Chapter 2

Beta: Toa Naruto

Shin continued through the hallways of the Mizukage tower and onto the main street, ignoring the looks that he got from the people he passed by. He had more important things to think about than his reputation amongst the citizens, mainly whether or not he made a mistake in agreeing to come back to Kiri. It wasn't that he liked the idea initially; however, considering the fact that he was wanted man, Akira's proposal was just too good to pass up. But now, after serving under him for a few years, he realized that he should have killed the men that Akira sent after him. The Godaime was far worse than Yagura, and twice as demented. The power-hungry man didn't give a damn about his village, and it showed everywhere Shin looked.

The last Momochi sighed as he put his worries aside. He didn't want to abandon his village again, not after all of the trials he went through to prove his loyalty to Akira. But instead, he vowed that he would do everything in his power to improve Kirigakure, even if he had to do it within Akira's circle. It was a small conciliation (at least, in his mind) that he was trying to help Kiri the legal way, unlike his older brother. During Yagura's tyranny, his brother and those loyal to him attempted to overthrow the Kage and put a stop to the man's reign. Unfortunately, the coup failed spectacularly, and Zabuza barely managed to escape with his life. Even after Zabuza went into hiding, Shin had hoped that his brother would eventually return and finish what he started, but he was severely disappointed. His older brother never returned, and he vowed to find out why.

After years of training and finally finding a way out of the village, he went searching for his brother. During his time away, Shin became a well-known bounty hunter, albeit under a false name. By using his connections, he was able to find his brother Zabuza, whom he had every intention on sorting out. But just as Shin arrived to where his brother would be, he was just in time to see him, to his horror, kill an innocent man without pause or remorse. Disgusted by the unnecessary brutality he exhibited, Shin confronted his brother, demanding an explanation. Zabuza, however, merely scoffed at his demands, saying that he had no need to explain himself. His anger overriding his rational mind, Shin spat at the man's feet, which caused a huge and violent fight to erupt between the two brothers. They fought long and hard, neither of them showing any mercy in their attacks, but eventually the battle ended in Zabuza's favor. Despite being at the mercy of Zabuza's blade, Shin vehemently cursed his name, and declared that he was no brother of his. Zabuza didn't even so much as flinch at the younger man's declaration and simply walked way without saying a word, leaving Shin alone and battered on the ground, feeling angry and hurt at what his brother had become.

Some years later, Shin heard that his brother was killed and buried in Nami no Kuni during one of his assassination jobs. After getting on the earliest boat to Nami, and asking a few of the locals, he eventually arrived to the graves of Zabuza, and his accomplice, Yuki Haku. His purpose wasn't to pay any respects to the man, however, but to reclaim the Kubikiribōchō sword that his former brother left behind, which was conveniently embedded behind his brother's wooden grave marker. He then promptly left for the harbor, and took the boat destined to Tetsu no Kuni. With the regenerative blade in his possession, his reputation as a bounty hunter skyrocketed, and he was soon going after bounties that not even the more experienced mercenaries would go after. But it wasn't long until Akira finally sent his men to find him. It was out of pure luck that a member of the squad recognized him, and offered to speak to Akira on his behalf in order to form a deal with the Kage. Seeing that Akira was already aware of him, and would not stop sending Kiri nin after him until he was either killed or captured, Shin accepted the proposition. It took some harsh negotiations and several trials to prove himself to the Godaime, but he managed to become a shinobi of Kirigakure once again.

But he was disappointed, yet again, when he saw how far worse his home village had become in his absence, and how the general populace seemed even more miserable than when Yagura was still in control. There were days in which he regretted rejoining Kiri, yet despite his doubts and his misgivings, he had no intentions on defecting again. He planned on sticking his plans for resurrecting Kirigakure into its former glory from within the village. He would do what he brother failed to do.

"Hey, Shin, wait up!" Shin stopped to look behind him, and had to bite back the curse he wanted to shout aloud when he saw the two Kumo shinobi that he was forced to work with, quickly approaching him. He didn't know them that well, nor did he have the desire to. The male would always get in his face in an attempt to intimidate him, or his words "put him in his place", but it just an annoyance to the Momochi. And sure enough, the Kumo shinobi was in his face once again, with that same arrogant smirk that he always wore. But Shin, like always, revealed nothing with his blank, emotionless expression, which on served to infuriate the Kumo shinobi.

"What's the matter, Bebī Oni? Are you mad because Akira scolded you?" he asked with a mocking tone. Shin just scoffed and turned away to continue his trip. He managed to move two steps down the path before the man appeared in front of him, once more invading his personal space. Shin looked at him calmly with a raised brow whilst the man sneered at him. "That was kind of rude of you, Momochi. Aren't we comrades for the time being? You should be friendlier to me."

"You're not my comrade, nor are you any friend of mine. And for the record, I see you as nothing but a wannabe shinobi who only got by because you're the grandson of Toroi. You have no skills that I know of that would make your name worth remembering." Shin replied. That comment earned him a glare from the man, and Shin could subtly feel the air around him begin to magnetize.

"You got a mouth on you, Shin. You think that just because you wield the Kubikiribōchō that you're a better shinobi than to me?"

"No, I don't. I don't even need to use the Kubikiribōchō to wipe the floor with you." The man looked ready to explode, until the woman stepped in between the two of them.

"That's enough, Jiryoku! We have more pressing matters to deal with than your ego!" she commanded, calming Jiryoku enough to stop the surge of his chakra. Shin merely grunted and made his way past the two, without so much as taking a glance behind him. Jiryoku glared at the Kiri nin's retreating form until it was out of sight, before he turned his anger towards his comrade. The fact that she didn't look the least bit intimidated by his glare showed that she was quite used to her partner's temper.

"What the hell was that for, Raiu?! Why did you stop me from teaching that punk a lesson?!"

"I stopped you because we don't have time to waste for your usual showboating. We have to get those swords as quickly as possible. That is our mission, the reason why we're staying in this dump, and you'd do well to remember that. The sooner we get those weapons, the sooner we can get back Kumogakure, and deal with that bitch, Yayoi." said Raiu, venomously. Jiryoku chuckled at the woman's hatred for Yayoi, as he sighed and nodded in agreement with the kunoichi.

"What are we going to do about Shin? I understand why we can't go after the guy who wields the Samehada, but what about the Kubikiribōchō?"

"First, we find Genji and get the scroll. And once we obtain those five blades, we'll arrange a little something for Shin." answered Raiu, making Jiryoku smile sadistically.

"That's why I like you, Raiu. You act like you're all composed and professional, but in reality you're just as sadistic as me!" exclaimed the Kumo shinobi. Raiu remained silent, as the two renewed their search for Genji and the swords.

XXX

It had taken Naruto and Saito three days to reach Cha no Kuni. But when they both asked for boss Wasabi Jirōchō at the same time, they were surprised to find out that their traveling companion personally knew the man. Jirōchō, nonetheless, welcomed them both into his home as if he were greeting two long old friends, and even ordered his chefs to prepare a feast in their honor. As they waited, Naruto got the chance to catch up with his old acquaintance, Idate, whilst Saito explained the situation to Jirōchō. The boss of the Wasabi family understood, and told his former employee that he would do whatever he could to help.

After dinner, Jirōchō asked Naruto to speak with him alone. The blond met Jirōchō on the balcony, where he was enjoying an after-dinner smoke. Naruto took to leaning against the railing, enjoying the peaceful silence, until Jirōchō faced him with serious expression.

"You do know what you're getting into, right?" he asked.

"To be honest, no, I don't." answered Naruto. "I've only heard rumors about what is going on in Kirigakure. The Mizukage is doing a thorough job in keeping his internal affairs a secret."

"What Saito plans on attempting are going to be a nearly impossible task, even for someone like you, Naruto. Kirigakure is not a village you would want to visit at the present moment."

"What do you know?" Jirōchō took a puff before he spoke again.

"I don't know much, but what I do know is that the current situation with that hidden village is so severe, that the water daimyo is reluctant to intervene with his forces. Akira rules over Kirigakure no Sato with fear, and staggering amounts of brutality. Even the outer villages and the royal palace that surround Kiri are afraid to invoke his wrath. He has also managed cut the village off from the rest of the world, so I don't who is his benefactor, or how he's supplying himself and the village. But, what I can tell you is that he has had dealings with the Gashira clan, although your friend Yayoi has made things difficult for the Raikage. Also, there are three people that you need to look out for."

"You've got their names?" The old man smirked.

"There are two Kumo shinobi in Kiri at this very moment. I don't know the exact details as to why they are there, but I do know who they are. There is a male named Jiryoku, the grandson of a Kumo shinobi named Toroi. The other is a kunoichi named Raiu, although I don't really know much about her. I suggest that you contact Yayoi for more information on that duo; if there's anyone that knows more about those two, it would be her. The last man is someone I have a lot of respect for, and am quite concerned as to why he joined Akira. His name is Momochi Shin." Naruto pushed himself off the railing, and looked at the man with shock.

"Wait a minute, did you say Momochi? Is this guy somehow related to Zabuza?"

Jirōchō nodded. "Shin is his younger brother. He was a very honorable and skilled bounty hunter, and I had hired him for quite a few jobs. As to why he joined forces with someone like Akira, I do not know. But if I were to hazard a guess, I would assume that Akira agreed to lift the death warrant that was placed on him when he first defected from Kiri."

"Do you think he could be convinced to change sides?"

"I cannot say for sure." A tense silence fell between the two, before Jirōchō spoke again. "This entire situation may be too much for you to handle, Naruto."

"You may have a point there, but that doesn't change the fact that what this Akira is doing is wrong." conceded Naruto. "He's become like another Gatō, and I've seen first-hand at what men like him are capable of when I first visited Nami no Kuni. The difference between that bastard midget and the Godaime is that instead of a small coastal town, an entire hidden shinobi village and its surrounding area is at risk. That's why I have to help Saito. I'm going to Mizu no Kuni, and I'm going to put a stop Akira's madness, permanently."

Jirōchō chuckled. "Ah, to be young again, and believe that you can do anything." he commented with unbridled amusement. "I can get you and Saito passage to Mizu no Kuni. I know a guy who owes me a favor, and he can provide you with weapons and supplies as well."

"Thank you, boss. I owe you big time for this."

"Don't worry about it. You helped me when you were still working as a Konoha flunkey, it's only fair that I return the favor." said Jirōchō.

XXX

The next morning, Idate led the two future resistance fighters to the docks, where a large junk-class ship was being loaded with several boxes. Naruto idly noticed that a few of the crew members wore some familiar tattoos, but he decided to ignore it for now, and focused his attention on the guy that was in front of them, sitting in a chair. He observed that Idate seemed to be good friends with the man, who didn't seem the least bit intimidating. The man in question was wearing a dark business suit and expensive shoes, suggesting that he was a very successful merchant. Noticing that he was being stared at, the guy stood up and walked over to where the Naruto and Saito were waiting. Idate went up to them, and immediately began the introductions.

"Gentlemen, this is Suzuki Ryūgen. Ryūgen, I would like you to meet Hamasaki Saito and Uzumaki Naruto." said Idate as he gestured to each person.

"Nice to meet you both." replied Ryūgen pleasantly. "Jirōchō sent word to me earlier about this trip. Just to let you know ahead of time, I don't dock anywhere near Kirigakure."

"That's okay." said Saito. "We aren't going to Kirigakure."

"Alright then, that's good enough for me. What else can I do for you two?"

"The old man said something about you having supplies and weapons." answered Naruto. Ryūgen said nothing, but instead motioned them to follow him. He led them to an average looking building near where the ship was docked at. When they entered after Ryūgen, the traveling duo was surprised by the amount of weaponry they saw. There were katanas, ninjatōs, and countless more weapons, some of which Naruto didn't recognize. Just looking at the large collection of weaponry made him think of Tenten, and how she'd go nuts if she were in his place. But as they looked at the supplies, Naruto noticed several men carrying another crate of weapons out of the building. They looked quite shady, as if they had were constantly on the run from the law, and have committed countless crimes; not the ideal type of people to sell weapons to. All and all, everything about this Ryūgen character made Naruto very suspicious.

Saito, on the other hand, was more focused on the weapons that laid before him. At first, he was somewhat pessimistic about what he had to offer, but he was pleasantly surprised with what he saw. As he was inspecting a few katanas, he noticed a small group of ninjatōs that looked oddly familiar. "How did you get these?!" He asked. "These blades are from Kirigakure! Akira would have never allowed these to be sold outside the village."

Ryūgen's smile seemed to strain at that moment, but managed to immediately hide it. "That I can't say, but I assure you that they were obtained legally through my contacts." That just raised more flags within Naruto's head, especially as he continued to peruse the rest of Ryūgen's collection. Weapons and armor from notorious shinobi villages like Kirigakure and Amegakure, to smaller and more neutral areas like Tetsu no Kuni and Yuki/Haru no Kuni, were scattered across the room. In his past experiences, he had learned to always be suspicious when it came to arms dealers, and to not trust them on the off chance that they betrayed him. If this Ryūgen fellow was indeed an arms dealer, he would have keep a closer eye on him in the future.

XXX

It was now night time as Ryūgen's vessel continued to sail through the calm waters with ease. The moon was full, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Because of this, the torches that would have normally been lit were out. Naruto sat alone at the stern, content to watching the ship's rippling trail glisten in the moon's light. He could hear the voices of Ryūgen's men behind him, laughing rowdily and talking as loud as possible; apparently they all had a little too much to drink.

"So, this is where you've been hiding." Naruto turned to where he heard the voice, and saw that it was Ryūgen, having forgone the business suit in exchange for a red velvet robe and black baggy pants. On his feet was expensive pair of sandals.

"Yeah, sorry about leaving so abruptly." said Naruto. "I just felt like I needed to be alone right now. Besides, the sea looks beautiful in the light of the full moon."

Ryūgen chuckled. "You've got a point there. When you're the son of a fisherman, you get used to staying out on the sea all day and night."

"Is that what you do as a cover for your weapons, transport fish and produce?" Ryūgen shot him a look, but did not look the least bit offended.

"Well, you've already searched my wares, so you know what I transport. But to answer your question, I do own fishing companies back in my home in Umi no Kuni." The two fell into a comfortable silence, until Ryūgen broke it again. "You know that you can ask me any question that you want. I don't have anything to hide."

Naruto just sighed. The man just had to identify the elephant that was in the room, or in this case on the ship's deck. "Fine. Here's my first question: who in Kirigakure is supplying you?"

"My family or more specifically, the family I married into. I'm actually the son-in-law to the head of the Sairento clan, which is why I have weapons from Kirigakure."

"Then why do you have weapons from Amegakure no Sato, Tetsu no Kuni and Yuki/Haru no Kuni?"

"Oh, that's an easy one. I bought them." At Naruto's surprised look, the arms dealer continued. "I'm not like those other weapons dealers who get their wares illegally. I actually have contracts with people all over the world from whom I buy weapons from, and then sell at several different warehouses. I give a five percent kickback to my suppliers, and then keep the rest for my wife and myself."

"So, everything is legal?"

"Er, somewhat. Like your friend said, Akira wouldn't sell his village's weapons to just anyone. The same thing could be said about Kumogakure. As a result, I hardly deal with anyone from those two villages."

"And your pirate crew?"

"You noticed that, huh? Most of them are deserters or those who were sentenced to death. I gave them a chance to live a new life with a decent pay rate, and they're thankful for that. Plus, they're completely afraid of what my wife would do to them if they even think about betraying my trust." said Ryūgen with a chuckle. Naruto began to see the man in a whole new light. Perhaps he wasn't like the entire stereotypical arms dealer that he had experience with. But there was one last question that continuously pestered his sense of calm.

"There's still one thing I still don't understand. You seem like a pretty decent guy, so why did you get into this line of work? Was it for the money? No offense, but you don't look like the type of guy who enjoys what war brings to the world." Ryūgen looked out into the water, silently collecting his thoughts, and then turned to face Naruto again.

"Ever since I first got into this business, I've tried to cause as little bloodshed as possible. I know how ridiculous that sounds coming from a guy who sells weapons, but that's really how I went into this business. It's my belief that weapons should only be used to protect, not kill. That's the main reason why I'm helping Saito and you. I believe that the two of you can put a stop to all the bloodshed that Akira has brought upon Kirigakure. Weapons should only be used to protect people, not take lives meaninglessly." Ryūgen gave a sad smile, as if he were the butt of some joke. "Pretty stupid reasoning for a guy to sells weapons, right?"

"No, not at all. I totally get what you're saying, and I find it admirable that you follow your beliefs so strongly. Thank you for sharing your story with a complete stranger like me. I'm sorry for having my suspicions about you."

"You're a shinobi, its part of your job to be suspicious of people." retorted Ryūgen, good-naturedly. Naruto smiled, when a yawn broke through his self-restraint.

"Well, I'm going to turn in for the night. See you tomorrow." And without another word, the blond made his way below deck to get some sleep.

XXX

Naruto didn't know what to make of what he was seeing. All around him was nothing but pitch black darkness, and not a single sound could be heard. But then, in a blink of an eye, everything changed, and he soon found himself surrounded by images of his signature jutsu, the Rasengan. There was its basic original form, the Ōdama Rasengan, and the version that was composed of the Kyūbi's chakra, the Shui Rasengan. But there were other forms that he hadn't seen before as well: a ring of Rasengans, an Ōdama Rasengan that looked like it was sucking objects into itself, an Ōdama Rasengan surrounded by three original Rasengans, and countless more.

While the unknown versions of his jutsu looked pretty awesome, he couldn't help but wonder why he was seeing these variations, and where they were coming from. Personally, he believed that he had already taken the Rasengan as far as he could. But just by looking at the newer versions that surrounded him, he could already tell that they would take months, even years, to perfect. Despite his growth in the ninja arts, he still found it hard to control his massive chakra reserves. Sure, he could always use the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu training method that Ibarra helped him develop, but it had been a while since he last used it.

Suddenly, the images disappeared in a flash, and were replaced by one single Rasengan. Unlike the others, however, this Rasengan had wisps of wind surrounding it, the wisps themselves looking surprisingly like blades. Suddenly, the wind "blades" expanded until they appeared similar to that of a very large shuriken, with the Rasengan in its center. The jutsu gave off a sharp, bell-like screech that made Naruto cover his ears, until the sound finally died down. The blond gazed upon the central Rasengan, which was now back to its regular size, only it was a lighter shade of blue than the original usually was. But when he reached out to touch it, the entire chakra construct exploded, consuming him in a violent explosion of wind chakra.

XXX

Naruto shot up from his bunk breathing deeply, a thin veil of sweat covering his brow; that experience just seemed too real to be a dream. Looking around the room, he saw that everyone was still sound asleep. Once his breathing was under control again, Naruto laid back down onto his pillow and stared aimlessly at the ceiling, his mind riddled with confusing thoughts and questions. What the hell was that Rasengan? And how did it have kind of power? Soon enough, Naruto gave up on trying to figure out these new mysteries, and fell back to sleep, but that last Rasengan continued plaguing his dreams. As he slept, two glowing orbs of light appeared next to his bedside, which began to expand and take on the transparent forms of an adult man and woman.

The woman had a slender frame, fair skin, a very feminine figure, violet-blue eyes, and long, silky red hair that cascaded behind her back to the point it nearly touched her calves. She was dressed in a high-collared, sleeveless beige blouse, under a long loose-fitting green dress. The man beside had tanned skin, spiky blond hair, and bright, blue eyes. He was adorned in a standard Konoha uniform that was covered by a short-sleeved, long, white haori with flames motifs at the bottom. Without a word, the woman turned to glare at the man, and began tapping her foot at an agitated pace as she folded her arms underneath her bust. The man, in response, held up his arms placatingly, and gave the woman a sheepish smile.

"I want an explanation, anata." demanded the red head.

"Okay, I admit that I might have been a little harsh with him. But if anyone can finally complete the Rasengan, it's Naruto. I just wanted to give him a little help, that's all." replied the blond, beads of sweat running down his brow.

"Well, you didn't have to be so rough with him! He could have had a stroke, or worse, an aneurism!" screeched the red head, before she walloped him on the head.

"I'm sorry, dear. I promise it won't happen again." he said with a smile, all the while rubbing the spot where she struck him. The woman huffed in annoyance and turned away from him with a pout. The man said nothing, instead opting to slowly wrap his arms around her. The woman tried to keep her sour mood, but her irritation quickly subsided as she leaned into his embrace. The two spirits stood in silence as they watched Naruto sleep. Although he never spoke it aloud, the blond haired man knew that Naruto would surpass him.

XXXXX

Authors' Notes: Thanks again Toa Naruto for your help as always. From now on, I will have your name at the beginning so that everyone knows that you helped write this with me. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter.

Glossary

Bebī Oni – Baby Demon

Cha no Kuni – Land of Tea

Anata – Dear

Techniques

Ōdama Rasengan – Big Ball Spiraling Sphere - A ninjutsu with pre-eminent destructive power, caused by wildly spinning chakra inside one's palm and compressing it to a high density — the Rasengan. Using the same essentials, but also rapidly increasing the amount of chakra used, results in the Big Ball Rasengan. It was created by Naruto Uzumaki during his training with Jiraiya. At first, Naruto needed a shadow clone to form the Big Ball Rasengan and help him wield it. But as he got more skilled with it, Naruto can now wield the attack with one hand, but still needs a shadow clone to help him create it. Compressed to an even higher density than before, the chakra is released all at once as soon as the technique hits the target, releasing an extraordinary destructive power. Proportional to this power, the amount of chakra it consumes is also extraordinary. With him possessing the Nine-Tails' chakra, it could be said that this technique is for no-one but Naruto.

Shui Rasengan - Vermilion Spiraling Sphere – It is a regular Rasengan only with the influence of the Kyūbi's chakra. It is much more destructive and is a very different color, being purple or orange instead of blue.