(Welcome back, readers. With Pain and Konan out, you'd think things may be easier for Naruto and his squad. Unfortunately, things are still only going to get worse.)

After the invasion caused by Pain, many villagers and shinobi were busy returning and rebuilding their homes. Many were relieved that the damage wasn't as bad as it could've been, and more relieved that anyone who died was suddenly revived through a miracle which they had no idea was caused by the work of Nagato who was inspired by Naruto to do the right thing.

Speaking said person, Naruto was currently walking around the village seeing the progress many shinobi and villagers were making in restoring it to its glory. He smiled, as he watched everybody, big and small were doing their part. Suddenly an Anbu appeared before him and spoke, "Naruto Uzumaki, Lady Tsunade summons you."

Naruto knowing what this was about, answered, "Thank you. I'll be over there." The anbu nodded, before vanishing. Naruto himself headed over to the administration building.

When he arrived, he saw Tsunade at her desk with Shizune at her side, and also gathered was his squad, his bending girls, and Jiraiya as well. Tsunade spoke up, "Welcome, Naruto. Glad you got here so quickly."

"Well, I wasn't doing much except taking a walk," Naruto admitted, "So I assume you're ready to know what went on when I went to go find Pain?"

"Obviously." Yuzuru answered.

"Well, all right," Naruto pulled up a chair, "As you know after I managed to deactivate all the bodies by pulling the rods out of their bodies making them incapable of moving. I used my power to trace the chakra signature back to a fake tree in the forest. That's when I came across the true man named Pain, or rather, Nagato."

"Nagato." Jiraiya sighed.

Naruto nodded, "Him and Konan were former pupils of yours, right, Ero-sennin?"

"Correct. I had my suspicions it was them for some time through my intel, but I didn't wanna believe it."

"I managed to get Nagato to talk about why he set out on this path. After you left them and Yahiko, they tried carrying on your belief, but tragedy struck as Hanzo of the Salamander killed Yahiko which in turn made Nagato snap and awaken the Rinnegan. Since then he and Konan made the Akatsuki's goal of bringing peace through dangerous measures, like collecting the tailed beasts."

"So how did you stop him?" Sakura asked.

Naruto smirked, "I gave him a firm talking too."

Squad seven and the Bender girls looked at him in disbelief, as Yami asked, "Seriously?"

"You talked him out of it?" Ming asked incredulously.

"Yeah, but I had to make a big argument to make him understand," Naruto admitted, "But both of us share a similar understanding of each other. We've faced pain before in our childhood so we can understand how each other feels. I reminded him of the person he was thanks to some special words in Ero-sennin's book. Nagato realized what he had been doing was wrong and used what energy he had to restore the lives of those who died during the invasion, including you two." he motioned to Kakashi and Jiraiya.

"It's unbelievable." Shizune gasped.

"But it happened, and that's not the only thing." Naruto replied.

"There's more?" Mitsuki asked.

"Much," Naruto confirmed, "Nagato had me use my Energybending ability to remove his ability to use jutsu like I did to Orochimaru at the time. That in turn removed his Rinnegan eyes. He said a power like that is far too dangerous for a mere mortal, and should anybody come trying to snoop around to take it from him, it would be out of their reach."

"Clever." Kakashi admitted.

"Konan took Nagato's body with her back to Ame where she intends to restore order to the village. But she left warning me of one Akatsuki member left, the one whose the true mastermind behind all this."

"Who is that?" Tsunade inquired.

"She says his name is Zetsu, and this is what he supposedly looks like." Naruto used henge to change himself into an image of Zetsu that Konan gave him using her paper jutsu.

The group studied Zetsu's appearance, as Mitsuki spoke, "Is he a living plant?"

"That's what I asked too, but Konan said nobody in the Akatsuki knows who he is or where he even came from. But he has knowledge, knowledge that dates back farther than the founding of the five great nations."

"Konan told you he was the true mastermind?" Jiraiya asked.

"Correct. He's the one that encouraged Nagato and Konan to go after the Tailed Beasts. He's been pulling the strings behind the organization all this time."

"So we just find this guy and take him down, right?" Yami asked the group.

"Easier said than done." Sasuke replied.

Naruto nodded in agreement, "Sasuke's right. If Zetsu's been the one controlling the Akatsuki from the shadows, you can be sure he has a plan should his cover be blown and if it came down to him being the sole survivor. Plus Orochimaru's still out there. Two enemies who're after me for different reasons. Until both of them are dealt with, we won't be out of harms way." he said, as he looked out the office window knowing his enemies were out there.

Speaking of said enemies, Zetsu was walking around the lair of Orochimaru, as said Sannin and Kabuto watched feeling irritated. Zetsu spoke, as he looked around, "Love what you've done to the place. It's no puppet workshop like Sasori's, but still good."

"What do you want, Zetsu?" Orochimaru asked rudely.

Zetsu looked back, "Does an old comrade need a reason to see another comrade?" he asked pleasantly.

Orochimaru scoffed, "We are no longer comrades. I broke away from the Akatsuki years ago. Lest we forget?"

"I have not forgotten, but I did not come here to bring up the past."

"Then why did you come here?" Kabuto inquired.

"Because I need your help."

"And why should I help you?" Orochimaru asked suspiciously, while crossing his arms.

"Because we have common cause," Zetsu began, "You want the Avatar and I want the tailed beast. Both in one person."

"Why don't you ask the rest of your playmates like before?" the Sannin answered.

"Sadly my comrades are gone."

Orochimaru and Kabuto did a double take, "Wait a minute. You mean..." Kabuto trailed off.

"Yes. In the last few hours Kisame has fallen in battle, Pain sacrificed himself for the enemy, and Konan has betrayed us."

"Meaning you're all that's left." Orochimaru realized.

"Precisely," Zetsu confirmed, "I hate to admit it, but even I cannot succeed in capturing the tailed beasts alone. Which is why I came to you, Orochimaru."

"Why not look for somebody else?" the snake man questioned him.

"Because you know how I work, and despite your treacherous ways you're the only one I can trust at this point."

"In other words you have no choice but to come to us." Kabuto smirked, as Zetsu frowned.

"Suppose I do help you in capturing Naruto and the rest of the tailed beasts, what's in it for me?" Orochimaru asked suspiciously.

"You have been sending former deceased benders after Naruto and his friends, correct?"

"A few." Orochimaru answered, while feeling irked that two of them failed.

"And you still have more at your disposal?" Zetsu questioned.

"I may."

"Well, what if I told you I can find more remains of former benders that could help you in your plan?" Zetsu tempted the Sannin.

Orochimaru looked at Zetsu intrigued, "I see. I'm listening."

"You may have searched the Elemental Nations for many of their remains, but I have existed long before any of those benders were even alive," Zetsu explained, "I've also studied them in my spare time and felt they would be very useful in my quest. However my own experiments with them to breed new soldiers ended in failure. But maybe you can have better luck with them."

"Just what are you, Zetsu?" Orochimaru asked, knowing there was more to Zetsu than he knew even from the days he worked with the Akatsuki.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." the two halved man answered, "Now then, shall we discuss the terms of our partnership?"

Orochimaru and Kabuto turned around to discuss this matter amongst themselves. Kabuto whispered to his master, "My. Lord, do you really think he can be trusted?"

"Of course not, Kabuto," Orochimaru answered, "But if he came all this way to forge an alliance with me, that means he's desperate and has no one else to turn to. And I'm curious to see exactly who he can promise me to add to my undead Bending army."

"And if he tries to double cross us?"

"We'll have to make sure we get the drop on him first." Orochimaru answered, before he turned to Zetsu and answered, "Let's continue to discuss our partnership, Zetsu." he smirked.

"Good." Zetsu smirked back, as the two walked into another room, with Kabuto in two. Things were about to get even worse for Naruto as he feared they would.

(And there you go. Now the others are aware of Zetsu being the mastermind and to be on the lookout for him. And with Zetsu and Orochimaru teaming up now, this will prove to be very challenging to Naruto and the others. And who does Zetsu have planned to help Orochimaru revive? If a past Avatar like Aang was revived would they still have the abilities of the Avatar or because Raava was reborn inside a new vessel the former Avatar would no longer have the power anymore?)