Son of the Sun

With naught else to do, Kasai son found himself back at the same training grounds where his journey had begun. It had been a long and tiring journey, he knew. He could remember each step of the way. The first time he had arrived here was the first step.


Walking along the training grounds, Kasai remembered meeting Tatsuya on the very ground that he stood upon.


Picking up a stone, Kasai threw it across the ground, watching it sail a ways, and then fall. Here was where he had met Makussu as well. The thought caused him to close his eyes. It stung, knowing that his own friend had died at the hands of The Dawn, while he himself was unconscious and buried under many feet of rubble. That day had changed him significantly, though strangely enough, it had not changed him nearly as much as the time that had spent with himself had. He hated to admit it, but it was true. The time with him, and him alone changed him the most.


It had been alone that Kasai had formed the pact with the apes, and alone that he had adorned the new attire that he now wore, and it would be today that Kasai would find one thing more. It was not divine intervention that told him this, but he knew it, the same way someone knew that they would receive pay for a job. No one told you, though sometimes they did; but rather, it was something you kept track of, and Kasai had indeed been keeping track of this day. It was far more than finding coins under a rock, or even the day he was promoted the chuunin rank. No, today was the day he found a new power.


With these thoughts flowing through his mind, Kasai looked up to the sky above him, and a relaxed expression came across his face. The sun reflected in his eyes, and each burn mark on Kasai's face reflected themselves back onto the sun. The twisted and damaged skin called out to the sun, each sting of pain knowing fully that the sun was the source of the original damage; knowing that it had spawned forth the first flame. The flame which, after it had done what it needed to Kasai then granted him that same power.


Looking down, Kasai watched his palms, and felt the chakra pulse through them. He could feel each finger individually glowing with the red hot fire that was the power of the sun, and he knew it was his power to control. The Uchiha, strong as they might be with their red eyes, knew not the full force of the flame. They claimed to be the clan of the flame, and to have the most power over it, but Kasai knew otherwise. True power, and the purest of fame came not to those who were born with it, but to those who needed it. Once the need for the fire goes away, however, the flame itself does not go, so long as the servant does not. 


The fire is not your to use, but graces the earth with its power.


An inferno was released at that moment. A colossal column of fire erupted from Kasai's mouth, the hand signs for it being formed even without his knowing. (550 - 30 great dragon fire = 520), launching into the air, further an further. It was amusing, but not enough. Not nearly enough.


If fire was the truest of power, which Kasai did believe, then it must be exerted in the purest of forms. It did not need such a massive display, as he had just done, but rather something simple. Something so small, but so strong. Just as the first flame was.


He spun then, releasing another hail of hell upon the world, shooting first six fire balls in a row, and then two large ones, sending them all around him, causing fire to spark up and strike everywhere, as if he stood in the underworld itself. (520 - 20x2 great fire ball - 20 phoenix fire = 480). He breathed in deeply, as the rock around him grew hot, but ultimately did not catch on fire, as it was still rock. The smoke rose into the air, and was gone in a few minutes, and Kasai stood, looking at the ground around him.


His robes, the color of the sun from which he was born, and the mask which hung around his neck to remind him of the insanity which he had turned to flame, he smiled at the contrast. The rock scorched black by the flame expelled from his mouth, Kasai stood out like a flame in the night. Because he was one.


Spinning again, Kasai threw fourth two more massive columns of light and heat, illuminating the entire side of Hokage rock, the shadows dancing about due to the large change in light. Then, followed were twelve more fire balls, flying through the air. (480-20x2 phoenix fire - 30x2 great dragon fire = 380). He breathed heavily, and looked around him. The flame was everywhere, though it quickly faded, and the smoke rose to take its place.




He watched, and looked, and strong as letting the flame flow through made him feel, Kasai knew that there was more. He knew that he could go deeper into the power of the first flame.


"The first flame," he started. "It is eternal. I cannot forget this," he dictated to no one. But the flame listened. "It does not become extinguished by the air around it, no," he chuckled. "But then why do you?" He asked to the scorch marks around him. "How is it possible to make a fire that will not go out? To live on, fire needs fuel. Air is one such fuel, but it needs more energy. Fire burns from coal or wood. This is fuel, and it is sufficient. Grasses, bushes, and even people become ignited by the flame, but there is no way to produce it forever. Unless one were to somehow emit fuel for the flame forever.."


Kasai spun once more, launching another column into the sky. (380 - 30 great dragon fire = 350).


"But we can," he said, smiling as the column was sustained. 


Chakra.


Chakra was the fuel, of course. It was the source as well. It might not be the first flame, but it was the life flame, and Kasai was rather disappointed that he had not discovered that sooner. Now that he had though, there would be no end.


Throwing forth one last column, Kasai was still disappointed. (350 -30 = 320 (getting close)). It was still not the same. No, if chakra came from the body, then the fire must remain on the body. But this idea was brutal, and very violent. Unless, he somehow used it on himself...


Kasai had already endured enough burns and scars to suffer a few more, he decided. Looking down upon himself, he knew that he would survive, though it would destroy the clothes that he wore. It was not a matter of finding the fire; he knew where it was. No, for once, it was the courage. 


Kasai was going to light himself on fire. It was not something that was done every day. He knew, in fact, that it had never been done successfully. However, that would change. No one had used the eternal flame before. Now, that would change. 


One last column of fire,( 320 - 30 = 290), and then, Kasai directed the flame onto himself. (320 - 45 immolation = 245).


He closed his eyes, feeling the chakra start to drain from him, and winced at the incoming pain. Yet, there was none to meet his nervous system. 


Opening his eyes, Kasai looked down, and indeed there was fire. It surrounded him, and engulfed him; every inch. However, his clothes remained intact. His skin did as well. In fact, Kasai could feel no pain or heat from the flame at all.


He swirled around, his body a hurricane of flame, sparks flying at every turn. But over all the flame, and the cracks and sparks of the fire, one sound prevailed louder than all. It was Kasai's voice.


"If ever there was a flame pure, it was this!" He roared above the sound of the fame. "If ever a flame knew its friend, it was this!

"If ever the eternal flame was true, it was now!"


Kasai roared, and the fire roared back at him, and he was the fire, and the fire was him. Everything around him glowed red and yellow, turned away with the awe of the power. Of the true power. 


The tress would have ran from the inferno if they could, and the grass itself would have receded into the ground. The fire was all around, and it was all Kasai could see. He was the sun. The son of the sun. The spirit of fire itself.


Laughing widely, he leapt off the stone upon which he stood, and extinguished the flames. However, in this state, the fire was not truly gone, and it burned withing every part of Kasai's body, emitting from his eyes, and pouring out of his mouth. 


After lighting himself on fire, Kasai had realized something. It was the most horrid and morbid way to kill someone, but it was the strongest. If Kasai could light himself on fire, he could just as easily do anything else that moved. It would be violent, but the power which it could exert. It would be tremendous.

Of course, in Kasai's current state, all of his fire was stronger than normal. It happened whenever he felt massive amounts of chakra being forced from him, though he was not sure why. It had begun after the death of Makussu, so perhaps that had been a reason.

Releasing the fire around himself, Kasai knew that if he were to share this power with any, it would not be a human. No, there was only one other whom Kasai knew that would find appreciation and wonder in this power was Ruijin, the massive ape of fire. He was the only other one who truly seemed to be a follower of the flame. He would summon this ape, Kasai resolved, and tell him of this new found flame. 

Using the small ring on his finger, Kasai made a small cut into his finger, and then, placing it on the ground, there was a puff of smoke, and a large form appeared next to him. Standing at nearly right feet tall while hunched over, the gorilla looked down at Kasai, it's dark eyes piercing through the wooden mask which he wore. Kasai smiled, glad to see his other friend once more. It had only been a few days since he had summoned the ape, as despite hiding away in the forest for months, Kasai had still discussed fire and the like with the beast many times.

"Ruijin," Kasai said, smiling again. "I have something to tell you. I-"

"There is no need, friend," the massive ape rumbled. "I know what it is that you have discovered. When one discovers the true flame, all apes know, for it is not a common thing."

"You can feel the change in my chakra?" Kasai asked.

"No, it is something you see," the ape replied. "When one discovers the full potential of the fire element, a part of them changes, and it is apparent to those who have also discovered it."

"I see," Kasai said, nodding. He supposed that made sense. 

"But, friend," the ape said. "Because of this, there is one whom you must meet."

"What do you mean?" Kasai asked. "One of who? Another of the ape clan?"

"Yes, friend," Ruijin said. "One of the leaders. With our scroll upon your back, and the power of the true flame within, he would like to meet you. I will summon him for you," Ruijin finished.

Kasai nodded, anticipating what he knew would be the largest ape to walk the earth. However, Ruijin made a handsign, and another puff of smoke appeared, but it was small. After the smoke had cleared, a smaller ape stiff before Kasai, standing at perhaps only four feet tall, but also with orange fur. He knew at the sight that it was not a gorilla, but an orangutan. Upon seeing this, Kasai bowed, and the ape smiled.

"Hello, Kasai," the orangutan said, bobbing its head. Kasai watched it closely, wondering if he would have to prove his worth to this beast as well, just as he had with Ruijin. "My name is Karyoku. I see you are surprised by my appearance."

"I did not expect you to look as you do," Kasai said, surprised that the ape could tell such just by looking at him. 

"I thought all of the ape clan were of the same species that Ruijin was," Kasai explained. "But I see that I am wrong."

"Any ape of fire is part of the ape clan," Karyoku replied. "Orangutans included."

"I see that now," Kasai said, nodding his head.

"Good," the orange ape replied. "Now, I can see that you have learned a great power with the flame, but yet you are not using it."

"I did not want to summon you while it was active," Kasai explained. "I did not want to hurt you."

"You won't be able to," the orangutan replied. "Now! Use the jutsu so that we may see with our eyes the change we see in you."

Kasai listened, and nodded. "Very well." With that, he made the proper hand signs, and then, felt the surge of jutsu through his body, and the fire of his chakra ignite. Looking down at himself, Kasai saw once again that his body was engulfed in flames, a swirling mass of flame, light, and heat. It was a terrifying feeling and sensation; knowing that you are surrounded by fire and are in fact on fire yourself, but neither feel pain or see anything burning. 

"Very good," Karyoku said, nodding strangely. "You can stop now." And Kasai did. As he released the jutsu, he felt the massive consumption of chakra take it's toll. He doubted that in his current state he would be able to hold it up for long, but then again, that was why he summoned the apes in the first place; to learn how to grow stronger in this new found strength, because it was one that he did not know, but felt that they would.

"You have learned strong flame power," the orangutan said. "But only how to project it on yourself."

"I would use it on others, but there are none who should suffer so," Kasai said.

"I think," the ape said smiling, "that it would not work how you think it will if you do try it on others.
"To prove this, you will try it on me."

"But..." Kasai paused, worried about injuring Karyoku. 

"No! Do or do not," the ape said. "But do think hesitate in your decision. Actually, in this place, you have no decision! Use your jutsu on me. Even if it does work, you will not be able to harm me."

Kasai paused once more, but looking at the defiant look on the orangutan's face, he supposed he had no choice. Once more making the hand signs, Kasai projected the inward flames into the ape, and watched as slowly it was engulfed in flames. However, as soon as there was nothing to see but a blazing inferno, Kasai heard a laugh ring out.

"Ha!" It was clearly Karyuko. "It was as I expected. It did not work. Your jutsu has been cast upon me as if I were the one who cast it. It will not harm me, but aid me as it will harm any who get close. You may stop it now," and Kasai did, surprised at the knowledge of the beast, and wondering how to change his jutsu so that it would work.
"Now, you must not think of it as the same jutsu, but to project it onto another with harm as the intention is the advancement of the first jutsu. Your jutsu burns away quickly at your chakra, does it not?"

"Yes, it does," Kasai said, feeling the large chunk of stamina go from him.

"Then, if it burns your chakra, you will not be able to sustain this, especially when it is at such a distance."

"What do you mean?" Kasai asked.

"You must think about this," the ape replied. "You wish them to be surrounded by fire, and be burned from it, but the distance will take more chakra than you have."

"I don't understand," Kasai said, his scarred face twisting to confusion, but the ape did not answer, and he knew that he would have to figure this out by himself.
"My chakra is limited, and when upon myself it drains from me. When I cast it upon them, the effects are the same, but they do not even take damage from such. To make it hurt them, I would have to turn the fire into a destructive force, and turn it against them, rather than for them. I would have to change the jutsu, and the hand signs significantly to change the jutsu, and when I do, I will not be able to use that same jutsu on myself, but only the same basic jutsu. 
"But my chakra is not enough! I do not have the power to harm them. Even when I cast it upon myself, the power of the flames drain so much energy from me that to cast it upon another and then have myself sustain it...
"Unless I weren't the one who sustained it," Kasai said, turning to the ape. "If the fire fed off their chakra after I put it there, then they would be the ones to sustain it."

"This is true," Karyoku replied. "But, you will still be drained greatly to keep it there, rather than to have the fire gravitate back to yourself, because you are still the original source."

"Then what do you suggest?" Kasai asked.

"I suggest that you try this now," the ape replied. "It will not become easier or better; you have figured the jutsu out. Now! Do it again on me. I will tell you when to stop."

Kasai nodded, and forming the proper hand signs, felt an even greater surge of chakra flow out of him, and watched as his chakra moved to the ape. Then, flames began to move up slowly around the beast, but they were not normal flames. They were not flames that burned away the physical, but also the very spirit and energy of a person. The green, blue, and red mass of an inferno swirled, and Kasai watched in awe as it went. It was truly something else.

"Very good," he heard the voice say. " You may stop now," and Kasai did.

"You, Kasai," Karyoku said, nodding his head. "Have learned the way of fire. However, the next step, is to be able to withstand it, and if you succeed in this, I will allow you to summon me in combat."

Kasai listened, and smiled. Summoning Karyoku would be a very strong advantage; one which he could never overlook. However, the smile vanished. He had felt the power of this jutsu, and the toll it had taken on him from just casting it, and knowing this made him greatly fear the idea of having it used against him. Yet, Kasai had faced the flame before, and his face had been the result, but he had lived. He could live again.

Nodding slowly, Kasai stepped backwards, and looked the ape in the eyes. If this was the price to pay for holding knowledge of such power, then so be it.

Spreading his arms, and closing his eyes, Kasai prepared for the impact. Of course, being a normal person, he could not keep his eyes closed for long, and after a short moment, opened them to see if he was burning.

Opening his eyes at the very moment that the flames started to swirl, Kasai began to sweat and breath heavily. He knew for a fact that he was not nearly as strong in his health as Karyoku, but he would not balk or back down. He trembled as the flames grew, and he felt their heat. He felt like he would not survive. 

He could nearly feel the clothes begin to burn off his body, and felt his skin bend and blacken and peel, as it had once before, however, he could see none of these things happening. In fact, Kasai had watched this very thing happen to him before, and slowly, he began to smile when he realized what was happening. Karyoku had not used the new jutsu of Kasai's at all, but rather used the simpler version. He was relieved, but also confused.

"As you have noticed," Karyoku said, and the flames vanished. "I did not use the same jutsu that you have used on me. However, watching you willing submit yourself to the force that has not come tells me that you are worthy," he said, nodding his head. "Just as you have willingly sacrificed yourself today, Kasai, all of the ape clan stands ready to do the same for you."

Kasai smiled, and watched as the apes vanished. Only then did he realize just how exhausted he was from the day. However, this was a good exhaustion; one that came after training like you never have before. It was a good day.

(Woot woot. Exit, 3605 words. Requesting 18 stats, 2155 words towards eternal chakra burning, and 1450 words towards Karyoku if possible, though he hasn't been approved yet.)

That's fine, no worries. Just wanted to see if I could or not. Thank you once again