Chapter 9

A young man walked toward the meeting hall with purposeful strides, yet his eyes were filled with worry. He knew that his father would not be happy with his progress. With a deep sigh, he entered the meeting hall where his father was sitting, along with several members of his council. Upon seeing him, the man stood to his full height, his muscular frame becoming even more intimidating and his eyes gaining a hard look. The man faced his son and his subordinates, the councilors mimicking his action.

"You better have good news, Sano." said the father, his tone emotionless yet deadly.

"I'm sorry, father, but we could not find anyone from the village that was destroyed. Also, the trail of the murderer has gone cold." Sano answered.

"Are you telling me that we have nothing?"

"Again, I am sorry." Sano apologized. Maguna Berugu pounded his fist onto the table, making it creak. He was very frustrated, to say the least, with the mess that was laid at his feet. When he had gotten word that the Mt. Raikyou base was destroyed, he immediately set out with his son, daughter and two battalions of loyal soldiers. When he arrived to the base's location, there was nothing but ash, rubble and bodies strewn everywhere. He had found very few survivors, and those who were still alive told him of the horror that they experienced, which only enraged him even further. There was a jinchūriki on the loose, and apparently had its sights on him. Fearing that Ōnoki had finally stepped up his game, he had quickly put his spies to work gathering intelligence on the two jinchūriki that he knew about. They reported back saying that Roshi was in seclusion, and that Han was dead as a result of his bijū being freed. Did this massacre mean that Ōnoki recaptured the Gobi and sealed it into someone else? If he had, then this would put a major halt to his plans.

Berugu glared fiercely at everyone. "I don't care what you have to do. Give out monetary rewards if you have to, but I want this jinchūriki brought before me."

"I swear, father, I will bring him in for the crimes he has committed." Sano promised, eager to redeem himself in his father's eyes.

"Hopefully, you will bring him back in good health, brother." interjected a female voice. Everyone turned to see a small, toned, young teenage girl, wearing an apron that was stained with blood. She pulled out a hairpin that released her long braid, which coupled with her weary-looking eyes, gave off the impression that she had spent nearly the entire day working without any rest.

"What did you learn from the bodies, Shion?" asked Berugu.

"There isn't much to report. Most of the dead are either burned to a crisp, or in pieces. Those that barely survived aren't going to be alive for much longer." Shion explained.

"What are you talking about?" Sano asked with annoyance.

"What I'm saying is whoever this jinchūriki is, he isn't native to Iwa. He used the chakra of his bijū in a way that's completely different than Han and Roshi's usual modus operandi. His chakra invaded the bodies of the wounded and, even as we speak, is slowly killing them. It acts like no poison that I have ever seen before. I would like a chance to observe and replicate this jinchūriki's chakra for further research."

"This isn't the time for your curiosity! This beast needs to pay for what he did! If he's against us, then he needs to be put down!" exclaimed Sano. He never did like his sister, as she reminded him too much of his late mother, and she had inherited that same air of arrogance that she had. All Shion seemed to care about was poisons and her superior intelligence, which irked him to no end.

"Not everything is about brute strength, brother. My 'curiosity' can help us in the war with Ōnoki. Or do you think that you're strong enough to face his Kekkei Tōta? This jinchūriki needs to be observed and used to our benefit. For once, why don't you think with your brain?" Shion countered with calm contempt. Sano clenched his fists and was about to explode when he and everyone else was hit with a large dose of killing intent. They all turned to Berugu. Seeing that he had their attention, he eased off and glared at his children.

"Enough of your petty arguments! Focus on your tasks. Find this jinchūriki and bring him here. I don't care about his condition." Everyone acknowledged his orders and left the meeting hall.

X-X-X

Tsunade looked out the window of her office, watching as everyone went about their day without a care in the world. She wished that she could be just like that but, alas, she was the Hokage, and she had to protect them from the horrible truth of what would most likely be coming in the future. Currently, she was keeping her eyes on the rest of the world, as she had heard some rather disturbing things; things that could probably lead to another world ninja war. From what Jiraiya reported, she could expect some trouble coming her way very soon.

She returned to her seat and reclined back, having had enough of watching the villagers. She then turned to the wall where the portraits of her former Hokages were. Even after two years, she still could not look at those pictures for long, as she swore that she could feel their disappointed glares boring into her very being from beyond the grave. And she couldn't blame them, whenever she recalled that fateful decision that she was forced to make. Konoha had paid dearly for it though; the village was still recovering from the massive financial backlash when Nami no Kuni and Yuki no Kuni cut off all trade agreements with them. Those that dared to blame Naruto for their decrease in revenue got a one way ticket across the village via her fist. She would not blame Naruto for their troubles, nor would she allow anyone else to; it was their fault and their fault alone.

Despite the council's decree, she did attempt to keep tabs on Naruto. She was not happy that Jiraiya had lost him after he made his way to Nami no Kuni, as she had told her perverted teammate to find the boy and keep him safe. All she wanted to know was if he was alive and well. Then, without warning, she was brought out of her thoughts as Jiraiya entered via the window. He had a look on his face that was not familiar to her, but she paid little attention to it.

"So, what do you have to report?" Tsunade asked without interest.

"I have a lead." was what Jiraiya said.

"Another one? How many of them have you had in this week alone, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked with a bored tone. He had always said he had a lead, but they always seemed to turn out to be nothing but a waste of time. A sound, hard slap resounding off her desk jolted her, unconsciously making her face him, to which she saw that he was looking very serious. She quickly realized that he believed that his current lead was credible.

"ANBU!" she ordered, as four masked men appeared before her. "Secure the room. I want no interruptions." The ANBU nodded and did as they were told. Once she was sure that the room was secure, she faced Jiraiya once again. "What did you find out?"

"He's alive, and in Tsuchi no Kuni." Jiraiya stated.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "How can you be sure?"

"Gaara summoned me two and half days ago. Apparently, he helped a group of people travel to Suna. They came from a village within Tsuchi no Kuni, which was attacked by members of Berugu's faction. The survivors were saved by a teenager fitting Naruto's description."

Tsunade let out a sigh of relief. "So he's safe? Thank goodness." Suddenly, she realized something that the Toad Sage said that didn't seem right. "Wait a minute. Are you saying that they came from Tsuchi no Kuni by themselves?"

"Naruto had a dozen of his clones protecting them as they made their way to the border before telling the leader of the refugees to head to Suna. He's still in Tsuchi no Kuni, and he just made an enemy out of Berugu."

"What do you mean?" asked Tsunade.

"That village Berugu attacked was like a new home for him. The people I interviewed told me that he was very happy there. He found a member of his clan, an Uzumaki Ibarra, in that village, and he was also getting close to a village girl called Aisha. They were not among the survivors and are most likely dead." Jiraiya solemnly explained.

"How can you be sure? Maybe they're with him."

"He attacked Mt. Raikyou base, leveled it to the ground and used the Kyūbi's chakra without any hesitation. If those two were alive, then Naruto wouldn't have reacted so violently to the attack. As a result, Berugu has put the word out that he's looking for a teenage boy who is also a jinchūriki." Tsunade bit her lip in a worried manner. Naruto was a hot head, but he wouldn't level a base for no reason. Her anxieties worsened as she knew what type of man Berugu was. If he did manage to capture Naruto, it wouldn't take him long to recognize who the whiskered blond was related to. She looked back to Jiraiya and saw that he was thinking along the same lines.

"Do whatever it takes, Jiraiya. Get into Tsuchi no Kuni, and get Naruto out of there. This is an S-rank mission that will not be documented in the records." Tsunade ordered.

"It shall be done, hime." replied Jiraiya, before he left via Shunshin. Now alone, Tsunade could do nothing but pray that Jiraiya got to him in time.

X-X-X

In a hidden base in Kawa no Kuni, nine shadowy figures sat around a table. They each wore a black robe adorned with red clouds and wore a ring, each with a unique symbol on it, on varying fingers. They were having a discussion on the latest news of the world, more specifically, about Naruto's attack and destruction of one of Berugu's bases.

"My, my, the little brat is sure making some noise. Berugu must be having fit." said Kisame.

"So are we going in there to capture him? Berugu is not one to let things go; he will definitely kill the boy if he gets to him first." stated a blond haired man.

"No. We must first regain what resources we have lost. It will not take long, so we will wait until then." said an orange haired man with multiple piercings.

"You mean the failure in taking your Amegakure?" asked a silver haired man mockingly. "Some god you are. You couldn't even kill an old man or his family members."

"Be careful who you insult, Hidan. Your god won't help you against Pein. Or have you forgotten what happened to you when you tried to challenge our leader?" asked a woman with blue hair that was adorned with a white paper rose.

"Shut the fuck up, bitch!" roared Hidan, only to be abruptly sent crashing into the side of the cave. Pein lowered his arm and faced the rest of the group, before his gaze settled on Itachi. Itachi looked up at Pein, meeting his unflinching gaze.

"Is Naruto still the last one we intend to collect?" asked the Uchiha. "If he continues to grow in strength, we will need more than two of us to capture him."

"If that's the case, then I will capture him myself. For now, leave him to his devices." Pein ordered. The others nodded and moved on to other business.

X-X-X

When Naruto's eyes finally opened, the first thing he saw was a ceiling fan slowly spinning its rotors. As he took in his surroundings, he came to realize that he was in some stranger's room. Turning to his right, he saw a bunch of kids looking at him, curiously. This only confused the blond even more, as he started to wonder where exactly he was. Suddenly, a male voice called the children away, making the young teen cringe in trepidation. Hearing the sound footsteps approaching closer to him, Naruto turned to face this new person. The man was wearing the clothing familiar to that of a monk, complete with a very large prayer bead necklace, yet he also noticed that the man had a fighter's frame. As he continued to take in the newcomer's appearance, he saw a few old scars adorning the man's arms and chest.

He tried to speak but the man stopped him, as he lifted his head and began to feed him. Naruto coughed a little from the sudden intake of food, but he managed to finish the soup nonetheless. Once finished, the man laid Naruto back down and took back the bowl.

"I know that you have questions that you want answered, but you must first regain your strength. When you collapsed, you had a severe case of dehydration, hunger, and chakra exhaustion. You will probably be at half strength in a short while, so I suggest that you just rest for now." said the man. Feeling his fatigue get the better of him once again, Naruto merely nodded and closed his eyes once again.

X-X-X

Two days had passed and Naruto was now able to sit up by himself. He was just finishing a self-examination, just to make sure that he was okay. After confirming that he was recovering without any further issues, he looked up to see the children from before, gazing at him once again. Feeling somewhat like his old playful self, Naruto held up his hand to the kids before he did some seals. In a puff of smoke, his physical appearance was that of another person. He did this a few more times, getting cheers from the kids, when a woman stepped inside the room. At first glance, her appearance suggested that she was in her late thirties. She had short brown hair, almond colored eyes, and was wearing a green blouse with a yellow skirt, which was covered by a dirty apron, which suggested that she had just finished cooking.

"Okay, that's enough bothering the patient. Go wash up, lunch is almost ready." she said. The kids all ran out of the room and made a bee-line for the bathroom. She then turned to Naruto and smiled.

"Thank you for entertaining them, even though you're supposed to be resting."

"It's okay. That technique doesn't use up much chakra, anyways." replied Naruto.

"Either way, you should relax until you're fully healed. Monk Taihō will bring up your lunch." she said.

"Thank you, uh, I'm sorry, I don't think I got your name." said an embarrassed Naruto.

The woman just smiled. "That's alright. You can just call me Katsume."

"Well, thank you, Katsume-san."

She smiled once again, and then left the room. Naruto wasn't alone for long; however, as Monk Taihō entered the room merely seconds after Katsume had left, carrying a tray of food. He placed the tray on the blonde's lap and sat down, placing his back against the wall. Naruto said a word of thanks before he dug in. As he ate, Taihō looked at the blond with amazement.

"It is amazing how quickly you have recovered. You were on the verge of death a week and a half ago, and I had to place you on a makeshift IV." Taihō said at last.

"I'm surprised that you knew how to do that. Were you a soldier or something?" asked Naruto.

"I used to be a member of the Bakuha Butai. But after a certain mission, I had my skills sealed and dedicated my life to learning the ways of peace. Still, I know a thing or two about battle field medicine."

"Sorry if I scared the kids back then. I was really out of it."

"Don't worry about it. Considering the fact that you destroyed one of Berugu's bases by yourself, you had to have used quite a bit of energy." Naruto stopped eating upon hearing Taihō's last statement, and gazed suspiciously at the man. The monk, sensing the young man's unease, raised his hands up in a placating manner. "Do not worry; I am no friend of Berugu. That man will only bring forth pain and destruction to Tsuchi no Kuni. Personally, I don't know why the daimyo has not stepped in to help Ōnoki." said Taihō.

"You don't need to worry about it. I plan to do something about that." said Naruto darkly.

"Is that so? Exactly what are you going to do? Every man on Berugu's side is after you, my young jinchūriki. He has supporters within Iwagakure who will alert him if you so much as offer your services to Ōnoki."

"It doesn't matter. Berugu, his kids, his men, I'm going to bring everything down on his head, and then watch it burn to the ground. He will not get away with what he did to my loved ones. He has to pay." Taihō looked at him carefully before sighing.

"A young man like you shouldn't have eyes so cold. Hopefully, Katsume and I can persuade you to give up this pursuit of vengeance. I believe that you're destined for greater things than some destructive vendetta." He stood and walked out of the room, leaving Naruto alone and confused.

X-X-X

Later that day, Naruto was eating dinner whilst Taihō sat against the wall meditating. The whole day had been nothing but lectures from both him and Katsume. He had stubbornly refuted each of their attempts to convince him that vengeance wasn't the answer, and stuck to his reasons. Apparently, seeing that they couldn't get through to him, they decided to just take care of him and drop the discussion. Naruto stared at the monk, who just sat there silently. It irked him to no end, and he wished that the monk would just say something. Finally reaching his limit, Naruto broke the silence.

"So what now? Are you and Katsume-san just going to ignore me?" he asked hotly.

"You are unwilling to listen to either one of us, so what would be the point of speaking? You have clearly made up your mind." replied Taihō.

"You're damn right I have! Ōnoki and your daimyo should have dealt with this when it became a problem! This man is killing people just to fulfill his own desires, and they're just letting it happen! If they won't do their jobs, then I will do it for them!"

"Do not try and make it sound like you're doing this for Tsuchi no Kuni, it will only make you look pathetic. You're clearly doing this for vengeance and there is nothing noble about it." Taihō said.

"What would you know?" exclaimed Naruto, having had enough of being judged by this monk who knew nothing about him or the hardships he had to endure.

"I would appreciate if you do not yell. I have just put the children to sleep." Katsume said, cutting in. Once she closed the door, she turned faced Naruto with a serious expression. "I know what you're going through, Naruto. I was not always caretaker of war orphans. I once used to be a shinobi trained in the art of assassinations. But everything changed when I started hunting after a man who was responsible for detonating a bomb that killed several people, including my father and my children. I still remember to this day how I watched them die right in front of me. When I learned that it was the work of bomber from Iwagakure, I became obsessed with hunting this man down, and killed anyone who came in contact with him. When I finally found him, I found out that he was taking care of a group of orphans." Naruto's eyes widened at that.

"Vengeance is like a drug, Naruto. It's addictive and it makes you felt better. But what happens once the high is gone? You will do anything to feel high again, and I mean anything. Those who loved you will not be able to recognize you anymore. You'll become an addict, only looking to experience that exhilarating feeling once again, not caring who gets hurts in the process." added Taihō.

"My own realization came when I held a kunai to one of those children's throats. I wanted to make Taihō feel the same pain that he made me feel. I truly wanted to do it, but in the end, I could not go through with it. They were innocent, and I was about to take their lives because of my hatred for another person. After I realized what I was about to do, and couldn't go through with it, Taihō stood in front of me and offered his life for the deaths he caused. I would have been in the right to kill him, but instead I chose forgiveness, as I believed my father and my children would have wanted that." finished Katsume.

Naruto was silent. He understood what they were saying, but how could he just forget what Berugu had done to his loved ones? Taihō and Katsume could see the inner battle that he was going through, and decided to leave him to his own devices. But before they left, Taihō had one last thing to say to Naruto.

"Like I told you before, I believe that you are destined for better things. For as long as I have lived, I have hardly been wrong about things like this. So tomorrow, I am going to take you to see someone that I believe will give you the answers that you require."

"Taihō, are you sure about this?" Katsume asked, her voice sounding nervous, leaving Naruto confused to what they were talking about.

"Yes, I believe that he is the only one who can help." answered Taihō. And with that, they left Naruto's room, the sole occupant now very curious as to what they had in store for him.

X-X-X

The next day, Taihō led Naruto through a forest. Naruto walked in silence, last night's talk still playing through his mind. After they had left, Naruto had stayed up to think about what the two adults had told him. As he compared to how he acted from before and after Berugu's attack, he realized to his horror that he was starting to act like Sasuke. That thought alone scared him, the fact that he was starting to become like his traitorous former teammate. He tried to furiously deny that he and Sasuke were starting to act alike by rationalizing that the village practically handed everything to Sasuke on a silver platter whilst he was barely treated humanely by the same village on a good day. But, the night only got worse as he was plagued with nightmares of Ibarra, Aisha, and others turning their backs on him, all of them calling him an imposter. And if that wasn't bad enough, he could also see the face of the Kyūbi, laughing at him, mocking him for being weak. He quickly banished those thoughts; now wasn't the time to be thinking of such morbid things. Once he became aware of his surroundings, he saw that he was now in front a huge waterfall. Taihō stood at the water's edge and turned to face Naruto.

"This is where we will meet that person I told you about. Please, step onto the water." said the monk. Naruto looked at Taihō for a moment, before walking out to the center of the lake. He stood there, confused as to what was going on, until the silence was abruptly broken by the sound of heavy footsteps. It sounded strangely familiar, like a horse's gallop. Suddenly, the waterfall parted and out stepped a large, white creature. It had the body of a horse, but had the head of a dolphin, which was adorned with five huge horn-like structures. Five large tails swished from its backside. It didn't take Naruto long to recognize who was standing before him. He was in the presence of a bijū, more specifically, the Gobi no Iruka-Uma.

X-X-X-X-X

Authors' Notes: Thanks again to my beta reader, Toa Naruto, for your help. This was one awesome chapter after I when through it. Okay, this is a special message for my reviewers. As you know, I took down Mizukage. I did so to revamp it and this is the revamp. I realized that I should have started off with this first then gone into Mizukage. So if you're looking for me to redo Mizukage, then her you go. Like I said, this will be split into several arc but it will be under the Mizukage banner. Anyway, I hope that is explains things.

Glossary

Gobi no Iruka-Uma – Five-tail Dolphin Horse

Bakuha Butai – Explosion Corps

Kawa no Kuni – Land of Rivers

Kekkei Tōta – Bloodline Selection