Its width was greater than the entire area of The Hidden Leaf. With their eyes focused, the bleach white skeleton shined brightly and clearly even in the dimly light sewer. It wasn't possible for them to move as their brains were still processing every last article of information running through their brains. Naruto shook violently as his fear started to get the better of him. His legs gave way and he fell flat on his butt subsequently drenching his clothes. Ebisu couldn't muster such a reaction as everything he ever knew about the bijuu and jinchuuriki came into question. To him, bijuu were masses of energy taking animalistic forms, hence what most would consider their immortality. However, before him now was the skeletal remains of a very tangible and real creature. That brings up the second issue. If the bijuu is dead, then how is Naruto still alive? The connection between the bijuu and the jinchuuriki is undeniable, and if the larger and the more powerful of the two life forces is snuffed out in one vessel, wouldn't the other one naturally collapse as well?

Another five minutes of utter silence. Not even the sound of heartbeats echoed, as they to were afraid of being too loud. The mass of the skull alone made them feel like ants under a boot heel but eventually, the novelty was fading, slowly.

"W-Whats going on?" Naruto squeaked aloud simultaneously trying to squeeze water out of his clothes.

"I'm not quite sure. I've never thought anything like this was even possible." the hushed voice from the sensei echoed slightly in the chamber.

Both persons looked at each other expecting an answer from one another. When one didn't come to a mutual idea popped into both of their heads. While there were wary of the giant skeleton that was in their way, they swallowed the remaining trepidation and took their first steps through the bars meant to hold the beast back. Their footsteps slapped loudly on the ground as the shallow water was pushed around. Both sensei and pupil didn't look away from the skeleton preparing for the moment when it suddenly starts to move. However, that moment never came and the two walked through the former bijuu. Its body was like a cave inside the already seemingly endless one they were trapped in.

"So, um, why exactly did you enter my head again?"

"I'm here to find out exactly why you were sent into a rage. In just the time I've known you, that kind of outburst was very unlike you, so I want to know exactly what happened to make you snap, and to find a way to ensure it doesn't happen again." the response was direct and unwavering.

Naruto studied the face of Ebisu as said teacher stared into the abyss they continued to venture into. His face indicated real determination yet focus. It was very interesting considering the faces of the villagers were always one or the other. No one really had the ability to have an impassioned flame burn in their heart yet still remain poised as if conducting a tea ceremony. But, before him right now, was a man who could balance the scales effortlessly. Not only that but it was for Naruto that Ebisu was willing to go to such extremes for. A warm feeling formed in the pit of Naruto's stomach creating a small smirk on his face. Suddenly the sewer that they were in grew a bit brighter and the water levels began to recede.

"Hm, I wonder if our presence deeper in your mind is causing the environment itself to change." Ebisu pondered aloud.

The duo continued to walk observing all the smallest details of their environment. After a few minutes what appeared to be a large crack appeared on the left-hand side. It was twice the size of a grown man and held a deep shadow within. The pair were about to pass it off as just another aesthetic of the mindscape until they heard noise coming from inside. They both stopped and listened for more noise. It didn't take long for another muffled shriek to escape through the crevice. This time though, it was more identifiable, it was most definitely Naruto's voice.

"What's going on?" the boy inquired.

"Hm, it is your mind. So perhaps it's a memory of some sort. I suggest we go investigate further."

More sounds escaped from the crevice but now in the form of distinct language. To the boy's horror, the words he heard were far too familiar and far too painful to revisit.

"We have to get out of here now, like right now!"

"I understand your trepidation Naruto, but you can't allow the past to control you. Moreover, whoever that other voice is will have to pay for breaking the Hokages' Law."

"Please, let's just go, please." Naruto's voice grew quiet.

"I'm not trying to punish you Naruto. This is the first healthy step to getting past hard things like this." Ebisu kneeled down in front of Naruto looking him in the eye. The sensei saw the pain rippling in the boy's eyes, the fear, the unwillingness to move forward, and something he wouldn't believe himself if he didn't see it himself, doubt. A deep exhale escaped his lips and Ebisu removed his glasses revealing himself to look like a seasoned veteran. Bags under his eyes stretched down to the midpoint of his nose. His dark eyes surrounded by a sea of red. "We are our pain Naruto. We are the struggles and hardships that we endure. But more importantly, we are the perseverance that got us through those difficult times. We are the will of fire that continues to burn in the strongest rainstorm. Don't sink into despair, but don't ignore your pain. Let it make you stronger, let it remind you how much you're truly capable of living through, and how many fights you still have left."

Naruto was at a loss for words. He couldn't break eye contact with his sensei and the words seemed to slowly seep into his being. Another scream for the crevice and the epiphany faded just as quickly as he retreated back looking away.

"We can't be here anymore, I-I'm not ready."

'What happened to you? What has you so rattled that you can't even muster to courage to move? This isn't the Naruto I know. Or is it the real Naruto, and the one I'm aware of is the fake? Nevertheless, we need to press on. I can't let him wallow in this misery.'

"You might be right Naruto. You might not be ready." the statement made Naruto sink lower into himself. "But don't forget, your sensei is here with you, you're not fighting this alone." Ebisu reached out to Naruto offering his hand. "Remember, as long as the will of fire burns in you, I won't stop until I make you the greatest ninja I possibly can."

The boy once again stared. Something though made his decision easy. Something told him that this was right, this was good. Something inside allowed him to reach his hand out and grab hold of his sensei. Something allowed him, with his friend, to walk through the crevice.

He was floating. Like water walking but any sensation of exertion was lifted. They looked out onto a blurry version of his home. They were in a back alley, maybe close to some shop, or even residential area. The view was very low to the ground, only going up a couple feet. Ebisu noticed first that he couldn't look anywhere else but what was presented to him. He then noted that it was starting to get dark when an obscure figured approached.

"I'm glad to see you made it Uzumaki-san," it said in a low voice. "I expected you to forgot where to meet or to get distracted by something shiny."

"Pfft, whatever weirdo, now tell me this secret you know about me! Why does everyone avoid me?"

Ebisu leaned forward focusing on the next words.

"Very well, you must be aware of the massacre from the Kyuubi attack a few years ago right?"

"Yeah."

"And that many people, including important people, died that night."

"Well, yeah."

"Including one Fourth Hokage and his wife, the villages brightest beacons of hope for the ninja world."

"Do you have a point or what?" Naruto spat annoyed.

"What you did that day is why everyone hates you Uzumaki-san. You killed them."

"Yeah, okay then, thanks for that." Naruto threw his hands up behind his head and started to walk away.

"You think I'm lying?" the voice unamused.

"Duh, I've never killed anyone in my life. You're crazy!"

"It's true boy. On that night the Kyuubi was released it destroyed many lives. Ravaged the village, and because of you the Fourth and his wife lost their life. To think, their child was the cause of their painful demise at the hands of a demon, both in fox and human form."

Naruto turned slowly.

"D-Did you just say I was their child?" his voice was quiet.

"I did, because you are you, ignorant cretin. You are the reason for the death of your own parents. You caused the havoc to be released into the world, your birth let the great demon back into the world and then it was sealed inside of you by the fourth, costing him his life. His wife also caught in the crossfire of your deeds being pierced by the Kyuubi's claw bleeding to death, cursing your existence. You are the reason for their pain, the villages pain, but by the order of the 'old man,' we can't allow something like you to die the way you're supposed to."

"No! You're lying! You have to be lying!"

The obscure figure lunged for the boy, lifting him up by his mouth and pressing him against a wall. Naruto tried to shriek but was only muffled by the hand. His vision was taken up by two glowing red eyes that swallowed the rest of his consciousness, fading everything to black.

Ebisu and Naruto both gasped for breath feeling themselves forcefully ejected from the memory. They looked around finding themselves back in front of the crevice. Naruto still worse for wear then Ebisu, but better than he had been before entering. Ebisu shook his head in disappointment. While he learned something about his pupils past there were so many questions to answer and so much work to be done. However, this excursion has already been taxing on the both of them, it was time for them to go home.

"Come on Naruto, Yamanaka-san has a way for us to get out back at the gate. We can go home now."

Naruto simply nodded, the fear on his face fading a smile replacing it. The sewer grew even brighter and water was entirely receded.

Making their way through the large skeleton again, this time with much less hesitation and through the gate. Then Naruto noticed a small beam of light a hundred or so yards from the gate. He motioned for it to Ebisu who nodded and explained that it was their way out. Having plenty of what this place had to give Naruto darted for the light causing Ebisu to chuckle in amusement. He followed effortlessly behind the boy knowing in his heart this wasn't the last time he would have to come in here, and the next time, he would truly be ready.

Light enveloped the duo and in an instant, they were awake and aware of their surroundings in the Yamanaka flower shop. The quick transition gave them a headache but nothing that wouldn't go away in a couple hours. The Yamanaka though looked a bit flushed and like he had been running for the entire time they were in the mindscape. He breathed heavily and coughed chocking a bit of flem. Before he could be helped by the Naruto or Ebisu the voice of his young daughter Ino cried out.

"Daddy are you okay?!"

"Yes Princess, I'm fine. But Daddy is going to lie down for a bit. He might of bit of a little bit more than he could chew." Inoichi chuckled and stumbled out the room into another that had a cot for such situations.

Ino looked worriedly at where her father had entered frightened for the worst. But seeing as he was lying down and there wasn't anymore coughing he worries subsided. Then anger took over as she turned to the troublesome blonde on her families shop floor.

"You had something to do with making Daddy push himself, didn't you? You're always causing problems why can't you just go away or something?!" Ino's seething wasn't tempered by Ebisu who tried but failed to end her tirade. "You are so pathetic!"

"Shut up! You don't know anything about me!" Naruto shouted back.

"I know that you can't handle anything on your own. You barely beat Kiba, and Sakura says that you constantly try to one-up yourself next to Sasuke but you just look stupid! Baka!" Ino reeled back and slapped Naruto sending him crashing to the floor. Ebisu finally stepped in and took the girl by the wrist and told her to leave the premises and that she would have a discussion with the Hokage for assaulting a fellow leaf-nin. She swallowed letting the situation sink in and did as she was told. Shooting one last glare at the boy she stomped out leaving a stunned Ebisu and a seething Naruto.

"I see now why you were so wary of me witnessing your social life."

"Well isn't that just great for you."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, the slap didn't hurt that bad, just took me off guard."

"I wasn't asking about the slap. I want to know if you're going to be okay after revisiting that memory."

Naruto paused a second looking downcast. "The memory itself was pretty scary to relive. Can I be honest with you?"

"Of course Naruto, tell me whats wrong."

"What Ino said, about me not being able to handle anything, and looking stupid, that really hurt more than the slap."

Ebisu shook his head, mentally berating himself for not stopping the girl earlier. He looked at the boy again and told him how wrong she was, how making assumptions like that based on faulty information was one of the worst things that ninja could do, the worst being a traitor and hurting fellow leaf patted the boy on the shoulder assuring him there was a future for him to prove her and everyone wrong. For now, they would rest for the day and start training tomorrow.

"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?" Naruto asked.

"I have a report to turn into Hokage-sama. Speaking of turning in, please get some rest going home tonight Naruto. And if there is still a problem with gas at your apartment please go to a hospital or stay at a hotel. I'll pay anything you need okay?"

"Uhh, yeah, sure. I'll get a plenty of rest after a day like today."

At the hot springs, the day after

Naruto stood atop the water focusing entirely on movement and walking on the water. It took awhile but eventually, he could stand on the water without tiring himself out immediately. Walking, however, proved more difficult as he had to constantly reapply the chakra to his feet in specific ways to keep him afloat. His skin began to redden as he kept getting dunked in the steaming hot water. The gritted teeth and furrowed brow told Ebisu everything about Naruto's disposition but didn't waver his ideals on the training. What the boy needed most now was to learn how to reapply chakra in different areas as well as he did in one. Something seemed off though. Even the students that struggled with chakra control the most still didn't seem to struggle as much as Naruto. It looked like the boy was passing a kidney stone just to use his chakra in any meaningful way that isn't shadow clones. Given his shadow clone numbers, he isn't lacking in chakra at all. So why does he have such difficulty harnessing it? Even the most naive genin can learn how to harness chakra regardless of reserves. Something just doesn't add up.

"Hey weren't we suppose to do something with elemental chakra?" Naruto's voice broke into the musings of Ebisu.

"Yes, I suppose that I did bring that up earlier didn't I? We will go into that soon. But first I want to master basics. Perhaps after the chunin exams, we can look into the matter."

"Wait, after the chunin exams? After the chunin exams, I'll be going back to Team Seven. We won't have to chance to train like this." Naruto said halting his steps and looking at Ebisu curiously.

"Not true. You see, after our little adventure the previous day and my report to Hokage-sama was given, there was a change made. I will no longer be overseeing to honorable grandson. He is putting me on permanent sensei duties overseeing you. Team Seven will be getting another genin to fill the three-man roster."

"WHAT!" Naruto's concentration was lost and he fell back into the hot water.

"Honestly, you must keep your focus on the training or you'll keep ending up back in the water."

"Wait, I can't just be kicked off my team!" Naruto hoisted himself out of the water back onto its surface. "That's not fair, I'm good enough to be on a three-man team! I'm not just some loser!" the boy marched up to Ebisu's face making his declaration loudly and with force.

"Indeed you are, hence why I wouldn't leave until I convinced the Hokage to make you my pupil."