Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Ghostly Eyes ❯ Plans in the Making ( Chapter 11 )

      Cell Eight listened intently as Hyuga Tomoko, the one woman among the four Hyuga, told them of the ritual to summon the Mori no Megami. Kurenai wanted everybody clear on matters before a plan could be made.

     “As you’ve been told, the current situation is the second known attempt to raise the Mori no Megami. The first occurred well over a century ago, by members of a rogue cult of ninja who worshipped the Forest Goddess and wanted to take control of Morigakure. But they made critical mistakes in the summoning.

     “The ritual to summon the Mori no Megami is an extremely intricate process. It requires the use of the chakra ley lines found throughout this forest. According to the our clan’s research into this ceremony, members of the tribe go to specific points along the ley lines and focus as much Chakra as possible into them. To do that, they open the third of the body gates, the Forest Gate.

     “The focused Chakra is forced into the ley lines and, from there, flows in a predetermined direction, not unlike water in a pipe, towards a specific area. The Nimmori in that area will focus the enormous, flowing Chakra to create a focal point. This is the place that the Mori no Megami will take over its vessel. Where it intends to consume the very essence of Hinata-sama.

     “That is the most difficult part of the ceremony. Such a large amount of chakra forced into one point is highly unstable. The beacon it provides moves repeatedly. No great distance, just the barest of millimeters in various directions. This means the exact placing the vessel exactly is an extremely difficult task. To achieve it, a vessel has to be able to see the ley lines and the chakra flowing through them with their own eyes and move accordingly. The only known way this is possible was through the power of the Byakugan, the Kekkei Genkai of the Hyuga clan.

     “And this time, they aren’t likely to repeat the same mistakes made in the previous attempt.” she said as she finished.

     “You’re right.“ Kurenai replied, “Chances are, they’ve been working for over a hundred years for this moment. They’ve had plenty of time to learn the ley lines and likely know where to channel their chakra and how much they need to use. Also, they have a very willing and able vessel in Hinata.”

     “Willing?” ; Kiba sneered, “They’ve got her hypnotized.”

     “True.̶ 1; Kurenai said, “Which makes things especially difficult. Were it simply a matter of their forcing Hinata to do this, we could rescue her and prevent the rituals that way. But as it is…”

     “Then we gotta make her wake up somehow!” Kiba said.

     “Easier said than done.” Kurenai told her student, “Do you remember what I taught you about the basic tenets of hypnosis?”

     “Um… 221; Kiba stammered. He should remember, Kurenai’s specialty was Genjutsu, so her lectures on it were often the most thorough.

     “Any Genjutsu which utilizes hypnosis to affect another’s behavior,” Shino began, “is completely ineffective against an individual who has absolutely no desire to perform whatever actions or behavior the hypnosis is trying to force upon them.”

     “Yeah, that.” Kiba said.

     “So, wait… you can’t hypnotize someone unless they want to be hypnotized?” Naruto asked. That sounded rather pointless.

     “Not exactly.” Kurenai told him, “Hypnosis can make anybody do almost anything. But only if that person, even subconsciously, has the inclination to do so.”

     Naruto looked like he still didn’t get it.

     “To use an example, let’s say I wanted to hypnotize Kiba here into believing he was a cat.”

     “Hey!” Kiba said, looking insulted, Akamaru let out a bark as well.

     “Consider this punishment for forgetting my lessons.” Kurenai said with a smirk. Despite the seriousness of their current mission, the four Hyuga managed to chuckle as well. Kurenai turned to Naruto, “Now, from what you just saw, you might think I couldn’t possibly hypnotize Kiba like I just described. Right?”

     Naruto nodded. Made sense enough so far.

     “However, if Kiba has ever, even once, wondered about cats, then it’s possible for an attempt at hypnosis to work. That’s because the inclination is there, even if Kiba himself isn’t fully aware of it.”

     “So…” Naruto said hesitantly, “You can only make someone do something they want to already, even if they don’t know they wanna do it?”

     “Yes. Also, the stronger the desire, the harder it is to break the hypnosis by force. That is where our problem lies in regards to Hinata.”

     “Huh?”

     “Hinata’s goal, for some time now, has been to change how she sees herself and grow stronger.” Shino answered.

     “Exactly. Hinata’s essentially been given her dream come true in the creation of Kashghyu N’ga. This is, more or less, what she’s strived for, and it’s just been handed to her on a silver platter. These people acknowledge her. Right now practically worship her. Soon, in fact, they really will worship her.”

     “You’re right.” said Riisen, the oldest among the four Hyuga, “We can not, as a result, count on breaking the thrall she is under until after we have rescued her.”

     “Which means this will be more of a kidnapping than a rescue.” replied Kiba.

     “A kidnapping of someone who will certainly be heavily guarded, is skilled in combat, will almost certainly not go down without a fight, and whose exact whereabouts we do not know.” Riisen said.

     “Wonderful…” Kiba lamented.

     “Our best chance, then…” Kurenai began, “Would be to grab Hinata during the ceremony to summon the Mori no Megami.”

     “What?!R 21; Naruto exclaimed, “Isn’t that cutting it just a little too close?!”

     “I said it’s our best chance.” Kurenai replied, “It’s not our only one. Kiba, does Akamaru remember where in the Nimmori village he was kept? If he was close to Hinata then that might be where we can find her.”

     Kiba listened as the pup barked a response to Kurenai’s query, nodding occasionally as he did so.

     “Akamaru says he doesn’t remember the place well enough that he could take us there by memory. But he does know the general area and can find Hinata’s scent from there if she’s close enough.”

     “That will have to do.” Kurenai said. She considered what everyone had said and began to plan.

     “Riisen-san.” Kurenai said, the man nodded to acknowledge, “Would there any significant different between the point this ritual will take place and any other gathering of these ley lines?”

     “It will likely be the largest gathering of the lines. The area will be reasonably large. Also, if these Nimmori are as reverent towards it as you’ve suggested, it would be some place special to them. Meaning its location will be marked to distinguish it from any other such locations.”

     “Good.” ; Kurenai said, “That means it will be possible to find it. Kiba, you, Naruto, and I will go into the village as soon as things there appear settled. Akamaru will help us to find Hinata and we’ll try and get her back from there. If that isn’t possible though, we’ll need to be prepared to attack the ritual. To that end, Riisen-san, I want you to take Shino with you and begin searching for this point. Your Byakugan can search the leylines and Shino’s insects will likely be able to give him possible locations for the focal point’s location. Together, you should be able to find it.”

     Shino and the Hyuga nodded acknowledgement of the Jonin’s orders. Kurenai turned to the other three Hyuga present.

     “You three, I need you to also search the ley lines. Your objective will be to locate the points from which Nimmori will be pouring their chakra into the ley system.”

     “Kurenai-san,&# 8221; Uaishi said, raising his hand, “Wouldn’t we be put to better use helping Riisen-san and Shino-kun locate ritual’s location?”

     “No. In the event that my group cannot save Hinata, and that we either cannot locate the place of the ceremony or fail even if we do, I will need you to know these points, and kill the Nimmori who will be pouring their Chakra into the lines.”

     “What?!” replied the fourth Hyuga, a kid barely older Kurenai’s students who had remained silent up to this point, “But the last ceremony failed because…” his mouth suddenly formed an O as realization sunk in. Kurenai confirmed the boy’s thoughts.

     “The Mori no Megami is a serious threat. In the event that we can not stop it’s summoning at the focal point, it can not be allowed onto this plain. If all else fails, we will create another disaster like the one that destroyed Morigakure long ago. This place will be buried again, the Mori no Megami will be stopped.”

     What Kurenai didn’t say, what she didn’t have to, was that if this course of action was followed, all eight of the Shinobi there would surely perish.

     As would Hinata.