Chapter 28

"How is the subject?"

"Still sedated, sir. Chakra readings are normal, but still low enough to keep his system from shutting down."

"Keep him sedated. We can't risk him waking at any cost."

"Hai, sir... And what of the others?"

"The experiments have yet to bear fruit. The results are promising, yet the effects are only temporary, as expected. Success is likely in our future, but since our position is likely compromised, High Command has ordered the facility to cease all operations and pack immediately, so further tests will be suspended. Make sure all the subjects are secured. Once Konoha catches wind that the brat is missing, we won't have the luxury of time."

"Is he really worth that much trouble? Surely Konoha wouldn't risk coming this far for Grnin, no?"

"If our intel is to be believed, then yes. As a Jinchuuriki, he holds value exceeding that of even a Hokage."

"Ji-Jinchuuriki?!"

"Yes. One far from home, at that. Don't know what that old monkey is thinking allowing such a valuable asset outside the village, but I was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"W-what are we even supposed to do with him? Is, is it even possible for our lord to steal a Bijuu?"

"Don't know, don't care. We are but numbers in the eyes of a man with far greater ambitions. Our only job is to keep him sedated, not ask questions. He can use the kid to burn the rest of the Elemental Nations to the ground for all I care. As long as I don't end up as one of his test subjects, then I'm fine remaining blissfully ignorant... You'd do well to do the same"

"O-of course, sir!"

"Good, now hand me the needle and prepare for transfer. We've wasted enough time as it is. The Five are expecting us at the evacuation point."

"Y-yes, sir! Right away, sir!"

"Good. Now, where did I put that vile...No, not that. It's gotta be around here somewhere. Kami, why isn't everything so-"

"S-s-sir?"

"Not now, subordinate."

"B-b-but, sir. T-the Jinchuuriki-"

"I've already told you what to do. There's no other reason to-"

"S-sir, h-he's awake!"

The lead researcher turned on a dime. Before the dread could fully set in, he fully observed the bottom the table who his assistant was currently backing away from.

The boy was still strapped to the table, numerous tubes and IV's sticking out of his body and a mask covering his nose and mouth. The lights above shone brightly, allowing the researcher to see his subject's eyes wide open and looking around.

Immediately, he calmed. The only concern to be had in the situation was the fact he was awake at all considering the amount of sedatives in his system, but it was to be expected of a Jinchuuriki. Thankfully, the chakra seal on his stomach did more than enough to make sure the researchers weren't in danger of extinction.

"Nice of you to join us, Nine-Tails. How are you feeling? I hope our accommodations are to your liking." The boy remained silent, obviously, his seafoam eyes landing on the lead researcher in what the man hoped was dread. The man could see the boy's fingers twitch marginally, which birthed an amused chuckle from his throat. "It's useless, boy. Your chakra network has been sealed, along with your demon. The fact you can even twitch the muscles in your fingers is a testament to the demon's blessing, yet it's meaningless in the face of the greatest mind of the last century. Be greatful you now serve a higher purpose in this world."

Despite his words, the drugs, and situation, the boy's eyes held no trace of fear. It was admirable, yet pointless all the same. No amount of resolve or false hope would matter when everything was set and done. Assured of this, the lead scientist turned his back on the blonde to pick up a nearby syringe full of the drug currently keeping the boy 'obedient'.

"But don't worry. By the time you next awake, you'll have a whole new life in front of you." A hand grabbed the syringe's cap and began removing it. "One far more productive than the one you've lived until now." He turned back to the boy, raising the needle while preparing to jab it into the nearest vein. "Now, try to stay still. You may feel some discomfort, but I promise it will be-URK!"

All breath left the researcher's body as he was propelled violently into the wall. It was hard, the force pushing him against the concrete enough to knock him unconscious upon impact. On the other side of the room, the younger researcher paled, looking on in shock before he felt something take hold of his neck. His hands went up in a futile effort to remove the grip as it slowly lifted him from the ground, feet kicking and all. In a matter of seconds, he was unconscious—the grip around his neck loosing and allowing him to fall to the ground in a heel.

On the table, Naruto quietly observed the man on the ground before he turned his eyes back up and at the unseen greenettes floating above the hopefully 'not' corpse.

"I'm gone for two days and you get yourself captured? I swear, your carelessness knows no bounds." Sothis complained down to her troublesome ward. Much to her surprise, he did not answer. His gaze was square on the ceiling, his body as stiff as the table beneath him.

She lowered herself until her legs touched the ground to stand next to the boy. Despite her close proximity, his gaze remained away from hers, drawing genuine concern.

"Can you fix me? I don't have chakra right now." The boy spoke before she could inquire about his current state of mind.

Sothis did so without question, placing a hand on her ward as she allowed her divine energy to flow through him. Immediately, the paleness she hadn't noticed until now began to recede as life in his body returned. Whatever was inside his system was expunged completely as his chakra returned full force. The seal on his abdomen began to glow before disappearing altogether and the blonde was finally able to feel his limbs once more.

Going further, with a swift swing of her arm, she cut the belts holding him down, allowing him to sit up and nurse his limbs appropriately.

"Now that that is done, are you going to fill me in on what has happened in my absence?" Sothis prodded, yet her ward still refused to answer or even look in her direction. When he sat up, he kicked his feet on the other side of where she was standing, showing his back to her while continuing to give her the silent treatment. It would have inferiorated her if she wasn't so concerned.

"...Naruto, what has happened?" She tried again, hoping the use of his name would be enough to shake him back to reality. She received no response. Even coming to the stand next to him bore no fruit as the blonde continued to stare aimlessly. "Naruto-"

"We should get going. I'm sure the others are worried." He finally spoke, his tone somehow even more void of emotion than what she was used to. He hopped off the table, taking no further heed to the Goddess or her concerns as he walked out of the confined room.

...

Sothis felt a sense of unease while walking through the dimly lit corridors that would cause anyone with claustrophobia to suffer an attack. She felt unsafe even in her incorporeal form, the wrongness in the air running through her like an icy chill more than the thought that any one of these walls could collapse on them at any moment.

It did not at all help that her ward had been silent throughout their journey, not uttering so much as a peep. Granted, it was not the ideal setting to be having the conversation she was trying to start, but it was better than no setting at all.

"Has something happened to a member of your team in my absence?"

Nothing.

"...Is there someone else you are worried for?"

Still nothing.

"Will you at least tell me where we are?"

"I don't know." He finally answered, even if it was just that tidbit.

"Do you at the very least know how you got here? Maybe even who those people were?" Once again, the blonde reverted to silence, telling the Goddess more than words ever could. "...Was it the girl?"

Naruto stopped, the sudden halt almost causing her to phase through him. She could feel the tension rolling off him in waves, yet he did not turn back or even so much as glance in her direction.

"...Sothis," his voice was soft. It may have been her ear, but she could have sworn his tone held pleading. "Can we please not talk about this... Not now, at least."

Her eyes softened, her need to find answers dying then and there. Something in his tone made her gut churn—like a mother seeing her son on the verge of tears. It was extremely uncomfortable, and she had no intentions on furthering that feeling by continuing her push to the truth.

"...As you wish." She replied softly. "Just know that I am here whenever you are ready to talk, okay?" The small nod she received as an answer was all she needed.

They continued their walk through the labyrinth of hallways in silence. The further they went, the more signs of damage appeared. Some of the walls had dents as if someone had punched them hard enough to crack the surface. In other places, there were scorch marks and even chunks missing from the walls themselves.

A battle had been fought here—long ago, if the dried blood was anything to go by. The smell got worse the further they traveled, and the Goddess was glad senses such as touch and smell could be turned off at will.

Eventually, the two came to a set of stairs. Problem was, they led down to a closed metal door the duo wasn't very sure was the exit. Darkness peaked through the cracks, giving ill tidings to what could possibly lay behind. If it wasn't their only viable path, Sothis would have dragged her ward elsewhere—kicking and screaming if she must.

Without even a moment of hesitation, Naruto stepped forward towards the darkness, Sothis hoping to whatever deity there was in this world that they would not end up regretting their decision.

Stepping through the door, they found a massive boxed corridor illuminated only by the lights hanging above on the balconies, along with the little likes flickering on the walls below. It wasn't much, but it was enough to see where they had found themselves.

Sothis almost wished they had never left the room upon discovering what lay hidden within the dimly lit room.

Bodies.

Young, old, women...child.

Bodies of all different shapes and sizes littered the ground, some with their limbs attached while others...

If the sight wasn't enough for one to lose grip of their bowels, then the smell that accompanied the horror scene would definitely get the job done. The smell of death was thick in the air, causing the Goddess' nose to wrinkle despite not being able to truly 'smell' the rot.

"By the stars..." Sothis couldn't stop the words from leaving her lips.

This was sick—demonic, even.

Going by the dried blood and gore scattered around them, this cruelty had occurred long before their arrival. The complete barbarianism of it brought Sothis closer to rage than she'd thought possible for herself. The pain and suffering these innocents likely went through would surely haunt her as much as it would her ward.

And speaking of her ward, he hadn't moved an inch. She could only see the side of his face from where she was standing, but she could see the almost guilty look he now bore. He looked sick, which brought a more grim tale to his barely hidden turmoil.

"Come, Child. Let us not dwell here any longer than is necessary."

Naruto followed her without word or acknowledgement, his bare feet the only thing heard over the insects buzzing all the way till they were clear of the room entirely.

It got no better from there. In fact, it arguably got worse.

Going through the door leading them from that hellish sight brought them to what could only be described as a lab. In the lab, the corpses were few and far between. However, the amount of blood and the tools scattered around painted a much clearer picture of the horrors the facility held. Permanent expressions of agony and sorrow were frozen onto the faces of the deceased, some even still in a fetal position despite their limbs having been amputated long before death.

This place was a breeding ground for evil—a place that had clearly seen more than its fair share of blood and tears. It was a place that no living soul deserved to be in, and a place Sothis and her ward would have never wanted to find themselves in nor ever see again in any lifetime.

But by far the most disturbing part of it all was the one they found alive.

Strapped to a table much like he was laid the figure of a mummy. Around her, tubes and IVs stuck out from every crevice. The skin, what little was left, was ashen, and her body was frail—a skeleton covered in paper-thin layers. The woman's face was gaunt, the features on her face so sharp they looked to be capable of cutting glass. Her eyes, open and staring at the ceiling, were devoid of light and life, yet somehow held a look of sadness and regret. The only thing that likely kept the woman from passing into the afterlife was the tube going down her throat and the IV stuck in her arm.

And Naruto stood over her, looking down at one part of her in particular.

A necklace.

One he'd seen a few days ago on a woman who'd given him takoyaki with a smile and a forgetfulness that held charm.

His head turned, the woman's dulled gaze meeting his. They held their stare for a long while before the woman's eyes fell to the necklace. With a shaking hand, he reached out, his fingers brushing against the cold metal.

Meanwhile, Sothis looked at the papers connected to a clipboard next to the table. Even though she scanned slowly through the documents, it did little in terms of making sense to her. What DID make sense was the name and picture of a young woman at the top along with...

"This woman...she's, only 20..." She mumbled, the pit in her stomach growing deeper by the minute. Looking back at the mummified husk made that pit grow even deeper. "Why would anyone do this?" Her eyes drifted to the other papers, some having been written long ago, others recent, "The experiments, the torture...who would perform such madness?"

She received no answer—not that she was expecting any.

What she did receive, in turn, was a light. Turning back to the scene, she found her ward's hand on the woman's chest, a familiar glow illuminating his arms before encompassing the woman whole. Sothis almost expected the result when the light finally diminished.

That is, nothing changing at all. Despite her power, the woman's body remained decrepit, which could only mean one thing...

Another light brought her out of her somber musing as Naruto tried to reverse the woman's fate once again, to no avail. After the third time, she could feel the desperation emitting from the boy, forcing her to step forward. A gentle hand was placed over his, stopping him from trying a fourth time. The eyes that looked back at her held far too many emotions for Sothis to pinpoint even one.

"She is beyond saving, Child." Her tone was soothing, hoping to ease the boy's nerves. She didn't know if it worked or not because his attention returned to the woman without even a retort.

"...How," his voice was low—so low that Sothis had to strain her ears to even hear the rest of it. "How, can we save her?"

"...We cannot." She answered somberly.

"There has to be a way."

"There is none, Child. Her injuries far exceed our current capabilities. I understand how you feel, but," she dreaded her next words, "It is better we put her to rest."

"So just let her die?" Sothis was momentarily taken aback back the anger in the tone. Never, not even once, had such a thing occurred. Even on his worst day, he was mildly annoyed at the most. The level of venom in his tone was new, something Sothis thought her ward incapable of. It was...troubling, to say the least.

"Child, I understand how you feel, but-"

"Do you? Do you really?" The outburst was even more shocking than the emotion behind it. "You're always telling me that I'm naive, that I don't see the world for what it truly is. Yet you let me make my own decisions, not stepping from your higher chair while the world around us continues to suffer—while you have the power to truly change the world on your own with your knowledge. So you tell me, do you truly understand how precious life is? How sacred every living person is no matter the mistakes they've mde in the past? Why is it wrong that I want people to live? That I want them to be happy and live the few years that are only a blink to beings like you? Why is that wrong? Why is it that I'm the only one in this stupid world that has a conscience?"

Sothis stood stock still in the wake of her ward's outburst. She hadn't meant for her words to be taken as offense. She merely had been stating fact, yet her words had irritated his already frazzled state of mind. It did not help at all that he looked regretful almost immediately after the words left his mouth.

"...I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He apologized, dousing the anger with regret.

"Do not fret, Child. Your frustrations are just." The Goddess comforted, yet resolved herself nonetheless. "Nevertheless, what I said before stands. We must put her to rest."

Naruto was silent for a moment, looking into the vacant eyes of the young woman with as much hopelessness as the woman likely felt.

"Is there, really no way to save her?" He asked, holding out hope that there was something, anything they could do.

"She is beyond saving, Child. In this state, she will only continue to suffer needlessly, which is a cruelty in its own way. It will be a mercy to put her to rest."

Sothis watched as the blonde's shoulders droop, his hands clenching at his side while he took a shaky breath. Slowly, he reached up to her face, gently taking a hold of her head into both of his hands. Magic gathered in his palms, a particular spell already at the top of his tongue to give the woman a swift, hopefully painless end.

As if to make the burden on his heart heavier, her mummified lips spread into a smile. It wasn't a large smile, and her lips were far too cracked and dry to properly express her happiness, but her intent was clear.

"...I hope you find peace outside of this world." Faster than a millisecond, Naruto swiftly turned his hands. The wind spell coupled with his strength ended her almost instantly, sending her to a far better place than the hell she had lived for what was likely longer than the blonde could fathom. Deed done, he slowly lowered her head back to the table, his eyes unable to leave the side of the woman's head as his thoughts swam out of his control.

He had killed someone.

His first kill.

It was neither by accident nor maliciousness, so there should be nothing on his conscience. It was an act of mercy, as Sothis said, so he technically didn't break his promise.

And yet, it wasn't the act of killing that plagued him. It wasn't her death nor the sickening sound of her neck snapping that froze his gaze onto her fading eyes.

It was the fact that he felt nothing. No guilt, no sorrow, no anger, no disappointment, no fear—just...nothing.

He would have preferred to feel some guilt, maybe even hatred at himself for being unable to save her despite there being nothing he could do. Instead, the cold emptiness he'd known since he was small enough to remember filled him, not an ounce of empathy to fill the gaps.

He didn't know if that was a relief to not feel guilty about what he had done, or a bad omen for what was to come in the future. If he were ever put in a situation where the path of bloodying his hands again was inevitable, he did not think it would be so hard anymore...

"...Let's go." Perishing the thought, he turned and headed for the door, leaving the body behind to finally rest in peace.

Their quiet trek through the lab returned, only broken by the echoes of the blonde's footsteps and the occasional creak or moan the facility gave. They ran into no more living beings, but the alternative wasn't any better. The bodies only became more plentiful the further they ventured, some so desecrated that they were no longer identifiable as humans.

Despite not understanding the emotion, Naruto understood that it felt wrong. His stomach felt as if they were doing flips, and on many occasions, he felt the need to throw up. The further they went, the more the feeling grew, coupled with other feelings like the one he felt for Dotō, only more raw.

It was a long, long time until they reached the exit of the lab and entered another area. It was a relief when they finally made it outside that hell, yet it was a bittersweet feeling.

Yet another corridor stood before them, this time with pillars as tall as the Hokage Tower, maybe even twice over. It was wide, with numerous paths leading elsewhere to destinations unknown.

"...I've not a clue which way leads out." Sothis said in frustration, Naruto silently agreeing as he peaked through the darkness. There were multiple different directions they could go, with no telling where the exit may be.

Thankfully, his mind wasn't too fogged up to neglect the obvious course of action here. Bringing his hands up, he prepared his chakra for his signature Jutsu.

That's when the strangest thing happened.

"Naruto!"

The blonde stopped halfway through the execution at the call of his name. Straight ahead, from the darkness ran a familiar Chunin with a mop of sky blue hair, four metal edges poking from behind him. He seemed relieved, looking for all the world like he'd been searching for hours on end for him.

"Oh, thank Kami, I've found you!"

"What are you doing here, Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto asked the man, relief evident.

Mizuki scanned their surroundings cautiously before he deemed the area safe enough to speak again, "I'll explain later. Right now, we must hurry. The exit is just up ahead." He waved him forward, prompting Naruto to quicken his pace. The relief he felt from seeing a friendly face was palpable, lifting some of the fog from his-

Every instinct within the blonde told him to stop, and he listened readily. The feeling of a foreign substance touching his chakra quickly followed by the divine mana purging it made his body stiff as a board.

Then the music began to play.

A flute, low in pitch, echoed somewhere in the dark. Its song was long and slow, with a rhythm that matched the beat of one's heart. It was calming, lulling even. It made him want to relax and forget about everything he saw back in the lab. That thought alone was when he felt the wrongness of it all.

And quickly following that thought were two figures that emerged slowly from where they had turned to walk towards.

"Mizuki-sensei," Naruto's voice halted the blunette momentarily, The man looked back to the boy in confusion. "Where are we going again?"

"I already told you. We are regrouping with the others. Now come. There's no time to waste." Mizuki turned to lead again, all the while the flute continued to play and the figures grew closer to the Chunin.

"Mizuki-sensei," Naruto stoppes him again, his eyes wide and a hint of desperation seeping into his voice. "Where are we going?"

This time, Naruto clearly saw the irritation on the man's face before he could hide it behind an amicable smile.

"I told you before, we're-"

"Mizuki-sensei," Naruto cut off the man upon watching the two figures walk right past him, the seeping feeling of hurt, despair, and betrayal teeping in deeper than he thought imaginable. "Where are we going?"

His final query not only caused Mizuki pause, but the two figures to stop in their tracks completely along with the music. Naruto felt as if he were staring at their shocked visage for hours, but in reality, it was only a second.

Then they moved.

With speeds befitting a Jonin, they leaped in tandem, the biggest of the duo leaping forward with a raised fist while the while haired man bluenette moved to cover any possible dodge.

All the while, Naruto remained rooted in place.

"MOVE!"

Sothis's yell was what ended up saving his life. At the very last moment, he leaped back, just in time for Juro's fist to land where he had been standing.

And completely pulverize the ground.

Dust and debris flew into the air, covering the area in a cloud of smoke. Naruto backpedaled, getting as much distance from the impact point as he could. It was a smart move because the bluenette lunged straight through the smoke screen, an overhead kick aimed straight for the blonde's face. Dodging the blow did not have the same consequences as it did dodging Juro's blow. At most, the ground cracked upon the stranger's foot impacting the ground, but the follow-up was a sweep that would have caught him lacking if he wasn't already flipping away.

Landing on his feet, Naruto looked up to find the other stranger already in his face, swinging a right hook. He blocked, but he might as well not have. The bluenette's strength was monstrous, enough to force him off his feet and careening towards a nearby pillar. He was able to right himself mid-air, landing on the pillar feet-first before crossing his fingers in a seal.

The sound of something whistling in the air had him dropping the technique before completion to dodge. Three yellow, boomerang shaped objects missed him by inches before embedding themselves into the stone pillar. Juro met him on the ground, the mountain throwing heavy punches towards the blonde that would likely turn him into mist if they connected.

Fortunately, he was faster than the big guy, using his agility and smaller frame to dodge every blow and then some. His last punch wasn't aimed at him, but the ground. Dust and rubble forced Naruto to cover his eyes, which was enough to miss the kick breaking through the smoke to crash into his abdomen.

He felt the air leave his lungs as he was launched across the hall, his body slamming into a pillar hard enough to crack it. He was sent into a coughing fit, his vision doubling as he struggled to his feet.

He wasn't up for even a second before the flute began playing again. Once again, something tried interrupting his chakra flow. That gave the bluenette confidence to charge forward, his fist cocked back. Naruto went to deflect this time but found the choice to be a poor one. Despite successfully blocking the fist, two more appeared out of thin air to crash into his cheek and send him stumbling back—the impact hard enough to nearly knock him unconscious. A kick to his abdomen followed, pushing him off balance.

By then, Juro was already there to follow up with a dive from above. He crashed into the ground, a shockwave uplifting the stone and blowing Naruto back several yards to land on his back in a heap.

"What are you doing?! Fight back!" Sothis yelled at him from above, glaring down in frustration at her host. His lack of response angered her further, but the sound of an incoming charge caught her attention instead. The robust kid was charging him again, crossing the distance in an astonishing rate for his size. Looking back, Naruto was barely on his feet, hair shadowing his face and completely motionless.

Panic filled the Goddess when she realized he had no intentions of defending himself. Juro was in front of them in no time, his fists raised above his head and ready to turn her ward into a bloody stain on the ground.

"NARUTO!"

Two arms shot up to catch the mountain's arms in a vise grip. Juro grunted, confused at the force stopping him from completing his swing. Slowly, his fists were forcefully pulled apart, and a mop of blonde and green was revealed. Despite his strength and size, nothing he did could break the kid's grip, which brought sweat to his brow.

Then the mop of blonde slowly shifted, and bright seafoam peaked through the cracks of green. The boy's iris was alight with rage, a vastly stark contrast to the neutrality Juro had known.

"Why...?" His voice matched that of his visage, cold and harsh. The question was accompanied by pain. The grip around his arms tightened, Juro's teeth gritting as he felt his muscles and bones protest the pressure. "What did I ever do to you? What did those people ever do to you?"

The last question made Juro teeth grit in rage before he yelled, "Sakon!"

The bluenette appeared to their right at the call, three fist at his side and ready to swing at the blonde.

He was not at all ready for the blonde to not only use his partner as a shield, but lift the man off his feet enterily and fling him in towards him as if he were a kunai. The nearly 300 pound mountain crashed into Sakon full force, sending both tumbling across the ground.

Whistling once again warned Naruto of an incoming projectile and he reacted accordingly. The projectile missed his head by an inch, cutting through his hair like a knife. He landed a short distance away, his gaze following the three boomerangs back to the darkness.

*CRASH*

Time came to a halt, Naruto using this opportunity to leap in the directions of the projectiles, seeking to remove the threat at the source before dealing with the others.

It didn't take long to find him, and Naruto almost wished he hadn't. The familiar ponytail was a dead give away even if the dark-skinned teen had four extra arms sprouting from his sides. From the way his arms were bent with the stranger daggers in hand, it was not hard to deduce Kimu as the culprit, which only made the sickening feeling of betrayal grow even further.

But this wasn't the time for such thoughts or betrayal. Resolved, he prepared to allow time to flow once more and remove the traitor from the bout altogether.

The color red brought all his thoughts and actions to a halt. Slowly, agonizingly so, he turned his attention to a pillar only a few yards from his current position. Slowly, his legs began moving in the direction, everything within him hoping, begging, that what he was seeing was an illusion—maybe even a trick of the light.

He stopped in front of the crouched figure, continuing his pray to a God he didn't believe in. Back turned, flute to their lips, beanie covering red hair—there was no mistake as to who it was, but Naruto needed further proof. He needed to see her face. That was the only way he would accept this nightmare as the truth.

So, slowly, he walked around the figure, hoping beyond hope that the sight awaiting him would be the face of a stranger. The uncertainty in his mind caused him to stop many times, and the ringing in his ears only grew louder with every step he took until he was standing right in front of the teen.

The moment he saw her face, he wished he had never woken up from that table.

...

He vanished.

There was no movement, no warning, and no sound. One moment, the blonde was there, and the next, he was gone.

In the distance, Kidōmaru saw Sakon and Juro sharing equally confused glances at their surroundings.

"Where the hell did he go?" He demanded, looking around wildly for the missing blonde. Unsuccessful in his search, he turned to his closest available help, hoping she found success where he hadn't. "Oi, Tayuya! You see where the...bastard..." His words slowly trailed off into a whisper.

His partner had gone stiff as a board, her flute remained frozen to her lips as her head tilted up to meet the widened eyes of the blonde they had been looking for.

His lips were moving, speaking words likely only Tayuya could hear.

The sight made his blood run cold. There was a sense of unease filling the air despite there being no killing intent emanating from the blonde.

He emitted no presence whatsoever, which made the side before him more terrifying than the shorter boy actually was visually.

The momentary shock waned fast, and what followed it was action. The web-daggers in his hands were thrown expertly, circling around the blonde and embedding themselves into the blonde's body.

The little bastard didn't even flinch. His eyes remained glued to Tayuya's frozen frame, the look on his face making the hairs on Kidōmaru's neck stand on end.

A new sound reverberated through the hall before something curved through the air and went right for the blonde's back. Much like his own attack, the new weapon connected—tearing into the blonde's side and spilling more blood onto the ground and the frozen redhead.

Looking down in cold detachment, Naruto found the familiar four-star blade sticking out of his abdomen, its edges colored red from where it had nearly cut him in two. The loud, nearly maniacal laughter of another, whom he once trusted before this nightmare, met his ear as if to mock him further.

"I got him! I finally got him!" Mizuki guffawed, his hysteria echoing off the walls.

"Sheesh, celebrating after we did the work?" Sakon joined along with Juro in tow, one amused while the other looked on in cold neutrality. His words went ignored, Mizuki mumbling to himself as he drew closer to the Jinchuuriki.

"Years and years I've waited for this moment! To watch the demon suffer as the people I've lost suffered! All of their pain, all of their suffering, they will finally be avenged!"

"Don't get too excited. Orochimaru-sama needs this one alive." Sakon cut off his ramblings, much to the Chunin's frustration.

By now, they had all been gathered within touching distance of the impaled blonde, hovering over him and the downed redhead.

"Damn, nearly cut in half and still standing." Sakon commented. Seeing the still-frozen look of horror on Tayuya's face, Sakon couldn't stop the smirk from creeping onto his face. "Awwww, what's wrong, Tayuya? Did the little bug scare you?"

Normally, this would be the moment the redhead would shout a slew of curses that would have even the foulest of sailors blushing.

Not this time.

Her breathing was erratic, every breath taken becoming shorter the longer she stared into the blonde's eyes. A pressure unlike any she'd ever felt before rooted her in place, leaving her unable to even tremble.

To the eyes of everyone else, she looked to be in shock. But through her eyes, the one staring up at the boy before her, she saw more.

Much, much more. A sight that felt and looked all too real to be a Genjutsu. The rest of the world had been blotted out, being replaced with a void that had Uzumaki Naruto as its center. Around him, an aura seen only by her eyes rose from his body, the strands forming into another figure.

The silhouette of a woman.

She would have said the being was beyond beauty if she were sure the description even applied. She wasn't beautiful, she was something much more. Her form was perfect, with curves that would make anyone's mouth water. Her hair was long and green, framing her pale face and sharp eyes. Her lips were curled down, and the look in her eyes made the redhead feel insignificant, like she was nothing more than a bug on the ground.

"Oi, Tayuya, the hell is wrong with you?" Kidōmaru's voice sounded distant, as if he were yelling a mile away.

But Naruto? His voice was loud and clear. The same question he'd been mumbling since he first appeared in front of her.

"Why?"

Why? That was the question, wasn't it.

"...Why...are you doing this?"

Why was she doing this? She knew why. She knew exactly why she had to do what she did.

"You're...hurting people. Good people. So...why?"

That was wrong. She had a reason to hate those people—every single one of them. She had reasons. She...this was justified.

"Please...tell me..."

She did this because they deserved it. All of them did. He didn't understand. What they did to them.

"Why aren't you answering me?"

She felt light-headed. It was becoming harder and harder to breathe. The figure hovering above him seemed to grow brighter and the power seemed to press down on her more.

Was she hyperventilating?

"Please, Ayu-san. Please, give me an excuse. Any." He sounded desperate, yet it was hard to analyze someone's emotions when you could barely breathe. "Give me anything and I'll forgive you. Just please...please...tell me-"

A fist crashed into the blonde's face, sending him flying across the room.

Tayuya collapsed to her hands and knees almost immediately, coughing and hacking uncontrollably as her lungs worked to regain lost oxygen. Her chest heaved, her entire body trembling violently as she desperately tried to regain her strength.

"F-fuckin' finally, damnit." She wheezed out, rubbing the saliva from her mouth before she glared up at the two smug bastards looking down on her. "C-couldn'ta done that sooner?"

"Not our fault the Genjutsu expert got caught in a Genjutsu." Sakon mocked before turning to the blonde in the distance. "But gotta admit, the kid is definitely built different. Never thought I'd see the day when someone beat Jirōbō in a battle of strength."

"Not to mention the kid is immune to Genjutsu." Kidōmaru added.

"It's his demonic powers. It disrupts his chakra flow." Muzuki snarked. "We're wasting time. We should put the damn demon down before it has a chance to recover."

"Orochimaru-sama's orders were to bring the kid in alive, and that's what we're going to do." Jirōbō interject, the threat in his tone making Mizuki hold his angry retort. There was no logic in letting that demon live. The longer they prolonged his existence, the longer it has time to plan and scheme. If he was capable of fooling all of Konoha, then what chance did anyone else have? Death was the only thing it deserved, and Orochimaru be damned, he would-

A deathly chill went up each of their spines. All at once, their heads turned to face the direction the Konoha Nin had been sent flying.

Naruto was on his feet. The Fūma Shuriken embedded into his side slowly pushed itself out along with the numerous web kunai until they clattered to the floor. The blood that had spilt from his body began returning to him, his flesh closing over the wound before the injuries were no more—the blood coating his form returning within.

Shortly after, the mop of blonde and green began to flicker. Blonde and green continuously flashed to a bright minty glow, accompanied by the eyes peaking from the mop underneath, which now stared into their very souls.

Then power exploded from him, kicking up wind and forcing the group of five to stick their feet to the ground with chakra or be blown away.

Unlike what his status may claim, the energy wasn't demonic. It did not exude dread like a tailed beast, nor was it animalistic in any way. It was the complete opposite.

Rather than being made from a force of evil, it was made from something pure—something that shouldn't have been possible in a place as vile as the world they lived in. The sheer weight of the power made them feel as though they were not in the presence of a mortal, but a God—one who had descended to bring righteous fury unto them for their sins. If not to prove this madness further, an ethereal shape of a woman appeared over the blonde, Tayuya past trauma returning in full force.

And as for Naruto?

He looked on dispassionately at the five in the distance, a red hot fury he'd never felt before bubbling within.

"Sothis," he called out to his partner, vaguely noticing the double echo in his voice. "Can I depend on you to watch over me...and stop me from doing anything I will later regret. Just this once."

The eyes of the Goddess brief looked down to her ward, contemplating his words before returning her attention back the their adversaries. "You need not even ask."

Her reply was followed by the boy reaching out to his side. In a puff of smoke, the Sword of the Creator appeared in his hand, the sword absorbing the power in itself as if it were its own.

The Chunin and the Sound 4 threw all caution to the wind. In a swift motion, Mizuki pulled out a syringe and jammed it into his neck, while marks of inky black began spreading from the teenagers' necks.

The transformations were instant. Their skin and sclera began to darken shortly before horns grew from their heads. Sakon grew another head altogether while Jirōbō grew in size with warts covering his face instead of horns. Kidōmaru's teeth grew sharper along with his hair, it turning white completely while a new eye grew from his forehead. As for Tayuya, her transformation was tame in comparison to the rest. Aside from her darkened skin and longer hair, the only thing that made her even remotely monstrous was the many white horns growing from all sides of her head—the bone white appendages tearing through her bandana and allowing the rest of her hair to flow freely.

Mizuki arguably had the biggest transformation of them all. The Chunin grew twice his original size. Muscles bulged as fur of orange began to cover his upper body. His eyes became slitted, his hands growing large enough to crush a grown man's skull in their grip. By the end, he resembled that of a tiger on two legs and human arms, his growl matching his image.

In a few seconds, five human beings were replaced with beasts—all ready and willing to tear into the only human left in the room.

Yet said human showed no fear.

Naruto remained stoic, the rage simmering beneath the surface being the only thing visible—and the resolve to do what came natural. For once, he dug up memories of his training with Kagero, allowing just this one time to accept her harsh and brutal techniques for this one battle. This was no time for mercy, and he was sure his treacherous adversaries would say the same.

Both sides charged at once, little thought in their actions other than survival against vengeance.

Truly, no one escaped the rot this world emitted.

A/N: The thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemy. Naruto finally learns this lesson and more. The next two chapters will be fight scenes, which honestly scares me because it's not particularly my area of expertise. Nevertheless, things are kicking up in both Fodlan and the Nations and is due to close in the next 5 chapters before the Chunin Exams. After the Chunin exams, which should be about 8 chapters or less, there will be a time skip to Canon.

Regardless, it's safe to say that we are halfway through the story after this arc. It has been a pleasure writing up to this point and am truly thankful to all who stuck around till now. I appreciate every review I received, both complements and criticism.

Next chapter out hopefully next week.

As always, thanks for the Follows, favs, reviews and hope you have a damn good day!