Something Precious

Chapter Five

"Fine. Since I don't really have a choice," Naruto glared rather harshly at the old man who pointedly looked else where. "But only Inoichi and you are allowed." The Hokage nodded in affirmation. Minato looked hurt. He knew that they had just met but he felt like he had a special connection with the blonde and was disappointed that he didn't seem to trust him.

Naruto noticed this. "It's not personal. It's just that some things shouldn't be known and some things are better off not seen." Minato frowned. He didn't really understand what that was supposed to mean, but if Naruto didn't want him to see something in his personal memories, who was he to try and disrespect that.

"Okay then. Let's get this over with." he looked at Inoichi expectantly. He took the cue and started telling everyone what to do.

"Naruto, lay back and close your eyes. Try to relax the best you can. You four," he pointed to Minato and his team. "Either leave or go in the corner and be quiet." they all chose the corner. "Now Lord Hokage, take hold of my shoulder and let my chakra guide you." the old man put a hand on Inoichi's sholder.

Inoichi gathered his chakra and once more placed his hand on Naruto's forehead. "Here we go." he said.

The blonde gave one last warning before they were pulled into his mind. "Brace yourselves."

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Inoichi, Sarutobi, and Naruto opened their eyes to see a field identical to what Inoichi described. The soft grass was an odd reminder of the battles they had fought, or rather the grounds they had fought them on. The bloody coloured clouds reminded them of the blood that was shed and the life that was lost.

"Well this is . . . certainly unique." commented the Hokage. Naruto looked around.

"Hmmm. I've never been here before." commented the Uzumaki

"Do you enter you subconscious often?" voiced Inoichi.

"Yeah well that's where Kurama and . . . well you'll see." the men's curiosity heightened.

"Why do you call it Kurama."

Naruto glanced coldly at the kage. "He not it. And I call him Kurama because that is his name. All the tailed beasts have names." he said a calm voice. It would have been preferable if he had yelled, as it was the Third had to repress a shudder.

"There it is." Inoichi diverted their attention to a little speck in the distance.

"Are those the doors you spoke of?" asked Saritobi. He nodded. Naruto just sent one last piercing look to the old man before walking away in the direction Inoichi had pointed.

After a long walk they stood in front of the doors. They were just as Inoichi had described. His itching curiosity made him out right ask the boy about it.

Naruto seemed lost in thought as he carefully examined every carving imbedded in the metal. His eyes were fogged over as if reliving some painful moment in his life.

"What are these carvings? You know them don't you?"

His eyes cleared at Inoichi's question."Hmm. It's difficult to explain. Have you heard of the Sage of the Six Paths?" 

"Yeah, that's an ancient legend." said the Hokage.

Naruto shook his head. "It's not just a legend. He was a real person."

They looked highly skeptical. The man did just awake from high amounts of sleeping drugs. The possibility of deliria wasn't improbable. "Okay. Well say we believe you, how does that relate to this?" he asked, gesturing to the doors.

"Alright, you may want to sit down. This is going to take some explaining." at his will three cushions appeared on the ground and they sat down. When he was sure he had the men's undivided attention he began the tale.

It took awhile, but he told them the whole story of Hagoromo Otsutsuki two son's, Asura and Indra. He told them about their talents - or in Asura's case, lack there of - and differing ideals. He told them about Indra awakening the sharingan and the test each son was given by their father to determine his successor.Asura had been chosen and that lead to ill feelings from Indra who felt he deserved to inherit the sage's title. Eventually, Indra awoke the Sage's shadow style while his little brother awakened his light style.

"When they died their spirits got reincarnated over and over every few generations. The two reincarnates always fought eventually, none quite able to find peace." Naruto's voice had gone heavy with saddness. And it was sad, for brothers to reincarnate over and over only to fight.

"Those doors depict the various reincarnates fighting." he explained. He looked sad for a moment longer before looking up at the two very immersed shinobi.

"Any questions?"

Inoichi raised his hand.

"Yes Inoichi." he said with an amused twinkle in eyes. Inoichi lowered his hand.

"Is that the First Hokage? And who is the other one? Which brother would he be? Does that mean that the First had light style too?"

Naruto sweat dropped. "That's a lot of questions. Uh, yeah that's Hashirama Senju. The other man was Madara Uchiha." he spit out the Uchiha's name like it tasted bad. "The First was a reincarnate of Asura. Neither of them were able to awaken the Shadow or Light styles though."

"What about you? Who are you fighting there? Which are you? Have you been able to awaken one of them?"

"Seriously. I know you're curious but one question at a time please." Naruto sighed but put on a small smile. "The one I'm fighting was called Sasuke Uchiha. He was Indira's reincarnate so that means I'm Asura's."

"What happened to him?" asked Inoichi in soft voice.

"He's dead." he said bluntly, unfeeling. But they both knew better to believe that he wasn't in pain.

This time the old one asked the question. "You said that Indra had the Sharingan. Does that mean he is related to the Uchiha some how?"

Naruto nodded in affirmation. "Yeah. Indra's descendants went on to form the Uchiha clan with the Sharingan. Asura's descendants formed both the Senju clan and the Uzumaki clan."

"That is really quite interesting. But you never said, were you able to awaken Asura's Light Style?"

"Yes." and with that Naruto stood and went over to open the door of memories.