"Uzumaki Naruto, for the crimes you have committed…"

They watch as he stands there, unmoving.

"The killing of one chuunin, three civilians, and the releasing of the demon Kyubi no Yoko from his seal."

He does not protest.

"Your punishment is death."

No expression.

"I am not Uzumaki Naruto."

He is a master at this.

"Iruka thought he knew who I was.."

A master of deception.

"..But…I am just…"

"..The nameless host…of a demon that never existed.."

After all.

"You shall perish for your lies jinchuriki."

He's been fooling you.

"I am not one of the jinchuriki."

For twelve long years.

"The demon Yoko never existed."

"And so, neither did the jinchuriki Uzumaki Naruto."

He has been fooling you.

"Fox. Raven."

The two summoned Anbu grabbed hold of the nameless host and disappear in one fluid practiced motion.

---

As soon as he was gone the council grew uneasy and began talking worriedly amongst themselves.

One elderly member broke down into sobs, clutching the sides of her head as if in pain, while others simply watched her outburst, keeping a careful mask of no emotion on their faces.

"M-my god! Wh-what if he's right! What we have done.!.."

The tension in the room escalated as the other council members began to doubt themselves as well. Soon the entire room was filled with mutterings of shame and screams of mental pain beyond what they'd ever conceived possible before. If this continued..If this continued…If this continued….

"Silence!" It was Itatane Koharu, leader of the council of elders.

She continued in a much calmer voice when the others settled down, "The jinchuriki was spouting lies. We were all there on the day the honorable fourth Hokage died There is no way that it could have been different. We all know what we saw. What could have possibly made us see different?"

They were silent.

And then, in the back, an almost silent whisper that spread fear throughout them all.

"Genjutsu."

---

And you never knew.