Author's Note: Welcome back to A Bet of a Lifetime! It's been a while since the last one. Haven't had any time to write but since I have a few chapters already written I could still get this one out. Didn't want to make you guys wait too long!

Next chapter officially begins the start of 'Shippuden'. I've updated the cover image of the story to reflect my excitement.

Let me know what you think by leaving a review about thoughts, questions, or concerns! I'm also available via PM. And while I may not have time to write I will still keep my progress updated on my profile page!

Thanks and enjoy!

Chapter 18: The Path of the Worthy

-8 Months Before Returning to the Leaf Village-

Peace, tranquility, stillness, patience; these were things that Naruto was beginning to comprehend. In the academy, Iruka would always stress that keeping a calm, relaxed mind was the key to upholding an advantage during battle. If you could throw your opponent off-kilter by making them wild and emotional, while you stayed calm and collected, your probabilities of victory grew dramatically. Emotions like those caused people to lose focus, make mistakes, or act irrationally. These careless actions could easily lead to death. That was all good and well, young Naruto had thought back then; seemed pretty commonsensical at the time for a green-behind-the-ears wannabe ninja. How foolish he had been.

The blond had already been in quite a few intense, some to the death, fights. And in every single one, at some point, he would let his emotions get the better of him, and it would affect his performance. It was much more complicated than he had anticipated when the stakes were high, and the lives of the people he cared about were on the line. Next time was going to be different, that he was certain. Basking in the fresh, calming air of Mount Myoboku, the Genin truly felt at peace. There was something different about this mystical place. They were high up in altitude, yes, but the air still felt dense. Like it was packed full of something he could not see but only feel. It helped relax him; put him at ease while heightening his awareness of the surrounding area.

"Do you feel that, Naruto-boy?" The old green frog, who was alongside him in meditation, said after what seemed like an eternity of blissful silence. "These mountains carry special energy that is unlike anywhere in the world."

"I do." Naruto breathed out, trying to decipher the code that was these sagely grounds. What made this space feel so different, he wondered? "I can see why you and Ma'am are so wise. You can just sit and think with a completely clear head. I've never felt anything quite like it."

Fukasaku chuckled, cracking a single eye open as he glanced in his disciple's direction. "I could be saying the same thing about you sometime in the future. You have a gift for this, Naruto-boy. It takes a great deal of time, patience, and understanding to sit still in complete tranquility. Yet, you've had almost no trouble with it at all up to this point."

"I just think it's something that I… needed." Naruto winced slightly, his facial twitching the first bodily movement he had exhibited in hours. His mind couldn't help, once again, wander back to that fateful day. The day that he was almost consumed by the cruel reality that surrounded him. There were a few things that pulled him out of that deep, dark abyss.

Jiraiya…

The muscles in the boy's face relaxed, going back to the serene expression he had before. He let out a deep, calming breath. Another one of his saving graces was the toads introducing him to the art of meditation. At the time, it had seemed impossible to just sit still and think about nothing. After years of speaking loudly and trying to get people to notice him, quiet stillness seemed counterintuitive to what he desired. Recently, it seemed like there was never a passing moment in which some kind of depressing or morbid thought was snaking its way through his consciousness. And soon, when one got in, the floodgates opened, and all those dreadful thoughts tried to bury him in a sea of misery and despair.

Then, almost as if God himself was watching him mentally flop around like a fish out of water, he was presented with a way to… turn those horrid thoughts off? Even if for a moment, a single second of respite, the heavens took pity on him. Yet, over time, these moments became more than just a way to get out his own head. What was once just an outlet for the boy to shut off his thoughts, meditation became a way for him to control all of the anger and rage that began to boil beneath the surface of his being. Once believing himself to be relatively well-adjusted, considering what he had been through, Naruto found that he had been repressing deep-seated hatred that had been stewing for many years; of the villagers, the village itself, and even… himself.

His thoughts drifted back to the words Iruka said to him in the academy about keeping emotions in check. He was doubtful that these emotions would go away that easily, but by merely being aware of their existence would make them much easier to manage out on the battlefield. And perhaps, one day, they would be gone for good.

Something entered the peripheral of his senses, and he allowed himself a smirk. His eyes snapped open, he leaned forward, putting his hands on his ankles. "It's a beautiful day, I was wondering when he was going to wake up."

Fukasaku gave the boy a knowing smile as Jiraiya walked out of the Elder Toad's house. Giving them a squinty-eyed look of annoyance, the Toad Sage walked over to accompany his Master and student. Interestingly enough, the Jonin was carrying what appeared to be a package.

"You know." Jiraiya began, a touch of annoyance showing through his words. Naruto had to restrain the desire to roll his eyes. The old man appeared to have just woken up, and he was already in a bad mood. "Why is it that when you order something, I still get woken up when it's delivered?" He was gesturing to the package in his hand, a clear sign as to why he levied the narrow-eyed gaze on his young ward.

"Hey, don't look at me." The blond said, putting his hands up in a mock defensive position. "I'm pretty sure the messenger toads just like to mess with you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." The Toad Sage huffed as he tossed the package lightly to its rightful owner. "I'm just glad your clothes finally got here. You're starting to look dopey with how small your current ones are getting on you." Pausing, Jiraiya inwardly laughed. "Well, dopier."

Catching it, the blond shot the old man a glare before he turned his attention back onto his mail. "I've been waiting for this. I would've loved to go in person, but I guess it can't be helped. Training comes first, after all."

"Go inside and try them on, Naruto. Boss and I will wait for you out here. We need to start today's training in a bit, anyway."

Naruto nodded and said a quick word of agreement, making his way inside, leaving Master and student alone to discuss a few things.

"He seems to be better at it than I ever was." Jiraiya began, watching his Godson's retreating form.

Despite there being no context for his student's words, Fukasaku picked up on his train of thought immediately. "Ah, yes. Did you happen to be watching us, Jiraiya-boy." The wise Toad shot the Leaf Jonin a knowing smile.

"A little." He answered back with a light shrug. "I just never expected him to be able to become one with nature so easily, considering how hyperactive he can be. The kid hasn't mastered it, as there is still much training that needs to be done, but he seems to be picking it up seamlessly."

The toad Jiraiya respectfully refer to as 'Boss' allowed himself a nostalgic laugh. "I had my doubts when you first introduced us to the child, but I am beginning to see it more and more each day." That elicited a curious gaze from his former student. "Naruto-boy is a lot like his father, a talented shinobi; never thought I would see the day when someone reminded me so much of young Minato. Perhaps, next time, you would like to join us in our meditation? Maybe you could learn from him, and finally, become a perfect sage." The old toad croaked out a laugh at the Sannin's expense.

Though, something else was on the aforementioned man's mind to even register the jab at his sage-hood. His face betrayed a mix of several emotions. And what the wise amphibian could tell, anger lay beyond those eyes. "That's the thing. When I first met him, he wasn't like this."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"My honest first impressions of him were when I was teaching him the Toad Summoning. The kid could barely summon a tadpole, it was pathetic. He was hopeless, a ninja with absolutely zero talent." Those words may seem harsh, yes, but that was not a negative in Jiraiya's eyes. 'I thought he was just like me.'

"You could have fooled me." Fukasaku said with a touch of humor. "That boy is far from talentless."

"That's my point!" Jiraiya emphasized, a bit of emotion coming through his voice. "There's no denying it; with the way he's been quickly adapting to training, learning in inventive and creative ways. Surpassing all expectations and supposed limitations people have levied on him... that kid is truly a genius." He had his crossed at his chest, each hand gripping tightly at the sleeves of the opposing arm. "All he needed was someone, anyone, to pay him a little attention in his training…"

"You are giving him your undivided attention now. Why dwell on the past when you are doing your best to atone by helping his future?"

"What if it isn't good enough? Sometimes you can't make up for the lost time."

"Jiraiya-boy…" The toad said sympathetically, jumping onto the man's shoulder. "I know that you feel guilty about not being there for the boy and are also upset at the way the village treated him, but that will do you no good now." The Sage gave his Master a weak look. "As the only family that he has left, or has ever known, I think that being there for him now and in the future is the best thing that you can do for him. Guilt will only bring you both down."

The grip around his sleeves loosened, and his broad, rigid shoulders relaxed. The war-torn, weary look on his face went away, replaced by his regular, lackadaisical expression. The moment that happened, Naruto came into view sporting his brand new look. "I suppose you're right, Boss."

"Naruto, looking good!" Flipping a switch, Jiraiya, toothy grin and all, was giving his student a double thumbs up for his new attire.

The boy smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "You think so? I decided to go for a bit of a different look from the jacket, and I think I liked how it turned out."

No longer opting for a bright-orange jacket, the youth was now sporting a burnt orange vest with the red and black whirlpool on the back, very similar to the village's standard Chunin garb. Underneath that, he wore a long-sleeve jet black shirt, with long burnt orange pants to match the vest.

'Heh, not nearly as bright as I was expecting it to be, but still orange.' Though, that color scheme did look a little familiar…

"Did you, uh, steal the colors from your limited edition book?"

"Huh?" The blond question, a slightly confused look on his face. Now that the Sage mentioned it, he did indeed; black and burnt orange. "Well, I did think that orange looked pretty cool, I guess." He said with a light, dismissive shrug. At least one good thing came out of that.

"I do agree, though, Naruto-boy." The green amphibian added as he jumped off his student's shoulder to the ground. "It looks perfect on you."

Jiraiya cracked a smile. "I say we break in those new clothes of yours with some training. What do you say, Naruto?"

Fukasaku managed a smile of his own at the relationship between his two students. "Well, I'll leave you two to it, then." He turned towards the younger of his two disciples. "You did very well today, son. We'll pick up from here later in the week during our actual training. Sound good?"

The boy, noticing the Sage was leaving, bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Master. And yes, that sounds great."

The Toad shook his head at the formalities, but he had grown used to it. Minato's son respected both he and his wife a great deal and was extremely grateful for treating him like family so soon into his stay there. Due to that, despite them telling him it was okay numerous times, Naruto continued to be overly courteous.

The three exchanged a nod of acknowledgment before the old toad was on his way.

Jiraiya took a notebook out from his pocket, swiftly flipping to the page that he desired. "Let's see…" He began pensively, reading his notes from their last training session. "Right, right." Satisfied, he closed the book, placing it back into his pocket.

Naruto's brow furrowed in a bit of confusion and interest but said nothing.

"We've been working on change in chakra nature for so long, I think it's finally time you learn your first wind Jutsu." Before his ward could interrupt, the Sage but a silencing hand up. "But first, show me what we've been working on."

"Alright, Sensei." Naruto put his hands together, forming the Ram seal. Slowly and carefully, the blond began to mold and gather up the necessary chakra. Then started the complicated process of altering the state of said chakra into what he desired. Thanks to his breakthrough about wind chakra those months ago. 'A tornado of knives and kunai…'

"Hm!" He grunted out. As he did, the air around him began to shift; moving rapidly in several directions all around him. It was obvious to see to, say, someone as close as Jiraiya was, but in either poor lighting or at a distance, the difference was nearly indiscernible. Though, whatever it was, it appeared to take a lot of concentration and control for Naruto to maintain it, clear from the discomfort on his face.

Wordlessly, Jiraiya threw a kunai that had been up his sleeve, aiming straight for the boy's head. It sliced dangerously threw the air, yet Minato's son did not budge. Just when it seemed it would strike true…

'Clang!'

The projectile was suddenly thrown off its trajectory, flipping harmlessly through the air, burying itself in the dirt several yards away.

Taking a deep breath, and releasing the seal, the air around the young boy calmed.

"It seems that you still have a lot of work to do before your wind wall is a viable technique for battle. It seems to take a lot of effort for you to hold it. Though you are getting a lot better at it."

"Yeah, I know." The Genin sighed, acknowledging his deficiencies with the technique. "That's why I thought we were going to continue to work on it before I learn any Jutsu." Naruto continued. "So, why are we changing up the plan?"

"Well, you've come a very long way in wind manipulation, and remember, you don't need to master an element to use its Jutsu. In fact, in some cases, learning these abilities can make it easier to master the element."

"How's that?"

"The succession of hand signs assists you in molding the elemental chakra, whereas, in your change in nature training, you have to mold it by yourself with no assistance. You can think about it as training wheels. It gives you the chance to get a feel for the sensation of that element."

"Well, if that is the case, how come you didn't have me do it sooner?"

"That's a good question, but you have to remember what kind of Jutsu we're going to be dealing with. The Jutsu we're aiming for is beyond S-Rank. If you're going to create something that may not even be possible, I had to throw you into the fire. You had to know what struggle was. Because that's all you're going to know once we start to dive deep into it."

The weight of the Sage's words were evident to the blond. All of the work he had done up to this point was some of the most challenging training he had ever done. And yet, it was nothing to what was about to come.

"Now that we're closing in on combining the Rasengan and your wind, a couple lower level moves will help us ease into the training. Still, prepare for it to be the hardest thing you've ever done in your entire life."

"That's what I've been hoping for." The blond said. Eyes lit ablaze with a white-hot passion to get stronger. "If I didn't think this training was going to be the hardest thing I've ever done, I would have never left the village with you." The boy continued teasingly. "So, what is the technique you had in mind for today?"

"Wind Clones."

"Huh? Wind Clone?"

"Yeah, Wind Clones!" The Sage repeated. "It's essentially a Shadow Clone, but loaded with wind chakra. You know, similar to the Water Clone technique that Kakashi uses."

"Okay, but what would the benefit of making a wind clone be? Or any elemental clone for that matter? The regular Shadow Clone does the job just fine."

"Normally, I'd say yes and that the clone variants have minimal, almost negligible, differences. But…" The Sage paused, holding up a single finger. "You have a very unique ability with your wind chakra."

"What do you mean? What about my wind chakra?"

"Thanks to your Rasengan training, you have a knack for creating just what you need for an effective Wind Clone; sharp, extremely high rotating wind chakra. If I'm right, when your opponent dispels your elemental clone, it will burst into a sharp gust of wind, surprising, and maybe even slicing your opponent up."

Naruto rose an eyebrow. He hadn't thought about that. "I suppose that could be a useful move to surprise someone. And if I were to mix in wind clones with a horde of normal ones…" An evil smile appeared on his face as that mischievous side the Genin has started bubbling to the surface. "It would cause complete chaos for my enemy."

"I like the enthusiasm, but that look is creeping me out a little." With that prankster background, it isn't a shock Naruto would revel in the idea to cause confusion and hysteria on the battlefield. Not to mention, such things can be so effective they can sway the outcome of a battle. "The technique is simple in theory. Use the same wind chakra we've been using in the training sessions and apply it when performing the shadow clone technique."

"Let me guess; simply in theory, but in practice, it'll be much more difficult?"

Jiraiya slapped his near-adopted son on the back, letting out an annoying laugh. "Ah, kid. You're starting to get the hang of this, aren't you? Theory is the easy stuff; application is where things get all muddy."

"Right…" The blond said slowly, annoyed at the universe for its inconsistencies. 'You would think if something is simple and easy to explain, then it'd be easy to do, too!' But still, how hard could it really be?

Taking the tornado-like chakra, the Genin had begun growing accustomed to, along with easily his favorite hand seal, he was going to give it his best shot. 'Wind Style: Shadow Clone Jutsu!'

'Poof!'

Eyes snapping open at the familiar sound, he was face to face with himself. It was time to not only admire how cool he looked in his new outfit, but also for celebration… right? The Uzumaki's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Something wasn't right. Could it really be that simple? It could be that he rushed it and didn't mold and incorporate the chakra long enough in the new technique, but whatever it was, it didn't feel right. Not one bit.

The clone, seemingly acting fine, smacked his chest a couple times, confirming that he was a solid clone as intended. "Well, that was easy!" He said boisterously.

'Hm, did he do it already?' Glancing between both versions of the blond, and noticing the look the real one had adopted, Jiraiya decided it was best for his health to leap backward onto a nearby tree branch. 'No… I don't think so.'

Naruto, skeptical himself, took a few steps away from his copy as he withdrew a shuriken from his pouch. 'Better safe than sorry.' He thought with a simple flick of the wrist. The star struck true.

What happened next, neither of them had expected.

'BOOM!"

Having been far too close to the blast radius, and not even considering there to be a need to brace himself, the shockwave lifted the boy clean off his feet. Next thing he knew, his body was colliding violently with, funny enough, the base of the tree his mentor was standing on.

"Woah!" The massive explosion, combined with the impact of his student's spine reverberating up the trunk, nearly caused the Sannin to lose his balance. Pushing chakra through his feet, he corrected his balance. "Naruto! You okay!?

Before the boy could even answer him, the Toad Sage made his way down to the forest floor. "Naruto." He said at a much lower volume, lightly tapping the boy's face.

Instead of the coherent response, he was hoping for, the blond let loose a string of unintelligible babble.

'He seems like he'll be alright.' His Godfather thought after a brief examination of any potential injuries he could've suffered. 'If I had to guess, he wasn't careful enough when infusing his wind chakra into the clone. That would've caused it to become unstable." Glancing back at the origin of the blast, he could only marvel at the sheer amount of firepower that had been behind the clone-bomb. It left a shallow crater at least fifteen feet in diameter, singed earth and grass extended beyond even that. If Naruto had been any closer…

'This brat needs to be more careful.'

"But still…" He breathed out. "Even if in the rare instance unstable chakra could result in an explosion, to have a blast as powerful as that one…" Looking back at the little squirt who managed such a feat, he could only shake his head. "Kid… even when you do something wrong, you do something right."

-4 Months Before the Return to the Leaf Village-

"Masters." The 15-year-old began with a bow. "You two took me in without hesitation and treated me like a member of your family. I will be forever grateful for your hospitality. If you ever need anything, please let me know."

Ma could only blush in embarrassment, while Pa waved merely waved it off with a bright smile. "Nonsense, my boy. Any family of Jiraiya is family of ours; you know that! You are welcome any time, truly!"

Naruto returned the smile wholeheartedly, and Ma nodded swiftly in agreement with her husband. "Please, Naruto-boy, Jiraiya-boy, come back and visit soon! It will feel strange not having you two around with us." The toad couldn't hide the sad smile she had been attempting to restrain.

"I wish we could stay longer, and don't worry, we will be back soon, but we have some business to attend to." Jiraiya cut in, wearing a bittersweet smile of his own. "I have to go around to our allies and start informing them about the Akatsuki. The time is soon approaching that they are going to be making their move, and we need to be prepared."

The two Great Sages, along with the boy with the target on his back, adopted more serious expressions at the mention of the criminal organization. "No, we understand." Fukasaku said with no hesitation. "Tell me, has there been any new developments regarding those monsters?"

Jiraiya grimaced, his reaction confirming the toad's fears. "Honestly, no. And that is what worries me the most. Ever since their attempted capture of Naruto in the Land of Waves, they have essentially gone dark. Before, when they moved, they made considerable noise. Now? My agents can't discern their activity from regular groups of mercenaries."

Naruto stiffened a little at the mention of Wave, but it was minimal, and he hoped no one noticed. However, considering he was in the company of three sages, he had much doubt that it would go unseen.

"I see… What do you make of this drastic change in operations?" Pa said, a tinge of concern entering his wise eyes. Naruto saw it, but he wasn't worried.

It was the Akatsuki that should be worried.

"My guess? They think they had made a little too much noise, and word would get around that they were hunting for Jinchuriki. Perhaps they feared that the Five Great Nations would look their way. After all, they killed ANBU, civilians, and used shrewd tactics to separate Naruto from me." The Third's student unconsciously clenched his fist, but swiftly realized and relaxed it. "A big risk, one they were worried would put too many eyes on them too early."

"Expect them to be more cautious and calculating, even when they finally do act." Ma chimed in. "They have had even more time to think about their movements while hiding more deeply in the shadows."

Naruto smirked. "Those shadows won't be dark enough to hide them from us, right, Sensei?" The Genin said in his much deeper voice.

"Heh." That got Jiraiya, even with all of his apprehension, to crack a smile. "That's right, kid! They aren't even going to know what hit them!" He turned back to his former teachers. "Well, we should be heading out now. If anything changes, you two will be some of the first to know."

"Of course, and good luck."

With an exchange of friendly waves and sorrowful goodbyes, the Sannin and student were off, making their way in the direction of the mountain's long trail to ground level.

After several moments of walking, there had been something that was bothering the blond. "Sensei, why are we walking down the mountain instead of using the well that puts us right outside the Leaf? Doesn't the trip through the mountain's labyrinth trails take a month?"

"Yeah, it does, but as a welcomed member of Mount Myoboku, I think it's only fair that I show you the secret path. Think of it as a rite of passage."

"I guess…" Naruto gave the Sage an odd look, but obliged, nonetheless. If we could get there via reverse summoning and the secret well, what was the purpose of knowing the trails?

"Don't worry too much, I made sure we left a little early to accommodate out little hike." A glint in his eyes caught the Genin's attention; it was one of apprehension. "Besides, it gives us this month to train in peace without risk of being watched. You're really making great progress, and I wouldn't want to be wary of our surroundings when I'm supposed to be focusing on you."

"Being watched? By who?" Though he was confused, the way his mentor worded that sent shivers rattling up his spine.

"The Akatsuki." The mention of the syndicate's name caused the boy's eyes to widen considerably. "Ever since the Land of Waves, I've been running over multiple different possibilities in my head." The more he spoke, the grimmer his expressions became. "For them to be aware of where we were, where we were headed, and where I was going to drop you off to go investigate the Village Hidden in Hot Water, it shouldn't have been possible."

"Wait a minute…" A bit of realization washing over him. "You don't think that-"

"Each of these Akatsuki members are incredibly powerful, with unique and dangerous abilities. For them to be seemingly aware of where we were at all times, they must have someone with special tracking abilities. It is the only thing I can think of that makes sense, given all of the facts that we have."

Naruto nodded, agreeing with his Godfather's assessment. If the Akatsuki indeed had someone at their disposal that was a sensor of that level... along with being a master in tracking, that could spell danger for them. "Seems to me that that should be one of the first members we get rid of."

"Yeah… if we can find them. A tracker isn't exactly someone they're going to be putting on the front lines."

They continued to walk in silence for several more minutes. As they came around a bend that marked the beginning of the trail off the mountain, Naruto spoke up once more.

"Are these paths really so secluded that the noise from my training will be unnoticed? I mean, if they're so good at finding us, wouldn't that be a dead giveaway as to where we are?"

Instead of answering, Jiraiya just pointed ahead of them as they rounded the last corner. Naruto blinked. They were at the entrance to what appeared to be a system of caves and tunnels.

"How do you think the hidden paths have remained secret for so long? A maze-like route that went up the side of the mountain? If it were the case, anyone with a summoning contract with flying animals would've simply flown right over them." He chuckled. "No… the location of Mount Myoboku itself is a mystery because the secret path is located underground."

"So, the path doesn't lead to the base of the mountain?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "No, the entrance to the underground passage is nowhere near the mountain, which is why it takes so long to reach the summit. It is also incredibly difficult to find."

"I see… seems like the toads have gone through a great deal to close themselves off from the outside world." The Genin commented as they began their way into the tunnel.

"Not because they dislike humans or anything." The Sage countered, realizing that his pupil may misconstrue the reasons the Toad Sanctuary exists.

"No, I understand. The toads want to keep the people away who could potentially use their knowledge and powers for evil." That was something the boy had no difficulties understanding. Not all humans were bad, even if they had the inherent ability to be, it was just the few that acted on them that were dangerous.

'You have no idea how right you are.' Jiraiya nodded, happy that his student caught on to what he was trying to say. "And do you want to know why people like that still haven't reached the summit?"

Naruto thought for a moment. "Actually, now that you mention it, I was wondering that. You would think that someone in search of power would stop at nothing to attain it. Eventually, they would find the entrance; after that, it would only be a matter of time before they navigated that path." Or so, he thought.

Though, as he looked around, he was beginning to understand why it was nearly impossible. It was so dark; visibility was almost zero! They had been walking for only a couple of minutes and hadn't reached any forks in the road, but when they did…

'There's no way Jiraiya could remember the way through the labyrinth… we're totally about to get lost, aren't we?'

"Again, you would think that, wouldn't you?" The Sannin gave the boy a knowing smile, a smile that just further confused him.

"Would you stop being all mysterious and tell me just what the hell you wanna tell me?" Minato's son huffed in annoyance. His Godfather always did this! He either enjoyed leaving him in suspense or just enjoyed hearing his own voice!

Jiraiya grumbled but decided he would spare the boy and continue his tale. "The entrance to the path HAS been found before, and by… undesirable people, as well." Just as Jiraiya paused, they arrived at the part Naruto had been dreading.

"A fork in the road." The child breathed out, looking over to his guide for, well, guidance.

There were three different paths they could choose from, each opening surrounding by beautiful, large crystals. Though he could barely see, the gems seemed to continue down each tunnel. He rose an eyebrow but otherwise said nothing. As far as he could tell from first glance, no helpful indicators were instructing the pair on the way to go. This didn't make sense; how did anyone ever find this place? It seemed impossible!

"Just because you can find the path's entrance, does not mean you can make it through to the other side. An evil person can spend 10 lifetimes in these caves, and they will still never reach the summit."

"Why is that?"

"These caves are… special. They have had a Jutsu cast on them for many, many years. A Jutsu created by Gamamaru, the Great Lord Elder Toad of Mount Myoboku, and one of the oldest beings alive today." Based on the look, his young ward was giving him, it appeared his tale was beginning to catch the boy's attention. "I don't know many details, but, from what Pa told me, many years ago there was a tremendous evil that was cast over the world. And, to keep his home safe and Mount Myoboku's knowledge out of the clutches the terror, the Elder cast a 'curse' on this labyrinth."

Usually, he'd be freaking out. But, considering how calm his Sensei was, that worry never manifested. Instead, he was enthralled by the tale his Master was telling. An ancient evil? A curse on the underground caves? 'I gotta ask Boss more about this next time I see him.' Was all he could think to himself.

"What kind of curse, Sensei?" He had to know.

"Those that are worthy will see the light; those who are not will only see night." The Leaf's Sage recited the old riddle, looking over at his student. "Naruto, you see those crystals on the wall there?" To which the boy nodded. "Go put your hand on one of them."

The Genin gave the man an odd look but did as he was instructed. There was a cluster of crystals to their left, right before entering either of the three separate cave systems. Putting his hands on the one closest, he noticed something strange immediately. The large stone began to shimmer, humming at a rather high frequency. Naruto, surprised, wanted to reflexively back away from the gem, but something kept his feet planted where he was standing. It was as if the stone was calling him, searching the deepest confines of his being.

After what felt like several minutes, the humming stopped. The shimmering stone began to glow a light green. Brighter and brighter, until just that single gem illuminated the dark tunnel a great deal. "Those that are worthy will see the light…" The first part of the riddle breathlessly escaped his lips. He looked back over to his now-smiling guardian.

"Push some of your chakra into it." The man instructed bright, smiling, not dimming in the slightest.

Doing as he was asked, the boy sent some of his energy through the crystal. The effect was nearly instantaneous. The gems surrounding and inside, the middle path were illuminated in the same light green hue, clearing the way for the two travelers.

"Wow…" The awe in the child's voice was clearly evident. "It's beautiful…"

"This." The Sage began, gesturing to the middle tunnel, lit up in a sagely green. "Is the Path of the Worthy."

Author's Note: Hopefully it was worth the wait! The next chapter will probably be released in a similar time frame (perhaps even longer). Sunday is the only day I can get anything done at the moment, and unfortunately writing is not high on the priority list. If only the days had more hours in them, am I right?

Anyway, please let me know what you think! And how excited are you for Naruto's return to the Leaf next chapter? I personally can't wait!

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time for Chapter 19: One Step Forward: Naruto Uzumaki Returns!

AkashimaUchiha - Thank you! What I always believed would be an effective way of using wind is, in essence, very similar to the Rasengan. If Naruto thinks and operates in a similar frame of mind, a Jutsu he has already mastered, it'd come a bit easier to him. And maybe become more effective in the process!

GunBlade2020 - Yes and no. Just meditation and stillness. He doesn't even know nature energy exists.

yourself8548 - I appreciate the high praise. Tokyo Ghoul is my favorite series of all time for it's focus on the psychological aspects of storytelling. I take inspiration from that masterpiece. Please read it if you haven't yet! (the manga... not the anime)

TrenchcoatMan - He won't be anywhere near using 3 elemental Rasengan's by the time he returns to the village. Nor will he have completed change in chakra nature for water or earth. That would take far too much time given what he still has to learn along with the amount of clones he trains with.

Also, inner Naruto may be my favorite thing about the story so far. It was inspired by my favorite series Tokyo Ghoul, though it's a lot different in this. Have you read TG? If you like inner Naruto give that a look!