinata: White Lotus Chronicles). Also like the anime, Shippuden, this starts off with a flash forward into the future of the fic as the prologue.

To be honest, doing this flash forward is what made starting this next part of the story take so long. I don't normally like to do flash forwards, cause a lot of my ideas grow organically as I'm writing and many of my old ideas for where things go don't end up panning out. So I don't like trapping myself into things by writing flashes into the future. I'm going to give it a try here, however, and just hope it doesn't bite me in the butt, haha.

Anyways, for those that had been patiently waiting for this to start, here we are. For those just joining, I hope you continue to enjoy the ride!

Hinata: Byakurenden

Prologue: To the End

The sun burned brightly.

It pulsed and flared, almost like a life form with thoughts and desires of its own. This terrible sun loomed ominously over what remained of the once Village Hidden in the Rain - more recently renamed to the Village Hidden in a New Dawn.

The gothic skyscrapers that reached high, as if trying to touch the sun had been laid low, the rubble piled so high that it filled the lake their village had once been built upon. Black flames were scattered throughout, adding to the already unbearable heat and bringing with it the thick smell of smoke and burnt flesh.

Among all this carnage and destruction was a young girl. Sprawled out on her back, she gazed towards the impossibly large sun with one fully open pale eye - the faintest image of a white lotus imprinted on her iris. The other eye was forced shut, the beaten side of her left face having swollen to twice its normal size.

Her once beautiful Miko robes - which had been sewn by her cousins in the Hinoshita clan - were shredded in certain spots, revealing a metal fishnet armor beneath. And her exposed skin was marred with burns of varying degrees. Yet when considering the damage the black flames were capable of, she could be called lucky to have only suffered this much.

White steam rolled off her muscles, a sign of having opened the Seventh Gate off the Hachimon and combining it with the natural energy that Kali provided. Even with the healing properties given by natural energy, the girl felt the pain of her burns and the twitching of muscles that had torn themselves apart. To move ever again would be a miracle. Yet she had no choice but to move.

Hyuga Hinata's fight wasn't over yet.

For She was still there. It was hard to spot her figure with the backdrop of the imposing sun, but her very presence did not allow one to miss her either. The Goddess, Ohirume Amaterasu, still hadn't been defeated.

She was floating in the sky almost directly above Hinata, her expression and defining characteristics shrouded in a dark shadow. Yet even though she couldn't see her face, Hinata understood the depth of her rage. She could feel it from the intensity of the raging sun. For Amaterasu was the Goddess of the Sun, and her emotions controlled it directly.

It was completely unlike the first or even second time they met. The first time, Amaterasu had been hauntingly divine and carried herself with the regal grace expected of a god. The second time she had almost seemed gracious and loving. Now she was vengeful and full of unrestrained rage.

Slowly, her appearance became larger and larger as she descended from the sky above Hinata to stand at her level. It was almost as if despite her wrath, she had acknowledged the Hyuga girl as a nemesis- An honor she hadn't given to another since Otsutsuki Kaguya, her once childhood friend.

Hinata forced her lungs to restart, sucking in a deep breath and fueling her body with the energy necessary to overcome the gigantic hurdle of simple movement. It was painful, one of her lungs having collapsed in the earlier fight and only barely being healed to the point of functionality. Yet it would have to do.

She pushed off her back and struggled against gravity itself, feeling the increased weight generated from the growing star. Forcing herself upwards, her legs buckled and she found she couldn't get herself higher than her knees, even with the power of Seven Gates. Her long blue hair fell over her shoulders, the ends of it burnt and frayed.

Floating around to her slightly bowed head, the Gudodama she created earlier answered her will and returned to be by her side. She smiled slightly at it, as if thanking the orb that didn't even have a will. She then commanded it to transform, turning it into a staff that she used as a crutch. Gripping it with both hands- her knuckles shaking and white- She finally managed to force herself to her feet.

As she looked up, she was forced to push the blue strands of her long flowing hair from her face, finally coming face to face for what might have been the final time with her opponent. To her surprise, Amaterasu's beautiful tanned face was stained with tears that ran down from her Gurengan, a pale-reddish eye similar in appearance to the Byakugan.

That wasn't to say she looked sad. Perhaps she was in mourning, yes, but her expression was far from anything one could call pitiable. For her beautiful painted lips were parted in a feral scowl, her pure white teeth clenching so hard together that they threatened to slip and split. And in the depth of her Gurengan was the same heat that powered the sun.

Unlike Hinata, she appeared uninjured, despite the blows she had taken from their earlier encounter. That wasn't to say she had managed to maintain her usual glamor. Her raven black hair that had stood without a strand out of line was frayed and disheveled. The red kimono was ripped at her ankles, and the golden patterns stained with blood and soot. And her perfect nails-like-claws were cracked and broken.

This may not have appeared like much, but to a Goddess as herself, every blemish against her was a sign of her waning power. She wasn't the perfect being she lauded herself as and that had been proven now. Thus her anger.

"I gave you people every opportunity to love me," Amaterasu spoke, her words echoing through the open air. Hinata wondered if it could be heard by those fighting outside the village, if the Fourth Ninja World War even still raged on. She had no idea how far the destruction had traveled, and for all she knew, the clashing armies may have gotten caught up in the carnage of the gods.

"Why must you continue to resist?" Amaterasu continued, sounding more like an exasperated child on the edge of a tantrum. "Have I not shown you all that it is simply better to love me? To adore me, lavish over me, and cherish the prosperity I bring? This village was once filled with nothing but strife and rain. Yet I changed all that, did you not see? Now look at it!" She gestured at the destruction, not that Hinata had to be shown it again.

"You did this." Hinata gently reminded the Goddess, not able to bring herself to sound angry, despite having every right to. No matter how much she changed, she just couldn't bring herself to hate another. And what Amaterasu said was true. She had done amazing things for the once Rain Village.

The past ninja wars had left the people in poverty, many of them orphaned. And then the other nations had abandoned them, leaving them to rebuild and fend for themselves. Adding to that, the land had been constantly covered in dark clouds and an unending rain that almost seemed to perfectly capture their collective sadness.

Amaterasu had ripped apart those clouds, bringing sunlight to the land for the first time in over a century. Their economy turned around and their fortunes seemed to be looking up as they established connections with several of the surrounding countries, which had also come under the Sun Goddess' control.

"I did this because you gave me no choice!" Amaterasu screeched. "If I will not be loved, then this garden world can burn!" And it was here in which Hinata could not abide by the Goddess' whims. For all the good she did for the people, it came at the price of their freedom. Everything had to be done for her and paid in her reverence. And if she felt slighted, even if only in her imagination, then this was the result.

Entire countries could disappear at her very whim.

She was someone that absolutely could not be allowed to remain in this world.

Her ideas and sense of norms were just too alien to be reconciled with the ways of their world. Maybe this wasn't her fault, she wasn't from here, after all. That didn't mean she could be allowed to stay either. And it was Hinata's final duty to make sure she was dealt with.

"I won't let you burn anything further." Hinata declared boldly, drawing power from her barely functioning body. Everything had been for this moment. The past few years of her life were all building to this. She couldn't say she didn't have regrets, but… upon returning to the village she had resolved herself to this ending. That was why she lived her life to the utmost, going so far as to do things that she maybe never would have been capable of without knowing where the road ended.

"You really are Kaguya's grandchild." Amaterasu sounded almost strangely sentimental upon uttering the name of her once childhood friend. "And just like Kaguya, you can't let me have the one thing that I want-" She hesitated, before correcting herself. "That I deserve. My name is Ohirume Amaterasu. The Goddess of the Sun and all under its Light. And if I cannot have love, then you shall have death!"

Hinata took one last deep breath.

And then said-

"My name is Hyuga Hinata. The White Lotus of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. And by my name and title, I promise you this: You shall not have love, but we shall both have death." With that proclamation, she reached one hand to her chest, placing it over her heart.

No, not her heart, but the final Tenketsu of the Hachimon. The Eighth and final gate. Pressing the Tenketsu, she made her final gambit. The Dance of the White Lotus had four stages. Each stage of the dance was unlocked by opening two gates further, culminating in the Fourth Dance: The Shi no Mai, a dance of death.

"Eighth Gate of Death: Release!"

Back to the Beginning

The Gates of Konoha loomed in the distance, the first time Hinata had set sights on them in over two full years.

Just looking at those gates caused a flood of memories to come washing over her. Not least of all the very last memory she had upon leaving the village. She felt her cheeks tint red, the embarrassment almost enough for her to want to turn around and run the other way again. To think she had actually kissed Naruto… although, she wondered if he even remembered that. It had been a big deal for her, but what about him? Maybe she was getting all worked up for nothing?

"Thinking about him again?" Her traveling companion teased, smirking knowingly down at her. She had long abandoned wearing the ANBU mask that had adorned her face when they started their journey, although it was times like this in which Hinata wished she still had it.

"Yugao-san…" She grumbled, turning away from her as they walked. The two had become a lot closer on their journey. It wasn't that strange when you thought about it, as it was just the two of them for over two years now. In a way, Hinata had spent more time under her care than anyone aside from her family.

"I bet he'll be really surprised to see how much you've grown." Yugao continued, and Hinata suddenly felt much more self-conscious about her figure. It was true that she had changed considerably over the course of her journey. She had hit a growth spurt, shooting up several centimeters, and her once short hair fell almost to the middle of her back. She kept the hair tied in a ponytail, using the same orange hair band that Naruto had gifted to her on their first mission together. Of course, she had filled out noticeably in other areas too, but she was going to cut that line of thought there before she turned even redder.

"You think my outfit is alright?" Hinata couldn't help but ask, pulling lightly at her recently acquired clothes. It was a gift from the last of the eighty-eight shrines she had visited, sewn personally by a member of the Hinoshita clan. A Shrine Maiden's robes, only with the usual red replaced by a violet purple. Apparently it was similar to what many of her previous reincarnations wore and reminded Hinata of how Kali appeared in the interstate.

"You've got nothing to worry about! It suits you perfectly!" Yugao praised, beaming down at her in sincerity. No sooner did she say that and the two crossed the gate, marking an official end to their journey.

They were home.

While Naruto had been the one to see them off, there was no sign of him to welcome her home. Hinata might have been disappointed, but it wasn't like he necessarily knew when she would be returning. Besides, just because he wasn't here, didn't mean there wasn't anyone to welcome her.

"Kurenai-sensei!?" Hinata called in surprise, breaking into a run the moment she saw her team captain waiting for them. She almost ran straight into her arms, only catching herself at the last moment upon noticing her teacher's bulging stomach. "You're pregnant?" She couldn't stop herself from gasping this out loud. For Kurenai Yuhi was most definitely pregnant, and quite far along by the looks of it too.

"Welcome home, Hinata." Kurenai closed the remaining distance between them, wrapping her in a gentle hug, careful of the baby she was carrying inside of her. "You've grown so beautiful these past couple years." She said, now holding Hinata at arms length to properly look at her.

"Asuma-sensei is the father?" Hinata asked, only just noticing that their conversation wasn't matching up at all. This proved to her all the more how long two years actually was. It felt like there were a million things they had to talk about.

"That obvious, huh?" Kurenai giggled awkwardly. She had never really discussed her love-life with Hinata, but she had always been aware of the feelings her teacher had for the other squad captain. And when he had done everything in his power to help Hinata get her mission sanctioned, she understood the feelings must have been mutual. She was so happy to see the two had finally figured it out.

"Congratulations." Hinata pulled Kurenai back in for another hug. Now more than ever, she was glad her mission had been a success. For it was like she hadn't saved just one life, but the life of Kurenai's unborn child as well.

"Thank you, Hinata. It really is because of you that I'm able to be here with this child." Kurenai whispered in her ear, her voice quivering slightly. Only when they pulled back, could Hinata see it was out of restrained joy. "Asuma and I probably would have figured it out sooner or later, anyways. However, after the attack by Orochimaru, I think we both realized how short life can be." It was strange, to think that there was something to be thankful for from that attack.

"You had really good timing." Yugao noted as she stood awkwardly just behind them. It was only when she said it, did Hinata realize the implication she was making. Hinata hadn't been in contact with anyone, after all, so Kurenai shouldn't have known when they were coming back. This meant Itachi must have told her, as he was the only one with such information, thanks to Yugao's monthly reports.

"Actually, this is a C-rank mission. I'm supposed to escort you to the Hokage tower." Kurenai admitted with a small giggle. "I can't do much work now that I'm pregnant, but the Lord Fifth Hokage allowed me to do this so that I could be the first one to greet you."

"Lord fifth?" It was only then that Hinata noticed the huge difference that had been staring her in the face. She had been so distracted by her mother-figure's new pregnancy, that she hadn't glanced upwards at the Hokage Monument- and the new face etched into it.

Uchiha Itachi was officially the Godaime Hokage of the Leaf.

Whereas before he had only been acting as the Hokage from the shadows, it would seem he had been properly accepted into the role. Two years ago, such a thing would have seemed impossible, but once again she was reminded of how long that time actually was. She was relieved, for while Itachi frightened her, it was impossible to deny that his power was necessary for what would come.

"You probably have a lot to get caught up on." Kurenai turned towards the direction of the tower, her intent clear. "Let's do it on the way." She started to walk, but not with any sense of urgency. She may have been officially on duty, but this wasn't so important that they couldn't enjoy some time together first.

"Yes, I hope everyone else is okay. What about our squad…?" Hinata joined her teacher at the side. Yugao trailed a step behind them, allowing the two to catch up. Hinata turned to bring her in, but with a simple shake of the head, Yugao urged them to not worry about her. She had been with Hinata all this time, after all. It was Kurenai's turn.

"Everyone is fine." Kurenai assured her. "Kiba, Shino, and Tayuya all made Chunin at the last exams." There wasn't a doubt in Hinata's mind that they deserved it. Especially after the strength they showed on their last mission together. "And Neji was promoted to Jonin. He's acting as the Squad Captain to them now that I'm pregnant."

"Neji made Jonin!?" Hinata couldn't suppress her gasp of surprise. Of course, she had no doubt that he deserved the role, but to think he had jumped straight there. And what's more, he was leading her old team now. It was a complicated mix of emotions in which she took that news.

Of course, she was happy for him. And she was grateful that her team was in such capable hands. At the same time, she couldn't help but wonder if this meant there was no place for her on the squad anymore. No- she had told herself to stop thinking negatively, so she wouldn't dwell on that.

Things had changed. Those changes didn't have to be a bad thing. And even if their squad would never go back to the way things were before, that didn't mean they would stop being comrades in arms.

"He did," Kurenai nodded. "They all wanted to be here for when you got back, but an urgent mission came up and they're not in the village at the moment." She didn't add anything further, and Hinata got the sense that Kurenai was trying not to worry her.

"I can't wait to see them when they get back from their mission." Hinata said, deciding not to dwell on the dangers they might be in. After all, they were all capable enough.

She wondered about Neji's caged bird mark. Had the elixir been successful? Despite the desire to know, she didn't ask. Such questions were better discussed with her clan, whom she would see tonight. She also didn't ask about Amaterasu or the state of the world. Itachi would certainly have those answers for her, and she wanted to hear about her friends and peers from her old teacher.

So the two continued their conversation, ignoring all things political and complicated. Just acting as a simple teacher and student that hadn't met one another in two years.

Despite their meandering pace, they reached the Hokage Tower far too quickly for Hinata's taste. Kurenai guided them up the steps and towards the familiar office doors, stopping just outside of them.

"This is the end of my mission," Kurenai smiled sadly, the longing look in her eyes obvious to anyone, let alone Hinata's Byakugan. "I know you'll be busy with your family and your mission, but when you can make the time, come see me."

"Of course I will." Hinata said without pause, stepping forward and pulling Kurenai into another hug. "Thank you for being the one to come see me. It made me really happy." The emotions flowing through her were too much and she thought she might cry, despite the joy of the situation. She managed to hold back her tears, and with a final goodbye, she and Yugao stepped through the doors and into the Hokage's office.

The office was exactly as she remembered. Save for only one big thing: The person sitting behind the desk.

"Welcome home Hyuga Hinata, Uzuki Yugao." Itachi greeted them. He sat at the desk, eyes looking forward and fingers interlaced in front of them. Numerous paperwork scattered the desk, but lay ignored for the time being. He had been expecting them.

"Lord Fifth," Yugao bowed to their leader, Hinata mimicking the words and actions with a single second delay. Hearing that Itachi was the Hokage now was one thing, but it wasn't until this moment the true reality of that settled in.

"Be at ease," Itachi waved away their tension with a small smile, an effect slightly ruined by his piercing Sharingan gaze. "You've had a long journey and there's a lot to catch up on. First, I'd like Yugao's report." Unlike with Kurenai, it would seem it was all business with Itachi. Not that anyone could blame him, considering his position and the fact that they weren't ever close to begin with.

Yes sir!" Yugao seemed unfazed by the transfer of power over to Itachi during their absence. Either she had heard about the transition somehow or she had expected it. Or perhaps she was just using her Anbu training to mask her surprise, but regardless of what it was, Hinata did not know. Nor did she suppose it was important.

What was important for them now was to decide what to do next. In order to do that, however, Itachi had to understand how far Hinata had come in her two years training.

Their opponent was a literal goddess, after all. Amaterasu had broken her way into their world and was now amassing followers in order to increase her power and complete her hold over everything under the sun. The last time Hinata had clashed with her, it had been her complete and utter defeat.

That was why she had been training so intently; In the interstate, the world where only Otsutsuki Kali existed. Kali was a transmigrant that had been reincarnating for over a thousand years, and Hinata was her latest host. While visiting the Eighty-Eight shrines she was tasked with purifying, she meditated frequently, learning everything that Kali had to teach her.

However, just training inside the interstate wasn't enough. Hinata took what Kali taught her in the interstate and practiced in the real world. And Yugao made the perfect companion to test her abilities. The progress she made wouldn't have been possible without the skills and talents of the Anbu assassin that had become her friend.

It was the growth Yugao witnessed that she reported on to Itachi. Even so, that was only half the story. She had been made aware of Kali's existence- one of the rare few who had- but the details she had were sparse. It would be up to Hinata to fill in Itachi on the spiritual side of her journey.

"I see, thank you for your report." Itachi nodded as Yugao finished, taking a step back to allow Hinata her turn. As Hinata stepped forward to give her version of her training, Itachi surprised her. "Ohirume Amaterasu has founded a new village." He said simply.

"S-Sir?" Hinata couldn't help but stutter, something she hadn't done for a long time now. The information was just that shocking, and in a time where she hadn't expected Itachi to give her anything yet.

"I'll leave aside the details for now, but the fact of the matter is: You said she will only get stronger with worship. She has her worshippers now and is no doubt working to expand them as we speak. It wouldn't be strange to think a battle against her could happen at any time now. Are you ready for that?" Itachi poised the most difficult question of all.

The last time they faced, it hadn't even been a contest. Hinata had been beaten so utterly and decidedly, that the idea Amaterasu was even stronger was too terrifying to even consider. However, the whole purpose of Hinata's training had been for that purpose: defeating the undefeatable. So she had only one answer.

"I am prepared to fight Amaterasu… and defeat her. No matter what it takes." Hinata said this so assuredly that she almost seemed like a different person. There was no sign of the old her in that sentence. It was the old her that had allowed Amaterasu to slip in, and it would be this new version of her that would ensure she was repelled.

The answer seemed to please Itachi, the slightest ghost of a smile gracing his lips. "Is that so then?" He asked. "Well, in that case, I would like to skip all the small talk. Tonight, I want you and Yugao to report to the entrance of the Forest of Death. It's there that we'll see just how much you've really grown."

"You can't mean…" Hinata was so shocked by this sudden development that she momentarily forgot herself. "That I have to spar against you?" While it was true that she was confident in her new abilities, the idea of fighting their Hokage- that was just unthinkable.

Itachi's eyes widened slightly, before he broke into a small, restrained chuckle. "No, no. Your opponent won't be me, I'm afraid. There's someone else much more suited to testing your new abilities. And well… he wouldn't let me leave the job to anyone else even if I thought it was a better idea." As Itachi continued, Hinata's eyes widened as she started to understand exactly what Itachi was getting at. "Your opponent will be-"

"Me, y'know!" A loud voice boomed from just out of view. A moment later, the window to the office burst open and the owner jumped in. And to absolutely no surprise to anyone, Uzumaki Naruto was the one that landed next to Itachi.

He stood tall, having hit a growth spurt of his own, possibly a head taller than Hinata. His blonde hair hadn't changed much, still the usual spiky mess that Hinata often compared to a child's drawing of the sun. What was noticeable was the change in his attire. He dressed much more in the stock attire of the average Konoha Shinobi now, looking eerily similar to his squad captain, Hatake Kakashi. The only difference were orange stripes going down the sides of his sleeves and leggings.

Of course, this also meant he sported a Chunin Vest of his own, signifying his promotion. Something he seemed particularly eager to show off, puffing out his chest and smiling brightly at her, hands placed on his hips.

Hinata was at a loss for words. She had been looking forward to meeting him again, even disappointed that he hadn't been at the gate to see her. However, to think that the first thing they would discuss upon seeing each other for the first time in two years was an upcoming fight they would have.

"Hinata." Naruto's sky-blue eyes looked directly into her Byakugan. He didn't even seem to notice the rest of her. It was almost like he was assessing not how she changed physically, but mentally. As if realizing that, she became determined not to let him down. She hardened her resolve and met his gaze head-on.

After several seconds of this silent staring contest did he beam at her, closing his eyes in the process. "Yep, you're Hinata alright!" He proclaimed, although she had no idea what he meant by that. Was he trying to say she hadn't changed at all? No, that wasn't the type of person he was… unless it was he who had changed? She immediately regretted the thought.

"Naruto-kun, I-" Hinata wasn't even sure what she was going to say. In her head, the only thing she could remember about him these past two years was that final kiss. However, she knew he had a much different idea in mind for their reunion. As if sensing this, he held up his hand and cut her off.

"Our promise comes first." He said, rarely serious. Or perhaps he had matured since she was away. "You beat Gaara in the arena… and while it wasn't an official match, I beat Sasuke in a one-on-one fight, even he acknowledges it. That's why you and I have to settle our match tonight. Although we've both already been promoted to Chunin." He added with a chuckle.

"Technically you're a Special-Jonin already." Itachi mumbled to the side, but was quickly ignored as Naruto continued a moment later.

"We don't go back on our word, that's our ninja way. You haven't forgotten, have you?" He asked her. It was only with those words that Hinata finally felt like she understood where all her reservations were coming from.

Naruto had been the one to give her the Ninja Way she used. He had been her guiding light, since long before she awakened her new powers. The thought of having to fight him… to see once and for all if she had caught up to the shadow she had always been chasing- that frightened her far more than fighting Itachi or even Amaterasu.

However, he was exactly right. It was only by confronting him that she could honor their Ninja Way. If she tried to run away from that and just go for the confession she left him with, she would always be standing in his shadow. In order to be his equal, this had to come first.

So she answered his call, determined not to disappoint him. "I haven't forgotten, Naruto-kun." She responded, smiling as confidently as she was capable of at him. The time to show off the fruits of her labor was now. Not just to him, but to the village and to herself. That was why she felt emboldened enough to add-

"I'm not going to lose."

Chapter End

AN: Alright, so here we are.

I tried to find a right balance between giving out a lot of new information without making things too overwhelming. So there will be a lot more information that comes out as things move, but I'll try to introduce it in ways that feel organic and not just like info-dumps. Hopefully.

There's only really one translation note for this chapter and that is The Shi no Mai （シの舞）This can be translated two ways, either the Fourth（四）Dance, or the Dance of Death（死）, both Four and Death able to be read as 'Shi' in Japanese. Anyways, I'm sure that Prologue has a lot of people concerned for where this story is going… but, we'll get there. For those who have read my other stuff, you should have an idea for the type of endings that I like (to give a pretty big hint for the general resolution).

Anyways, focusing on the present, next time will be a short reunion with the Hyuga Family and then onto the fight I've been teasing since way back in the fourth chapter of part one. Look forward to it and I'll see y'all next time!