Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Ghostly Eyes ❯ The Face of the Goddess ( Chapter 23 )

      All around the forest valley it was felt. The monumental power of the Goddess of the Forest, the Mori no Megami, as it found its new host. The Shinobi of Konoha were dismayed. They had failed. They were also resigned. This likely meant they were done for. The Nimmori were ecstatic, cheers sounded from all over the forest as those who were still battling the Konoha-nin as well as the hiding noncombatants cried out.

     Emotions became powerful, for all knew that the goddess had been reborn at last.

     Only she hadn’t.

     Not in the way everyone believed it was to happen, at least. Hyuga Hinata watched as Naruto fell onto his back, unconscious. She couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed. What he had just done. She had been prepared to accept the Goddess into her body when Naruto charged, her Byakugan showing him bathed in a monstrous red Chakra she had never felt the likes of before, save for the second white Chakra right behind him, traveling along the Ley Line network within the Plaza.

     She had frozen in that instant. Unable to fully understand just what was happening. Torn between her frantic desire to move and her desire to stand her ground and see this ceremony to its end. Now, however, her mind was racked with questions.

     What was Naruto?! What was that thing chasing after him?! What had she just been about to allow into her body?! What had Naruto just taken in her place?!

     “Naruto-kun?!” she exclaimed as he hit the ground. She ran to him and dropped to her knees before him. She scanned his body with the Byakugan and was even more startled.

     With himself and the Goddess in one body, she anticipated seeing two Chakras within Naruto. She saw them, one a bright blue, the other a luminous white. However, along with those two there was a third. A dark red power. The Chakra that had allowed Naruto to plow through the Ki’ge’s final defenses and reach her.

     “What is happening?” said a tired voice.

     Hinata turned to the Ki’ge and answered him in the Nimmori tongue.

     “N-N-Naruto-kun… he… he took the Goddess into himself!”

     “What?!” the old man cried out. Hinata could not remember seeing him so tired and weak before. His age was catching up to him. The use of so many powerful techniques, not the least of which was the summoning of the Goddess in the first place, had taken their toll. Hinata didn’t believe he could be standing.

     “What is happening within the boy?” he asked.

     “I don’t understand why… but, he possesses three Life’s Flames.”

     “Three?!”

     “Yes…” Hinata said. She watched for a moment longer before letting out a gasp.

     “Th-the white Flame… it’s trying to… it’s”

     “Consuming the boy’s?” the Ki’ge asked.

     “Yes!” Hinata exclaimed, “How did… you… know…”

     Hinata suddenly looked at the old man in a whole new light.

     He knew! He knew that would happen! He was going to let… to let me…

     “You really were going to sacrifice me!” she said, remembering Naruto’s words earlier.

     “I was.” the Ki’ge said with a cough, not bothering to deny it.

     “H-How could you?! I-I thought…”

     “You thought right.” the Ki’ge answered, his breathing heavy with exhaustion “My sole dream… it was to bring forth… our Goddess. To see with my own eyes… the one who would restore our clan to glory…”

     “But… ; But you were going to let me…”

     “You deserved the honor! You were ideal for the task in so many ways. You were strong… intelligent… and, most importantly, loyal…”

     “LoyalR 30;?”

     “I knew” the Ki’ge said before a cough interrupted him, “When I Purified you, I saw into your heart. I saw a girl who would do anything for those who acknowledged her. Whose loyalty would know no bounds, once it was sworn. That was why, even after your Purification was defeated, you still wished to serve us.”

     “But, if I had known-”

     “Would it have mattered?”

     “Of course it would have!” Hinata yelled, struck at the question. How could he be serious?! If she’d known that she would have died from the start she would never have… would never…

     Hinata let out another gasp.

     “What is it, child?” the Ki’ge asked.

     “The third Flame… the red one…”

     “What? What is it doing?”

     “Attacking!̶ 1;

     She stood in a tunnel, almost like a sewer’s, if she was aware of such a thing. They hadn’t existed in her past before. Regardless, she was there. She knew she was not in the proper vessel. The one her followers had chosen for her. It was a disappointment, but it was not the end. There were ways to correct the problem.

     For now, though, she needed to feast. The process of entering a physical body was taxing for her. She needed to consume something to regain her strength. Or rather, consume someone. The true owner of this body. His soul would make a fine meal. She could feel his immense power. She felt something else as well, something even greater in power. But at the moment it was sealed away. It was not a threat. She could deal with the other energy source after she was finished with the child. The Goddess of the Forest began exploring the tunnel, seeking her sustenance.

    & nbsp;Naruto traveled through the odd tunnels as well. He remembered this place. He had visited it once before, in the moments before he had summoned the Frog Boss, Gamabunta, for the first time. He didn’t totally understand how it worked, but this place was inside him. His mind or something.

     He knew that somewhere around here was that goddess that got into him. As well as the Kyuubi. The damned Fox was locked away deep in this place as well. He had a feeling as to how to deal with this new development. Though it involved finding both the fox and the other monster. He could almost feel the way to reach the fox. That left the other one.

     He traversed the tunnels for what felt like an eternity before he turned a corner and saw it. The thing that had nearly killed Hinata. The thing now positioned to take his life instead.

     He had been told the creature was a demon. Naruto had little trouble believing it. She was human in appearance for the most part. However, her skin and hair were completely white, her arms and fingers both much longer and more slender than a normal woman’s. Her pointed ears stood straight up on the top of her head. She was clothed in a simple black gown.

     He had little time to think about it before she caught sight of him.

     “There you are, boy.” she said, her smile revealing a nasty set of fangs. She wasted no time, she got onto all fours and began chasing after Naruto. Moving at a speed Naruto could barely fathom. Naruto did the only thing he could, he ran.

     He raced through the tunnels. Though he didn’t know his way at all, he somehow felt he was going in the right direction. That was, until he hit the dead end. The demon woman stopped as well and smirked. She had him cornered, and she knew it. Naruto, however, was never the type to cower in fear when trapped like he was. He was a scrapper, a fighter. His instincts screamed at him to fight back, so he did.

     Naruto charged the goddess with all that he had. But she sidestepped him easily. She grabbed Naruto’s arms and held them behind his back.

     “Silly boy.” she growled, “Fighting here isn’t the same as fighting the physical world. I’m far more adept at this environment than you. Now, be still while I devour you.”

     “Let… Go…” Naruto said as he squirmed in the creature’s grasp.

     “You’ll make a fine meal.” she said, “This body will be mine as soon as you are gone. And the immense Chakra within you will strengthen me like little else can.”

     “You’re wrong!” Naruto said, “Getting rid of me won’t let you take my body! You forgot something very important!”

     “Oh, what’s that!”

     “My tenant!” with that Naruto forced his head backwards, the back of it colliding with her chin. She stepped back slightly and bumped into the wall behind her. Only then did she realize it was not a wall, but a doorway. Only then did she sense what was hidden behind that gate. Only then, did the Mori no Megami realize that she was doomed.

     Behind her was a barred gate. Locked by what appeared nothing more than a large paper with a seal written upon it. Behind it was a power far greater than the Goddesses own. The power of a Youma was hidden there. One of the nine Tail Beasts. The worst of them all.

     Before she could move away a large paw squeezed itself past the bars and grabbed hold of her.

     “Heh.” chuckled a cruel voice behind the gate, “You know, boy, I’d much rather eat you! But this will suffice for now!”

     The Goddess of the Forest never had a chance. The paw pulled her into the tunnel that caged its owner. Thanks to the pure darkness within, she never saw the beast that devoured her.