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Chapter 12: Great Lord Elder

-24 months before returning to the village-

Naruto gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain the violent spinning orb in his hand. The energy it gave off made his wild hair swirl in several directions in a similar fashion a large gust of wind would do. Sweat beads pooled at the temple until they were too large, gravity taking care of the rest as they rolled down the sides of his face.

Weeks of practice were beginning to pay off, every day it was getting easier to use the Rasengan with one hand. Just a few moments ago, the blond had dispelled all of the clones who had been training hard the entire day. After taking in their experience, it was time to see what progress had been made.

Jiraiya smirked, happy with the boy's continuous advancement. "That's it, Naruto. Maintain that power without losing control."

Naruto heard him, but couldn't even nod his head in response. Doing so would cause him to lose focus and, well… he had made that mistake sometime last week and the result was painful. The goal of this training was to hold the completed jutsu for at least 20 seconds, and if he could do that, then they would see what kind of damage it would inflict on the surrounding landscape.

20 seconds had just been reached. "Now, kid."

Once he was given the signal, the Jinchuriki slammed the Rasengan into one of the taller nearby mushroom trees. There was a loud screeching sound, as the violent chakra began to shred through the flesh of the mushroom as if it were warm butter. Naruto grimaced, beads of sweat were how dripping freely off his chin. When a clone was used to help make the Rasengan, it took a lot of stress off of the boy. Coupled with the fact that he never used to hold the chakra in his hand for an extended period of time even in combat, meant that every step of this training was harder than when he first learned the technique.

After moments of carnage, the mushroom tree had had enough. Naruto had ripped through a lot of its trunk. Without a stable base to keep itself upright, the tree began to creak and groan, the force of the jutsu pushing it backward. It slowly fell, finally collapsing with a loud 'crash!'

Jiraiya clapped loudly in celebration. "Great job! That was the real deal."

Naruto looked at his burned hand, not entirely satisfied with his performance. "I guess. It's just that, I'm still not even close to being able to use it in battle like that. If I lose my concentration for even a second, it will blow up in my face."

Jiraiya put his hand on top of Naruto's head and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Yeah, but you can't deny the progress that you've made already. I told you before, this is not an easy jutsu to master. It takes time, but at the rate you're going, you'll be the quickest person to have ever mastered it."

The Genin's face scrunched up in annoyance at the man's words. "Yeah, but that isn't saying much. I'm only the third person to learn it!"

Jiraiya shook his head, surprising the blond. Instead of using words, he just held up 4 fingers.

"What do you mean? Who's the fourth?" The Fourth Hokage, Jiraiya, himself, and...

"Kakashi." Was the Sannin's one-word response.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "What?! Even Kakashi-sensei knows it? Why did he never tell me that?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "You shouldn't be surprised. Not only is Kakashi called the Copy Ninja who has copied over one-thousand techniques, but he was also a student of the Fourth Hokage." Even with that explanation, Kakashi knowing, and being able to do the Rasengan even better than him, didn't sit right with the blond. Even though he was called the Copy Ninja, the Sharingan didn't help him learn a jutsu that didn't use hand signs.

Noticing this, Jiraiya interceded. "Don't worry about that, Naruto. As I said, you might be able to master this technique faster than myself, Kakashi, and the Fourth Hokage. That is some pretty good company to be in if I do say so myself."

That made Naruto smile slightly. That was fantastic company to be in. They were three of the strongest ninja the village had ever produced, and he was on par with them when learning a technique. "I guess you're right. Thanks, sensei." There was just one small thing that didn't make sense. "If he knows such a powerful jutsu, how come I've never seen him use it in a fight?" It was a very strong technique, after all. Why not use it?

"Well, that's a matter of preference." Jiraiya explained he said with a wave of the hand. The Sannin always did like to convey dialogue with unnecessary hand gestures. "Kakashi saw the Fourth's Rasengan and modeled his Lightning Blade after it. It is very similar to the Rasengan, though it lacks the severe level of rotation our jutsu requires. Then, Kakashi combined this result with his lightning nature manipulation, creating a deadly jutsu that is perfect for assassinations."

Naruto's face scrunched up. "Well, why didn't he just add his lightning to the Rasengan, to begin with? Why go through all of the trouble of creating an entirely different technique?"

"Ah." Jiraiya nodded knowingly, a smirk appearing on his face. "That answer is simple… he couldn't."

A look of surprise appeared on the blond's face. "This is Kakashi-sensei we're talking about here. What do you mean he couldn't?"

Jiraiya's face lifted up into a bittersweet smile in remembrance of his late, great student. Instead of answering the traditional way, he held up his palm and created a Rasengan of his own. Though, now it was the Sannin's turn to have a look of strain overcome his features. His hand began to shake violently from the effort, and Naruto could notice that the attack was beginning to change slightly in a way he had never seen before. The usually blue jutsu began to change to a slightly more reddish-orange color, and sparks of fire began to appear around the orb. Though, the orb began to vibrate at a dangerously high frequency, as if it was about to explode. Alas, the effort was too much for Jiraiya, and he had to dissipate the technique before it detonated.

Despite the failure, Naruto's eyes were sparkling in awe. "Wow, what was that?!"

Jiraiya, now breathing a little heavy, wiped the sweat that was now dripping down the side of his face. "That... was my best attempt to incorporate my fire release into the Rasengan. As you can see, even for me, it's unbelievably difficult. I've tried to do it for over a decade, but with no luck. I almost think that it's impossible."

The Genin nodded slowly, doing his best to take in all of this new information. "But why is it so difficult to add your fire to the Rasengan, but easier for Sensei to create the Lightning Blade?" What was the difference, he wondered?

"Rotation." Jiraiya began simply. "The Rasengan is the highest attainable level of change in chakra form possible in the current known world of ninjutsu."

"Change in chakra form?" Naruto wondered aloud.

"Change in form is essentially molding your chakra into whatever shape you want it to be. The form of chakra determines a technique's size, range, and purpose. And the Rasengan is the most extreme version of this, meaning that, by itself, it is already an incredibly difficult jutsu to master. A-Rank, in fact. To then have to add nature manipulation into the mix, that would make the resulting technique S-Rank, no, probably even higher than that."

Naruto's eyes widened at a sudden realization. "That means…" He began, looking down at his right hand. "That the Fourth's Rasengan is an incomplete technique?"

The Toad Sage nodded. "That's right. Not even the Fourth Hokage, the genius of the last several generations, could add his elemental chakra to the Rasengan."

The boy couldn't believe it. From what he learned in the academy, The Fourth Hokage was perhaps the greatest genius the village ever produced. He practically ended the Third Great Ninja War by himself. Yet, even he couldn't finish his technique?

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

Jiraiya smiled widely. "Because, kid, if there is anyone who can complete this jutsu, I think it's you."

"What?! No way! I can't even master the base technique. There's no way I can do that. I mean, if someone like the Fourth couldn't do it, what are the chances that a loser like me could do it?"

"You are far from a loser, kid. You're learning the jutsu much faster than I ever did, and I'm one of the Sannin! I'm not sure that it's possible to 'complete' it, but we're going to cross that bridge when we get to it. Once you have the Rasengan fully mastered, we'll move on to even bigger fish."

The praise the blond received from his Master always made him feel a lot better. Not getting much of it growing up, he didn't realize how much he had longed for it until he finally received it. Though, he wasn't going to let it go to his head. His mentor believed in him, and there was no way he would let him down.

The two began to walk back into the residential area of the Mountain. They passed a bushel of bright purple and green flowers, something the Genin never thought would've existed naturally. This place continued to surprise him with how it differed from the Land of Fire. The array of bright colors had initially been giving him headaches. The different scenery and plant-life in Mount Myoboku were taking a little getting used to, but Naruto felt he was adapting to it. His thoughts drifted back to what his Godfather had said. He didn't like to let people down, and if Jiraiya truly had that much faith in him, the boy was going to try his damnedest to realize it.

Naruto's eyes began to sparkle, and to Jiraiya, it looked just like when he first showed his Godson what the Rasengan was. A sense of relief washed over him that he could barely fathom. Maybe jumping back into training so quickly after the Wave tragedy was the best choice to make? While it was clear the kid was still in great pain, training was always something that lifted his spirits. The Sage was tired of making constant mistakes regarding the blond. Now, Jiraiya hoped, he was finally on the right track being the positive role model the Fourth's son truly needed.

A noise broke him from his thoughts. Glancing back down, he saw that his student was walking alongside him, blue chakra swirling in hand. "What're you doing, kid?" His voice laced with uncertainty.

Naruto's face broke out into a wide smile. "Well, if my Master believes in me, I can't just let him down. As you said, it's going to take a lot of practice. That means I'm going to practice whenever I can!"

"Oh? And what benefit does this kind of training have?" The Toad Sage asked with a hint of humor.

"If I can maintain this while I walk home, it splits up my concentration. In a fight, I can't take my eyes off of my opponent to focus completely on my attack. It'll help me get used to dividing up my attention."

Jiraiya smirked. The kid's methods weren't perfect, but that wasn't a bad thought. That gave him an idea. "Not bad, kid. From now on, every day on our walks home from training, I want you to conjure up a couple clones and you can all practice the Rasengan while walking. That way you'll get even more practice in."

Naruto jaw dropped. How had he not thought of something so simple? "That's a great idea, Sensei!" There he went, losing focus again.

'Boom!'

Jiraiya coughed, accidentally inhaling some of the dust that got kicked up from his Godson's antics. Normally, he would be annoyed by this, but the kid comically spread out on the ground from the force of the explosion kept him in good spirit.

"Get the hell up, gaki…"

...

While the Toad Sage was doing his best to make sure Naruto knew that he believed in him, that was still lofty praise the boy now had to live up to. A 13-year-old child, whom was referred to as a loser and failure his entire life, was now told that he had the ability to go beyond something that the Fourth Hokage could not. Though neither of them realized it at the time due to their good spirits, it was just another weight that was piled on the jinchuriki's back.

Jiraiya sighed softly as he leaned in against the side of Ma and Pa's house. The four of them had just finished eating about an hour ago, and Naruto had headed off to bed saying something along the lines of 'getting up really early to get some extra training in.'

Jiraiya had been monitoring the boy and his seal closely recently, and to his surprise, there appeared to be no residue of the Fox's chakra around it. Meaning that, even though Naruto had seen his friends dead, the fox did not try and take advantage of this and push some of his chakra between the cracks of the cell doors. He could be overthinking it, but it was something to keep an eye on, nonetheless.

The sound of hopping broke the Sage from his thoughts. It was Lord Fukasaku.

"Boss?" His student began with a questioning gaze, curious as to what the small frog wanted.

"That boy." Talking of Naruto. "He seems to be progressing very quickly."

Jiraiya allowed himself a smile at the indirect compliment. After all, he was the teacher and if his student was making rapid improvements that means the job was being done right. "Yeah, that kid never ceases to amaze me. Despite everything that has happened recently, he is as determined as he always is."

Fukasaku nodded knowingly. Jiraiya had filled in the details of what it was that happened a few days after they arrived in Mount Myoboku. Ma and Pa had been mortified that these 'Akatsuki' would do something so horrible to so many innocent people. Not only that, but their hearts went out to the young blond. Even if he was a ninja, someone his age should never have to go through the things he has experienced. The Sannin hadn't been lying when he said there was a lot on the boy's plate.

"Well, that was kind of what I wanted to talk to you about."

Jiraiya's brow furrowed as he used his back to push himself off of the side of the house. "Oh? And what did you want to talk about, exactly?"

"These Akatsuki. They seem like an incredibly dangerous group of people. Strong, too." The green toad's eyes were fierce, his white mohawk waving around in the Mount Myoboku winds. "Being the Jinchuriki for the Nine-Tailed Fox, Naruto-boy is going to have to get very powerful very quickly if he hopes to stand a chance against this threat."

Crossing his arms around his chest in a subconscious decision to go on the defensive, Jiraiya eyed his master, wearing a confused look on his face. He didn't know what his Master was trying to get at. "Well, yeah. That's why we're here, and that's why I'm pushing Naruto so hard. The kid is making fantastic progress."

"But will it be enough?"

"What are you trying to say, Boss?"

Fukasaku smirked. "I can sense Naruto-boy's chakra, his reserves are enormous for a child his age. No doubt in my mind it's because of that Uzumaki blood, along with being a Jinchuriki."

Jiraiya's eyes widened, tightening the grip of his arms even further. "You're not implying that we should…"

"Teach the boy Sage mode." Fukasaku finished, balling his fist up tightly in excitement.

As much as Jiraiya wanted to say yes to that idea, he couldn't. "I can't. He's not ready." Tone even, but firm.

The Toad Sage's Master recoiled a bit, surprised by his protégé's words. He knew his student well, and that response was very unlike him. "But, Jiraiya-boy, those monsters aren't going to go easy on him. If he isn't strong enough, he'll die."

The Sannin shook his head reluctantly. "I know they won't, but before I teach him something like Sage Mode, I have to be sure that he is a real ninja first. Sage Mode augments ones genjutsu, ninjutsu, and taijutsu to even higher levels. If his skills are lacking in those areas, then Sage Mode won't be used to its fullest capacity. I love Naruto, but he is impatient and lacks discipline, which is to be expected of someone his age. As he is right now, a 13-year-old boy, he might be incapable of learning the intricacies of natural energy."

Fukasaku attempted to speak, but Jiraiya wasn't done yet.

"And if he is incompatible right now, all of that precious time and effort of Senjutsu training would bear no fruit. I've only got 2 years left; they have to count. For once, I am going to go the safe route and continue to do what we've been doing. His improvements are obvious, after all."

The Great Sage of Mount Myoboku wanted to argue, but his student made a lot of good points. It was quick, but Pa had already begun to care for the young Genin. It was clear that he looked almost exactly like Minato, but he also acted quite a bit like Jiraiya when he was younger. Perhaps those feeling were clouding his judgment.

"I see…"

"And besides." Jiraiya breathed in deep, then exhaled loudly. "He has been, and is still going to, work extremely hard, but I don't want to run him into the ground. I read the book he wrote, and well, Naruto may not show it but the amount of stress he is feeling is something that a kid shouldn't be able to handle. I worry that if work him too hard, especially after what happened in Wave, it'll cause irreparable damage. Sage training is grueling." Though Naruto seemed to be doing better, the Sage wasn't totally convinced. If he accidentally reopened wounds, there was a chance that they would never truly heal.

Fukasaku let out a deep breath, as well. He hadn't realized how delicate a situation this was. In the end, he would defer to the judgment of his Sannin student. "Okay, Jiraiya-boy. I think you're right."

Jiraiya grimaced. "I hope so, Boss…"

"Jiraiya!" Both Sages turned their heads in the direction of the noise, a young little toad whose name escaped the Sannin was hopping over towards them. 'It really has been a long time since I've visited…'

"What is it?" He asked.

"The Great Lord Elder… he wishes to see you."

Master and student shared a surprised glance. Though Jiraiya had been hoping to gain an audience with the Elder eventually, he didn't expect to be called for by the Old Toad himself. Whatever it was, it must be important.

Jiraiya nodded and followed the toad with Fukasaku hopping quickly behind them.

…

The Toad Sage of the Leaf walked into a very large, but familiar room. The back wall was lined with an abundance of enormous scrolls. In the center of the room, sat the Great Lord Elder, in what almost looked like a massive throne that had the symbol for 'Sage' on it. In reality, it was just a spot where he could rest in a puddle of water large enough to keep him cool and hydrated.

As for the Old Toad himself, he had to have been as large as Gamabunta, possibly even bigger than that. Wrinkly skin was mostly brown, aside from his white belly. The wise Sage wore a square-shaped professors hat with tassels on each corner and an orb similar to the one the Third Hokage had used on top of it. A necklace was hanging from his neck, the kanji for 'oil' written on it.

Though those large eyes were nearly squinted shut, he could still see because the moment Jiraiya walked in his faced lifted up into a small smile.

Finally, before the most respected toad of Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya got down on one knee. "Great Lord Elder." The Sannin began respectfully. "You called for me?"

The toad cocked his head to the side, seemingly studying the middle-aged man in front of him. After a few moments of this, the oldest Sage finally spoke. "Who are you?"

Jiraiya and Fukasaku sweatdropped at the doddering toad but recovered quickly. "It is me, Jiraiya. I was told that you had something to tell me."

Though appearing to think this statement over, Gamamaru was really internally laughing. The Great Sage wasn't some senile old frog, he was just so bored sitting around all day and loved messing with people more than anything. It truly was the best way to pass the time. Plus, seeing the look on the faces of those who revered him always kept his spirits up.

Having enough fun, he feigned a thoughtful look on his face and spoke. "Ah yes, I remember you now. You, who are singularly pervy, I have called for you because I have had an important vision that I wish to impart on you."

"What?!" Jiraiya completely ignored the shot at his depraved behaviors. A new vision was not what he had been expecting. "What did you see?!"

Once again, the giant toad thought for a moment. This time, actually trying to recall what he saw to the best of his ability. These visions, they come and go so fast, similar to a dream the second they happen most of it is forgotten.

"There will come a time, where someone you know is going to go through great emotional turmoil." The toad croaked out slowly. "You will be presented with a choice which will determine how they cope. Choose wisely."

Naruto immediately flashed through his mind. When the toad mentioned emotional turmoil, there was no one else who he knew that it could possibly be. Jiraiya was trying to think of scenarios in which this vision made sense. Yet, Naruto seemed to be getting better, right? Why was the Great Elder mentioning this now if it was already in the past? The timing seemed a bit off.

'Unless Naruto isn't really getting better at all…' Now that he thought about it, every once in awhile, he would see the kid frown for a split second, as if he was trying to hide his actual emotions. This was something that definitely needed to get looked into.

Jiraiya, done with the inward thought, looked back up at the honorable toad. "Is that… the crucial selection that you told me about all those years ago?" He asked, referencing the prophecy the Elder gave him before the Third Great Ninja War.

Gamamaru opened his always half-shut eyes, seemingly staring into the soul of the Toad Sage. The average person would be overwhelmed by this gaze, but the Sannin stood firm.

"That, I do not know." Was all he said in response.

It would be too easy to have all the answers. "Okay. Thank you." Jiraiya stood up and bowed deeply. There were a lot of things he needed to think about. For the longest time, the 'crucial selection' had loomed over his head. Every time something bad happened to one of his students, that prophecy came to the forefront of his mind. Was that it? Had he made the wrong choice?

When news broke that Minato died in the Nine-Tails attack, all Jiraiya could think about was his choice of leaving the village. Would his student have lived if he stayed in the Leaf? Did he fail the entire world? These thoughts have cursed the Sannin for decades.

Now, he had what you could call a potential second crucial selection. On the bright side, there is more that is known about this choice that he will have to make. Yet, that doesn't make the situation any less stressful.

…

Naruto was sitting up in his bedroll, his normally vibrant blue eyes were dead, empty, and heavy. For the past few weeks, the prospect of going to bed early was a wise one. More sleep equals higher brain and body function, which leads to better performance and quicker results. Though, that only helped if one can fall asleep. Naruto may occasionally pass out from complete exhaustion, but he hasn't gotten more than a couple hours of sleep at night since… well… you know…

Every time the boy closes his eyes, all that appears is Tazuna's severed head, or Inari's screams, or Tsunami's blood running down the normally clean kitchen tiles of their house.

During the day it could be manageable. Jiraiya was always having him do something that was mentally or physically engaging, so distractions were easy to come by. Sure, sometimes he would remember things and get sad, but that was to be expected. Still, the blond did his best to hide it from everyone.

It was at night when the Jinchuriki was alone with just his thoughts, that was when it was truly unbearable. It is hard to escape your demons when there is nothing to distract you. The thought of being responsible for their deaths resurfaced. If he never went to Wave, then the Akatsuki likely wouldn't have gone there either. Logic dictates they would still be alive, right?

There were even times where Naruto questioned whether or not he wanted to be alive. He would gladly exchange his life for theirs back, in a heartbeat, but it was deeper than that. All of this pressure and pain, sometimes it just seemed like too much to bear. These feelings weren't going to go away, either. So, maybe it would just be easier to die? No pain, no weight to bear, no getting other people caught in the crossfire. All of that and the Akatsuki's plan would be ruined or at least set back several years before the Nine-Tails reappears. It was a good thought, but if that happened, he wouldn't be around to protect those remaining precious people. If it was the last thing he did, it would be to ensure their safety.

These were all the things the author was struggling with. No one could know. If they found out, maybe they would halt the training. The training that he needed to…

He clutched his head, a headache causing him to get confused.

What did he need all of that strength for again?

Drip… Drip… Drip

Inside the cave, there were nine ghastly figures standing in a large circle. Though they were just projections, the malice radiating from them would weigh down even a seasoned Jonin.

Akatsuki…

These nine shinobi don't meet very often, so when they did it was usually to discuss something of importance. Though, something about this instance felt odd. From what Itachi had understood, all of them weren't supposed to be together again for another two years. If one of the pairs was to be given a mission, it was through the isolated contact of their leader, or Zetsu. Something must have happened.

"I don't see why we always have to meet in caves." Hidan huffed. "I'm not saying we should all go to a hot spring, but something less depressing would be great."

"Shut up, Hidan." Kakuzu growled. "We're here to discuss important business, so stop wasting time."

Before the silver-haired psychopath could respond, another voice cut in.

"Look at those two, my man. They sound like an old married couple, hm." The man's voice was relatively deep, and his tone was mocking. Not much of his appearance could be determined through the astral projection, but the mystery Akatsuki member seemed to have long sweeping bangs that covered most of his face.

His partner appeared to be much shorter and hunched over to such a degree that it looked uncomfortable. "Hm." Based on the gruff grunt, seems like the one referred to as 'my man' was not much of a talker.

"As much as I love to watch these two zombies squabble, I hope that's not why we were all called here like this." The familiar voice of Kisame, Itachi's partner, chimed in humorlessly. The scaly shinobi turned his attention to their leader, Pain. "What is there to discuss? I thought we wouldn't meet like this again for a couple more years."

Now everyone's attention, even the two that always seemed to be arguing, were trained on the projection of their leader. What could be so important that an emergency meeting would be called?

"We are all a part of this organization, so I thought I would inform all of those who didn't know about what was going on."

Itachi's eyes narrowed so slightly that it was imperceptible to all those around him. Whatever this new information was, he was not aware of it. For once, the raven-haired Uchiha was in the dark.

"Hidan and Kakuzu attempted to carry out a mission to capture the Nine-Tails." Pain continued, what he said caught the attention of most of the Akatsuki members.

"What of the Sannin, Jiraiya?" Itachi was the first to speak. The monotonous tone in his voice made his motives unreadable. "From what I understood; he was keeping watch over the Nine-Tails."

"There was a plan in place to separate the Jinchuriki from him." Kakuzu began, the growl in his voice made it clear that the bounty hunter was still mad that his prizes had gotten away.

"And it almost worked, too!" Hidan interceded. "But that guy whose leg I cut off ratted us out." He turned to Kakuzu, anger evident in his eyes. "I told you that I should have killed him! We would have that damn Jinchuriki if it weren't for you!"

His partner grunted but said nothing in response. As much as he hated to admit it, that idiot partner of his was right for once. At the time, Kakuzu just didn't want to attract more attention. The longer they were there, and the more noise they made, the chances that others would have seen them increased dramatically. If new witnesses saw them, there was a chance they'd have to slaughter that entire village. That would have almost assuredly alerted the Sannin of the Leaf.

"While it was a failure, that does not mean we haven't gained anything." Their ripple-eyed leader continued. "We have acquired some very important information regarding one of the inhabitants of the Leaf Village."

"Oh?" The one with the gruff voice questioned with something that appeared to be a tail swinging menacingly behind his hunched over form. "What might that be?"

"The Leaf appears to have someone who can use the Wood Release."

The tail that was once lashing about angrily stopped in its tracks. As did everyone else who had not previously been privy to that information. After all, only one man in the known ninja world had ever been in possession of the Wood Release. That man was perhaps the strongest shinobi in recorded history, The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.

Interestingly enough, Itachi's face had no visible reaction. His eyes were closed, indicating his indifference to the information.

"I don't see what the big deal is." Hidan's rude voice cut through the tension that had seeped its way into the cold, dark cave. "He was a weakling. If that spiky-haired old man hadn't shown up, the wood guy would have been toast. Literally."

"That's not the point, you idiot." The masked Akatsuki member berated his partner. "Wood Style has the ability to control tailed beasts. I have seen The First Hokage do it with my own eyes." Indicating that Kakuzu was old enough to see The First Hokage in action.

Pain nodded in agreeance. "No matter the strength level of this shinobi, those abilities are no laughing matter. That individual is someone we must be wary of. And, if the opportunity arises, capture him alive for our own uses."

"At least you two simpletons gained something from your botched capture, hm. If it were us, the Nine-Tails would be tied up at our feet already."

"That wasn't the only thing that we gained." Black Zetsu, who was not currently being accompanied by his white-half, had been silently observing the entire time, made his presence known.

Pain gave Black Zetsu a look the others couldn't decipher.

"What do you mean? Hm."

"That will be discussed at a later date." Their ominous leader said vaguely. "As it stands right now, we must be more cautious than usual. After our failed attempt in the Land of Waves, the villages, mainly the Leaf, may decide to take more interest in our activities."

"Are you saying we should go dark?" One of the Seven Ninja Swordsman asked. Doing that would set their schedule back considerably.

"I'm not saying that. Be more cautious, don't do things that have the chance to attract attention. We can't have the nations breathing down our necks before our operations even begin."

"It might be hard to get money." Kakuzu grunted his objection to this plan.

Pain glanced in the bounty hunters direction, but the words he spoke were aimed at all 8 remaining members of the Akatsuki. "If our operations are pushed back a little bit, then that is a small consequence that we were willing to take to get the Nine-Tails early. Though, if done right, it shouldn't affect us all that much."

The cave was now silent, the other members mulling over the words of their leader. The usually stoic Uchiha seemed to have a very slight pained expression on his face. As if he wanted to say something, but resigned to holding his tongue.

"Are we clear?" There were no objections. "Good. Dismissed."

As the projections began to disappear, the Leader seemed to remember something. "Sasori." Eyes trained on the one with the hunched back. "Stay a moment, we have something to discuss."

The now named Sasori grunted, but obliged and stayed behind.

Itachi, though he didn't appear to be paying attention, was interested in this. Waiting as long as he could before leaving, when the projection of one of the last Uchiha finally faded, there were only three remaining.

Pain, Sasori, and Black Zetsu.

-18 Months Before Returning to the Village-

'Is this the choice the Great Lord Elder was talking about?' Jiraiya asked himself as he looked down at an opened scroll that Kosuke had just delivered to him. Through the use of the expansive spy network, they had been able to learn a bit about the Wave incident. Not about the Akatsuki, no, this was a bit more of a personal matter. There was only one thing to decide.

What to do with this information?

"Dammit!"

The Sage looked up; eyes trained on the focus of his decision.

"Why? Why?! Why can't I do it?!" Naruto yelled out in a frustrated spell of emotions that were becoming more common with the young boy. He had been making such good progress since Jiraiya promised him intense training after winning their bet. At that time, every day felt like an improvement. A little bit faster, a little bit stronger. Yet, now, almost nothing.

It had been a little over six months and barely any progress was being made.

In his Taijutsu training, Naruto was having difficulty focusing, leading to sloppy form and poor reaction time. The clone opponents had little difficulty winning the sessions most days.

As for weighted training, his body wasn't responding to increases in weight like it used to. It took much longer to get used to increases, much to the frustration of the Genin. Before, it seemed like they were increasing the weights every other week. Now, he doesn't even remember the last time Jiraiya increased it in any significant way.

Most frustrating of all, it was the ninjutsu that was really bothering the Sannin's student. Despite all of the praise Jiraiya had given the boy about his progress 6 months ago, his Rasengan was still incomplete. The prospect of letting down his Godfather when so much was expected, was infuriating.

At first, Jiraiya tried to reassure the blond that they had simply hit a plateau in the training. Everyone hits these, he said. Nothing to worry about. Though, Naruto knew better than this. Something was wrong.

Naruto also knew it wasn't the training. After all, this training proved to be effective by the results they were initially getting. It was something else.

After a considerable amount of time had passed, Jiraiya too began to suspect that it was more than just a simple plateau. Ramping up the intensity didn't break through the stagnation, it only served to injure the blond's back. Though, with his recuperative powers, Naruto was only sidelined for two days. One day would've probably been sufficient, but the Sage just wanted to be sure.

Nothing they had tried seemed to be working. Switching up the routine with different exercises and drills made no discernable difference. Taking a week off to rest only led to the blond being a tad rusty when he started up again. It was to the point both of them were beginning to grow irritable about this new development. Jiraiya had trained many ninjas, all of which had hit plateaus at some point.

However, none of those seemed to be like this.

Then the words of the Great Lord Elder came back.

"There will come a time, where someone you know is going to go through great emotional turmoil. You will be presented with a choice which will determine how they cope. Choose wisely."

'I think I know what you meant, Great Lord Elder.'

Naruto, completely unaware of his master's thoughts, was too busy staring at shaky hands to notice. These past few months had been absolute hell. Not only has he been unable to sleep soundly at night for over half a year, but there was also dealing with his inability to advance in training.

Could those two things somehow be related? Naruto shook his head, dispelling the absurdity that something like that could be true. Sure, sleeping was important, and he might not be getting as much as a young boy should, but that shouldn't be affecting their training in any significant way. It had to be something else.

'Being a failure who can't even save his close people, it's no wonder I'm failing at this too.' His thoughts lately had become very self-deprecating and pessimistic. The more Naruto struggled in getting stronger, the angrier he became. It was to the point where angry outbursts were becoming an everyday occurrence.

"Naruto."

Said boy took in a deep breath, composed himself, and turned towards the Sage. "Yes, Sensei?" Voice betraying no negative emotions. Almost, at least.

Jiraiya eyed his student. At first, this kind of odd behavior had been getting past him, but it was becoming more and more obvious that Naruto was holding in a lot of repressed emotions that were now spilling out. You can only hold back overflowing water so long until the dam eventually bursts.

"How are you feeling?" Eyes scanning the boy, not for a response, but for any discernable change in body language. Lies were easy, but the body and eyes often betrayed those words.

The blond internally cringed. Should he finally tell him? Would their training stop? That couldn't happen, they would find a way to get past this stagnation eventually. That wouldn't happen at all if Jiraiya made him stop altogether.

"No, I'm fine. Why?"

That was the same response his Godson gave every time that question was presented. No matter how hard the Sannin pressed the child about his feelings, it never changed.

He was lying through his teeth, and Jiraiya knew it. But calling the boy out on would do little good in this situation. Besides, he had an idea that might help the child get passed this. At least, to some extent. A way to cope.

"My spies have uncovered a piece of very important information." Jiraiya vaguely started.

This caught his student's attention ever so slightly. "What kind of information?" This was odd, the Toad Sage never disclosed information from his spy network to Naruto. What could this be about?

"It's about what happened in the Land of Waves."

Before the Sannin's very eyes, the boy's demeanor completely changed. The facade of being a seemingly normal, sometimes emotional teenager was replaced by hardened and angry eyes. Though Jiraiya wasn't aware of it, this happened every night when the Genin was left alone with only his thoughts. Memories he wished he could forget flashed through his eyes, the very things that kept him up at night. The simple mention of the place where it happened was enough to do that.

Jiraiya decided to continue, sparing the Genin any more suspense. That look on the kid's face was unsettling, but this might be the only way to make things better. At least, that was what he hoped. He hated seeing the kid like this, it ate away at him. This was not about saving a prophecy to the Toad Sage, this was about helping his only family get past tragedy.

"Tazuna's bounty, we now know who placed it, and where he is."

Author's Note: With the Omake officially over, we can get back to our amazing protagonist.

Speaking of the protagonist, the weight on his mind is finally starting to affect him. The combination of the prolonged sleep deprivation and his repressed emotional trauma are causing his advancements to stall out almost completely. What is this choice Jiraiya is going to make? Will it help?

I didnt want this terrible tragedy to be glossed over. Oh? All of Naruto's friends were slaughtered right before his eyes? He'll be good as new in a couple chapters like nothing happened.

No. I wanted the impact to be relatable and understandable. People love to put on a front and act like everything is okay even if there world is crumbling around them. Or, they go as far as to lie to even themselves. Naruto, as stubborn as he is, does these exact things in the source material, as well. Some people may put the blame on his guardian, Jiraiya, for not being able to see this as it's happening, and while I see that side of things, I can't fully agree

Please leave your thoughts and concerns in the reviews please! I consider every single on of them!

Thank you and I'll see you next time for Chapter 12: My Way of the Ninja.

vindictive Glory - Thank you, I'm glad it was an enjoyable read. As for Danzo, his character is tricky to write. Stoic, yet deep and complex. In that scene, I was limited by the context of the conversation which kept me from showing his full character. Hopefully in future chapters my writing will be able to fully embody who he is.

Richard10811 - I don't think that's weird. Though, I don't know if he would have any significant reaction worth showing.

Amacon - Thank you for the kind words. While I certainly take inspirations from things I am a fan of, I try my best to be as original as possible. As for the whole pairing situation, I'm still completely undecided about if there will be a pairing, and if there is who it'll be.

Zabzab - As for the ANBU situation, I didn't really explain it much in the chapter, but I'll do my best here.

It took Jiraiya about 12 hours (Stated in Ch. 7) to get from Wave to the Village Hidden in Hot Water, though he wasn't going top speed because there was no emergency. Once Naki didn't show up, he made his clone and left to get to Naruto. The clone quickly examined the crime scene and sent Kosuke to the Leaf in under an hour after the clone had been summoned.

Kosuke went back to Mount Myoboku instantaneously and used the well that took him right outside the leaf village. So, that means he was able to get to Tsunade in less than 30 minutes, and Danzo got word of the same time and dispatched his ANBU to Wave.

Back to Jiraiya. Going at top speed, I estimate he got to Naruto in about 7-8 hours. With everything else that happened it gave the ANBU about 12-14 hours to make it Wave going top speed.

As for your opinion of the Sage, I understand where you're coming from. He has made mistakes at every turn and really hasn't owned up to any of them. Even though he is actually training the kid, unlike his canon counterpart, we can't give him TOO much credit for that since he was supposed to do that in the first place. Though, there are a couple things that I would like to point out.

First, while I initially depicted him as jealous of his student's book, he quickly realizes that and squashes those negative feelings, finishing with how he hoped Naruto's book would succeed where his failed and change the world.

Second, he truly loves Naruto. He told him about being his Godfather to stabilize him, yes, but not for the prophecy. It broke his heart to see his Godson going through that and wanted nothing more than to dull the pain by letting him know that he wasn't alone like he thought he was.

Jiraiya is my favorite character because of how human he feels. Farrrrrrrr from perfect, but not irredeemable.

Thanks for the great review!