Sorry, sorry. I know I'm already going to get an earful from someone for being really late, so my bad. I haven't been doijng just nothing, though. I wrote like the first two chapters of the story I'll be working on after this one.

Itachi is very talkative in this one. In fact, he doesn't shut up…

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All eyes, Leaf and Rain, gazed up as the object shot up into the sky. The flare rose quickly, leaving a trail of red smoke hanging in the air. It blended in well with the backdrop of the pink and orange clouds, delicately painted for the sunset. And everyone knew: this was the signal that would bring forth the attack.

There was death to be had on this day.

A certain person stood atop the great wall of Konoha, his pair of marble blue eyes watched the smoke as it climbed higher and higher. Naruto readied himself for what was about to take place.

He looked to his left; the polished eyes of Sasuke's sharingan scanned the area below for any signs of movement. He looked to his right; Akiko was still looking up at the sky, her bottomless eyes gaining a faint luster from the light of the flare. The groups of twelve had been spread out all across the wall, and theirs had been placed right here in the middle. The other teams had been placed on either side of them, with a thirty yard gap in between to cover the entirety of the eastern wall.

Finally, he looked over his shoulder. Suki was over on the west side. He and Akiko only had enough time to have a quick chat with her before they had to split up.

"Just…be careful, okay?" he told her.

"Me? Tell me something, Kiko: out of the three of us, who is the one who always gets the most injured?" asked Suki.

"That would be Maki-san!" Akiko declared, slapping him on the back.

"That's right. You've been so injured lately that me and Kiko have been crying our eyes out. If you go and get hurt badly again, we won't forgive you!"

"I'll be watching his back this time," said Akiko, "so you don't have to worry about this guy."

The way they were talking made Naruto seem completely useless.

"Well then, I'll see you two later, okay?" Suki turned away from them.

"We'd better get going too, Maki-san." Akiko pulled his arm gently, and the three of them parted.

There was no reason to worry. She was a strong girl, that Suki, and Jiraiya was over on that side as well. What Naruto had to worry about right now was the safety of his own team: Shikamaru, Iruka, and Yanagi. He was going to protect them no matter the cost.

Each of the jounin had been equipped with a short range device that would allow the different groups to communicate with one another. It was Neji's voice that filled the earpiece.

"They're coming: one hundred meters and closing fast. It looks like they've broken up into several groups and will proceed by attacking multiple positions in our defense at the same time."

And then, they came into view: Rain ninja running out from the cover of the surrounding forest. Naruto gripped his kunai tightly. It was time to fight.

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As expected, the volleys of shuriken came at them the moment they left the forest and ran out into the open; the fifty or so meters from the edge of the trees to the high, sturdy ramparts of Konoha. They could see the lines of defenders perched above them.

Itachi's orders were clear. First, they had to find the target.

The task was easier than they had expected: the unbelievable number of shadow clones confirmed his position on the eastern wall. Konoha's strategy was to force Amegakure to fight through wave after wave of clones before they even had the chance to fight any real people. But Itachi had equipped them with something that could overcome this dilemma.

Each Rain ninja pulled out a special tag that Itachi had given them. According to him, all they had to do was attach one of these little scrolls to any part of the boy's body, and the entire shadow clone army would disappear. No one really knew which one of their forty-three comrades had managed to do it, but after only a few moments of skirmish with the clones, they all wisped away, leaving the front lines of the enemy exposed.

The first phase of Itachi's plan was complete, and the second phase was about to begin: isolate the target's group from the rest of the defending ninja and focus the brunt of the attack on that group.

This task was also quite easily performed. When the target group was found, all Rain ninja swooped in to trap them within the perimeter of their offensive formations. No one was going to be able to get through without a fight, and by that time, the group led by the little brat that killed Paine would be long gone. According to Itachi, once this group was eliminated, the entire eastern wall was as good as theirs; and from there, they would press forward to attack the western wall from behind.

Even without the shadow clone kid, who had collapsed, the target group was still pretty strong. Keeping their positions, they weren't going to be taken out easily. There were two ninja with katanas, a young man and a short girl, who were very strong. Most likely, those were the jounin. And there were four or five others who were decent as well. But slowly, as the attacks kept on coming, their positions fell apart, they began to spread out, and their fatigue set in.

It was at that moment when Itachi, along with Kisame, appeared amongst them. The Rain ninja cheered for the Uchiha, who had come to lead them to their ultimate victory. With him at their side, there was no chance for Konoha.

The two Leaf jounin panicked at the sight of the Itachi and Kisame. The girl tried to stand between the Uzumaki kid and Kisame, but more Rain ninja moved in to block her path. Kisame laughed as he knelt down to sling the unconscious ninja over his shoulder. Itachi, on the other hand, seemed to be talking with the young, dark-haired man. He put up a little fight when Itachi moved closer, but as soon as Itachi laid one finger on him, they both vanished. Seeing that his partner escaped with no trouble, Kisame, too, used his jutsu to leave the scene.

Ninja of the Rain stopped to ponder in confusion. They thought that Itachi had come to fight with them, but he only stayed for mere seconds before he left. The circle they had formed to isolate the target group was now collapsing on all sides. Konoha was rallying. Itachi's god-like abilities were supposed to carry them through to victory. But Itachi was not here; he was gone. Instead of fighting on the front lines and helping his people win, he had abandoned them.

Surrounded by the enemy, stranded in a sea of blood, the shinobi of the Rain were left to themselves as the battle raged on.

-xxx-

It had all happened so quickly. One minute, he was making hand signs for his jutsu, and the next, the two men in black clothing appeared. At first, he had been so stunned to see them that his body stopped moving. It was in that moment that Sasuke finally realized that Itachi was the one behind everything.

By instinct, he knew he had to stand between them and Naruto. Akiko tried to do the same, but she had been blocked out. When Sasuke tried to keep Kisame away, his brother attacked him. But Itachi knew that it would be dangerous for him to linger in the battle for too long, so he used some sort of jutsu to get them both out of there the moment they touched. There was no telling just how far they had moved away from the battlefield.

Sasuke didn't recognize this place. It was a cove-like formation of rocks, with caves dotted all over the cliff side. Itachi stood off about ten feet in front of him. Kisame, carrying Naruto, was beside him.

"Is that hate I see in your eyes, little brother?" taunted Itachi, "I thought you gave up on that."

"So…it was you the whole time. What the hell did you do to Naruto?" Sasuke growled.

"Naruto-kun? I simply devised a way to render him completely harmless. You see, when shadow clones are destroyed, the information that the replication received goes back to the user. Using that fact as a foundation, I created the single best strategy to fight him."

The elder brother held up a small parchment. The symbol that was drawn there matched the large symbol that had been written on Naruto's chest.

"It can be placed anywhere on a kage bunshin's body. The destruction of the clone triggers its effect, and the jutsu is automatically transferred back to the original body. It took a little while to perfect, but as you can see, it is quite effective."

Sasuke loathed the cleverness of his brother. He had come up with a way to defeat Naruto without even having to touch his real body. But that still left one question unanswered. They had Naruto. Why did they drag Sasuke along?

Itachi seemed to read his brother's thoughts.

"You've read what happens to those who awaken the mangekyou sharingan."

"They eventually go blind," was the straight answer.

"Correct. The techniques one can produce with the mangekyou are so powerful that it puts an intense strain on the eyes. Using them too much results in the loss of vision. To an Uchiha, that is a most devastating loss."

"If you're blind, you can't read and copy jutsu, and you can't use any of the sharingan's genjustu. The entire kekkei genkai is ruined if the user can't see," Sasuke remarked.

"Right again. It was all written down on those documents hidden under our family's temple. But even those secret writings were incomplete. Many of the older scrolls were destroyed decades ago."

"If that's true, then how do you know about them?" asked Sasuke.

"I was told everything," said Itachi, "by the man who burned them: Uchiha Madara."

Madara: the founder of the Uchiha clan. How could Itachi have possibly met someone who died when the village was still young?

"I see you have many questions; you have realized your own ignorance. Very well, then. As your gift of parting from this world, I will allow you this one revelation before you die."

Sasuke was in no position to argue. He was confident in his abilities as a ninja, but not confident enough to fight both Kisame and Itachi at the same time. With nothing else to do, Sasuke was forced to listen.

"Some of this you already know, but I'll have to re-tell it so that the other parts fit into place. I'll start by asking you this: how did the bijuu come into existence?"

"No one really knows," answered Sasuke. "Some people believe that they are creatures from another dimension. Others believe that the bijuu are natural occurrences; as natural as a tornado or a rainstorm, though much more rare."

"There are many theories," agreed Itachi, "all of them false. The truth is that the bijuu were created a man."

A man? Who would be powerful enough to create such beings? Who could ever want to?

"The world knows him as the Sage of the Six Paths, the creator of ninjutsu itself. They were mere accidents that occurred while he was experimenting with powerful techniques, testing how far he could push the boundaries of nature. The techniques of a shinobi, at the very core of the Sage's intents, were tools of destruction. As such, the conscious that formed due to his techniques gone awry were bent on that single purpose."

As much as he hated Itachi's voice, he was still interested, and every second that went by that he wasn't attacking Sasuke and killing Naruto was a good one.

"The Sage, recognizing that even he would never be able to kill such beings, was able to defeat the monstrosities he created by locking them in space and time, essentially trapping them in another dimension."

If Sasuke hadn't known the abilities of his own sharingan, he probably would have told Itachi that his story was bullshit. But the sharingan was so complex, and the Sage of the Six Paths was probably much more powerful than any Kage in any village past or present, considering he was the man to bring ninjutsu into existence. It was plausible that he could use jutsu that matched the sharingan's. So far, this history lesson wasn't too farfetched.

And Itachi continued.

"Now, the Sage created ninjutsu, but once other people grasped how it worked and began experimenting, they too created their own unique jutsu. While none were as wholesomely gifted as the Sage, there were many ninja who would prove to be his equal in a particular area. For example, Uchiha Madara, generally considered the strongest of our clan, was probably the Sage's equal in both space/time ninjutsu, as well as genjutsu. Although the Sage had trapped the bijuu away, there was a way to summon them back into this world. If the exact conditions under which they were created were once again replicated by experimenting humans, the bijuu would reappear. With ninjutsu in its infant stages and the clans -struggling for dominance- pushing the limits of their jutsu, there were many sightings of the bijuu.

I'll get back to that in a minute. Right now, let's discuss the emergence of the bloodline limits. Genetic anomalies began to arise in certain individuals, and were inevitably passed down from generation to generation; that was the kekkei genkai. These clans stood out among regular ninjutsu users as superior.

But even among the clans that held such bloodlines, two of them eventually emerged as exceptionally gifted. They were the recently awakened Uchiha clan, headed by Madara, and the much older clan of the forest, who's most famous and strongest leader was none other than Shodaime Hokage. The Forest Clan gained fame for its leader's ability to quell the rampaging bijuu wherever they appeared, and thus gained many allies. Along with their unique Mokuton techniques, the Forest Clan was truly powerful. On the other hand, our clan was also feared. We gained infamy not just because of the sharingan, but with Madara's ability to summon the most powerful of the bijuu: the kyuubi. Apparently, the kyuubi emerged when the Sage was experimenting with space/time jutsu, and so, our clan's founder was able to summon him. Not only that, but because of the powers Madara gained from the Mangekyou sharingan, he was able to control the kyuubi; to command it. Many other clans fell to the Uchiha, and many of them turned to the Forest Clan for help.

From there, every Leaf Villager knows that Madara and Shodaime fought at the Valley of the End, with the first Hokage emerging as the victor, Madara disappearing, and the Uchiha clan submitting to the power of the Forest Clan. But let me tell you something about Madara: he was obsessed with power. He killed his best friend in order to gain the Mangekyou sharingan, and he killed his younger brother in order to keep his eyesight from fading."

It was at that point that Sasuke interrupted.

"So that's why you kept me alive. You needed me to develop my sharingan to the same point as yours. But…I don't have the mangekyou…"

"You don't need it. After I steal your eyes, I will kill Naruto-kun. Because the eyes were originally yours, the death of your best friend will trigger it them to awaken. Madara's brother did not have the Mangekyou. But this method also worked for him. After his defeat, he went into hiding, driven by the goal to become stronger and to destroy the newly founded Leaf Village. His actions from there on out are unknown. But then, fifteen years ago, he unleashed the kyuubi on Konoha. It had already been discovered by others that one could seal a bijuu into a human, and the human could be used as a weapon of the village that had trapped it. But more than that, it negated the bijuu's ability to be re-summoned. With his greatest weapon sealed within our friend Naruto-kun here, Madara was once again forced to retreat. Once again, his actions are unknown except for the fact that he made the rings of Akatsuki during that time. He showed his face about six years later, when he appeared before me.

He was enraged that his clan had bent to the will of the Forest Clan and was a prominent family in Konohagakure. He wanted them to pay, but he also did not wish to exterminate his own clan. So he singled me out because I showed much potential at such a young age. At that time, I too was bored of the Uchiha clan. Being a prodigy, I was known as the pride of the Uchiha. They were just a bunch of weaklings trying to cling onto me. The others just fed off of my success. And what did I ever get? Praise. Status within our pathetic family. I couldn't care less about such things. Madara offered me power; he offered me so much more than just a simple 'I'm proud of you, son.' And so, we slaughtered the clan."

Sasuke's fists tightened. He was finally learning the reason why his family had been killed; why his life had been spared. Itachi had no idea how hard Sasuke had worked to get any praise from their father, or any acknowledgment at all. Itachi had hogged it all, and it was meaningless.

"Madara founded Akatsuki. We gathered nine of the strongest shinobi who would join us; a number equal to the amount of bijuu. While he was away, he had been researching many things. When the Sage of the Six Paths first trapped the bijuu, he sent them all into the same dimension. There, a little bit of each of their charkas were merged together and created something entirely new: a tenth bijuu. Made from the energies of the other nine, this was the embodiment of all rage. Because it was not created in our world, it could not escape its prison by the same means that the others did. So Madara tried to find many ways of channeling its energy. One of them was the Demon Soul technique you went out of your way to learn.

After years of searching, he theorized that if he recreated the circumstances under which the tenth bijuu was created, it would be able to pass into our dimension. Basically, his plan was to gather all bijuu into one place and unleash the tenth bijuu onto this world. And with the other nine bijuu his to use as he wished, no other power would ever be able to oppose him. Well, that was his plan, until Kisame and I killed him.

There was no telling that the tenth bijuu could be controlled if it were summoned here. There's no fun in ruling over a world where everyone is dead. So I killed him, and I let those loyal to him die, as well. Of course, I do have Naruto-kun to thank for that. Paine, as the inheritor of the Rinnengan, was probably stronger than Madara. But, being amazed by our ancestor's intellect, he pledged his servitude to Madara's cause. With that irritating Kabuto interfering, Kisame and I lost many of the rings. See, the rings house the bijuu that we extract. I don't really know how Madara pulled it off, but once the rings are active, we will be able to summon them and call them back as we please. My sharingan will never be as developed as Madara, who had over 100 years to perfect it. But with this, I too will have the power to call forth the kyuubi, and Kisame's ring houses the eight-tailed bijuu. Even if we do not find the others, those two will be enough. If they are found by someone else, they won't know how to use them. All the Villages will bow to our feet."

That was it. Both Sasuke and Naruto were just pawns in some grand scheme by Itachi to gain ultimate power. Their whole lives had been lived out to Itachi's liking. Itachi knew that Sasuke would go after revenge and therefore develop his sharingan to the fullest of his abilities. It was all so that he could steal them. And Naruto was just a guy who had what Itachi wanted. Both of them: just objects for Itachi to claim.

He didn't care whether the story was true or not. He didn't care about what had happened 100 years ago. What he cared about was that Itachi had finished his speech, and now that the talking was done, there was going to be fighting.

-xxx-

Naruto's eyes opened to a familiar river of black. The huge, sturdy pillars of the fox's prison stood before him. The presence of the demon surged forward, gusting forth with a sudden wind. Immense red: that was the only thing that could describe the being that lurked just beyond the gate.

You're wondering how you got here.

The deep voice bellowed.

Looks like you were knocked unconscious again. Such a pitiful man you are. But you could be so much more if you just let me out…

The red chakra stretched out towards him, reaching for him; drawing him closer to the cage.

Naruto tried to remember the last thing he saw. Rain ninja. One second, all of his clones were fighting, and the next, he felt his insides churn and he was unable to stand. What the hell happened?

The kyuubi answered for him.

Some kind of justu. I can feel it restraining your chakra and preventing you from waking.

"How can you tell?" Naruto asked.

We share this body. Some of my chakra is always mixed in with yours. I can feel a disturbance in the flow of your chakra. And I know because whenever your chakra is exhausted, it allows me to have more freedom in this cursed prison…

Damn. He no longer knew what was happening in the village. What if his friends needed him?

You want to wake up, right? Let me out. The surge of my overwhelming chakra should be enough to escape the jutsu and let this body regain consciousness.

Naruto hated to admit it. He really, really hated to admit it. But there was no other way that he saw to awake from this forced sleep. Here he was, relying yet again on the power of this evil thing.

But if he awoke with the fox in control, he might just cause even more problems for everyone else.

"My friends have faith in me," he said, "and I have faith in them. If I let you go running around, you might end up killing more of them than the Rain ninja."

Don't act all noble and innocent, you brat! Why do you think you're standing here!? Your subconscious summoned you here. Even though you won't admit it, you brought yourself to me; I did not drag you here. Every time you have appeared to me, it has been of your own free will. I had nothing to do with it!

It was true. Whenever things got desperate, his mind would automatically bring him here. It was the desperation and the need for strength that transported him here. He didn't like the truth.

Can you really do it? Can you just stay here and do nothing? Can you run the risk that when you wake up, your village and its people will be gone? Can you live with the regret that you could have saved them, if only you had let me out?

Fuck. This bastard was toying with his mind, trying to coax Naruto into setting him free. And it was working. It was working very well.

He found himself hating his own arm for reaching out to embrace the light. It engulfed him. It entered him. It filled him…with rage. And the demonic laughter conquered his every thought.

But at the last second, he tore away. There was no way he was going to lose to this bastard fox. That's right. He had already made the decision to believe in his own power; his own determination and desires.

What!? What are you doing?

"Waking up. If a massive flow of chakra can break this stupid technique, then I'll just make one myself!"

Don't be foolish, you litt-

Naruto concentrated his chakra. The surge of blue came with such force that it forced the kyuubi's red chakra back into its cell. Naruto took that power and channeled it. It exploded everywhere, it filled his body and mind. Everything was blue; as blue as the sky, as blue as the ocean, as blue as anything he could have imagined.

Heads turned as Naruto stood, his whole body burning with chakra. Kisame, the nearest to him, tried to control him. The shark was blasted off his feet by the sheer volume of Naruto's raging chakra. Frowning, he looked to Itachi for an explanation.

Itachi applauded.

"Naruto-kun, I didn't think were would be capable of overpowering my jutsu. Very impressive. Although, this does pose a bit of a problem."

Naruto ignored him. Getting his chakra under control, he jumped back to stand next to Sasuke.

"What the hell is going on, Sasuke?" he asked, keeping one eye on Itachi, "how did we even get here? What happened to the Village?"

"We've got our own problems to worry about right now, Naruto," Sasuke replied, pointing to the only two remaining Akatsuki members, "we have to deal with these guys."

"I don't quite get what's going on, but I guess you're right. I take it I'm fighting the ugly one, then?" asked Naruto, staring down Kisame.

"No," grinned Sasuke, "I know you have some history with him as well, but if you don't mind, I'm the one who'll fight Itachi."

"Heh…funny. Well, no complaints here. I've always hated this stupid-looking fish guy, anyway."

At the comment, Kisame bared his teeth.

"My, my…confident, are we?" Itachi remarked, "Well then, Sasuke, Naruto-kun, if you think you can take us, then come."

With a quick glance to each other and a nod of good luck, Naruto and Sasuke were happy to oblige.