Author's Note: Welcome back! I know it's been another semi-long wait, but my reserve chapters got thinned a lot when my writing pace slowed.

I've also noticed that the deeper we get into the story, the slower I write. A lot of my time goes into thinking, brainstorming, and laying out future chapters as things get more complex. For that reason, I think it is safe to say that monthly chapters are here to stay. I hope you understand.

Thank you to all those who left a review last chapter. Feel free to leave one here again. I always appreciate them!

Chapter 39: Point of Intersection

The Toad Sage let out a weary sigh and rubbed both of his temples to soothe the dull ache that had formed behind his forehead.

He had gotten the gist of the blond's expeditions from Tsunade, but hearing all the details right from the horse's mouth was much more stressful. On the one hand, his student had done things even a suicidal maniac would think twice about. Unsanctioned missions into enemy territory, multiple clashes with S-Rank Shinobi, borderline kidnapping of a Root ANBU member, and bartering with one of the Great Hidden Villages with the corpse of their deceased Kage as leverage in negotiations.

On the other hand, Jiraiya couldn't deny that the child was successful in every one of those instances; therein lay the reason for his headache.

Should this behavior be condoned even though it did a great service to the Leaf? And, if so, to what extent? After all, Naruto's actions led to the elimination of one S-Rank Shinobi and the capture of another who has critical intel on the Akatsuki.

"If I weren't born with this white hair, you would definitely make me go grey." Jiraiya finally said after a long pause. "I just want you to know that, brat."

Naruto crossed his arms and huffed slightly. "Says the guy who always takes on the toughest assignments. All I'm doing is pulling my weight, ya know?"

His mentor frowned. "Kid… you're missing the point. I take those missions so that you won't have to."

His student returned the look. "Okay, but you aren't always going to be around to take the tough missions. There's always another one, and you can't complete them all at the same time. Someone is going to have to pick up the slack even if you don't want anyone to. Why can't that person be me?"

The Sannin felt conflicted. "Your father wouldn't-"

"My dad is dead." Naruto countered with an even tone. "You're still alive! And every time you leave the village for a long time, I'm not always certain that you're going to come back."

"Naruto…"

"I'm not that little kid who could barely summon a tadpole anymore. You trained me with everything that you had, and now I've proven that I'm a competent Shinobi; I can do this!"

This was another one of those rare moments where Jiraiya felt like he was staring into the eyes of Minato. How Naruto spoke reminded him so much of the boy's father; it was like there was nothing he could not do. If Fourth Hokage had told him that he could push continents or part the sea, the Sannin would be inclined to believe it. That was why he was so shocked when news broke that the man had died.

Oh, right… the Leaf's prodigy once deemed "The Child of Prophecy," died at the young age of 24. As much as it pained him to admit it, Minato was not invincible. And if he wasn't, no one was.

This is where the grief started to set in. 'If I had been there… maybe something could have changed. If anything, I could have died in his place. That's what masters are supposed to be for, right?'

The same fate could not happen to Naruto; he was not going to allow it. If Naruto was indeed like his father, then you couldn't stop him once his mind had been set.

If you can't stop it, you must join it.

"Fine, but I think I've been setting a bad example." Jiraiya said with a slight smile. "I promise that if I ever find myself about to do a dangerous mission alone, I'll bring you as my backup. However, that's only if you promise to do the same thing for me. And, if not me, just make sure you bring others as backup to keep you safe. Do we have a deal?"

The blond smiled, both relieved that they would guard each other's backs and appreciative that his skills were acknowledged by the one person whose opinion he cared about. "Deal!" He raised his fist up.

Jiraiya did the same, which completed the fist bump.

As the Sannin opened his mouth to say something, a strange sensation took hold of him. The world began to spin rapidly, and everything around him became distorted; that is, everything but his blond student. Despite the whirlwind that surrounded them, Naruto's face was still clearly visible.

When the dust settled, it was evident that their setting had changed. The calm and quiet streets of the Leaf Village were replaced by what appeared to be… a dark and cold sewer. The Village's Madman wasn't much of a sensor, but you didn't have to be to feel the aura of this place.

Wherever they were, he didn't like it.

"Naruto…" The man said slowly, a confused and apprehensive look on his face. "What is going on?" He asked in hopes his Godson would have a clue as to what they were doing in such a depressing place.

The boy's reaction to their whereabouts only further confounded him; he did not appear the least bit bewildered. If anything, his expression was that of annoyance. While his blue eyes gazed intently in Jiraiya's direction, the irritation was not directed at him.

"Did you have to do that?" The boy asked while peering over his Sensei's shoulders. "I was getting to it, you know; why are you so damn impatient?"

Curiosity overtaking him, the Toad Sage followed suit and glanced behind him. Even with all of his experience in both wars and countless battles, he couldn't help but take a small step back.

There stood the Nine-Tailed Fox, the creature that devastated his village and killed his beloved student, Minato. The myriad of emotions that swirled in his gut nearly overwhelmed him. He allowed himself to relax a bit after noticing that they were separated by a massive cage with the Fourth Hokage's seal placed on it; with the fear for his life out of the way, this allowed him to analyze the situation as best he could.

Despite only in possession of one-half of its chakra and being notably smaller than the reports over fifteen years ago, the slitted-eyed monstrosity still towered over them like they were pathetic ants. Malice practically radiated off of its fur, which was only compounded by the look of hatred in those blood-red eyes. The Fox's face was pressed firmly against the cage as it watched the pair of humans intently.

Was that hate directed at them in particular, or was it just always there no matter the circumstance?

"Hello!" Naruto, annoyed to have been ignored, yelled out. "Are you even listening to me?!"

Again, Kurama did not answer. Instead, it chose to stare at the newcomer.

"The Hermit of Mount Myoboku, I see that you have finally come." The chakra construct stated its tone only dipped slightly in venomous undertones. "I've been waiting for you."

The Sannin put his decades of training and experience to good use and adopted a neutral expression in response to his inner apprehension. He did not expect a greeting like that from the supposed Demon Fox; this raised even more questions about their predicament. Since engaging with the beast was not an idea he was particularly fond of, Jiraiya looked questioningly to his student.

"Naruto, mind filling me in on exactly what is going on?" His calm outward appearance contrasted significantly with the panic and unease he felt on the inside. "Where is this place? What are we doing here?"

"This is the place I came when you threw me into that chasm that forced me to summon Gamabunta. The Nine Tails must have dragged you in here when we bumped fists." The blond explained, still irritated about being ignored by his prisoner. "Even I didn't know he was able to do that to people other than me."

"But why? What purpose could it possibly have to bring me here?" The sealed cage that divided him ensured that they were safe from the beast's wrath, so malicious intent seemed out of the question.

"He wants to talk to you." The boy answered vaguely.

"Talk to me?!" How absurd; what could a Tailed Beats want to talk to a human about? This sort of thing was practically unheard of.

To his best knowledge, there were only three Perfect Jinchuriki in recent history; Yugito Nii of the Hidden Cloud, Killer Bee of the Hidden Cloud, and the Former Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi. Of that select few, only Killer Bee of the Eight-Tails was on friendly terms with his Tailed Beast; the other two just learned to tap into and control their Jinchuriki powers. The case with the Eight-Tails is an outlier, and, under all other circumstances, Tailed Beasts are considered hostile and unbelievably dangerous.

So… why did the Nine-Tails want to speak with him of all people? More importantly, what kind of relationship did Naruto have with the Fox? Why had he not heard about any of this before now? Based on the Chunin's reaction to their current situation, this is far from the first time they have seen one another…

"Don't worry; he's an asshole, but that's about it." Naruto did his best to reassure his mentor. After all, this wasn't exactly a regular, everyday occurrence. There were bound to be dozens of questions he'd have to answer when this was all over. "I'm pretty sure that whatever he has to say will be very important."

Jiraiya managed a nod in his godson's direction and stepped forward. While gazing up into the eyes of the titanic Fox, he took in an involuntary breath.

"You wanted to speak with me? About what?"

Kurama couldn't help but inwardly chuckle at the tiny human standing before him. If they were meeting under different circumstances, he'd be inclined to ridicule and berate the little man for his own amusement; perhaps some other time, then.

"Tell me, Sannin, what do you know of Madara Uchiha, the Rinnegan, and the Sage of the Six Paths?"

To his credit, Jiraiya's mouth only fell open a little.

…

As Kurama explained, the history of Shinobi all began with the Sage of the Six Paths. Through the use of Ninshu, his Shinobi Creed, the legendary figure attempted to bring people together through mutual connection and understanding. After his death, those who inherited his chakra bastardized his teachings and created Ninjutsu, whose only purpose was to spread violence and hate.

For whatever reason, the Nine-Tailed Fox appeared to grow angrier while telling the ancient tale. It was almost like… Kurama cared about the legacy of the Sage of the Six Paths. Naruto and Jiraiya, who hung on every word about the Sage, were confused by that reaction but chose not to comment. While Naruto was already acutely aware, Jiraiya had just begun to realize that his perception of Tailed Beasts was wrong. Weren't they supposed to be destructive demons incapable of rational thought or reasoning? Apparently not…

Even so, a part of him was still wary and fearful of the beast's mysterious intentions.

The history lesson also included the two most influential figures in the Leaf Village's history; the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and Madara Uchiha. The Nine-Tails spoke about the legendary Uchiha with abject disgust; he didn't appear too fond of the Wood Style prodigy either, but it was nothing compared to the way he spoke of Sasuke's distant relative. The man sounded like the human embodiment of the God of Death, and his battle with Hashirama at the Final Valley sounded like it was pulled straight out of a fairy tale; a clash of titanic figures in human form.

Naruto felt the hairs on the back of his neck go rigid as he remembered what Kurama had told him in one of their previous meetings. That man, Madara, was the culprit behind the broken the seal of the last Nine-Tail's Jinchuriki; the one referred to as the Uchiha Clan's ghost.

However, the two facts didn't connect. How could someone prominent during the era of the Leaf's founding several decades ago be responsible for the disaster fifteen years ago? If it were true, Madara would have battled the Fourth Hokage while significantly older than the late Granny Chiyo.

His eyes narrowed. Something didn't feel right about this…

Now he was beginning to see where this conversation was headed.

Unaware of the inner turmoil happening to his side, it was time for Jiraiya to interject with his thoughts. "Forgive me, but why would you bring me here to talk about this?" Something told him that there was much more to this story. "The Rinnegan, Sage, even Madara… I don't understand."

Kurama grimaced but held back on his sharp-tongued insults… for now. "Do you know what made the Old Man so powerful?"

The Sannin blinked, unsure of how that related to his original question. "Well, wasn't it the Rinnegan?"

"Rinnegan?" Naruto felt utterly out of the loop. "You guys keep bringing that up like it's some big deal. What exactly is the Rinnegan?"

Jiraiya glanced the boy's way. "It's the ultimate visual prowess, even greater than the Byakugan and Sharingan. Its abilities aren't well known, but those eyes allowed the Sage to become a god amongst men."

Before Naruto could say anything, the Fox interjected. "You appear to know more than you let on, Hermit; to think that you would even know about those eyes…" For what it was worth, Kurama almost sounded impressed. "However, that isn't the entire story; far from it."

"What do you mean?" Both teacher and student uttered simultaneously.

"The Old Man created us nine Tailed Beasts long ago." That revelation nearly dropped a couple of jaws to the floor. "Well, not entirely; it would be more accurate to say that he divided us up into nine pieces using his powers."

You can't divide energy from thin air. This would imply an entity with the combined chakra of all the Tailed Beasts in existence.

Jiraiya felt his mouth go dry. "…Divided you from what?"

The Fox did not have a smile on his face. "The Ten-Tails."

The hairs on the back of Jiraiya's neck stood up straight at the mere mention of such a creature; to think that only one piece of it could effortlessly devastate the Leaf Village was terrifying. Even so, this raised even more questions that needed to be answered.

"Why did the Sage split up this Ten-Tails into nine different parts?" Jiraiya asked. "What was he trying to accomplish?"

"The Ten-Tails had enough power to flatten the entire world if it so chose, and it would have without a second thought." Kurama elaborated. "Since he was unable to slay it, the Old Man used his own body and chakra to contain and suppress it and, as a result, became the very first Jinchuriki. However, even he had limits. On his deathbed, he decided to split up the Ten-Tail's chakra and scatter us across the world so the monster could no longer rampage." The Fox couldn't help but snarl in contempt. "It was to protect you pitiful humans… and look at how you repaid him."

"Amazing…" Jiraiya breathed out. The Nine-Tails looked down on the interesting human with curious eyes but didn't say anything. "I always knew that the legends about him were true. Much like the Sage of the Six Paths, I've been trying to find a way to bring peace to this world; although, I don't think I'll ever come as close as he did."

Neither of the ninja could see it, but a ghost of a grin flashed across the Tailed Beast's face. Of all humans, it seems he had chosen the correct one to tell all of this to.

After a moment of daydreaming and contemplation, the Sannin shook his head, aware that he was getting their conversation off track. "As great as this was to hear, why did you tell me of all people?" There has to be a reason for it all.

Nearly like a switch, the Fox's expression flipped into a deep frown. It ground its teeth together, uttering a couple words that sent chills up the spines of the Toad Summoners. "The Akatsuki." His tone rough and grating. "I am nearly certain that Madara Uchiha is a part of the Akatsuki, and one of its members also seems to possess the Rinnegan."

"What?!" The usually composed Sage let out an uncharacteristic shriek, while Naruto just glanced between the two as he listened to their back and forth with varying expressions. "No… both of those things are impossible! Madara is long dead, and the Rinnegan is…" A flash of pain seemed to cross Jiraiya's face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. No one present knew it, but his thoughts drifted back to his days when he raised those three war orphans in the war-torn Hidden Rain; one of his former students had unlocked the most legendary visual prowess in known history. "Nagato… No, it just isn't true…"

But who else could possibly possess the eyes of the Sage of the Six Paths? But didn't those three die?

"The man with the orange mask within the Akatsuki is the same man who broke my seal fifteen years ago, and his chakra is eerily similar to Madara's. I have no idea how he is still alive, but it would be foolish to think that such things are out of his reach. To make matters worse, through Naruto, I saw the Akatsuki's leader in that cave. I haven't laid eyes on them in a very long time, but it was unmistakable. That man possesses the Rinnegan." The beast growled out in contempt. How he despised powerful visual prowess, which was perhaps his greatest weakness. It was only fitting that his greatest enemies have both the Sharingan and the Rinnegan at their disposal. "I fear that they will collect us nine Tailed Beasts and use the eyes of Six Paths to resurrect the Ten-Tails. If that happens, it will be the end of the world."

Jiraiya's body was rigid, and his face made it look like he had seen a ghost. Well, that wasn't far from the truth. Madara and Nagato… both of them were supposed to be long dead. And yet, it all made so much sense. As much as he didn't want to believe it, the Toad Sage had suspected that the Uchiha ghost may still be alive. If someone had indeed tampered with Kushina's seal, battled Minato, and controlled the Nine-Tails all in the same day, who could be capable of that besides Madara? The Fox's statements on the matter cement that fact. After all, he was used by that very man to fight the First Hokage at the Final Valley.

And then, there was the prospect that Nagato could still be alive; and one of the Akatsuki leaders, no less! Despite the news that his three beloved war orphans had died, there was always a piece of him that didn't believe the rumors. The young Rinnegan wielder mastered all kinds of Jutsu by the time he was only ten years old. He, no doubt, would have gotten even stronger in the years following, so the thought that he could be killed alongside Yahiko and Konan was shocking.

When Nagato awakened the Rinnegan is the moment Jiraiya knew that he found the child of prophecy. That shy redhead was supposed to be the one who would bring either great salvation or great destruction to the world; at least, that was what the Great Lord Elder had foretold.

Great salvation or great destruction, the likes of which the world has never seen.

Jiraiya's eyes widened. It all made sense now; the time for his critical selection has still yet to arrive. Nagato was alive and in command of a terrorist organization that threatened not only his godson's life, but the stability of the entire world. The reason why his student changed so drastically since they last saw one another didn't matter right now; that information would become known when they faced off in battle.

His critical mission was to kill his old student and save everyone from the wrath of the Akatsuki. That is how he can finally achieve the peace the Sage sought. With reignited eyes, the Toad Sage looked up at the ancient fox.

"Resurrecting the Ten-Tails… why do you think that is their plan? They could do almost anything by gathering up that much chakra, right? What makes you certain that it's for this?"

Kurama huffed in annoyance at being questioned by a mere human but decided to relent. "The Akatsuki were sealing the One-Tails into the Gedo Statue." Looks of utter confusion from the two humans made him stop, sigh, and elaborate. "The Gedo Statue is a humanoid husk of the Ten-Tails that the Old Man sealed away after splitting us up. The beast will be revived if the statue receives all the chakra from us nine."

Jiraiya brought his hand to his chin. That description matched up with the reports that the Akatsuki Assault Squad had relayed to Tsunade following the Kazekage retrieval mission. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi all caught a glimpse of it upon entering the Akatsuki's hideout. There was speculation that this 'Gedo Statue' was the receiving vessel for the Tailed Beast's chakra, but its origin was a mystery. To think that it would be for something as ghastly as this.

"What could their plans be with all of that power?" The Sage finally asked. "Are they planning to turn someone into its Jinchuriki?"

"I'm not sure, but the 'why?' does not matter." Kurama scoffed at the irrelevant question. "All that does matter is that if they succeed, all of existence will be at their mercy; just assume the worst-case scenario, and it will probably be even direr than that."

"What do you suggest we do?" Naruto, who had remained quiet during their exchange, asked his prisoner. "Do you have any ideas?"

The chakra construct looked down at the enigmatic child. "For someone hearing this information for the first time, you don't seem bothered. Are you a fool who doesn't understand the gravity of that situation?"

"No, it isn't that." The teen corrected. His thoughts drifted to his encounters with Hidan, Kakuzu, Kisame, and even Sasori. They were ruthless, cold-blooded killers that enjoyed committing atrocious acts. "It's just that, knowing those people, it was always going to be bad news. I've been preparing myself for the worst all this time."

"I see…" Kurama seemed to partially accept this answer. It was odd to see the child so calm and reserved, despite their prospects being rather grave. "As it stands right now, the Two, Five, Seven, and half of the One-Tails chakra are in possession of the Akatsuki. Based on their recent movements, I believe their next target will be the Three-Tails." The Fox looked between his two guests. "You must keep them from capturing it."

"Right, that's a good plan." Jiraiya muttered to himself as he began to pace back and forth. "If I recall correctly, the Fourth Mizukage was its Jinchuriki. He was killed in a revolt not too long ago." The Sannin looked up to the beast with questioning eyes. "That means they either created another Jinchuriki before his death, or it died with him and will eventually reappear in the wild. The Land of Water has been extremely tight-lipped about their civil war, so even I don't know much about the details. Do you have any idea which is the case?"

"The Three-Tails is currently roaming the Earth free as we speak." Kurama almost sounded jealous when he said that. The thought that a sibling could be living free while all the others were caged up was a bitter pill to swallow. "I can feel its chakra clearly, and it isn't coming from the Land of Water."

"That makes things a bit easier… What direction?" The Sage asked.

"South East." The Nine-Tails turned to look at the blond. "I will share my sensory abilities with the boy like I did before. Our link will be better than last time; it should enable him to be able to accurately pinpoint the location of the Three-Tails, even from afar."

"Ah, that would be a great help." Jiraiya said with a bow. "Thank you for your cooperation. I understand that you may not be doing this to help us, but I still appreciate it."

Kurama didn't know how to respond. A part of him wanted to bare his fangs and yell at the Hermit. And yet, the human had said nothing to warrant such outrage. It was a humble and genuine response; it was a rarity for such things to be directed at Tailed-Beasts.

'Naruto and this hermit are…' The Fox couldn't help but remember someone's words from long ago.

"Just don't fail." The Nine-Tails said in its typical raspy tone.

To that, Naruto gave the Fox a foxy grin and a confident thumbs-up. "Oh, we won't! You can count on us!"

"Hmph. Unfortunately, I have no other choice in the matter." The beast chuckled to himself and pushed the humans out of his domain. Prolonged conversation was never something Kurama enjoyed; they had discussed all of the necessary topics. Naruto could always come back himself if his services were needed further. As the images of their consciousness' faded away before his very eyes, there was a single thought on his mind.

"It took far too long, Old Man…"

Naruto's eyes snapped open.

His beloved mentor, not used to the feeling of being thrown out of his consciousness, appeared dazed by the sudden sensation. The Sannin put his palm against his temple to stop the headache that was already forming.

"Ugh." The man said in a sickly tone. "Can I get a little warning next time? That was way too sudden for my tastes…"

"Believe me, I've been trying." The blond shook his head. "I think the Fox just gets a kick out of doing that to me."

Jiraiya muttered something quietly under his breath about inconsiderate Tailed Beasts.

"What are you going to do now?" The Chunin asked his superior.

"I'm going to swing by the tower and speak to Tsunade again." His teacher sighed tiredly. "All of the information we just learned needs to be relayed to her and Shikaku as soon as possible. From there, we'll be able to formulate a strategy to combat their plan and relay it to allied nations."

"Does that mean you trust the Nine-Tails?" His tone wasn't accusatory, just interested. His Godfather was taking all of this news unusually well; it made the boy curious about what went on in the older man's head. He thought back to the division amongst the Akatsuki Assault Squad caused by Kurama's involvement in the search for Gaara.

"Not entirely, but what he told us makes sense and fills in a lot of blanks that we had regarding the Akatsuki." The Hermit put a hand to his chin in thought. "I suppose that I trust the information, but not the Fox itself entirely. Even if we stop the Akatsuki, you will still be a Jinchuriki. I wouldn't blame the Nine-Tails if it still looked for ways to be free from the seal, but I just can't allow that to happen." He made a promise to protect Naruto the day he was named his Godfather by Minato. It pains him to admit that he spent most of the child's life not owning up to that responsibility, but those days were over.

He would gladly put his life on the line to protect his Godchild. And hopefully, when his time finally comes, Kushina wouldn't beat him up too badly in the afterlife for the neglect of her son.

Naruto solemnly smiled. "I just think Kurama feels helpless locked up with no way to protect himself and doesn't want to die. Our lives are tied together; it's only natural that we work together to protect each other. I trust and believe him for that reason. I can't fault someone for wanting to be free."

The Sage cocked an eyebrow. "Kurama?" He asked in a questioning tone.

The Uzumaki blinked at the slip of the tongue. "Oh, that's the Nine-Tails name." He leaned in closer to his sensei and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Just don't tell him I said that; he gets really mad when I say it in front of him."

"Right…" The Toad Sage gave the boy a strange look. It slightly worried him just how well his student was taking this grave news. "I'm going to head off to the tower. Don't get into trouble in the meantime. We still need to discuss this whole mess regarding Sasuke… and a couple other things." The Sage finished cryptically.

The Jinchuriki arched a questioning eyebrow. "What other things?" He asked.

"Ah, don't worry right now." The gallant man brushed off with a light wave. "I think we've got enough to think about right now. We'll talk more about it in a couple days. Okay?"

Before his protégé could protest, the older man formed a quick sign and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The boy's outstretched arm fell limply to his side as he scowled in annoyance.

"You can't leave me on a cliffhanger like that…" He muttered under his breath; a sigh escaped his lips when he realized that Jiraiya wasn't coming back.

Things weren't all bad; It gave him some time to digest and process what they learned from the Fox. His mentor also didn't seem to have any plans of leaving the village again in the coming days, which was definitely a plus.

What shocked him the most was undoubtedly the masked Akatsuki member's identity that made contact with Shikamaru's unit during Gaara's rescue. There was an aura of dread that surrounded 'Tobi,' but not even in their worst nightmares did they think he could be Madara Uchiha, the criminal from the past who was responsible for his parents' deaths and countless others.

The blond winced and looked down as he felt a sudden sharp pain in his hands; he has unconsciously dug his nails into his palms with such force that it drew blood. The hate that welled up within him was enough to turn an entire forest into black ash. There were thoughts of violent and bloody revenge that bounced around in his mind.

'This is the person responsible for our shitty life; he took our parents away and made us grow up alone. Without him, we wouldn't have had to grow up as an outcast… do you want to kill him as much as I do?' Yami's venomous words took hold of him, and the true Naruto suddenly found it very difficult to catch his breath. 'He deserves it… don't you remember what I said long ago? The only way to truly find peace in this joke of a world is to snuff out all of the hatred it has. It's what needs to be done to save the world.'

The Chunin's eyes turned glassy, and he used his arm to prop himself up against a nearby wall. He took in a couple deep breaths to try and collect himself. It felt as if his senses were being overridden, and it was sickening, to say the least. Once the sensation of nausea passed, his vision and mind began to clear… but those words he spoke in the past rang loudly in his eardrums.

"If we just snuff out all of that hatred, no more innocent people would have to die like this. Wouldn't that solve all of our problems?" Those were the words he told Jiraiya the day Tazuna was killed, or so he thought. It was Yami who said that?

'Revenge is not our answer to everything.' The current Naruto challenged. 'I'll stop the Akatsuki and this Madara guy, but I won't do it driven by revenge. That's just not who I am.'

'Says the person who slit Jaaku's throat in cold blood and watched in glee as the light left his eyes. You can say you didn't do it out of revenge all you want, or that you didn't want to, but that doesn't make it true.' His predecessor shot back. 'We lived for it…'

'You lived for it.' The Jinchuriki felt a pang of sadness in his chest. 'And I regret letting my emotions get the better of me. I criticized Sasuke for chasing after Itachi to avenge his clan and family, and then I did the same exact thing after Tazuna's family was killed. I'm a hypocrite, and if I could go back and change my decision, I would in a heartbeat. I got no joy out of killing that man. All I do feel now is disgust for what I did.'

Yami scoffed derisively. 'Keep lying to yourself all you want. I'll be here when you finally want to accept who you really are…'

'We are someone that always keeps moving forward no matter what it takes, and we make the difficult choices that no one else wants to make.'

Just like that, his inner personality's voice faded into the background; the sudden clarity within his mind made the boy question if it had ever been there in the first place.

Ibiki swiped his hand down his tired face and let out an irritated sigh. The time wasted here could be much better spent doing anything else. After all, he was a busy man. Just like the person in front of him, neither had much in the way of patience.

"I wasn't aware I was called down here to partake in a staring contest." The torture specialist grunted out irritably. "Though considering your… disposition, one wouldn't exactly call this a fair fight." The Special Jonin finished with a grin.

Sasori returned the sly smile, unbothered by the jab aimed at his puppet body. "I now see why you focus all of your time on your work. I have to say your personality is a bit of a letdown. You'd think that someone with your 'interests' would be a little more expressive."

'That means a lot coming from a puppet.' Ibiki thought to himself bitterly. "Cut the crap; are you ready to fulfill your end of the deal with the brat, or not? I pray that you didn't call me all the way over here just to waste my time."

The Puppeteer appeared to mull something over in his head before speaking. "Actually, I have decided. Naruto kept his word to me, as will I to him."

That was just what the scarred man wanted to hear. "Perfect. Tell us everything we want to-"

"However."

Ibiki's eyebrow twitched at being cut off by his own prisoner. Oh, how he wished Sasori could feel pain and suffering; he would give anything in the world to share that experience with the redhead. This feeling of uselessness as an interrogator was still new to him, and he hated every second of it.

"What now?" The Special Jonin snapped.

A sparkle of amusement flashed in the renegade Sand Shinobi's eye. "I have a few more demands that need to be met before I speak on the matter of my former comrades."

"You must be joking." His handler let out a mirthless chuckle.

Chiyo's grandson, not known for his talents as a comedian, stared at the man blankly. "Unfortunately, I can't say that I am."

"Sorry, but I don't negotiate with terrorists. Your 'demands' have already been met; no more. If you feel content with spending the rest of your miserable existence confined in this cell, then so be it." The borderline sadist bore holes through the criminal with his intense stare. "Or maybe… we can see what happens to your consciousness when I disassemble you and grind your entire body into dust. What do you think would happen?" He leaned in menacingly and whispered. "I'm dying to know."

Despite the not-so-subtle threats, Sasori's expression did not change in the slightest. "Don't misunderstand, Ibiki; these requests are not like the last one. It won't require much work or put any of your comrades in harm's way." He explained in an even tone. "In fact, I would venture to say that this arrangement would be mutually beneficial. All it will cost you is some manual labor and a bit of money for supplies."

The Leaf Ninja leaned back in his seat with critical eyes trained on the man in front of him. In all honesty, he was tired of being led around on a leash by the Puppet Master. It seemed like one thing always led to another, and they would never get any useful information from him, and the more they allowed him to get away with this behavior, the more often he would do it.

And yet, despite all of that, a part of him still wanted to hear the man out. After all, Sasori was unquestionably the primary catalyst in Orochimaru and Zetsu's deaths, both of which were severe threats to the Land of Fire. It was a hard pill to swallow, but they were in a much better place now because of their former enemy. Not only that, but Sasori could have escaped back to the Akatsuki and chose against it.

Their mutually beneficial arrangement had worked out shockingly well so far; where was the harm in hearing what the bastard had to say?

"I'll listen to what you have to say." Ibiki said, arms now crossed tightly at his chest. "Talk."

"Excellent." Sasori smiled. It wasn't a yes, but it was a start. "Do you have something to write with? You'll need it; the list is rather long…"

"Am I losing my mind?" Naruto muttered under his breath in a slightly startled tone with his face buried in his hands. Wide, unfocused eyes in between separated fingers reflected dazzlingly off of the fiery orange hue of the sky. It was a thought that reverberated in his brain for some time now.

The blond sat on a small water tower atop one of the many residential buildings in the area. The last few days felt like they went on forever, but the sunset had only begun to approach. Even though the time of day mattered little right now, Jiraiya's student couldn't help but take note of it. Tomorrow marked the day in which he would reconvene with Tsunade and Jiraiya about his mission with Sasuke.

Yami's invasion of his mental space occurred just two days ago. It was at least the second time his darker half decided to push his own thoughts into his mind. Come to think of it, his Yin counterpart had grown increasingly bold ever since Hikari was put to sleep in the fight with Sasori. The Chunin could put up with some sly words thrown in here or there, but this was completely different. The overstimulation to his senses at that moment was almost too much to bear. Their link had previously been severed on his end, so Yami could reconnect and broadcast his thoughts any time he so chose.

Something told him that this wouldn't be the last time Yami would make his thoughts known. The influence his Yin counterpart had over his senses nearly overwhelmed him, and it only happened once! What if it kept happening; would those intrusive thoughts change who he is? That possibility alone terrified him to his core.

"Great… can things get any worse?"

As if God himself were looking down on the Uzumaki with a cruel smile, something darted across the adjacent buildings in his peripheral vision.

"What?!"

Several members of the ANBU Black Ops were speeding off in the same direction. While their faces and expressions weren't visible due to their mask, there was a tense aura surrounding them.

"They're headed towards the village gates." Naruto said as he sprang to his feet. Chakra unconsciously pumped into his legs, and he raced after them. "What the hell is going on now?!"

With the details of the incident unknown to him, it was in his best interests to maintain a safe distance behind the squad. From what Jiraiya had told him, ANBU weren't very keen on being spied on, not that anyone could really blame them. Despite his measured pursuit pace, it didn't take long for them to near the point of interest.

Naruto landed on a large, steep-roofed building roughly 100 meters away from the point of interest. Much to his surprise, there were already a handful of ANBU gathered at the gate; he watched intently as the operatives he followed landed alongside their comrades. They formed a defensive line to ward off the potential threats to their home.

Three hooded figures stood just outside the Leaf's entrance. It was difficult to discern anything from this distance, so Naruto squinted his eyes in hopes he'd gain a better understanding of the situation.

His stomach dropped at what he saw.

Without uttering a single word, the blond disappeared from sight in a flash.

…

At the hot zone, one of the newcomers stepped forward slowly with a sly grin. This only seemed to agitate the ANBU further.

"We said stop! Don't come any closer!" One of the Leaf's elite soldiers warned for what sounded like the last time. "We will not ask again, what business do you have here!?"

"C'mon, guys… let's not do something that we're all going to regret." The mystery man said in a silky smooth tone. For what seemed like comedic effect, he pointed his index fingers at them and extended his thumbs up in the air to make them look like guns. "We just want to know where Naruto Uzumaki is. Bring him here, and I promise there won't be any trouble."

"Suigetsu," Sasuke uttered, clearly annoyed at his teammate's absurdly antagonistic antics. "I told you that I would do all of the talking. Step back and be quiet."

"Y-Yeah, listen to him, you idiot!" Karin stammered while poking her head out from behind the Uchiha. "What the hell do you think you're doing, anyway?! Are you trying to get the three of us killed?!"

The Hozuki glanced back at the stoic teen and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Man… you're no fun, Sasuke." He dropped his hands down to his sides. "I was only messing with these guys; lighten up."

"Sasuke…" There was suddenly anxious chatter amongst the Shinobi from the Leaf. It had dawned on them. "As in Sasuke Uchiha?!"

"Oh ho!" The Water User exclaimed mockingly. "I forgot that we were rolling around with a celebrity, Karin."

The redhead just scoffed.

"That's right." The boy in question said coolly as he pulled the hood from his cloak down to reveal his jet-black hair. "I'm sure you heard that I had a hand in the death of Orochimaru. That should be proof enough that we are not your enemy. Don't listen to this idiot." He gestured to his side. "He's just a fool."

A Shinobi wearing a bird mask stepped forward. "Sasuke Uchiha, while it's true that you defeated Orochimaru, that doesn't change the fact that you are a rogue ninja yourself. You have a lot of nerve coming back to us like this; did you think that the village would just forget what you did?"

The survivor of the Uchiha massacre frowned. Before he could open his mouth to retort, another voice interjected itself into the conversation.

"What the hell do you three think you're doing?"

Everyone, except Sasuke, looked up to find the source of the new voice. It was Naruto, who was standing upside down on the frame of the gateway above them with an unamused expression on his face. The blond suppressed a nostalgic grin; the top of his old teammates head made him remember their tree walking competition back in the Land of Waves.

'So… this must be the person we're looking for.' The features of the mysterious blond matched the descriptions Suigetsu had gotten from the villagers in the Land of Waves. 'Great, just my luck, another guy who acts way too cool for his own good.'

Karin's reaction was quite different.

'Who is this guy?' She thought with genuine surprise. 'I didn't even sense his chakra approach… so fast.'

"I was wondering when you would show up…" The leader of Team Hebi finally looked up, his expression stoic as usual. "Naruto."

The redhead's eyes widened slightly as she glanced between both members of now the defunct Team 7. The air of familiarity between them made more sense with that context. 'Now I get it. This guy is Sasuke's old teammates, Naruto Uzumaki.'

The Chunin dropped down in between the two groups in hopes that his intervention would cut the gradually increasing tension. He put his back to the confused ANBU and gave the Uchiha another unamused look. "I don't think I can say the same." He said in slight annoyance. "I thought we agreed on meeting at a later date away from the village. Do you have any idea what you could start just showing up here unannounced? Some stuff has gone down here recently, and everyone is understandably a bit on edge. What could have been so important that you had to do something this stupid?"

Suigetsu flashed his razor-sharp teeth and walked towards the Uzumaki with his hands on his hips. "Yeah, about that, there's actually a good reason we had to come all the way here. I think you have something that belongs to me."

Naruto arched an eyebrow in confusion. They had just met, and he could already tell that Sasuke's subordinate was quite brazen. Whether or not that was a good thing had yet to be determined. "And what would that be?" Was his response.

"Master Zabuza's Executioner's Blade." That only made the teen's eyebrow curve further. "See, word around the Land of Waves is that you recently swung by to pick it up from his gravesite; that true? If so, then I'm really going to need to take it off of your hands. With him gone, I'm now the rightful owner of that sword."

"Says who?" The blond challenged.

"Says me." The Water User bit back. "I was groomed from an early age to inherit that blade after Master Zabuza's passing and become the next member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."

"Technically, it belongs to the Hidden Mist Village." Naruto countered while eyeing the snarky teen cautiously. "Are you a part of the Mist? I don't see you wearing a headband. From my understanding, you're one of Orochimaru's former lackeys."

"I didn't realize that the people here had such… interesting senses of humor." The Hozuki's lackadaisical demeanor changed as he grew more and more frustrated with his demands not being met.

The Uzumaki did not even flinch at the thinly veiled threat. "I saw the way you walked in here like you wanted to roll some heads; Zabuza's blade is an extremely dangerous weapon, and I'm not going to entrust it to someone as unstable as you. If that's all you came for, then get lost. I don't have time to waste on maniacs eager to die."

That appeared to be the last straw; the successor to the Demon of the Hidden Mist exploded off his back foot and threw a punch at Naruto. It connected with the blond's palm with enough power to make him nearly skid backward.

"Oh?" Sharp fangs bared menacingly, surprised that his blow had been blocked so effortlessly. "Fast and strong; no wonder Sasuke went through the trouble of coming back to this dirt hole to get you."

The Black Ops were not going to sit back and watch this unfold. The group branched out from both ends to box Team Hebi in and give them nowhere to run. However, before they could attack, Naruto put his other hand up to get their attention.

"It's okay." He said calmly. "Don't start anything with these guys; they're allies."

"Allies!?" Bird shouted incredulously. "Are you blind?! Look at what they're doing!"

"He was just testing me." To prove that, both of them lowered their hands and stepped back. "The Hokage knows about these three. We were supposed to speak again on the matter tomorrow, but I guess things are going to happen sooner than expected." He glared at Sasuke as he spoke, but the rogue didn't seem to care.

"Heh, sorry, guys." Suigetsu said as he flashed a mischievous grin while taking some sips from his water bottle. "I can be a bit irritable when I'm thirsty. What can I say?"

"You could say you're sorry, idiot!" Karin yelled, still hiding behind the quiet Uchiha. "There were ready to take us all out because of you!"

"I did say sorry; were you even listening, Karin?"

"Well, I wish they would just go after you and leave Sasuke and me alone!"

"Tch, whatever." He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "We all know you just want to be alone with Sasuke.""

"Enough, you two." Sasuke shrugged the girl off his arm. "We don't have time for your games right now."

"It's getting late." Naruto gestured down the road with a nod of the head. "We should head to the tower, so we don't have to do it in the morning. Granny Tsunade needs to hear about this right now." He looked turned his attention to his comrades. "You ANBU guys can tag along if you want to. I'm going to lead these guys to the tower and make sure everyone is on their best behavior." The masked ninja would do that anyway, so the invitation was little more than a formality.

The cloaked soldier looked unsurely amongst one another. After a moment of quiet communication, the faceless ninja nodded slowly and then ascended upward and disappeared into the shadows.

"They'll be watching and listening." Jiraiya's pupil informed his guests. "I don't think I have to tell you guys, but don't do or say anything stupid. If you do, they'll be on us in less than a second. Just follow me and behave." He said as he gestured the team to follow him.

"We know." Despite saying that, Karin glanced over to her impulsive teammate in hopes that he would take the blond's advice. "I can sense their chakra clear as day. We'll never be alone as long as we stay within these walls."

'A sensor, huh?' Naruto made a mental note of the girl's abilities as they made their way down the stone path that led directly into the heart of the village. "It's good to know that Sasuke picked at least one rational person for this team."

Despite the seemingly kind words aimed at her, Team Hebi's sensor stared at the orange-clad boy suspiciously. She was never one to trust people right away, but something about the boy seemed especially strange. Sasuke may trust him, but that did not mean she would blindly follow along. His chakra signature would be the deciding factor to form her initial opinion of the team's newest member. In a way that was second nature to her now, she extended her senses to gain a little insight into who it was they were associating with.

Her eyes widened significantly, and she let out a tiny gasp at what she felt.

"Speak for yourself, four eyes." Zabuza's apprentice said with predatory eyes aimed at the Jinchuriki, unaware of what went on in Karin's mind. "I'm here for one reason and one reason only; I'll get my hands on that Executioner's Blade even if I have to take it off your corpse when the Akatsuki kill you."

Before the other Team Hebi members could shut him up, Naruto looked over his shoulder and spoke. "Tell you what; after we go see the Hokage, I'll give you a shot at getting what you want. We'll go to one of the training grounds and have a fight. If you win, I'll hand over the sword; if you lose, you'll keep your mouth shut and stay in line. Do we have a deal?"

The swordsman could not have smiled wider. "Now you're speaking my language."

Naruto returned the look to a lesser extent and turned back around. "I thought you'd say that…" He missed the indecipherable grin on Sasuke's face and the awestruck look on Karin's. Things were definitely beginning to get interesting.

The quartet of misfits had finally been unofficially formed.

Where would they go from here?

Author's Note: Enter Team Hebi. I know this has been something many people have been looking forward to, so I'm glad I could finally give you a taste of it. This dynamic has already been fascinating to write, and I can't wait to show you where it goes.

Kurama also decided it was time to drop some bombs in this chapter. He relayed several bits of vital information to the only human he views competent enough to be entrusted with it; Jiraiya. How will this massive change alter things going forward? Wait and see!

Share your thoughts of this one in the reviews! Your words help motivate me to continue writing!

I'll see you next time with Chapter 40: Team Hebi!

Thanks for reading!

Ky111 – Agreed. It's good to take a step back and relax for a while, mainly because the calm never lasts long.

Yamajiji – Glad you liked it! I think Naruto needed something like that after all he's been through recently.

Juan Esteban Reyes Bautista – I can understand this. Writing that many people talking in the same conversation was difficult for me. I tried my best to make it flow.

TrenchcoatMan – You only had to wait one more chapter!

KuroArashi94 – If anything, it gets the rabid shippers frothing at the mouth.

Passive Person – I'm beyond glad you're still enjoying it even after a year of reading! A lot of things are going to be answered in the next handful of chapters. Stay tuned!

Nexlon – Appreciate the understanding!

Sarcasm Dragon – I genuinely appreciate the reviews and all the support, but I worry that a ton of blank reviews may look disingenuous. I'm more than grateful to receive even one review, and I almost have 1,000 in total! Any more than what I already have is icing on the cake.

That1RainyDay – I hope this chapter didn't feel too info-dumpy. Kurama was sitting on a ton of information that he needed to relay to Jiraiya. Let me know what you thought!

NaruCrazy – It just makes you realize just how much damage the Zetsu infiltration caused. If he could leak classified intel to an unallied nation, what else was he able to do?

One Thousand Rains – I like Shizune too, but sacrifices must be made. As for everything else, it's great to hear you've enjoyed it! Your high praise means a lot, and I'll try my best to live up to it.

miguce – Thanks. Fights are undoubtedly important, but character moments, plot, dialogue, and interactions are all more important to me.

Iron Spider Fan – I'm trying to keep the "edginess" to a minimum. Naruto raging in those moments is so overdone.

Arbitrary Indolence – Happy to see others agree. If there is going to be romance, its going to have to fit into my story naturally. I'm not going to go out of my way to squeeze it in. I fear that would alter the direction I want to take it.