Uchiha Naruto: The Sage

Chapter 34

Naruto found himself being dragged into another world. Time didn't seem to matter around here, and the world just seemed empty of anything, except for who knew had dragged him here.

''What do you want, Hagoromo?'' Naruto questioned, folding his hands across his chest, looking straight at the legendary Sage of Six paths.

''You're not even surprised about my presence. Well, last time we met it was in your set conditions.'' Hagoromo stated calmly, as he floated in front of Naruto. With what he's seen of the blond, he really shouldn't be surprised about this. ''I guess it is to be expected from someone like you.''

''Someone like me...what is that supposed to mean?'' Naruto questioned with a raised eye brow. In all truth, he had expected this man to appear before him one day. The last time he saw the man, he was the one who appeared before him. Given everything, he had to appear before him.

''You know every well what I am talking about. You're even more power hungry than Madara. You have no desire for peace. The very thought of achieving peace is even laughable to you. Despicable. I know for certain that the only strong emotion you hold is your love towards your mother, and that other girl. But that is also fading, little by little. Isn't that you wish destroy all your emotions?''

''Have you been reading from the same script as I, Hagoromo? Have you searched deep into my heart and seen that I don't love as you claim? Can you really say that I don't care for Yugao, Karin and Even Mei?'' Naruto threw a fit of questions to the Sage in front of him, but he already knew the answers to his questions.

''Yes, you can love and fee all these other emotions that makes you human. However, that isn't who you really are, no? The current can feel because you have allowed it to happen, you've allowed yourself to feel while you seek to create the ''real" you. There is that sickening darkness that lies deep inside your heart.'' Hagoromo paused for a moment. ''But we both know that all those names you mentioned can be discarded if it suites your end.''

''Where do you get this that you speak of, Hagoromo?''

''I see that you're still amused by this,'' the Sage shook his head. ''You started exactly like the Shinju - watching while humans kill each other without care, only interfering when it suites you. Despicable. Sometimes I really wonder how you can love with what is deep inside your heart. You're trapped in a prison of your own making, you have yet to realize it, but you will soon, and when you do, you will discard everything.''

''Madara said something like that,'' Naruto responded, looking thoughtful. ''You're wrong though, I certainly do care for those I say I care for. But you are indeed right; I've been playing this game far too long it has gotten to me. I had to play the Uzumaki role and the Uchiha role, while at the same time I played the ''other'', you've to agree with me that it puts a certain strain towards the mind.

You're still wrong though. You mistake my desire for power and hatred towards this world as darkness. You don't want to believe that the power I seek will be used for "good". History doesn't favor me, but your assumptions are based what you perceive of me. The problem with that is you don't understand me fully and you'll never do.

Don't you see that the current me is enough for this world? If I'd not done what I did, I would have destroyed Konoha and everything that stood in my way. This state and this mind have made me fall in love and somewhat made me a good person, Shouldn't you be pleased with that?''

''Pleased? Look at what you've done to this world?''

''The hatred inside of me for this world burns deeper than Madara's. Uchiha Naruto cares for nothing, and without the heart of Uzumaki Naruto, I would have burned this world. I despise it and it disgusts me. Because of the system of this world, my mother died without even raising me, I was frowned upon, never enjoying life. This world has turned my loving grandfather into a cold hearted monster that will do anything to achieve his dream.'' Naruto stated holding out both his hands. ''Say what you wish about me, but this hatred of this despicable world is what you mistake as darkness.''