It should be obvious at this point but I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. if I do, he will not be a naive and an orange lover, I mean who wears orange for a shinobi career in their rights mind?.


Konoha - Academy.

3rd POV

Menma Uzumaki was a happy kid right now. When was he not happy anyway? No, today was an important day for him. Today was the day that his ninja career starts. He along with his sister Natsuki stood in their classroom waiting for Iruka-sensei. Most students in the classroom are from 12 to 13 years old. Menma was wearing his favorite and awesome in his opinion, orange jumpsuit alone with orange pants and blue ninja sandals, a holster kunai wrapped around his right thigh, along with a bigger one on his left waist side, wearing his forehead Protector with the band color being blue, tied on his forehead. He was containing himself to not jumping up and down, he was in ecstasies.

Along with him and his sister, most students were heirs from a clan. For example, there was Hinata, the heiress of the Hyuga clan. There was also Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino. The three of them are from their respective clans of Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka. There is also Shino, from the clan Aburame. Kiba from the Inuzuka clan. And lastly is Sasuke, from the Uchiha clan.

Originally Sasuke wasn't the true heir of the Uchiha clan. But what happened is that his older brother Itachi Uchiha, who was the heir of the clan at the time, Killed all the council elders, a number of clan members, and Fugaku Uchiha, the head of the clan at the time and father of Itachi and Sasuke. After that, he went from being an Anbu Captain to an S-class rogue shinobi. After that Sasuke has become the heir of the clan, while his Mother Mikoto Uchiha became the head of the clan. But the point is that Sasuke Ambition is to kill his Brother of a traitor for killing his father and clan members.

While Menma was thinking all of this, Natsuki, his sister was seating by herself like always at the back of the room next to the window.

While she was happy that she was going to become a kunoichi like her Mother, she was better at controlling her emotions than her brother. She was wearing a long black sleeve shirt that hung around her top body, on top of the shirt she also wears a blue-black vest with the Uzumaki clan emblem in red color on the back. Blue shinobi pants that hung perfectly on her legs and black sandals with her forehead protector around her right arm, she also have a purple katana on her back, it was a gift from her mother who afterward decided to teach her Kenjutsu when she was younger, her blonde long hair was tied in a ponytail.

She was thinking about who else will be on the team with her, she was sure she was going to be team up with her brother.

The question is who will be their third teammate. Suddenly she got distracted in thinking that she and Menma were one more step closer to completing one of their dreams. While Menma's dream is to become Hokage, he along with her have another dream and ambition. Find and bring their older brother Naruto back home, to where he belongs.

"Alright Kids, be quiet so I can name the teams of the graduates." After hearing Iruka-sensei enter and speak, she decides to pay attention to him, lest she misses hearing the team that she will be part of.


Uzumaki-Namikaze Mansion.

Kushina Uzumaki of now 39 years old, but possess the look of a young woman of 24 years old, after not only giving birth to Naruto but also Menma and Natsuki. Thank goodness for the genes of the Uzumaki clan.

She was seated in her bedroom bed, looking at a photo of her with her oldest son, the picture was taken when he was 4 years old. After hearing the information of Jiraya 6 years ago she kept going on mission after mission to try and find her son.

But unfortunately, after some leads here and there that Jiraiya was able to follow by his accomplishments and sightings, four years later he just disappeared. Jiraiya couldn't find anything of him. It was like he went into hiding for some reason.

A teardrop falls on top of the photo, and the silence of the room was broken by quiet sobs, as Kushina starts crying. She just wants her baby back... her son, was it too much to ask? She will do anything to see him, even if it was for only a moment. The Uzumaki clan members were always proud of their Fuinjutsu skills, into their beliefs of always protecting and helping their family members. because that's what they are...family.

Pushing aside the sadness and pain at the back of her mind, she raises a hand to gently clean her face from her tears. she will not give up.

No...she will keep looking for him, even if it may take years. She doesn't care, when she does find him, because she will find him. She will not let him go again, even if she has to break every bone in his body for it. Along with doing missions, she started her training again to be back in form after so many years. She has even updated it, she will be stronger than before, even without the fox inside of her.

After finishing cleaning her face of tears, she heard somebody knocking at the front door, making Kushina stand up and go look to see who it was.

Maybe it was Mikoto so they can go together and have some tea-like in the old days. It might not hurt her to relax her mind for some hours.


Somewhere in Demon country-

... The silence was all that plague a road in the forest of Demon country. It was a beautiful day, the temperature was warm. The birds were singing with happiness...But that was until somebody choose that it was a good moment to let somebody else know his thoughts...again.

"Naruto! You Bastard!, How long will it take us to reach that fucking bounty station that you keep trading the bodies of the dead for that shitty shit that you call money!" Shouted a man wearing a black cloak that hung around his body to his knees, with red clouds adorning the cloak, dark pants, and black sandals.

The person who just shouted was a man of 5'9 height. The man's name was Hidan. He has medium-long silver hair combed back, and purple eyes. He wears his Akatsuki cloak, shirtless, unique trousers with an arrangement, his Yugakure protector is around his neck next to his amulet of Jashin. His nails are painted dark green and his Akatsuki ring with the kanji of three on his left index finger. He has as always his triple-edged scythe on his back. He has an appearance of a man in his early twenty years. One would think that for his age, he's matured, well, think again.

At his side was another man, the same man who Hidan was just shouting at.

"...Hidan, shut up before I fucking kill you," Naruto growled. He was in a really bad mood right now, he doesn't have the time and patience as always to deal with Hidan right now. Unfortunately, it seems like Hidan has other plans.

"Hahahahaha oh shit, that was funny, you know you can't kill me, shit head, unlike your former's teammates. Hell, we both can't kill one another, you wanna know why?! because we're immortals! hahaha!...but honestly Naruto, how long it's gonna be until we're there." Asked a whining Hidan after finishing mocking and laughing while sending an annoyed look at his teammate.

And just in time because just then, the shadow of a tree just passed the shadowy figure of his teammate, named Naruto. Showing his appearance for anybody to see.

Naruto now 17 years old was very tall standing at the height of 6'2, easily standing as the second tallest member of Akatsuki. He's lightly tanned, with long shoulder-length blonde hair, not that one could see it as his hair was covered with the same cloth and mask he has been wearing for the past years. His eyes had an unusual color: blue iris, with no pupils and red sclerae, Thanks for having the Jiongu in his body, it made him have some changes as after effects, for example, his skin and eyes color. he also has a lean and fast but still a very muscular body. below the wrist, he has two dark green lines surrounding the wrist, a sign that he is a carrier of the jiongu.

He still donned the grey cloth hood which covered his head and hair. Leaving only his face, which was covered by the black mask, leaving only his eyes. His clothing included the traditional Akatsuki cloak, a black backless-shirt so it doesn't get in the way of his masks. A Konoha forehead protector with a scratch in the middle which symbolizes not only his origins but also that he was no longer loyal to it in a triangular black cloth that's tied to the top of the grey hood. And light black pants with matching shinobi sandals. He also wore brown nail polish and a dark green Akatsuki ring with the kanji for "north" on his left middle finger.

Naruto just sends a glare to Hidan who just ignored it. Seeing that he has no choice but to answer, Naruto just replied "... An hour. How is it that your god allows you to kill, start mass slaughters, and bring chaos to everywhere you go and every time that you have a chance, but to do not take advantage of the monetary rewards for their heads? If you ask me that's just stupid, just like you." Naruto responds to Hidan.

Who started to get a tick mark on his forehead for that sneaky remark. Just as he was about to respond, he was interrupted.

"No... I don't want to even know why, and for your answer to my remark... I might be younger than you. But I'm smarter and more mature than you...you, who acts just like a brat...now that's just sad" Naruto said, and in the last part, he shakes his head with what one would think was a disappointment.

Now Hidan didn't have one but three tick marks on his forehead. His face was just as red as a tomato, if it was for being embarrassed or for being angry, it will be hard to figure out, while in Hidan's thoughts.

' Who this motherfucker thinks he is for talking shit about me, I show him, I will rip open his chest and cut his arms while laughing at his pain while getting soaked in his blood! '...Three seconds later and Hidan exploded.

Hearing his partner insulting and cursing him with words that he had never even heard of, only managed to draw a sigh of desperation from him. Thinking back on how in hell was he able to end up being in this position... oh... now he remembered. It feels like it was just yesterday.


Flashback two years ago- somewhere in the borders of Rice and Grass country.

We can see a Naruto of 15 years old holding a dead missing-nin body from Kumo on his left shoulder, for his bounty. He still has the same clothes on as ever. The difference is...that he was alone... no sign of kakuzu. His eyes were dull, empty.

Four years have passed since he was with Kakuzu or with somebody else company.

He could clearly remember the reason.

FLASHBACK within a FLASHBACK

Well...after being in the borders of Takigakure. Kakuzu had led him to a medium-size mountain with some forest and a small lake. At first, nothing happened. That was until he started to attack him with taijutsu. At first, he was surprised at the action. But then he counter-attacks. While they were attacking each other he starts shouting and demanding an explanation on why he was attacking him.

The answer was one that he didn't expect at all. It was a test. A final test to see if he was worthy to be a carrier of the jiongu. A test to see if the student has surpassed the teacher. A test from the father to see if his surrogate son had already surpassed him. Of course, not that Naruto knew of that last part at the time.

The battle was long and hard. The mountain and the forest, in the end, were all destroyed and the rest was in a fire. And there was Kakuzu, sprawled on the ground facing the sky, with only his pants and sandals left, the upper part of his body was full of cuts, gashes, burns, and bruises.

Kakuzu knew that his life was about to end, and this time it was forever. Standing up, even if barely, next to him was Naruto, his headcloth and mask was long ago lost along with his shirt in battle, showing all the sutures points on his body: on the forearms, biceps, and near on the chest, from the chest to the shoulders, and from the shoulders to the entire back where he kept all his masks with his hearts, currently only his earth heart remains, he even has three stitches on both sides of the mouth, serving to keep it in place.

His body was full of cuts and bruises, with blood dripping from some of his wounds. His long straight blond hair was moving in the air thanks to the soft wind.

Taking all the air he could, he was tired. He and Kakuzu fought for at least 3 hours, the surroundings were all destroyed, it looks more like a battlefield between two armies than a battle between two fighters, proof of their power. Looking down at the person that he considers as a father about to die, he could only ask one single question.

" You..you were holding back...what was your purpose with this...Kakuzu." Asked Naruto with a piece of his cold and indifferent mask breaking at the sight of his father in all but blood. His eyes became moistened at the sight of Kakuzu broken and weak body.

Kakuzu meanwhile looks up at the brat he considers as a son, the son he never had. He just smiles, a true and honest smile, not taking his eyes off Naruto's own eyes, he said. "...Because it was my final test for you Naruto...this world, is a cruel one, I wanted to make sure that you were prepared to face its horrors and trials.

You changed me, I was a cold-Hearted bastard, I didn't care for who I had to kill for money, I was lost in my darkness.. until you came into my life and gave me even if it was a tiny, small light and purpose. And for that...I'm at peace, I'm proud to have been the person who trained you...the person I consider my son in all but blood..there can only be one carrier of the jiongu...my time has already long passed. It's time for me to go.." A small mass of black threads weakly and slowly came out of his arm, opening up, the black threads let dropped to the ground a small black with brown designs scroll.

"..Take the scroll of the jiongu and protect it with your life. It will be safe with you...now, I'm tired ..I..think...I'm..gonna..slee-" Kakuzu never finished his sentence, the light in his eyes was off, he was no longer breathing. Kakuzu was dead. And still, after all of this. He died with a big and sincere smile on his face.

Naruto was just standing there, a sea of tears falling from his eyes to the ground. His mask was completely broken.

Now.. it all made sense. Kakuzu's strange behavior, his words with second meanings behind them, why they came to the borders of Takigakure. He planned all along to die here. Seeing the only other person he ever cared afterward of his Akai ōjo. The only person he came to consider as a father. Laying there on the ground dead, with a smile on his face.

Memories of their first encounter, of him and Kakuzu training, hunting, and sharing moments together started to play in his mind, he could see all the memories passing in front of his eyes as he was a spectator. His only remaining heart started to fill itself with different emotions: confusion, sadness, hate, loneliness, despair, betrayal... but all of this had one thing in common. Pain.

Looking up in the sky, he let out a scream. A scream full of sadness, hurt, anger and despair.

End Flashback within a flashback

After that day he became heartless, he became completely sadistic, full of hate, more money-hungry for a long time. The only thing that could help him in calming down his frantic emotions, and eventually make him overcome that event, were images and memories of his Akai ōjo.

That's why now, Naruto was alone. Two hours later and just as he was close to the bounty station, a venus fly trap came out of the ground, 6 seconds later, there, right in the middle of the road was what appeared to be a man in a black cloak with red clouds, with green short spiked hair, with yellow eyes, and half of his body is white and black. It was Zetsu.

There was silence for one minute, until.

" We finally found you-...Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki" The strange man in that strange cloak exclaimed.

Naruto at hearing his full name narrowed his eyes at the man. Leaking some killer intent, which Zetsu was greatly surprised by not only the amount but even the power behind it. It got the effect desired by Naruto. The man couldn't hide his body's flinch from him. Naruto decided it was time to end the silence, and asked in a cold voice that Zetsu couldn't help but be remembered of his 'Leader-Sama'.

"Now...tell me how you even know my full name before I kill you, and in the meantime.. call me Naruto if you don't want me to separate your head from your neck."

Hearing the reply of the teen. Zetsu replied, not wanting to anger the young man.

" My name is Zetsu-...and we are from an organization named Akatsuki-...Leader-Sama wants you to join us. "

" Oh? And what would I be gaining from this organization? Furthermore, correct me if I'm mistaken, but your organization must have deep and powerful connections if it has the knowledge of my existence and identity, while your members must be of a high level of power, if your leader wants me to join. I also take a wild guess that your leader wants me for a specific role. Am I mistaken?" Questioned Naruto with a calculating gaze, his mind racing in trying to understand the motive behind this invitation.

"...He's smarter than I gave him credit for.. yes our organization is composed of S-class missing-nin, and for your assumption-...yes every member has a role. Yours is the funds for the organization, something that you are good at." Adds the white part of Zetsu while sending a pointed look at the dead Missing-nin on Naruto's shoulder to prove his point.

"Why should I join you? What makes you think I will join you" Asked a curious Naruto. Looking at him in the eyes, Zetsu answered. " Our real intention was to get Kakuzu to join us. But words get out that he was killed in a fight. More investigation reveals to us that you were the one that killed him-.. the same person who Kakuzu considers a surrogate son, ironic, isn't it? not to mention that with your abilities, you are a fine candidate member and substituted of kakuzu."

Narrowing his eyes at that piece of information. Naruto starts thinking about the proposition, should he join or not?...having made a decision, Naruto decides to respond to the man plant.

"...Fine I join you because there is nothing else I have to do. And besides, if there is a lot of money involved, I'm always in. Now lead the way, time is money, and I don't like to waste money. " Was the calm answer of Naruto.

Smiling at his mission being complete Zetsu turn around and start to walk away with Naruto beside him. After some minutes he casually mentions.

" We are heading to Amegakure no Sato, which is the main base of Akatsuki."

After nodding his head in understanding, Naruto decides to seal the body of the Missing-nin that he was carrying on his shoulder in a sealing scroll which he then puts in a medium-size packet in his pants.

End flashback- present time

Sighing at the memory. Naruto starts to recall all the events that happen after that. He had the pleasure to have met the other members of Akatsuki and he was surprised by who was part of the organization. For example, there was Sasori of the red sand. He was an S-class Missing-nin from Sunagakure no Sato. A genius in the art of puppets. Then there was Deidara, the mad bomber from Iwa. A ninja who can use a type of jutsu thanks to some clay that he can make explosive thanks to his chakra. Sasori and Deidara are both partners.

Then there was Kisame hoshigaki. The monster of Kirigakure no Sato, member of the seven swordsmen of the mist, and carrier of Samehada, the sharkskin sword. And let's not forget of Itachi Uchiha. The genius and traitor after Madara Uchiha of not only Konoha but also the Uchiha clan. Both were partners, and their teamwork was something nothing to sneeze at.

There was Zetsu from kusagakure. He works alone, and as annoying as it is, he has no other information on him besides that he is the best in stealth and espionage.

And Konan is from Amegakure and she is the one who leads and makes sure nothing goes wrong in their base in Amegakure.

Then there is the leader. Pain. Naruto didn't know anything about both Konan and Pain. The only thing he knows is that Pain not only is strong enough to lead a big number of others Missing-nin but not normal ones, no, they were all S-class Missing-nin. But also that he has a Doujutsu. The Rinnegan more specifically.

Yes, he knows all that there is to know of it. He was told about the Rinnegan by his summons. He had acquired two summoning contracts with the wolves and the crows sometime after the death of Kakuzu. He was told of the history of the sage of the six paths, the conflict between his two sons, and the result of it. But he was unable to understand why Pain always has them on, the only reason that he could think of, was that the Rinnegan wasn't his but from somebody else.

Unfortunately, after some time, there was another addition to the Akatsuki. And that member was Hidan. Now Kisame and Deidara started giving names to the teams of Akatsuki for some reason he can't and don't want to understand. For example, Sasori and Deidara are known as "the artists", both of them have some sense of art, for him, it was just some bullshit.

Then there is Kisame and Itachi, known as the demolition team or the leveling team. Thanks to Kisame, everywhere they went, there was always destruction.

And finally, there was him and Hidan. Kisame and Deidara have called them the "Zombie Brothers". Zombie brothers their asses. Hidan couldn't be killed by normal means, while he, on the other hand, was really, but really, hard to kill permanently.

"Asshole! Are you even listening to what I'm saying, you Bastard!" Speaking of the Devil. Shouted a still piss-off Hidan. Gods, can't the damned bastard shut up for even a whole minute...no..i don't think that he can.

"Doesn't matter..we are close to the excha-'Naruto, Hidan. We're having a meeting, some events happened and they need to be discussed.' nge point...you heard him, let's look for somewhere we can stay hidden." Naruto started to say before he was interrupted. After receiving the order, they start to walk away from the path and into the forest.

While they were looking for a place safe enough, Naruto starts thinking about his Akai ōjo, if she was alright, or even remember him...because he does. '

And I don't think I'm gonna forget her anytime soon by the looks of it.'

He thought before he heard Hidan calling him, mentioning that he found a spot somewhat safe enough.

50 minutes later- somewhere in a cave.

After using the rings that every member of Akatsuki has, they were in the form of some type of holograms, each member standing on the fingers of Gedo Mazo's hands. After discussing the matters, Zetsu decides to say something.

"I have found some information being...interesting."

Hearing this proclamation from him, every member becomes silent, wanting to know what information could be interesting enough for Zetsu to want to share with them.

Seeing that he has their attention he continued. "We have found who is the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi... it seems like after the attack of the Kyuubi 12 years ago. The Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze was forced to seal the Yin and Yang chakra of the Kyuubi in his son and daughter, Menma Namikaze Uzumaki and Natsuki Namikaze Uzumaki. This information is an S-class secret in Konoha and only a small number of people know it. And strangely enough, it seems like there is some tension between the Hokage and his wife Kushina Uzumaki, the-previous Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi and Konoha's red death."

At this Zetsu turns to stare at Naruto. Making everybody follow his gaze in the direction Zetsu was looking at, and everybody was confused about why he was looking at Naruto.

Naruto only Narrowed his eyes, now, he didn't know that he has a younger brother and sister, but aside from that, the information of Zetsu had made him worry on the inside for his Akai ōjo..even more so when Zetsu start talking again." So...Naruto.. not worry about the Uzumaki woman?" Asked Zetsu. And now everybody was looking at him with some confused and curious looks.

'Damned you, Zetsu.' Naruto growled in his mind, he was tempted to deactivate the seal in his ring, thus leaving the meeting in order to hunt down the prick and rip him a new one.

"I don't know what you're talking about Zetsu." Said Naruto with a voice of indifference.

Turning toward Pain, Naruto asked, trying to change the topic. " When are we going to hunt the Jinchurikis, and who is going to hunt who."

At this, everybody put at the back of their minds what just happen, to pay attention to their leader. Seeing that everyone was looking at him, he answered.

" Deidara and Sasori are going to hunt the Ichibi Jinchuriki, you and Hidan are going for the Nibi and Sanbi Jinchuriki, while Kisame and Itachi are going for the Yonbi and Gobi Jinchuriki for now. But we're not hunting yet. We still need more funds, And we also still need to find the others Jinchurikis."

After that and all was said the connection to the rings stop. At opening their eyes. Naruto and Hidan were greeted by the Darkness of a small cave they find in the Demon forest.

Looking at his partner Naruto growled.

" Hurry up, you heard Pain. We need more funds, which means more bounties for me to hunt and more sacrifices for you. Now let's get going, we still need the bounty of this one." said Naruto, mentioning to the dead Nin on the side of the cave.

Hearing his partner's words, Hidan replied.

"Yeah yeah, I can't wait to offer my sacrifices to Jashin-Sama." Finished Hidan with a dark chuckle leaving his mouth, getting up and picking his scythe, they left the cave and continue their travel.

'We're going to see each other again Akai ōjo... sooner or later. ' Were the last thoughts of Naruto before he kept walking on the road with his partner.


So how did Y'all like that ? or was it bad?

Remember now naruto is 17, and Menma and Natsuki are 12.

Kakuzu is dead. He is no longer in the story (T_T). It was necessary.

Akai ōjo, in Japanese: red princess.