Naruto Shippuden X Male Reader

Chapter 38

(Y/n) POV)

I was walking around town when I saw dad leaning into a window holding Make-Out Tactics.

Shiho: "If I read the first characters of the code in order... The-Real-One's-Not-Among-Them... That's what it says." I flashed next to dad as I looked in the window.

Naruto: "What does that mean?"

Shikamaru: "I don't know."

"It means that Jiraiya and I didn't fight the real Pain!" Dad jumped as he looked at me while the others were also shocked to see me.

Shiho: "What do you mean?"

"There's what he called The Six Paths of Pain. Deva, Asura, Human, Animal, Preta, Naraka. Out of those six, the real one's not among them must mean there's a seventh, and that seventh is the one controlling the Path's of Pain and therefore also the "real one" Jiraiya is talking about."

Shikamaru: "Let's relay this information to Lady Hokage right away."

Shiho: "May I come along?"

Shikamaru: "Yeah, please do, Shiho." Oh so he has fangirls now.

Shiho: "Yes, sir!"

Naruto: "Alright! Let's go let Granny know!"

"While we're there, we should summon Lord Fukasaku. He was there as well and could verify my theory."

Shikamaru: "Got it."

(Timeskip)

Fukasaku: "The-Real-One's-Not-Among-Them."

Naruto: "Well, Geezer Sage?! Anything?

Fukasaku: "I don't know... This alone is too vague."

Shikamaru: "But there's something?"

Fukasaku: "I've already told you what I know about Pain. Even if he dies, he can resurrect himself. So I can't say just from speculations. Under such conditions, taking Pain on is too dangerous. We must uncover all his secrets first."

"Then I guess it's time." Everyone looks over to me as I remove my eye patch. "Like Pain, I too possess the rennigan." I opened my eye to reveal the same ripple pattern that the autopsy team had seen so much of. "I don't understand this thing completely, but given a bit of time I could potentially figure out if my theory is correct."

Tsunade: "What do you know of it so far?"

"During my battle with Pain, I was able to use abilities he used against me since I've seen it and wouldn't be in the dark. The only Paths I understand are; the Deva Path, which allows me to manipulate attractive and repulsive forces with objects and people, the Animal Path which allows me to summon various animals and creatures, the Preta Path which can absorb chakra in any form which includes the susanoo, and finally the Asura Path which allows me to augment my body to summon mechanized armor and various ballistic and mechanical weaponry. That leaves the Human and Naraka Path's that I've never used."

Tsunade: "That's good. I want you to go practice with the rennigan in secret and come back to me with anything you find."

"Will do." I flashed away to Mt. Reika, or more specifically, Takeshi's cave.

Takeshi: "I sense a great pain in you young one."

"Yeah that happens when people you love die."

Takeshi: "My condolences... but, I know you didn't come here for a therapy session."

"You'd be right. I assume you already know of my secret."

Takeshi: "Yes, I am aware of your rennigan young one."

"I wanted to ask if you knew anything about it, and if you could help teach me how to use it?"

Takeshi: "It's a good thing you came here then. You see, your rennigan is linked to me as it was one of my eyes in the past."

"In the past?"

Takeshi: "Indeed young one. I am, or rather was, a part of a single being before being split into four. This singular being controlled the seasons, and when it was split, Summer and Winter were forced into the bodies of mythical creatures. I haven't spoken to Spring, or Hakeshi, and Fall, or Akeshi, but I am the being that controls Winter. My sister, Kateshi, controls Summer. And yes, I do know our names are almost the exact same. Moving on from that however... Each of us were once a part of The Sage of Six Paths, Hagaromo. We were created along with the tailed beasts to help maintain the world. I was given the body of a dragon as you know, Kateshi was given the body of a phoenix, Hakeshi was given the body of a Hydra. The only difference was Akeshi. He was turned into a spirit that forever wanders the world."

"I just thought of something. If you say you had a rennigan in the past, then why don't you have one now?" Takeshi hums before his left eye fades into darkness.

Takeshi: "You have my rennigan now."

"Is that why my body rejects it?"

Takeshi: "Yes and no. Your body rejects the rennigan because of my existence. Each one of us has one rennigan, and the power each rennigan is too much for a regular human to sustain. Your mother was meant to inherit my rennigan, but it appears that she gave it to you instead."

"You say it's because of your existence that my body rejects the rennigan. So I assume I'd have to kill you in order for my body to accept your rennigan."

Takeshi: "You'd be correct. The training I put you through was the basics to learning how to control my rennigan. Ghyatan is acceptance of yourself, and from there you can use both your mind and body to its full potential. And once you fully master Ghyatan, I will die, and you will absorb my spirit."

"Will I become another vessel for you?"

Takeshi: "Not entirely. I will live inside you similar to that of a jinchuriki. You can call upon my power when needed, but I must warn you that there could be drastic consequences."

"So the secret to Ghyatan is acceptance... acceptance of myself... of who I am?"

Takeshi: "Correct." I sigh before walking to the left of Takeshi, and into the darkness of the cave. "Do you have a plan young one?"

"Nope... I'm just gonna wing it and hope it works."