Naruto is seated on a simple cushion in a dimly lit room, still recovering from his previous exhaustion. Silently delighted to have food in his stomach once again, even if it was just a half loaf of bread. The scent of exotic spices lingers in the air, mixing with the ever-present saltiness of the harbor city. His new "master" sits across from him, a pot of tea between them, studying the young man with the same calculating yet oddly amused gaze he has worn since their first meeting.

He'd agreed to answer this guy's questions and do him some unspecified favors. Seemed harmless enough to Naruto. He figured once he had a couple good meals and a solid nights sleep, he would be good enough to take off if he needed to. But he also knew that nobody else in this place would understand him or even take him seriously. He didn't like it, but sticking with this guy, Naruto didn't even know his name yet, was his safest bet at the moment.

Naruto, still wary, keeps one hand near his stomach, subconsciously protective of the place where he feels his chakra flow. Sasuke's egg is out of sight, but the weight of its absence lingers in his mind. The man, meanwhile, is watching, waiting for him to speak.Naruto thought over his words before opening his mouth.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, genin of the Hidden Leaf Village. I was trying to get my friend to come back to our home. He ran off to join this rogue ninja who'd promised to give him more power." Naruto took another breath to continue, keeping a close eye on the man's reactions.

"We fought, and that's the last thing I remember before waking up on this crazy island with dragon skeletons and people with rock like skin. I stowed away on a ship that came here, and I guess you've seen the rest." Naruto opted to chew on his piece of bread once he'd finished, letting his acquaintance take in his words before responding.

"That is a rather interesting story, Naruto. My name is Quon. I must admit I've never heard of the such a place, nor have I heard of such a thing as a ninja." Naruto's face did nothing to hide his surprise at the now named man's words. Regardless, Quon continued.

"However, this island you've described is almost certainly old Valyria. That is where the dragonlords of old once ruled. It is nothing but ruins and ash now. As for your strange encounter, these people you describe are called stone men. The final result of those afflicted with greyscale."

Naruto nodded slowly as he processed Quon's words. It didn't make sense for him and Sasuke to end up so far away from home, in some land that he'd never heard of. Worse still, it sounded like these people didn't even know about chakra and shinobi at all. Now would have been a great time to have a map of his home, but alas Naruto wasn't one to think of such things. Still, he'd got a few questions answered, and that was nice.

Stone men, not really creative name, but Naruto guessed it was accurate enough. Sasuke was right in his thought then that those people were sick and were, in fact, the same as the people he'd seen left in Valyria. Quon took a sip from his teacup before speaking again.

"You are lucky I found you, boy. Had another master purchased you, they would not be as... patient as I am."

Naruto scowled slightly. Of course, this guy didn't believe a word he'd said. It made sense if these people didn't have chakra, but that itself didn't make sense to Naruto. Everyone had chakra, even people who weren't shinobi, but everything he'd seen so far suggested it to be the opposite.

"Tch, lucky? I wouldn't have been caught if I weren't starving and exhausted. You saw me at my absolute lowest."

And that was true. The fact that he'd been desperate enough to start pulling on the fox's chakra, only to get knocked out by someone without any chakra to speak of.

"Freakin' embarrassing..."

He'd never let that happen again. Naruto would always have a buffet on standby going forward, he'd promised himself. Quon smirked a little at the blond's rebuke. He'd seen a great many things in his life, but so far, all he'd heard from Naruto were stories of a child trying to make himself look tough.

"Is that so? You looked quite helpless when they dragged you into the square." His smirk remained when Naruto grit his teeth in frustration.

"I'm not helpless. I'm stronger than anyone you know. Back where I come from, I've beaten people way stronger than those guards. All you've seen is me when I've fought for 2 days straight with no friggin' food or sleep!"

Quon leaned forward a bit, his smirk ever present. "Yes, this Hidden Leaf Village you spoke of. The fact that we can understand each other suggests this village would be somewhere in my homeland of Yi Ti, but I have a feeling you've never heard of such a place, have you?"

Naruto's face softened before answering with a shake of his head. Quon sipped his tea. "Most interesting. Tell me more of this land you hail from."

And so, without any other option, Naruto did just that. "Where I come from, people train to be warriors from a young age. We call them shinobi or ninjas. We use chakra, which is... like energy inside us. It lets us fight, move fast, heal faster, and do things normal people can't."

"I see. What you are describing would only be called magic in these lands. Magic is something of a sensitive subject no matter where you are however. Its presence in the world is said to be lost according to most, yet you speak of it as if it is common in your home."

"It is. Not everyone could be a shinobi. Some people have more chakra than others, but everyone has chakra. My village has entire clans of dedicated warriors with different things they're talented in. Controlling shadows, expanding parts of their body, reading people's minds, the list goes on."

Quon sat in silence for a few moments. He could not be sure that anything he heard these last few minutes was anything but fanciful stories. The way he spoke of a land Quon had never heard of, with abilities he'd never heard of either. He cleared his throat.

"Well, my friend, I can safely say you are a long way from home. This place is Astapor, one of the three great cities of Slaver's Bay. It is ruled by the Good Masters, men who profit from selling flesh. Here, a man's worth is measured in coin, and power is dictated by cruelty. If you are strong, they will seek to own you. If you are weak, they will discard you." Quon finished with a warning.

While he didn't plan to exploit and humiliate Naruto like most did with the slaves they owned, it would do good for this boy to know what would be facing him outside these walls. Here, he saw the face of someone who hadn't had their dreams crushed by the world yet. Still, if he planned to make sure this boy was worth the money he spent, he had to know what he was working with.

"You just...OWN people here?! That's insane! It's disgusting!" Naruto proclaimed with the same righteous fury Quon had seen in many before him. He nodded in agreement with his sentiment, however.

"It is. But this is the reality where you have landed in. Beyond Slaver's Bay to the west is Westeros. A land of feuding lords and kings, where men kill for crowns and betray even their own kin for power. To the east lies Yi Ti, my homeland. A land of emperors and forgotten gods. Power shifts like the tide and the strong rule over the weak. Just as it has always been."

"Do they have slaves everywhere here?" Naruto couldn't let go of that fact. He wasn't a stranger to the idea that the strong rule over the weak, even if he disagreed with the notion. To Naruto it was the responsibility of the strong to protect the weak. But even in his experiences, he'd never seen such cruelty. Only someone like Orochimaru would treat another human like property.

"No, it may please you to know that not all of the world enjoys the practice of using their fellow man as another commodity to sell. However, here in Essos, this is how it has been for centuries, millenia even. It will take more than morals and ideals to change a culture such as this."

Naruto was relieved to know that not everywhere was like Astapor, but it still made him angry that there were hundreds if not thousands of people that were suffering. People that he could help. At his full strength, it would be so easy, barely an inconvenience. He could wipe out all these monsters and free the slaves, but what, then? He didn't have the means nor the goodwill of the people to lead a revolution. Quon watched Narutos' expressions change with his thoughts before speaking once more.

"You claim to be strong. I believe you think you are. But here, strength is not simply about being able to throw a fist. It is about survival. Survival requires more than just brute force. It requires cunning, restraint, and understanding." Naruto grumbled slightly.

"Im not stupid, old man." Quon chuckled.

"I didn't say you were, but I have the feeling you are not known for your patience." He then stood up and motioned for Naruto to follow. "Come. If you truly wish to regain your freedom, then you must prove that you are not just a foolish boy with big words. Let us see what you are capable of."

Naruto practically bolted from his seat at the words. A slight rest and a bit of food did wonders on his physical state, but not nearly enough to get him back to full. If he wanted to now, he could feasibly snatch back Sasuke's egg and high tail it the hell out of here. Maybe he'd go to that Westeros place Quon mentioned. The fact that they didn't allow slavery was a huge upside over this place in his mind. Quon and Naruto left the humble shop the former owned and were once again walking the streets of Astapor. Narutos brightly colored hair standing out among the crowd, the sun reflecting its golden shine off the boy's scalp. The air is thick with heat and the scent of sweat, spice, and sea salt.

They arrive at a public training yard, where slave soldiers and city guards hone their skills. It is a place of brutality and discipline, where those without strength are beaten into submission.The yard is a large open space surrounded by onlookers, other slavers, traders, and the occasional noble who enjoys watching displays of power. Wooden dummies, weighted stones, and weapon racks line the edges, and in the center, fighters spar under the watchful gaze of their masters.

Quon, maintaining the aura of a slaver showing off his new purchase, calls out in the local tongue, drawing attention. "My newest slave claims to be strong. Let us see if there is truth in his words!"

The crowd stirs with amusement and curiosity. A few slavers chuckle, eyeing Naruto's lean frame with skepticism. Quon brings Naruto over to where several large stones are placed. "You are to move these stones from where they are to the marked space over there and then back here. The largest stone is nearly impossible for even grown men to move, so we shall see if your words have any weight." Quon told Naruto in their shared tongue.

Naruto shrugs his shoulders as he stepped forward toward the stones. Five of them in total, it looks like it's 10 meters each way. Piece of cake. Though still not back to his full strength, the nap and piece of bread Quon gave him let him recuperate enough that he was confident he could escape whenever he wanted. Naruto figured it wouldn't take more than a day or two to get back to a hundred percent. Then, if things got really bad, he'd grab Sasuke and run. Naruto picked the first stone off the ground, maybe 10 kilograms? Easy enough for Naruto to toss from where he stood all the way to the opposite side.

Quon and the onlookers raised an eyebrow but were otherwise unfazed. When Naruto replicated the result with the next stone, twice the weight of the first, that got their attention, however. The third stone, about 34 kilograms in weight, was instead picked up with a single hand and carried across to the other side. Murmurs spread among the crowd, and Quons eyes narrowed.

"This boy was not lying about his strength, it seems. For his size and age, strength like that shouldn't be possible. He's going to attract a lot of attention. Especially with an attitude like his." He thought to himself. From what he'd gathered by watching him, Naruto was someone who felt compelled to prove his own worth. If not to himself, then to others, it seemed. A boy who would speak his mind regardless of the circumstances and was hell-bent on keeping his word. Perhaps in the boy's homeland, such things were acceptable, but in Quon's many years, he'd learned that people who show off and are quick to anger always met gruesome ends.

Quon kept observing as Naruto tossed the first and second stones back to their original placements in a single throw. Not too much more of a display than before, but still Quon could hear the murmurs.

"This boy is not natural."

"For a mere boy to move the stones so easily, it is incredible."

Of course, there would always be variation in the opinions of people, and so while some of the onlookers viewed the strength of this foreign boy in awe, others began to look in hostility. With a bit of strain, Naruto threw the third stone back over to its proper place, proceeding to walk back over to the fourth stone, yet to sho the fist sign of movement.

"He's putting in effort now, so his limit is approaching." Quons growing nervousness eased just a little when he heard that in the crowd. This would settle the minds of those more easily threatened by what they see. Naruto placed both hands on the stone, this one reaching his knee in height, and began to push it across the sand. His breathing smooth, his movements controlled. He moved the stone to its opposite space and returned to its starting point at a pace that spat on some of their seasoned pit fighters.

Naruto didn't know it but he'd just moved the stone three full seconds faster than the current record holder. Then he moved to the last stone. One that less than a dozen people have ever been able to move since it was first brought over. Naruto had a few beads of sweat running down his face. While this would be even easier at his full strength, Naruto was actually having a little bit of fun with it. He dug in his heels and pushed against the solid rock that stood taller than himself.

Everyone watched on in amazement. The sound of shifting sand and rock, of grunts of exertion are all that can be heard before the boulder begins to move forward. Slow, shaky steps pressing forward as Naruto pushed the stone further and further.

When Naruto returned the stone to its original spot, albeit a full ten minutes later, all those that had been watching were slack jawed.

Quon was nodding in approval on the outside, but inwardly was already considering the ramifications of this display. "You've made your point, Naruto. Now you're drawing more attention than necessary." How Quon wished he could voice his thoughts to the boy in this moment.

He'd walked back over after completing his task with that cocky grin of his, even if his breathing was heavy. Quon made a show of nodding and smiling in approval, but his thoughts were elsewhere. "Most impressive, boy. It seems you are indeed strong, despite your small size." Quon let out a quick word while Naruto gawked at the jab toward his height. As he looked away from his blond charge and upon the still present onlookers, he'd seen they'd returned to whispering among themselves.

This didn't bode well. Word would spread of a foreign slave boy with miraculous strength beyond that of most grown men. People with more cruel intentions and foul agendas would seek to exploit such a strength, especially when it's wielded by a child. Quon needed to put a stop to this. But as he stepped forward, one of those in the crowd appraoched, dressed in fine silks and an obnoxious amount of jewelry. Quon inwardly cursed.

"Most impressive, boy. But how will you fare against a trained fighter I wonder?" Naruto looked over to Quon who stepped between the boy and the new arrival.

"Good Master Greizhen. Your presence is an honor, but I must take this one back to my home. He is strong, yes. But I am afraid he has exerted himself in an attempt to please the crowd." Both men looked over at Naruto, who had a thin sheen of sweat covering his face and torso.

"Perhaps you'll enter him in the pits then, yes? He would be a most entertaining combatant, I'm sure." Greizhen mo Ullhor finished with an arrogant smirk. This was someone Quon didn't wish to have any association with. Having Naruto in the pits would only draw more attention, Quon cursed inwardly once more. It seemed as though the immediate future would be an interesting challenge.

Quon nodded with a polite smile. "A wonderful idea. At a later date though, I believe this one is in need of refinement. Brute force like this wouldn't entertain for long."

The Good Master didn't look pleased with the answer given. When it was apparent the show was over, the crowd had dispersed. The Good master offered on the spot to buy Naruto off of Quon, only for the Yi Tish man to dismiss his offer. The bald headed master sneered, calling Quon an ignorant foreigner before leaving with a huff. Once more, they were alone.

Quon approached Naruto and placed a hand on his shoulder. Leading him out of the training yard, he spoke up. "You should learn when to hold back, boy. In this place, power is not always a gift, it is also a target on your back."

Naruto nodded in understanding. He hadn't thought of that. He'd simply thought to show the old man what he asked to see. But he supposed in a place that somehow didn't have chakra, people would be nervous about things he'd grown up with. Based on what Quon said, people here would just say he's using magic, and it didn't sound like that was a good thing.

They return to Quon's shop. Naruto was instructed to have a seat at the table. Soon a plate was placed in front of him with a piece of roasted chicken and a full loaf of bread. Soon a cup of tea followed the plate.

"Despite my opinion on your oversharing, you did exactly what I asked of you. You have earned this Naruto. Continue to follow my instructions and I will ensure you eat well."

Naruto nodded with a small smile of gratitude. He placed his hands together and offered a small bow.

"Thank you. I know taking me in puts a lot of attention on you too, so just let me know if you need anything." Naruto responded before digging into his first proper meal since he'd left the leaf village.

"How generous of you." Quon gave a small chuckle. Sitting across from Naruto with his own plate of food and cup of tea. The two ate in a comfortable silence before Naruto spoke up again.

"What did that guy in the yard want? Ya know, since I can only understand you." Naruto gave a small grin while Quon gave an apprehensive look.

"That was Greizhen mo Ullhor, one of the Good Masters of Astapor. He sits among the highest authority in the city. He wishes for me to enter you in the city's fighting pits. It is a place where slaves and other warriors engage in combat for the benefit of their masters, or themselves if they are free men."

Naruto winced a little at the older man's description. "I'm guessing it's too much to ask that these fights aren't to the death, yeah?"

Quon nodded honestly with an empathic expression. "Yes, I am afraid you will have to kill. Is this something you have done before? Have you ended the life of another as one of these ninjas you spoke of?"

Naruto was silent for a moment as he thought about it. Pretty much all the enemies he ever fought ended up dead, but almost always because of either their own actions. But there was one. One person who's life had been snuffed out purely because of Naruto's hand. A super cool rainbow colored rasengan technically, but still Naruto's hand. Doto Kazehana.

"Ya know, ninjas are supposed to be tools of killing for their villages. I've fought a lot of different people and most of them died, but never because of me. But once, I was part of a mission. This other country's princess had been on the run since her uncle took over. My team had been hired to help put her back on the throne, and by the end of it all, I'm the one who finished off her uncle. It's the only time someone has died because I made it happen."

Naruto gave a weak smile. He didn't like killing, but he would be lying if he even tried to say that ending the life of that tyrant was anything but pleasant. Doto deserved to die after everything he'd done. To his own family, and the people of the Land of Snow, er Spring now. Quon's face remained neutral for a moment before he took a sip of his tea.

"You mean to say, that your first kill, as a child soldier for a village of magical assasins, was the ruler of a foreign nation?" His tone was smooth, but Naruto could hear the skepticism. It was fair, he'd seen Naruto was physically capable, but that was it.

"Um, yeah. I guess that's one way to put it. But hey, I can show you a little of what I can do with my chakra, ya know since you clearly still don't believe me?" Naruto offered with a small grin.

Quon didn't answer with words. Instead he stood from his cushion and proceeded to close every window Naruto could see. The older man returned and silently motioned for Naruto to demonstrate. Naruto stood up and took a deep breath.

"Okay, something simple. I mean it took me a while to get the hang of this, but I think it'll do the trick." Naruto turned towards the nearby wall and walked toward it. Before Quon could ask why the boy was intending to do to his wall when he saw Narutos feet take the boy off the ground. Stepping on the wall as if it were the floor before soon standing on the ceiling, looking down at him with his usual grin.

Quon's mouth opened in surprise before he quickly composed himself. "Truly remarkable. And this is what you call simple? I shudder to think what else you can accomplish at your full strength."

Naruto grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah I suppose when you compare me to the people you're used to. But there's people back home that are even stronger than me. Kakashi sensei, Pervy Sage, Granny Tsunade." He lists off the first three people that came to mind. Naruto's expression became more somber at the thought.

Would they think he and Sasuke killed each other? What kind of evidence did they even leave behind? How would they react? Would everyone be happier without him? What about Sakura? Sure he'd saved Sasuke, kinda. But he had no clue if they were even capable of getting home. How did that count as keeping his promise?

Quon broke Naruto from his slowly spiraling depressive thoughts. "I see. This is indeed an amazing skill to possess, my boy. I will say however that it is something you should keep hidden from others. Just about anything you can do, make sure nobody can see you doing it. Magic is not regarded well in almost any place, and your abilities will be labeled as exactly that."

Naruto nodded and continued to eat in silence. They didnt talk much for the rest of the day, naruto preferring to rest while Quon operates his business. When night falls on Astapor, Naruto can be seen curled up on the small cot Quon gave him to sleep on. In his arms held the egg that contained his only friend in this awful place. Naruto's thoughts swirled in a sea of questions and self doubt as sleep slowly claimed him.

The darkness of Naruto's subconscious looms around him, broken only by the eerie glow of the water beneath his feet. The dim light reflects off the massive bars of the cage before Naruto, the enormous form of the Nine Tailed Fox curled lazily within.

Naruto blinks, momentarily disoriented. He was just holding Sasuke's egg as he drifted to sleep, how did he end up here again? A low, rumbling chuckle echoes through the space, drawing his attention.

"Finally decided to visit me properly, brat?" The Fox's voice drips with amusement, his massive crimson eyes narrowing as he leans closer to the bars. "And look at that, you brought company."

Naruto stiffens, glancing to his side, Sasuke is there, wide-eyed and staring up at the enormous fox. Naruto was amazed, how was Sasuke here? He could see his friend and rival appearing the same as he had always known him, outfit and all. Oh God, Naruto realized. Sasuke didn't know.

"What the hell is that?" Sasuke barely manages, eyes darting between the massive beast and Naruto. He already had an idea, but it would be better for Naruto to say it.

Kurama grins, showing rows of sharp teeth. "Oh? He didn't tell you? Figures." His gaze flickers back to Naruto, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I was starting to think you'd keep your little pet in the dark forever."

Naruto scowls. "Shut up, furball. I was gonna tell him eventually."

Sasuke's expression hardens. "Tell me what, Naruto?"

Naruto exhales, rubbing the back of his head. "This is The Nine Tailed Fox. He's… uh, sealed inside me."

Sasuke blinked several times, his gaze darting back and forth between Naruto and the enormous vulpine present behind cage bars.

"In the academy…"

"Your pitiful village told you worthless insects what they wanted you to know. A being as grand as myself is eternal. I cannot die as you filthy humans do. Your fourth Hokage foolishly gave his life to imprison me within this brat." The fox answered before Naruto could. Both boys could feel the malice coming from the tailed beast. It snarled and slammed one of its human like hands at the bars of its prison.

"But now, it seems the remainder of my incarceration shall be once more tormented by the presence of a wretched UCHIHA!"

Sasuke particularly felt the hatred the fox was exuding when his clan name was uttered with such vitriol.

"What's your problem with the Uchiha?" Sasuke asked with gritted teeth and a furrowed brow. He wouldn't stand to hear anyone talk down on his clan.

To both his and Naruto's surprise, the nine tails bellowed out with a terrible laugh. As if it had just heard an incredible joke.

"The Uchiha clan has been the bane of my existence for the last century. It brings me great joy to know that your cursed clan will inevitably cease to exist." The Fox kept it's malicious grin as it spoke.

"Hey! You don't get to talk to Sasuke like that! Only I get to talk to him like that, and you didn't even answer the question, furball!" Naruto jumped at his friends's defense. The Fox simply snarled once more.

"Be silent, impudent worm! You are in no better of a position! The Uchihas and their blasted sharingan took away my free will, but you Uzumakis have deprived me of my freedom! If there were any humans I despised more than the rest it would be you two!"

Once again, the boys were floored. Uzumakis? As in more than one? They'd both just assumed it was a name given to Naruto by the third hokage. They'd never heard of an Uzumaki clan. If one existed then Naruto would have lived with them, right?

The fox could see the confusion on the boys faces and laughed again.

"Foolish mortals. You know nothing. I haven't been this amused in ages. The last of my great enemies, one imprisoned within a lizard shell. The other, enslaved to weaker beings, lost and alone. Fitting punishments for me to watch with glee as I await my freedom."

The fox had seen everything his jinchuriki had done from the moment he awoke in the ruins of Valyria. Ever since then, the fox could tell something was off. It couldn't sense ANY chakra at all aside from that of the brat. It felt something else though in the ruined land, something that may have been powerful once, but had long since faded into a mere specter of its former glory.

This was perfect. The Uchiha was trapped within that uncooked omlette, and even if he hatched into a little winged lizard, he'd never be a threat to him. Not unless he somehow retained that blasted sharingan…

Even so, if this world, as the fox doubted they were still in the world they were born in, lacked chakra, then the pitiful humans of this world had no means of controlling or imprisoning him ever again. If it wanted to, it could just wait for Naruto to perish naturally, and eternal freedom would be ripe for the taking.

But the fox didn't wish to be patient. If it could it would either take over the brat's body or break out of the seal at once. But unfortunately it had to play this stupid game.

"Hey…."

The fox grunted in confusion as it heard the brat speaking again. It's crimson orbs looking down meeting the azure of its host.

"Could you explain what happened, the night you attacked the village? What exactly happened that makes you HATE us so much? I didn't get a choice in this either. Like you said, I don't know anything. So could you just, tell us what happened?"

The fox was silent for a moment before letting out a huff. It was hardly something the tailed beast liked to remember, but perhaps a little but of useful information would nudge the brat towards asking to use its chakra again. It looked at Naruto and Sasuke both.

"Very well. Listen up good, brat, whelp. I will only say this once." The fox closed its eyes for a moment. Collecting it's thoughts before speaking

"You are the third human who has served as my cage. The first, was Mito Uzumaki. If I remember correctly, she was mated to that bastard, Hashirama Senju."

"Wait, the first hokage?! His wife was related to me?!"

"Do not interrupt me, brat!" The fox roared, Glaring at Naruto, making sure he stayed silent before continuing.

"As I was saying. Mito lived for nearly a century before she died. Before that however, she found a replacement prison for me. My second jinchuriki was named Kushina Uzumaki. She perished at the end of my claws, foolishly protecting the pathetic offspring she'd just birthed mere hours before." The fox watched with glee as the hamster wheel that was Naruto's brain began to spin. It would allow the brat to speak this once before it kept going.

"So…she was my mom?" The Fox's grin grew wider as it heard Naruto's voice tremble

Sasuke put his hand on Naruto's shoulder, all of this was a new concept to him. But as someone who understood that sense of loss. He thought of his own mother, how beautiful and kind her eyes were, before he was forced to witness those eyes close forever…

"She died protecting you. If nothing else Naruto, that shows that she loved you. I'm sorry you never got to know her." Sasuke could tell that his words got through to Naruto. He wished there was more he could say, but giving pep talks wasn't something he think he'd ever get good at.

"Yes yes how noble, now quiet. An interesting fact about jinchuriki is that if the host is a female, when she delivers her offspring, the seal that holds me away becomes weak. Because of this, Kushina was taken to a secret place to deliver you in safety. She did not."

"A shinobi appeared in the birthing room. Wielding a sharingan in their right eye. This shinobi was able to reach kushina, and broke the seal binding me. My freedom was shortly lived, as i was immediately trapped in a different kind of prison, the genjutsu of the sharingan. The man sent me to the leaf village to destroy it. Some time later, I was released from the genjutsu, likely due to your fourth hokage defeating the Uchiha."

This revelation once again rocked the boys to their core. Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other. An Uchiha caused the attack on the village. Naruto grew up an orphan because of an Uchiha.

"So. That means attacking the village isn't really your fault, right? If not for that person… you'd have stayed sealed in my mom, or maybe just left the village once you were free…" Naruto asked without even looking up at the fox, too consumed in the grief of learning the smallest bit of information about his origin.

"Hmph, if I had escaped the seal on Kushina by myself, it would have killed her anyway. Jinchuriki do not survive being separated from us tailed beasts. As for your village, no. Perhaps the number of humans crushed by my hands would have been less. Perhaps less of your village would have burned, but make no mistake. I would have destroyed whatever means you leaf ninja had at ever using my power ever again."

The fox rose to its feet and retreated further into the cage.

"I grow tired of this conversation. Leave so I may sleep."

Naruto and Sasuke looked back at each other. The last few minutes had totally shocked their minds, unable to process everything. Shaking his head, Naruto sighed.

"I should try to sleep too. I have to go into some kinda arena starting tomorrow."

"Are you sure you can handle this? You'll have to kill your opponent."

Naruto gives his trademark grin

"I ain't killing anybody, and I'd like to see anyone stop me now."

Hey guys! Back again with the newest chapter! Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed, it's amazing hearing the positive feedback. I hope you all liked this chapter and I can't wait to write up the next one for you all!