Echoes

by Kagaseo

AU. A modification of the seal holding back the Kyuubi has surprising consequences. When each choice brings about a new world, what will happen when different possibilities collide? Many Naruto wreaking havoc! Complete.

38. Chapter 35: Road to Badass

Thanks, ABitterPill and Third Fang, for your awesome betaing. Thanks all readers and reviewers.

The first part of the chapter is a speech, so don't be afraid if it looks like a wall of text.

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On Sleepyasian's demand, here is a little chart of the characters, and where they are situated.

Ame-Verse: Kazama (original Naruto, traveler), Tsukiyomi (Manipulative!Madara), Susanoo (Rinnegan!Madara), Izanami (Fem!Tobi).

The End-Verse: Fem!Haku, Sasori, Chibaku (Puppeteer!Naruto), Kuebiko (Nidaime Hokage) and his team of minor characters.

Godaime!Itachi-Verse: Naruko (Fem!Naruto), Kitsune (Werefox!Naruto), Uchiha!Naruto (comatose).

Alive!Yondaime-Verse: Kakashi/Kamui, Younger!Yugito, NotKage!Mei Terumi.

Mysterious Bad Guys: Joker!Naruto, Alpha (Dictator!Naruko), Three (VillainHenchwoman!Naruko), Deidara.

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IMPORTANT:

- the story is now M-rated, to have more room for how the pairings are handled and since the story is pretty mature already.

- I added a poll for the favorite main character of the story. Check it out after reading the chapter, if you wanna participate.

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Chapter 35:

The Road to Badass

"If I knew my son would have blonde hair… well, at least he has my face."

Kushina's reaction was unexpected, and if Minato's frustrated expression was anything to go by, he didn't appreciate it. It was quite easy to see who was wearing the pants in the relationship. If Namikaze was the same as he was in their last confrontation, Kushina was different from the illusion her son had met in Waves.

Kushina was a beautiful woman, with a fair skin and long hair as red as tomatoes. Her blue eyes conveyed an aura of seriousness and nobility, and her smile some joy in her life. She was wearing a jounin uniform, hardly hiding the fact she was in the early terms of her pregnancy.

She's like I used to be, Kazama thought. Smiling to ease the pain. But... she's different. Wiser.

"I didn't choose my genes." He offered them seats around Hanzo's table. Somebody, Konan perhaps, had left herbal tea and glasses for the three of them. "Want some?"

"I will pass," Kushina said upon sitting. "You're… not like I imagined."

"You expected something else? Sorry to disappoint," he replied with light sarcasm.

"Well, I expected someone whose eyes were stars and his hair a halo of light," his mother countered with the same merry tone. "And horns. And a fiery sword. And wings. Konoha-nins keep gossiping about your appearance, I was expecting someone more impressive looking."

"You would be surprised by how impressive I can be." She simply had to see past these walls. Kazama had done his best to try repairing the damage caused by the Sanbi, and mobilized everybody in town, but half the Hidden Village was still in ruin. "Why did Konoha send you? To appraise me?"

"You prevented an invasion of our land, is it so surprising we want to thank you?" Minato shrugged. "You challenged Hanzo in combat ten minutes after he and Yagura declared their intent to invade the Land of Fire. You prevented the war from escalating further."

"A move you did not see coming." Kazama took some tea. He didn't particularly enjoy it, but it was good for his nerves. "Since you're here, Minato, I would like to ask you a question: why was Yagura allowed to live this long? Surely, as a paragon of goodness, you should have been the one to strike him down instead of me."

Here they were. The real reason he wanted to speak with these two instead of sending Madara or Konan. Minato locked eyes with him. "He was the head of a foreign nation. His assassination would have changed the balance of power, and his rule crippled Kiri, preventing it from being a true threat to the mainland on its own. Nobody saw his alliance with Hanzo coming, and your actions have changed the status quo."

"For the betterment Kiri, but not for you." As Madara expected, Yagura's supporters had been quickly exterminated as soon as the news of his demise reached the island, and the Seven Swordsmen had taken over the country, ending most of the Mizukage's insane laws and enforcing peace with an iron fist. According to the Uchiha lord, Zabuza Momochi would probably be chosen as Godaime Mizukage.

The irony wasn't lost on the blonde. To think I helped my first major enemy to achieve his dream…

The Hidden Mist would recover from the damage caused by Yagura and inevitably regain its former glory under the saner administration. Which wasn't good for Konoha, as a strong Kiri was a threatening Kiri. "I see. So if, for example, I were to go outside, like, in… one, two minutes, and slaughter kids on a whim, you would leave me in charge? My death would cause the region to be destabilized, maybe allow Iwa to take it over. Konoha wouldn't care about that?"

The couple's shocked expression aside, Minato's silence told it all. Kazama sighed, and started the speech he had mentally prepared in the last hours.

"No. You wouldn't do anything. You won't move. You won't do a thing. You would stand and watch as another Yagura massacres children he doesn't consider strong enough to live. You will close your eyes when Iwa destroys a minor country nobody cares about. You will talk, you will preach peace and love to monsters, but you won't do a thing when they make the world a sicker place than it is, because it would allow the majority to live in a happiness built on the misery of the minorities and underdogs. For all your talk about making the world a better place… you're what? Thirty? I was told you graduated at ten. You had twenty years to make a difference. I've been here for a week, and in one afternoon, I deposed two murderous despots. It looks like my methods paid off better than yours."

Minato narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw, but let his son continue.

"And you know why you are so inefficient?" Kazama asked. "It is because you never struggled, Namikaze. You're born a winner. You are incredibly gifted for everything but common sense. You had parents, a teacher that supported you, friends, people to rely on, instead of enemies to impair your progresses and a void in your heart born of eternal loneliness. Villagers worship the ground you walk on, instead of mistrusting and cursing you. You have a loving wife, a peaceful life, not an existence of pain and despair. You never faced loss, or the negative results of your actions. Everything went along smoothly. You never knew what it is to live in fear and hopelessness, to have the universe spit on your face. You speak about others' pain, without understanding it. Suffering is a word for you, and a reality for the rest of us."

Kushina looked away and silently took some herbal tea.

"Me? I used to be a nobody with a curse. A slacker, a mere Genin with no future, and a head full of misplaced idealism. People disliked me. I was the outcast, the orphan born to suffer for the crimes committed by others. I could have lived my whole in obscurity, a failure. I fought a one last battle and was betrayed by one of my own comrades. I should have died by the enemy's hand, as much as my former friends'. Through sheer luck, I did not. When I awoke, I did not realize I had been reborn. The child called Naruto Uzumaki had shed its skin like the snake he failed to kill, and grown into the one you call Kazama Arashi. A fool, I have ceased to be. A nobody, I am no longer. Now, I am a living nightmare."

The last word wasn't Kazama's own. The dark voice had whispered it through his lips.

"I earned my power through training, mental tortures, facing monsters, groveling at the feet of my archenemy, and dealing with abominations beyond human understanding," the Amekage snapped bitterly. "I was humiliated, broken, restrained, captured, harmed, mentally assaulted by monsters… yet, I rose up. I did not give up, and I will never surrender. And this is what makes me strong: I can, and will, go farther than you. I have seen men reach new heights of depravity every day, and the new generation repeat the mistakes of the old one. I fought the world my entire life, and after years of endless victories… the world has started losing."

He extended his arms in a broad gesture.

"Look beyond these walls, Namikaze, and tell me what you see. A world of tears and blood, a world you help maintain by not doing what needs to be done. Ame and Kiri were hellish realms, and I changed, and will change, them for the better. Love didn't bring this land peace, like the Will of Fire pretends. It's fear from an uncorrupted source. I didn't free Kiri by convincing Yagura to kiss people's feet in repentance. I did it by impaling his rotten heart in revenge for a fallen friend. It's the spiral of revenge you despise that freed Kirigakure from a tyrant, and it didn't end with forgiveness, but with swift, merciless justice. That's how you end feuds: by bringing balance through strength."

The Yellow Flash's jaw dropped in a mix of surprise and horror, as Kazama jabbed a kunai on the table.

"This is the truth of mankind, Minato. It's not right which makes might, as I learned painfully, but might which makes right. The rules won't change, for they're the very nature of humanity. The Hokage are mere puppets for the people. If they say one child has to live forever as a scapegoat and outcast, even if it is your own, you will do nothing, because you obey the will of the people, even when it goes against what is morally right. Me? Ame is terrified of me. They don't respect me, they worship me. I am not a Kage, Minato. Within these frontiers, I am the new god."

Kazama sighed bitterly. "And this how it should be. People should be afraid of their rulers, not the other way around. Power in itself is neither good nor evil, it's a tool, like this kunai. Peace isn't brought by love, or moral preaching, but by a strong authority that isn't afraid to defy the will of the majority, should the majority be in the wrong. Peace is enforced through will, through superior might, through an iron fist."

Minato looked ready to reply something, but his son wasn't over. "You remember the words I said when we talked the first time?" The older blonde reluctantly nodded. "They were the words of a whiner. I was thinking how doomed and sick the world is, but lately, I've realized… the visionary does not see how the world truly is, simply how it should be. I have ceased to lament on my fate, childhood, whatever childish, immature thoughts I had, for I focus on the future now. And when Ame bowed to me in awe, when I saw thousands kneel before me, I understood what I had to do. The duty I had to fulfill. I am the solution to their hopeless life, and I will offer them a better future."

Kazama intertwined his fingers in front of his face and leaned forward. "I used to be egoistical. I won't deny it. I only cared about myself and my loved ones, walking forward and closing my eyes on the hellhole surrounding me. I pretended to be better than you and others only to justify my selfishness, and feed my ego. I talked about destroying the many to save the few people worthy of living, before I realized... it was just a way to deny my own weaknesses, a lazy way to escape my responsibilities. There is something beyond the few and the many, the worthy and the unworthy. There is a bigger picture, a duty to live up to: to destroy evil wherever it takes is roots, and to improve this rotten universe through all means necessary."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I gained power, and will make a virtuous use of it. I will bring true order and justice to the multiverse, no matter the price. I will serve monsters steel and fire, not sentimental speeches. I will end the cycle of revenge not through empty love, but through fear and might. I reject the greater good, and I answer with the greater cause. Happiness built on injustices isn't worth it. I would rather have a million people unhappy than sacrifice one innocent life without his or her consent… unlike you."

At that last line, Minato had recovered enough to retaliate. "You did not fix this world. You took over a country and instead of giving power back to the people having suffered under Hanzo, you kept it as your own."

"Yes," he hissed. "And with that power, I will create a better Amegakure where no innocent will ever lose a loved one, because some random psychopath was allowed to run free for too long by the greater nations. Then, I will create a world where no one will be discriminated against because they have a bloodline or are 'too weak to survive'. I will create a world where no child will be used as a sacrifice for an ungrateful town and live the life of an outcast because destiny said so. I will create a world where all wrongs are avenged, and where bastards will be punished. I will create a world where minorities won't be oppressed by majorities, where nations do not fight for stupid, pointless wars, where the weak won't be oppressed, but protected, by the strong. If being like you won't bring this vision to life… then I'm done with pretending to be a paragon of goodness. I may be branded a tyrant, but if an iron fist is needed to make this tragic universe a better place… so be it."

The Amekage raised his hand, and made an oath.

"I, Kazama Arashi, make this vow: I am to become Justice. I devote my life to this ideal and swear to live up to it, on my blade. I shall be the unrelenting sword, the merciless axe. I shall be the shield of outcasts and misfits, the bane of the corrupt and the wicked. I shall be the champion of the victims, the destroyer of the abusers. I shall be the judge, jury, and the executioner, and bring absolute order through steel and fire. I shall destroy those who stand in my path with the hands of death. I will not compromise on my principles, for to compromise on them is to abandon them."

Both his parents could only stare as he continued. "I will enforce peace through power, and justice through strength. I will avenge all wrongs done to me and those under my watch, through all means necessary. I will not suffer transgressions to the greater order or those who tolerate them, for to look away is a crime in itself. There is no good and no evil, only an end and means. There are no limits, but the ones I believe in. There is no fate, but the one we make. There is no weakness, only willpower."

Kazama Arashi grinned ear to ear. "Existence will give up before I do."

Once he was finished, he observed his astonished parents. Although Kushina looked more surprised than anything, Minato was downright appalled. "One last thing," Kazama said, searching through into his pockets, and bringing out a coin. "Heads, I'm kissing everyone in town. Tails? I'm killing as many of them as I can get my hands on until the sun sets. Want to play?"

"I refuse to play your sick game," his father replied with disgust.

"But you will let the coin decide for you, if it is called destiny. An old amphibian will say he has seen the coin's result, and you will gamble your son's life on it. You will let destiny decide for you. Me? If anyone tells me of this coin, here's what I will do."

He deposed the coin on the table, focused chakra in his finger, and melted the coin with fire.

"Then I may, or may not, do the same with the choice giver. Destiny does not exist. What did this senile toad predict? That some random person will save the world, maybe destroy it? I will say: if I'm that random person, I will do both. I will save those deserving salvation, and destroy those who are beyond it. Out of the ashes of the old world, I will build a new, better one. There is no fate but the one we make, and you would do well to remember that. Why let luck decide for you, when you choose the outcome yourself?"

He dismissed them with a hand-gesture. "Now, leave, I have a country to administrate. Be gone."

Minato looked ready to reply something, but Kushina put her fingers on his arm, glared at him, and silently made him reconsider. The blonde stared at his son, anger in his eyes, and he vanished with the Hiraishin.

"It wasn't very nice, what you said," the redhead sighed, "but I'm afraid it was necessary. Minato has many qualities, but he is a bit too idealistic for his own good."

"Cynics live longer." Kazama shrugged. "No wonder he got killed so young in my home universe."

"If what Minato told me is true, your father's interference is what prevented the seal from consuming you, when your Orochimaru sabotaged it. You should be a little less absolute on condemning him."

"No." The voice had shown him the truth. "There are a million realities that had that event where the seal consumed me in spite of his help. I didn't survive because of the Yondaime, but through sheer luck. Even if his interference mattered in the end, it doesn't quite begin to make up for what he did to his own flesh and blood. But here he isn't the man who sacrificed his son. Not yet."

"Not ever." Kushina took his hand in a gentle manner. Kazama didn't react. "I… whatever your Kushina did to you… I'm not her. I won't ever be her. I will make certain that Madara, or anyone else, will never come close to hurting my child. And I will not have another go through what I suffered during my own life. I swear the baby in my womb will have a better life than you."

"Good," he whispered. "I… please take care of yourself, and bring some sense to his mind. His idealism will cause problems down the line."

"I'm afraid the realization will come with time. Sarutobi still holds control over much of the war effort, and Minato isn't truly in charge. When he is… then reality shall catch up with him." Kushina smiled. "If I was told my son would become a hero and take over an entire country in an afternoon, I would have brushed it off."

Kazama couldn't help but chuckle. "A hero? Are you kidding?"

"Not at all. Tales of your battle reached all corners of the Shinobi world. Imagine: you, a nobody, challenges two of the strongest ninjas in the entire world and kills them both in a battle rivaling the fabled duel between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. Kiri loves you for bringing down their oppressive ruler, Ame worships the ground you walk on, and thousands across the lands listen in awe when people narrate how you shattered the skies themselves, before bringing thousands back to life. They say you even created a second moon for the show, before pulverizing it."

So they attribute Nagato's deeds to me? Kazama thought. "It's grossly exaggerated."

"I have seen the damage Ame suffered, and the area's maps had to be redrawn," Kushina chuckled.

"However, I assume you didn't come only to follow Minato," he switched subjects. "You were miles away. Minato could have seen me on his own and nobody would have been the wiser, no offense."

"I admit, I have my reasons. Two, in fact." Kushina frowned. "You annihilated the Sanbi. Not killed, annihilated. Bijuu are reborn after a time if they are the former… but the Sanbi won't return, ever. All its siblings and their vessels sensed his destruction across the world, as I did. The Kyuubi is currently screaming, in tears, and begging me to get away from you very fast."

The Kyuubi… begging? Whatever the dark power had done, it had left quite the impression. "What is it saying?"

"It's calling you many names: the Star of Death, the darkness, the devourer, the evil god… and many other unpleasant titles. It is mainly because of what the Jinchuuriki told their respective superiors about you that the rumors of your godhood have gained some credence."

"I see… and the second reason?"

"The masked woman, in black, that helped you during the battle. I want to see her."

Izanami? "May I ask why?"

"Ah, so the rumors were right… have you seen what she looks like underneath? She's an Uchiha, isn't she? Pale skin, beautiful face…"

"Kushina Uzumaki," Kazama said, his tone deepening, "I owe this woman my life. If you, or Konoha, are seeking her to harm her, you will have to go through me. I hope you understand."

"The Uchiha clan wants her dead… or wanted, as they think she's dead. Me?" She smiled sadly. "I'm her friend. Her only friend."

The Amekage narrowed his eyes. "Everybody has their secrets…" He whispered. "I can give her a message, if you wish."

"Tell her…" Kushina bit her lower lip. "Tell her… that I'm sorry for what happened, and… that I'm taking care of him. She can see me or him wherever she wants. She just has to contact me."

"I will give her your words."

After that, the redhead turned to left. "Naruto…" she whispered. "Good luck in your future."

"Good luck to you as well," he whispered, before raising his head. "One last thing. Why Minato?"

"Because when Kumo kidnapped me, he was the only one who noticed my absence and came to rescue me. He was the only one who cared enough about me to notice I wasn't there." Kushina replied, as she vanished from his sight. Returning to the dark corridor, the blonde decided to return to his office. Surely, he would be able to-

Somebody clapped.

Kazama's eyes moved toward its source. Madara was clapping cheerfully in the shadows. "I heartily applaud your oath," he said. "When we began our partnership, I was with a child, but it seems you have grown into an adult and I did not see it. Wonderful."

There was something shameful in being praised by a bastard of Madara's caliber, so the blonde merely snorted. "The past will be behind me soon enough. Then I will walk forward."

"Soon?" The Uchiha lord blinked. "Does it imply you intend to return to Konoha?"

"I never forget. I will judge, fairly, those who wronged me and others. Finishing with you." He locked eyes with Madara's lone Sharingan. "I hope you understand."

"Understanding is not the same as appreciating," the man whispered with a hint of amusement before crossing his arms. "Yet, you said you would respect atonement… and if I decided to atone for what I did to you? Would you cease to seek my destruction?"

It actually made Kazama silent for a split second in amazement. "You do not regret anything you've done."

"Actually, I do regret one thing." The man chuckled. "I should have taken you with me after my battle with the Yondaime instead of leaving you to Konoha. I have an idea to make up for the sixteen years of pain I inflicted indirectly upon you…"

The Uchiha lord put his hands on Kazama's shoulders, in a gesture vaguely reminiscent of a hawk seizing its prey. "By adopting you as my… son, for example."

The Amekage smirked. "Didn't you have sons in the past?"

Madara's eye was soon full of bitterness. "The sons of my blood were traitors, failures, and ultimately received the fate they deserved. They would have better fitted the Yondaime Hokage… You, on the other hand… you are promised to do great things. You might even surpass me."

"I will." It wasn't a mere boast. It might take decades, but the blonde would defeat Madara in the end. "You kept trying to kill my friends, father."

"Only because you wouldn't listen to my offers, son," the criminal replied, with the same sarcastic tone. "Now you have come around to my point of view, I see no reason to harm them." He released his grip on his student. "Why not end our feud reasonably, like adults? If you truly want to enforce justice and order through the multiverse, you will need help. My help."

"I refuse to let your crimes go unpunished."

"Which crimes? The destruction of Wave? Zabuza's death? Amaterasu's doing, and he paid his debt with death. The death of Kabuto? Turning Kakashi's students into Paths of Pain? Susanoo's doing… and to be honest, he has vanished. I haven't seen him in days."

Kazama blinked. "He abandoned you?"

"Perhaps. Or maybe he's dead, I haven't been able to locate him, which worries me." Madara brushed off the subject with a shrug. "The truth is… what am I guilty of?"

"You violated Kakashi's mind-"

"And awakened the true power of his Sharingan. A fair trade." Tsukiyomi chuckled. "Honestly, what do I need to do to earn your trust? I helped you defeat Hanzo, and bring peace to this land, although I would gain nothing out of it."

"Would you give Susanoo's head on a platter, if I were to ask?"

"No." The tone was absolute. "Our opinions may differ, but I have been betrayed enough. I won't become a traitor. When you have a partnership with a comrade, to sell him out is the highest sin. If he betrays me first, however, my reaction will be different. I will not compromise on this principle, because to compromise on it is to abandon it."

Truly, Tsukiyomi was a master manipulator. To think he turns my own words against me… "And if I am to fight Susanoo? Which side would you take?"

"My own: both and neither." The Uchiha lord shrugged. "I would enforce your ideas: beat both of you into submission, and end your feud through fear and what I think is justice."

Kazama smirked. "Alright… we will see if we can resolve our feud as gentlemen. However, if you even try to harm my clan…"

"If." The mastermind cracked his neck. "You are still evasive on how you intend to bring true justice through the multiverse."

"By creating my own Hidden Village. The Hidden Village of Dimensions."

For an instant, Madara seemed genuinely at loss of words. "A… Hidden Village?"

"Whatever you want to call it." Kazama crossed his arms. "The truth is, the multiverse is full of people with good intentions… but they're helpless, lonely, without support. I intend to remedy that, by creating some sort of… haven. A place where these people wouldn't be alone anymore, where they could seek help or gain the strength to defend their ideals. I will create an order of true believers dedicated to creating a better world… in all worlds. I have been selfish, immature. No more. It is time I use the power granted to me for positive, grander purposes."

"This is… ambitious." Tsukiyomi chuckled. "Ame will be a good test for your skills as leader. Allow me, son, to offer you a gift for reaching adulthood."

Madara twisted space, and a set of armor appeared out of nowhere, falling to the ground. The blonde examined it for a second. It looked like a cross between Samurai armor and a demonic-looking costume. "You want me to wear this? It's all white, how am I supposed to be stealthy with it?"

"You are not. I did not bring this armor to make you stealthy, but to make you intimidating. White is the color of death, of bones. When your enemies see it, fear will overtake their hearts, and they will be more likely to flee than facing you head-on. Your fighting style is too destructive to be stealthy, and since you are a long-range fighter, threats will come in the form of long-range jutsu, projectiles, and hand-to-hand fighters who can close the gap between them and you. In the first case, you can counter fire with fire, and the armor will increase your chances of survival against the two other threats."

Madara lifted the armor and gave it to his apprentice. It was quite heavy, but not unreasonable. "This armor belonged to a samurai warlord from the clan era that I defeated in duel when I was leading the Uchiha clan. I restored it and added seals to prevent anyone from seeing what was underneath through the Byakugan, or other means."

It explains why nobody managed to see past his mask, Kazama thought, he probably added the seals to it as well. "It's to fit the god charade, I suppose?"

"Exactly. As long as Ame will think you're a deity, their obedience will be absolute. Defying a warlord like Hanzo is risky, but to defy a god is sinful and likely to result in being struck by a lightning bolt. An armor would make you less human, and nobody would be able to say the person underneath is a human. People will never like you… but they will fear and obey their faceless, almighty overlord."

"Ame saw me without any armor, and Minato, Kushina, perhaps Jiraiya, know who I am."

"Ame saw a man-shaped god killing a Bijuu in an epic battle and tear the skies apart. With Nagato's little stunt, they think you can bring back the dead if you want. Only a fool would think you are not a god. They would simply say you decided to not wield your heavenly armor, and fought Hanzo without it because you didn't think him worthy of the honor. Your cultists will quickly find explanations, and when Konoha-nins try to look past the metal and find they are unable to see what lies underneath, the rumors will grow and add further credits to your claims."

The Uchiha shrugged. "As for Konoha? Their ambassador keeps repeating to everyone who will listen you're a fallen star having descended upon earth to pass heaven's judgments upon men, and brought a dead missing-nin, me, with you to serve as your vengeful champion. What can your parents say? That you're a man coming from an alternate universe, their future son to be? That sounds insane, doesn't it?"

Seeing things under that angle… "But when I'm gone…" An idea crossed his mind. "Could you make a replica of this armor?"

Madara narrowed his Sharingan. "Ah, smart move. You intend to give it to Konan?"

"With the Rinnegan, she can pull off miracles. By wearing the armor, she could switch place with me and nobody would see through it. I would never have left. With a few seals to cover the eyes and change the voice…"

"And if the armor and the Rinnegan are passed down, you would appear immortal. Intelligent. You are learning fast." Madara gave a bow of mock reverence. "Your will shall be done, August Star. I would suggest you find a god to impersonate… it would be more intimidating to pretend being Susanoo the storm Kami or the Shinigami than Kazama Arashi… at least at the moment."

And he vanished, leaving the blonde alone with his new toy.

Returning to his office and finding it deserted, Kazama sat and stared at his reflection in the white helmet. The face on the surface was his, yes, but it was hard to recognize it. He had lost his former winning smile, his expression had become stoic and his blue eyes had turned cold. I once dreamed of being the Yondaime Hokage, and I have become Madara instead. Somehow, it doesn't feel as horrifying as it sounds.

"You should take care of your appearance," Izanami's voice reached his ears. How she had entered the room without being noticed was troubling. Then again, she had Madara's powers... "You are a tiger. When a woman looks at you, she sees the deadly grace and the beauty, the power and the aura of majesty. For a second, she is enamored… but then she sees your eyes, realizes your heart is hardened, and that you could kill her on the spot and you wouldn't even bat an eyelash. With your looks, you could be a lady killer, yet your facial expression drives them away, for you're a wolf in a land of lambs."

"I don't care," he said. Jiraiya had been a lady killer, and he wasn't a role model to take after. "The tiger is the king of animals. I would better be feared as a deadly beast than loved as a harmless peacock."

Izanami chuckled, and her fingers touched his shoulders. They were warm, and Kazama couldn't help but feel uneasy. "Who said you can't be feared and loved? No one bothers trying to take a third option." He saw her smile in the white helm. "You should keep your hair down. The spiky style isn't good at all."

"You told me you had an illness," he switched subject.

The woman sighed disappointed the attempt at small talk had failed. "It is more akin to a curse induced by a jutsu. It is… no, it would be better if I were to show you."

She went through him. Like Madara, she walked through his seat, his flesh, and stopped in front of him. The contact was akin to a ghostly chill, and Kazama refrained himself from shivering.

Izanami had changed outfits, dropping her kimono for more casual clothes, composed of black pants and a white sweater. Kazama could have mistaken her for a beautiful civilian woman if he didn't know just how dangerous she was. The kunai in her left hand helped reveal her true nature.

In a swift move, she slashed her right hand with it.

The world wanderer watched disturbed as the dripping blood vanished before reaching the floor. The wound closed nearly instantly. She put the kunai in her pocket and smiled sadly. "I return to my original state, constantly. My wounds close, I never age, I can't give birth anymore… I'm unable to change."

"Which means you are immortal," the blonde pointed out, before noticing something wrong in her sentence. Anymore… "Many would kill to be in your situation."

"Only fools, psychopaths, and Madara. Would you face the prospect of outliving all those you care about?" She snapped, showing genuine anger. "Would you like to stand young and fresh, as your closest friends wither and die?"

Seeing things from that perspective, Kazama was forced to agree. He had seen what Madara was behind his mask of a powerful mastermind: a bitter, lonely old man fueled by ancient grudges and wounds that never healed. The prospect of ending like him was obviously the source of the woman's anguish. "You want me to make you normal? I admit not knowing how. Some of my friends might be able to help you, however."

"If you can travel through other universes, it's only a matter of time before I find a cure," she whispered, before sitting on his thighs. The Amekage was beginning to wonder if she had any sense of personal space. "I am not ungrateful. For your services, I can offer you my help in fighting Madara-"

"No."

For a split-second, Izanami seemed at loss of words. "Did you say no?"

"You heard me well. I have seen too many people die fighting him to see you gamble your life. Especially since he's perhaps one of the few people that might be able to kill you." He ignored her shocked expression. "You saved me from the Sanbi and I will return the favor by giving you a cure to your condition… because helping those in needs is a reward in itself. But I refuse to see anyone risking their life for me, against something I'm willing to offer for free."

Izanami stared blankly at his face, before recovering. "And if I told you I'm willing to fight at your side, simply because I like you?"

Kazama had no answer to that. "I-"

She approached his lips with hers and kissed him.

It was as surprising as it was short. Izanami quickly broke the contact, and laughed at the blonde's astonished face. "It was your first kiss, isn't it?"

"I wish this was the case..." As humiliating as it had been, locking lips with Sasuke by accident counted as his first kiss. "Why did you do it?"

"Because underneath all that cynicism, you have a noble heart, and it would be a shame to see it turn to ice. I was observing the battle with the Sanbi for a long time, and I admit... I considered letting you die. After all, the way you talked, I thought you were sharing the masked bastard's ideas... but when the turtle threatened to destroy Ame... you stayed to defend it. You knew it was suicidal, but you didn't run. Madara would have either destroyed the town entirely or run to choose a better battleground. You had no one you liked to protect, nothing to gain and everything to lose, but you were willing to put your life on the line anyway for people you didn't know and weren't likely to thank you. That's what you are, Kazama. You try to deny it because it comes with a great personal cost, but you are altruistic. That's why you're different from your mentor, and that's why I came to help you."

She shrugged. "You aren't the first one Madara has puts his claws into. I know what it is like to live in fear, when you're forced to obey to protect those you love. It lasts until you're pushed too far, and when that happens, you realize you have become just as empty and warped as the one you struck down, and just as monstrous as you pretended to be."

The woman crossed her arms. "You're in charge of this country now. A dictator. Your 'mentor' would like you to put your heel on everyone's back constantly to secure your power base… in which case, you wouldn't be better than him. Ame has only ever known tyrants, warlords, or worse, and lost all hopes for a better future. You can change that. You may be a despot… but you can be a benevolent one. Try remembering it. Don't become a new monster in your attempt to topple another."

Benevolent despot? Kazama smiled. "I will remember the lesson." His face turned serious. "Kushina gave me a message for you."

Izanami froze on place, confirming his suspicions. "Yes?" she asked, sounding fearful.

"She said… she said she was sorry for what happened, and that she was taking care of him. She said you could go see them wherever you want, as long as you contact her."

For a split second, Izanami's face bore the saddest expression Kazama had ever seen.

She quickly corrected herself however and adopted a cheerful smile. It was faked so well the blonde almost thought it was genuine for a split second. "I see."

"Can I… do anything about it?" He asked. "You have your secrets and they belong to you, but if I can lend you a hand, I will."

"Thanks… but no. No, you can't do anything."

With those words, she teleported away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

"This world is full of misery…" He told himself. "Will I ever see a world where nobody's life has been fucked up?"

This world is flawed, the dark voice answered him. It needs to be fixed.

Not by you. The… the thing was corrupting his thoughts, he was certain of it. The blonde said words he would never have said normally.

Corrupting, or improving? No. It will be fixed by you.

… By me.

I can still offer you power. My offer stands. It will always stand. Of course, there will be a price to pay.

I will pass. Your cost is too high.

If so, perhaps knowledge would be better?

Kazama raised an eyebrow. Knowledge?

I can teach you Jutsu beyond your wildest dreams. Arts able to bind life itself to your will.

And… what would be the price?

The price of struggle. This knowledge is cheap. If you wish to learn greater knowledge forbidden to humans, the price will be paid with parts of you, be it life, blood, or sanity. What I offer you is a theory, not mastery. You will have to work for it.

Mmm… why not? It will depend on the knowledge.

I will gladly provide it.

Slowly, Kazama started putting on the white armor, finishing with the helmet. It was heavy, yet flexible. He could fit into it with some time and training.

In his armor, he looked like a fearsome monster. The white metal covered every inch of his body, turning him inhuman. The forearms, shins, shoulders and hands were equipped with small blades of refined steel. The helmet was equipped with a metal skull-shaped mask, leaving only the eyes exposed. The helmet's horns were small, and composed of silver. "I am death embodied," he said, his voice becoming deeper through the iron protection. "It seems I have to pretend being a god. Which one, I wonder? The Shinigami?"

Too overused, the dark voice whispered. Why not… Mikaboshi? It is the Kami of stars and night, a fearsome deity.

Mikaboshi…

It was a good name.

---

Susanoo

This Madara Uchiha was nothing like he imagined.

Unlike any of the counterparts Susanoo met during his travels through the multiverse, this one hadn't been blessed by Mikaboshi. His body hadn't turned to dust, and his soul hadn't been devoured by the darkness. It had been a good thing, since the Rinnegan user had been able to bring him back from the dead with Edo Tensei.

Here he was, as young as when he fought Hashirama, wearing a crimson armor. His hair was a black mane, his eyes a set of swirling Sharingan. His stoic expression conveyed some thinly veiled surprise and astonishment, as he examined his counterpart's face. "So this is it. You are me… what I could have been. I hope that shape was worth the cost."

"It was." Susanoo placed his mask back over his visage. "Tell me, why can't I enforce the mental dominance I should have over you? Or why are you so… young and fresh?"

The red Madara chuckled, sitting in a chair. Susanoo had moved his hideout to an abandoned, hidden Uchiha fortress, built during the clan wars. His Paths of Pain had rebuilt the place from scratch with incredible efficiency. "Before my apprentice killed me, I prepared measures to alter my summoning, should the Edo Tensei be used on my person. I was brought back in the body I had when I fought Hashirama for the last time, and although there is a link of chakra between us, you can neither control nor banish me. The wise man plans for the future."

"Which is why you took Izanami as apprentice."

The man chuckled at the name. "That's what she calls herself now? I find it ironic... I thought she had what it took to be a true Uchiha. I was mistaken, but unfortunately, she was a better student than I thought. She poisoned my meals, and had one of her summons tear me apart when I was agonizing on the ground."

Susanoo chuckled. The woman had conveniently failed to mention this detail. "What summon, may I ask?"

"It was a praying mantis the size of an elephant. Female mantises kill the males of their species when they're hungry, angry, or during mating. It fits that woman well. She has a long history of killing men. As she didn't have the brute power of male Uchiha, I taught her how to be an assassin and use all her weapons. Fortunately, women have a very good one between their legs."

Susanoo refrained a disgusted snort. The violent beating Mito Uzumaki had dished him back in the Valley of the End had taught him to respect and fear women. To have trained a woman this way, this Madara certainly didn't think the same. "You taught her seduction?"

"Seduction, swordsmanship, Genjutsu, the Sharingan's powers, poisoning, summoning, Edo Tensei, strategy… the list goes on."

Susanoo could only imagine. "And Mikaboshi?" If she had some of its powers, it would end badly.

"The Kami of the Stars? What does it have to do with us?" Apparently, he was genuinely in the dark about the sinister god. "It's just a story men invented to scare their kids at night."

Obviously, he had never met the evil entity. "Nothing. And about Izanami's… undead god of Shinobi?"

The temperature dropped slightly. "It was one of my main projects before I died to find his tomb," the other Madara whispered. "I suppose she completed my work after executing me. To be honest, I don't think he will stay under her control for long, once deployed. He created Ninjutsu and although without his Bijuu, he's strong enough to break free. What he will do after being freed, however…"

"Still, she's a dangerous enemy all the same." Susanoo crossed his arms. "How did you find her?"

"I was keeping an eye on the members of my former clan, so I could give their position to enemy ninjas and have them exterminated. She was the wife of a prominent member of the group and their marriage was a notoriously unhappy one. It got worse after the birth of her son. I don't exactly know what happened, but one night, her husband was dead and she on the run. The Kyuubi's vessel was friends with her and covered her escape by beating the crap out of the entire Uchiha clan, but that woman was already stabbed and bleeding. In the end, she fell into a river, and I recovered her. She was dying, but her eyes… once our eyes crossed, I found hate echoing my own, and I liked it."

"So you healed her?"

"No. I was too late and she died of her wounds."

Susanoo immediately understood. "Edo Tensei," he muttered. "You used the Edo Tensei on her?" It was how she could recover so fast from the wounds he inflicted on her.

"Not exactly. For all its powers, Edo Tensei has inherent weaknesses preventing it from being the true key to immortality. I spent decades trying to find ways to bring back others from the dead, to reach eternity. I healed the wounds of her dead body and used an experimental jutsu to bring back her soul. It… cut her from this world. She will always stay how she is. She won't age. She will never know the ravage of time. Her wounds will vanish as soon as they are opened. She won't be able to bear a child again. Her heart is beating, her body is warm, she can feel pain and pleasure, and she is alive… and eternal. She was my greatest achievement. Not an undead… an undying. Apparently, the process gave her minor supernatural powers, like intangibility."

"How can you end this Jutsu?"

"I never bothered to devise a counter to immortality, in fear one might turn it against me once I had perfected the process. If we want to get rid of her, we will have to seal her under a rock or the like where she will spend eternity until the end of all things." The red Madara crossed his arms. "Izanami is a fitting name, for she is the goddess of the dead, and reborn again. I? I am Izanagi, the creator, who will send her back into the hell that spawned her."

"Then, Izanagi, explain me how you came to blows with her."

"I tried to mold her into my apprentice. She was so talented, so devious. I thought she would finish the Moon's Eye plan. But quickly it became clear she would never be the successor I desired. She had the skills, but never got over her new life as an immortal exiled, away from her son and friends. In the end, I realized it was a loss of time, and focused on finding someone else. Her son had shown some potential and insecurities to exploit. I set my eyes on him. She discovered it, and… reacted poorly. Parents tend to take risks for children they would never take for themselves."

Susanoo snorted. "What do you think she will do next?"

"I have no idea, and I doubt she has any plan. She's probably running along with the flow of things and waiting to see how she can exploit the situation. If this Kazama Arashi is as young as you pretend, she will probably try to seduce him and turn him against you."

"She will bite off more than she can chew with that one." Susanoo had little doubt the world wanderer was too dangerous to be controlled. It had taken him long to realize it, but it was obvious he was too powerful to be left alive. "Do you know about the 'Child of the Prophecy'?"

"The legend how a man will start a revolution that will either be the world's salvation or damnation?" Izanagi asked. "The Sage predicted his coming in the documentation that reached me."

"It's only a part of the prophecy." Susanoo intertwined his fingers. "The chosen one will fight an all-powerful darkness as the final obstacle. If he wins, the revolution will start and bring endless peace to the world; if he fails, the darkness will end the world as we know it and inaugurate a dark age." He locked eyes with his counterpart.

"Kazama Arashi is the darkness we have been warned against."

For a split second, Izanagi said nothing, before frowning. "Do you have a proof of what you are saying?"

"The Rinnegan showed me the source of his powers: the chakra of a god, sealed in his stomach." Susanoo had at first thought it was the result of Tsukiyomi's machinations, before realizing the power was noticeable long before the Uchiha lord ever got his hands on him. "He is a dark deity reborn in human form, growing stronger with each passing day."

It had all become clear during the battle for Ame. No follower of Mikaboshi could ever open a black hole; only the deity itself could do this. Susanoo had realized he had been a pawn in the star god's game, a pawn used to motivate the growth of its champion, a tool to be eliminated once no longer useful. "He fits several traits of the darkness: a man pretending to bring about a world of truth, gathering followers to march in his name, spreading loss and chaos wherever he goes, turning an ally of the chosen one against him… The fact my counterpart never managed to convince him to join us, and is now firmly at his side, speaks for itself."

"If he's the darkness, then only the Child of the Prophecy will be able to defeat him," Izanagi stated. "You suggest we find him?"

"The chosen one is right in front of you." Izuna told it to him with his dying breath. Now, it was time to meet his fate. "I will defeat him in battle and extract his godly chakra with the Rinnegan, before making it my own. And with this power, I will bring about the birth of a better world."

"Then why don't we go kill him in his sleep?" Izanagi replied with skepticism.

"Because his followers are dispersed. When they are reunited, then we will destroy them all in one swoop, in a legendary battle." Susanoo smiled behind his mask. "And we will prevail. You, me, and the five Kage reborn."

---

Kitsune

The temple's gates were purple and blue, surrounded with two golden statues. The air was pure, and there was no sound.

Kitsune stopped in front of the doors of stone alone. He was only carrying Samehada and a bag containing his clothes. The fish creature purred and licked his fingers. "Is there someone here?" The blonde asked. "Itachi-sama said you could help me."

"I know someone that may help you learn to control your transformations," The Godaime had whispered. "And maybe, teach you peace of the mind."

The doors opened.

Slowly, carefully, the kid entered, the gates closing behind him immediately. The grounds of the monasteries were made of earth, trees, and ponds. It was a peaceful garden, where monks in red and white robes were discussing, working, meditating, and in one case, playing Shogi.

"Kitsune Arashi," a monk welcomed him. He was a bald man with dark eyes, thick eyebrows, a serene face, and a black sash around his waist. He smiled kindly. "I am enchanted to meet you. Itachi-san sent a messenger crow to inform me of your arrival. I am Chiriku, the head of this monastery, but please, consider me a mere first among equals. Allow me to give you a visit."

Kitsune nodded, and Samehada left him to enter one of the ponds. Chiriku showed him the dormitories, the meditation sanctuaries, the statues of the gods, and the monasteries' many rooms. "You will have to shave your head, and trade your current clothes for monk robes. We believe in the virtues of dispossession and humility to reach true enlightenment."

"If needed…" The blonde bit his lower lips. "Chiriku-sama-"

"Chiriku-san. All men are equals inside these walls."

"Chiriku-san, I have to inform you…" Kitsune took his breath. "I have a terrible curse I do not control."

"I know. Itachi-san informed me you transformed into a fox in the presence of his father and had to be restrained and sedated." The kid blushed in shame. "We will teach you how to tame your bestial nature."

"How?"

"By teaching you how to achieve true peace of mind." Chiriku brought him before a tree and handed him an apple. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Hungers for food and water is necessary to live, and natural. But there others hungers, born of the mind, called desires, and they are the source of all misery. Desire for power, for material goods, for recognition… and in your case, desire for pain. Your pain." The monk narrowed his eye. "I can see you carry a heavy burden, Kitsune Arashi. You are crumbling under the weight of your sins, and you see no escape but atoning through personal suffering. This is the wrong path to take, for suffering only brings more suffering. It is a spiral that won't solve anything."

Kitsune took his breath, remembering the people he had killed under the voices' orders. "I committed so many crimes I am beyond forgiveness."

"No one is beyond forgiveness, as long as one can feel regret. Regrets are consuming your heart, and if you have the will to atone for what you did, then the world will always give you a second chance. But self-punishment in itself is not the source of true repentance. We will show you the true way." Chiriku took another apple. "The body is a mere vessel for the soul. The desire for women and possession is mental, and turns into physical lust as a result. If you reach peace of the mind, you will be able to be in harmony with your body and unlock its true potential. But for this to happen, you must forgive yourself and learn to be in harmony with the world that surrounds you."

Chiriku bit the apple. "The Uchiha way is one of conflict with the self, and not necessarily a bad path to embrace, but we monks do not believe in it, and obviously, you aren't meant to follow it. Itachi-san understood that, and this is why you were sent here." He locked eyes with the blonde. "You left someone behind."

It wasn't a question, and it would be lying Kitsune hadn't hesitated a lot about leaving Naruko's side. She said she would wait for me… "She's my friend, but… she needed to train with Fugaku-sama." It was the only way to truly beat Madara, and they both knew it.

"Friendship is the truest, purest sentiment. We honor and cherish it. The fact you chose different paths does not mean eternal separation. It is my truest belief friends are always reunited, be it in this life or the next." Chiriku smiled. "And I have the intuition you won't have to wait that long."

---

Naruko

"I see father did not go easy on you."

The blonde girl snorted in anger. Her face was covered with bruises, and for maybe the first time in her life, she was tired as hell. "As long as I can progress…" She muttered. Fugaku was teaching her primarily Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, Mikoto was taking care of her Genjutsu lessons, and other Uchiha were taking turns at training her in various areas. "Was it the same with you?"

"No, it was easier," the prodigy conceded. "This is an accelerated version of the program I went through myself. I am amazed you can still stand to be honest."

"I have to stand." She had promised herself abandoning and complaining were out of question. "It's the only way I can become strong." Without relying on Kurama, the girl added to herself.

Fugaku had been quite blunt: he was astonished she had lasted this long. In his opinion if she didn't have a powerful demon in her belly she would have died a dozen times already. The blonde couldn't deny it, and the statement had given her the resolve to continue.

"Take a seat," the Uchiha Godaime asked behind his desk. The office was quite plain, maybe a sign of the Uchiha's hate of luxury. "Are you certain you do not know our visitor?"

"No." She had visited that mysterious, comatose Uchiha in the hospital at Itachi's behest. The girl had been astonished another world wanderer had dropped by, and for a split second though her sensei had come for her… only to be sorely disappointed.

"This is most confusing," the Hokage stated, as the blonde sat. "Perhaps was it an accident, but his wounds show he was trying to flee something, or someone." He crossed his arms. "Until Tsunade comes and he awakens, the best we can do is be patient. The breach closed behind him and nobody managed to open it again."

"I thought Konoha was good with Space-Time ninjutsu?"

"Good does not mean expert. The only person who can qualify is Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, and he is away for the moment. I contacted him through messenger crows and he affirmed he would be back within a few weeks at worst to investigate. He's currently too occupied with what's happening in Ame to be available." The Uchiha smiled. "He was most interested in your case. In his mind, it might be the occasion to confirm the validity of some prophecies he has been told about."

"Prophecies?" Naruko snorted. "Fate does not exist. One of my archenemies keeps ranting about our destiny of death and tragedy, much to my annoyance. So far, I'm still alive."

"I believe in choices and free-will as well, but… Jiraiya's prophecies come from an Elder Toad, said to have the ability to see into the future. So far, his claims have been accurate… yet at no point has your coming been mentioned. Your presence might explain if the Elder's visions are truly absolute or have flaws. It's something Jiraiya wants to test, and I didn't see any reason to reject his proposal." Itachi smiled. "Kitsune arrived to the Fire Temple this morning."

Naruko raised her head in interest. "How is he?"

"Fine. Chiriku tells me the monastery will be the sanctuary your friend was looking for: a place where he will learn peace of mind and spirit. I will be able to give you news on his progress, if you wish."

"Thank you, Itachi-sensei," Naruko bowed slightly in gratitude. I hope Kitsune will be fine… he deserves to be fine.

"One final thing…" The Godaime chuckled. "I have heard you and my brother are starting to get along."

Naruko shuddered. Itachi's brother had insisted to participate in some of her exercises, and they had quickly started a friendly rivalry over them. "He and his team asked me if I wanted to hang out with them after my training time."

"Sasuke doesn't have many human contacts outside them and his family," Itachi whispered, before closing his eyes. "He resents the absence of his older brother, so… maybe the presence of a little sister might be good for him. And for you. Having a rival is good motivation."

"Itachi-sensei…" She smiled. "I refused to hang out with them."

The Godaime appraised her silently for a few seconds. "The Kyuubi?" He guessed.

"Yes. As long as I… until I'm certain I can't… twist others' feelings anymore, I prefer staying alone." The euphemism left a bitter taste in her mouth. "I…"

"I do not need you to warn you on the dangers of isolation," Itachi whispered, closing his eyes. "I admit liking being left to my thoughts sometimes, yet everyone needs company. You of all people should know the pain of loneliness."

Naruko knew it more than anyone else in this entire town. "Itachi-sensei… if… I realized maybe some people are my friends not because they want to, but because I…" Brainwashed them?A part of her mind suggested. "You get the picture. It's morally wrong, and… and it's not friendship. It's slavery. I don't want to inflict that on anyone." Perhaps Itachi himself was only helping her because she messed with his brain. She couldn't be sure. She didn't want to be sure.

"Naruko… let me tell you a story." Itachi took a breath. "When I was a teen, working in the ANBU, I was one day captured by the enemy. Iwa-nin, to be precise. They wanted to exchange me for some of their comrades, imprisoned in Konoha. For days, they kept me starved and weak. And… after a time, I started sympathizing with my captors. Mother will tell you this is called the Morino Syndrome, since it was Ibiki Morino who documented and examined the condition with his own victims. After a time, a prisoner starts empathizing with the captor, sees his actions as genuine affection, and comes around their point of view, even admiring him or falling in love. Madara and Orochimaru are fond of exploiting this condition to turn prisoners into loyal followers."

This matched Kurama's situation. "I-"

"Many of my captors saw me as a mere tool, and messed with my mind… but one, however, started sympathizing with me. It was a man in his thirties, with brown hair and eyes. We talked, we shared stories, and he offered some food in secret. And one day, after weeks of imprisonment, he opened my cell, and told me to escape." He shrugged. "He was called Raki. I discovered his name when I found his body hung from a tree after his comrades found his treachery. He had his identification card in his pocket with the word traitor written on it."

Itachi shrugged. "It might have started as warped, but this was friendship. From what you told me about how you met Kazama, he more or less took you away from Konoha without possibility of return. Some would see this as abduction, even if he did it to save you. Yet, it seems there is no denying you share a strong bond. Some friendships start for all the wrong reasons, yet can turn genuine and stronger than many others."

The Godaime locked eyes with her. "The danger of your power is that you cannot control it yet. If used well, it won't be a tool for control, but a way to reach a deeper understanding with someone else, and gives greater strength to your friendship. The true danger is if you do not care about the other person and are merely using him as a thrall to feed your ego. It feels good, to have power over someone, to see them look at you in awe and worship. This is a temptation that will always plague you, but if you're strong… you will overcome it."

"I… I'm not ready." She took her breath. "Until I find someone that can show me how to restrain and control this ability… I prefer staying away from others and focusing on my training. And when I am reunited with my family, I won't be a dead-weight to them… ever again."

---

Haku

"It's finished," Fukuro stated, upon presenting his newest machine to the group, sitting around a round table in one of the base's rooms. "I present you… the World Probe!"

"The name is cliché," Chibaku stated. "And no offense… it looks like a robotic pepper shaker."

Haku was forced to agree. The object was a grey and black metal cone, with a round black camera as 'head'. A device called 'reactor' was implanted under it. "This is supposed to find the Feral Gale and his allies?"

"Your skepticism hurts me," the scientist pouted. "It won't find them, but it will reopen and use the thin portal you used to cross the gap between our multiverse and their own, and then releases a signal they should be able to locate. The Probe contains a recorded holographic message explaining them the situation."

"They told you they couldn't help you, in your feud with Madara," Kuebiko began, "due to them being foreign deities, am I right?" Both Chibaku and Haku nodded. "I doubt they will be able to help personally, but who knows, they might have info that could help us locate Kazama, or they might have a way to evacuate the populations threatened by our multiverse's collapse. At this point, any help is welcome."

Another earthquake shook the building. "Ah, must be the canon Sasori and Omoikane are working on," Chibaku commented. "Yesterday, it was the kunai launcher. The explosive kunai launcher."

"I've seen the new bodies she's designing…" Kuebiko shuddered. "I think we will have to redefine what a weapon of mass destruction is after you try them."

"I'm not even used to this one," Chibaku whined, before chuckling. "When we're going to see Madara again, boy, I'm so going to try the Death Ray on his ass."

"Learn to aim first," the former Nidaime Hokage suggested. "You might kill an ally by accident, or alter the landscape. Vajra designed the weapon for mining purposes. It's a pity he isn't there to teach you how to handle it."

"Speaking of him," Haku interrupted, "Did you find anything? You visited the world where he lost contact with you…"

Kuebiko's face darkened. "I found… no, it would be better if I show you." He searched under his pockets and presented a few photos. "I took them all around the continent."

His student took them, and paled.

Ashes. Plains of ashes. Dead mountains devoid of life. Dark skies, covered with smoke. Remains of forests burning. Ruins of, shattered and melted. It was a vision of death.

"What happened?" Chibaku asked, upon staring at the photos. "A cataclysm? A volcanic eruption?"

"An artificial cataclysm," Kuebiko stated. "I examined the place and… it wasn't a volcano. Volcanic ashes are pulverized rock, not soot and burned material. This was more akin to the results of flamethrower-rampage. I cannot explain how it happened, but something burned the entire continent from above and reduced it to ashes. Whatever it was, it killed everything on the planet. Humans, animals, plants… it will take decades for it to become habitable again."

"Who could do that?" Haku paled at the implications. "And why would anyone want to do that?"

"I am as confused as you," Kuebiko said, "And the fact I found nothing left of Vajra means two things: either he was killed in the cataclysm, in which case, I should have located his remains… or whatever behind it found him first. This world contains unstable breaches, so… it's possible the responsible party might have come from an alternate universe, and retreated once its work was done."

Silence followed.

"I said we needed any help possible for a reason," Kuebiko stated. "Because I have the feeling, that if we don't get help… there won't be any worlds' left to save."

---

Yugito Nii

"You owe our clan three lives, Kakashi Hatake."

Yugito glared at the talking hound. "If I understand the situation correctly, you tried to kill him first," the Kumo-nin pointed out. "Both your employer and the dogs chosen to fight with him are dead. Can't we make peace?"

The creature glared at her. It was a large black Doberman the size of a horse, with vicious red eyes and yellow fangs. The fact he was wearing a silver collar nearly identical to the one having belonged to Kenta's big summon was worrying. "A contract involving one of us binds the clan as a whole," it explained with a raspy voice, sitting on the ground. If it felt threatened by the presence of three S-Rank ninjas, it hid it well.

"My clan is honor-bound to fulfill Kenta's contract, and take revenge for the death of three of our warriors. Two had only gotten their first blood, and one was a seasoned warrior and a servant hound of Inugami, the dog god. By killing them, you have tainted our honor and reputation. Our clan demands blood as reparation. Yours."

"Drop it Kitten, it's a dog, and as such, stupid. Just kill it."

Yugito sighed. The trio had been informed by the Yondaime's clone the original was ready to try the Nidaime's Jutsu, and they had left to meet him with travel bags on their back… until this dog had intercepted them.

"However, our Clan Head wants to avoid a blood feud if possible," the dog emissary explained. "He consulted the temple of Inugami. In his wisdom, the great priest answered if Inugami chose to let you kill these warriors, then they weren't worthy of serving under the dog god's banner and the only thing he could give them was a glorious death by battle. If you swear an oath not to harm any of us ever again, Inugami will forgive your acts and my clan will drop any idea of vendetta against your family."

"I swear never to harm any dog, on my father's sword and Inugami," Kakashi promised, before putting the blade back in its sheath.

"As a follower of Inugami, I am a witness to the oath," the creature recited. A golden collar appeared in a puff of smoke. "Wear this symbol of Inugami around your arm, and no dog shall seek to harm you. If you break your oath, the dog god will punish you." The hound nodded, and vanished into smoke. "Farewell, Hatake. May we never cross path again."

"Why do I have the feeling this collar will be more trouble than it is worth?" Mei wondered out loud.

"As long as it prevents a feud with a dog clan," Kakashi snorted upon picking up the object and fitting it around his arm. "An eye for an eye leaves the entire world blind, sensei told me once."

"… but what if you're blind before someone takes revenge on you?"

Ignoring her Bijuu's stupid comment, Yugito continued walking through the Land of Fire's forest. "Are you certain we aren't lost? I don't remember seeing a town on the maps."

"Certain. It's a training ground my team used before the war erupted." They reached a river. "Here it is."

Indeed, the Yondaime Hokage was waiting for them, drawing seals on the muddy ground with black ashes. Two toads were watching over his work, one male and a female, yet both elderly. "Good morning," he said upon noticing them. "We were waiting for you."

"For too long!" The female toad complained. "We're going to miss breakfast!"

"Don't worry Shima, I'm sure Minato-kun will offer it," the male toad replied.

"Of course, Fukasaku-dono. Sasuke and Naruto will be very happy to listen to one of your stories." The blonde faced the trio. "I present you the two best toad seal masters of Mount Myoboku. Fukasaku, Shima, they are the people I told you about."

"Enchanted," the animal couple nodded politely.

"They helped me improve the Nidaime's technique," the Yondaime explained. "I needed to be present in person to oversee the ritual, and here I am. Mikoto, Sasuke and Naruto send you their regards."

"Please return our own then," Kakashi replied. "How are they doing?"

"Pretty good. Sasuke is very depressed about his brother's death, but Naruto's company helps him deal with it. Mikoto has taken upon herself to occupy their minds through activities so they don't brood too much in a corner." His eyes narrowed. "Yugito-san, the masked man has been seen with Kakuzu."

She blinked. "So they were accomplices?"

"Possibly. We interrogated the owner of a bounty station, and he told us Kakuzu left it with two unidentified men, one matching your description of the fox-man. Afterward, we unfortunately lost their trail. It was if they had just vanished. The Inuzuka themselves are clueless about the situation." Minato sighed. "Danzo suggests they may be survivors from Akatsuki, trying to reform the group."

"You should inform Zabuza-sama," Mei suggested. "Many of our missing-nin were associated with Akatsuki, and part of our ANBU stayed loyal to Madara until the bitter end. It's possible our purge hasn't been as thorough as we hoped, and one or two members stayed in contact with Kakuzu."

"I will take the advice to heart."

Yugito decided to switch subject. "And Mikoto-san? I never got the occasion to thank her for saving our lives."

"I will convey the message. Mikoto…" The Yondaime smiled. "Maybe is it time to consider a second marriage. We thought about it for a long time, and… I believe Sasuke joining my family officially would do good for both him and my own son. It is time we leave the past behind and focus on the future."

"A wise choice," Mei commented, before sighing. "Marriage… Why is it that everyone but me is married, or used to be? Even the frogs!"

"Technically, frogs and toads are a different species…" Fukasaku pointed out.

"I'm not," Yugito replied to the Kiri-nin, "And I'm happy this way." She nodded at the Yondaime. "I wish you and Mikoto a long happy life."

"Sensei… be strong." Kakashi shook hands with his former teacher. "You deserve to enjoy your life. I know it's not always easy, but… one mustn't see the bottle half-empty, but the bottle half-full. We might take a beating from the world, but we can improve our existence and gain a happy ending with enough efforts."

Minato Namikaze smiled from ear to ear. "I will remember, Kakashi… and please, promise me you will be fine."

"I tend to fall in harm's way, so I will pass on that promise," the jounin chuckled.

"Anyway," the Yondaime shrugged, doing his hardest to hide his worries and failing, "This place is rich in natural energy, which should power the Nidaime's Jutsu sufficiently for three people." He tossed them each a kunai. "They contain the formula of the Jutsu, in case you need to use it again. Each of you, take the other's hand and make a circle inside the array."

After putting the kunai in their pockets and travel bags, the trio obeyed, each joining hand with another and adopting a triangle formation. The Hokage crossed fingers. "This way, none of you shall be lost during the travel. I must warn you, the journey's time will be longer than Kazama's own technique. Madara's transportation lasted longer than yours, but this method doesn't have a breach to exploit. As such, what will look like a second to you might be akin to days elsewhere."

"As long as we reach the destination," Mei shrugged.

"Farewell then…" The Yondaime made a hand sign. "Farewell, my friends."

In a flash of light, they were gone.

---

In another universe,

Far, far away…

Once Kakuzu stepped out of the portal of light, he wondered why he had accepted those weirdos' offer. Not for a lot of money…

… Oh yeah… for a shitload of money.

He stared around himself. It was some sort of director office, composed of three walls, a door, and a large window of glass. There was a black desk, plants, and four people waiting for them. One was a blonde man sitting behind the desk, observing him with a friendly grin. The bounty hunter instantly recognized one of his old comrades from Akatsuki, the annoying Deidara.

The three others were standing, and appeared to be siblings. One was a Miko, the other was a woman wearing black leather, and the third was a little kid wearing a jester outfit. He was a carbon copy of the Nine-Tails' container, Naruto Uzumaki…

For a split second, Kakuzu felt uneasy upon seeing the frightening, insane grin over his face. He had seen looks like that before and they normally led to unpleasant things. Usually ones that couldn't be exploited for a profit.

His two companions stepped outside the portal of light, which promptly vanished. "Hey, Deidara-san, the rings are working perfectly," Tobi said with a cheerful voice. "I didn't have to waste any chakra."

"Me neither," the bomber chuckled. "I'm afraid we won't be able to make more than ten of them, at least, according to the Warlord. The Relays will prove to be more efficient and useful to meet our goals."

Kakuzu had no idea they were talking about, and decided to go to the point. "You want to form a brand new Akatsuki with people from other worlds?"

Deidara smirked at him. "I see you were briefed on the situation… to be honest, I thought you would be a bit more… skeptical."

"I crossed path with two Kakashi Hatake at the same time, and they were of flesh and blood. Didn't take me long to add two and two together… and to be honest, when you have lived as long as I do, nothing surprises you anymore." The summoning of Jashin had taken the crown of all the bizarre events Kakuzu had went through in his long existence, and he was only stunned for a few seconds from that event. "Since you spoke of ten rings, I assume you're recruiting?"

The jester laughed. "You think they would give so much power to a newcomer? Nah, all the rings have been distributed already."

"We are an association of ten warlords, dictators, terrorists, ninjas, and power brokers. All of us are united under a common motto: to spread our influence through all universes by uniting our resources." Deidara chuckled. "We are a multiversal cooperative. Mind you, none of us share the same life-philosophy, ideals, and goals. However, the worlds are numerous, and the opposition strong. Why bother fighting, when we can share the infinite? As long as the other's business doesn't interfere with ours, everybody is happy."

The bomber crossed his fingers. "Katsu. Forgive me, we forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Deidara, the boy is my loyal brother-in-arms Naruto, and the women are our newest friends, Alpha and Three. They both met other world wanderers, who wronged them, and they will be happy to help us against soldiers to retake their home."

"I'm Menma," the man with the fox mask whispered. "My partner is Tobi, and the man here is Kakuzu, a bounty hunter that caught my eyes. As you have heard, at least one Kakashi Hatake crossed the barrier between worlds. The portals are getting bigger and more numerous."

"My, this is interesting. We will have to discuss it in our newest meeting." Deidara turned around and watched through the large windows.

It was raining outside, and Kakuzu realized they were inside a city. Most of the buildings were black, rectangular towers. Must be Ame, the hunter thought.

"The problem with us is… we are in a real need of manpower. We seek to recruit people with attitudes and skills. Of course, you will be handsomely rewarded for your services."

"Thanks, but I have been in Akatsuki and it didn't work out," the bounty hunter replied. "Conquest is overdone and too costly to last long. That, and I prefer to be free of how I handle my kills."

"You would be surprised by how effective we are at conquest. Although, to be honest, not all of us are interested in world domination. The goals go from 'securing knowledge' to 'killing as many people as possible'. As for your work, we don't micro-manage. As long as you complete an assignment, we won't force on you any partner, or anything of the sort."

"So…" Menma whispered. "Are you in?"

"Mmm… as long as I get paid…" Kakuzu shrugged. "Alright, as long as I can work alone, I'm fine with a contract. A contract I will write." And put many loopholes in it…

"I guess we can start the meeting now." Tobi touched his ring. An instant later, six dark shades manifested in the room, reminding Kakuzu of Akatsuki's holographic meetings. The shadows lacked colors, but the bounty hunter could vaguely distinguish the shapes, and see the rings around their fingers.

"Fu, fu… you gathered quite the interesting soldiers…" It was a teen's body, and the eyes had the shape of the Sharingan, but Kakuzu would have to be deaf to mistake that voice. His ring was placed on the left hand's middle finger, with the Kanji 'Lightning'. "I recognize Kakuzu-kun… and the women have my apprentice's face. Are they related?"

"Nice bodies…" The shade wasn't human. It was a mass of tentacles surrounding a humanoid body. The ring was placed on the left hand's thumb, and had the Kanji 'Wood'. "You don't mind if I take one as my own, meatbags? I never possessed a blonde before."

"You were supposed to take over this Vajra's body, Zetsu-san, and exploit his memories," a man whose face was hidden under a snake-hood whispered. The ring of 'Earth' was placed on his right hand's index finger. "I assume you failed?"

"He wasn't… human enough. Too much steel in his system." The creature hissed. "Regardless. We will find out what he knows soon enough. The Warlord can be… persuasive."

"Not so much as me…" A woman whispered with a playful grin. She had the ring of 'Fire' on her right hand's thumb. "You should have given him to me instead."

"I don't see how torturing an old man will give us the answers we are seeking," another woman, whose very face was covered with a mask and hood, shot back. On her right hand's little finger, she was wielding the ring of 'Metal'. "When you break them too hard, the poor wretches start saying anything that comes to their mind to have the pain stop. This is distasteful."

"Who said anything about torture?" The other woman chuckled. "You can be convincing without being nasty. Diplomacy works, sometimes."

"I disagree on the last statement," the last shade cut in, and Kakuzu recognized Mei Terumi's voice. She had the ring of 'Water' on her right hand's index finger. "However, I agree on this Vajra's situation. What do we know? His name and the fact he isn't alone. The more he stays in the Warlord's hands, the less likely he is to survive."

"Excuse me for the interruption…" Alpha said, drawing everyone's attention on her. "I see only nine of you. Is the absent member this 'Warlord'?"

The temperature dropped heavily, and Kakuzu quickly understood the final member wasn't someone really appreciated. "He's the founder of our organization, and easily the strongest, but he is a…" Deidara struggled to finish his sentence. "Hyper-pyromaniac."

"The survival rate of anything in the Warlord's vicinity tends to drop to… zero." Tobi bit his lips uneasily while speaking in a more mature tone. "Trust me, you don't want to be in the same room as him. He's fucking insane."

"Truly? I try to be good company."

The words were polite, but the mocking tone indicated there was no meaning behind them. Kakuzu focused on the new shade, which manifested next to the others. The shape was that of an adult, with the ring of 'Sun' around his left hand's ring finger.

"Misters, misses," the man whispered, his eyes radiating with cold hate, "Welcome to Teikoku. I was told you met dimensional travelers... Would you kindly give me the details?"

---

Omake:

Madara Rangers

"Well, since we're five… it's Morphing time!" Tsukiyomi shouted. "Mighty Morbid Madara Rangers! Ranger Red!"

"Ranger Blue!" Susanoo shouted.

"Ranger Yellow!" Izanami added.

"Ranger Black!" Izanagi snorted.

"Ranger-" Amaterasu stopped dead on tracks. "Wait, if all the colors are taken, then this means…" He jumped in place. "Why the fuck do I get to be the pink ranger?"

"It's not my fault if you have the name of a goddess," Tsukiyomi snorted. "Blame the writer."

"This is outrageous!"

Kazama silently observed the scene, face palming in shame. "This is getting more ridiculous with each new omake. I'll take a leaving, 'cause everyone is stupid."

"Oh come on, join us!" Susanoo stated. "There is always a sixth ranger joining mid-season!"

Kazama watched him, realized he cared for his personal dignity, and came to a decision.

I wonder if the bad guys are looking for teenagers with attitude…

---

A/N: first, thanks for all the reviews. I appreciate. Kippusan suggested the omake, and here it is.

Teikoku means Empire/Imperial in Japanese, so... yeah. I totally created an Interworld Akatsuki. And all its ten members are Evil Overlord/Main Villain material. And in case you wonder, the mysterious Warlord's hobby is destroying worlds. What is a Naruto crisis crossover without an omnicidal monster running around?

On the chapter... I admit I find the beginning a bit rough, especially Kazama's speech. But it was necessary. It's the point where he grows out of petty and selfish goals to dedicate himself to a greater purpose. I molded his scenes to make him some kind of sinister, cynical savior: becoming a protector to the minor, oppressed nations and minorities, rejecting the great nations' ideas, using violent methods to achieve a good end, enforcing peace through fear instead of love... he's in a well-meaning extremist phase. The fact Susanoo sees him as a Antichrist figure reinforces this.

For the armor, imagine a fusion of the Shredder's samurai armor and Sauron's knight outfit, all in white. I found it darkly ironical to have the main protagonist become a not-really-evil overlord with a god wannabe publicity. He seems like the archetypal bad guy, except he's ultimately a anti-hero with good intentions at heart. As stated by Izanami, he could have run when facing the Sanbi, but he stayed to defend Ame, even if he had everything to lose, because it was the right thing to do.

As for Izanami's motivations and background... I left a few hints. And that's all. Although I all but screamed the identity of her trump card.

For Susanoo, his hubris is blinding him. He's the deconstruction of the Chosen One archetype, or rather, what happens when you believe yourself to be the chosen one and misunderstand prophecies. Everything you do seems right, since you're destined to succeed. His fatal flaw, outside a lack of patience (except when it's really, really necessary), is his pride: he really can't consider he can be wrong and that he isn't destined to improve things. He's as much Naruko's foil/evil counterpart as Tsukiyomi is Kazama's.

On the other characters: Naruko is indeed developing insecurities, and what Itachi spoke of is Stockholm syndrome, a real life condition. Kitsune is trying to get out of his self-loathing phase. The rest is either taking a level in badass or already took it. I intended to introduce the Uchiha!Naruto (his personality and abilities, to be precise) and the new Lawful Evil teammate in this chapter, but you will have to wait for the next.

As such, the Separation Arc is officially over. A short timeskip will follow, and then the Reunion Arc will begin. Kind of the Shippuden Era of Echoes. Since I will focus on my other stories, you will have to wait a bit.

Oh, and would you kindly review? It helps with the motivation :)