What's up, guys? Sorry for the later update on this one, and just as a heads up the next couple one's might take a little bit longer to happen as work is picking up a lot with my return to the 'States. Don't worry though, I will be finishing the story, and I refuse to abandon it. All I'm saying is that it might take a little bit longer than originally anticipated. Anyways, thanks for all the feedback you guys are giving me, I'm glad to see that you all are enjoying the story so far, really happy you all enjoyed the fight with Kisame. Anyways, onto the newest chapter!


Chapter 24

Change of Heart


Life's hardest choices are the ones that force you to question your own moral code. It's all a matter of perspective, really. There is no single path through life that's right and fair and does no harm yet still grants the outcome one desires. Significance comes not from a single act, but the context in which it is performed, and inversely, it can also be said that people are quick to judge others, yet slow to correct themselves. These were the thoughts that ran through the mind of the Last Uzumaki as he left the office of his Hokage and began walking through the streets of the village he was sworn to protect.

Naruto allowed a small sigh to grace his lips as he moved, rolling the joints in his neck to alleviate some of the tension he felt there. It had only been a mere three days since his battle with the now deceased Kisame, putting the now dwindling organization that was Akatsuki down yet another member, so far all known members dead by his hand. It was still an unfortunate situation though, as Sasuke had been unable to defeat his brother in single combat. It hadn't been due to his lack of skill, however, as Itachi had retreated from the battle entirely as he felt the death of his partner and the coming arrival of the Konohagakure Shinobi that were no doubt on their way to provide backup.

Itachi was no fool, and he was very well aware of his limits. He was definitely a strong shinobi in his own right, but he had been in prolonged combat for quite a while now, sustaining damage from both Naruto and Sasuke, and though he had no doubt that he could come out on top against another opponent, fighting against the several ninja in a solo engagement against an unknown force was never a good idea. So the older Uchiha had cut his losses and left, leaving behind a wounded Sasuke and a dead Kisame, already knowing that Pain would be somewhat irritated with the loss of yet another member to the Kyuubi Jinchuriki.

But the Hokage, in his infinite wisdom, had prevented the Blonde Jounin from pursuing his enemy, and ordered him to stand down, and reluctantly he had obeyed. Orders were orders, after all, and he had never been one to truly disobey them without good cause. At least there was a reason behind it, this time though, and all things considered, he might actually get to enjoy this mission, considering where it would be taking him.

The elite Jounin replayed the events from the briefing he had just received from the Hokage himself in his mind, going over the key details that he would need to remember over the coming days. The Raikage had requested Konoha's assistance with a growing problem in Lightning Country, something that he felt that the Leaf-Nin had more experience dealing with than his own did, under the circumstances. He was acting under pretense of the recent treaty that had been signed, and honestly it was a clever play. Best case scenario, the Leaf ninja took out the issue at the source and the problem was eliminated, strengthening the alliance between the two countries, while a worst case scenario meant that the leaf was out some of its shinobi, cementing Kumo as the strongest village in case of an attack. A win-win situation, really.

The situation itself was… peculiar, to say the least. Citizens in the surrounding villages around Kumo had gone missing. It was a case that was oddly familiar to the happenings in Konoha only several years prior, the eventual cause being determined to be Orochimaru, kidnapping men, women, and children alike in his quest for research and further mastery of all known to man. It was unknown to the higher echelons in the Leaf just how long it had been going on, but when the pale faced former student of the Sandaime had been discovered, it had been the final straw that allowed Orochimaru to cement his decision into becoming a missing-nin.

But the Snake Sannin was dead, killed by the late Jiraiya's own hand, so the reports now were very troubling. If someone was attempting to recreate or continue the experiments that the crazed scientist had been going through, they needed to be put down as soon as possible. The things that had been reported to them, the atrocities that had been committed against the bodies, it was enough to make a lesser man vomit. Unfortunately or fortunately though, depending on your outlooks of things, Naruto was simply unfazed by the photos that he'd seen, the acts he'd both witnessed and committed long since stealing his innocence from him.

The same couldn't be said for three of the four members that would be tagging along with him though, only their Jounin-Sensei remaining cool during the briefing. And why wouldn't he, the man had certainly lived through and seen some shit, to say the least, but then again, the Twelve Ninja Guardians wouldn't recruit or take just anybody into their ranks, and Sarutobi Asuma was no exception to the rule. The man was a capable and powerful Jounin in his own right, and he certainly lived up to being the last surviving member of the Sarutobi Clan, following the death of his father Hiruzen, and his orphaned nephew Konohamaru.

About seven years prior to Naruto's admission to the Konoha Academy, Asuma had had a disagreement with his father and had left the village to pursue his own personal interests. During his absence, the chain smoker had become one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, an elite group of shinobi that protected the Land of Fire's daimyo, a feat he was immensely proud of as he continued to wear the sash he'd earned around his waist. During this time he'd developed a strong friendship with the monk Chiriku, a man who would go on to become the head monk of the Fire Temple.

Yet his exploits were not over quite yet, as prior to his eventual return to Konohagakure to resume active military duty, he had accumulated a bounty of 35 million ryō on the black market, something he had always seemed to be particularly proud of, considering it a testament of his skill, even going as far as to brag that his bounty was 5 million more than his friend Chiriku's. After returning to the village, Asuma had actively resumed his jōnin duties and became a Jounin-Sensei for several groups of budding shinobi, though it was quite obvious that the laid back man was the most proud of his current group, the latest generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation.

The final Sarutobi was a generally tall man, with brown eyes, olive skin, short black spiky hair, and a matching beard. His clothing consisted of the standard Konoha ninja uniform with the sleeves rolled up half way, a Jounin flak jacket, the standard shinobi combat sandals and a Leaf Hitai-Ite that was proudly on display on his forehead. He also wore a sash that had the kanji for "Fire" marked on it around his waist, with a pair of black bangles, and bandages wrapped around the arms of his sleeves that completed the ensemble of the imposing and deadly, yet laid back and kind man. He'd managed to keep a emotionless visage during the briefing, yet underneath he was slightly upset by the whole development.

The three Chunin members of his squad though, were another story altogether, and the three young adults had varying reactions as different as their appearances. The first one that Naruto had reintroduced himself to was Nara Shikamaru, the only child of Yoshino and Shikaku, and the eventual heir to the Nara Clan. He had managed to keep a somewhat indifferent façade during the briefing, but a skilled observer like the Last Uzumaki and Sarutobi had been able to pick up on the small facial tics and ques left behind that showed he was still somewhat disturbed by the situation.

Shikamaru was naturally a lazy person and his inclination had always been to do as little work as possible, preferring to spend his days sleeping, watching the clouds, or playing games of shōgi instead of working or training. Yet, although lazy by nature, the lethargic man possessed a rare intellect that consistently allowed him to prevail in combat, devising strategies and counter-plays that were absolutely mind boggling in nature, allowing his team to come out on top in more than one situation.

The unassuming Nara had narrow brown eyes and typically wore an expression suggesting that he was either bored or irritated. His shoulder length black hair was tied in a spiky ponytail, a style he'd picked up from his father and had kept throughout his life so far. After becoming a Chunin, the lazy genius had elected to disregard almost the entirety of his personalized wardrobe in favor of the standard Konoha-nin outfit, the only customizations being green-lined mesh armor on his wrists and ankles and the plate of his forehead protector being sewn into his left sleeve. He had also replaced the traditional hoop earrings of his clan for simple studs, a gift from his sensei Asuma.

This had brought the blonde to the second member of the group, and one of the first people he had actually met when he first moved back to Konoha, one Yamanaka Ino. The woman was admittedly quite attractive, she had fair skin, blue eyes, and long platinum blonde hair that was kept in a ponytail, with bangs framing the right side of her face and hiding her eye. Her outfit was very befitting of her figure, something she was quite proud of as her outfit was slightly more revealing than other kunoichi. She had discarded her Hitai-Ite and the bandages she'd worn in her youth, choosing now to expose her midriff while wearing mesh armor on her thighs, elbows and knees.

In each ear was a single silver stud, once again a gift from her sensei and friend, Asuma. Other than that, her entire outfit was a deep purple, proudly showing off the favorite color of the fiery woman. Ino was noted to be an exceptional kunoichi by Asuma, something he'd learned during the briefing he'd received, an additionally her father Inoichi had stated that she has the potential to become the greatest member of the Yamanaka clan. The woman, while not holding a candle to the likes of Sakura or Tsunade, was still an exceptional medic-nin, and was quite proficient in her clans mind walking techniques, and it was because of the latter that she seemed so horrified over the atrocities that had been committed to these people both before and after they had died.

But strangely, the strongest reaction had come from the fourth and final member of Team Ten, Akamichi Chouji, who had actually dropped the bag of chips he had happily been eating when his eyes took in the photographs of the mutilated and experimented upon bodies. Chouji was a very kind, polite, and caring person, the traits from his childhood shining through now even as a young adult. These characteristics were often said to be his greatest strength by both his father Chōza and his teacher Asuma, while his greatest weakness was admittedly his lack of self-confidence.

The large man had been and still was easily motivated by the prospect of food, though it was noted that he became highly agitated if somebody were to call him "fat" (he preferred to refer to himself as "big-boned", or "chubby"), while Asuma would only say that he was just "pleasantly plump". However, he would never hide his love for food and his near constant hunger is also an annoyance to his teammates, as eating often comes before other necessities such as stealth and teamwork, though in his later years he had begun to overcome the issues and focus more on the mission at hand over a meal, his food no longer interfering with his duties as a shinobi.

The large man's attire was quite different from his two co-Chunin, as he sported a red suit with plated armor on his torso, arms, and upper legs, having the same kanji for "food" on the front, bearing a remarkable resemblance to a samurai with the getup. He wore a standard red Hitai-Ite, the Leaf etching on display on his forehead and like the two other members of his team, the rotund man wore two stud in either ear, receiving them for his teacher the same as his partners. Over his armor, he wore the standardized green Konoha flak jacket, though it was notably unzipped near the top.

Naruto sighed as he finished going over the details of the members of Team Ten in his head, knowing that there was more than one reason the Hokage had chosen this particular team to be his relief for the coming mission. The first and most obvious purpose was that the chance of combat with an enemy source was highly likely, and while he was more than capable of defending himself, his leader had expressed interest in having this particular adversary captured, if possible, and Team Ten was a capture and interrogation team. It made sense in that matter, Shikamaru used his shadow Ninjutsu to bind the target while it fought against Chouji, the close range expert, after which Ino would mind walk against them, with Asuma providing support when needed.

But that was where he came in. The Last Uzumaki was no slouch, he knew that at the moment he was probably the strongest shinobi that the Leaf had to offer, save for maybe Tsunade and the Hokage himself. That was why he was on this mission and why he was given joint command of the operation with the final Sarutobi, if this threat was really the second coming of Orochimaru, then it needed to be put down like a sick dog, and that was something that Naruto was very, very capable of doing, with or without the help of Team Ten.

The second, underlying reason that this team had been sent along was to 'unofficially' keep an eye on him, and to report back to the Hokage on his mental and moral state. It wasn't uncommon, really. It had happened before with other shinobi, and it would happen again long after he had passed on. But that wasn't what irritated Naruto about the situation, no that was that his Hokage, his leader had neglected to tell him of this part, done it behind his back, treated him as if he were too stupid to not figure it out. But the blonde Jounin was not a dumb person, and while he may not have possessed the intellect of Shikamaru, he was certainly capable of figuring things out on his own.

That was why the situation irritated him, he knew the Hokage was watching him, evaluating him like he was some sort of risk or threat to the village. Him! The one who had defended it time and again against threats both foreign and domestic, he was being watched because of certain tendencies he'd taken to, patterns that the Hokage himself had fallen into earlier in his life as well. Naruto had lost everything that was important to him. Everyone he loved had died, taken from him, and now he was being denied the revenge he so rightfully deserved, instead being sent on missions around the elemental nations to work for other interests.

Hell, when Kisame and Itachi had attacked him he had been borderline happy for the first time in the weeks since Jiraiya's death. He had been able to strike back against the organization that had taken his Godfather from him, and he would have happily killed off Itachi had he been able to as well, but that was what worried Kakashi. He could see it, the younger man's world was becoming unraveled, and his passion was now vengeance against the organization that had wronged him so, and it was all he could to keep the man in check. When Akatsuki had attacked him in Konoha, he hadn't even gone for help, and the two members that had assaulted him were on the top ten listing for the most dangerous criminals in the known world!

The sole survivor of the Hatake Clan could see it in his eyes. Naruto no longer cared if he lived or died, walking his days now only in service of his village, and even then, only in an effort to bring himself closer to the single man who had taken the last shred of humanity from him, this 'Pain'. This is what had angered the Uzumaki so, knowing that he had a definitive location on his enemy, yet being forbidden to pursue him, the only thing holding him back being the small amount of self-control he had, and the immense respect he held for Kakashi with his loyalty to the village. But those inhibitions could only hold someone with an insatiable hunger like his back for so long before they snapped, consuming everything in their path, regardless of them being friend or foe.

The Last Uzumaki breathed in and out softly as he walked towards his home, before abruptly turning and heading towards his new stomping grounds, shaking his head in an effort to clear his thoughts. Regardless of his personal feelings, he had a mission to complete, and as he had already accepted it, he was honor bound to put his best foot forward. It wouldn't due for him to start off a mission on a bad foot caused by his own self-pity, regardless of how warranted it was. As he entered the small and well-kept area that housed the Memorial Stone, he closed his eyes, allowing himself to become one with the energies around him, molding the nature chakra with his own as he stood.

With any luck, this new man who fancied himself after Orochimaru would put up a decent fight, he could use another good scrap to hone his skills. Everything was training, after all, and if he was going to take down the leader of Amegakure, he'd need every trick he had and more.


"…Team Samui will be the meeting and acting Kumogakure representatives for the duration of the Konoha groups' investigation." The Raikage's assistant, Mabui finished, taking in the looks of each member in of the aforementioned team in stride as she collected the folders she had previously given each of them, the information for their coming assignment within. The team seemed to be taking the news rather well, and it was a good thing in all honesty. If the two once so opposed villages were going to be working alongside each other and were going to build a lasting peace, then coalition between the smallest echelons was imperative.

"The team will be arriving at the rendezvous point in just under a week, you are to meet with them and provide any support and assistance that you can to the operation, in addition to keeping an eye on your Konoha counterparts. Though the villages of Leaf and Cloud are in a period of peace, it is unwise to not keep tabs on an unsure support. Are you clear on your orders?" The silver haired woman looked around the room once, briefly making eye contact with the one man and two women that comprised Team Samui, before she nodded once, stacking the papers on the desk behind her as she turned. "Dismissed."

"Oh man… I wonder what this crazy mad scientist guy is doing, maybe he's the second coming of Orochimaru? Maybe he's actually Orochimaru himself and the guy wasn't actually killed in Konoha's war? Damn guys, I'm good and all, but I don't think I'm good enough to-" The dark-skinned swordsman that was Omoi was knocked over to the side, his ever present lollipop being forced out of his mouth by the blow that was dealt by Karui as she began to scold him for overthinking things, yet again. In the meantime, while the two behind her continued to bicker amongst themselves, the busty blonde that was Samui had already made her exit, swiftly passing down the hallway and out the doors into the frigid air of her home.

So, Naruto was coming back to Kumo. That was nice, too bad it was under assignment, but Samui was truly happy that she would be able to see the man again, he was an enigma in her eyes, and he had even helped her start down the road to recovering from her pseudo-sister Yugito's death. Yet at the same time, she had known that he was hurting himself, but he didn't try to push his feelings on her, the two had been content with the pleasant silence of each other's company. Yes, it would be a lie to say that she was indifferent about seeing him again.

However, it would be interesting to see how her team reacted with the new Konoha squad that was joining him, a capture/interrogation squad if her memory of the report served true. She had no doubt that their Jounin-Sensei would likely find a friend in Darui, who would be joining them on this mission, the man seemed to possess a natural talent for making others comfortable around him, but the other two members of her team would be interesting to watch when they met new people, especially ones from so far away. Samui let an unconscious shiver run down her spine as she walked through the busy streets, seriously, sometimes the wind in the north was brutal.

With any luck, this investigation wouldn't be too difficult, and whoever the culprit was they would be put down easily enough. Not that she was worried though, her team was quite capable of taking down strong opponents, and then there was Darui, a man who was more or less being groomed for the position of Godaime Raikage, a very powerful man if he was to fit his title. In addition to that, there was the Konoha team, who Samui had no doubt were strong and capable on their own, with the added benefit that was Naruto, a man who she had personally witnessed beat Kumo's own Jinchuriki Killer Bee in a fight, without even calling upon his own tenants power. It was safe to say that anything that was thrown their way, the group would be able to handle it.

Samui opened the door to her apartment, walking inside and lounging on the couch, sitting softly on it as she relaxed from her day, her mind lazily going over the thoughts and facts that passed it by after the briefing, and musing over just what would be happening over the next several days, once the squad from Konoha arrived. She leaned back into the cusions of the couch, allowing her shoulders to briefly tense before relzxing them and leaning her head back, closing her eyes as she did so. The Jounin of Kumogakure no Sato only had one thought that passed through her mind as she laid there, mulling over her thoughts.

"Cool."


Yakushi Kabuto had lived an interesting and eventful life, to be sure.

As a mere child, Kabuto had been found by Nonō Yakushi on the outskirts of a city recently destroyed in a battle. The young child had suffered a severe head injury, leaving him with no memory of his name or past, the amnesia being total in his corrupted memories. Nonō had treated his wounds and brought him to Konohagakure where he had been inducted into the orphanage rather quickly, despite his lack of a name or any identifying features. While there, another orphan who was called 'Urushi' had placed a helmet on his head so he wouldn't be injured again, prompting Nonō to name him 'Kabuto', the name sticking with him for the rest of his life.

The newest citizen found that while his name had been given as somewhat of a joke, he very much liked it. He had adored it so much, that the young child had left his bed that very night in order to thank the woman who had saved him, unaware of the orphanage's strict schedule. When Nonō found him later that evening, she discovered that this was in part due to his inability to read a clock, or anything for that matter, the skilled medic nin quickly deducing this problem to be derived from his poor eyesight. Nonō had then given the newly monikered Kabuto her own glasses so that he could finally see clearly, an act of kindness that overwhelmed him with thankfulness he had no memory of ever feeling before.

To earn additional money for the orphanage's operations and expenses, the older Yakushi used her medical Ninjutsu to treat the injured shinobi of Konohagakure and after teaching Kabuto to do the same, he would assist to the best of his ability. Although the money helped a good amount, the members of the small organization still relied heavily on direct funding from the village itself in order to get by. It was because of their lack of money that things quickly began to change for the young child, beginning with his induction into a very clandestine organization that operated out of the Village Hidden in the Leaves itself.

Aware of the monetary situation with the orphanage, one Shimura Danzo paid a visit to Nonō one summer day threatening to withhold the funding they so desperately needed if they didn't volunteer one of the orphans over to his ROOT organization. It was a solid plan on the old man's part, an orphan was someone that no one would miss, especially after joining with his army of emotionless soldiers. Kabuto, after eavesdropping on this conversation, volunteered against Nonō and Urushi's protests, but the boy was determined to repay the kindness that he had received, even if he had to leave behind the only family he could currently remember in order to do so.

ROOT had trained Kabuto to primarily specialize in espionage and over the years the shadowy organization sent him all over the elemental nations, from Iwa to Kiri. It made no difference to the boy whether he was posing as a ninja of Kumo, Kiri, Suna, or even Iwa, he knew in his heart that what he was doing, the acts he was committing, they were keeping his friends and pseudo-family safe, and to that end he would do whatever was necessary to defend that. But it was this mindset that had blinded him, and it was while he was on an assignment in Iwagakure that things went awry. Kabuto's spying was discovered and an Iwa-nin had quickly cornered him, a brief conflict ensuing. He was able to strike down his assailant, only afterwards discovering that it was Nonō, the woman also being an agent of ROOT.

Kabuto apologized profusely and tried to heal the woman that had taken him in, but to his astonishment she didn't recognize his face, even when he told her his name. She died from her injuries and Kabuto was forced to flee before Nonō's backup found him, once more on the run, even after so long. Once safe, he'd become was disillusioned by what had happened, having a minor identity crisis, wondering who he was if even Nonō didn't know him. It was soon after this incident that his life would once more change, as he was soon confronted by Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin having taken an interest in the young Yakushi over the years.

Orochimaru had explained several things to him that fateful night, and he had opened Kabuto's eyes in more ways than one as he told his tale. The most alarming fact was that Danzo had been giving Nonō falsified photographs of Kabuto so the older woman would no longer recognize him if/when they were to meet. This in turn allowed Danzo to pit Nonō and Kabuto against each other and thus eliminate ROOT's two most effective, and consequently, far too knowledgeable, spies. Assuming that Orochimaru planned to finish him off, Kabuto had desperately attacked him, distraught by the loss of both Nonō and the self-identification he'd acquired through her.

Orochimaru had of course easily survived the attack, but then instead of finishing off the broken child, he had suggested that Kabuto now try making a new identity for himself using whatever knowledge of the world he could acquire. The Snake Summoner had offered to help him in this regard and invited him to help make a new village, Otogakure, where individuality could thrive. Kabuto had readily agreed, latching onto the man like a man possessed, and Orochimaru gave him a new backstory: that he was found by Nonō - a captain of Konoha's Medic Corps - after the Battle of Kikyō Pass and adopted as her son.

With this backstory, Kabuto had been able to become a Genin of Konoha, where he had continued to put his talents for espionage to good use in service of his new master, until once more in his life, things took a turn for the worst. One of the Hokage's ANBU Captains, a young man by the codename 'Lynx', had broken into one of Orochimaru's bases and captured Tayuya, one of the man's bodyguards. Normally, this wouldn't have been a problem, except in this case, the capture of the redhead set about a turn of events that would once more flip Kabuto's world on its head, changing things for the worst in his eyes. It was Lynx's fault for the next several years, and the fault remained with the same for the final breaking point of Kabuto- the death of Orochimaru.

He was all too aware that the now-former ANBU Captain wasn't the one that struck the final blow against his master, that right having belonged to the man's own teammate, Jiraiya the Toad Sage. However, that man had already died, and thus his plans for vengeance had changed from him to the next best thing, the 'Hero' of the last war and one of the men that was singlehandedly one of the largest deciding factors against the fall of Orochimaru, Uzumaki Naruto. It was this man that had brought about yet another identity crisis for him, and he would make the man pay, he would force his world to burn, and Kabuto would pull and play on his heartstrings like no other. Naruto would come to rue the day he had played his hand, if the Yakushi had his way.

At times, the man used to seem quite open, more than willing to approach people and always confident in his own words and actions, though this could have been an act in his role as a master spy. By his own admission, he was an introvert who doesn't like to be looked at and who was always more comfortable in the background, like a metaphorical fly on the wall. Yet, at the same time, he had been known to be very critical of others, dismissing their personal desires and outlining all the flaws he perceived them to have.

But then to those he felt are deserving of his respect, he was never anything but polite, regarding them with deference, using the appropriate honorifics and even chastising those who didn't do the same. But Kabuto was also quite cunning, being cruel when he needed to, preying on sensitive topics in order to rile someone up and punctuating his comments with sarcasm, speaking like a snake that his benefactor and master was known for. Other times he had been witnessed to be kind, even putting himself at risk and being helpful for no immediate benefit to himself.

The many contradictions of Kabuto's personality were a direct result of his frequent role as a spy, having spent most of his life changing identities and loyalties in order to gather information for some organization or another, be it Konoha or otherwise. Although he'd been serving Orochimaru for the longest period of time, even the Snake Sage hadn't been completely aware of what Kabuto's truest feelings were. Orochimaru had trusted Kabuto implicitly, yet secretly suspected that the younger man might intentionally undermine him, intentionally keeping him on a short leash, aware that he might not always act for the reasons he claimed to.

He had changed a lot in the time that had passed since he had abandoned Konohagakure, not only in mind but in body as well, though a few things remained constant. Kabuto had onyx eyes and ash-grey hair, which he normally used to keep in a ponytail. His most consistent feature are his black rimmed circular glasses, given to him by Nonō herself, something he had refused to abandon. While working in Konoha, he had donned a dark purple shirt with a high collar, a white under-shirt, and dark purple pants with a white cloth waistband. Additionally, he had worn dark purple fingerless gloves with armored plates on the back of the hand, his disguise complete with a dark blue Hitai-Ite that bore the leaf of the village itself.

Now though, his physical appearance had changed a drastic amount. Kabuto had done the unthinkable and infused himself with Orochimaru's remains, causing his once tanned skin to turn white and scaly around the point of application on his left arm, though it was gradually spreading its influence across the rest of his body. Kabuto now wore a black robe with red lining and his once groomed and well-kept hair was now long and unkempt, his visage bearing a remarkable resemblance to his late master. In addition to the changes to his skin, Kabuto's eyes had become yellow with slitted pupils, around which were Orochimaru's characteristic purple markings. A long, white snake had fused with his abdomen, which the former wrapped around his waist, the living being sometimes slithering under or behind him like a tail.

Kabuto cackled lightly to himself as he walked across the barren landscape, absentmindedly taking in his surroundings as he moved. Yes, soon things would change, and the Last Uzumaki would know what it meant to have everything taken from him once more, to have to face those things which were near unbearable. It was going to finally give his life meaning, and in the process, his vengeance would be fulfilled. It was a shame that Jiraiya was dead, but this would serve his purpose nonetheless.


Author's Note:

And that brings us to the end of the 24th Chapter! Hope you guys like where I'm going with this, and don't worry, it's going to be a helluva journey, not just some little one-shot arc to buy time and build character to build suspense for the main story. I promise, everything will tie together in the end. Sorry for those of you that were expecting a big blowout fight between Itachi and Sasuke, I can say that a fight with Itachi will happen, just not yet, so don't lose sleep over it. Anyways…

That's all I got. Out.