Chapter 84 Stronghold.

Boom!

The caverns trembled from the explosions. Fights were breaking out everywhere, even though it was only the second day. With the elimination of the Stone Genins and the shortage of scrolls, it was only natural that they lost their heads. The Konoha genins were attacked many times by desperate genins, only to be beaten by Naruto trying to train Kabuto in combat.

"You said you're good at intel gathering, right?" Naruto asked, missing the boy's flinch. "There are plenty of ways to gather intel by fighting." Naruto searched through the downed enemies' pockets and found a scroll he didn't need. "Sometimes you get people that like to monologue, a lot, about their past and the current situation. I think they're trying to tell you why they're attacking you."

He tossed the scroll to Kabuto, who caught it and frowned. It was the scroll he needed, but Naruto had already given him five already?"

"Where are we still looting them?" Kabuto asked. "We have the scrolls we need."

"It's a bargaining chip for when we come across someone we can't beat," Naruto explained, walking over the bodies and expecting Kabuto to follow. "We can't fight everyone, and it's the perfect revenge for them attacking us."

"Sakura really was the one who raised you," Shikamaru sighed. "When did you become so vicious?"

"Wasn't Naruto always like that?" Ino asked, still holding her head. "He usually pulled pranks on the teacher in the academy."

"That was Naruto?" Choji seemed surprised. "I thought that was Sakura exacting revenge."

"No, that was Naruto," Kiba stated. "His scent was all over the scene." Kiba's eyes found the sleeping Sakura. "Sakura wouldn't make such a mistake. Once, I saw her set a trap with fuinjutsu, but when I walked by the area, I couldn't smell her at all."

"Oh great, she's already a hunter-nin." Ino rolled her eyes. "Why doesn't she just join the anbu already?"

"Aniki would get in the way of her acceptance," Sasuke admitted.

"I don't blame him. I wouldn't want Sakura on my team either," Hinata huffed.

"Eh?" Naruto turned to the group in surprise. "You don't like Sakura, Hinata-chan?"

"That's not what I said," Hinata pouted. "I said I didn't want her on my team. It's bad enough everyone at the mansion thinks of her as family. She treats me like I'm a child. I feel like she's looking down at me."

"She treats everyone like that," Sasuke groaned. "Even Aniki gets that treatment. He doesn't seem to mind, but It's really annoying to watch."

"You're just jealous, Sasuke," Naruto said as though speaking words of wisdom. He summoned a group of clones who ran at a group of wandering genins. "She can be cruel, but when she's nice, it's almost enviable not being the one receiving the attention."

"I don't wanna hear that from you, stupid!" Sasuke cursed. "You always have her love and attention. There's never been a case where she ignored you!"

"Isn't it the same for you, Bastard!" Naruto yelled back. "You're gonna end up marrying her, so what the hell are you complaining about."

"Marry?" Kurotsuchi muttered, surprised.

"Like hell I'll let her steal Sasuke from me!" Ino objected.

Naruto gave her a pitying look. "You don't stand a chance," He said flatly. She gaped at him before turning to Sasuke. The Uchiha looked away without a word. Shikamaru placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's fine, Ino," He assured her. "There are plenty of handsome guys you can date."

Ino glared at him.

"Actually," Naruto interrupted thoughtfully. "Doesn't Sai look like Sasuke?" Naruto took on a thoughtful expression. "His personality is more friendly than Sasuke, but they do look alike."

"Leave it to you to not understand a maiden's heart," Ino huffed. "Even if they look like Sasuke, they aren't-"

Pale hands held Ino's chin and pulled her to look up at him.

"Are you saying I'm not as good-looking as the Uchiha?" a seductive voice came from pale lips. Ino stared at the black-haired boy, Sai. Pale with black hair and eyes, he really did look like Sasuke.

"Kyaa!" Ino screamed, hearts sparkling in her eyes. "So handsome!"

Naruto stepped back and dropped the transformation, much to Ino's disappointment.

"I can introduce you to him if you want," Naruto offered.

"Yes, please!" she clung to Naruto, headache forgotten. "I've never seen someone as handsome as Sasuke. Where did you find this guy."

Shikamaru sighed, "Just when I thought her love crazed faze was over."

"Come now, Shikamaru. Let Ino have this," Choji said.

"Hey, let go of us, you tree-hugging bastard!" the cries of reluctance as down the tunnel, led by a Naruto clone. They threw down the captured genins, and the group stared. Kurotsuchi gasped.

"Guys!" she called, recognizing her teammates.

"Lady Kurotsuchi!" The two men called, but they quickly realized their situation. Naruto pushed two masked men toward Kabuto, and the silver-haired man greeted them with relief.

"Looks like the gang's all back to better," Shikamaru mused. "Time to head to the stronghold then."

The whole squad was reunited. Kurotsuchi was thrilled to hear her teammates were okay physically. They were left in the cavern when Sakura's puppet kidnapped Kurotsuchi and were left for dead. They thought it was the end until a butterfly came by the morning and healed their wounds and the lightning genins beside them.

The two groups who teamed up once parted ways, with Kurotsuchi's team deciding to look for her as they wouldn't pass otherwise. It was by coincidence that they ran into Naruto and his clones. Or at least that's what they thought. As Ino was the navigator, it left them wondering if Sakura did this on purpose, as she clearly healed them.

Tamami and Ishimaru were siblings placed on Kurotsuchi's team to protect her. They were two of their class and were confident in their ability. That confidence shattered when Saskura appeared and wracked their team. They knew there would always be a bigger fish, but they didn't think that fish was placed in their small pond as a show of power from the other villages. And that was it, wasn't it?

A show of power.

There was no way this girl was still only a genin. They knew the leaf had many powerful shinobis like the yellow flash, but surely they couldn't all be powerful. The siblings were identical in looks but weren't twins, having come from different mothers. They had similar features, however, black hair and eyes which were common in the stone village. They stared at Naruto, who stared back. Killing intent leaked from them as they molded chakra to attack.

"Enough."

The warning came with a flood of death. The stone genins froze in place, trembling.

"You fools will come along quietly, or I'll kill you."

Sharingan activated; Sasuke stared them down, promising death. He was stressed as it was that Sakura was unconscious; he didn't need idiots getting in his way.

The Stone genins surrendered. The Leaf village was truly breeding strong shinobis. What were such monsters in their exams?

"And that's why you have no friends," Hinata commented.

The group stood before an entranceway carved into the wall. The hallway leading to the Stronghold entry was littered with bodies of would-be attackers. They hoped to snatch a scroll from those that completed the challenge. It was only a shame they encountered the rookie nine and their hostages.

"So, what do we do?" Naruto asked, resisting the urge to walk through the entrance.

Ino groaned as she stepped forward to explain.

"Each team must walk through at once with both scrolls on their person," She began holding up her scrolls. "Once you're through, you'll have to place the scroll into one of two holes to enter the sanctuary."

"Why is it so complicated?" Naruto complained.

"So we're not all going to the same place, are we?" Hinata asked.

"No, we're all going to separate rooms before entering the sanctuary," Ino confirmed. "This door doesn't directly lead to the sanctuary, so you'll be trapped if you don't have both scrolls."

Tamami timidly raised her hand, getting acknowledged by Ino.

"Why do you know all this?" She asked.

"Information gathering is an important skill all genins must learn," she said wisely, not mentioning that Sakura forced the information into her head. Seemingly satisfied, Ino stepped aside. "Who's first?"

No one moved.

Hinata sighed and pushed Kabuto forward.

"Oh, Kabuto, taking the initiative is always the best move," Naruto cheered. Kabuto hid his frown with a whining smile, but while Naruto was happy for him, the Konoha genins started him down. Gulping, Kabuto stepped before the door, flanked by his teammates.

They nodded at him, and the group walked through the entryway, disappearing into the darkness. The extra scroll fell at the entrance, unable to pass through the barrier. Naruto caught Ino's body as she fell unconscious. The group stared at the darkness with baited breaths until Ino opened her eyes.

"How was it?" Shikamaru asked.

"Just as Sakura described," she groaned into Naruto's stomach.

"Was there any doubt?" Naruto said proudly.

"Right," Hinata said, stepping forward. "We'll go next."

They each walked in, one group at a time.

The stone genins were pushed in after Hinata's team disappeared.

"Can't have you staying out here alone," Naruto cheered as Kurotsuchi went through the darkness.
Naruto gathered the scroll and unsealed two chests to store them in. He admired his improved calligraphy as he wrote heaven and earth and placed them on their chest, placing the scrolls he gathered in each. By the time he finished, Ino and her team had departed, leaving Sasuke carrying Sakura. Naruto frowned and patted down his unconscious teammate. Sure enough, she had many scrolls on her. He placed the extra scroll in the chest as well. With each boy carrying a scroll, they stepped forward and through the barrier. They appeared in a large room with an imposing door sporting two holes. Sasuke scanned it with his Sharingan and found chakra running through it.

Nodding at each other, the two stepped before the door and inserted the scrolls. The door rumbled as it opened, groaning from years of unuse. A light came from inside, and the boys stepped into the stronghold.

The Stronghold must have been a Daimyo's bunker. It doesn't look like an underground cavern, with its smooth walls displaying intricate carvings and carved pillars holding up the ceiling. The ground covered in soft carpets and rugs, and the hall furnished with luxurious chairs and couches.

The chandelier that hung from the ceiling provided light, and the gold torches that hung on the walls screamed royalty.

Naruto stared, and Sasuke scoffed. If they had known this was what awaited them, they might have arrived here earlier.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto tugged on his friend's sleeve. "Isn't that the Sharingan?" The Uchiha looked to where Naruto indicated; a carving on the wall.

Sure enough, the wall displayed a Sharingan, but there were more rings or tomoe than an ordinary Sharingan.

"A Rinnegan?" he asked.

"A what?" Naruto questioned, following as Sasuke approached the cavings.

"It's the evaluation of the Sharingan that the Sage of Six Paths achieved," Sasuke explained. "It got documented a long time ago. They say the Sharingan was an evolution of the Byakugan."

"Does that mean Neji and Hinata can get the Sharingan?" Naruto asked.

"No," Sasuke shook his head. "The sage was the ancestor of the Uchiha, and Uzumaki, his brother, is the ancestor of the Hyugan. What was his name?"

"Hamura."

The boys turned to a familiar voice to see Neji watching them.

"At least that's what Sakura said," he smiled. Lee moved over to Sasuke, eyeing Sakura worried.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

"Don't worry, Bushy brow," Naruto said. "She's fine, just a little tired, is all."

Neji's eyes narrowed on the girl, stepping forward.

"May I?" He asked Sasuke, who nodded.

Neji supported Sakura's weight and held her in his arms to give Sasuke a rest. The Uchiha stretched before turning back to Neji. "The moon deity?"

Neji nodded, looking down at Sakura as he spoke.

"Apparently, the Hyuga clan came from the moon," he looked up at the mural and told the story.

"Long ago, the world was in a state of constant war. There was no end to the conflict, and the people knew no peace. Only the divine tree took no part in the battle, worshiped as a sacred pillar. One day, a princess descended from the heavens and married a mortal man. And though the two knew love, they didn't know peace. Before long, war came to their village, and she sought refuge at the divine tree.

Once every thousand years, fruit is borne on the divine tree. Tradition demanded no one touch it, but the princess ate the fruit in order to end the war. The power the fruit gave her was enough to end the war and place herself as the first person to have chakra.

Her name was Kaguya Otsutsuki." he looked up at the carving of a woman with rabbit ears growing from her head. "The rabbit goddess. She was the first person to achieve world peace. The end to all conflict.

She had two sons born with chakra, though one is known more than the other.

Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the founder of shinobi who taught the world about chakra, the sage of Six Paths, and Hamura Otsutsuki, Father of the moon and the ancestor to the Hyuga clan."

Naruto took on a thoughtful expression, "I've never heard of the moon father before," he said.

"No one has," Neji confirmed. "I didn't know about it until Sakura dug up old records in the Hyuga mansion. Even the clan head didn't know their origin. They were sealed away in a scroll; since our clan wasn't proficient in fuinjutsu, it was left to collect dust."

"It reminds me of the tablet in my family shrine," Sasuke said with a gasp. "Only those with the Sharingan can read its true meaning."

"Huh," Naruto groaned. "All my shrine has are creepy masks that will kill me if I wear them."

Sasuke looked up at the Rinnegan that looked more like a Sharingan on the back of the Sage's coat. Another evolution to the Sharingan, perhaps?

"Oh, you guys are here."

The group turned to Hinata and the rest of the rookie nine.

"We were looking all over for you."

"Hinata," Naruto ran to her as though they hadn't just parted ways.

"Are you guys looking at the sages tale?" she asked Naruto's shoulder. "It doesn't make sense that it's here. The Samurais don't use ninjutsu; why would they worship the Sage?"

"Maybe it's not the Sage they worshiped," Shikamaru said, observing the wall. It outlined the history and origin of chakra. "Maybe they worship the chakra itself."

"That can't be right," Naruto muttered. "The tree grows a fruit that makes chakra, right? But then what seed grew the tree?"

Shikamaru looked at him in disbelief. "Did you just," he paused. "Ask an intelligent question?"

"I'm not that stupid!" Naruto yelled.

"Natural energy," a weak voice spoke. Everyone looked at Neji and then at the girl in his arms. "The tree absorbs natural energy from the earth and then stores it in a fruit. That fruit becomes a source of pure power."

"That still doesn't answer where the seed came from," Naruto whined.

"The same place Kaguya came from," Sakura answered, pointing to the illustration of a meteor falling from the heavens. "The heavens."

Next Chapter

June 30