[Author-Notes: It's been a while since the last update for this story. I was feeling a bit demotivated and had some writer's block.]

[Instead of putting the thoughts in italics, I've decided to put the thoughts of characters in apostrophes instead.]

April 26th 2005:

It was silent in the main room of the eastern log-cabin. Ryomen Sukuna, Kimimaro Kaguya, Suigetsu Hozuki, and Utakata had moved into it four days ago. Utakata had called all of them in for a meeting.

"I think we all know the reason why I wanted to talk." Utakata said. "Kisame Hoshigaki proved that our cabins will be compromised soon."

"You think he'd hand over Samehada?" Suigetsu munched on his apple. "I'm kidding, yeesh. We're kind of screwed, though, aren't we?"

"No, we're not." Kimimaro shook his head, a book on his lap. "Most members of the Akatsuki have been neutralized by other outliers."

"That's complete luck on our side." Utakata responded. "We still have to be cautious about Kisame. That includes the Akatsuki's leader."

"Sukuna." Utakata addressed his teammate. "Since this cabin will be compromised soon, I propose that we get assistance from Konoha."

"We're Rogue-Shinobi." Sukuna sipped his can of orange juice. "We'd be thrown into prison cells and hand-cuffed if we visited the village."

"We could fight our way out of the village if that happened." Suigetsu scoffed. "I remember staying in one of those fancy inns in Konoha."

"I paid for that from my own paycheck." Sukuna pointed out. "But, whatever. What even makes you feel like Konoha is so safe for us?"

"You can't deny that the Hidden-Leaf has some powerful people." Utakata replied. "The fifth Hokage and Kakashi Hatake for example."

Sukuna crushed the can in his hand, tossed it into a bin on the far end corner of the room, and sighed. "Fine, we'll see if Konoha can help."

(-)

April 28th 2005:

Sukuna had been the one to set out from the log-cabin first. Everyone else had stayed behind in the log-cabin to pack the rest of their belongings and supplies. Konoha's southern gate loomed over him.

There was some kind of barrier placed over the entire village to alert the Sensory-Ninja of the Hidden-Leaf of any unregistered chakra signatures. Sukuna had zero chakra, so he was exempted from it.

Sinking into the shadow of a civilian, Sukuna managed to sneak into his old home. When the civilian reached an isolated neighborhood, Sukuna leaped from his shadow and blurred into a narrow alleyway.

'That was easier than I thought.' Sukuna chuckled to himself. 'I don't have to head over to Tsunade to talk about an alliance so soon, though, do I?'

These alleyways were familiar to Sukuna—they had been the places where he had spent most of his free time whenever he wasn't training or on missions with his old team and teacher. Sukuna ended up on a different street in Konoha and trudged on until he found Ichiraku-Ramen.

Ichiraku-Ramen hadn't changed much since his departure from the village. Sukuna walked through its flap, took out his wallet, and seated himself down a stool.

Teuchi turned to him, though he soon grew shocked. "What can I get you…?!"

"Tonkotsu-Ramen, please." Sukuna dropped the cash onto the counter. "I haven't eaten much decent Ramen in years, old man."

"I'll be! Sukuna, is that you?" Teuchi smiled at him in relief. "I was worried when I heard news about you leaving Konoha after Sasuke."

"Sasuke's around—at least I think he is." Sukuna scratched his hair, disinterested. "You're kind of the first one to see me out and about."

"And the people here." Teuchi gestured his ladle at the stunned customers — some of them were low-rank Shinobi. "I'll have your Ramen cooked up!"

"Thanks, old man."

Teuchi pinched the bridge of his nose. "And you still have the gall to call me that. I see leaving the village hasn't made you any more tactful."

(-)

Sukuna separated his chop-sticks, scooped up the noodles in the bowl, and ate his Ramen. The Shinobi at Ichiraku-Ramen had been Genin and they had fled the restaurant to notify someone of authority.

Most of the other customers were civilians. Once they realized Sukuna only intended to finish his Ramen and not stir up any trouble, they focused on their meals instead. Ichiraku-Ramen's bell rang and multiple people ran into it in blurs.

Dipping his noodles into the broth, Sukuna ignored the mix of Chunin and Jonin who had been notified of his presence and had stormed into Ichiraku-Ramen. They were just following the standard protocol—either they captured or killed the Rogue-Ninja.

Teuchi and the customers were escorted outside in a hurry. Sukuna never once looked up from his bowl of food. A Jonin held his Kunai to Sukuna's neck to intimidate him into surrendering himself.

Gritting his teeth in focus but also in a smidge of caution, he bellowed out. "Ryomen Sukuna — turn yourself in!"

"Yeah, no." Sukuna's shadow stirred and a white-furred wolf bit the Kunai into scattered chunks of metal. "I just finished my Ramen."

The other Chunin and Jonin backed off in caution from what they assumed was Sukuna's summon. Snarling, the Divine-Dog glared at them. Sukuna dismissed the Shikigami, then stood up from the stool.

'I'm not in the mood to fight people, so I'll end this fast.'

In the blink of an eye, Sukuna had knocked out the two Chunin and two Jonin and had turned his back on them. More and more civilians and Shinobi alike were learning about his arrival in the Hidden-Leaf.

Sliding his hands into his pockets, Sukuna exited Ichiraku-Ramen and spotted a crowd of Genin — these Genin blocked off citizens from the restaurant. Stepping forward, Sukuna vanished in a streak of crimson.

Materializing in the crowd of citizens, Sukuna watched the six Genin fall unconscious onto the street. He waded out of the crowd and went to a different district in the village until a hand patted his shoulder.

"Quite the spectacle you've made, Sukuna." Kakashi Hatake spoke in an amused voice. "I wasn't expecting you to just barge into Konoha."

"I haven't been here in years, so I wanted to do some sight-seeing and eat some food." Sukuna swatted Kakashi's hand off of his shoulder. "I'm guessing Naruto's out training on Mount. Myoboku?"

"Yep." Kakashi glanced at the unconscious Shinobi on the road. "You didn't even send a letter that you'd be visiting. That hurts, you know?"

"Sure it does." Sukuna rolled his four red eyes, unimpressed. "I'm more surprised I'm not being surrounded by a platoon of Anbu."

"You would have been, if not for my intervention." Kakashi answered. "You can thank me by letting me escort you to lady Hokage's office."

(-)

Sukuna stared at the people gathered in the room—Shikamaru Nara, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, Shizune, Tsunade, and Kakashi cornered him on all ends. Danzo tapped his cane on the floor.

"So you have returned to the village at last, Ryomen Sukuna." Danzo looked emotionless. "To turn yourself in, I presume?"

"Nope." Sukuna said. "I was kinda hoping that my team and I could get a place to stay. The Akatsuki kinda compromised our hideout."

"Such insolence from a Rogue-Ninja!" Homura yelled, angered. "You abandoned your village and you expect amnesty?! What nonsense!"

"Yeah, who the heck are you?"

"Guard your tongue." Koharu hissed out. "You should be thankful to us, you ingrate! A normal Rogue-Ninja would have been imprisoned!"

"Yadda, yadda." Sukuna moved his hand like it was a mouth. "Shut it, would you?"

"It is our duty to ensure the safety of this village." Danzo grumbled out. "Threats like you cannot be allowed to fester."

"Enough arguments." Tsunade cut in and a hush spread across the office in an instant. "So, Sukuna, you are seeking assistance to stop the Akatsuki?"

"It was my teammates' ideas, not mine." Sukuna lowered his hand into his pocket. "But I can understand why they suggested the idea to me."

Shikamaru pounded a fist on his chest, released a tired breath, and spoke up. "Lady Tsunade — may I present my thoughts on the matter?"

"I will allow it."

"Sukuna is powerful." Shikamaru declared. "I don't want to brag, but Ino and Choji are formidable. And he defeated them in a second."

"He knocked out multiple Jonin and Chunin without breaking a sweat." Shikamaru explained to them. "And we've all seen the Bingo-Book."

"Yes." Homura sneered a little. "He has survived encounters against Jinchuriki and the Raikage and Tsuchikage. But that means nothing. The boy still abandoned the village!"

"And what about the six-tails Jinchuriki on his team?" Koharu asked Tsunade. "It would be prudent to extract it and make a new Jinchuriki."

'Of course.' Tsunade thought. 'Danzo has them speaking on his behalf.'

"Yeah, you can't do that." Sukuna flexed his clawed fingers, curling his hand into a fist in boredom. "But Utakata is fine being treated like bait for you to lure in the rest of the Akatsuki."

"We will set the conditions on your proposal, you insolent child—!"

"I told you — enough!" Tsunade clicked her tongue. "Kakashi, you've been silent. What do you think about letting Sukuna return here?"

"I think it's fine, lady Hokage." Kakashi read his book. "But I know everyone here thinks my opinion is biased. And I suppose that's fair."

"I've made up my mind." Tsunade announced. "Ryomen Sukuna, you have never acted against the interest of Konoha and its people."

"And it was your teammate that saved the Kazekage, if Naruto was right." Tsunade said. "I will grant you and your team accommodations."

"Lady Tsunade, please!" Homura shouted in alarm. "This boy will bring nothing but trouble to the village! He still abandoned Konohagakure!"

"I'll have Shizune draw up the official paperwork." Tsunade remarked. "You won't have any guards watching you, so don't ruin this chance."

"Sure." Sukuna went to the door, left the office, and walked out onto the streets of the village. 'That was simpler than I thought it would be.'

(-)

April 30th 2005:

Utakata, Kimimaro, and Suigetsu had reached Konoha after rounding up their supplies and packing them into bags. The four-story house that Tsunade had given them belonged to the Senju-Clan at one time.

This house had been constructed in an isolated neighborhood around the western outskirts of the village. Lounging on a bench outside of the house, Sukuna read through a book from a shelf in the house.

The councillors of the Hidden-Leaf had set some guards around the neighborhood to spy on him and his team. It was reasonable of them because—despite everything else—Sukuna was a Rogue-Shinobi.

'The others find those guards annoying, though.'

Sukuna looked up from his book when Kakashi body-flickered into the area. Holding a bag of food in his gloved hand, Kakashi approached his old student. "I hope you're adjusting well, Sukuna. I brought food."

"Hah, thanks." Sukuna lowered the bag onto his lap, picking out a fresh apple and biting it. "Did the elders send you to spy on me?"

"Ever the sarcastic one, you are." Kakashi chuckled, tucking his hands into his pockets. "How are your teammates adjusting to Konoha?"

"They're doing fine in Konoha." Sukuna snorted and bit his apple again. "I think Kimimaro and Utakata are reading at the library."

"Suigetsu found an all you-can-eat buffet." Sukuna scoffed. "I've just been searching through this house. It has some good books in it."

"Most of your old class-mates have heard about your arrival to Konoha." Kakashi said. "A lot of people are gossipping about it."

"Whatever." Sukuna rose from the bench, leaving the book and shopping-bag on it. "There hasn't been much for me to do here."

"I haven't had the chance to fight you myself." Kakashi remarked. "I'm no longer your teacher, but I would like to see your strength firsthand."

(-)

Sukuna and Kakashi stood across from each other at training-ground three. Kakashi pulled out a Kunai from a pocket in his Jonin vest. Reaching into his shadow, Sukuna took a red dagger out from it.

'I'm glad I stocked up on weapons from Ryugan's store.' Sukuna held the dagger in his left hand. 'Is Kakashi gonna use his Sharingan?'

Three seconds passed in silence before Sukuna blurred towards Kakashi. Swatting a slash to the nose aside, Kakashi flipped his Kunai into his other hand, whirled around, and kicked Sukuna.

Stumbling backwards, Sukuna readjusted his position on the grass and redirected a punch to the solar-plexus upwards. Kakashi backed off for a moment, stashing his Kunai away into the pocket of his vest.

Casting numerous hand-seals, Kakashi planted his hand on the ground. Stones gathered around Sukuna and trapped him in a dome created from rocks. Dismantle reduced it into a mere pile of dust.

Sprinting at Kakashi in a distortion of speed, Sukuna upper-cut him in the jaw. Recovering in the blink of an eye, Kakashi grabbed Sukuna's shoulder and buried a chakra-enhanced blow into his stomach.

Kakashi launched Sukuna into the bushes. Surfacing from the bushes, Sukuna appeared in front of Kakashi and tossed his dagger at him. Untucking a Kunai from his sleeve, Kakashi batted it downwards.

Slamming his knuckles into Kakashi's chest, Sukuna roundhouse kicked him into the soil afterwards. Rolling to his feet, Kakashi clutched his chest in pain. 'His physical power has only grown.'

Once he had lifted his head-band, Kakashi blinked his Sharingan and disappeared in a blur. Sukuna turned around, parrying a kick aimed at his face. Kakashi cast three hand-seals and spat out bullets of fire.

Sukuna let loose a blast of electricity at the bullets of fire, then materialized behind Kakashi and punched the back of his head. Kakashi stumbled forward, reorientated himself, and fell into a stance.

'Good, Sukuna.' Kakashi's mouth crinkled into a smile under his mask. 'You have changed from that reckless Genin you used to be.'

Performing several hand-seals in quick succession, Kakashi stamped his foot on the grass and conjured a fortress of rocks around Sukuna. Serrated stones grew from the walls of this fortress to impale him.

Cleave obliterated the entire fortress of rocks in a split-second. Sukuna launched a Dismantle into the soil, scattering dirt everywhere. Kakashi's three tomoe Sharingan focused on Sukuna's movements.

Kakashi shot a well-timed punch forward, but Sukuna had side-stepped it and axe-kicked him on the shoulder. Sukuna struck his fist into Kakashi's nose and a surge of cursed-energy soon followed.

Divergent-Fist's unexpected second impact threw Kakashi off-balance for a moment. Regaining his lost balance, Kakashi felt the cold touch of a dagger on his neck and released a short breath. "You win."

"Good battle." Sukuna tossed his dagger into his shadow, healed Kakashi, and cleared himself of injuries. "You're still crafty in a fight."

Kakashi slid his head-band over his eye. "Your healing ability is impressive."

Sukuna snorted in amusement. "You wouldn't believe—."

"—Sukuna! My youthful friend! Is that you?!"

Lee bolted into the fissured training-ground, stopping in front of Sukuna and Kakashi. Patting a palm on Sukuna's shoulder, he grinned. "I could not believe it when Shikamaru told me! You really have returned to the village, my friend!"

"It's good to see you too, Lee." Sukuna high-fived his friend, then turned to Kakashi. "I know you told me everyone heard about it, but please don't tell me that damn pest told everyone I was back in Konoha."

Kakashi offered no response, instead bringing his book out from his pouch and body-flickering out of the scarred grassland.

"Gai-Sensei will be pleased to hear that you're back!" Lee said. "He's away on a mission for the time being, however."

A sudden voice growled at them from the entrance to training-ground three. "So the bastard really is back, huh?!"

Kiba marched into the field — Akamaru and Shino trailed behind him.

'You've got to be kidding me.' Sukuna face-palmed. "And what the hell are you morons doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Kiba grumbled and Akamaru barked at him. "I thought you and Sasuke were too good for the village."

"Kiba does have a point." Shino appraised Sukuna through his sun-glasses. "What are you doing out and about in the village, Sukuna? All Shikamaru told us was that you and the team you created during your years out of Konoha had been granted some kind of direct amnesty from lady Hokage."

"Everyone, please, calm down!" Lee shouted. "I'm sure Sukuna has his own important reasons for returning to the village! If lady Hokage has deemed it alright, then it is not our place to pry."

"Ah, whatever!"

Kiba was reluctant, but he left the training-ground with Akamaru and Shino.

"It isn't Shikamaru's fault people know you're back, Sukuna." Lee commented. "You did stir up quite a scare for a few Shinobi and villagers when you barged into Ichiraku-Ramen out of nowhere."

Sukuna's mouth twisted into a wry smile. "You do have a point there."

"My blood roars at me to challenge you to a battle, Sukuna!" Lee declared, but he sighed. "Alas — Neji has chosen Ten-Ten and I for a critical mission to help escort representatives from Shimogakure to the Land-Of-Frost!"

"Good luck on that."

Lee waved at him, disappearing in a hurricane of leaves afterwards. Sukuna turned to a grove in the training-ground, fixing his bored red gaze on a broad weathered oak tree.

"Yamato." He scoffed. "You're not the best at hiding."

Yamato stepped out from behind the shadows of the tree, a standard porcelain Anbu mask plastered on his face. Sukuna was lost in memories for a second — Yamato had been the one who Hiruzen tested his bloodline limit against to decide whether or not he graduated from the Shinobi-Academy around two or three years ago.

"So Tsunade is having you watch me?"

"No." Yamato took off his mask, depositing it into a pocket in his Shinobi uniform. "I'll admit I was just curious to see how the academy rookie that lord third oversaw the graduation of turned out."

Donning his mask once more, Yamato disappeared into the forest.

'So many reunions all at once.' Sukuna paid no mind to their random short discussion, heading to the western outskirts of the village. 'I better pick up that bag Kakashi gave me that I left on the bench. And my book.'

(-)

Sukuna slipped through the entryway of the house, slunk across the hallway that stretched out beyond the front entrance, and entered the kitchen located on the other side of the two oaken doors at the end of the hallway. Tossing the shopping-bag from Kakashi onto a wooden table, he exited the kitchen and went into the living room of sorts.

The first two levels of the four-story house had been cleaned by Genin who Kakashi had commissioned on Sukuna's behalf, although the third floor and fourth floor hadn't been cleaned.

Utakata had returned from the library alongside Kimimaro. Sitting on a worn chair at the head of a table, he sorted through the scrolls he had retrieved from his information network. Kimimaro sat in a wide corner of the large square room, reading a book with tattered covers. Three shelves lined the walls. Suigetsu was fast asleep on an old sofa.

Exiting the room, Sukuna headed up a flight of creaking stairs and walked into a bedroom through the last door in the corridor. Even though it had been cleaned, some dust had remained and swarmed the basic furniture around him.

Flinging open the shutters of the windows, Sukuna felt a cool gust of wind hit his face. Chilly air poured into the room.

'Naruto's gone off training at Mount. Myoboku.' Sukuna crossed the room and sat on a wooden chair. 'Pain will be attacking Konoha sooner or later to find him and extract Kurama from his seal.'

'I'll tame Mahoraga.'

Sukuna rose from his chair, then went to the window and looked out at the village.