AN: Just letting everyone know. I am still working on those changes I was telling you about way back.

So far I am now up to chapter 39 in my editing (but withholding release until all are ready this time). Just a reminder that there is no changes to the plot, with only one or two minor scenes being added (mainly just Jiraiya being...well Jiraiya)

It is mainly just grammar/spelling fixes, along with following suggestions from other reviews. (Read : Dattebayo's 99% gone, 'Ah' reduced to only really Itachi saying it often. Changing around a few words that a character is more likely to say.)

Chapter 53 Three chains of insight

"-YOU ARE THE BLOODY GUY THAT IS CONTINUING TO MAKE EVERYBODY SUFFER!"

'I was the one who continued to make everyone suffer?'

"Ronan!" A voice shouted through his dark and muffled mind. The voice had triggered a surge of pain throughout the Uchiha's body, as his vision slowly began to come back. Being greeted by the smoke filled night sky, Ronan took in a sharp breath of the stinging air.

"Ronan!" Yelled the voice again, this time not as muffled as before. With all his willpower, the Uchiha tilted his brick heavy head to his side. The sight of the person made the Uchiha gasp, but it sounded more like a choke, "A-Araiki!?" At least, Ronan thought it was his teammate.

Araiki's back length, and tied brown hair, was mostly burnt away, with a sickening and sizzling scar marking straight on the Hyuuga's scalp.

Quickly whipping away the blood running down his profusely bleeding forehead, momentarily revealed the Hyuuga's curse mark, "We have to get you out of here. How you survived the Kyuubi's mist is a miracle."

"Kyuubi mis-?!"

Remembering why he was in this state, Ronan was given the energy to look around him. Before he had fainted, he was forced to hit the forest floor to evade a chakra blast from the Kyuubi. He wasn't expecting the red mist the Kyuubi was leaking out of its mouth to have covered most of the area, nor was any of the other unfortunate victims expecting it to be poisonous.

Seeing more than a handful of corpses around him, which showed clear evidence they suffered before falling victim to the lethal chakra, made him start to gag. Before he could come to his senses, he was heaved over his teammates shoulder.

When the sharp stinging subdued, Ronan asked away, "What happened?"

"...It's a disaster."

"What do you mean? where is everyone?"

The silence brought strength to the Uchiha's voice again, "Araiki?!"

"Dead...They are all either dead, or close to it-"

"Impossible! You are wrong!"

"See for yourself." Araiki stated void of emotion, as he lowered Ronan so he could struggle to stand on his own shaky feet.

Ronan once again started to gag, since the sudden intake of breath was felt travelling all the way down his throat, and into his aching lungs. The cause of his distress was the bodies of shinobi that littered the slaughterhouse of a battlefield.

"W-Where is Hokage-sama? Did he even show up?!"

The Hyuuga's stalled silence made him choke, "Araiki!"

"Hokage-sama...is dead."

Ronan's eyes shot wide open in shock, "I-Impossible...T-Then the Kyuubi-"

"I don't know what happened exactly Ronan. But I cannot see the beast anywhere within the limits of my eyes...It's like it just disappeared."

"A-And Konoha?!"

"Konoha remains untouched. Whatever it is Hokage-sama did, it worked...even though it killed him in the process."

Coming to his composure, Ronan tried to let all that information sink in. 'So many Casualties...and even the Yondaime...'

Shaking his head in disbelief, he looked around, "There has to be others that survived."

"I already looked-"

"Look again."

Complying to his leaders stressed, but direct instruction, Araiki formed his seal, "Byakugan!"

'Please let there be others that survived this catastrophe.'

Tracing over the ablaze but somehow chillingly quiet disaster area, Araiki's eyes flickered, "I see something. In a cave around two kilometres from here...there are survivors!"

"How many?"

"It's hard to say, there are well over two dozen but...most of them are not moving."

"Lead us there, now!"

Pushing their already broken bodies to the limit, they jumped from tree to tree, occasionally glancing at a horrific scene in their journey. 'So many killed, how did it all go so wrong?' Ronan asked himself, as they finally made it to the entrance of the cave.

Despite his exhaustion, Ronan dashed straight in. There was a lowly lit lantern in the centre of the freezing cold cavern, but even its weak light allowed Ronan to behold the hopeless situation. There were only four shinobi that were in good health, while another dozen were lying on the floor, each with their own collection of injuries.

Ronan on his speedy approach, caused one of the shinobi to look up in surprise, "What is the situation here?"

"Taicho. It's not good, most of the people here have life threatening wounds." Feeling the person he was helping groan out in pain, the ANBU returned focus to his task.

Seeing the weak green glow emit from the shinobi's hand, Ronan understood that the person only had limited knowledge in medical jutsu, like most of them did. Even if it was something, the purpose of ANBU members learning the basics was so that they could treat a wound long enough for a proper medic-nin to examine it. The chances of people with their experience to save a critically injured person was not even worth considering.

"Where is the medical team?! They were instructed to stay back!" Wincing, the young man tilted his head to the side, making Ronan follow to go wide eyed at a comatose medic nin leaning against the wall of the cave.

She could not have been more than in her early twenties, and judging by her standard attire, she was a special jounin. She didn't appear to have any physical injuries, however, she was sweating profusely, "She is all that is left of the medical team, but unfortunately, she inhaled that monster's chakra, and fainted after saving me. She has been like that for over an hour now."

Marching over, Ronan checked the paled kunoichi's pulse, only to feel a weak beat. She was not going to last much longer. Remaining calm, Ronan tried to think straight.

"Taicho...what do we do?" The shinobi asked desperately, as his glowing hand dimmed, to then reach up and close the dull eyes of the shinobi that was no longer with them.

Running to another critically conditioned shinobi, Ronan started trying to mend the enormous gash travelling down the man's shoulder, "Araiki, go get help from Konoha-"

Ronan stopped when he saw his teammate leaning against the wall, taking in deep and laboured breaths. That head wound was finally starting to hit the Hyuuga.

Shaking his head again, Ronan turned to the other three shinobi, "Is there anybody here who is fit enough to get help?!"

One of the Shinobi stood up. He appeared only lightly bruised, with the only injury being the scaring on his face. Judging by its appearance, this was not an injury inflicted on the person recently.

Ronan in his alert state could not miss just how little emotion was on the man's face, "I am able to." "Go to Konoha and get them to send help!"

"Hai."

Two days later...

Ronan rubbed the sweat off his face, as he on reflex closed the eyes of yet another fallen victim. Gritting his teeth, Ronan let out his long built up rage on the cave wall, punching it hard enough it caused his sweaty and dirty hand to start bleeding, "Damn it!"

'Where the hell is that guy!'

Feeling a hand on his shoulder stopped him from continuing his vent, "Enough Ronan, we have done the best we could." Standing, the Uchiha dragged himself to outside the death filled cave, with little traces of emotion on his face.

Sensing the remaining four men following him, Ronan looked up at the rising sun of a new day, "We are heading back to Konoha ourselves. Once we are there, we will return to gather our fallen comrades with assistance."

Without anybody objecting to their leader's unyielding instructions, they simply followed. It was not long though until Ronan's path was intercepted by the strange shinobi he had sent to get help what felt way too long ago.

Upon the sight of those emotionless eyes, Ronan's sharingan eyes on reflex activated, "Where the hell have you been?!" Ronan growled, his hand already gripping out a kunai to hold against the seemingly unaffected shinobi's face.

"I apologise-"

"Tell that to the people you let suffer!" Ronan spat out with venom.

"I looked, there is nobody else accompanying him." Araiki announced, coming up behind Ronan to glare at the lone shinobi.

"That expression...who the hell are you?!"

"My name is Thomas, I am a subordinate of Danzou-sama."

"ROOT?...then you better have a damn good reason to defy my orders, and not get the aid our comrades needed to still be with us. That old man will do far worse things to you than what I am going to do."

Ronan almost was taken aback when Thomas formed an expression that somehow could be related to anger, "There has been some very pressing news in Konoha."

Reluctantly lowering his weapon, Ronan sighed, "Explain."

Thomas then began his explanation about the Yondaime's plan that was carried out, and the verdict that left the others in awestruck. Ronan found the ground fascinating to stare at silently, while the others started to blurt their thoughts.

"A-A newborn child?! Hokage-sama sealed the beast into a baby?!"

"Amazing...A jinkuriki. And of the Kyuubi as well. The strongest of all the Bijuu, and now Konoha has that available to use in the case of another conflict."

Araiki rubbed his marked forehead, "Did you not listen to him properly? The jinkuriki is not even going to be put to use. The now reinstated Sandaime has made sure of that."

"Sandaime-sama has denied Danzou-sama the opportunity to put the jinkuriki through the training that would be required to bring him up as the perfect tool. Instead, the jinkuriki will live the life as an ordinary boy, and it will be his decision to choose his path in life."

"Lies..."

All eyes were on Ronan, who was releasing killer intent so dense, it made birds nearby take flight in fear, "You are lying...-"

Looking up, even Thomas took a step back at the killer intent radiating from his flaring sharingan eyes.

"-ALL THE LIVES OF OUR COMRADES WERE NOT JUST THROWN ASIDE FOR A STUPID IDEAL BY THE OLD FOOL!"

Araiki tried to intervene, "What is done is done Ronan, the Kyuubi was defeated. That was our goal after all-"

"Hundreds of lives gone, most having to leave this world in agony...Even Hokage-sama fell, and all our sacrifices were now put to waste at the opportunity Yondaime-sama gave us?!"

"Yondaime-sama only intended to save Konoha-"

"HE GAVE US THE KYUUBI KITSUNE!"

Araiki tried to protest, but another ANBU stepped forward, "Ronan-taicho is right! Our comrades died in the worst way possible...my teammates from the beginning...and Elena...all gone!-"

"Come to your senses Mareo-san! We are sorry about your wife, but you both did this to protect the village you live in-"

"Do you not understand, Akio? This was Yondaime-sama's intention, to give Konoha something great-"

"We don't know that, Danno!"

"Enough! all of you." Araiki tried to regain control of the situation, but Mareo countered.

"Don't you see the situation Araiki-san?! We were used!"

"You think I am happy with the solution those clueless council members and the Sandaime has chosen? Do not press my patience. I am just as angry as you all are, but it is not our decision to make."

"And it is the council's decision to just wave away our comrades great sacrifice, being their lives!?" Ronan coldly countered, making Araiki back down.

Turning to face the other ANBU, he looked at them each in the eye, "It is not their right to make such a foolish decision-" "Ronan-!"

"THEY, were not the ones whose blood was spilt all around to protect the very place we hold sanction in!" Ronan sharply interrupted his long time friend.

Araiki looked at his old teammate in shock, not even knowing who this stranger was standing next to him, "Ronan. You are always telling me to calm down, take your own advice on this one-"

"I am thinking crystal clear thank you, Araiki." Araiki tried to speak, only to be stopped by his teammates glare, a glare he had never seen hold so much blind anger before.

Seeing all the faces in the cavern he had stayed in for the two dramatising days, Ronan looked back at the remaining subordinates, "I say, we deliver justice ourselves. I will not let Sandaime's soft ideology go on this occasion. That is the only thing I will ever respect from Danzou, his unwavering backbone when it is the time to act."

Pausing to catch his breath, Ronan continued unemotionally, "We are going to avenge those who have fallen, we are going to bring a true justice to those who have lost people that were irreplaceable to them. We are going to kill the monster that has done this to us, we are going to kill the Kyuubi Kitsune!"

'I...Was the one who continued to make everyone suffer.'

Mangetsu ran a hand through his wet hair, 'Salt water, eh.'

Neither him or Ronan had the time to get out of the way when the wall had been destroyed, so they were carried straight into the now soaking forest. Mangetsu more so thought of the whole thing as a nuisance if anything.

Checking his sword, the swordsman looked on the brighter side of the situation, 'So the sannin lives...How very interesting.'

Walking back towards the town, Mangetsu soon came across Ronan. The Uchiha didn't appear harmed, however, he was lying on his back, appearing as if he was knocked out.

Towering over the Uchiha now, Mangetsu scrutinized him, 'He doesn't look hurt...-'

Continuing his observation, he watched water streaming down the Uchiha's cheeks, which for some unnatural reason, gave him the impression they were tears. Within the next instant, Ronan's eyes snapped open to stare up at Mangetsu. Although the swordsman would admit he didn't spend all his days staring into Ronan's eyes to commit to memory the patterns of the sharingan, there was something about them that seemed amiss.

"Are you alright Ronan?"

"Who was the one that destroyed the wall?" Ronan skipped Mangetsu's half hearted question.

Mangetsu took a step back while giving a joy filled smirk, "The sannin, Jiraiya."

"I thought you disposed of him?"

"It would appear I underestimated him." Standing on his own two feet, Ronan rubbed his stinging eyes, guessing it was from the salt water. Hearing the sound of wet footsteps approaching, he turned to see Claara.

The kunoichi halted in announcing her presence when she made eye contact with Ronan. She perked an eyebrow at the emotion she read so clearly in them.

Remorse, and clear traces of deep guilt.

"Jiraiya is still-"

"We already know about that. Where is Deidara?" Ronan interrupted Claara from announcing the already going uninteresting news.

"I left Deidara-san to his own devices, I would expect he will be engaging the jinkuriki and his team soon."

Flicking off his shinobi cape, Ronan dropped it on the flooded floor, "Then we best join in."

Ronan then began to walk towards the town, while Claara shared a glance with Mangetsu as if see if he found something amiss.

"To be clear Ronan-san, what is our intention?"

Stopping with an audible small splash, Ronan tilted his head so his emotionless sharingan could meet her eye, but did not say anything. Instead he turned back and continued walking.

The town may as well have been classified as a disaster zone now. The so few remaining buildings were the only signs now to suggest there ever was a civilized area here. The indeterminable streets were now littered with lifeless squid corpses and loose rubble.

"Good call Hinata." Shikamaru praised, as he and the others stood on the roof top of a building, although they were all intently watching Gamabunta. The sword had still impaled straight through the motionless Wani.

"So you are the one my son was going on about? He can exaggerate from time to time, but I must say, he hyped you up way too much." Gamabunta taunted, his voice causing the area all around to rumble.

The creature suddenly sprang to life, its tentacles trying to wrap around the sword, making Gamabunta grunt in annoyance, "Well aren't you a persistent thing?"

Pulling on his sword, the weapon cut clean through the ensnaring, allowing Gamabunta to pull back. His small hop still caused a massive earthquake that pulled Shikamaru out of playing the silent spectator role.

"It is dangerous for us to be here, we need to get away from these two and let them satisfy themselves...I don't plan to get crushed by a giant toad today."

"You think?!" Kiba barked in response, although he was still leaning on Shino for support.

Despite their attempt to move away, Gamabunta abruptly blocked their path, "Stop blooming scurrying around already! Gamayudan!" The toad groaned out, as he launched an enormous ball of sticky oil at Wani.

Pulling itself to the side, Wani slid out of the projectiles path, and slithered towards the toad at alarming speed. Putting up his sword to block, Gamabunta had the giant squid upon him, "Bah! Get off me!"

Putting enough pressure on the ground to make it crack around him, Gamabunta took flight to several hundred meters in the air.

The squid finally detached itself, and crash landed onto the ground below. Readying his sword, Gamabunta yet again impaled Wani straight through the centre. Wani this time didn't play possum, and with surprisingly powerful force, whiplashed the great toad off of its body, sending Gamabunta tumbling back.

Regaining his composure, the toad huffed in deep annoyance, "You owe me a whole lot more than 'a couple of drinks' for making me handle this pest alone Jiraiya!"

Realising again they had frozen to watch the fight, Shikamaru slapped himself, "We don't have time to watch, we have to get out of here. Hinata, lead us to Naruto and the others."

"H-Hai."

'What is with these guys, why are they looking at me as if I'm a stranger?' Jiraiya wondered, feeling Sakura loosen her grip on him.

When she took a step back, she was too stunned by Jiraiya to react to the uneven and slippery ground, and fell onto her butt on the wet surface. Still frozen, she could now see that before her fall, she was standing on the back of a toad at least twice her size.

With a loud 'poof' a puff of smoke blinded them of continuing their stare at the sannin. Their disbelief was still worn when it cleared to reveal the sannin, "Eh? What is with you all?"

Watching Naruto drag himself up to Jiraiya, he perked an eyebrow in partial concern at the blonds' still wearing expression, "Gaki?"

Naruto didn't respond, as his trembling hand reached up, and hesitantly touched the sannin's chest. Jiraiya blinked in confusion, "What are you doing?"

Gasping, Naruto's eyes went wide, "Y-You're really ok!?"

"Wha-?! What the hell are you going on about Naruto?!" Naruto's trembling began to intensify, as Jiraiya felt the blonds' hand clench.

Before he knew it, Jiraiya received a punch straight into his stomach with all the force Naruto had in him.

Sakura had stumbled herself to her feet during the blow, only to now shift her shock to Naruto.

Grunting out his surprise, Jiraiya gagged, "W-What the hell is your proble-"

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!" Naruto screamed, as his fists continued to drum against the sannin's chest with no signs of relenting.

Jiraiya could only look down stunned at Naruto's full blown crying and yelling, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! WHY!!!??"

Still hammering away with his hurting hands, Naruto continued to cry out his ache, "Y-YOU COULD HAVE GOT ONE OF THOSE TOADS TO TELL US, O-O-O-OR SOMETHING!!!"

Unable to find the strength anymore in his bleeding fists, Naruto went limp against the sannin, still violently sobbing, "W-Why...Why did you make me t-think you were dead?! W-W-WH-WHY!?"

Panting now through his sobs, he sharply gasped when the sannin's hand rested on his head, ruffling his hair, "I didn't have time to think. Even with 'Bunta, it took me all this time to return here from the mountain. There is a reason nobody can find the realm after all." He explained, remembering what happened that time.

-

Flashback, Within Taki, One Week ago.

-

'This is not good!' Jiraiya cursed as he saw the stream of lava pouring around him, the sizzling hot fumes already making it impossible to breathe.

'I am trapped...'

"JIRAIYA-SAMA!" He heard barely yelled from outside, as he tried to think.

'No choice. It's either that or I am dead.'

Quickly uncapping the protector seal of his summoning contract scroll on his back, Jiraiya set the scroll down in front of him and bit his thumb, and ensured each one of his fingers had touched the bleeding up to only see blinding red lava, he cursed aloud and ran through the summoning jutsu seal chain as fast as he could go, "Kuchiyose no jutsu!" He then slammed down on where he had once signed the scroll with his hand print, and looked up again to see the bubbling lava was now upon him, and shut his eyes.

Within an instant he felt the incinerating heat disappear, and his lungs were now greeted with a humid but moist like air. He also was given the impression as if he was falling. Opening his eyes, he was met with the familiar giant plant filled world of Myobokuzan as he always remembered.

'So I made it in time...'

Realising he was now falling from several hundred meters above ground , he cursed.

Seeing the empty field he was falling towards, the only thing he could do was yell out his predicament. 'This is going to hurt.'

When he was roughly thirty meters from crashing into the grass, he felt something enwrap around him like a rope, and then his fall came to an abrupt stop. Voicing out his puzzlement with a grunt, he was rewarded with the supporting rope that looked like a tongue suddenly releasing him, making him hit the ground face first.

"Ow!"

"Quit ya yappin' Jiraiya-chan!" A scolding voice called out nearby.

Rubbing his face, Jiraiya pushed himself up to sitting, as he glared at the source, "You did not have to drop me like that Fukusaku!"

Said small green toad sage already was glaring in a scolding matter, "There is a reason we set up that puddle in Konoha for PROPER transportation between the realms...it was t'stop ya from fallin' out of the sky like a bug! Consider yourself lucky you were summoned here, and not at tha edge of the mountain, little Jiraiya."

Grumbling, Jiraiya stood up and brushed himself off, "I didn't exactly have the luxury to reverse summon properly! I was about to be completely covered in lava you know!"

The elder sage perked his eyebrow, but softened his scolding expression, "Very well then...Where is the contract?"

Jiraiya suddenly went wide eyed as he looked over his shoulder to see his seal container was still open, 'This is not going to end well...'

"...Probably turned into ash by now."

The sudden silence made the sannin gulp, as Fukusaku's glare returned full force, "Ya left it behind?! Makin' a new one is not something that is trivial ya know!?"

As the sage was venting his frustration, Jiraiya was thinking otherwise, 'I need to get back to them, and fast.'

Fukusaku stopped his ranting when Jiraiya suddenly turned and ran, "Oi! I'm not done with you yet ya careless tadpole!"

"Give me a more sexier version of your scolding later, I have to find 'Bunta."

"Eh?! Jiraiya-chan you stupid pervert, wait up and tell me what's happenin'!"

The toad quickly caught up and stood on the sannin's shoulder, while Jiraiya groaned, "If you insist..."

-

End flashback

-

'I should have also told Fukusaku to send someone to tell them I was ok...damn I was stupid.' Jiraiya scolded himself.

Jiraiya gaped when Naruto began to laugh in hysterics, "I-I don't know whether to be really angry or happy."

"Oh? Maybe I should have stayed in the toad realm where I was welcomed a little longer then-"

"Ero-sennin!"

Laughing Jiraiya half hugged his apprentice, "I'm sorry I made you all think that, Naruto."

Sakura only watched the exchange with a soft smile, while rubbing her teary eyes. Jiraiya looked over and let out a snicker, "Don't tell me you are going to hit me as well. You might just make what you all assumed a reality if you do."

She chuckled through her sniffle, but recomposed herself to smile, "I damn well should, you have any idea how much of a wreck you made Naruto?"

Jiraiya smirked, "I already know about that, but what I want to know was how it affected you?"

Groaning, Sakura admitted it, "It is great to see you are ok, Jiraiya-sama...You had me too."

Jiraiya could only chuckle, "And just when I thought you hated me."

Ignoring her, 'I still do.' retort, he then turned over to the otherwise passively postured Kakashi.

"You do not seem as surprised?"

"I knew something was incredibly wrong. Despite Mangetsu's profile, unless you really are getting too old for your position, I knew you would not have been defeated so easily. I did not share my suspicions with the others, because I did not wish to bring false hope to only have it shatter tenfold if I was wrong."

Scoffing the sannin glared, "Let's get something straight here for the last time...all of you!-"

He shook the still embracing Naruto to get his attention, "-I, the brave and gallant Jiraiya...AM NOT THAT OLD! I am fifty three! The same age as the twenty year old looking Tsunade!"

The long overdue laughter shared amongst them finally broke the tense atmosphere. Mumbling his own curses at their antics, Jiraiya pulled Naruto back a bit to inspect him.

He hissed at the sight of his hands, "Ouch gaki! Sakura, fix this buffoon up. Kakashi, please fill me in on what is going on here, although I have already worked out most of what is happening."

Sakura did as instructed, and pulled Naruto away to the side, and looked at his hands, "Jeez. You really are so out of control."

"Did you look at Hinata's arm?"

Gaping at him for a moment, she recovered with a smile, "She is ok now Naruto."

"And Shikamaru and the others?"

"They were fine before I left Naruto. Also, I am sure Hinata saw Jiraiya-sama return before we did, and warned the others to take cover."

Gasping when she felt his partially healed hands enclose on her own, she looked up to see his deep concern, "What about you? You were ramming into things left and right before?!"

She could have mistaken herself as the one being treated with the way he was inspecting for even the smallest of injuries.

Taking a moment to react, she sheepishly shook her head, cutting into his incoherent concerned mumbles, "I'm alright Naruto."

Jiraiya, whose interest was on Gamabunta, scratched his head, "I trust nothing too bad has happened so far?"

"Hai. However, as I am sure you have worked out, Ronan and his group are already attacking."

"Yep. I am certain 'bunta can handle the squid summon by himself, the only real issue there is to make sure we stay out of their way. "

"So assuming the others are not injured, we may have the upper hand now?"

"If all goes well-"

A sudden explosion in the distance caused Jiraiya to gape in surprise, as a mushroom cloud started to form. Even Gamabunta let out a surprised grunt before having to refocus on Wani. Kakashi sighed, "Looks like he has come back for more."

Quickly glancing at Naruto and Sakura who were watching in worry, Kakashi then nodded to Jiraiya, "Watch over them, Jiraiya-sama."Kakashi then disappeared, leaving only several leaves behind where he once stood.

Jiraiya turned his attention to the teens, "So that is the explosives expert over there, and Ronan and the swordsman are accounted for. Is there anyone else other than the summoner?"

Returning to mending Naruto's hands, Sakura answered, "I ran into Claara on the way here, I didn't see what happened to her when you destroyed the barrier."

Quickly remembering something, Sakura hastily added, "And Hinata discovered the squid summoner was knocked out from the jutsu he used."

Jiraiya's eyes partially widened at her information, "Claara? You do not mean Tsuta Claara from Grass country?"

Stopping to share an equally surprised look with her teammate, Sakura nodded, "Yes...do you know her?"

Jiraiya scratched his head while thinking deep back, "I have heard about her from the spies in Grass country such a long time back. She was a jounin, and was known for her talents in infiltration, creation of poisons, but more so known for her talents in profiling. She was said to be a dirty fighter, fighting on not just a physical level, but also psychologically. From what I remember, she defiled from Grass years ago after she killed her husband...but I thought she was dead?"

"S-She killed her husband? W-Why?!" Sakura staggered out, not answering Jiraiya's question. Jiraiya's shrug left Sakura in bafflement.

"Who cares about that, the problem is that hag has a grudge against Sakura-chan."

Finishing healing his hands, Sakura let them go, "I have found out why."

Retelling their little conversation, Naruto was now more so worried than in awe, but he didn't comment.

The sannin just sighed while scratching his head, "Well that makes life so much easier." He mumbled with sarcasm, but continued as he rose his hand to point at something above.

"It won't be long till they have found us again."

Both teammates followed the gesture to see the hawk flying overhead, however, they interpreted it differently, "That's not-"

"T-The Akatsuki!"

Their shouts made the sannin perk an eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"

'Just how much did I miss?'

When they had settled, Naruto quickly filled Jiraiya in, "Itachi is here?! But that bird belongs to Ronan."

"N-No we saw it, it was perched on his shoulder, that is Itachi's!"

Shaking his head in complete bafflement, Jiraiya moved on, "Anyway, the point is the other three will be back here soon. What will we do?"

The sannin's question stifled their panic, and made both look at the ground, "You are giving us a choice?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Well the original plan was to tell you both to run, and let me handle the-"

"We are not doing that!"

"-But you both won't let me do that, so I am asking you to decide."

Both looked at each other in concern for the other. Sakura knew what Naruto was going to suggest, and she was very certain Naruto was going to suggest the same thing but to her.

Run, and let the other handle it.

The realisation resulted in a somehow long stare off, as the sannin looked at them back and forth as if to tell them to hurry up. Remembering something that happened that felt such a while back, she held determination across her face.

"Let me ask you something."

Naruto's questioning gaze prompted her to go on, "Do you believe in me, Naruto?"

The reversed question made the blond gape for a moment, but recomposed with a fox smile, "I do Sakura-chan."

Softening her expression to bare a smile, she nodded, "I believe in you too."

Jiraiya so wished the situation was not so frantic, he would be at his notepad so quick to not miss any little detail in their interaction. He could easily write an entire chapter worth on their body language alone.

'Something has happened between them...I know it.'

Finally breaking away from their exchange of smiles, Naruto grew serious, "Let's put an end to this crap, Ero-sennin!"

Smirking, the sannin rolled up his sleeve, "That is what I thought you were going to say."

"Let's see you insult my artwork now with your witty remarks, hmm!" Deidara roared, as he once again was flying above, this time on a clay crafted owl.

Shikamaru cursed, "Great, just what we needed."

Avoiding an exploding bird that was guided on him, Lee threw a handful of shurikens. Deidara only scoffed at the attempt, as his bird effortlessly evaded, "You are dreaming if you are going to hit me with toys like that, hmm!"

"Shikamaru-kun-"

"Yeah I know Lee. We once again can't get to him."

Struggling to move out of the way with carrying Kiba, Shino quickly heaved the Inuzuka onto his shoulder, and dived from an incoming bird. Kiba cursed being such a hindrance, "Put me down Shino!"

"Don't get hasty, you are in no condition to move around." Shino countered without compromise, throwing a kunai to connect at another exploding bird, causing it to detonate in midair.

Kakashi now was approaching in the distance, his sharingan fixed on Deidara from behind, 'How to knock him down. He hasn't seen me yet.' Looking around for possibilities, he stopped when he saw the towering two summons not far away.

'That will work.'

Changing course, Kakashi sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him towards the giant toad.

His Sharingan eye widened when suddenly Gamabunta had quickly darted to the side, making the ground at his feet break apart from the sudden tremor. Thinking it was over, he was about to resume closing in, until then both his eyes bulged at the sudden slimy blob the was Wani about to crash against him. Kakashi was hit head-on by the living wall, and disappeared like a spec under the giant summons body.

'poof'

Kakashi let out a deep sigh, thanking the person who invented kawarimi no jutsu. Although the crushed object he switched places with would beg to differ. Feeling it was safe, he resumed cautiously until he was directly behind Gamabunta.

Not wasting time in case he moved again, Kakashi dashed all the way up the giants back, "Huh?! Is that you Jiraiya, Naruto?" The entire body shook in question, while Kakashi made it to the top of the head.

"It is not I am afraid, Gamabunta-san."

"What the- who are you?! Get off my head!" Gamabunta growled, shaking his head rapidly, even though the Hatake defied all odds and wasn't even shaken.

"Easy, it is me, Kakashi."

"Eh?...Minato's student?"

"Yes, I need you to do something for me." Despite Gamabunta's words being easily heard for miles, Deidara and the victims he was terrorising never payed any attention.

"What's the matter hmm?! Can't reach me?!" Dropping another wave of explosions down below, Shikamaru covered his face from a blast that was close enough to send debris flying into him, knocking him off his feet, and crashing on the damp floor.

Deidara smirked, while reeling his hand back, "ENJOY!" He roared, as he thrust his hand down at Shikamaru's fallen form, launching out a long centipede from his hand that was shooting down almost like an arrow. The Nara couldn't move, as he suddenly was impaled by the sculpture, and gasped.

'poof'

Deidara grinded his teeth as he saw the thing he impaled was a drenched box before the centipede exploded, "Heh, I think it is time to show you another sample of my C-3, Hmm-Huh?"

Deidara paused in his taunt in question when it suddenly had gotten dark. Looking up, he went wide eyed to see Kakashi falling down with a chirping Raikiri in his left hand. Shikamaru and the others were blinded by the sudden wild electricity wildly lashing out above the bird.

That was until Kakashi suddenly came straight through the bird from its centre, dragging down the Iwa nin who appeared to be impaled in the chest by the Raikiri.

'He got him?' They all mused in shock, until Hinata's eyes suddenly widened further to show panic.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Soon everyone saw what was amiss, as upon crashing into the ground, the 'Deidara' Kakashi had dragged down was discoloured, and looked very similar to the clay he used.

'A clay substitute?!'

The bird soon crashed nearby, causing all heads to turn to suddenly see it's scalp tear open, revealing the uninjured Iwa nin standing on the top of the inactive sculpture.

"You!" Deidara growled, both his hands jammed into his bags.

Kakashi with a harsh tug freed himself from the grasp of the clay clone and stood, "All of you go to Naruto. Leave him to me."

Shikamaru nodded, "Very well, let's go-"

"Kiba, can you manage to walk?" Shino sharply cut the Nara off, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

"Of course I can damn it!" Kiba assured, frustrated at his situation.

He was shocked when Shino lowered him and then walked to Kakashi, "I shall aid you Kakashi-sensei."

The scarecrow met eye to goggle with the bug user, and nodded, "Fine...but the rest of you go."

Stumbling to his feet, Kiba lead the way, "Come on already!"

Mumbling curses, Shikamaru followed, 'So Shino and Kakashi are handling that guy. The toad is taking care of Wani. With Jiraiya-sama back, we now have much more of a chance. The only question now is where is the back-'

Shikamaru's thoughts were halted when he collided with the Inuzuka's back, almost knocking the exhausted shinobi over.

"What on earth Kiba? If you are too tired to take point then step asi-"

"W-Who the hell is that?" Kiba stuttered out in shock, as Shikamaru looked in front to see one lone figure blocking their path.

The person was a giant compared to them, standing at around six feet in height. The man's head was mostly covered by a white hood and a black mask, with only his cold inhuman like eyes that were a mixture of green pupils, and red sclera being visible. The scratched out forehead protector told he was from Takigakure.

What had Shikamaru's mouth hang wide open was the long black cloak the man was wearing, with the blood red clouds covering it all over.

'...The backup I hunched on.' Shikamaru finally finished his thoughts.

"Akatsuki." Shikamaru announced, causing Hinata and Kiba's already wide eyes to bulge, while Lee unconsciously tensed.

'This is the group that is after Naruto-kun?' Hinata mused in shock, as her byakugan soon threw her into bafflement.

'W-What on earth is this guy? Why do I see five different chakra signatures flowing within his body?'

'Itachi, you better not screw up with the jinkuriki...or more importantly my bounty!' Kakuzu inwardly fumed, while his eyes focused on the group before him.

"None of you shall pass." Kakuzu stated like it was the law.

Shikamaru scoffed, "Listen, we know you are only here to protect your organisations future target. Why don't we just collaborate and take care of this hassle of a situation?"

Shikamaru's words had made Kiba looked at him like he was completely insane.

"S-Shikamaru-kun?" Hinata muttered in shock, while Lee decided to withhold his judgement for now.

Kakuzu gave a dry chuckle, "Negotiating with the enemy...what an interesting tactic. It would be a clever move, and would be quite convenient to say the least...However, I can easily foresee the opportunity that would arise for you to take advantage of the situation, and dispose of me." Kakuzu replied, deciding to keep Itachi's presence a mystery, even if they already knew.

Shikamaru formed a scowl at the stale response, "Wouldn't that be the same for your side as well?"

Kiba continued to look at Shikamaru in pure disbelief, 'Last time I know he talked to the enemy for a good reason...but I don't see what on earth he is thinking this time other than...well, what he is suggesting?!'

Kakuzu gave an amused 'Hmmph', but this time remained silent, 'This one is interesting.'

Suddenly Kakuzu felt his entire body jolt, but when he tried to react to the odd sensation, he discovered he could no longer move. Shifting his eyes to the damp ground, he could see what appeared to be a thin lined shadow that was connected to his own.

Looking up again he now saw Shikamaru holding a seal, "Then we will skip the easy way then. Everyone, leave me with hi-?"

Shikamaru stopped his order when he saw Hinata begin to dash towards him, but then his gaze locked to in front when suddenly the ground before him erupted.

Before he could identify the object as a hand, the hand constricted around his throat, suddenly denying him air as he felt his throat beginning to be crushed.

"SHIKAMARU-KU-GAH!" Hinata tried to cry out, only to have another hand erupt at the same time as the other, and punched her square in the face with such unbelievable force, it knocked her off her feet.

Shikamaru tried to grab onto the arm of the offending hand in his struggles, until he suddenly realised...there was no arm on the end, instead there was some strange black tendrils, that were connected to a large pulsating object in the ground.

Kakuzu's snicker made the blurring visioned Nara look up in shock, "Easy way out indeed. You thought you could buy time for your jutsu to reach me by having idle chit chat, and I wouldn't notice. I will admit I didn't notice, however, you know just as much about me as I know about you...Nothing."

Suddenly the hand's grasp constricted further, making the Nara start to gag.

Kiba finally had recovered from his shock, and nodded to Akamaru, "Let's get him Akamaru!" Stumbling for the first step, the Inuzuka pressed into a dash towards the now free Kakuzu.

Despite the incoming pair, Kakuzu simply stared at them, 'Hmmph, what a nuisance.'

Kiba was about to begin gatsuuga, but Kakuzu suddenly bolted from his spot with unimaginable speed, and greeted Kiba to a kick that knocked the wind out of him. Akamaru tried to lunge to his masters defence, but Kakuzu spun around and delivered a round house kick straight into the dogs face, causing it to cry out in pain as it slid back several feet next to the still struggling to remain conscious Shikamaru.

Shikamaru finally was set free by a swipe from Lee's spear next to him, now rendering the hand lifeless, as it fell to the ground. Choking and gasping for air, Shikamaru was on his hands and knees, 'W-What on earth was that?!'

Shikamaru suddenly felt Lee scoop him up, and jump back as the strange pulsating object's tendrils lashed out at them, only to then reconnect to the hand, bringing the scurrying thing back to life.

Both the hands however, relented and crawled back towards their owner, who was again staring them down.

Kiba had dragged himself over to his companion, to check on him, but soon cursed, "Damn it..."

Hinata rubbed the bruise on her face, and stood up, 'He is strong...'

Finally regaining his vision from the fresh air he was denied, Shikamaru tried to think.

'Kiba and Akamaru are out of this fight, which leaves just me, Hinata, and Lee. I have no idea what on earth that was, but it is clear this guy is very cautious. While I was laying my trap, so was he.'

"Are you ok Shikamaru-kun?" Lee asked, his eyes still locked on Kakuzu.

"*Cough* *Cough*...Yeah."

"...What are your orders?" Lee prompted, as he watched the strange objects disappear up Kakuzu's sleeves of his Akatsuki cloak, which soon streamed up to only just being able to see his hands now reconnected and bound with several black stitches.

Pushing himself off the ground, Shikamaru focussed, "Unfortunately Lee he is not going to move for us, and he is too strong to leave one of us here to distract him...we will have to fight him all together and move on. Kiba, stay out of this fight with Akamaru, you are too exhausted from earlier."

Gritting his teeth at his hurt pride, Kiba reluctantly nodded, while stroking his unconscious companion's head. Hinata had now rejoined them, as Shikamaru got to work, "Lee, you are the strongest of us, you will be the one to engage him. Hinata and I will be your support."

"Hai!"

Jiraiya tilted his head over his shoulder when his senses picked up the incoming danger, 'They are here.'

Turning back to the teens, he exchanged a nod, "Alright you two, remember, we must try and stay together." Both nodded, although they were wondering why Jiraiya still had his hands in a seal for what seemed like a few minutes now.

Jiraiya then looked to Sakura, "By the way..Please forgive me if I displease you." She perked an eyebrow in confusion to the sudden out of place statement, but he turned and greeted their guests.

Ronan was standing in front, with Mangetsu and Claara at his sides.

Mangetsu's thrill was ever present, "So you survived? I knew something was amiss when Ryujin was not satisfied."

Jiraiya chuckled, "Well then my apologies for causing you such drama, I had to leave our little fight early. But you won't have to worry about me leaving this time, I am prepared for you."

Mangetsu gave a smirk that revealed his piranha teeth, "That you have...you have put on more makeup. As flattering as that is, I am not interested." Mangetsu teased, noticing the extra marking on the sannin's face around his eyes.

Jiraiya responded with a smirk, but chose to not say anything, 'As I have heard, he is the real kind that is hungry for blood.'

"Uzumaki Naruto..." Ronan announced dryly, silencing Mangetsu from further talking.

The Uchiha's emotionless sharingan eyes locked with oceanic blue, "...Let us put this entire disaster to rest. One way or the other, both outcomes will satisfy those that have been struck in this chaos."

Comprehending what Ronan meant with saying that, Naruto's jaw hung open, 'H-He means he now see's he is at fault...but he still wants to try and kill me?!'

"I-It doesn't have to be this way. We can just stop this entire thing...Nobody here has to get hurt or worse."

"It does not work that way-"

"-WHY THE HELL NOT!?!" Naruto retorted, as the still emotionless Uchiha pulled out a kunai.

"I have out casted myself from my own village, gone against my hokage's ideals, and manipulated and injured so many...there is no place for me to return to now that will welcome me. Not in Konoha, nor anywhere. I have no choice but to push forward, the deaths of my comrades that was my responsibility would be in vein otherwise if I back down now."

Naruto refused to accept those words, frantically shaking his head, while not understanding why he just saw Sasuke standing before him, and not Ronan.

"THAT IS BULLSHIT!"

Sakura could only stare in shock at Naruto's emotion filled yell, "Still keeping this going is not the answer! Nobody would look down on you for stopping! WHY DO WE HAVE TO FIGHT?!"

"You said you would beat me until I desist, well my response to you is if you wish to keep your word... then you will have to kill me."

Naruto clenched his teeth together, "I will stop you...-"

Naruto then glared hard into those lifeless sharingan eyes, "-But I will not kill you!"

Seeing the Uchiha not respond, Naruto clarified, "There is no point taking something as big as a life from someone over nothing!"

Clenching his trembling fist, Naruto pressed on, "Before you came here, I wanted to kill you...I wanted to make you feel all the horrible things I felt when I thought Ero-sennin was dead. But I know now all I was doing was adding more problems to everything, just for the sake of knowing I got even...everyone always seems to want to kill someone for some stupid reason, and all it does is hurt everyone around us, and then they want to avenge their precious person...it's like throwing a freaking ball back and forth-"

'...Sasuke...'

"- ....I CANT STAND THIS CRAP ANYMORE, I DON'T CARE HOW HARD IT IS, OR HOW TO CHANGE IT, BUT I PROMISE I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO END THIS NEVER ENDING CIRCLE OF HATRED!"

Jiraiya could only inwardly smile in pride for his apprentices ways, 'A true example of what I believe this generation will bring to this war filled world...could he be...could I really have finally found...'

Sakura could only stare in pure disbelief at what Naruto just said, 'Naruto...'

She was feeling her eyes go glassy, but she stayed strong and grew a soft smile, 'You really know what to say when the moment calls for it...baka.'

Ronan's 'hmmph' pulled both out of their musing, "Then you have lost this battle. However, I guess I owe you thanks..."

Naruto calmed down as he watched the Uchiha close his eyes, "If it was not for you, I would never have realised what it is I have done. Finally freeing me from my blind anger, and making me become aware of just how important everything was to me...however, I carelessly threw it all away. It was I that has caused their pain and suffering to continue, It was I who has made those people who sacrificed their lives be tossed aside with little meaning..."

He then opened his eyes, which resulted in both Naruto and Jiraiya bulging in result. Sakura looked in pure bafflement.

Within those hurt eyes were not the sharingan all three of them were used to seeing.

The three black tomoe of the sharingan were no longer present, instead they had changed into three small black outlined rings, each connected to what appeared to be circle within the iris. In its centre was the black pupil, which had joined to it three curved lines piercing through each of the rings to touch the corners of the eye. It almost appeared like an oddly shaped stared shuriken if the pierced rings were removed.

"Uzumaki Naruto...you have opened my eyes to reality."

AN: Since I know this kind of thing is a little hard to picture in words, I have provided an image shack link on my profile page.

I had several other designs, however most did not follow the three point rule of the sharingan. Showing them to some friends, they all came to choosing this one as the best of the bunch.

I based the design on a mixture of Kakashi's and Madara's, although I am sure you can see that already.

As always please give me feedback.