This chapter took longer than it should have. Had to rewrite it a few times 'cause I wasn't fully satisfied with it.
Anyway, thanks ABitterPill for betaing, and thanks readers and reviewers for supporting this story. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you!
Chapter 17:
The Rains of Amegakure
(Part Two)
"How can something so bulky move so fast?" Kokuo cursed, as the giant rhino started to catch up to him, followed by a team of giant summons. The Bijuu was doing its best to lose them in the wastelands outside Amegakure, and failing.
"Can't you run faster?" Jiraiya asked, glancing at their pursuers. Five summons, he counted. Each of them carry Ame-nins, or one of Pain's walking corpses.
"I could, but I would need my full strength for it, and Han's seal prevents me from doing that." The Gobi shrugged. "Seriously, I feel so sluggish it hurts."
"Jiraiya-sama, Itachi…"
Jiraiya listened to Yugao's words and turned around. The Uchiha had started to wake up, and glanced around himself. "Where is Pain?" he simply asked, with strange, deadly serenity.
"Behind us," Jiraiya replied, "Look, I know you want revenge but now is not-"
Itachi rose up, and, without showing any emotion, jumped from the Bijuu.
While midair, he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, and glaring at one of Pain's giant summons, incinerated it with the Amaterasu, killing it and the Ame-nins on its back. Pain's Human Path, riding a giant bird, ordered his mount to impale the Uchiha with its beak.
Upon landing on the ground, Itachi summoned the Susanoo's arm. Its ethereal hand caught the bird's peck, then smashed the beast against the ground like a rag doll, crushing its skull. Its rider fell in front of the Uchiha, ready for battle.
"You're low on chakra, wounded, and cornered," Pain's Human Path stated. His followers had already jumped from the giant summons, ready to swarm their lone opponent. "What are you hopping to do? To buy Jiraiya time to escape?"
"I have lost the only person that mattered for me," Itachi whispered, his voice devoid of any emotion, "You stole my light away from me. I have nothing to live for any longer. All I wish for now is to make you pay."
The Human Path raised his hand to strike, but moving faster than the eyes could follow, Itachi kicked his neck, breaking it. The undead corpse collapsed helplessly, and Itachi moved on its next target: a dozen of Ame ANBU, ready to kill him.
I will kill as many of them as I can, Itachi thought. That was his sincerest wish, to take out as many of Pain's followers as he could before they put him out of his misery.
Without care for his own safety and possessed by an unquenchable fury, Itachi Uchiha roared and rampaged.
His first victim was crushed to death by the Susanoo's arm. The second fell to a volley of Shuriken. The others were maimed, beaten, brutalized, as Itachi moved like the wind and massacred anyone in his way.
To his berserk mind, this was no longer the Land of Rain. Instead, Itachi Uchiha was relieving his clan's massacre once again, when he had slaughtered dozens of his clansmen. Having chosen the Village over the clan, he had been forced to make the ultimate sacrifice, wiping out his own flesh and blood.
When he sliced a kunoichi's neck, he felt like he was killing his mother all over again.
When the Naraka Path's fist hit him in the ribs without a word, Itachi Uchiha relieved the death of a cousin who had trusted him with his life.
It was only when an ANBU's blade slashed the left side of his belly, drawing blood, that Itachi woke up from his living nightmare.
Maybe this is why Madara's words about a world of truth are so tempting, Itachi thought, as he killed the Naraka Path by beheading him with a kunai. When you have lost everything, life doesn't feel worth living anymore. In the Infinite Tsukuyomi, I could forever pretend I hadn't failed Sasuke.
But Sasuke Uchiha was dead, and his brother would never live for a fantasy.
There was only way to see his family again, and Itachi Uchiha was about to experience it.
Pain's third summon, a giant centipede, approached and attempted to eat the prodigy alive. Summoning his remaining chakra, Itachi called upon both of the Susanoo's arms, coughing blood as his body struggled to keep working. The ethereal hands grabbed the beast and ripped it in half.
The Preta Path jumped in and grabbed the chakra arms, absorbing them. Now without any forces left, Itachi mustered the strength to raise his hand, and attempted to punch the walking corpse. The Path easily deflected the blow, before grabbing Itachi's head. The undead effortlessly lifted the genius above the ground, and prepared to crush his skull.
Itachi refused to close his eyes, and waited for death to claim him.
Instead, a blade separated the Preta Path's head from the rest of the body, and the corpse fell motionless to the ground. Itachi laid motionless next to it, too weak to move.
While Itachi had long since stopped caring about his surroundings, his Sharingan recorded the following events. Yugao Uzuki, her blade still red with the blood of Pain, moved on to finish off the rest of the Ame-nins, killing them one after another. Jiraiya, shaping a giant Rasengan, smashed Pain's giant rhino with it, killing it and the Animal Path riding it at the same time.
The Gobi headbutted the last giant summon, a giant chameleon, tossing to the side. Before it could get up, the Tailed Beast smashed its hoof on the creature's head, killing it instantly.
Ame's forces fell one after the other, until Jiraiya and his groups stood as the victors.
Itachi glanced at Yugao, as the Kunoichi sat down next to him, her hands clad in fire. For a few seconds, as she pushed her palms against his wounds, he thought she was finishing him off. Her next words, however, corrected his misconception.
"I'm cauterizing your wounds," Yugao stated. "This should lessen the blood loss. If we are fast enough, we should be able to find a medic to patch you up." She then glared at him. "What were you thinking? You would have been killed if we had been one second too late!"
"Leave me to die," Itachi whispered, which only made Yugao frown. "I have nothing left to live for. Just take a kunai and finish me off."
"No." The woman kept searing shut Itachi's wounds, making him clench his jaw in pain. "I'm done having people die on me. Plus you need to face justice for your crimes."
"My crimes?" Itachi snorted. "You know nothing… I sacrificed everything for the Leaf, all for Sasuke's sake… and I failed him. I failed everyone. All over again."
"Itachi, if there is one person in the world who knows about failures, it's me," Jiraiya whispered calmly, as he sat next to the missing-nin. "I don't know what happened the night of the massacre, but if you need an open ear, I-"
At this moment, Amegakure vanished.
Itachi, Yugao, and Jiraiya all glanced at the once mighty city, as a powerful explosion blasted it away. From the distant, it looked as if the entire horizon had been set ablaze, swallowed by a red light. The earth shook, and the winds grew stronger, carrying ashes and the scent of burned flesh.
Itachi Uchiha watched, mesmerized, at this event. As the light died out, memories rushed through his mind: the souvenir of the night Konoha was almost destroyed. "The Kyuubi…" he whispered.
"Did the seal break?" Jiraiya whispered to himself, horrified.
"No, I don't think Foxy is at full power," the Gobi pointed out, "That jerk would have surely started a hurricane by now if he were."
Itachi frowned, as a flying shadow appeared on the horizon, approaching their location. The Uchiha briefly wondered if it was another of Pain's summons, before discerning its shape: a giant green beetle with six wings and one tail.
"Salutations, humans," the giant creature said, as it landed in front of the group, "Kokuo. How have you been?"
"Hey, Chōmei, long time no see!" the giant horse nodded. "How long has it been since we faced each other in the flesh?"
"Around two-hundred years, I think," the giant insect replied, before glancing at Jiraiya and Yugao. "Fear not, my container willingly allowed me to take over for the time. It was the only way to get her friends out of the blast's range in time."
Her friends? Itachi wondered, before seeing three shadows descended from the creature's back. One of them rushed at the Uchiha's side.
"Damn it Itachi," Kisame hissed at his friend, "Can't you just avoid putting yourself in trouble when I'm not around?"
"It's stronger than me," Itachi deadpanned, briefly noticing Yugao was glaring silently at the shark-man. However, the two other newcomers preoccupied her more.
"Neji?" Jiraiya gasped, upon rushing to a one-handed Hyuuga's side. "What happened?"
"We were ambushed by a dangerous Shinobi," a miniature copy of Maito Gai cried. "He… murdered sensei, crippled Neji, and then Naruto… Naruto turned into a monster!"
"I forgot to grab the man's body," the Nanabi admitted. "I saw your possessed friend run off after destroying this city. No doubt is he currently rampaging in the countryside."
"We should try to track him," Yugao stated, fearing for her student's life.
"I wouldn't if I were you," the Nanabi explained, "Your student… isn't in control anymore. The Nine-Tailed Fox is. Possessed as he is, Naruto cannot distinguish friend from foe, and will attack you on sight. If you pursue him, you shall only get killed."
"We can't just wait!"
"After a time, the Kyuubi's power will subside and allow Naruto to take over again," Jiraiya explained, "In the meantime, it's too dangerous to follow him. And with Amegakure's destruction, this entire country will soon fall into chaos."
"So what do we do?" Yugao asked.
Jiraiya frowned. "We tend to our wounds," he said, glancing at Nei, "And we try to salvage what we can from this disaster."
Tenten collapsed into the snow, and the first thing she did was to gasp for air.
She glanced around herself. It appeared to be a silent, serene forest. Probably one those near the frontier between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire.
"Naruto… Uzumaki…"
And her captor was still with her.
Tenten glanced slowly toward the madman, who was currently holding his head with his hands, struggling with a headache.
"Why does your family always torment me!?" he snapped madly. "I should have killed your parents before you were born, so you would never have existed! This would have spared me so much trouble!"
Tenten seized the opportunity to launch a kunai at the man's face, hoping to catch him off guard.
He caught the weapon midair with his left hand. Then his lone remaining eye glared at the kunoichi, and his crazed rant was replaced with chilling monotony. "You're alive?" he mused. "How odd. I must have teleported you away by reflex."
The man fell into silence and played with the kunai. The kunoichi was pretty sure he was toying with the idea of gutting her with it. After a time, he seemed to make up his mind.
"Tell Uzumaki," he hissed, pointing his thumb at his damaged, wounded face, "That for this, I will take everything he has. All the people and all the things he cares about… I will take them all away. And when he has nothing left but tears, I will rip the Kyuubi from his soul and strangle him to death. With my own bare hands."
With this last threat, Obito Uchiha teleported away.
After checking around to ensure he was truly gone, Tenten fell to her knees, as she remembered what just happened. Naruto - her Naruto - had turned into a monster, and almost killed her. The glint in that… abomination's eyes… had been nothing short of frightening. And when it had callously fired-
You will worry about this later, Tenten! She mentally berated herself, forcing herself to rise again. You are in enemy territory. No time to worry right now.
No time to be afraid.
When Naruto woke up, it was with one hell of a headache.
Fortunately, he awoke in a warm bed, under heavy blankets… which were moving. And not all that warm.
In fact they were quite scaly.
"What the hell?" Naruto rose up suddenly, realizing those were not blankets, but colored, small snakes. "Am I in hell?"
"No," a familiar voice told Naruto, as a black cobra glanced at him, hissing, "In fact… you are at home."
"Apophis? Is that you?" Naruto glanced at the other snakes, which he had met once or twice in the snake's hideout. "Were you… warming me up?"
"Unlike you mammals we snakes regulate our body temperature with the help of the sun," one of them hissed, a bit angry to have been disturbed, "As such we never needed a bed or blankets needed for you mammals. Since you were suffering from a fever, Apophis suggested we warmed you up the old way."
Naruto nodded, thankful, before glancing around himself. The walls were made of stone, and the light coming from crystals. "So, this is the Ryūchi Cave… how did I end up there?"
"We dragged you here," Apophis explained, "The snake clan has had Amegakure under surveillance for a time, so we managed to get to you after…" The serpent struggled to continue. "After you…"
"After the Kyuubi's power took me over?" the blonde asked, massaging his head. "My memories are foggy, but I remember some of it… I remember fighting that bastard… did I beat him?"
"Yes… sort of…" Apophis inhaled sharply. "The White Snake Sage will explain you the situation in details. Can you walk?"
"Yeah… I think. To be honest, I feel like I have been asleep for days."
The snakes' silence told it all. "Have I?"
"You have been asleep for an entire week."
"One week?" Naruto blanched. "But Neji was suffering from heavy blood loss! What happened to Han, Fuu and-"
"Calm down," one of the snake hissed, "The Sage will tell you everything."
Naruto closed his mouth, and glanced at Apophis. "Take me to him."
A few minutes later, he entered the White Snake Sage's room alongside Apophis. The giant serpent leader wasn't smoking anything for a change, but instead toying with a crystal ball the size of Naruto himself. "Ah, so you're finally awake," the reptilian leader noted. "Do you feel alright, child?"
"I have one hell of a headache, but I will manage," Naruto explained, bowing before the snake leader. "Great Sage, I have questions for you. First how-"
"How did you end up here?" the Sage finished for him, before sighing. "It would be better if I told it to you later. First… nobody except us snakes know you're here. The Shinobi Nations are in shambles right now and pretty much everyone is looking for you. I thought it would be better for your security if you stayed under their radar."
The giant snake exuded smoke from his nostrils. "Secondly, most of your friends are safe. They were able to flee Ame in time and were found by both Konoha and Kiri's forces near the border."
"Most?" Naruto paled at the implications. "Don't tell me…"
"Your friend Sasuke did not survive the jailbreak," the Sage told him, "My sincere condolences."
"Sasuke?" This was a strange feeling. His friend and sort of rival was dead? Sasuke was another name among the people he failed to help, alongside Kakashi, Sarutobi and Anko. "I… I see… if only I had informed-"
"You mustn't blame yourself for what happened," Apophis whispered, "You couldn't do a thing."
"I… maybe. But I should have prepared a better plan, instead of letting Pain forcing my hand." Naruto clenched his fists. "What about the others? Did they manage to get away? What about… what about Team Gai?"
"Jiraiya, Han and Yugao managed to get away with the help of Itachi Uchiha," the White Snake explained, "Meanwhile, Kisame and Fuu had saved Neji and Lee from death. As for Tenten, Obito Uchiha teleported with her before the Bijudama could hit them, and she managed to escape and rejoin Konoha by herself."
"Wait, Bijudama?" Naruto tried to remember what happened exactly. "What do you m-"
Then, he found a foggy, confusing memory, and blanched in dread. "I… I fired a Bijudama at her?"
"Yes," Apophis confirmed sadly.
"But… if it happened then…" Naruto was at loss of words. "I… blew up an entire city?"
"As harsh as it is to say, the destruction of Amegakure is only one of your problems," the White Snake whispered, placing his crystal ball in front of Naruto, "I must warn you, this… might be difficult to watch."
Naruto briefly hesitated, but glanced at the item's surface. Images formed on it, portraying a very grim picture.
The first images were that of a crater. According to the remaining buildings on its borders, Naruto guessed it used to be Amegakure. The blast had razed the city to the ground, leaving only smoke and ashes behind.
Then the crystal ball showed pictures of destroyed villages, some small, some big. Buildings had been tossed away, houses had been brought to ground, and fields had been burned to ashes. It was as if a hurricane had passed by.
"What…" Naruto trailed off. "What did I…"
"After you destroyed Amegakure, the Kyuubi used your body to go on a rampage across the land," the White Snake explained grimly. "It wasn't following any coherent plan. It was simply going to the nearest settlement, destroying it, and repeating the process again. It was simply out to kill as many humans as it could before losing control. After a few hours, the Kyuubi lost control and you regained your original form, but the damage had been done. Fortunately, I had dispatched some of my agents to watch Amegakure, so they could follow your track."
"Some snakes and I had been following the Kyuubi from afar," Apophis explained. "When you returned to normal, we grabbed your body and dragged you to safety. After the ravages the Nine-Tails caused we feared ninjas might execute you on the spot if you were found."
"How… how many?" Naruto asked. "How many did I…"
"Are you certain you wish to hear that?" the White Snake asked.
"Yes," Naruto replied, his tone as cold as an iceberg.
The White Snake sighed. "According to my estimations, I would say between fifty and one hundred thousand victims. The near totality of Amegakure's population, civilian and Shinobi alike, is gone, and the Kyuubi mostly targeted populated areas. Unfortunately, the Land of Rain is a crux between the Land of Earth, of Wind, and of Fire. With the loss of the government and the damage you caused, anarchy reigns, and some nations might be interested in conquering it, due to its invaluable strategic location. In the worst case scenario, this might be the beginning of a new Shinobi War."
Naruto stayed silent an instant, before bursting out laughing.
The reptiles watched him in grim silence, as the Jinchuuriki fell to the ground. However, there was nothing joyful in his laughter. It was a bitter, despair-filled laugh.
"That's… that's so horrible it's funny," Naruto said, "I… I fucking killed thousands, and I might have started the Fourth Shinobi War. All on my own."
"Naruto," Apophis started, "This wasn't you, it was the Kyuubi. The blood is on its paws."
"No, it's on mine," Naruto replied bitterly, while getting back to his feet, "It's on my hands. I called it."
"You-"
"I called it!" Naruto snapped. "When that bastard crippled Neji, I was so angered I… I let it in. I didn't fight back. I just… I…"
Naruto glanced away. "I'm a freaking failure," he said with finality. "A joke."
"Child." The blonde didn't bother to look at the White Sage. "Sometimes, we make mistakes. Some of them are more costly than others. You can sink depression if you wish, but now is not the time. Not when Akatsuki is still at large."
Naruto blinked, his horror instantly replaced with fear. "What?"
"I told you Obito teleported away before the Bijudama could hit him or Tenten," the White Snake reminded him. "The Uchiha released her, but he is still alive, as are some remnants of Akatsuki. As for Pain, my snakes were unable to locate his body or the Demonic Statue he used to capture the Tailed Beasts. As such, I heavily suspect he might have survived the annihilation of his stronghold."
That bastard is alive? Naruto frowned, remembering Obito's sadistic taunts as he had Neji crippled. "I must inform everyone."
"No you won't." The White Snake shook his head. "Naruto, after the damage you caused, you are the most wanted man on the continent. Even Konoha can't ignore what you have done. They might try to protect you, but you are, as of now, a walking diplomatic disaster. If you get out of our lair, you will be arrested or worse."
"You suggest I just stay there, like a caged animal?" Naruto snapped.
"Until the heat subsides, yes," the White Sage growled. "Boy, do not let your emotions cloud your judgment again. I know you might feel guilty, that you wish emotional support from your friends, yet you will have to do without them. I can send them a message if you wish, but the less people aware of your location, the better."
Naruto clenched his fists. It was a crappy deal, but he could see the logic in the elder's words. "So what do I do next?"
"Right now?" The White Snake shrugged. "Wait and see. Let the situation get clarified, so you can seize a new opportunity."
It won't matter, Naruto thought grimly, It won't bring those I killed back.
"You should have let us get arrested."
Yugao glared at Itachi. "Do you want to die?"
"I don't care anymore," the Uchiha replied flatly. Yugao had no trouble believing him. Ever since they had escaped from Ame, she hadn't seen Itachi eat anything, and his gaunt appearance showed how much he didn't care about his health. Even Konoha's medics had been unable, perhaps unwilling, to help.
"Well, I do," Kisame replied, as the small group continued walking through the Land of Fire's forests. "Still, I do wonder why you helped us. You do realize helping two S-rank international criminals escape containment is complicity, don't you?"
Yugao shrugged. After leaving Amegakure, the group had managed to reach the Land of Fire's frontier before Itachi or Neji could bleed to death. A recon force had been sent to the border, and although reluctant to do it, they healed Itachi under Jiraiya's orders. As for Neji, while he survived the ordeal, the loss of one arm was crippling for his Gentle Fist fighting style. Still, the Hyuuga was determined to overcome this disadvantage and become a better Shinobi in his late sensei's memory.
As expected, Itachi and Kisame had been placed under arrest. The first was too weakened to resist, and had obviously no will to do it. As for Kisame, he was unwilling to abandon his teammate and surrendered. The two were international criminals, known members of Akatsuki, and they would stand trial in Konoha. In Kisame's case, he would probably be extradited to face Kirigakure's judgment.
Fortunately for the outlaw duo, Jiraiya, Yugao, Han and Fuu had different plans. The latter three helped them escape in the night after knocking out the guards, while the Sannin stayed behind and did his best to cover it up. He said he would use his authority to delay the pursuits as long as he could, giving the fugitives a head start.
"I lived as a missing-nin for years," Fuu replied, "It doesn't change much."
"Without you, the Han would have been killed by Pain," the giant told Itachi, "The Han always pays his debts."
Kisame glanced at Yugao, who glared back. "I didn't do it for you," she spat, "I did it for Naruto."
Kisame winced at the venom in the woman's voice. He briefly wondered why she seemed to hate him so much, but decided not to push the issue further. "How is this going to help your blonde? We haven't seen hide nor hair of him since he went on his little rampage."
"You," Yugao pointed a finger at Itachi, "You plotted our evasion with Naruto for weeks. I do not know what kind of deal you had, but you are the best source of information on both him and Akatsuki we have."
"He is with his summons," Itachi replied coolly, everyone glancing at him. "If he is alive, that is the only place he has left to hide."
"Ah yes, I wonder why I didn't think of it," Kisame replied. "When criminals need a place to hide, they generally find shelter in their summon's lair. I escaped pursuits for years by hiding in the Shark Den."
"When I left Konoha, the first place where I went was the Raven Nest, hidden in the Land of Earth's mountains," Itachi explained. "Only other summoners know their location, and summons do not take kindly to intrusions. If I were Naruto, I would have found shelter with the snakes, especially since they're the last creatures on earth who would sell him to the Shinobi Nations."
"This sounds like our best bet," the Han said. "It is not like the Han has a better idea."
Yugao glanced at Fuu. "You went to the Ryuchi Cave in the past. Have you no idea where it could be located?"
"I was using Anko's blood to be reverse-summoned there," Fuu said. "But… maybe Nana could help. It had traveled around the world for centuries before getting caught and imprisoned. It might have an idea of its rough location."
"Sounds like you know where you want to go," Kisame said, before glancing at his partner. "Itachi, what do we do?"
The Uchiha stayed silent for minutes, before Kisame lost his patience. "Itachi?"
"I'm going to find Pain and kill him." This wasn't a possibility, but a fact. He took my light, I will take his life, even if it is the last thing I do. "That so-called god is still alive. I know he is. My instinct has never betrayed me. He might have lost his stronghold, but he is alive, tending his wounds."
"And how do you intend to find him?" Kisame asked. "I don't want to sound pessimistic, but the two of us aren't exactly the best trackers around."
"We do not have to track him," Itachi said, glancing at Fuu and Han. "If he wishes to complete his mad scheme, he will need the two of you, as well as Naruto. If I follow them, I will find Pain."
"If we follow them," Kisame corrected him, before glancing at Yugao, "So, boss? Can we come with you?"
The kunoichi appraised the duo with a cold, calculating gaze, before finally reaching a decision. "The threat we face is too great for me to refuse help, even from your kind. If you try to backstab us, however, expect no mercy from my part."
"Whatever," Itachi shrugged. "We will do what you want."
The group continued walking in silence, until Kisame approached Yugao. "What did I do to you?" he asked.
"You killed my father when you were still working for Kiri," she replied flatly. "After you killed your own men, you fought his unit, murdered him, and escaped. Watch your back: when Akatsuki is neutralized for good, I will kill you myself."
The missing-nin thought about it for a moment, before coming to a realization. "Wait, that guy with the purple hair and blue eyes? He was your father?"
"You killed so many people I am surprised you remember," Yugao whispered coldly.
"I never forget the people I kill in this world," Kisame replied grimly, "After all, when I meet them in the next, they certainly won't have forgotten me."
"You allowed them to escape?" Tsunade clenched her fist. The toad sage wondered if she was going to break her desk again. "Jiraiya, have you gone mad? Did you forget what Itachi did? As for Kisame, that man is an international criminal whose body count is one of the highest in the Bingo Book!"
"I didn't forget," the Sannin replied, grinding his teeth. If what Itachi said was true, then we've been fooled for years.
"Then why did you let them go?"
"Because they helped us escape from Ame and wish to see Akatsuki destroyed as much as we do," Jiraiya replied. "As for Itachi, I think we should check in sensei's old S-rank documents. I have been informed of something I want to verify. I believe Itachi might have been the undercover spy giving Sarutobi information all this time on Akatsuki."
Tsunade's jaw dropped, but she quickly corrected her expression. "I see… I always wondered where his info was coming from. But why would that homicidal madman wish to help Konoha? Against a pardon?"
"The situation is more complicated than I thought," Jiraiya admitted. "But enough with Itachi. I have made my choice and my gut tells me it will pay off. What about the Land of Rain?"
"The situation is, to put it bluntly, critical," Tsunade sighed. "The entire country is a wasteland, and refugees have already started crossing the border toward either the Land of Fire or the Land of Earth. Without a government, the Land of Rain will descend into anarchy and be free to conquer by the armies of its neighbors."
"We can't have another war," Jiraiya said, "Especially since there are still members of Akatsuki out there, and they have six Bijuu."
"I know," the Hokage sighed, "Jiraiya, after what happened in Ame, the world remembered. It remembered why Jinchuuriki are seen as weapons of mass destruction. The last catastrophe of this kind was the Kyuubi incident and Takigakure's continued failures at controlling the Nanabi, but the Nine-Tails' rampage in Ame is on another magnitude entirely. Iwa and what remains of Suna have already sent hunter-nins after the remaining Jinchuuriki in fear it might happen again, and Kumo will soon follow."
"So what do we do?" Jiraiya asked. "We can't let Naruto be captured or killed."
"If only we knew where he was," Tsunade sighed, before handing a scroll to Jiraiya. "Here."
The toad sage opened and read it. "A Kage Summit?"
"Mei Terumi sent this message to all the five Kage," Tsunade explained. "She suggests holding a Kage Summit in a neutral zone, the Land of Iron preferably, in order to discuss the recent troubling matters, from the Iwa-Suna conflict to the Land of Rain's fate, and how to deal with Akatsuki and the missing Bijuu. Kumo has already accepted, as will Konoha. Suna and Iwa will come too, if only to try to find allies."
"From what I see, you will only be allowed two bodyguards," Jiraiya pointed out, "Isn't that risky?"
"Only if I don't have you as a bodyguard," Tsunade replied, "Shizune will come too. The two of you will be most helpful to help me in convinced these old geezers to be reasonable."
I'm not sure you're the most qualified to say that, Jiraiya thought, but didn't say a word. "I would have preferred to search for my godson-"
"I mobilized all our forces to that end." The slug Sannin shook her head. "If all of Konoha can't find him, you won't either. While if you help me, we might avoid a Fourth Shinobi War that could claim thousands of lives."
While Jiraiya wanted to protest, he had to admit she had a point. Beside, it would be useless to find Naruto if he were to be declared an international criminal at this summit. "Alright," he finally decided. "I will come."
"Wonderful," Tsunade said with a smile.
"What about my other request?"
"I have approved your proposition," the Hokage replied, before frowning a little, "Are sure, however? Beside the fact they might not be in the best mood to have a replacement, you haven't taught a team since-"
"Since that mission where Minato's teammates were killed," Jiraiya cut in coldly. "I remember thanks."
"Jiraiya, I…" Tsunade bit her lower lips. "I'm sorry, I didn't want…"
"I know," the Sannin cut in. "It's just… Gai died under my command, and I want to make up for it. It's my duty to watch after them in his place."
"I wish for you to succeed then," Tsunade replied, before sending him off, "You deserve some happiness in your life. Good luck with them."
Once he had left the Hokage tower, Jiraiya immediately went to the training ground where he was to meet his new students. He found them already present, with one helper. Tenten was talking with Hinata, while Lee was helping place a mannequin on which Neji could practice. Both Neji and Tenten were pale and gaunt, the former due to his recent convalescence, the latter due to lack of sleep.
"I'm not sure you should do that, kiddo," Jiraiya told Neji, as he announced his presence, "Tsunade herself might have patched you up, but it would be better if you rested a little more."
"The sooner I get used to fighting one-handed, the better," Neji shot back. "So?"
"So the Hokage officially made me Team 9's new sensei," Jiraiya replied, "I know I will never replace Gai, but I promise, I will do my best to make you good ninjas."
"As long as I get the power to pay back that asshole for everything he did, I'm okay with it," the Hyuuga genius spat to the ground.
"What about Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked. "Is he alright?"
Jiraiya didn't miss Tenten's brief tense expression when the blonde's name was called. "I have no idea," the Sannin admitted, "But everyone is looking for him. He will reappear eventually, but right now… all we can do is wait."
The young ninjas looked disappointed, but Jiraiya couldn't do more. He ordered Neji and Lee to have a friendly spar, so he could better appraise how the Hyuuga was doing with only one arm. While Hinata and Tenten sat down nearby to watch, the Sannin approached the latter and started whispering to her ear. "You had that nightmare again, didn't you?"
"Yes," she admitted, massaging her head. "Every time I try to sleep I… I see that thing again."
Jiraiya couldn't blame her. He still remembered what Kushina had often turned into on the battlefield, and such images would have scarred anyone. Tenten had almost been killed by her own crush turned monster, and he doubted their friendship would ever fully recover. She would never forget that event.
Jiraiya sighed inwardly. Why do the people I care about never get a happy ending?
That dream started so well.
"A little lower please," Naruto groaned, as a naked Fuu massaged his back. He glanced around himself, enjoying the sight. "So, all the hot girls I know decided to pay little old me a visit?"
The girls giggled, and Naruto realized they were all as naked as the day they were born. "I've heard you needed some help with calibrating your big jutsu," Tenten said with a smirk. "Maybe I could help?"
"I can help you polish your tanto," Yugao added with a wink, "Just get it out of its scabbard."
"You know I really would like you to serve under me," Mei stated, her breasts surrounded with mist.
"Wanna get to my the back of my shop and count gold?" Ayame started. "You get free milk, as my favorite customer."
"N-Naruto..." Hinata shuttered. "I feel so cold... if only you could help me... warm up..."
"Paper isn't the only think I can stroke and fold," Konan said.
"Hey, boyo," Tsunade began, "Wanna play cougar and lamb in my office?"
"I've got something on my mind," Ino Yamanaka added, "And trust me, it goes three ways."
"I know some Genjutsu that will make you vibrate like the Chidori," Kurenai added.
"Man, what a storm of double entendre. The Han is all excited."
"Han?" Naruto blinked, glancing at his fellow naked friend, who was getting a shoulder massage from Shizune. "Why am I dreaming of you?"
"The better question is, why would you not be dreaming of the Han?"
"No, I mean, this is obviously some kind of kinky erotic dream, so why the hell are you in it?"
"Just like the Han told you," the giant said, "Everyone is gay for the Han. By the way, the Han bets the next double entendre will come from Fuu."
"It's a dream, it's not supposed to be logical," Fuu replied, before shrugging. "Maybe he's there for protection?"
"Called it!"
"No matter," Naruto snorted and went along with it. "So what's next?"
"We've all got a big surprise for you," Mei chuckled, as Fuu finished massaging him. "Close your eyes, and open them again."
Naruto smirked, and did as he was told.
When he opened his eyes again, everything was on fire.
"What the?" Naruto got back to his feet, and realized the ground had been replaced with warm ashes. "Han!" Naruto screamed, but his friend had been replaced with a smoking skeleton, as were everybody. The skies were red and the clouds pitch black. Buildings and houses were burning all around the blonde, who realized, horrified, the area looked a lot like Konoha.
But on the horizon, he noticed someone standing. Someone alive. "Tenten!" Naruto screamed, rushing at her. He extended his hand to grab her, but he was too slow. Giant claws impaled her through the chest, before lifting her above the ground.
The blonde trembled in dread. The creature had the shape of the Kyuubi, but instead of a fox's head, it had Naruto's own, with bestial fangs instead of teeth. The monster grinned and his maw widened. Upon realizing what was about to happen, the young ninja screamed. "No, don't!"
The monster ignored him and swallowed Tenten whole. Naruto paled in horror and trembled, as the creature glanced at him.
"Yeah, so tasty!" the monster laughed with Naruto's voice, his fangs red with the blood of his victims. "Such a perfect snack, don't ya think? Remember those we ate? All these screaming whores and runts? Remember how delicious their ashes tasted?"
"I didn't..." Naruto took a step back from the beast. "I never wanted that!"
"Sure you did!" The cheerful voice was coming from behind Naruto, who turned around. His own shadow had gained a physical shape, but it had Sharingan where the eyes should have been. "You wanted it. You always wanted it. The power, the power to squish them all like bugs!"
"You're lying!"
"'Tenten is so good, why can't I walk on walls too'?" The shadow mocked him. "'Han can punch through walls, why can't I do the same'? 'Why has Ino a family while I don't have a mommy and daddy'? 'What they have should have been mine'! I hate them all, I wish I could take everything they have'! 'I wish they could suffer, like I do'!"
"You're not me!" Naruto snapped, trying to punch the shadow, his fist going through it. "You're not real! You're just a nightmare!"
"Am I? Or is it your life that is the nightmare?" The giant monster chuckled, his face turning into the Kyuubi's. "It's like Dosu told you. There's those who have the power, and those who don't. The weak is the meat of the strong... so why not chew a piece of the world too? Together, we can eat them all!"
"Do you feel the jealous hunger inside you?" The shadow whispered to Naruto's ears. "You want it all. You want the power that was denied to you at birth. You want the women, you want the respect, you want the authority. No matter how deep you try to bury them, these desires are inside you. You want to turn their looks of pity into screams of terror. You want their blood to flow, flow, flow, so they all suffer like you do! That's your truest wish and you know it!"
"Stay away from me!" Naruto screamed, trying to push it away. But his hands were covered with blood, like the rest of his clothes. Tears of fear started streaming down from his cheeks. "That's not... that's not possible... that's all a lie..."
"That's your work, Naruto," the Kyuubi laughed, "That's what you want. All you have to do is close your eyes, and I will make your problems go away. You just have to let me in."
"No!" Naruto screamed. "Stay back! Stay back!"
"Let me in!" The Kyuubi snarled, trying to grab his Jinchuuriki. "You want it, I want it, so let me in! Let me take over!"
"NO!"
Naruto opened his eyes in the physical world, panting heavily. He got off of his futon, shivering heavily. Apophis glanced at him in worry, laying on a pile of clothes. "You had a nightmare again?"
"Did I wake up the entire Ryuchi Cave again?" Naruto asked, the reptile not bothering to reply. The blonde got to his feet, cracking his knuckles. Upon glancing at his surroundings, he realized something was wrong. "Where are my kunai?"
"I had them removed," the snake hissed, "You shouldn't sleep next to it. Your sleep is already very troubled, you might accidentally hurt yourself with them."
Naruto glared at the reptile. "I need them to sleep."
"No you do not," his familiar replied. "The White Sage has considered giving you sedatives, but he fears they might not be effective enough, considering your accelerated healing. He is looking for a new product that would help you sleep much better than laying next to a weapon."
"How compassionate of him."
"He is worried for you, and so am I," the reptile hissed angrily. "You have been there for days and you haven't eaten once! You don't sleep that much, and you spend your days either practically catatonic or glancing at your weapons with a look I do not appreciate."
Naruto glanced away. Truth to be told, he had been seriously considering dying the same way Sakumo Hatake had, by opening his chest with a kunai or a Tanto. With luck, the Kyuubi's chakra wouldn't be enough to cure a wound that severe.
Committing Seppuku was a nasty way to go, but in Naruto's mind, it was no less than what he deserved. Beside, that way, he would take down the Kyuubi to the grave with him, ruin Akatsuki's plans, and maybe atone for his rampage. My friends might miss me, but this would be better for everyone, he thought, This way, they won't suffer from their association with me.
"Sorry for lashing out," Naruto whispered. "It's just... I'm not thinking straight lately."
"Apologies accepted." Apophis slithered to the ground. "I brought you new clothes. If possible, it would be good if you were to wash and dress in ten minutes. There is someone that you need to see."
"Fuu and Han?" Naruto asked, instantly interested. "Jiraiya?"
"No, nobody from Konoha, but someone important nonetheless." The snake glanced at the cloth pile. "She wishes to have a tea ceremony and to discuss important matters with you."
Naruto glanced at the pile of clothes, shrugged, and went along. Needing to give a good impression, he chose an elegant, perfumed orange kimono with blue spiral motifs to wear. Apparently, the snakes had smuggled some clothes tailored for him from Konoha. Someday, I will have to ask how they can even carry items, the Jinchuuriki wondered, They don't even have arms.
It wasn't the first time Naruto had a tea ceremony. After all, it had been one of Anko's main hobbies, beside 'eating dango' and 'beating people within an inch of their life'.
Little did he know this would be the first time he would hold such a ceremony with a Kage.
When he entered the tea room, Naruto had been surprised by the newcomer's identity. After all, she was the last person he had expected to see in the Ryuchi Cave. How she did come to know its location, and why the White Snake Had allowed her entry in the first place, the blonde had no idea. He tried to hide his surprise, sat in front of the woman, and watched her closely.
Mei Terumi, Godaime Mizukage, had chose to wear a beautiful, cyan kimono covered with purple flower motifs. She had let her hair down, and had slightly loosened the top of her kimono, exposing a little of her cleavage. Naruto guessed this was intentional: the woman was a gorgeous kunoichi and knew how to exploit her charms. Naruto couldn't repress a light blush.
"Good morning, Naruto-san," Mei said, smiling upon noticing the blonde's face. "Have I left you speechless?"
"I dreamed of you," Naruto deadpanned.
"In a good way I hope," Mei replied with a knowing sarcastic smirk.
And here they were, sitting right in front of the other, a cup of tea in hands. Apophis was waiting next to his summoner, resting lazily on the ground. "I assume you have questions," Mei began.
"How can you even be in Ryuchi Cave?" Naruto asked bluntly. "Why are you here?"
"That's a long story," Mei admitted. "It began during my Chuunin Exams. At the time, Yagura was still in power, and I was one of the most promising Kunoichi Kiri had produced. But while my teammates wanted to prove themselves to our Mizukage by killing off the competition, I was a terrible party girl at the time. I ended up getting drunk with and befriending a Kunoichi from Konoha. One you studied under."
"Anko." Naruto nodded. "She told me you had kept contact, and she had asked you for help after Orochimaru's defection."
"She wanted to deal with her Cursed Seal, and she thought I might have information on the Uzumaki's sealing techniques. Unfortunately, I couldn't help her much."
"Mei-san was brought by Anko multiple times to the Ryuchi Cave," Apophis explained. "The White Sage ended up giving her free access to it in exchange for favors."
"Such as?" Naruto asked.
"Information, mostly," Mei explained, "That's how the snakes work: they accumulate intelligence, then offer it against favors they will claim back at a later date, and before you know, you find yourself in their debt. While snakes do not have many summoners, many Shinobi trade information with them, either directly or through intermediaries."
"And even our system pales before the Spider Clan's," Apophis whispered, "Their intelligence network is so large almost nothing escapes their notice. Give them ten minutes, and they can find anyone or anything."
"Even after becoming Mizukage, I maintained friendly ties with them," Mei added. "Much like you, it is a mutually beneficial relationship."
"So when I was brought there, they informed you?" Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"Because I am the only Kage in the world that wouldn't try to abduct you. Konoha itself would probably try to get you back in order to better protect you, but after what you did in Ame, I think some elements in their military wouldn't mind seeing you gone."
Naruto chuckled miserably. "One hundred thousand casualties… I did as much damage as a Shinobi World War… that would be funny if it wasn't so terrible."
Mei watched him with a strange expression. "It's not your fault," she whispered gently, "The Tailed Beasts are natural disasters. It is extremely difficult for a human to control them. A single moment of weakness is enough for them to take over."
"I know!" Naruto snapped, holding his head. "I was weak! I let it… I was so angry… I wanted to show Jinchuuriki weren't monsters, but I have given reasons for all of the Shinobi Nations to hate-"
"Stop saying that!" Mei cut in. "Nobody can understand the sacrifice Jinchuuriki make for mankind! With their very lives they protect mankind from the threat of the Tailed Beasts, and for this they are reviled and despised. People should be grateful Jinchuuriki sacrifice their happiness so events like what happened in Ame do not repeat themselves."
Naruto glanced at the Mizukage, surprised by her answer. "Before it was sealed, the Kyuubi was destroying mountains and causing tsunami, killing more people than you did every day," she declared. "So don't blame yourself for what happened. You have kept it sealed for more than a decade, and for this you get only hate. You have already done much more than anyone should have."
"She's right," Apophis added. "The Land of Rain also captured you, remember? Pain brought this calamity upon himself."
"This doesn't excuse what I did," Naruto replied, although he was intrigued by Mei's words. He suddenly remembered what made him transform, and massaged his neck. "The Cursed Seal interfered with the Yondaime's. Has someone looked at it?"
"The Sage did, and it is not good," Apophis explained. "The Yondaime's seal is damaged. Leaking. In a few years, or maybe a few months, the seal will grow thin enough for the Kyuubi to break out."
Naruto blanched in dread. At worst, it meant a free Kyuubi. At best, they would have to transfer the beast in another Jinchuuriki, killing him. "I need Jiraiya," he said, "He's the only one who has the knowledge to avoid that." If he doesn't... I will have no choice but drag that furball down to hell with me.
"Not really." Mei smiled. "I have an alternative to offer you."
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"I am not sure if you are aware of it, but Yagura-sama, the Fourth Mizukage, was a Jinchuuriki. And more importantly, the only one beside the Raikage's brother to have ever fully tamed his Bijuu. In his great wisdom, he wrote the secret of his method among our nation's scroll."
"You can't be imply-"
"I can show you how to control your Bijuu," Mei confirmed, "If you trust me, that is."
Naruto stayed silent, although inwardly, he was struggling against the urge to beg for that secret technique. She's trying to exploit your guilt, dumbass, he thought, You mustn't show it. Stay focused, stay cool. "I mean no offense," he finally admitted, "But I don't."
Mei didn't seem all that surprised. "Well it was worth a try."
"It's just… I'm no easily impressed boy." Naruto inhaled sharply. "I know your country lacks a Jinchuuriki, and the only reason you're talking to me is either recruiting me or tricking me so you can extract the Kyuubi from my belly. And Yagura… let's just say what I know of him isn't really encouraging."
The kunoichi narrowed her eyes. "Yagura-sama was a victim," she explained, "In fact, I doubt he ever was the true Mizukage for very long. His reign started full of promises, and then that masked man turned it into hell on earth."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "The masked man?"
"We suspected it for years, but it took my loyal Ao to prove it." Mei explained, with a hint of sadness. "Yagura-sama was never fully himself. In fact, he was under the power of an elaborate Genjutsu for years. A Genjutsu that controlled him like a puppet, while the real mastermind was hiding in the shadows."
She brought her tea cup to her lips, seemingly lost in her memories.
"A civil war was started to remove Yagura from power, sparkled by Zabuza's failed coup. I was one of the leaders of the insurrection, and when we confronted Yagura… we met him. A one-eyed masked man, and the real Yondaime Mizukage. In the battle, Yagura was killed, but the man escaped by teleporting with an unknown space-time ninjutsu. After years of investigations, we managed to prove not only was he a member of Akatsuki, but the organization had exploited Kiri for their nefarious purposes, kidnapping our second Jinchuuriki and using the bloodline massacres to abduct Kekkei Genkai wielders."
"To what end?" Apophis asked.
"Creating soldiers, examining the source of bloodlines… according to notes we managed to secure, my scientists believe this masked man wanted to recreate the mighty Rinnegan, the original Bloodline, for his own ends. But half of his policies had no other point beyond causing my country pain. I think he just wanted the entire Land of Water to suffer as much as possible."
Mei sighed. "After a time, we revealed this information to the populace and rehabilitated Yagura's memory, but we lost both our Tailed Beasts and the country was broken beyond words. I have only been in power for a few years and the Land of Water is still a mess."
The kunoichi smiled. "I would lie if I told you I didn't wish you would join Kiri," she explained, "But the main reason I'm offering to train you is that our true enemy, Akatsuki, is not yet beaten, and since they have six Tailed Beasts under control, we need the Kyuubi's power to fight them."
This… sounds reasonable, Naruto noted, but I'm pretty sure she's just trying to make me indebted to her. Yet, she's right. The true enemy is still out there. "The masked man," Naruto trailed off angrily, "His name is Obito Uchiha."
"Obito Uchiha?" Mei raised an eyebrow. "Who is that?"
"I fought him in Amegakure, but he had lost his mask at that time," Naruto explained, clenching his jaw, "A friend of mine identified him as Obito Uchiha during the battle. He was a former student of the Yondaime Hokage, who was believed to have been killed in action during the last Shinobi World War. As it turned out, not only did he survive, but he was the one who unleashed the Kyuubi on Konoha years ago. I think the technique he used to control the fox was the same he used to control Yagura."
The more he talked, the more Mei frowned. "You fought him in Ame. Does it mean he died fighting the Kyuubi?"
"No," Naruto said, remembering this fateful moment. "The Kyuubi tried to kill him with a Tailed Beast Bomb, but he managed to teleport away seconds before the projectile hit him, alongside a hostage. He's still plotting somewhere."
Mei narrowed her eyes. "I see," she said, "One more thing we Kage will have to discuss at our summit."
"A Kage Summit is about to be held?" Naruto guessed. "I guess it makes sense, after everything that happened."
"In two weeks, we shall hold a Kage Summit in the Land of Iron," Mei said, "I hope the threat of Akatsuki will be too great to ignore and enough to unite the Shinobi Nations. With luck, we will solve the Land of Rain's issue peacefully."
Naruto considered the situation for several seconds. This might be my only way chance not to be branded as an international criminal. "So it would be best if I hide until the Summit is over. With luck, Tsunade will be able to convince everyone I shouldn't be executed, or at least that I should get a fair trial." If Akatsuki doesn't find me first. "How many people are aware of this Summit?"
"Right now, only Kage and their closest advisers, but it will be made public soon." The kunoichi instantly guessed his thoughts. "You think Akatsuki will try something?"
"They lost their main stronghold, their leadership is in shambles, and if this Summit goes well, the Shinobi Nations will unite to hunt them down," Naruto explained. "There is no way they won't try to sabotage it."
"Good," Mei said, much to Naruto's amazement. "Think about it. By forcing Akatsuki into a corner, we have the upper hand."
"Baiting them into revealing themselves and making a mistake?" Naruto narrowed his eyes. Killing myself would be like letting everyone down, the blonde thought, I would let Akatsuki get away with everything. Obito will be free to continue threatening Konoha. He's so full of hatred he will never stop harming people, with or without the Kyuubi.
He would never stop threatening Naruto's loved ones, even if the blonde was dead.
Naruto came to a clear revelation. Dying would be the coward's way out, he realized, I can't die. Not when Akatsuki is still out there. I can't bring the people I killed back, but at least I can prevent Akatsuki from causing more damage. I will destroy this organization, or I'll die trying.
"We will need you." Mei locked eyes with him. "You need to master the Kyuubi's power to have a chance against this Obito, or any of the main members of Akatsuki."
Naruto brought the tea cup to his lips, without ever breaking eye contact with the Mizukage. "No," he said, "I won't ever use that power again."
"This power is inside you, Naruto," Mei countered, "You were born with it. It might be dangerous, but you cannot deny it will be useful."
"And if I lose control once more?" he snapped. I won't let it in. I won't let it in ever again. "What if Yagura's miraculous technique doesn't work? You said it yourself, the Nine-Tailed Fox is a natural disaster, and the best a Jinchuuriki can do is hold it off. And that's what Jinchuuriki were supposed to do, before they were turned into weapons of war."
He glanced at Apophis and petted the snake's head. "I never wanted this power," Naruto said, while finishing his tea cup. "Truth to be told, it's more trouble than it is worth. And the one time I fully accepted it… the one time I let the Kyuubi take a foothold in me… thousands died, and I almost killed one of my best friends. So no, I won't let the Nine-Tails get out of its seal ever again."
Mei raised an eyebrow, doubtful, but moved past this subject. "So what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to destroy Obito and Akatsuki." To Naruto, it wasn't a boast, but a promise. "I don't know how I'm going to do it yet, but I will. Then... I'll face whatever punishment awaits me."
Mei Terumi smiled. "Well, you sure are an interesting boy."
"We are doomed."
"Are you kidding? This was wonderful!" Deidara's hologram smirked. "If only I had been there to see it! A blast that destroyed an entire city! Such a masterpiece!"
Kakuzu snorted. He had sent a telepathic message through Akatsuki's rings to the remaining members, hopping to get an answer… and only this clown had responded. "Since Konan, Itachi, Kisame and Pain do not answer to calls, then I assume they got killed in the blast," he grunted, "This is so fucked up."
It hadn't taken long for the news to spread like a wildfire. The Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki had transformed in the middle of Ame, before razing the city, killing the near totality of its inhabitants. Due to the strategic importance of the now disorganized Land of Rain, the great nations had officially announced a Kage Summit to discuss what to do… and find out how the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki ended up there in the first place.
"The Great Nations won't take long to discover Akatsuki had kidnapped their Jinchuuriki," Kakuzu spoke, "Our secrets are out."
"So what do we do?" the bomber asked.
"We hide and do our best to be forgotten," Kakuzu snorted, "With luck, they will be more preoccupied by the disappearance of the Jinchuuriki to try hunting us down."
"Silly Kakuzu," a new voice cut in, "We haven't lost yet."
Kakuzu frowned, as a third hologram appeared in front of him. Tobi had changed his attire, trading his usual dark attire for purple robes. His spiraled mask had been replaced by a white one in the form of the Sharingan… the same Dojutsu he was wielding inside the right eye's socket.
In the left one, there was nothing but darkness.
"Tobi?" Deidara blinked, and for once, seemed genuinely happy. "You're alive? Thanks god I thought you had been killed!"
"We all thought," Kakuzu frowned, "Why did Pain tell us you were killed in action?"
"Because he hoped I was," the man answered calmly. "How odd I ended up outliving him. By the way how many of us are still alive?"
"The three of us, for sure," Deidara began, before scratching his head's back, "Wait, does Hidan count?"
"No," Kakuzu said calmly.
"Then just the three of us."
"I saw Konan being killed by Jiraiya, when he tried to break Naruto out of Pain's jails," Tobi lied through his teeth, "Pain would have contacted us by now if he had survived. As for Itachi and Kisame… they betrayed Akatsuki for the Shinobi Nations."
"He, he…" Deidara chuckled, before realizing Tobi was serious. "Oi Tobi, that's crazy! Itachi freaking murdered his entire clan and let's not talk about Kisame! Those two would have been killed on sight!"
"Unless they proved themselves valuable by selling us out," Kakuzu pointed out, clenching his fists. He glared at Tobi. "Since you apparently were in Ame, what happened to the Bijuu we stocked there?"
"I have no idea," he admitted. "I scouted the area a few hours after the blast, and I found nothing. The statue vanished, so it was most probably destroyed in the blast or teleported elsewhere. None of us except Pain had control over it anyway." If only he had managed to recover the Rinnegan…
"So we have no Tailed Beasts, we have lost Pain, and our former comrades might spill Akatsuki's secrets to the five nations," Kakuzu resumed, "Wonderful."
"I say we should blow up their Kage Summit," Deidara grinned, "Since Itachi is alive, I can't wait to fight him."
"Moron, the second the Shinobi Nations will learn about Akatsuki, and how we abducted their Jinchuuriki, they will focus on exterminating us. And even the three of us don't stand a chance against them without the Tailed Beasts."
"True, direct confrontation would be suicide," Tobi chuckled, "How fortunate we ninja never fight fair."
Both Kakuzu and Deidara observed him in silence, and the masked man continued. "I have a plan," he explained, "A plan to take over the world. And with your help, I can make it work."
Kakuzu snorted, unconvinced. "Yeah right…"
"When Pain was gathering the Jinchuuriki, I was aware there was a slim, yet possible, chance our main plan would fail, either due to circumstances or because our enemies got lucky," Tobi explained, "Since I'm a prudent person, I've kept an ace in the hole. A back-up plan for world domination… without needing the Tailed Beasts, or even Pain."
"Tobi, you've been planning behind Pain's back?" Deidara frowned. "Hell, since when are you smart?"
"He has been hiding his true abilities for years," Kakuzu explained, narrowing his eyes, "I was always suspicious why Pain let a clown join our group… but if you had this plan, why not take over first? Surely this would have been easier than capture the nine Tailed Beasts."
"I didn't use this plan because it is risky." He pointed his thumb at his face. "This mask is made for battle, and that's what this plan is: a battle, to win a war. We will need all the resources we have left. All our men, Hidan, the weapons we were stockpiling… If we lose, we will lose everything. If we win, we win the world. No middle ground. it will either be Akatsuki's last stand, or its ultimate victory."
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow. He admitted, if nothing else, to be genuinely curious about what the masked man had in mind. "What about the remaining Jinchuuriki? Do we have to capture them?"
Tobi briefly clenched his fists. "Without the statue, we have no means to extract their Bijuu and contain them," he said, "When we see them, we will put them down. Like dogs." He shrugged. "However, if possible, Naruto Uzumaki should be spared. I have plans for him and the Kyuubi." When I have it extracted from your son, Konoha will be my first target, Namikaze.
Deidara and Kakuzu exchanged a glance. "Tobi, I'm all ears," the mad bomber concluded.
"Go ahead," Kakuzu started, "Tell us your plan, genius."
"Let me explain you how we will turn this debacle into a triumph…"
In a shadowy room, underground, under the sea itself, one hundred ninjas were kneeling before their god.
Each of them was proudly wearing their homeland's forehead protector, even if it was gone. They were hiding in the shadow, waiting for their nation to be born again.
"We are almost ready, Kami-sama," one of them whispered, "It will awaken soon."
Meanwhile, their god was meditating, in the shadow of a giant, monstrous statue. The same statue that shielded him and his personal guard from the fire that devastated their home.
They were the last Ame-nins.
"A cycle."
The Ame-nin raised an eyebrow. "Kami-sama?"
"This is a cycle," the man explained, his eyes opening, revealing the Rinnegan, "An endless cycle of death and revenge. Konoha oppressed my country and took my family from me; in my blind wrath, I destroyed a part of their city and threatened Naruto's friend; in retaliation, he wiped Amegakure from the maps and Konan along with it."
"But we survived, Kami-sama."
"But so many died, by my fault." Nagato sighed. "The spiral of death… I can see it grow stronger everyday. The destruction of Amegakure will spark the Fourth Shinobi War. Our world shall know war once again. This is inevitable. The Shinobi World will grow more merciless as it refines itself. A world built upon hate."
He clenched his fists. "But not if I move first."
His soldiers listened in silence.
"With the power of the Tailed Beasts, I shall become the new Sage of the Six Paths," he declared, "Uzushiogakure will rise again, and from it, I will pass my judgment upon mankind, as my forefathers wished. And from the ashes of the old world, I will build a peaceful, beautiful one.
"So stand up, my chosen!" Nagato declared. "For Uzu's greatest weapon… lives again!"
Omake:
Popularity Poll
"Wow, that took a while," Jiraiya said. "I mean, how long has it been? Three months?"
"Two," Naruto corrected. "I guess the author didn't have much free time. I just wish he could hurry with his updates."
"Anyway!" Fuu interrupted the discussion. "The character popularity poll is over, and time to reveal the winners!"
"Bah, where's the mystery?" Han snorted. "The Han is number one, like always. This isn't 'Atlas'. This is 'The Han and his colorful sidekicks'."
"Actually, you're second," Jiraiya snorted. "Naruto, you're the winner, with 138 votes! I'm so proud of you!"
"See, see?" Naruto gloated to Han. "My superpower isn't a Bijuu. It's popularity!"
"The Han calls haxx," the giant shrugged, "Only 134 votes? The Han must have blinded voters with his brilliance."
"I'm third with 66 votes!" Fuu laughed. "Team Jinchuuriki for the win!"
"I'm only fourth with 57 votes, but that's enough!" Tenten smirked. "Thanks all of my fans! I promise not to use you as target practice!"
"And the fifth winner is... me!" Anko laughed. "52 votes! Not bad for someone that has been dead for nearly ten chapters!"
"Oh my god, she's haunting the story," Naruto whispered.
"I can't believe I'm sixth, and Kisame seventh," Itachi wondered, "Must be my Uchiha appeal. And like always, little brother is far behind."
"Nuke-kin Bromance for the win," Kisame chuckling, before glaring at a sulking Yugao. "How you got the same score as me I will never know."
"And I managed to get ninth, way before Terumi and you old geezer," Tobi snorted at Danzo. "Who's the boss here?"
"Yeah, that's weird, the more atrocities Obito committed, the more popular he became," Jiraiya noted. "Anyway, Naruto, Han-"
"The Han."
"-the big guy in red, Fuu, Tenten, Anko, you're are our poll's winners. As such, you get to be the stars of a Bonus Chapter!"
"But I'm dead in the story!" Anko whined.
"It's not a canon one... well, semi-canon. Just let the chronology cry in a corner and roll with it! It's based on a Naruto movie anyway."
"Ah, ok, cool."
"Just a question," Naruto asked, "What is the chapter's name? Atlas Unchained?"
"The Han Begins!"
"Avengers, Age of the Bijuu?" Fuu offered.
"The Dark Han!"
"The Amazing Spider-Ninja?" Tenten suggested.
"The Dark Han Rises!"
"Konoha Pie!" Anko said.
"The Han of Steel-"
"Will you shut up?" Jiraiya shrugged. "I'll keep the surprise for readers, but where Atlas goes, canon goes off the rails! Prepare for madness, insanity, humor, and mind blowing bad jokes!"
"Anyway, thanks for voting and reading," Naruto told the viewers. "The author and the characters love you all!"
A/N: Well, this ends the Amegakure Arc.
According to my current estimations, there are two arcs of four chapters each and one chapter-long epilogue left. Meaning the story will end around chapter 26, not counting the Bonus Chapter. Twice the length of my original planning. Things are going to blow up a lot.
As for Naruto's development as a ninja, while it was slowed down to better develop the story's characters, I can assure you he's going to show how a slightly above average individual can beat up superpowered villains when sufficiently motivated and prepared.
The Bonus Chapter will follow the plot of a Naruto movie, with the characters of Atlas completely wreaking the plotline. It will be posted before the next arc's first chapter. It will not be canon (or rather, it will be semi-canon), but should be one hell of a ride.
Anyway, would you kindly review?
