AN: Sorry for the delay on this chapter, I had a hard time deciding what to do here. Originally, I was going to go into Kiri's liberation, but soon realized that it would cover almost another chapter. So sorry, the next one will more exciting.

Just an FYI, about four chapters remain in this arc, while Arc 4 will be shorter than Arc One or Two to my knowledge. All in all, this story is almost completed and I cannot thank everyone enough for the support. Again, sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy.


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, all rights go to their respective owner.

ITALICS – thinking

BOLD – demon speak/jutsu


Arc Three: Home is Where the Heart Lies

Chapter Eleven


Over a week has passed since Fu's trial at the waterfall on Turtle Island. Instead of taking her dark half's hand to join her, Fu slapped it away and an argument ensued. For what seemed like forever, the conversation went back and forth with Fu trying to convince her Yami that there was less hate in the world and that love could be found. Yami thought otherwise and wanted to destroy everything in her path. Eventually having enough, Fu decided to try and give her dark half a hug. At first she fought it, but after some reassuring words, Yami smiled and simply disappeared.

The trial was completed.

Afterward, Killer B escorted Fu to the hidden room in the temple behind the waterfall where she would work on connecting with her bijuu. Not surprisingly, within a day or two Fu had already accessed her seventh tail. However, she couldn't hold the true bijuu form for a long period of time as it was extremely exhausting. By the end of the week, though, Fu was happy with her progress and was ready to head back to Kumo where she would eventually join back up with Naruto.

The trip across the water to get to the Land of Lightning was easy thanks to Killer B going full 8-tails, and was largely uneventful. When they reached shore, however, they saw smoke on the horizon; smoke which was where Kumo stood. Without a second thought, Fu and Killer B pumped bijuu chakra to their legs and sped off. It wasn't but five minutes later until they arrived at the village, and the sight that greeted them was complete chaos.

Kumo was basically gone.

Over three-quarters of the village was one giant crater, but there was still some life walking about the destruction. Outside the rim of the crater was a tent city that the survivors set up and, from what Killer B and Fu could see, most were for hospital purposes. Both clenched their fists in anger as they realized they could have done something, but then again they also realized they were in a room where no outside sound could get in. With somber expressions, they both started to walk into what remained of Kumo.

Moans of pain, the sound of rubble being moved, the yells of orders being given out, and medics scrambling about was what greeted them. The two jinchuriki were speechless at the destruction and they soon wondered who or what caused this. Moments after this thought, they started to pick up traces of demonic chakra.

Their worst fears had come true.

"B, how is this possible?" Fu said, having found her voice. "All bijuu are supposed to be peaceful and only attack when provoked or…"

"Controlled." The eight-tail jinchuriki interrupted coldly; a rare emotion for the man.

The two looked at each other as they knew the only person who could do such a thing. It was the one man that they all were debriefed on when they had the jinchuriki meeting.

Tobi/Obito Uchiha.

A deep breath calmed their anger, and they continued toward the tent city. It wasn't long until they got there where they found themselves surrounded by shinobi; some ready to detain or kill them.

"Hasn't your kind already caused enough damage!?" One shinobi said bitterly.

"I bet you two were away only to plan how to finish us off…tch, typical demons." Said another in the same tone.

The shinobi group kept on slamming the two with hate and was ready to take the next step by inflicting pain on those who made their village into what it was today. However, that was quickly halted by A's booming voice.

"You lot are a disgrace to Kumo, how dare you accuse my adoptive brother and the friend of the Akuma no Senshi of such a crime!"

One of the shinobi tried to state their case but found themselves struck through the heart by a lightning bolt. Seeing the dead comrade made the others start to back off. It was here the Raikage continued.

"The bijuu were once protectors of this great land and they got along with mankind for centuries according to my adoptive brother. Some humans even going so far as meeting the bijuu in person to give them gifts for a job well done. However, that all changed when Hashirama had them sold to the other villages where they were soon sealed, never to see the light of day again. So, tell me, my fellow shinobi, how would you feel if you were in their place?"

This shut the mob up, and dispersed shortly afterwards as they had a lot to think about.

What A had just told was the story that Kurama gave to everyone during their meeting. Even Naruto was shocked as he had no idea that at one time the world was actually peaceful. No wars, no major or minor villages, just people getting along with one another. Yes, occasional grievances came about between persons, but they were eventually settled in a way to make both parties happy.

"Thank you, Obito gave us a low blow, and whoa, you're missing a right arm bro!" Killer B rapped.

Fu held down a gasp at seeing how much damage the Raikage sustained. He was missing a right arm at the elbow, two fingers on his left hand, and nasty burns still covered any exposed skin. And that was only the external injuries, what happened on the inside was anyone's guess. However, knowing how much damage a Bijuudama did, Fu wondered how A was still alive. Speaking of which, the Kage chuckled a little before he spoke.

"Missing an arm will not detract from my duties at all, B, it will just make it a tad bit more difficult. Speaking of which…"A paused to sigh and show the two jinchuriki a sad expression. "…most of those whom survived the blast have started to harbor deep resentment toward jinchuriki, yes, even Harumasa-san."

Fu clenched her fists in anger while Killer B started to wonder where this was headed. He soon got his answer when the Raikage grabbed his shoulder and looked at him with a smile; his voice filled with care.

"My brother, I know this will be hard for you to digest, but I implore you to leave me and what's left of Kumo behind. Join Naruto on his journey towards peace and show the world what the bijuu truly are."

Killer B's eyes widened in shock before he closed them and sighed. As much as he wanted to stay, what happened just moments ago was something he hadn't confronted since he was but a child. It hurt, as it opened memories of the past that B wanted kept subdued. With a defeated tone, the jinchuriki finally replied.

"I understand, brother, but can I ask what will happen to the village?"

A frowned and sadly shook his head. "It stays dead, B, I will let nature reclaim what it once lost. I may be younger than some of the Kage's out there, but I've grown to realize that all of us must come together as one, live as one, in order for peace to rule once again. Separation breeds animosity, which breeds violence and war." After looking to the sky with a small smile, he turned back to his brother and patted his shoulder. "Go now, my brother, forge your own path."

With a heavy heart, and head held low, Killer B started to walk towards Kiri with Fu not far behind him. Before he left, however, he returned the pat on the shoulder. As the two jinchuriki left, the Raikage couldn't help shed tears for what this world had become and what it made him do.


With Gaara

A week since Saiken's plea for help, and Gaara had yet to make a decision on what he wanted to do. It was either leave the village to join Naruto on his quest, or stay in Suna to become the next Kazekage. Recently, however, events took place which helped solidify the choice he was to make.

The first event was when Deidara and Sasori had attempted to kidnap him so that Tobi could have his way. Although part of the village was destroyed thanks to Deidara's art, Suna was expecting them to attack at some point thanks to the recent conflict they had. Needless to say, with the full might of Suna and two jinchuriki's against them the Sasori and Deidara quickly retreated as they knew they were outmatched. That was yesterday, but today was the second event which was the tipping point for Gaara.

He'd had enough of the Akatsuki.

Today, word came through from the Raikage that his village was gone thanks to Utakata being controlled. But that wasn't the worst part, no, the worst was that Tobi now had Yugito to add to his arsenal. Thanks to this, Gaara met with his father and Roshi to announce his decision; the latter was pleased, but the Kazekage was not.

"Think of the village, my son, think of what they will see you as when you leave. The chances of becoming my heir will surely be hampered by this." Rasa said with a frown as he stood by the gates of the village.

Gaara gave his father quite a harsh stare which took the man off guard. "Did Kumo's destruction by the hands of a controlled jinchuriki not mean anything to you, father?! Obito has not one, but two of my kind in his grasp ready to unleash upon this Nation. Do you honestly think that he will stop at Kumo? Face it, father, the Elemental Nations we know is on the verge of destruction."

Roshi nodded and added his two cents. "Destruction which will also cause a rebirth. We've told you about the past and saw how disinterested you were in the story; almost dismissing it completely."

The Kazekage scoffed, "Peace, please, it's just a fantasy. The village system will always reign supreme, and the destruction which the Akatsuki has wrought can easily be fixed."

Garra could only clench his fists at how dense his father was. He couldn't speak, but luckily Roshi was there to do it for him.

"If you think the village system we have grown to cherish is not broken, take a moment to ponder this. Ever since the villages were created, what has been brought on because of it? How many wars have we had over some petty political scandal? History, Rasa, learn it because if you don't, it will repeat itself."

With that, the two jinchuriki left Suna to go meet Han in Iwa where their next assignment would take place. As they left, the Kazekage was ready to order his shinobi to bring his son back at all costs, but the questions Roshi posed left him speechless.

"Has my views on this world been wrong all along?"

With that thought in mind, Rasa decided to head to the library to see what he had missed.


Akatsuki Secret Base

At a table, the rest of the Akatsuki sat as they waited for their leader to arrive with his two new weapons in tow. Deidara, Sasori, and Kakuzu were the only members left if you didn't count Zetsu who was currently hiding somewhere in the room. Although they suffered losses, the three have been itching to get out there and capture the jinchuriki. However, that option was out of the question once Zetsu told them that the jinchuriki were banding together. A group which Deidara and Sasori got first-hand experience on the power they possessed. Both barley made it out of Suna with their lives.

Thoughts about the past were quickly squashed as Obito entered the room with his two weapons in tow; Utakata and Yugito. Both had glazed over eyes and an emotionless look plastered on their face. Behind the orange mask, Obito smiled at his handy work.

Iwa…gone.

Kumo…gone.

Two major villages destroyed by his design, a plan which was just getting started.

"Good afternoon everyone, I have some wonderful news to share with you all." The Uchiha said in a disturbing way. "Thanks to Utakata, Kumo is no more and the Elemental Nations have started to gain notice of the power we possess. Yet, we can show them so much more."

Deidara's eyes widened in glee as he thought of where this was going.

"Does Deidara get to show others his art, yeah?"

Obito nodded and took off his mask; his bloodthirsty grin was now revealed to everyone.

"All of you are great assets to have, and I can't go and have you killed by these savages we call jinchuriki. So, instead we are going to create a bit of chaos. Take any small village of your choosing and show them just how powerful you are."

Kakazu rose an eyebrow as he asked his questions. "Survivors?"

"None. Women, children, kill them all."

"What about Iron Country and Spring Country?"

This is where Obito's grin fell. These were two villages he knew would be the only ones to survive the purge. Spring Country had a technological advantage while Iron Country was bolstered thanks to the war he set up.

"Leave them, they are far too powerful to take on."

Sasori and Kakuzu nodded while Deidara started fidgeting in his chair with a massive smile on his face.

"Can Deidara blow up people now, Tobi? Suna chased me away before I could show them my finale, yeah!"

Obito pinched the bridge his nose and sighed. The Iwa Bomber was just too happy for his taste. At times, he wanted to ring the bastard's neck, others, he would dream of punching it clean off.

"YES, Deidara can go play…happy now?!"

Said person nodded and quickly ran out of the room with Kakuzu and Sasori not far behind him. Once they left, Zetsu appeared from the ground.

"Report!"

The white half responded with its usual tone. "Kiri will fall to Mei's rebels soon, do you wish to take action?"

Obito thought about it, but shook his head. He'd had his fun with that village, but knew it could be destroyed later on. Seeing this, Zetsu continued.

"Kabuto, the one you've kept track on for a while, has lost his eyes and part of his face."

"Not a tasty snack, too ugly." The black half butted in.

"Ignore my other half…how do you wish to proceed?"

Obito tapped his chin, and soon an evil grin came to his face. "Yes, this will work out to my advantage." After this thought, he responded to his spy. "Do not concern yourself with that matter for now, I will resolve it soon enough. Anything else?

Zetsu nodded. "It appears that Killer B and Fu are heading to meet Naruto while Gaara and Roshi are travelling to Iwa to meet Han."

The grin the Uchiha had seemed to widen. A jinchuriki was all alone, and his for the taking.

"Come along, my pets, we have business to attend to."

"Hai master." Utukata and Yugito droned.

Just as Zetsu sunk into the ground, Obito used Kamui to teleport himself and his pawns to Iwa.


Kiri – Kage Tower

Yagura sneered at the audacity of these civilians. Again, they decided to protest at the base of his tower, but instead of being peaceful like before, each civilian brandished a weapon. Although the Mizukage wondered how the civilians got their hands on shinobi equipment, he really didn't care as he knew they were peons compared to the power he possessed.

Was Yagura impressed when he got the report of over 50 of his loyalists being killed by civilian hands? Yes, but his arrogance clouded his judgement when he proclaimed that the civilians just got lucky. Speaking of reports, the Mizukage remembered his recent visit to the hospital to see Kabuto. The poor soul had lost his eyes and a good part of his face to where the bone was fully visible. Unfortunately for Yagura, some of the spray got into Kabuto's mouth which started to melt the inside of the trachea thus rendering the man silent. What happened last night would never come to light, and Yagura never put two and two together when his secretary never showed up the following morning,

The angry shouts of the protestors brought the Mizukage back from his trip down memory lane. Having enough of this, he stormed out of his office and went downstairs to show them just who was in charge here. Little did Yagura know, that his one action would spell the beginning to the end of his reign.

The civilians tensed when the entrance of the Kage tower opened, but when Yagura was revealed, they started to push forward in the hopes of killing the man. The loyalists, however, managed to hold them back.

Yagura looked to the closest shinobi and held out his hand. "Kunai."

The soft, yet anger filled tone of the Mizukage left no room for hesitation. The loyalist quickly did as told and watched as his leader walked right up to the protestors. After looking around, he spotted a young boy up front, a boy that couldn't be older than 10 years old. To his left and right were his mother and father.

Yagura grinned evilly then blasted his killing intent which made all the civilians freeze. They were helpless to do anything as they watched the young boy be snatched up and lifted high into the air by his neck.

As the boy struggled to breath and try to escape the hold he was in, Yagura spoke; his tone filled with malice.

"I have done EVERYTHING for the betterment of the village, and THIS is how you repay me!? I think a little demonstration is in order to show you that I AM THE RULER OF THIS VILLAGE, NOT YOU! Now watch, and remember what travesty you caused this day."

Without remorse, Yagura stabbed the small boy over and over again with the kunai then snapped his neck to silence his screams of pain. With an evil grin, he threw the body back into the crowd and retreated back into his tower.

Silence.

It soon engulfed the entirety of the village, a silence which only the howl of the wind broke. There were tears shed, silent and angry ones, as the protestors gathered around the child's body; his blood starting to pool around him. The loyalists didn't have the heart to interfere as the action Yagura did stunned them into silence. The lack of remorse on their leader's face as he mutilated that poor child made them think back to all the families they murdered, some even being their own. It made them wonder if they made the right choice all those years ago to follow this madman.

Like in Iron Country, doubt started to plague the enemy's minds.

As the loyalists watched the civilians pick the boy up and take him away, they could only hold their heads down partly in shame and/or sadness. For Yagura, however, his face was one of extreme happiness as he looked at the proceedings from his office window.

"At last, silence overcomes my village once again. And the defeated looks on those peons make it even better…yes, they now understand that my rule is law."


Iwa – Afternoon

Han panted harshly as he lay on the ground looking up at his opponents. Try as he might, he wasn't any match against Obito and a controlled Utakata and Yugito. Just as he was about to be taken, however, Roshi and Gaara came on the scene with a flurry of attacks.

Yugito was blindsided by a wave of sand which sent her into a nearby mountain, while Roshi shot a massive fireball at Utakata. Said jinchuriki countered with a wall of water which made steam cover the area. Using this, Gaara and Roshi quickly grabbed Han and shunshined away.

Obito could have gone after them, but Iwa troops were on the way. Both his pets were injured and in no shape to face a small army right now. So, with reluctance, he used Kamui to take him, Utakata and Yugito back to the hideout.

"Just as I was about to obtain another, those other beasts just had to arrive…tch. No matter, they will all bow before me soon enough."

Meanwhile, the three jinchuriki appeared in a cave which was inside a nearby mountain. It was one which Roshi used as a hideout when Onoki was still alive.

"Thank you." Han said with a smile, then proceeded to pass out due to exhaustion.

Gaara and Roshi knew that that was a close call, and they were lucky that Obito didn't pursue them. For now, they would rest, but later they would continue with their objective.

Keep surveillance on Iwa and, if possible, make contact with Kurotsuchi to see if she was anything like her grandfather. If so, the rest of the villages would be notified which would kill any attempt for Iwa to gain an ally. It was a safety mechanism to ensure that Iwa never grew as powerful as it once did.


Following Day – Mei's Rebel Base

As the rebels lined up at Orochimaru's tent to get an injection which would help fight off the properties of Kabuto's gas, Naruto was called into Mei's tent for something urgent. As he made his way there, he decided to pick up Shizuka and Yuki along the way. For Choji, Kiba, and the two Hyugas, they were given rest as both had been pushed to the brink. For the Hyuga, Naruto trained them to the ground, but for the other two, they were still getting over the blood that now stained their hands. Shizuka, Naruto, and some others helped console Kiba and Choji the best they could. It was helping, but it would be a while until they were back to almost normal.

Back with Naruto, we find him and his crew entering the tent to see that Zabuza, Mei, and Ao was already there. The expressions on their faces was grim, something which Naruto and Shizuka didn't like. Before any of them could speak, Mei handed Naruto the recent report.

It didn't take long for the two to read it, but by the end of it they were appalled that Yagura would do such a thing. In fact, Naruto was so angry that he slammed the area with an intense pressure thanks to his Ki. Feeling a burning sensation in his gut, the Uzumaki stormed out of the tent, lifted his head to the air, and shot a massive stream of fire from his mouth.

Kurama couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. "Feeling better, kit?"

As Naruto took deep breaths, not even caring that his mouth was hurting, he nodded. "Yah…much. However, I must meditate before the final battle to control my emotions. I cannot let them blind me to my surroundings."

Simply nodding, Kurama watched as Naruto went back into the tent to see what else Mei wanted.

"Better Naruto?" Shizuka asked then kissed him on the cheek.

He nodded then sighed, "I apologize if I scared anyone, my anger hasn't gotten ahold of me like that in quite some time."

Mei smirked and looked at Naruto seductively, "Scared, me? Hah, I wish you weren't already taken after that display…such a strong man you are."

Shizuka glared at the rebel leader, "Stay off him, you hussy, he's mine!"

Naruto couldn't help but blush when Shizuka pulled him close and her soft globes pressed into his left side. Seeing this made Zabuza break out in laughter, while Ao just sat their wondering if he'd ever find a girl as nice as Shizuka.

Mei huffed and crossed her arms, "Phooey, you're no fun." Her expression quickly grew professional afterwards. "Impressive display aside, Yagura's decision to kill a helpless child has been the tipping point for them as well as some of the loyalists. A funeral will be held for the boy this afternoon and, I can't believe I'm saying this, it will be a perfect opportunity for us to strike."

Naruto frowned at using a funeral as an advantage. Here was a kid who had so much to live for, yet he died a martyr. The boy should be laid to rest peacefully and without conflict, a way to honor his sacrifice. It was because of this thought, Naruto spoke up.

"I'm sorry Mei, but if you wish to interrupt a child's funeral simply for your gain, you will not receive any help from me. The boy died when he had so much to live for and we should honor the sacrifice he made."

"But…" Mei started but was quickly interrupted by Zabuza.

"Naruto's right, Mei-san." The Seven Swordsman said quietly. "What if that kid was one of us, would the enemy or allies order an attack whilst we mourn over a great loss?"

Mei rubbed her temples in thought, but the more she did, the more she realized that Naruto and Zabuza were correct. Seeing no other option, Mei gave control to one person she knew had enough knowledge when it came to war.

"Naruto-san, or should I call you Commander Harumasa? Either way, I give you control of the final battle. If you wish to take some time to come up with a plan, then I will give you until nightfall to do so." Naruto bowed in respect, but before he could speak, Mei continued. "Just know if your plan screws up, I won't hesitate to melt you."

"Mei no hurt –uto!" Yuki made her presence known which made the rebel leader shake her head in mirth.

Naruto lightly chuckled at the sight before he responded in a professional manner. "I assure you, Mei-san, that I will have a plan ready by then. May I be dismissed?"

"You may, and good luck."

As Shizuka, Naruto, and Yuki exited the tent, they were greeted by the Konoha group that came to help them.

"Ah, Kiba, Choji, I see you're doing better. Same to you Neji and Hinata." Shizuka said with a smile which became a chuckle once a bark was heard. "Oops, you too Akamaru."

All nodded, but Kiba was the only one to speak up.

"Naruto-san, I'm not asking much, but can Choji and I participate in the final battle…we believe it might be the only way to help us get over what we did." The Inuzuka pleaded.

Naruto rose an eyebrow in thought, but nodded nonetheless. "I accept, but do realize that killing is something that you will never get over." Another pause, then a smile. "Say, do you wish to help me strategize the final battle…perhaps I can put a good word in with my cousin if you did."

The two gennin's eyes widen considerably, and soon an exuberant 'YES' was heard by both.

"Come along then, we have much to discuss…oh, and you too Neji, Hinata."

The Konoha nin couldn't be happier and they eagerly followed Naruto to his tent. Once there, they would spend the next four hours playing out various scenarios in shogi while continuing to tweak their battle plan.


Afternoon – Kiri

The sky was cloudy and grey, like the mood of the civilians in Kiri. A light rain had also started to fall, like the gods themselves were weeping for the little boy whom was killed. The road to the cemetery was lined with civilians on either side which barred any loyalists from getting through to stop the procession. Like before, silence overcame the village as the pallbearers started the long walk to the cemetery.

The heavy oak casket they held was surprisingly ornate, and on the lid an inscription read:

Here lie but a young lad,

A victim of war, yet,

A martyr for peace.

May Kami rest his soul,

And may his memory never be forgotten.

Two of the pallbearers were the mother and father of the child. Both had red puffy eyes and tears freely flowing from their eyes. They weren't afraid to show their pain, their loss, and neither were the others. For the loyalists watching, those that started to doubt Yagura's leadership, they wanted to help in any way they could, but they knew that it was too late to apologize.

10 minutes.

A procession that was slow, agonizing to watch, and made the sadness in the air even thicker. A sadness that turned to anger in a heartbeat as Yagura stood in front of the cemetery entrance hoping to halt the funeral in its tracks.

"Did I give you permission to bury that pathetic child, hmm?" Silence only greeted Yagura which made his anger rise. "No, I don't think I gave any of the sort…now die like the child that you brought into this world!"

The pallbearers stood defiantly, death not scaring them in the least. The Mizukage felt the stares of hate on him as he took a kunai from a pocket in his pants; the same one which killed the kid. As he advanced towards the pallbearers, however, 30 of his troops stopped him in his tracks.

"You will go no further Yagura, let the funeral procession continue…let this boy rest in peace."

"You dare defy me!"

Another loyalist nodded, "Seeing you kill this child without remorse made me realize what a monster I became for following you…now stand aside or we WILL take up arms against you."

Yagura grit his teeth and growled in anger as he knew he couldn't kill these men. Why? His troop numbers were low.

"You'll rue the day you double-crossed me!"

And with that, the Mizukage shunsined back to his office. The loyalists smiled and turned to the pallbearers.

"Thank you…thank you." The mother of the deceased child said while more tears came out of her eyes.

A simple nod of the head was given, then the loyalists stepped back and allowed the funeral to continue. Another hour would pass before the crowd started to disperse. Once back, they would start to plan their final assault, a plan which they would relay to Mei by the evening.


Evening – Mei's Tent

Naruto, dressed in his armor and his hair back in a topknot, stopped right outside Mei's tent and checked over his equipment before entering. Before this meeting, he made sure to polish his armor and to sharpen and oil both his swords. Nodding at how professional he looked, he pushed the flap aside and walked in only to bow at those inside.

"Mei-san, Zabuza-san, Ao-san, I thank you for putting me in charge of this situation and, on my honor, I promise that it will not disappoint."

All three had stern expressions on their faces, but they didn't deter Naruto in the slightest. After Mei gave him permission to present his case, he passed out a general outline of the final battle.

"Thanks to Kiba and Choji, who did an exemplary job I might add, we have explosives set in the hospital, at the front gate, and in the Kage Tower. Each will be detonated at set points during the battle to confuse and disorient the enemy."

Naruto paused to see if everyone was following so far and once Zabuza motioned for him to continue, he did.

"Thank you. Now, as you see on the outline in your hands, I wish for us to use the underwater caverns as an entrance to the village. Knowing that the civilians might likely be fighting by then, we will blow the front gate to attract the loyalist's attention where we will stage an ambush. This scene will play out for the hospital as well. Any questions so far?"

Ao nodded and relayed what the civilians had planned so far. Thanks to having ANBU and the Iron Country rebels at their side, they would storm the academy and use guerilla tactics to slowly pick apart the enemy. Groups would be sent to different areas of the village using the sewer system to stage these attacks.

"My question to you, Naruto-san, is how your plan will change because of this recent report?"

Naruto hummed in thought, but quickly came up with an answer.

"Kiba and Choji said the sewer system and the underwater caverns were connected in some way. Perhaps it would be beneficial to send some rebels to give the civilians support. Speaking of civilians, have they gotten the immunization shot yet?"

"Hai, Shizuka and Orochimaru sent out the syringes via summons. Everyone is accounted for." Mei responded which made Naruto smile.

"Glad to hear, but back to the matter at hand. I will personally take on Yagura which is where the explosives in the Kage tower come into play. With Yagura focused on me, his loyalists will have no orders given to them which makes them easy pickings for ambushes and guerilla groups."

Zabuza let out a small chuckle before he spoke. "Naruto-san, I would call you crazy for fighting that man solo, but I've seen your bingo book and whom you've killed. Onoki, although old, was strong for his age…if that isn't a measure of your strength, I don't know what is."

Mei and Ao nodded in agreement with what the Seven Swordsman said. Each liked where the plan was headed, but one thing still bugged Mei.

"What if Akatsuki rears its ugly head?"

Naruto smirked as he felt two signatures incoming. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that as Fu and Killer B have just arrived to aid us in tomorrow morning's battle."

Mei, Ao, and Zabuza blinked in shock. Just how prepared was Naruto, and how many moves did he think ahead, was he a…

"Mind reader? Hmm, perhaps…but a story for another time." After a pause to collect himself, Naruto continued. "So, are we all in agreement to strike at dawn?"

Mei stood up with a smile, "Well, it was sure better than what I had planned. I will have Shizuka or Orochimaru notify everyone to prepare."

After Zabzua and Ao gave their acceptance, Naruto was dismissed. Once outside the tent, he was met by Fu and Killer B who had frowns etched on their faces. Knowing something was wrong, Naruto asked the one question which would help cement his path for the many years to come.