Hi! Thanks for the reviews as usual, and for reading. I noticed my request from the last chapter had only half the effect I wanted. Reviews saying only "Update Soon!" were mostly stopped, but the number of the reviews was cut in half. Honestly, all you have to say is one thing that grabbed your attention in the story. It's not that hard.

Right now, I'm staying at my mom's for winter break, and so far it's been going okay. We've had quite a few skirmishes though, but oh well. For some reason it's been hard to reconnect with my friends.

Well, enough about me!

Mrfipp: My roommate thinks that Sai will say something along the lines of "Are you a man?' That would only work during the bath scene. Also, keep in mind that I'm disregarding the current arc. Deidra's alive and kicking, so is Tobi, and he is not Madara. The female Akatsuki member is neither Konan nor an OC. You'll find out in the distant future.

NaruSakuHasYou: I see we have a name change here. Anyway, I'm glad you really don't know how to spam me.

Razgriz05: The chapter after this, everything you thought you knew about Itachi will be destroyed. I doubt Kishi will go the way I'm going, but it's fun to explore. I have just found some translation sites. However, I just learned that the words used in the techniques are different from the actual Japanese language (well, probably not, but different words ARE used, that much I know.). But it's a start. Anyway, I haven't really thought about Naruto using the Hiraishin, but I'll look into it now that you have mentioned it.

Show time!

Sakura fluttered her eyes open. "Naruto…" She sat straight up suddenly. "Naruto!"

Ino, Yuji and Shiguri ran over to her. "Are you feeling better, Sakura?" Ino asked. "I've been using my medical ninjutsu to cleanse you of whatever foreign chakra was in your body."

Sakura just nodded acknowledging it, and looked around. "Where's Naruto?" She looked at the two genin. "Where's your teammate?"

Yuji looked away, but Shiguri answered for him. "She was kidnapped by two ninjas. They had black cloaks with red clouds. Naruto, the Raikage, and two leaf jonin went after them."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Akatsuki?" Sakura was about to leap off to find them, when Ino grabbed her wrist. "Wait! You're not fully recovered! Besides, we don't know where they ran off too!!" Ino yelled.

Sakura pulled away from Ino, with a furious look on her face. "Would that have stopped you from going after Shikamaru and Chouji!?" Ino seemed a bit taken aback. Sakura's face softened, and she looked down at her clenched fists. "Besides, the Akatsuki attacked. Who knows how badly they will hurt Naruto? In the end…" Sakura struggled to keep herself from crying. "In the end, I am just a burden! Naruto and the others needed me more than ever, and all I could do was just snore away!!"

Ino said "Sakura, it's not your fault!! You were…"

"OF COURSE IT'S MY FAULT!! I TRAINED UNDER TSUNADE SO I WOULD NEVER BE A BURDEN AGAIN!!" Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs. "You don't know what it's like, Ino. You don't know what it's like to always be the one rescued, to watch your comrades get hurt. You don't know what it's like to be useless."

Yuji stepped forward, and nervously said "Uh…I know what it's like." Sakura faced the genin. "My whole life, I've been treated as someone useless. I could never do anything right. I screwed up every game I would play with other kids. I either didn't look deep enough or over thought it on the written exams back at the academy. I was always the one to catch onto things last. Now here I am, a ninja. A lowly genin, but a ninja nonetheless. And I know just what it's like to let your comrades down…" Yuji hung his head down. "Because that's exactly what I did earlier today."

Shiguri placed his hand on the genin's shoulder. Shiguri then told Sakura "I think what he's trying to say is that even the best of make mistakes."

Sakura just stared at this genin. He was in many ways like her. Suddenly, she remembered why his name sounded familiar. "He looks just like him…" Before she could form another thought, everyone's attention snapped to the sky when they heard a hawk. It landed right in the center of them and squawked madly.

Sakura noticed it was a Blue-Wing, common in Lightning country but not here. "It must have belonged to Kenji! I think it's telling us to follow it!!" Sakura turned to Ino and said "Watch over everyone! I must go, now that I've got a guide!!" Ino knew that now there was nothing she could do to keep her friend and rival from leaving. Ino nodded, and Sakura turned to the hawk. "Lead the way!!"

Kenji and Naruto finally reached the cave entrance. Neither one said a word. They simply descended down the stairs. "Kenji." Naruto said. "There are a few things you need to know about this guy. First off, he has a Kekkei Genkai called the Sharingan, an eye that allows one to copy his opponent's techniques. He's also a master of genjutsu. He has two attacks that you especially need to watch out for. First, there's the Amateratsu. He creates black flames hotter than the sun and can fry so-called fire proof things. Second, he has a genjutsu called Tsukiyomi. It can't be cancelled out, and once you're in it, you'll be tortured for what seems like days when only seconds have passed."

Kenji didn't turn around, but he said "Thanks for letting me know." The two jinchuriki finally reached the downstairs.

"Finally, you two have come to your deaths." Itachi's voice said.

Naruto saw the Uchiha at the edge, with Iori sleeping on the table. "You bastard!!" Naruto yelled. "What have you done to her!?"

Itachi stepped forward. "She's simply sleeping. However, if you do not intend to do anything about it, I will be ordered to kill her."

Kenji just grinned. "That's what we're here for." Kenji transformed, his green chakra surrounding him and two tails formed. "This is the max I can go without loosing myself to Houkou. But it's more than enough to kill you!!" Kenji charged on all fours towards Itachi.

Naruto ran behind him. However, he stopped when the caverns began to glow. Naruto took a close look, and realized that seals were emitting the light. Naruto didn't know how he knew, he just did: The seals were triggered by chakra of the biju!! "Kenji!! Cut off your demon's power now!!" Naruto yelled.

Kenji was almost upon Itachi, who just stood there. Suddenly, he vanished. Naruto looked around. "Wh-Where did he go!?"

Itachi walked towards Naruto and said "This room was constructed by the Akatsuki leader himself, a master of ancient seals. These particular seals are triggered by the presence of the biju. In the cases of jinchuriki, they have to call out the beasts' power for it to work. Your friend has been teleported to our base."

Naruto just grinned. "This actually might be good in the long run. Kenji will kill your master just like he did Kisame!"

Itachi replied "I highly doubt that. The seals will have drained almost one hundred percent of his chakra, minus that to keep him and the beast alive. And even if he did have any strength left, Kizu-sama is quite powerful himself."

Kenji had never felt so drained of energy in his life. One second he was charging the Akatsuki…the next he was…someplace he didn't recognize. The floor was metallic and cold; he was definitely not in the same place as before. Kenji struggled to stand up, but felt like he would pass out any second. He grabbed a pipe on the wall and said 'Wh-Where am I?"

A voice said "Welcome to Soragakure. This is quite literally your final destination."

Kenji turned around, at first not caring about who that person was…but then his eyes widened. "W-Who are….!?"

The Akatsuki leader smiled. "You will never live to figure it out."

Naruto felt a pit in his stomach from what Itachi had just told him. "Your master…this Kizu…why does he want the biju!?"

Itachi emotionlessly replied "It is not he who desires the biju." The next thing the blonde ninja knew, Itachi was right in front of him. Naruto stumbled away, avoiding a kunai aimed for the underside of his chin. Naruto struggled back up as fast as he could. He would've normally been pissed that an opponent was taking him lightly; but against Itachi, he couldn't be more thankful. "If you can defeat me…" Itachi said. He twirled the kunai and got into an attack position. "…I will reveal all I know about the Akatsuki."

Naruto grabbed his last kunai as well. "Sounds good. Either you're trying to just goad me into a fight, which I don't have a choice about I might add, or you actually want me to win." The two ninjas charged, and attacked with their kunai.

"All right, men!" Tsunade yelled. "One of our comrades, Uzumaki Naruto, is engaged with the new Raikage in monsoon country!! He has his genin team with him as well, and saving them will be top priority. Your mission is simple: Get there as fast as possible, and rescue them. If you can help him defeat the Raikage, then do it, but if not, take them and retreat back here! Is that understood!?"

"Yes Hokage-sama!" the seven nins screamed. The remaining members of the rookie nine were there, as well as Lee and Tenten.

Tsunade gave one last minute inspection, and yelled "You will start the mission now!!" The ninja disappeared, leaving the Godaime behind. Tsunade sighed when they left…and nearly sighed again when she felt a familiar presence behind her. "Miyamoto-san."

Yuji's mother was right behind her, with a look of both concern and anger etched on her face. Tsunade turned around and faced her. "I accept full responsibility for anything that may happen to your son. All I ask is that you have faith in his sensei."

Yuji's mother turned away and whispered viciously "Why should I? If he was as great a ninja as you say, my son would be safe in his own house by now!! What is it you see in such a monster!? I wouldn't be too surprised if he simply handed over my boy with his head on a platter."

Tsunade did not let her emotions get to her like last time. "That MONSTER as you call him is able to bring out the best in everyone. He saved the fifth Kazekage, and because of him, I am Hokage. If he really were a monster, he would've used his skills to wreak havoc on us right now. But he never will. And I know he would rather die himself than allow one of his comrades to die." Mrs. Miyamoto said nothing, she simply walked away. Tsunade went back to her office almost immediately afterwards for some sake. She still had a load to do, but with everything going on, she really needed that one drink. She clutched her forehead and whispered "Naruto…please make it back safe…"

Naruto and Itachi slashed at each other, neither one managing to score a hit. Itachi threw a straight punch at Naruto, who caught it with his palm. "You still seem to have some fight in you, I see." Itachi growled.

"I was saving everything I had, just for you." Naruto replied. The jinchuriki formed a bushin, who then transformed into a scythe. Naruto swung, and managed to scratch Itachi's hand. However, the Uchiha kicked him away and forced him to let go of his improvised weapon. Naruto made his hand signs and yelled "Doton! Doryu Kawa!" The ground between Naruto and Itachi softened up, and mud started rushing towards Itachi.

The Uchiha struggled for a while, but made hand signs of his own. "Katon! Karyu Edan!" A brief but powerful fireball sprung forward from his mouth, drying up the earth to a crisp.

Naruto ducked out of the way, and formed a clone. "Right now, my chakra control is crappier than usual!" The clone helped him form a Rasengan, and Naruto charged. "Even if you're a bushin, I know you won't explode! Not while we're in this cave!" Naruto moved faster than Itachi anticipated, and the Rasengan connected. Itachi spun and hit the wall, leaving a nice crack. Naruto grinned, but it faded quickly. Instead of Itachi lying there in near-death, it was Iori!

"Sensei…Why?"

Naruto stepped back, shocked.

"Mom was right, you are a monster!"

Naruto turned around to see Yuji with clenched fists, and looking at Naruto with pure hatred.

"Well, what did you expect from something like the Kyuubi?"

Naruto turned the other direction to see Shiguri just smiling, in much the same manner that Mizuki did when he told him the truth about what he was. Naruto was then surrounded by all of his friends, and they all gave him a look of malice.

"Monster!" "Murderer!" "Traitor!"

Naruto was about to break down, but he realized in the nick of time it was genjutsu. "Not this time, Itachi!!" Naruto clasped his hands together, and shouted "Kai!" The illusion disappeared, but Naruto knew that wasn't the end of it. He turned around and blocked a strike by Itachi. Naruto ducked and aimed a low round kick at Itachi's knee. Itachi's leg buckled, and Naruto followed through with some punches before sending the Uchiha flying with an uppercut. Naruto panted heavily.

Itachi simply got up and wiped the blood from his lips. "You have improved, Naruto-kun. I'd say you're almost on par with Sasuke, assuming he's been training."

Naruto clenched his fists. "You…" Naruto looked his foe in the eye. "It's because of you that Sasuke's gone!!"

Itachi's face didn't falter. "What is Sasuke to you? To my knowledge, he was your childhood rival. And now he's a traitor to Konoha, like me. Why do you want him back?"

Naruto yelled back "He's the closest thing I've ever had to a brother!"

Itachi's eyes widened at this statement.

"He was one of the first to acknowledge my existence, it's because of him that I managed to become as good as he was, and when I was with him…" Naruto softened. "…I no longer felt lonely. I've made lots of friends…but he was one of my first true friends." Naruto raised his voice once more. "If only you had never come back, Sasuke would never resort to going to Orochimaru for help!" Naruto charged again, and the two exchanged fists.

"Don't talk like you know me!!" Itachi yelled. "If you were in my position…" Itachi threw a sword hand into Naruto's throat, causing him to hunch over. Itachi then elbowed the back of the jinchuriki's head, knocking him to the floor. "If you were in my position, you would have done the exact same thing!!" Itachi finished.

Naruto crawled away as fast as he could. "What kind of person would kill his entire clan and consider himself a good person!? Huh!?" Naruto yelled. The Itachi standing in front of Naruto was completely different from the one in his past two encounters. He looked ANGRY. It wasn't so much THE emotion he was showing Naruto. It was the fact that he was showing any emotion at all. Naruto was confused even more when a single tear rolled down Itachi's left eye.

"That's for you to find out." He said. "But you will die before you get the chance!!" Itachi charged again.

Naruto bit his thumb, and rubbed it over a smoke bomb. He side stepped Itachi, and hit him. The smoke didn't even cause Itachi to go into tears. "You should check your weapons before you bring them into battle!" Itachi said. The Uchiha threw some shuriken where Naruto stood.

Naruto simply jumped back and smirked. "Hahonryu!" Naruto sent a wave of water onto all the torches, making the cave pitch black. "He can't see me…" Naruto thought. "But thanks to that marker…I can see him!" Naruto remembered back when he had a chat with Kakashi about countering the Sharingan.

"Well, the one thing I can think off the top of my head is pitch-blackness. The sharingan is a powerful eye, but like all eyes, it can't function without light. If you met those conditions however, you'd be fighting in the dark too."

Naruto went to Shizune for help in making those markers. They made up of chemicals that reacted with the chakra in his own blood. When released, they marked everything they touched, and emitted a light only he could see. "It's time for you to face defeat Itachi!" Naruto almost yelled.

Sakura ran along the water, following the hawk. Ino hadn't fully cleansed her, and she was a bit more sluggish than usual. "This has been a really bad week." She thought. She looked up at the hawk. "I sure hope it knows where it's going."

Naruto snuck around the Uchiha as quietly as possible. "There is no way he can see me, even with the Sharingan!" Naruto had no weapon this time, and making a bushin would be too loud. Instead, the blond felt around and picked up a rock. Then he snuck up behind him. The Uchiha looked around everywhere, but Naruto made sure to stay behind the back of his head. Naruto felt the moment…and struck. He did not make one sound. Just hit him and beat him to unconsciousness, if not death. That was the plan, and it went down the drain once Itachi grabbed his throat. "How?!" Naruto thought, unable to even cry out in pain. "I didn't make any noise, no wind…how did he find me!?"

Itachi punched his opponent several times, not letting go. "Darkness will not stop me from finding you!" Itachi pulled out his kunai and stabbed Naruto in the gut, causing him to choke out a muffled scream. "You've fought well to rescue your pupil, but not well enough. It's time for you to meet Kizu-sama." Itachi squeezed Naruto's throat once more, even tighter than before. "Time to bring out the beast. Tsukiyomi!"

The next thing he knew, Naruto was strapped to a cross. The colors around him were inverted, and Itachi stood before him with a sword. "This is the same illusion I used on Kakashi. You will be stabbed over and over for the next 3 days." All Naruto could do was scream in pain…

For what seemed like an eternity, Naruto snapped back to the real world. He vomited, but refused to collapse. Itachi uppercutted the stunned leaf ninja. Naruto was sent flying but managed to land on his feet. "I have to keep it together! I must…" Naruto then felt the Kyuubi's charka flow within him. "No, stop it! We'll both die!" Naruto thought. He concentrated the best he could, and suppressed his inner demon's chakra.

Itachi brushed something from his eye. "Though Tsukiyomi is nothing but genjutsu, its victims' bodies respond to the stress just the same as if it were real. Right now, your body is overloaded with endorphins, lactic acid, and the other responses happened too fast for your body to handle. Not to mention that the mental fatigue is overwhelming. Normally, I would just tip you over and you'd be out like a light. However, I must bring you to Kizu-sama. And to do that, we need but a flicker of the fox's chakra." Itachi walked over, and grabbed the jinchuriki by the collar. " Let us try this again: Tsukiyomi!"

The Blue-Wing circled around an island. Sakura stopped right there as soon as he reached it. "So, this is it, huh?" Sakura was about to enter the cave, when she took a look back at the hawk. It seemed to be pecking at the walls. At first, she brushed it off…but some nagging feeling told her to do what the bird was…

Naruto endured what seemed like weeks of torture: Being stoned, drowned, burned…the most horrible physical pains that one could imagine. Though it seemed like weeks, only a few minutes have passed. Naruto was on all fours, hyperventilating.

Though he couldn't see it, Itachi was clenching his fists in frustration. "After all I've put you through, not once did you allow the Kyuubi's chakra to overflow within you. You are stronger than any foe I've ever faced. You have my congratulations. But the fox must surface." Itachi thought about what his next illusion would be. "I've put him through every pain I could think of. If I simply carry him back to the base, I could risk capture. What else can I do…" Then Itachi found his answer. "Not physical pain. Emotional pain." Itachi knelt down and forced Naruto's eyes open. "This will be the last time you surpass my expectations. Tsukiyomi!!"

Naruto didn't care what would happen to him now. He just closed his… "Huh? I can't close my eyes?" Naruto's sense of touch came back, and he realized something was holding his lids open.

"Naruto!! Help me!!" Naruto's vision focused, and he could not believe what he was seeing: Sakura was right before him, chained up, and truly afraid.

"Sakura! Sakura!" Naruto knew it was only an illusion created by the Tsukiyomi. But still…Then Itachi walked up and pinned her down.

"For the next week, you will watch nothing but me and her." He then violently ripped off her clothes.

"Naruto, please help me!!"

Naruto kept telling himself it was only genjutsu…but seeing Itachi assault Sakura like that and not being able to look away… The screaming, the crying, Itachi touching her…

Naruto's fox chakra was beginning to take over. No matter how many times he kept telling himself to calm down, the rage he felt from the illusion was overwhelming. The red chakra surrounded him, and his fangs began to grow.

"It's over." Itachi stepped back, and closed his eyes. "Naruto…thank you…for being there for my brother…and I'm sorry." Just as the seals were lighting up, a crack was formed on the wall. Itachi turned around and stared at it in fright. Suddenly, the wall seemed to explode, and it all came crumbling down. "No!! Without even one seal, the teleportation will not work!!"

Naruto stopped struggling, squinting his eyes to see who it was. He heard some liquid being poured on the ground, and suddenly it lit up. A very familiar shape took form. The only two details that Naruto could make out were bloodied hands and pink hair. "Sakura…"

The circle in front of Kizu suddenly faded away. "No! How is this possible!?" he shouted. "I was so close…" He turned around to his female companion. "Bring him to Madara. That's as good as we're going to get right now." She picked up the unconscious Kenji and left. "Now, I must find out who is responsible…" Kizu growled.

Sakura panted as she stared the two down. Naruto was going Kyuubi, but he seemed to halt any further transformation before he could grow even one tail. "Good." Sakura made the mistake of taking her eyes off Itachi, who grabbed her by the throat and pinned her to the wall. Itachi made one-handed signs and formed his Chidori. He thrust, and a wound was torn open. Not on Sakura, but on Naruto, who stepped in between them in the nick of time. Naruto spat blood and elbowed Itachi to the other side of the room.

Now that he was back to reality, Naruto focused as he hunched over. "Sakura." He wheezed. Sakura was about to bend over and heal him, but Naruto held out his hand. "No time. The fox is healing me anyway." Naruto then pointed the direction of the table. "Iori is on that table over there. I need to you to go get her, and bring her back to the island."

"But Naruto-"

"Do it now! I don't know how much longer I can keep myself in control. But I promise you, I will defeat Itachi! Now go get her!!"

Sakura ran towards the table, and pulled the straps loose. "I've got you." She ran up the stairs, hoping for the best. "I trust you, Naruto…"

Naruto stared at Itachi. "You said you would reveal everything you know about Akatsuki if I defeated you. What if you're not alive to talk about it when I'm through with you?"

Itachi lifted his cloak and revealed a scroll tied to his leg. "This is all I can reveal about myself and Akatsuki. If you take me alive, I'll give it to you. If you kill me, you will discover all I know regardless."

Naruto held his hand up. "I can't hold onto the Rasenshuriken again. Not in the shape I'm in. Maybe it's time I took it to the next step. It's dangerous, but only as much as where I'm at right now." With one hand, thanks to the Kyuubi's chakra, Naruto formed his Rasenshuriken. Itachi readied his Chidori. "You can't beat me." Naruto growled. "Not with that."

Itachi countered "Then attack me!" Itachi charged. "His technique does incredible damage, but I can avoid it!!" Naruto charged as well. Just when it seemed like the two techniques would collide, Itachi ducked. "I'm not foolish enough to fight wind with lightning!!" Itachi thrust his hand forward, expecting to impale the jinchuuriki once again.

However, his opponent leapt into the air at the last minute. "I know." Once he was a good distance away, he threw the Rasenshuriken…and it traveled fast.

Itachi was just stood there in shock, but the Uchiha activated his Magenkyo once more. "Amateratsu!!" The black flames erupted from his eyes for what would be their last time.

"Shit!!" Naruto screamed. The black flames grew in size as they passed the wind shuriken, and hit him dead on. The red chakra was protecting him, but he was experiencing burns like never before. Just when he thought he was going to make it, something else hit him. Naruto lost his voice, and couldn't scream. For what seemed like an eternity of pain, he finally fell. It seemed like the black flames would consume him, but then several beasts that looked like they came from paintings surrounded him. It was Sai! The black flames were eating their way through his creations, but he needed as much time as he could get. Sai ran into the middle of it all, and lifted Naruto onto his back. At that moment, his creations dissipated, and the fire was after them now. It seemed like the fire would consume both of them when they finally reached the exit, and Sai completely submerged the two of them.

. Sai emerged, and brought his friend to the surface. "Naruto! Naruto! Can you hear me!?" The new jonin was in bad shape: Chakra burns, blood freely pouring out of his mouth…the burns from the Amateratsu left his back bare, and much of his hair was gone. If it weren't for the Kyuubi's chakra, he would have been dead.

"Sai!" Yamato came running up to him. "Are you all right?"

"I'm alright, but this idiot is not. Take him to Sakura, quickly!"

The said kunoichi came up. "Give him to me." Though on the inside she was an emotional wreck, she didn't show it. Naruto needed her to keep a cool head more than ever.

Yamato patted Sai on the shoulder and said "I'm going to check out the remains."

Yamato traveled down into the room, kunai in hand. He knew it was dangerous to go in alone, but Sakura was busy healing Naruto, and she would later be preoccupied with healing Sai and Iori. Itachi's death or escape had to be confirmed. He reached it, and looked in amazement. Black flames decorated the area, and chunks of recently uprooted rock were everywhere. Yamato looked around, and he finally saw Itachi. The Uchiha was lying on the ground, his clothes it tatters, his hair undone, and his eyelids half-closed. His breathing was uneven, and he coughed up some blood as well. Yamato went over to him, and looked at his bare torso. There were…tattoos? "No, these are seals! Ones I've never seen before!"

Itachi coughed more and said something. Yamato didn't kneel down to hear him more clearly; that was the worst thing a ninja could do, even with a dying enemy. Finally, Itachi managed to hoarsely whisper "Take me to him." Yamato just blinked. "Naruto…he saved me. I wanted my savior to be Sasuke, but I have no right to complain. I don't have much longer. I must thank him." Yamato hesitated. His chakra levels were almost nil, he was dying…but still…

"Please. I have no more tricks left. I'm no danger to you. The scroll on my leg and the seals on my body will be of great use to you after I've died. Please, bring me to see him."

The healing process was taking too long for Sakura's liking. Every time she was with him, his injuries became worse and worse. "Why?" she thought. "What good is it being a medical ninja if I can't keep you from getting hurt, Naruto?" Half-way through she had to stop. The biju chakra inside of her was acting up again, and she could not afford to make a mistake with Naruto the way he was. At least he was out of danger for now. When she heard water splash, she turned around to see Yamato holding up…Itachi!?

"Relax, Sakura." Yamato said. "Naruto's Rasenshuriken has done its job. Besides, I must bring his body to Hokage-samma and Jiraya-sama. He said he wanted to thank Naruto."

Yamato stood a good way from Naruto, knowing that if he was wrong about Itachi, this could wind up very bad. Still, he was close enough so that Naruto, if he were awake, could hear Itachi just fine. "Naruto…thank you…you have saved this poor man from a long life of darkness…I wish I could truly repent for what I have done…but my scroll is all I have to offer. Konoha…is truly blessed to have a ninja like you among them. Though I have no right to ask…I beg you, save Sasuke. The only one who can rescue him from the darkness I have forced him into…is you…" With that, the color from his eyes faded. Yamato put his fingers on the Uchiha's pulse. He was dead.

Meanwhile, inside the cave, a shape took form. Zetsu crawled out of the space and investigated the area. It didn't seem like he could salvage much from the destruction. But then something caught his eye. He bent down to pick it up. A few strands of hair…Pink hair.

Next chapter probably won't be up until after New Year's. So please, review!

Next time: Naruto recovers, and the reason behind Itachi's massacre is revealed.

Forgot to mention, Kisame's summon from last chapter was based on some fan art of the Cloverfield monster. Even though I saw nothing but the legs in the actual trailer, I can tell it's none of those.

Doryuu Kawa-Mud River