AN: Okay first let me just start off by saying I hate the plot and idea I had for this story and I should've left it as a one-shot with the first chapter. I don't even want to rewrite this story because I hate the concept around this story. That's the reason why I never updated this story for so long. I just couldn't come up with a way to come up with a new chapter because of my hate. However since people are showing interest I decided to say screw it to trying to fix this story and just write it how I originally planned it. With clichés, predictable and unoriginal ideas, and a story that makes little to no sense. Whether you love it or hate it, this was how I originally planned for it to go and the reason I had a hard time writing chapters for this. I will be posting this same Author's Notes to every chapter of this story, just to let people know. One more important thing I forgot to mention, this was NEVER meant to be a long story. I was only planning to write a few more chapters before labeling it complete. So if you're expecting a lot of narrative to this story, you'll be disappointed or frustrated.

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, I make no money or profit from this.

Naruto was currently following the Akatsuki member Zetsu, he was wearing a Akatsuki cloak over his normal clothing. Zetsu was an adult male with half his body black and the other half white and a venus fly-trap like appendages from his shoulders. Naruto managed to convince Pein to listen to his deal by showing he could possess one of the many Peins'. He told them he wanted to help them bring peace to the Elemental Nations, while hiding his true objective. Naturally Every member was skeptical about this, especially Pein, Konan, and an orange spiral masked goofball named Tobi. They might believe a former Jinchūriki might help them in their goal, but 2 of the Legendary Sanin were willing to help them was harder to believe. They eventually agreed to the deal for the solo reason because they had a way to find the missing Kyuubi chakra, if they became a problem later then they would be dealt with. So it was agreed that Tsunade, Ember, Naruto and Kushina would go with Hidan and Kakuzu to collect the Kyuubi chakra. While Itachi, Gaara, and Jiraiya would go with Kisame to collect the 8 tailed Jinchūriki from the Cloud village. Naruto managed to sneak away beforehand and talked to Zetsu and told him his real plan. This resulted in Zetsu wanting him to meet Tobi/Madara alone, as well as telling Naruto everything he and Madara were planning.

Thus the reason Naruto was following Zetsu and leaving the others to handle capturing the others. "Once you meet him, be sure to only tell him you want to bring peace to the Elemental Nations" the black Zetsu said. "As for how you know about the Juubi and our plan, you'll have to figure out how to explain that yourself" the white Zetsu added in.

"Don't worry, I got that covered," Naruto replied seriously. He already knew what he was planning to tell the Uchiha to gain his trust. However as they were traveling Naruto noticed Zetsu stop, only it wasn't normal. Zetsu was frozen in the air, not moving or breathing. As he examined the Akatsuki member, he noticed it wasn't just Zetsu. Any animals, insects, leaves, everything was frozen in place. Just as he was about to ask aloud what happened, when a voice got his attention.

"You had made a mess of the timeline" a male voice said. Naruto turned to the voice to see a ghost standing on a branch above him. He had pale blue skin with a scar across his left eye. He wore a violet cloak, had a clock-mechanism embedded in his chest, and carried a time staff. However Naruto had heard rumors of this ghost, his name was Clockwork and he was a powerful ghost and a master of time.

"What does a ghost of your reputation want with me?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"What you're planning will severely alter the future I had foreseen" the time ghost replied sternly. "I have carefully laid the work for the ghost child to be not only the Hero of the Ghost Zone, but also the bridge between ghosts and the living. You however are interfering with that and casting a cloud over the future. A cloud so strong that even I can't see what the future holds."

"What's your point?!" Naruto asked, getting frustrated. Naruto started to notice the Time ghost would occasionally change his form into 1 of 3. A child form, an adult form, and finally an elderly form.

"I can't let you continue with what you are doing," Clockwork replied, becoming agitated. "I will not have anyone interfere with the future I have seen. Therefore I have come to demand that you cease what you are doing and not to cause any more problems. If you refuse then I have no choice but to erase your existence."

"Then you better be ready for a fight!" Naruto replied, getting ready for a fight. "I'm not going to let you or anyone stop me from achieving my goal. So you're gonna have to destroy me if you want to stop me."

"So be it then" Clockwork replied charging energy to his staff. Both stared at one another waiting for the other to make the first move. After a few seconds of silence, Naruto became confused as to why nothing happened yet and started to suspect something more was going on. After a few more seconds of nothing, Naruto could see the sweat and glare from the time ghost but nothing else. Finally Naruto decided to ask his ghostly opponent what's going on.

"Okay, I thought you were going to destroy me?" Naruto asked cautiously. Clockwork continued to glare at him but still nothing happened. "Alright, are you going to do something or just continue to try glaring at me into submission?" He asked, starting to become annoyed. The Time ghost continued to glare while more sweat started to appear on his face. After seconds of this, Naruto thought he knew what was going on. "You can't do anything to me, can you."

Clockwork finally powered down his staff and let out a sigh of irritation. "No I can not," he said simply. "The seal Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki put around your home also protects your souls from me and others like me. All we can do is watch and hope you don't interfere with what we plan."

"Looks like Old Man Sage helped us without knowing," Naruto said to himself with a smirk. "So what do we do now?" He asked, relaxing his body.

"I must ask you to stop what you are planning," Clockwork replied sternly. "I had planned for the ghost child to be the Hero of the ghost and help fix the problems of the Ghost Zone. However your actions are clouding that future and replacing it with you as the Hero and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki as the ruler of ghosts in the living world. It's supposed to be young Phantom who would unite the ghosts of the Ghost Zone and stop a tragedy in the distant future and start the bridge between ghosts and the living. However now that future is slowly being replaced by another I can't see yet. Your vengeance against these lands are minor, petty, and unimportant compared to the fate of ghosts and the living. We need young Phantom to get stronger for the trials ahead of him."

Naruto growled at the time ghost for what he just said. "So you're saying I need to adjust how I go about my afterlife, just so the halfa can become the Hero? Screw that! I'm sick and tired of constantly being hunted. I had enough of that when I was alive, but I'm still getting hunted even in my afterlife. It becomes frustrating constantly being hunted by a warden who is obsessed with law and order, a hunter who can't accept he's been dumped, or your golden boy playing Hero. All I want is a place where I don't have to worry about being hunted. If I have to help a goddess commit genocide of the ninja world and take the place of being the Hero of ghost instead of the ghost boy, then so be it. I'm not doing this out of revenge or something like that, I'm doing this to get the life I was denied when I was still living."

Clockwork continued to glare at the shinobi ghost, but knew there was nothing he could do. "I will do everything in my power to ensure young Phantom becomes the Hero of the Ghost Zone. All I can do is implore you to cease your actions and accept the path I and others have set."

With his piece said, Clockwork disappeared and time returned to normal. "Hey are you coming?" Black Zetsu asked, looking behind when he saw Naruto not following him.

"Yeah" he replied emotionless. Naruto returned to follow the Akatsuki member to meet the hidden leader of the Akatsuki.

**

Naruto had finally met the masked Akatsuki member, needless to say the Akatsuki leader was surprised. After being told by Zetsu that the ghost shinobi knew their real plan and wanted to help, he had to meet this ghost. Then the masked member asked how he found out about their plans, Naruto replied saying the spirit of the Sage of Six Paths told him and wanted to resurrect him to stop him. He was surprised when the ghost shinobi refused the offer, but welcomed him as he felt he had met a kindred spirit who sought the same peace as him. He told Naruto the truth about everything. How he was Obito Uchiha, how he survived the Third Great Shinobi War, how he was on a team with Kakashi, Minato, and a girl named Rin. Who had helped him and how he had come up with his plan.

"I never imagined that Minato's son would help me," Obito said, staring off into the distance. "However I'm happy about it, I may need your help taking out Nagato when the time is right." He turned to look at his ghostly companion with his Sharingan active. "You wouldn't mind right, after all it's for the sake of peace."

Naruto stared at Obito emotionless and replied the same. "If it's for peace, then no I don't mind."