WE ARE BACK.

WE ARE ALIVE.

I'D RATHER BETRAY THE WORLD THAN LET THE WORLD BETRAY ME.

So you know what sucks donkey nuggets? Having over seventy thousand words on a document, saving it properly, then waking up the next day to find that for some reason, Microsoft Word decided to act like a straight up biatch by giving the docx file AIDS. The file was corrupted as shit. And so there I was. The universe had left me with nothing to do but sit with my thumb planted firmly up my ass. I hope that explains why this chapter took a hell of a while to come out. Also, I realize there may not be a lot of action in this part of the arc. Don't worry though, I will more than make up for that. You'll see why. Enjoy the chapter guys! Also, anything said in this chapter does not reflect my views on homosexuality. Love is still love even if it is between two men: a pain in the ass. (Hehe. Get it? It's a SEX thing. SEX GUYS. SEEEEEX.)

Chapter 23: The Devil Has A Name I

"Uh… r-remind me again… when did we decide that this was a good idea?"

"Relax about it, little ladybug. The others will be here soon."

"A-Ah… Utakata-san… I'm not talking about that. I mean, waiting here in front of a b-bar is bad enough but… why do we have to board those things?"

Utakata glanced at the little girl as if she had just said something odd. Fū noticed this, and immediately replied.

"W-What? What's wrong?"

A mischievous grin suddenly appeared on Utakata's face.

"… Don't tell me you've never been on a boat."

Fū panicked.

"A-Ah! O-O-Of course I've been on a boat! Pfft! Haha! Utakata-san says the silliest things! Boat~ O-Of course I've been on one!"

The girl waved a hand as if to dismiss Utakata's ridiculous notions, but she was only met with suspicion rather than belief. Suddenly, Han spoke up.

"It's the only way to get to the Port City of Hi. Naruto said that the next stop was Konoha, didn't he? Apparently he knows people there who can help in convincing the other Villages. You don't have to worry about it though. After all, you can always grab on to your precious Naruto-kun if the ride gets too rough."

Fū's face slowly began to redden as she pointed an accusatory finger at the armored man.

"H-Han-san! I-If you say such things, p-people might get the wrong idea! R-Right Rōshi-san?"

Rōshi then crossed his arms and nodded solemnly.

"That's absolutely right, Fū. Han, we all know that our little Fū here would latch on to Naruto even if the ride was smooth. We ought to be clear on that."

The three men then began nodding while muttering 'Mm' in unison, while Fū could only grab the sides of her head and crouch down in despair.

"Hrmmm… Chōmei-san… You're my only ally, ssu…"

The happy-go-lucky Bijū let out a slight laugh, and responded.

"It would seem so, little ladybug. But did you know that these sorts of passenger ships often have limited sleeping quarters? With the size of this group, you may well have to share one cabin."

"Eh…? What does that have to do with anyth—"

"Try your best to sleep next to the young kit tonight. Ohoho~"

"A-Ah! T-Traitor, ssu!"

Before she could continue addressing her inner turmoil, she heard the familiar voice of Killer B.

"Whazzup muthafuckers!"

Rōshi, Han, Fū, and Utakata turned to the approaching three. Utakata was the first to greet them.

"… I'm surprised. I was half-expecting you to be dragging an injured Naruto while running from Kumo Shinobi."

Naruto smirked at Utakata and replied.

"The Raikage and I… came to an understanding."

Yugito giggled slightly and lightly slapped the boy's head.

"That's one way to put it."

Utakata turned to the boy and spoke.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Eheh… I'll tell you all about it on the boat. Speaking of which, is it here yet?"

"No. Apparently all the ships are delayed. Something about passenger ships from Kiri flooding the sea routes."

"Huh… that's strange. Does Kiri celebrate any festival around this time of year?"

"No, why?"

"Hmm… I just thought that maybe that's the reason why the Kiri passenger ships have been busy."

Utakata rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and responded.

"Well, as far as I know, there's nothing of the sort going on. Although, it is strange."

Han took the opportunity to interrupt their conversation by speaking up.

"In any case, we can worry about that later. Right now we ought to find a place to lie low. I suggest we grab something to eat."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement, and walked off into the Harbor Town of Kumo. As he was walking, Naruto noticed Fū trailing behind, looking quite perturbed. He casually moved beside her without her noticing, and spoke.

"… Nervous about something?"

Fū jumped slightly in surprise.

"A-Ah! Naruto! Y-You shouldn't startle someone like that."

"Ahah… sorry. Anyway, you seem bothered."

"Uhm… I-It's nothing, really."

Naruto tilted his head to the side as if to tell her that she had just uttered an obvious lie. Fū bit her bottom lip, and spoke carefully.

"I just… I've… d-don't laugh."

Naruto smiled warmly at her.

"I swear I won't."

"… I've never been on a boat before."

Naruto was slightly surprised by her statement.

"Really? How come?"

"W-Well… Taki is pretty much land and I've never gone on missions this far East… There is this lake in the Village, and sometimes I borrow a rowboat and make my way to the middle of it… but I've never been on any sea ships. I've only been to Ishi, Hi, and Tani. S-Sometimes I'd get a mission in Suna, but that'd be pretty rare."

Naruto nodded in understanding. Before he could say something to cheer her up, Fū spoke in a dejected tone.

"… It must sound so boring to you. I mean, you've been to all sorts of places…"

Naruto smiled at her once more – something that caused Fū's heart to skip a beat - and patted her head.

"I don't think the places we've visited is what determines the quality of our adventure. Besides… it'd be pretty boring to see the entire Elemental Nations all alone. At least now, you get to do so with us."

The boy's answer managed to pleasantly surprise Fū. Before their conversation could continue, the group soon fund themselves in the middle of a very busy avenue in the Harbor Town.

"… What the hell is going on here?" asked Han in a bewildered tone. He was not one to be trifled with when hunger strikes.

Utakata narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"… These people are from Kiri. You can tell just from the way they dress and from their accents. Follow me."

Not wanting to accidentally run into any Shinobi of Kirigakure, Utakata dashed into the nearest restaurant, prompting everyone else to follow him. Once they were inside, he quickly realized how foolish he had been, for he had walked his entire party into a high-end eatery.

"Son of a bitch…"

They were immediately approached by a waitress.

"Good day! My name is Atsuko~ Table for how many?"

They were all at a loss. After a brief exchange of glances with one another, Naruto spoke up.

"… Screw it. We deserve a little bit of luxury every now and then. Table for seven, please."

Atsuko cordially nodded and responded.

"Right this way then, sirs and madams."

The young polite girl led them to a table on the far side of the restaurant, away from the entrance. Once they were seated, they were handed a menu that, much to their group's surprise, contained nothing but set meals.

"Ah, Naruto… isn't this a bit too luxurious…?" asked Yugito in a worried tone.

Naruto merely laughed it off, and spoke.

"Eh, it's fine. I'm pretty sure we have enough money to order whatever we want this time. Besides, if we do run a bit short in the future, I… still have ways of finding more funding."

Naruto briefly recalled his time with Akatsuki's own Kakuzu, and the valuable lessons he learned from the man. He still had a copy of Kakuzu's detailed Bingo Book, if he recalled correctly. After a while of talking it over, the group decided on what to order, but as Atsuko was about to walk away to hand their order to the kitchen staff, Naruto stopped her by lightly placing a hand on her forearm, and made one last comment.

"Oh, Atsuko-san?"

The girl was surprised by the gesture. Blushing furiously, she spoke.

"Y-Yes, Mr. Customer?"

"One last thing… do you see that table by the window?"

Naruto pointed at the table which seated a man and a woman who seemed to be a couple.

"What about them, Mr. Customer?"

"Well, could you also get them a bottle of your best Honjozo-Shu sake? Oh and, please don't tell them it's from us."

While Atsuko was quite taken aback by the charming blonde man's request, she nevertheless noted it down in her little pad and made her way to the kitchen. Once she was gone, Rōshi spoke up.

"… Naruto, what was that about?"

Naruto merely tilted his head as if the very nature of Rōshi's inquiry confused him.

"… Didn't you guys notice?"

Utakata raised an eyebrow at the boy, and spoke.

"… Is this one of those ridiculous I-see-everything moments that you so often have?"

Naruto merely chuckled at the leech's comment, and replied.

"Well I don't know about that… but I thought that one was pretty obvious. I mean, look. We're in a high-end restaurant; they're both seated by the glass window where the sunlight comes in rather nicely. There aren't any other tables near theirs. Quite a romantic spot, right? A-And his clothes. I-I mean, just look at them."

The group did in fact sneak a glance at the couple. They seemed like a happy pair. The man was rather young, as was his companion. They seemed to be at least 27 years of age. He had ordered a cup of sake, and she was sipping on a glass of freshly squeezed and chilled mango juice. Over on her left hand side sat an empty glass which seemed to have once contained the same mango juice. She seemed to be completely at ease, and sufficiently pleased. The man, however, was sweating slightly. His fingers were restless, as was his left leg. He looked rather stiff in his outfit, and it was clear that he had something in his pocket judging by the way his left hand kept checking on it. As the group was seeing this, Naruto spoke.

"… He's going to propose."

They were all slightly surprised by the boy's declaration, but it was Fū that managed to inquire.

"H-How do you figure that?"

"Look at him. He looks nervous as hell. I would be too if I were in his shoes. His fingers won't stop moving. His legs won't, either. Judging by how tense he looks in that outfit, I'd guess he doesn't wear that sort of formal looking attire often. In fact, those look relatively new. There's no wear and tear on them, nor any signs of age, which are things you'd usually see on frequently used clothes or on something that's been in the closet for way too long. And if you look at the pocket that his left hand so frequently checks on, you'd see the outline of a small box. Given the circumstances, I'd say it's safe to assume that he's planning on proposing. He probably even ordered the cup of sake to steady his nerves. So, I thought I'd send them a congratulatory bottle."

He was met by silence. Thinking that maybe he had said something weird or that he hadn't explained enough, Naruto nervously continued.

"A-Ah, I mean, it's not strange to order them the Honjozu-Shu, right? I just thought that since the girl over there had already ordered two glasses of mango juice, she might have a penchant for sweet things. Mango is in season, after all, and Honjozu-Shu is relatively sweet, right? N-Not that… I would know anything of the sort, I just… I've heard stuff… Eheh."

Much to everyone's surprise, it was Fū who now responded in an amazed and curious tone.

"… That's amazing. What about that guy?"

Fū then subtly pointed at the fat dark skinned man sitting in a table in the middle of the restaurant. As soon as Naruto laid eyes on him, his expression tightened. This man was one of the few people that caught Naruto's attention when Naruto and his group entered. He was not someone Naruto looked fondly on, mostly because they way he dressed reminded the boy of a cruel businessman from Wave. Nevertheless, Naruto narrowed his eyes, and proceeded to analyze the man.

"… Outline suggests a knife under his jacket… saw that earlier. Teeth… choice of company… Staff seem nervous around him… yet they attend to him like slaves…"

Naruto let out a slight exhale, and turned back to Fū.

"There's a knife in his inner jacket pocket. Heavy smoker. Cigars, judging by the way his teeth are yellowed. The people sitting at his table are well-built. Most likely bodyguards or extra muscle. Yet despite the shadiness of his character, the staff still regards him with fear, as if they know exactly who he is. So do I. He's a mobster. Probably owns this place as well. No one important though. Just some small time fish in a little puddle."

"Do you… do you always do that?" asked Fū.

"Eh? Do what?"

"I mean… when you walk into the room. Do you always… see everything?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head and shot the girl a shy eye-smile.

"… That's what I was taught to do. Never be caught unawares, you know? Always scope out your surroundings and your situation, no matter where you go. Always be so far ahead of your opponent that when they think they have you right in front of them, you're actually behind them, in their blindside. Itachi pretty much drilled that into my head during the months of training I had with him, and I guess now, I just do it without noticing."

Naruto was glad to have someone think so highly of his abilities. That was something he would never quite get used to. He used to always dream of being acknowledged for his strengths, and now that it was actually happening on a daily basis, it still seemed too good to be true. Suddenly, Fū smiled sadly at the boy, and spoke.

"… Isn't that… isn't that kind of lonely, though?"

Naruto heard a crack.

"… Huh?"

"… Isn't that lonely? I mean… everywhere you go, you just… see these things. You see everything about everyone… but no one sees you. No one gets to. I-I mean… even we have trouble seeing you… Y-You're always so far ahead of everyone else. And it's as if you're running on a different speed - on a different time… so isn't that a bit lonely?"

Naruto heard something cracking and cackling inside him. Then, Fū spoke, but it wasn't Fū's voice that he heard. It was his: The Masked Man.

"… Isn't it lonely not having anyone who can keep up with you?"

Suddenly, a dull headache hit him, and fragmented memories of the 21st flooded back to him in bits and pieces.

He was there. He was there, that night. He was everywhere. Naruto killed him so many times that night – dozens of times. He hardly had any memory of what exactly happened in the Northrend Tavern on the 21st, but he knew that The Masked Man was there and that he killed him. And yet, for some reason that he could not understand, his voice still rang in his head, as clearly as it did in the Valley of The End.

You are interesting indeed, Uzumaki Naruto. It would seem this is not, in fact, the day you take your fall…

A wave of nausea assaulted his senses.

However, Uzumaki Naruto… I must warn you. If you continue to meddle… if you persist… on pitting yourself against me…

Cold sweat was forming on the nape of his neck. Whatever expression he had on his face at the moment, he could not imagine.

… I won't just kill you… no. Death would be a release. I will cut you. Cut you open… one inch at a time, and I will bleed you… I will BLEED the very LIFE… out of you.

"H-Hey!"

A soft hand shook him back to the real world. His eyes widened and he glanced over to the voice that called out to him.

"H-Huh?"

A worried expression was plastered onto Fū's face, as well as everyone else's.

"… You were spacing out. Are… are you okay?"

Her inquiry was met by silence. But then, after a few seconds, Naruto managed to recompose himself, and answer with a smile.

"Yeah, just… a headache. I'm probably just tired."

While they were all still quite concerned for the blonde boy, they were forced to hold their inquiries off, since their food had arrived. As soon as they laid eyes on the dishes set before them, every single one of the jinchūriki realized just how hungry they actually were. They all dug in, enjoying each bite of the well-prepared dish. Midway through their meal, the man sitting by the window finally managed to gather up his nerves and get down on one knee. It didn't even take the woman two seconds to say yes. Everyone in the restaurant applauded the two, and as soon as they took their seats, the sake that Naruto had ordered for them arrived, much to the surprise of the couple. After they had finished their main course, Yugito, Han, Rōshi, and Fū decided to take full advantage of their momentary reprieve and order dessert as well as two bottle of strawberry shōchū. While both Naruto and Fū were a bit hesitant, they joined in on the drinking. After a while of exchanging tales of their missions, and after two more bottles of shōchū, the conversations somehow managed to steer into a different direction.

"So *hic*… what's the wildest thing you've done?" asked Rōshi as his cheeks and ears began to redden.

Naruto was the one to respond.

"Easy! Hahaha! I-I once… listen. When I was like, I dunno, a kid… or something… you know the mountain face in Konoha? T-The one with the faces? Heh… Eheheh… Mountain face… Face mountain…"

Every one of the jinchūrikis were listening avidly. All of them knew of the famous mountain where Konoha engraved the faces of its Hokages.

"A-Anyway… as a prank, I defaced that entire mountain face. All of it! I used orange paint too."

Han was absolutely bewildered.

"WHAT. Did *hic* you get caught?"

"YEAH I DID! Hahaha! They made me clean it all up!"

Yugito was wide eyed and awed.

"Woah… w-what about you Takata?"

Utakata giggled uncontrollably, much to Yugito's confusion.

"W-What? What did I say?"

Everyone else started snickering as well.

"Ahahaha~ Takata~" said a drunk Utakata. "Y-You're so cute little kitty."

Utakata petted Yugito. Normally, she would have beaten him or shied away from such an act, but seeing as she had a decent amount of alcohol in her, she was instead nuzzling into Utakata's hand.

"Hrmm… You're mean, Utakata!"

"I know. Heh… Anyways… wildest thing I've ever done… well… there was this brunette…"

Yugito's expression suddenly tightened, and she backed away, much to Utakata's surprise.

"Well," said Han. "What about the brunette?"

"… So there was this brunette, right? And uh… wildest thing I've ever done is a little bit of role-play, you know what I mean? We both had a little too much to drink then though… S-So in this particular circumstance, the role-play was that I was a jōnin Instructor at a Shinobi Reform Program – you know those programs for shinobi who are under disciplinary probation? Anyway, the girl was a kunoichi who needs to pass my class so she can get out of the program. And she was the type that would do anything to pass. Now, I know, what did she do to get sent into the Shinobi Reform Program? Good question that nobody asked… Well, she and her team were on this mission. And it was their first mission outside the Village, right? And they ran into some trouble. Instead of following their team leader's commands, she panics and runs off. Her team managed to fend off their attackers, but one of her team members got hurt. Now, given that it was her first offense, they went easy on her with one year in the Shinobi Reform Program. I mean, they had to punish her for deserting. They had to be strict and firm with those things, and you know, she seemed like a good kid. She seemed like she was really repentant and ready to make amends, you know? So she comes and sees me after mandatory class in the Academy, and she tells me 'Instructor Utakata... I-I'm afraid I'm in danger of failing the mandatory class… and I just want you to know that I'm willing to do anything to pass…' and immediately I know something's up, right? She was wearing this revealing top, and this skimpy tights underneath this short skirt… and I was like, wearing this black fitted long sleeved shirt with a fishnet undershirt beneath it, and a flak jacket. I gotta tell you, I went balls to the wall with my outfit. I looked like a legit jōnin instructor at an Academy. And I had a little bit of fragrance on - not so much that it was wafting up into the atmosphere, but just enough so that when I pass by, the other instructors know that oh he came to play today."

Utakata paused to take another swig of the shōchū. Meanwhile, Naruto leaned over to Fū and whispered.

"… Am I the only one freaked out by how detailed this role-play is?"

Fū shook her head.

"… I'm not even quite sure what this role-play is about."

The alcohol was about to push Naruto into explaining to the girl, but luckily, he managed to stop himself. Then, Utakata continued.

"S-So anyway, she says she was willing to do anything, right? So I take a look at her performance, and sure enough, she would have to pull out all the stops just to pass. Like, she would have to bend over backwards, you know? Or… eheh… forward… And, I'm not a strict instructor, okay. I'm the kind where if you just show up and participate a little bit, I'll pass you. I'll bump up your grade. I mean, I only give two required papers, one required report, and a Final Exam, so attendance is really important. Needless to say, her attendance is abysmal. But, I was willing to help. I'm strict, but fair, you know? That's kind of my rep at the Academy. People go like Ooh Instructor Utakata? Y-Yeah he's… he's strict but fair. So I say to her, anything? Then she makes this weird but somehow sexy face and says 'oh yeah'. A-And then… and then I go 'Well how would you feel about some extra credit?' To which she replies 'O-Oh yeah? You're… you're going to give me some extra credit? Tell you what… I would love some extra credit…' now at this point, I'm really getting into it, right? So I say: I'll give you more extra credit than you can handle. And she raises her eyebrow at me and leans over while whispering 'I believe… I can take every inch of your extra credit…"

Utakata paused.

"… And I was confused, right? So I say to her: that's not how we measure extra credit. I don't know what the other instructors told you about extra credit, but for me, extra credit is a ten page handwritten paper on why the Revolution in Kirigakure was a necessity, and at the conclusion, explain the relation of the Will of Water to the revolution. Now... Ahaha at this point, the brunette was a bit frustrated… and mad… she says 'Utakata?' And I whisper 'Shh… Instructor Utakata'… and she says 'Utakata… are we going to do it or what?' and I'm like, what the hell right? She BROKE character. I was pissed. I'm wearing all those clothes and that stupid vest, and I'm sweating my freaking balls off, and she's like are we going to do it? Are we going to do it?! I don't know! Are you going to buckle down and work on that paper or are you going to keep wasting my time?! You're not in this program for no reason! Your team needed you and you left them, now if you really want to make amends and be a proper Shinobi, then put in the proper goddamn amount of effort right?! I mean, goddamn! I have papers to grade, and with the Final Exams coming up, I don't have the time to be dealing with this, but I am making the time for my students! I expect them to at least put in the same amount of effort and dedication that I am exerting."

Utakata turned to Naruto.

"I-Is that too much to ask?"

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise.

"N-No Instructor Utakata!"

The man then turned to Rōshi and Han.

"Is it too much to ask?!"

"N-No sir!"

The two men answered in unison as they both sat up straight. Suddenly, Utakata slumped in his chair.

"… I left in that instant. She wanted to sleep with me. I didn't care… I had papers to grade… and I still needed to get up early in the morning for class…"

Yugito then started gently caressing Utakata's head, and spoke in a soft and gentle tone.

"Shhh… it's okay… you're a good teacher… you're the best…"

Fū spoke up.

"H-Hai, Instructor Utakata… you're the best instructor. All the students at the Academy think so…"

Suddenly, Killer B burst into laughter.

"Ahah… Ahahahahaha! Gahahahaha!"

He kept going for a while, and when he calmed down, he pointed a pencil at a now sleeping Utakata, and spoke.

"You one crazy muthafucker, Utakata. Wheeeeee~"

"Alright," said Yugito as she was now starting to slightly sober up. "I dare say we've all had enough to drink. Let's get Utakata and B to the docks. They can rest once we board the ship."

Everyone who was still sober enough to understand nodded at Yugito's words. Han hoisted Utakata onto his shoulder while Rōshi took charge of Killer B. Yugito was busy making sure that their meal was paid for, while Naruto was in charge of keeping Fū steady. When they had paid, the group exited the establishment and headed to the docks. Killer B kept trying to drop some incoherent verses as Rōshi held him up. Yugito had to guide Han since he was occasionally stumbling as well, and given the fact that he was carrying an unconscious Utakata, him tripping over would not be good for anybody. Trailing behind the group was Naruto, who was busy keeping an eye on a playful and cheerful Fū.

"Gosh~ The moon's really bright, huh?"

Fū reached up as if to touch the moon; a gesture that Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at. Unfortunately, Fū heard him, and turned around. She placed both hands on her hips, pouted, and spoke.

"What are you laughing at, ssu!?"

Naruto raised his hands in front of him in defense.

"N-Nothing!"

"Lies~ Naruto-kun is lying to me, ssu!"

Fū then slid into the tight fighting stance that Naruto taught her. The blonde boy noticed this, and immediately froze in place.

"N-Now Fū…" said Naruto, with fear evident in his voice. He knew this stance. He knew the danger of it. He knew the pain that it would cause. "L-Let's not do anything drastic here, okay…?"

Without warning, Fū darted forward, prompting Naruto to stammer out a quick plea.

"P-Please don't hurt me!"

He closed his eyes and braced himself for impact… but it never came. Instead, he felt Fū's knuckle knock lightly against his forehead. He opened his eyes, only to see Fū, standing in front of him, red cheeked, with a sad expression on her face.

"… Baka. Of course I won't hurt you… I don't like it when you get hurt."

Perhaps it was the shōchū. Perhaps it was the cool breeze coming in from the sea. For some reason, Fū felt cold all over – she felt an extreme need for warmth.

"… When I saw how hurt you were, I didn't like it."

Fū shook her head and looked down at the ground.

"I didn't like it at all… A-And, before you say it's part of what we or what you do, I want to tell you that I know that… I do. But that doesn't mean I can accept it or anything… I don't… want to see Yugito-san or Han-san, or Utakata-san or anyone else get hurt… and I don't want to see you get hurt too. B-Because… Because it makes me wonder… what if someday you get hurt and… and I don't have any herbs that can make the pain go away? W-What if someday you get hurt and I can't… fix it."

It was definitely the alcohol, Fū thought to herself. She had heard Han refer to alcohol as bottled courage, once or twice. That's how she knew that it was the reason why she was acting this way.

She did not normally have the courage to say the things she was saying now. She did not normally have the courage to seek the warmth she was seeking now. Yet her feet did not stop moving forward. She inched closer and closer to the boy, being spurred forward by a valor and audacity that she had merely borrowed.

Suddenly, she felt her head come to rest on something solid, yet at the same time, soft. She smiled slightly as she found the warmth she had been searching for, and leaned against it.

"… Hmm~ Warm…"

She could feel it heaving slowly, up and down. She pressed her cheek against it, and listened to the beating that seemed to come from within. Then, she felt a gentle hand rest on her head, and before she knew it, her feet were off the ground. Her heavy eyelids creaked open once more, and she realized she was now being carried by the blonde boy, whose eyes held a thin sheet of sadness. With all the strength she had left, she sleepily tapped the boy on the nose, prompting Naruto to smile at her.

"Hmm… don't get hurt anymore, baka… ssu…"

Without another word, Fū drifted off. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the girl's show of concern. Granted, she would most likely not remember having said any of the things she just said. That did not make them mean any less, though. To Naruto, it served as a reminder that while stopping the Masked Man was the mission, there were people who considered his safety more important, and that thought was one of the things that kept him going.

They managed to make it to the docks just in time. Strangely enough, there weren't any other passengers on the ship they were disembarking on. Naruto merely rationalized that since it's almost midnight, a lot of people opted to just wait until the morning to find a passenger ship. Little did he know, he was remiss in thinking so. From afar, a long haired man bearing a scar over his left eye had been tailing them, watching from the shadows.

Once again, they were in the tunnels; those god forsaken, dank, hellish tunnels. The very same tunnels that hid the Hidden Village of the True Yugakure, and the very same tunnels infested with those putrid Gravediggers.

"Eh… Can we just turn baaaaack?"

Suzume smiled sympathetically and responded.

"These tunnels are the only way back to the Village. Don't worry so much about it. The entrance we came in through is pretty close to the Village."

"And if we get lost again?"

"We won't get lost."

Suddenly, he heard Haruko's footsteps come to a stop. He turned around, only to be met with a young girl wearing a frighteningly sweet smile.

"… Suzuuuume-chaaan~?"

"H-Hai…?"

Haruko gently grabbed his collar. Despite the lack of roughness, Suzume still felt an intense pressure bearing down on him.

"… That's what everyone else said last time~ I don't know about you, but I'm reaaaaally not in the mood to deal with another little bug~"

Suzume swallowed his nervousness, and stammered out a reply.

"A-Ah, p-please do not worry Haruko-hime! There will be no such thing! I-I swear my life on it! These tunnels are clear!"

Haruko then released Suzume and winked at the boy, much to his surprise. Then, she walked off, leaving him with a few simple words.

"For your sake, you better be right~"

He had to fight off the blush that was snaking its way onto his face.

"… Geez. It's easy to see that they really are sisters… and Miyuki is starting to rub off on her too…"

"Suzume? What's the matter? Is your leg hurting again?"

Suzume shook his head to clear away any unnecessary thoughts.

"Ah, no. Let's keep going."

After a few more minutes of silently trekking through the tunnels, Haruko spoke up.

"Do you… do you think everyone will be okay?"

Suzume turned to the girl, and sure enough, she looked worried.

"… I'm sure your sister is just fine."

"N-No… I don't just mean onee-chan. Of course I'm worried about her as well… but do you think everyone else is okay?"

"… It's war. I know it may not be what you want to hear right now, but people get hurt in war. Regardless, the people of Yugakure have their own tough cores. They won't go down easily. I'm sure most of them will be fine."

"Hmm… has it always been this difficult for you guys?"

Suzume tilted his head in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, has life always been this complicated? I can't imagine how you all must have felt… having to live your lives in hiding…"

"Ah… well, it really isn't as bad as it seems. This place… it doesn't look like much, and it has a few hostile settlers here and there, but it's… it's home, you know? We all work together here, so that no matter how hard things get, we can trust the person next to us to ease our burdens, and they can trust us to do the same for them."

Haruko smiled at the boy's heartfelt answer.

"… You're really all one big family here, huh?"

Suzume turned to her and stopped just before the fork in the tunnels.

"… We're all one big family. You're just as much a part of this now – you and your sister. You can stay out of the fighting if that's what you want, but that doesn't make you any less of a brother or sister or daughter to the rest of us."

Haruko's face began to heat up and she felt her heart jump. Then, before she could get a word in, Suzume smiled at her, and winked.

"Come on… by the sound of things, they're all waiting."

"H-Huh?"

The boy suddenly grabbed Haruko by the hand and pulled her into the left tunnel. After a few seconds of walking, the tunnel opened up into a wide cavern, and Haruko immediately recognized it as the cavern that hid the True Yugakure. As soon as they got there though, her ears were assaulted by loud cheering and bellowing. Haruko had to cover her ears in order to make the cacophony bearable. Suzume saw this, and smiled at her, before beckoning for her to come closer. She did as she was asked, and almost immediately were they recognized by the crowd around them.

"OI!" yelled one of the Shinobi. "It's the Eagle Eye himself!"

The Shinobi and Villagers surrounded the two of them in a matter of seconds, cheering and merrymaking as they did so.

"This guy! This fucking guy! He saved my life, he did!"

"Aye! I was surrounded by four of those Royal Pricks when a hail of arrows saved my ass! To Eagle Eye!"

The men and women then raised a unified cheer in the name of Suzume. However, the shaggy haired boy merely attempted to calm them down.

"Alright, alright, I appreciate your gratitude… but friends, I would not have made it to that mountain peak had it not been for Haruko here."

Suzume then gestured to Haruko, who immediately tensed up as soon as all of their gazes fixated on her. Way to put me on the spot, she thought to herself as she looked down to the ground in an attempt to avoid eye contact with anyone.

"Eh? What do you mean Suzume? That there's just a little girl. Don't tell me you took her into the field with you?"

Suzume smiled.

"By orders of the Netsukage, since she knows the terrain better than any of us. Also, a little girl she may be… but this girl single-handedly killed a Gravedigger and saved my life."

Suzume smiled as he saw the shocked expressions on everyone's faces and when he heard their gasps.

"Hey now," said a nearby Shinobi a few years older than Suzume. "You can't really expect us to believe that she took down a Gravedigger singlehandedly, do you? No offense girl, but you look like your gear is still fresh off of the armory. Besides, even Hanzo needs a team to take down one of those beasties, and he's the most experienced of us all."

Suzume turned to the man and aptly responded.

"But I do. That makes it all the more amazing, doesn't it? It's her first time out in the field, and she slays a Gravedigger? I'm telling you it's true. We were in the Southwestern Tunnels making our way to our destination, when wouldn't you know it, we stumbled upon its breeding grounds. The ground began to shake – these creatures are known to be territorial after all, and they make up for their shit vision with their hearing and their oneness with the earth around them… so it wasn't any help to us that we stepped on one of the egg sacs."

All the men and women present were now avidly listening to Suzume's tale.

"The beast must have smelled the death of its spawn or something of the sort, for no sooner did we feel the ground trembling, signaling its arrival. Unfortunately, the rumbling of the earth caused a stalactite to drop down on Haruko here. I managed to push her out of the way, but the spike buried itself into my left leg, leaving us no choice but to run. We didn't get far though… I didn't realize it, but I had left a trail of blood."

The audience gasped slightly. Haruko was actually quite amused by how enamored they were with Suzume's storytelling. At this point, she saw that even Miyuki and her squad were listening intently with an eager grin on their face.

"Before we knew it, the beast was upon us! Oh, and it was as grotesque as they came – even more so, perhaps. It was a dark tunnel, but with the help of Haruko here, we soon lit the worm ablaze. The girl was quick on her feet and quick witted as well! With three well placed explosive daggers, she brought the roof of the tunnel down on the beast, pinning it in place. It managed to tag her with a chunk of earth in the shoulder, but that neither threw off her aim nor did it stop her. After yelling at me to take cover, she threw yet another dagger right onto the roof of the creature's mouth. By all means, she killed the beast right then and there on her own. All I did was light the explosive tags with my jutsu. In little more than a second, the beast's head was blown right off, scattering its putrid slime everywhere, and even coating us with its blood gunk."

Everyone present was now wide-eyed and oozing with amazement as they stared at Haruko, who was presently shying away from their gazes. Suddenly, one of the Shinobi spoke.

"By Kami… I've never heard of anyone taking on a Gravedigger single-handed… You're something else aren't you girl?!"

Suddenly, Miyuki wrapped Haruko in a tight embrace.

"Oooh~ I'm so proud of you! You are AMAZING. Even I need a team just to handle one of those suckers!"

"A-Ah, but i-it wasn't like I fought it head on or anything…"

"That doesn't matter! Do you have any idea how tough those things are to kill? You're actually one of the few people in the Village who's managed to kill a Gravedigger~ That means you've earned the right to be respected as an Unburied, and you get the title of Wormsbane!"

Haruko scowled at the gross-sounding title. Before she could comment on it though, Maiyuki had already managed to rile the crowd up, and soon enough, they were cheering for Haruko The Unburied. As much as she disliked the strange sounding titles that she was being given… she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the love and admiration that she was receiving from everyone. For the first time in a long time, she felt like the heroine of the story. She felt like the main attraction, and while she knew that the idea was a bit selfish and vain, it made her happy nonetheless. After all, surely she deserved a little glory after bathing in the blood and brain matter of a giant worm.

After a few more minutes though, the cheering stopped. Everyone turned to the Southeastern tunnels, only to find their Netsukage, The Tiger of Yugakure Kagura, and the battle mistress Tayuya herself leading a large group of people towards the Village. Everyone, including Miyuki and Suzume, immediately stopped cheering for Haruko and darted off towards them. Haruko on the other hand…

Haruko stood completely still for a moment. She was supposed to be happy upon seeing that her sister was safe. She was supposed to be ecstatic about how successful their operation was. And yet, in that moment, all she felt was guilt – guilt because for a second there, she saw her beloved sister, surrounded by adoring Villagers who five seconds ago were cheering for her, and she felt contempt, and tasted its bitter bile in her mouth.

… Show off…

Haruko heard an unfamiliar voice in her head. It was a voice that she thought she had silenced long ago.

… She shook her head wildly. These weren't her thoughts. She was simply tired, is all. She once again stared at her smiling sister, and smiled as well, before rushing into Tayuya's arms.

"Onee-chan!"

It took a few seconds to push past the crowd, but once she got through, Tayuya greeted her with a smile and a tight embrace.

"Haruko! Kami, I'm so glad you're safe…"

Haruko purred slightly as she nuzzled into her beloved sister's chest.

"Ne, you wouldn't believe the adventure I had. Are you hurt or anything? I still have some herbs left if you need any!"

"N-No, I'm fine. What about you?"

Tayuya pulled away slightly, and when she saw the odd look on Haruko's face, she spoke.

"… What? What happened?"

"Eheh… N-Nothing, really! It's nothing serious. I just…"

Haruko bit her lower lip and averted her gaze. From afar, she saw Miyuki and the other Squad Leaders as well as Hanzo and his scout team starting a small bonfire. The old Shinobi turned to the two sisters, grinned, and called out.

"Oi! Get over here you two! The alcohol is on its way, and everyone's itching to celebrate the victory."

Haruko turned to Tayuya and spoke in a sheepish voice.

"A-Ah! Onee-chan, let's celebrate with the others~"

Without even waiting for a reply, Haruko took her sister by the hand and dragged her along.

"Yo!" said Kagura upon seeing Haruko. "Suzume-here tells me you killed a Gravedigger on your own! That's pretty fucking hardcore. Even I haven't gone one on one with those worms!"

Tayuya's eyes widened upon hearing about what her little sister had done.

"… Haruko? What's he talking about?"

"She saved my life, you know." interrupted Suzume. "If it wasn't for her, I'd be dead. Well, we'd both be dead."

Tayuya turned to the messy haired Cyclops and spoke with frustration clear in her tone.

"I wasn't talking to you. And in any case, I recall you swearing to keep her safe." said Tayuya as she approached Suzume. Then, she rested her hand on her holstered war flute and in a sickly sweet voice, she continued. "… or are you going to tell me my memory isn't as accurate as I think it is?"

"A-Ah, no ma'am! T-The truth is we didn't expect the Gravedigger to show up in the Southwestern tunnels. All reports placed the Gravedigger somewhere in the Southern Tunnels! I-It was pure coincidence that we came upon it and its spawns, but your sister Haruko decimated it and saved my life, ma'am!"

To say that Tayuya was surprised would have been an understatement. She was utterly stunned, and that much was clear on her face. Suddenly, Ganryū arrived. Signs of fatigue were clear on his face as he took a seat beside Hanzo. The old man patted Ganryū on the back and spoke.

"How were the hostages?"

"Ah… our men are being tended to by the medics. The Villagers that were kept hostage aren't hurt or anything though. Although…"

The way his voice trailed off was something that everyone present took an interest in. before he knew it, everyone was silent, waiting for him to continue, and after a while, he did.

"… I spoke to the civilians, and they all have the same story. Apparently, the guards were docile whenever someone from the 13th Pillars was there to watch over them, but the moment the Pillars left, the guards would sometimes try to get rough with some of them. The only reason they never managed to actually hurt anyone was because – and they all say this – there was some cloaked man there to protect them."

Hanzo scoffed at the idea, and spoke.

"Preposterous. With that many people, the Daimyō would have had at least one squadron of guards stationed to keep watch. You're telling me one man was able to constantly fight them off?"

"That's the thing…" said Ganryū, in a tone more serious than the one before. "… They're all saying that there was never any fighting. The man would just… look at the guards, and they'd turn around and walk away. This guy fended off the guards the entire time they were held captive, and he did it without even lifting a finger."

Hanzo rubbed his grayish beard thoughtfully. If there indeed was a man such as that among the Daimyō's captives, then they were fortunate to get there before the Daimyō could do anything distasteful, such as holding a public execution.

"… That's interesting indeed, old friend. Have you spoken with him? Perhaps he would like to join us in our fight? It would seem that protecting the innocent is in his nature, and we could certainly use good men like him."

"Unfortunately, I can't find anyone that matched their description. It's very likely that he somehow separated from the group while we were making our way through the tunnels. I've already sent a small squadron of scouts to search the tunnels that we went through. We can only hope to find him. If we don't though… well, it's a shame, but his would not be the first life that these tunnels have claimed. Or perhaps he slipped away before that. In any case, I doubt we'll find him."

There was a moment of silence. Suddenly, Ganryū stood up.

"Listen up… do not be mistaken. This mission was indeed a success… but we lost men out there as well – good men. Tonight…"

Hanzo handed him a cup of sake, which he then raised.

"Tonight we mourn their passing… but we celebrate their sacrifice. It's because of them that three dozen of our own brothers and sisters in arms, as well as over a hundred Villagers, are free from the Daimyō's chains. So raise your cups to drink in their honor, and by Kami, drink their fill in their stead as well!"

Everyone present raised their cups and cheered for their fallen comrades. Haruko was about to cheerfully take a sip, when suddenly, Tayuya swiped her cup away and narrowed her eyes at her. The young girl could only smile sheepishly at her older sister. Then, Suzume stood and raised his cup.

"I'd like to raise my cup as well to the girl who saved my life and killed one of Yu's most ferocious beasts. To Haruko The Unburied, Bane of Worms!"

Once again, everyone raised their cups and cheered, much to Haruko's embarrassment. As all this was happening, Suzume shot a smug smirk at Kagura, as if to say 'my mission was better than yours, so just go die'. Kagura was not one to back down from such a challenge though. He stood up as well, and spoke in an obnoxious and boisterous tone.

"Oi! If we're talking about raising our cups, then I'd like to raise my cup – which is so much more important and meaningful than Suzume's cup – to Tayuya over here! The Battle Mistress of Yu!"

Tayuya's entire frame stiffened up in surprise. Ganryū noticed this, and decided to play along with Kagura.

"Oi, listen up all of you! Kagura here is about to tell the tale of the woman who defeated an entire army of Royal Guards, and slew two of the Thirteen Pillars single-handedly!"

Everyone was immediately enraptured by their Lord Netsukage's introduction. Smiling, Kagura continued.

"So we were on our way to the resort where they were holding the captives, right? When suddenly, we sensed that there were two squadrons of guards stationed inside, and another three-man squad about to turn the corner and see us. Tayuya-chan here tells us to release the captives while she takes care of the guards. At first I was a bit skeptical – no offense, Tayuya-san – but when I saw her in action ohhh maaaan… I didn't even see anything at first! Before I knew it, there was this beautiful melody playing all around me. When I opened my eyes, all of the guards were dead, lying in a pool of their own blood. And in the middle of it was the Battle Mistress herself!"

At this point, both Haruko and Suzume were enamored by the tale as well. Suzume had seen what happened near the floodgate as they were trying to escape. He had a good view of it through his seeing lens. He did not, however, understand what he was seeing. Kagura paused for dramatic effect, and when the audience was sufficiently buttered up, he continued.

"… Then the ambush. We managed to rescue the captives and get them on board the ship… but the damned Pillars had laid an ambush. It was that damned Atashi!"

Kagura smiled when he heard gasps coming from all around him. The Shinobi of their Village were very familiar with all thirteen of the Daimyō's Pillars. Among them, there was one that constantly laid ambushes for their scout teams as well as outfoxed them at every turn. This was Atashi, the 11th Pillar of Stratagems. Rumor has it that he was one of the strategists-for-hire during the Third Shinobi World War. He was indeed a great hindrance to their cause.

"Atashi, the 11th Pillar of Stratagems. With him was Chouren, the 13th Pillar of Illusions, and Yūgo, the 10th Pillar of the Sword. They had a small army surrounding us from all sides… but once again, with just one melody from her flute, Tayuya had them literally going insane! It was a soft melody at first… but it grew larger and louder, and before we knew it, they began turning on each other! Brothers killing brothers, comrades loosing bolts at comrades! It was over in just half a minute! She had decimated an army that would have taken hundreds of us to overcome! And she didn't even break a sweat!"

All eyes immediately turned to Tayuya. While she was used to this sort of attention, to some extent, she could not help but feel slightly uncomfortable as she was being met with stares of awe and fear. Ganryū noticed as much, and spoke in order to take some of the pressure off of her shoulders.

"It was indeed unlike anything I've ever seen before. I have to ask though… what was that tune you played?"

Tayuya hesitated for a while, before answering.

"… It's a melody called The Songs of the Siren. I… I remember playing it all the time on the flute when I was a kid. It was the first melody I ever learned."

Ganryū nodded in understanding. He knew there had to be some close connection between the girl and the song, judging by how much passion she played it with. Suddenly, someone in the crowd spoke up.

"Ah… S-Scarlet Siren…!"

Kagura and the others heard this, prompting the red haired squad leader to exclaim.

"That's it! Raise your cups, friends!"

He turned to Tayuya and grinned.

"To the Scarlet Siren of Yū!"

Everyone raised a cup and began their merrymaking. Haruko and Tayuya stayed for a while, but eventually, the two of them snuck away. By the time they were certain that they would not be found or followed, they had reached the entrance to the Southeastern Tunnels.

"Ne, this is the tunnel you came from, right onee-chan?" said Haruko as she playfully skipped to the rocks by the tunnel and took a seat.

"Mmhm."

"Wow… it's a lot bigger than the one Suzume and I went through."

Tayuya narrowed her eyes slightly at Haruko; since when did she start dropping the honorifics when mentioning the pirate boy's name?

"Yeah, but the trip itself was pretty boring. Unlike yours that is, oh great Haruko the Unburied, Bane of Worms~"

Haruko cringed at the title and scowled at her sister, much to Tayuya's enjoyment.

"Nooooo!"

"W-What?" said Tayuya as she took her seat by her sister and patted her head. "You're the slayer of the Gravedigger aren't you? You ought to be proud of your titles."

"But… it just sounds so… eurgh! Bane of Worms. It sounds like I bully innocent little worms during my free time! Ah The Scarlet Siren is here! Run! Oh no Kagura the Tiger of Yugakure is here, flee! Yikes! The Eagle Eyed Suzume has arrived on the battlefield! Take cover! Oh no, Haruko Wormsbane is here… hide your worms, I guess. If I had known I'd get a title as weird as that I'd probably just let the darn thing eat me."

Tayuya lightly slapped her sister on the back of the head.

"Hey. Don't joke about that."

"Sorry… but still! Wormsbane?! I could have slain a giant potato and I'd have been happier. I could be called the Bane of Potatoes and it'd still sound much more respectable! Haruko Potatobane!"

Tayuya laughed at her sister's expense. When she managed to calm down, she spoke.

"W-Wait, you have that other title r-right? A-Ahah… what was it? T-The Unburied?"

"Yeah… Suzume says Gravediggers are sort of seen by the Village people as some sort of symbol of Death. He says when there were still a lot of them, they used to terrorize the people of the Village. They'd take the bodies of their victims and bury them in soft earth along with their eggs, so that when the babies hatched they'd have something to eat. So if you kill a Gravedigger, you get to be called an Unburied, because you 'denied the grave and defied Death itself' or something like that."

Tayuya leaned back and let out a tired sigh.

"Sounds dramatic. I think it suits you perfectly."

Haruko giggled slightly and embraced her sister once more.

"I know… onee-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"… I'm really glad you're safe."

Tayuya smiled warmly as she kissed her beloved little sister's forehead.

"And I'm glad that you're safe. You're lucky to have just gotten away with a dislocated shoulder. Be more careful next time."

Haruko tensed up slightly.

"… How did you know?"

Tayuya could only chuckle lightly and stroke Haruko's cheek.

"… I'm your older sister. It's my job to know."

There was a short silence that ensued between the two of them, for nothing more needed to be said. After a while, Tayuya continued.

"… It's also my job to tell you when you need a bath."

Haruko's eyes widened. Then, Tayuya saw a glint of mischief in the girl's eyes. Before she could say anything though, Haruko embraced her tightly.

"Ne, onee-chan… did you know that when I killed that big old worm… all of its blood and goo splashed onto me and Suzume?"

Tayua was confused for a moment. Then, confusion turned into shock. Shock turned into disgust. And finally, her disgust turned into anger.

"Ah… AH! G-Get off me!"

Tayuya broke away from Haruko and started scampering away.

"Wawawah~ What's the matter onee-chan? Don't you want to give your cute little sister a hug?"

Haruko was now crawling on all fours towards Tayuya whilst puckering her lips and making a weird expression.

"Y-You get away from me right now and go take a bath!"

"Gimme a kiss!"

Haruko raised her hands and beckoned to her sister in the creepiest fashion she could think of. Tayuya was now getting desperate. She realized that she would need to resort to blackmail in order to escape her situation.

"Haruko… go take a bath…"

The red haired girl got up and took a noble pose whilst running a hand through her hair.

"… Or do you want me to tell everyone here about The First Mekopeko Incident?"

Haruko's eyes widened. Her breath faltered. Her resolve wavered.

"A-Ah… s-surely not T-The First Mekopeko Incident…?"

"What else, if not The First Mekopeko Incident?!"

"N-No! It was troubling enough when you told Naruto-kun about it, but everyone else as well?!"

Tayuya pointed at her sister in an exaggerated manner.

"Then you know what you must do?!"

There was a short moment of silence. Then, Haruko nodded solemnly, clapped her hands together, and spoke.

"… Imōto is sorry. Imōto shall bathe now."

Without another word, Haruko stood up and skipped towards the officer's barracks. As Tayuya watched her gingerly skip away, she could only smile and shake her head. Suddenly though, she heard a slight flutter. She turned to the source of the sound: the Southeastern Tunnels.

"… The fuck was that?"

As she peered into the darkness, she heard it again: a faint flutter. There was something in those tunnels, she was sure of it. Slowly, she walked towards the entrance, with her right hand resting on her holstered war flute. With each step, she inched closer and closer, and just when she was at the very mouth of the tunnel, a whispered word rang inside her head.

… Closer.

Tayuya's shoulders stiffened. Her hand reflexively drew out her flute, despite the fact that her instincts told her it would be pointless. There was something inside those caves, or perhaps, someone.

I could turn back, she thought to herself. Truly, she could. If she wished to, she could turn around and pretend she never heard anything. She could go back to the barracks and wash up before getting some much needed rest. Or, she could return to Ganryū and the others and partake in the celebrations. She didn't have to enter those dreaded tunnels. She had no reason to respond to the whispers of a shade.

And yet, she took a step forward.

A ruckus; that was the word he would use to describe all of it. The chattering of inmates, the symphony of opening and closing cell doors, the pitter patter of footsteps down a dark and poorly lit hall – it was all nothing more than one big unnecessary ruckus. He tried to drown out the noise, but to no avail.

Clang

His eyes creaked open. Suddenly, the shutter at the base of his cell's cast iron door slip open, and a tray came sliding in.

"Dinner time."

His eyes widened slightly. This was a new voice, he thought to himself. It was like hearing the sound made by an unfamiliar instrument. It awoke within him a sense of hope.

"W-Wait! Wait!"

He crawled across his small cell, throwing the tray aside as he did so. Then, he peered into the shutter. Upon seeing a man's foot, he immediately snaked his hand through the gap and grabbed the guard by the ankle.

"W-What the?!"

"Wait, please! I-I don't belong here! I-I haven't done anything wrong, please believe me! G-Get me out of here!"

The young guard tried to break away, but the prisoner's grip was strong.

"L-Let go of me, prisoner!"

"N-No! Let me out first please! I-It's too much! This place is too much, please!"

"Oi!"

Another guard who happened to be passing by saw the commotion, and called out. He ran towards the younger guard and slammed his heel down on the prisoner's hand.

"G-Gah!"

There was an audible crack that resounded throughout the dark hallway as the guard's boot slammed down on the prisoner's fingers. The guard then raised his boot and slammed it down once again on the prisoner's hand for good measure.

"That ought to teach you to get frisky with your superiors, you filth!"

The hand that reached out from within the cell retreated, and the older guard slammed the shutter shut. Then, he turned to the younger guard.

"The hell is the matter with you letting them do things like that?"

"A-Ah, I'm sorry…"

"… Don't tell me, you're the new kid aren't you?"

The younger guard nodded.

"I just transferred here."

"Yeah, I heard about a new transfer. Anyway, I'd stay away from that fellow over there if I were you." said the guard while pointing with his thumb at the cell door near them.

"W-Why? If I may ask, what's his story? He says he was innocent though…"

The older guard let out a laugh and leaned on the wall.

"Hah! Damn near all the prisoners here will tell ya that they're innocent! Some of them are, probably. But this one… naw. This one's a bad seed."

"W-What do you mean?"

"Well, I only know what I heard… but word is, this guy's some sort of radical Anti-Revolution fanatic. Used to be a rabid supporter of the old government… you know, with Yagura's Village of the Bloody Mist? Anyway, this guy right here was a big time supporter of the old government… so when the Revolution was a success, and when Lady Mei Terumi took her seat as the fifth Mizukage, he went on a rampage. At first, it was just harmless protesting… but then, he gathered up other radicals and started calling themselves the 'Old World Warriors'… Lady Mizukage managed to round them all up, but that was… after they had already killed forty Academy students in one night."

The younger guard was absolutely mortified by what he had just heard.

"… So he's scum after all…"

"Yeah… but he doesn't seem to think so. I mean, I've seen plenty of people come and go through here, but this guy's got to be the kookiest. As far as he's concerned, he didn't do anything wrong. He was apparently 'trying to make the new generation strong again'. Two years, he's been in here, and two years he's been saying he's innocent. Crazy huh? Wouldn't worry about it though. In a few more months he'll be headed to the chopping block."

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. Both guards turned to the source of the sound, and found that the prisoner had been banging on his cell door.

"I'm not crazy!"

He pulled his arm back and slammed his bony fist into the iron door.

"I'm not insane!"

Never mind the fact that the guard had broken his fingers. He pulled his arm back once more and slammed his fist into the cell door. They had to learn, after all. They had to know the truth. It was right in front of them, and they refused to see it still, but he would make them see it, even if it costs him an arm or a leg or even if he had to kill forty more children.

"I'VE DONE NOTHING WROOOONNNGGG!"

He pulled his hand back once more, but before he could hit the door again, the lights went out. He hesitated for a moment. Then, something slammed hard against his cell door from the other side.

"…"

Another crash. Then, he heard guards screaming. It went on for half a minute, before finally, everything went silent.

"… What…"

For a while, he just stood there, wide-eyed. The silence was new to him. The silence was strange to him. He staggered backwards, and when his back came into contact with the cold wall, he slid down to the ground.

"Hah… Ahah…. Ahahahahaha!"

His laughter echoed throughout his small room. As he stared at his hands thinking that he had finally silenced them all with his own powers, he could not help but laugh. Suddenly though, there was a knock on his door.

"W-Who…"

There was a short silence, before once again, someone rapped at his cell door.

"W-Who are you?!"

The silence was broken by a low, chilling laugh.

"Haha… Ahahahahahaheheheh… Dear oh dear… you're in quite the predicament, aren't you?"

The door's shutter flew open, but no one was there on the other side.

"Who are you?!"

"Don't you worry about that. In fact, what you should worry about is yourself. Look at you… stuck in this dank little room without even a bucket to piss in… and to think you used to lead the Old World Warriors… how the mighty have fallen~"

There was something about the stranger's voice – a voice like velvet that cuts like a blade. The prisoner cringed and scampered to a corner.

"W-What do you want with me?!"

"What I want is simple."

The prisoner's eyes widened. He was too shocked and terrified to move, for across the room was a man clad in black had suddenly appeared, and was now leaning on the wall. He stared at The Stranger, and though he tried his best to identify the entity, he could not see a thing. It seemed as if the darkness of the room itself was wrapping around him, protecting him. Yet, despite the darkness, he could make out one small detail: an eye. It was by no means a normal eye. It was the eye of a devil, red as blood itself, shining through the darkness.

"I want," said The Stranger. "to know what you want."

He was confused – utterly confounded.

"W-What…?"

"What do you want, hmm~? Y-You… you sit here for two years proclaiming your innocence… what good has it done you? You don't want to end your life to the sound of imbeciles CHEERING and CHANTING as your head falls to the muddy earth, do you?"

The prisoner passionately shook his head, surprising himself with how quickly he responded. It was as if his body was reacting to The Stranger's words all on its own.

"No… No, of course you don't want that… but sadly, that's how it will inevitably end if you continue to let the lambs have their way…"

"L-Lambs…?"

"Yes! The LAMBS. The people of Kiri have become WEAK. Disgustingly weak~ What happened to The Village of the Bloody Mist, hmm? The people of this country used to be lions. Now they're just lambs for slaughter… but they can still learn… if they have the proper teacher…"

The prisoner's eyes widened and his heart started beating faster.

"Y-You… you mean…"

"… Yes. You. Who else, if not you? Who else can show them the error of their ways? Who can help me to remind them that the world is nothing but a wild jungle where the weak are devoured by the strong… a place where the vicious are victorious…"

The Stranger held out his arms to the side, as if welcoming the prisoner.

"… Who else, if not you, can silence all these little lambs~"

His face felt unbearably hot. He leaned forward and bowed his head slightly.

"Hah…! Haaaah! Yes! Use me as you wish!"

The prisoner yelled, as tears gushed forth from his eyes.

"However…"

The prisoner's eyes widened. He looked up at the Stranger, only to find that he was gone. But then, his voice spoke once more.

"… You can't do such a thing whilst locked in this little room… Truly, you will die if you remain here… and that would be quite the tragic ending to your war, now wouldn't it~?"

The prisoner scowled at his own circumstances and spoke with shame clear in his tone.

"Y-Yes…"

"… Well," said The Stranger in a singsong voice. "… Let's see if we can do better~"

Suddenly, the shutter closed, and the cell door opened. A look of confusion was plastered on the prisoner's face, but after a few moments, it turned into that of childlike joy.

"Ah… A-Ah! T-Thank you!"

He bowed until his forehead was pressed against the cold cement. Then, as he rose, he spoke.

"Thank you! I will not disappoint you! Ah, I almost forgot. Pardon my lack of manners. I've been in this room for quite some time… my name is—"

"Stop."

His entire body tensed up. Suddenly, it felt as if a boulder was sitting on his shoulders, weighing him down. His knees began to shake, threatening to give in. He was about to collapse, all because of that one word, spoken in the most commanding and lethal of tones. Suddenly, The Stranger's voice continues, in a much lighter tone.

"… You do not have a name. Abandon trivial things such as that. A name is ego, and your ego is what got you locked in this trash heap. When you step through that threshold, you are my right hand – nothing more than an extension of my will. My right hand does not have a name."

The prisoner nodded in understanding, frowning as he did so. He could not believe that he had been so careless. He was being given a blessing by The Stranger, and here he was shaming himself. After a short moment of silence, The Stranger's voice spoke once more; this time, in a sympathetic tone, not unlike the tone of a parent giving in to their child.

"… If it is a name you wish, then a name I shall give you. Let's call you… Mephistopheles~"

The prisoner's face immediately brightened. Mephistopheles was a brilliant name, he thought to himself. He could not think of a better one if he tried. He inwardly applauded The Stranger's cleverness. Just as he was about to exit his cell though, he asked the question that had been nagging him since he first laid eyes on The Stranger.

"… If I may, Mister… what should I call you…?"

There was a thick silence that followed. Then, the voice replied.

"… Call me The Devil."

"Uhh…"

Uzumaki Naruto was not a heavy drinker, or at the very least, he did not want to be; that much was certain. He could go toe to toe with Jiraiya, perhaps Tsuande obaa-chan if he needed to, but the morning after was not something he enjoyed. It's what made him question whether the price to pay for drinking heavily was even worth paying. As he groaned and moved beneath the sheets of the bed, his hands found a soft pillow. He did not hesitate in resting his head on it.

"Hngrh! P-Please don't be so loud…" said Utakata in a hoarse voice. The man was draped across the wooden floor of their cabin, hugging the foot of the bed.

"Shhhhhhhhh hngghhh…"

Killer B was on the floor as well, sprawled out face down whilst covering both ears with his hands.

"Get up you lightweights!"

Suddenly, Yugito crashed into the room loudly, earning a groan from everyone present. Behind her was Rōshi and Han, smiling at Utakata's scowling face.

"Oi, oi, Utakata. It's time to get up. Don't tell me you're going to miss out on a wonderful morning such as this?"

The old man smirked at Yugito, who then walked towards the cabin window which had been shut. Utakata was about to protest, but with one swift movement, the shutter was flung open, causing daylight to flood into the cabin.

"Gaaah!"

Utakata tried to crawl beneath the bed in order to avoid the light, but Han had caught him by the ankles.

"Unhand me you red demon…!"

"Quit your whining and sit up already."

After a while of struggling, Utakata surrendered. He sat up, still scowling at Yugito, who had taken a seat beside him.

"Here," said the blonde woman as she handed Utakata her canteen. "Your lips are dry. You need to drink some water."

Utakata whined a bit but obeyed nonetheless. Killer B had gotten up during all the commotion as well, and was now drinking from Han's flask. When they were done re-hydrating, Yugito spoke.

"Where's Naruto?"

Utakata pointed at the bed. Suddenly, Rōshi spoke.

"… If Naruto's on the bed and you two are on the floor, then where's the little ladybug?"

There was absolute silence for what seemed like an eternity. Then, with shaking hands, Han went to touch the sheets. He turned to the others, and when they all nodded, he pulled them off.

There, Naruto was lying whilst resting his head on Fū's right breast. The mint haired girl was sound asleep as well, with one hand buried in the boy's wild blonde locks and the other embracing him.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Silence, all around. Slowly, they all backed away, being careful not to make a single sound. Once again, silence. Then, the girl began to stir. As her grogginess began to fade, she realized that she was now embracing something warm, and began to hold it tighter. She let out a pleased sigh which sounded close to a moan. But then… she heard a sound.

"… Hnn…"

Her eyes remained closed, but she raised an eyebrow at the strange sound.

"… Eh? Hnn?"

Something was stirring beside her.

"… What the… p-pillows don't move…"

Suddenly, the boat rocked. The movement woke Fū, and now that her eyes were open, she could clearly see that not only was she embracing Naruto, the boy was asleep and nuzzling into her chest. Her eyes widened. Her heart began to pound. Her face felt extremely hot, and she could feel blood rushing to her cheeks and ears. The tingling sensation she felt whenever the boy would nuzzle into her chest did nothing to alleviate her panic, as well. She could only imagine how red she must have been. Then, she heard a slight gasp come from the corner of the room. When she saw that the rest of the group was watching the two of them, she lost what little composure she had.

There was a loud crash.

"A-Ah! Ow!"

Naruto sat upright as soon as his back slammed against the wooden floor. His head whipped around wildly, searching for the opponent that threw him off of his beloved bed. Instead, what he saw was Fū sitting on the bed, clutching the sheets to her chest as if to cover her body, and staring at him. At the corner of the room stood the rest of the jinchūriki, grinning widely and looking amused by the sudden turn of events.

"W-What's going on?!"

Utakata smirked sinisterly at the boy. He was beginning to sober up in a horrible way due to Yugito and the others, so what better way to take out his frustrations than by messing with the boy?

"Dear oh dear, Naruto… don't you remember?"

Naruto turned to him with a confused look on his face.

"R-Remember what?"

Suddenly, Utakata turned to Fū.

"What about you, little ladybug? Do you not recall the events of last night?"

Fū was still beet red. She shook her head fervently. Then, Utakata turned to Naruto.

"Well… I can't very well blame either of you. You were both quite intoxicated. But, it is my responsibility to tell you when something this huge happens and you both don't recall it, so pay attention. Naruto, Fū… you both had a drunken tryst last night."

"… A drunken tryst?" said Naruto.

Utakata smiled. Then, he swooped into Naruto's personal space and stared him down while sporting a maniacal and borderline sinister expression.

"A drunken tryst under the sheets."

Fū's eyes widened, as did Naruto's. The boy was absolutely stunned, and the girl looked as if she was about to pass out. Suddenly, Yugito slapped Utakata upside the head, and spoke up.

"Don't listen to him. He was drunk as well. You two just passed out on the bed, is all."

Both of them were silent for a while. Then, Fū buried her face in her hands and Naruto let out a sigh of relief.

"… Ah Kami… that was… oh… Tayuya-chan would have killed me… that was close…"

"Close? How close? As close as your face was to the bug-girl's chest?!"

"W-What!? Listen to me, she cannot know about that! Nothing happened!"

"Is that so? Well then, if nothing happened then telling her should be harmless yes? Bwahahahaha!"

"You son of a bitch! You better fucking no—"

There was something wrong. He could feel it in the very air itself, thanks to effects of being a Sage. He was much more sensitive to chakra now, and there were multiple signatures on board the ship – signatures that did not belong on a passenger ship traveling from the Kumo Port City to the Hi Port City. Han noticed the grave expression on the boy's face, and spoke up.

"… What's wrong?"

"… There's someone else on board the ship. They're not sailors."

Everyone present immediately abandoned all casualness and drew out their weapons. Slowly, they all made their way down the halls of the cabin, and as they were about to ascend to the upper deck, Naruto stopped, prompting everyone else to do the same.

"Kura-kun, how many?"

"About ten on the upper deck, two near the helm, and one high up above. They don't seem to be looking for a fight though."

"Got it. Thanks."

Naruto took out one of his storage scrolls and unsealed his bow and quiver. After equipping the items, he turned to the others.

"Well?" said Utakata.

"… About ten in the upper deck, two near the helm, and one in the crow's nest."

"What do you think? Pirates? What about the sailors? Are they anywhere on the boat?"

"I don't know… I can't sense anyone else. It seems we're all alone with them."

"Do they know we're here?"

"… Maybe. Let's go find out."

The rest of the group nodded, and in one swift movement, all seven of them jumped out onto the upper deck, startling the people that were stationed there. The battle had begun.

Han was the first to dash forward, charging at two unsuspecting masked men. The one to his right panicked and immediately retaliated by lashing out at Han with a whip of water. Unfortunately for him, water attacks were futile against Han. He gathered up his chakra and raised its temperature to its boiling point, causing his body and his armor to heat up intensely. Then, he covered his face with his forearm. The whip of water slammed into the armor on his forearm and immediately evaporated. Then, he gathered up the steam that his armor had stored in his furnace, and released it just as he lunged forward. To his opponents, it seemed as if he vanished in the blink of an eye. Before either of them knew it, Han had managed to position himself behind them. The man with the water whip was the first to get knocked out, when Han knocked him off balance with a leg sweep and slammed him down onto the wooden deck with an elbow strike to the sternum. Upon seeing his comrade rendered unconscious, the other masked man drew out a bolo knife and swung at Han's head. The man smiled when he saw that his opponent could not react in time. The blade slammed against Han's head, and there was a loud clang that echoed. Then, the masked man's eyes widened.

Han's hat had stopped the blade. In fact, the knife hadn't even scratched it. He hesitated when the demon clad in red glared up at him. Han slapped his opponent's wrist away and landed a front kick right on the man's gut. The man staggered backwards, but after a second or two, he recovered and once again charged in. Much to his surprise, Han took off his hat and held it in his left hand like a shield, using the cloth attached to fasten it to his arm. The first horizontal swing of the knife was deflected, as was the downward slash that followed. The force behind each deflection was so great that it sent a shock up his sword arm each time. Eventually, the pain in his wrist prompted him to take a few steps backwards in order to regroup, but as soon as he did, Han slipped into a low stance, holding his shield in front of him in a Spartan-like manner, and primed his right fist. Before the masked man could even regain his composure, Han dashed forward at an incredible speed. In a desperate attempt to maintain distance against his enemy, the masked man thrust his bolo knife forward, aiming for Han's face. Unlike his previous attacks though, the thrust was parried with the shield rather than deflected, and it was parried with so much force that it sent his right arm flailing to the side, leaving him wide open. The next attack came with so much speed that he hardly even saw it. Han released a precise amount of steam from the small gap between his armor's forearm plating and upper arm plating – the gap which allowed for elbow joint movement. His fist slammed against the man's sternum, cracking a few ribs as well as sending the man crashing into the portside bulwark.

"Hmph. You seem to be enjoying the use of my power, you cretin."

"I'd do just as well without it. It just so happens that it's easier and less inconvenient to use it. Besides, this is the most amount of activity you've done in years. You should be grateful, you jackass."

"Grateful? Hah. To a hairless monkey like you? Perhaps you accidentally inhaled a bit too much steam and it's cooked your miniscule brain."

"Oi, oi. It's never a good thing to use your entire vocabulary in one sentence."

"You would imply that I, the Great Kokuō, am an imbecile?!"

"I would imply that it does not take much intelligence to ram your head into any and all threats."

Just as Han was about to continue, something caught his eye. Without uttering a single word, he took his hat in his right hand and threw it across the ship. He smiled beneath his half-mask when his hat hit its target.

Naruto wasted no time in spotting his target. As soon as his feet came into contact with the wooden deck, he nocked one of his specialized bludgeoning arrows and aimed at the man in the crow's nest. The entire movement was quick and flawless; it seemed as if he didn't even bother to aim, but that was not the case at all. Naruto released the bowstring, and the arrow flew towards its mark. Unfortunately, the masked man up in the crow's nest had razor sharp reflexes as well. He drew out his épée, deflecting the projectile as he did so. Unbeknownst to him, the boy had accounted for his movements. In the blink of an eye, Naruto disappeared. The masked man's eyes widened in shock, and his head whipped around wildly in search for his target. When he found the boy though, he could not believe his eyes. He didn't understand how it was possible, but somehow the boy had managed to disappear and magically reappear in midair, right beside the arrow that he had just deflected.

Naruto smiled as he retrieved the arrow, nocked it, and drew back the bowstring once more. In a last ditch attempt at survival, the masked man threw his épée at Naruto. The blonde boy was not at all worried though. As the blade was about to impale Naruto, Han's red hat crashed against it, effectively deflecting it and protecting the blonde boy. Naruto released the arrow, and this time, its target was too shocked to dodge. The blunt arrow head slammed against the man's mask with so much force that his mask cracked in half and his head snapped back and slammed against the wooden post behind him, knocking him unconscious. Still in midair, Naruto proceeded to grab the red hat and analyzed the deck beneath him. Knowing exactly what to do and where to aim, he kicked the pommel of the freefalling épée, sending it flying downwards like an arrow towards a target. Then, he flung the hat towards another target with all his force, before activating the Tenka seal on his shoulder and reappearing in the crow's nest, where his arrow was.

Fū was having a difficult time with her opponent. Unfortunately, the aftereffects of the previous night still lingered in her system, and the fact that she felt an unfamiliar sensation of nausea whenever the boat rocked was of no help. Not only that, her opponent was particularly skilled at taijutsu.

"Darn it! It's so frustrating, ssu! I've been training and training yet I can't even get a hit in!"

"Now now, young damselfly. Calm yourself and be patient. Remember what the young kit taught you."

A look of realization dawned on Fū's face.

"… Alright. I have to try it out at some point, and there's no time like the present, ssu!"

Fū shifted from her usual fighting stance that she learned from the Academy into the stance that the blonde boy had taught her. She kept her center of gravity low, and tightened her peek-a-boo style guard. Then, she started slowly weaving her upper body from side to side.

"You ready, Chōmei-san?"

Chōmei smiled within her cocoon.

"As ready as I'll ever be, young damselfly."

Fū took one step forward. Her opponent was now more guarded, having noticed the change in her stance. He could not predict which direction the girl would be coming from due to her constant feints. Before he could even react though, she dashed forward with all her might, releasing all the chakra she had channeled into the soles of her feet. Within half a second, she skidded to a stop right in front of her masked opponent. Fū could sense him panicking as he threw a wild jab and a wide right hook while stepping backwards. She would not let him escape though.

"Vision shift!"

Time seemed to slow down. Both her eyes changed into her compound vision, allowing her to see every little movement of the man's eyes, muscles, and clothes. She slipped to the right, avoiding the jab, and weaved right under the hook. Then, with she stepped into the man's guard.

"Once more!"

Her eyes reverted back to normal, and she threw a wicked left shovel hook into the man's side. Her attack landed flush, causing the man to gasp audibly. Then, she threw a chakra infused straight right with the intention of ending the fight. Just as she was throwing the strike though, she remembered the advice that the blonde boy had given her.

"Chōmei-san!"

"Understood!"

Fū channeled her Bijū's chakra into her right eye, and closed her left. With the compound vision in her right eye, she was able to detect that her opponent was subtly moving his head and upper body to his left.

"Trying to avoid using a head slip…"

Although it was too late to throw a different punch, for she was already halfway through the motion, it was not too late to redirect the attack. She closed her right eye as she opened her left eye, and drove her fist downwards, causing her punch to slam downwards into the man's right shoulder. The force behind the attack, coupled with the fact that it had not been expected whatsoever, was enough to make the man stumble forward slightly. This was, by no means, the end of the fight though. Her opponent charged forward, slamming his now injured shoulder into her guard in an attempt to create some distance. He managed to push her back slightly due to the difference in their build and frame. Then, as Fū stumbled backwards, she switched to the compound vision in her right eye.

"He's definitely going to throw something. Let's see you try, ssu!"

As expected, he retaliated with a razor sharp right uppercut that would have caught anyone else off-guard. However, Fū merely smiled at this.

"That's no good!" said the girl as she recalled her spar with Naruto. "I've seen strikes much faster than this."

Fū twisted her upper body to the right and leaned back, easily evading the uppercut. As her opponent's strike sailed past her face, she switched to her left eye, and countered with a left uppercut of her own. Her fist came in from under his guard and crashed into his jaw, sending him reeling backwards.

"Alright, ssu! Time to finish this!"

Fū darted forward once more, stopping in front of her opponent. Then, she threw three jabs in quick succession. The impact of each caused a crack to form on the man's mask. Then, she leaned away slightly, and switched to her right eye.

"Come on! Hit back!"

And hit back, he did. The notion that he, the taijutsu specialist of their squad, was being beaten by a little girl was absurd, downright dishonorable, and unacceptable. It was an insult to his pride as a fighter. The last three jabs were salt on an open wound as well. He knew full well that the girl was baiting him, telling him to strike if he dared. He did dare, though, and she would soon regret taunting him. Using all his rage and frustration, he threw a right straight with all his weight behind it. Unbeknownst to him, the girl knew what he was going to throw before he knew it himself. Undeterred by the man's attack, she charged forward.

Foolish girl, the masked man thought to himself. It was folly to charge into a punch with that much force behind it, even if you were prepared to counter. The slightest mistake would become your undoing. However, Fū knew something that he did not.

Ever since Naruto had advised her to rely on her counter-punching, she had worked tirelessly to find the perfect counter that would put anyone it hits out of commission. During all her spars with the boy and with the others, she learned one thing: sometimes, in order to stay one perfect step ahead of your opponent, you have to be willing to take a hit or two.

She dashed forward, and at the very last second, used a head slip to avoid the right straight. The man's fist still managed to graze her cheek though, causing her to wince slightly at the pain. That was not enough to deter her, however. She pressed forward, switched to her left eye, and completed the jolt counter by planting a chakra enhanced right straight into her opponent's cracked mask. The mask shattered under the force of the attack, and her opponent was sent rolling across the wooden deck until he hit the starboard side bulwark. Fū let out a sigh of relief as she lightly touched her throbbing right cheek. Just as she was about to relax though, she felt something cold wrap around her neck tightly. Her hands went up to try and loosen its hold, but when she touched it, her hands felt wet.

"W-What the- Is this water?"

She turned around and saw another masked man holding the other end of the water whip that was strangling her with his right hand.

"K-Kh!"

The whip tightened around her delicate neck. She struggled valiantly for a few seconds, but each time she resisted, it merely tightened. Her legs and arms were beginning to lose strength. Her vision was starting to swim. She felt like her head was about to explode. The man smiled beneath his mask when the mint haired girl fell to one knee. Then, using his free hand, he executed the sign of the boar. Before he could execute the Raiton jutsu and electrocute the girl through the water whip though, an èpèe flew downwards from the sky, slashing his right forearm deeply and rendering it useless.

"Gah!"

His water whip jutsu lost its form, freeing his captured prey. Then, he heard a loud 'clang'. When he turned to look at the source of the sound, the only thing he saw was a red metallic hat flying straight towards him. That was the last thing he saw before his vision went dark.

Yugito was rather enjoying herself. It was rare for her to come across opponents as skilled as the ones she was facing now, and with all the pent-up anger and aggression trying to explode out of her, this fight couldn't have come at a better time. She had been evading and dodging her opponents' blows for about a minute now, waiting for a hole in their guard. Unfortunately such a thing did not seem to exist – that is, until yet another one of the masked Shinobi came crashing into one of Yugito's opponents, knocking both of them to the ground. This momentarily distracted Yugito's second opponent, and she made use of that small lapse in the woman's guard to strike true and hard. Yugito dashed in and landed a spinning back kick right on the woman's chest. Unfortunately, she managed to recover almost instantly, and retaliated with quick and precise lashes of her èpèe. Yugito managed to dodge the first horizontal lash by leaning backwards, but despite this, it still left a slight cut on her neck. She then started weaving and evading the rest of the attacks. Frustrated by her lack of success, the masked woman let out a grunt of disdain and swung down hard with her weapon. Unfortunately, her frustration made the attack easy to read and caused it to swing wide. Yugito smiled as the fingernails on her right hand extended into her cat claws. Then, she funneled her Bijū's chakra into them, before blocking the strike. Imbued with Matatabi's intense blue flames, her claws easily cut through the steel of the èpèe as if it was hot butter. Her opponent was shocked, judging by the way she stepped back and stared at her now broken blade. Yugito took advantage of this by slashing at her opponent's let thigh and following up with a spinning heel kick. Her claws tore through its target's flesh, causing the masked woman to fall to one knee. Injured and defenseless, she took the brunt of the spinning heel kick right on the head, and fell to the ground unconscious. Suddenly, she heard Fū's pained voice. When she turned to look, there was another one of the masked bastards choking the poor girl with a whip made of water. Yugito was about to act, when suddenly, she heard the faint sound of a blade being drawn come from behind her. She turned around, only to see the masked man who had been knocked to the ground by his unconscious comrade rushing her. She made a move to get away, but suddenly, a circular red object – which she soon recognized as Han's hat – slammed into the man's face, breaking his mask and knocking him out, before ricocheting right towards Yugito. Panicking, the blonde woman ducked under the high speed Frisbee of death. It flew right over her and towards the man who had managed to subdue Fū. The man turned just in time. The hat crashed into his jaw, right on his chin. He collapsed to the ground as if all life had suddenly left his body, and Han's hat fell to the ground as well, right in front of Fū.

Utakata was standing stock still, though. It wasn't because of fear, though. The moment he jumped out of the lower decks and caught a glimpse of their opponents, he understood. after a while, he heard a familiar voice call out.

"S-Stop!"

All eyes were now on him. Even Killer B, who was busy putting a beating on a masked man who he had caught in a figure four leg lock and his comrade who he had in a rear naked choke, was looking up at the helm, towards the man. Utakata scowled slightly.

"… What are you doing here?"

The long-haired man took off his mask, revealing the bearded face of a man with a scar over his left eye. As he descended the steps that lead up to the helm, his men rushed towards him, carrying their unconscious and injured comrades with them. Naruto jumped down from the crow's nest as well, and when all of them had gathered, the man turned to Utakata, and spoke.

"… Quite a group you've managed to get into."

"What do you want, Tsurugi?" said Utakata in a harsh tone.

Every one of the jinchūriki were now looking at Utakata, awaiting answers. However, it was Naruto who spoke up.

"Do you know this man, Utakata?"

Not taking his eyes off of Tsurugi, Utakata answered.

"… His name is Tsurugi. He's the leader of Kirigakure's Hunter Division."

Naruto's expression tightened as he turned to the man known as Tsurugi.

"… What do you want with us?"

Tsurugi replied in a calm tone.

"We don't mean to start any trouble with anyone. The only reason my men retaliated was because you attacked. For the sake of the mission, I'm sure they'll be able to forgive whatever injuries you may have inflicted, and so will I."

"You didn't answer the question." said Utakata. "What do you want, Tsurugi?"

The man's eyes widened slightly. Then, something akin to pain flashed across his face.

"… We need you to return to Kirigakure, Utakata."

His request was met by surprise, though not from Utakata.

"… This again, old man? Have I not made my answer clear?"

Tsurugi furrowed his brows and replied.

"Utakata… what happened to Harusame… he was merely trying to free you from the burdens of being a jinchūriki. He did not wish to—"

"I know."

Tsurugi was silenced by that one sentence.

"… I know his intentions were not to hurt me," continued Utakata, with a sad smile on his face. "And as much as it may pain me to admit it, my master truly did care for me… but that is precisely why I cannot return to being a Shinobi of Kirigakure. I could not control my Bijū, and ended up killing my master. Nothing can absolve me of that sin. I have to atone for that, and I know I won't find the penance I'm seeking within Kiri."

There was a short moment of silence. After a while, Tsurugi bowed his head in understanding, and spoke.

"… I understand. However, we still need you to return."

Utakata raised an eyebrow at Tsurugi. He was about to say something else, but before he could, Naruto had interrupted.

"Something happened, didn't it?"

Surprise was evident on Tsurugie's face. Utakata saw this, and spoke.

"Tsurugi… what's going on?"

The old man hesitated for a while, but finally gave in.

"… I was ordered to bring you back using all means at my disposal, but to only show you this as a last resort. Clearly using force is inadvisable and seeing as negotiations have broken down… I may have no other choice after all."

Utakata took a step forward; something about all this didn't sit well with him.

"What are you talking about old man?"

Tsurugi, with a grave expression on his face, turned to Utakata and drew out a photo from his pouch.

"… It's about Harusame, Utakata."

His heart damn near faltered right at that moment. He did not know what kind of expression he had at the moment, but he was certain that it was a mixture of anxiety and fear. His hand trembled slightly as he reached for the photo. Just as he was about to take it though, Tsurugi spoke.

"You… may not wish to see this. However, I cannot stop you if you do."

Utakata hesitated for a moment. Then, he took the photo. He stared at it for a long while. His expression was blank. He uttered not a single word nor did he make a sound. He merely stared at the photo.

It was the photo of a man. The man's hair was long and tied into a loose ponytail, like Harusame. He had a long moustache, like Harusame. He wore black spectacles, like Harusame. He even wore an elaborate blue kimono with orange trimmings and a purple vest with a grey scarf… like Harusame. And he was dead, like Harusame.

The man was nailed to a stone wall in the photo. His clothes were stained with his own blood, as was the wall. His throat had been cut open. The letter 'M' was carved into his chest. As Utakata stared at the photo, Tsurugi spoke.

"… It's clear someone went through great lengths to make the body look like Harusame-san… and it's most likely so that he or she can get to you. It came with a letter as well."

Tsurugi drew out a note from his pouch and tried to hand it to Utakata. However, the man didn't even move a muscle. With a worried look on her face, Yugito walked over to Utakata and placed a hand on his shoulder. Still, he remained unresponsive. Naruto took it upon himself to examine the letter. As soon as he opened it though, his chest tightened.

… Is number six home? Can he come out to play?

I've released a killer into the wilderness of Kiri. Let's call him Mephistopheles.

Here is a photo of his handiwork.

Let's play a game of tag. You're it.

Call back your jinchūriki.

Each day he isn't here, Mephistopheles will claim another soul.

… No rush.

"It's been three days," said Tsurugi in a downcast tone. "… He's taken three lives already. Each one dying a worse death than the last. We… don't know what he wants with you, but we fear that if you don't come back, things will get worse. The Fifth Mizukage doesn't want to escalate the matter and scare the public, especially considering all the things that the country has gone through…"

Naruto gritted his teeth and responded.

"So what's your plan? Surely you don't intend to give Utakata up? Because if that is in fact the case, then I'm afraid you'll have to take him over our dead bodies."

"Of course not! For some reason this madman is out to get Utakata… we figured that if we brought him back, the killings would at least stop for a while, and it'd lure him out of hiding because as it is, we have no way of finding out where he is. We know who this Mephistopheles is, but clearly he is working with or for someone else."

The blonde boy bit his lower lip and handed the note back to Tsurugi. He knew exactly who this Mephistopheles was working with. What he didn't know though, was his motive. Before anyone else could say another word though, Utakata spoke up.

"I'll go."

Yugito raised an eyebrow at the man.

"What? What do you mean you'll go?"

Utakata didn't even bother to face her.

"I mean exactly that. The rest of you can head to Hi. Tsurugi and his squad probably hijacked this ship, so we'll drop you off at the Port City. I'll head to Kiri with Tsurugi. I'll catch up with you all once I've taken care of my business."

Yugito grimaced at Utakata and responded.

"Like fucking hell you will!"

Suddenly, Utakata shot her an icy glare that silenced her.

"… I wasn't asking."

For a while, the two stared each other down. Then, a voice broke the tension.

"That's not happening."

They both turned to the blonde boy who had spoken up.

"You're not going there alone. We won't let you. Whatever's going on there in Kiri, we'll get to the bottom of it together."

Naruto then approached Utakata.

"I told you, didn't I? No way am I going to stand behind you or follow you. I'd rather stand with you. That goes for all of us."

Utakata turned to the others, and when he did, he was met with a stupid grin from Rōshi, two thumbs up from Killer B, a gentle smile from Fū, and a look from Han that basically told him he was an idiot for forgetting about the rest of them. Finally giving in, Utakata sighed and let his shoulders slump.

"… You're all so troublesome. You realize what you're getting into right?"

Naruto merely shrugged nonchalantly.

"Eh. We were bound to head for Kiri anyway. And since it's closer and all, it makes more sense to head there now."

Then, the blonde boy turned to Tsurugi.

"… I apologize to you and your squad. I hope none of them are badly injured."

Tsurugi glanced at his hunter nin and let out a slight chuckle.

"Their injuries will heal easily. Their bruised ego though… that might take some time."

Naruto then turned to Fū and Yugito.

"Ah… would you mind helping them a bit? I don't know much about medical ninjutsu myself… eheh."

The blonde boy scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly as he spoke. Upon seeing this, Han merely sniggered.

"Heh. You know the little ladybug can't say no if you ask like that."

Fū tensed up slightly.

"A-Ah! Han-san, what are you implying?"

Without even gracing the girl with a reply, Han walked away to retrieve his hat. Yugito placated the young girl and headed towards the group of hunter nin, but not before turning to Utakata and glaring at him.

"… You and I are going to have a stern talk later."

Utakata flinched slightly at her cold tone – something that Naruto, Tsurugi, and Rōshi laughed at.

"Seems like someone is in the doghouse." said the red haired old man.

"Y-You… you don't know what you're talking about Rōshi. I-In any case, surely there's more you've yet to tell us Tsurugi."

Tsurugi nodded and replied.

"There are some things I originally wished to discuss with you alone… but if you trust these people, and if you can vouch that they will work in alignment with the interests of Kiri, then I suppose I can include them in the conversation."

"I'll vouch for them. Where should we talk?"

"In the captain's cabin. Follow me."

Naruto, Utakata, and Rōshi did as they were asked. On the way there, Naruto noticed the severe lack of presence onboard the ship.

"… I have to ask. What happened to the people on the ship?"

"Ah. Well, my squad and I intended to use the Kumo Port City as a rest stop. We were to stay here for a maximum of twelve hours, seeing as we didn't want to miss you. Our latest reports stated that you were last sighted in Kumo. The details were sparse, however, so we hardly had anything to go on. It was through complete luck that I happened upon your group as you were dining in one of the high-end eateries."

Naruto furrowed his brows upon hearing this. He hadn't even noticed that they were being tailed, and while part of him wished to rationalize and say that it was due in large part to the alcohol, he knew that it was because of Tsurugi's skill. It only showed that he still had ways to go in terms of training and growth.

"Well," said the blonde boy. "That explains how you found us, but what did you do to the people on the ship?"

"My men saw to that. None of the sailors or passengers were harmed, I assure you. A small prick from a senbon needle dipped in a special balm to put them to sleep is all it took. In fact, they should be waking up right about now."

"So what you're saying is basically, this ship is stolen?"

Tsurugi opened his mouth as if to say something, but he hesitated. After a while, he spoke up.

"… I-If it's for the greater good of the Village, then I am certain those Kiri sailors would not mind."

"So your plan was to steal a ship, wait for us to pass out in the cabins, and hope you get to Kiri before we wake up?"

"… Yes."

"… What were you going to do once we get to Kiri? How would you get us back to Kirigakure?"

Tsurugi stroked his beard thoughtfully as he placed on hand on the knob of a door.

"… We weren't expecting to find you here. It was the best plan we could come up with at the moment."

Tsurugi then opened the door to the captain's cabin. All four of them entered the room. Naruto noted that the cabin itself was three times the size of the passenger cabins, and the shelves were fully stocked with rum and all manners of liquor.

"So," said Tsurugi in a calm yet serious tone. "I believe you all have questions?"

Utakata turned to the man, and responded.

"… Do you have any idea who wrote the note? What would they possibly want with me?"

"I'm afraid not. Honestly, that is precisely what we wished to ask you. Although, the… ostentation of the victim's state indicates that he knew Harusame-sama. Do you know of anyone who may have wanted to hurt you or your former master?"

Utakata bit his lower lip. After all the years that have passed, he still found no comfort in speaking of his dead master.

"… Harusame-sama… was a good and honorable man. He bore no ill will against anyone, and I don't know anyone who would want to harm him. Me, however…"

A number of people came to mind. However, none of them seemed plausible. As he was lost in his thoughts, Naruto spoke up.

"You said you knew the identity of this… Mephistopheles?"

Tsurugi once again nodded and took his seat.

"His name is Ichiro Haneyama. He was a rabid supporter of the old Kirigakure government. A former Shinobi, as well. He was one of the survivors of Kirigakure's infamous graduation ritual. He rose to the rank of jōnin fairly quickly, and even went on to mentor a team of genin. However, his status as a shinobi was stripped when word got out that he tortured his students in order to 'make them embrace pain and raise their threshold for it'. When the revolution succeeded though, he started staging protests and calling for a return to the old ways. When none of that worked, he gathered a bunch of people who shared his views and formed the Old World Warriors. They… committed many atrocities under that banner, but the worst of it is when they murdered forty Academy students."

The last sentence caught everyone's attention.

"It was a brutal crime," continued Tsurugi. "He kidnapped them and cast them into a deep pit. Those who didn't die from the fall were told that if they wished to get out, they had to be the sole survivor. Then they watched as those children murdered each other. And when only one was left, they told the kid to climb out on her own. When we captured him, they were still watching the girl trying to climb. They didn't even put up a fight."

"What happened to the girl?" asked Rōshi.

"She's safe. Her wounds were treated and she seems to be faring better. I still check up on her and her family every now and then. She's recovered from the trauma… however, I fear for her safety now that that animal is loose again."

Naruto leaned on the shelf and crossed his arms.

"How did he get out?"

Tsurugi paused. For a while, the man was silent. Then, he spoke.

"… We haven't the faintest idea."

Utakata raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you mean you have no idea?"

"The prison he was being kept in was tightly secured. He was supposed to be held there until his execution, which was in two months… but when we got there, there was nothing left. No signs of a riot or a prison break. Just… a trail of blood and corpses."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly.

"How is that possible? The guards were slaughtered?"

"… Not just the guards. Every last one of them, guards and prisoners alike. A hundred and fifty guards along with a hundred and ninety nine prisoners, all dead in one night... The only survivor was Ichiro. We have reason to believe that whoever freed him is responsible, and that Ichiro simply… walked out of the prison."

Naruto's expression turned grave. He knew who was responsible for freeing the man named Ichiro, and the moment he realized it, everything started to make sense. There was only one organization capable of such a monstrous feat.

Over half an hour had passed since the shocking turn of events. And now, as she stood in the hallway of the Hokage's office building, Karin could not help but notice the tension in the air.

"Ah… Kakashi-sensei… mind telling me what's with the atmosphere?" said Karin as she walked towards the jōnin.

"Hmm… I'm surprised you didn't recognize him. That was Jiraiya-sama."

A look of disbelief immediately crossed Karin's face.

"E-Eh? The Toad Sage Jiraiya?"

"Ah, so you do know him."

"O-Orochimaru used to talk about him all the time… usually it was to rant, though. I never imagined I'd actually get to meet him…"

"Yes, well, I never imagined I'd get to see him again. He left Konoha about a year ago. He swore he'd never come back. And yet, here he is…"

Here he was indeed. Kakashi crossed his arms and looked away. He was just as confused as anyone else, if not more. After all, Jiraiya was not a man he thought he would ever see again, considering how he felt about the Village and everyone in it.

"… That doesn't explain why everyone else is so anxious, though."

Kakashi's expression grew dark.

"… I don't know if anyone's told you, but Jiraiya-sama was… Naruto's mentor, as well as his godfather."

This was all Karin needed to hear in order to understand. She snuck a glance at both Sakura and Sasuke, before turning to the locked door that separated them, and the two Sages. As soon as she did so, a loud smack was heard from within, shocking everyone who were within earshot.

"…"

The silence was heartrending. It gnawed at her, vexing her to no end.

"…"

Tsuande sat behind her desk, watching as her former teammate nonchalantly cracked his knuckles and placed his feet on the desk.

"… What the hell is this…" thought Tsunade, as she crossed her arms and looked away. She hadn't the slightest idea what expression she wore at the moment, but she could only guess that it was one of discomfort and confusion. "Why isn't he saying anything… it's been ten damn minutes! He's just been sitting there…"

Suddenly,Jiraiya reached into his pocket. The action took Tsunade by surprise. Thinking that the man was about to pull out some piece of information or something of the sort, Tsuande sat upright and prepared herself, only to be disappointed when she saw a silver flask in Jiraiya's hands. Still not paying any mind to the tension in the room, Jiraiya uncorked the flask and took a swig of its contents. As Tsunade watched this, she could only think to herself.

"… Goddammit Jiraiya… honestly… forcing a woman to make the first move… I bet this is your way of getting back at me…"

A sad expression flashed across her face for a second. When she realized that her old friend might see the sadness on her face, she immediately switched to a deadpan expression – she was too proud to shed a single tear in front of him. Yet still, she could not keep herself from recalling the last conversation that the two of them had.

"L-Lady Tsunade…?"

Shizune spoke in an anxious tone as she slowly opened the door and peered into the room. When she saw that her Lady was busying herself with the small pile of paperwork on her desk, she bit her lip in hesitation, before entering.

"Hmm? Shizune? What is it? As you can see, I'm a bit busy at the moment."

"I-I realize that, Lady Tsunade, b-but…"

Tsunade noticed the hesitation in her tone. With a raised eyebrow, she glanced at Shizune, and spoke in a level tone.

"… What is it , Shizune?"

"A-Ah… Lady Tsunade, the Elders… wish to confer with you regarding a certain matter."

Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Tell them that now is not a good time. I have a lot of work to accomplish."

"Lady Tsunade… I'm afraid this is not something that can wait."

Frustrated, Tsunade resigned herself to her fate, and spoke.

"What do they want now?"

"… It's Jiraiya-sama, Lady Tsunade…"

The blonde's heart skipped a beat. Then, it resumed its pounding at an alarming pace, thumping wildly within her chest. Tsunade's breath became hitched as she turned to Shizune with an anxious expression clear on her face. Shizune saw this, and continued.

"… He's returned, my Lady. The Elders wish to speak with you before you meet with him."

Tsunade now began to understand why the Elders would want to talk. Her last discussion with Jiraiya did not end on a good note, after all. The man had lost his godson. He was in mourning. He was in denial. He did not wish to accept that Naruto had in fact died. Tsunade vividly recalled the heated argument they got into, with Jiraiya claiming that Naruto was still alive and Tsunade telling him to accept his death and move on. He asked for her help in searching for him, but at the time, the Village was still reeling from Orochimaru's schemes. The Elders and the council had advised her to put the Village's best interests first… and that was what she did. It tore her heart asunder to have to say no to her Jiraiya when he so desperately needed her help, but she rationalized that the Village needed her more. And now, Jiraiya had returned after one whole year. Sure enough, the Elders would want nothing more than to take the opportunity to tell her what to do.

"Lady Tsunade?"

Shizune's soft voice shook Tsunade out of her daze.

"Hmm?"

"Are you well, my Lady…? You… seem to be lost in thought."

"… No. I am fine."

"What shall I tell the Elders…?"

Tsunade buried her face in her hands for a short while. Then, she rose.

"… Tell them that I will speak with them."

Shizune paused out of concern for her Lady, but followed the command that was given to her anyway. The moment she left the room, Tsunade walked over to the door and checked if it was closed. When she was certain that it was, she rushed to her desk and opened the top right drawer.

"Damn it… damn damn damn…"

She pulled out a hand mirror and stared right at her own reflection.

"Calm down, Tsunade… Calm down… he's been away for a year. What does it matter? You've been apart for much longer than that. It's just Jiraiya. There's nothing to be so nervous about… right? He… he couldn't possible have found anything related to Naruto… and even if he did, there's nothing to be nervous about. N-Nevermind the fact that you two parted on a bad note last time… things are different now. It's been a year… I'm sure he's mourned… It's just those old bags, and Jiraiya… stupid, perverted, Jiraiya."

As she was staring at her reflection, she noticed the disheveled state that her hair was in. Alas, she recalled how the pile of paperwork on her desk had at one point driven her into attempting to rip out her own hair. Her attempt failed, but its consequences were clearly visible to her now. Her eyes widened slightly as she began to panic.

"… No. No no no no dammit!"

She opened the top left drawer of her desk and frantically searched for the one and only tool that could aid her in her situation. When she found her brush at the bottom of the drawer, she immediately went to work on fixing her hair. Once she was done, she took out a small handkerchief and wiped her face. As she busied herself with gussying up, the Elders made their way through the halls and towards the Hokage's office. Just as Tsunade was about to put her things away, the door suddenly opened, prompting Tsunade to toss the hair brush and mirror out of the open window behind her in panic.

"Lady Hokage." said Homura in a respectful tone as he entered.

Tsunade was about to acknowledge his greeting, but the faint sound of glass shattering and a man yelping in surprise caught the attention of everyone in the room.

"A-Ah!" exclaimed Tsunade in a flustered tone. "W-What is it that you wish to discuss?"

As Homura was taking his seat, Koharu and Danzo entered.

"Hokage-dono," said Koharu in an impatient tone. "I'm sure you are aware of what we wish to discuss. Let us set aside senseless and idle chatter."

Tsunade was about to respond by saying how she would want nothing more than to set Kohaku aside in a mausoleum, but she chose to hold her tongue instead. The lack of response mildly irritated Koharu all the more, though. As soon as everyone was seated, Homura spoke.

"Hokage-dono... I know you are well aware of your duty to this Village. You do not need us to remind you of that. However, given the sudden return of Jiraiya, we fear our objective and unbiased counsel may be required."

While Tsunade appreciated Homura's tactful wording, it did not make what he was trying to say any less vexing.

"… I know what I have to do. I've been the Hokage of this Village for some time now, and not once have I done anything that wasn't in the Village's best interests. So, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Koharu let out an annoyed grunt, sat up straight, and spoke with irritation clear in her voice.

"What Homura is trying to say is simple. We do not trust you to make a sound decision when it comes to that man. You are too close to this. You need a clear perspective. Recall that the Village and the lives of everyone in it rely on the decisions you make. That is precisely why the Council was created – to ensure the Hokage does not stray from the path of proper leadership."

Tsunade bit the inside of her cheek, and responded in an equally annoyed tone.

"And what kind of Hokage would I be if I was not certain that I can make sound decisions when sound decisions are required?"

Koharu narrowed her eyes at Tsunade. Much to everyone's surprise though, Danzo – who had been silent up until this moment – was the one to respond.

"… You are young, and inexperienced. You need the wisdom of your council. After all, a good Kage listens to their council, even after they no longer have the need for one."

Koharu crossed her arms and nodded as she spoke.

"Danzo is right. I would not so easily disregard the wisdom of your elders, if I were you."

If you were me, you'd be a hundred years younger, Tsunade thought to herself. She was tempted to actually say it, but she knew how to toe the line between disagreement and disrespect.

"I have heeded your advice when I needed to. The last time Jiraiya came to me, I put the Village first. Is that not proof enough that I would do the same now? What more do you want?"

Koharu was about to open her mouth, but she was cut off by Homura.

"Hokage-dono… at the very least, the three of us would like to be present during your meeting with Jiraiya. We would also like to know the meaning behind his sudden return."

She wanted so badly to say no to them, just for the sake of saying no to them. However, she knew that this was something that they would insist upon, especially since Koharu, for some reason, was particularly inflexible today.

"… Fine. However, I reserve the right to ask you all to leave if Jiraiya or I require it."

Danzo and Koharu looked as if they were just about ready to object, but Homura managed to answer before they could.

"That is your prerogative as Hokage."

Homura could feel Koharu's glare burning through him. He straightened up slightly – keeping the peace was indeed a difficult job. Tsunade paused for a moment, before finally calling for Shizune.

"Shizune!"

The door immediately opened, and in came Shizune.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"... Is he here?"

Shizune hesitated slightly before answering.

"A-Ah, about that…"

Suddenly, Tsunade felt a presence behind her. She turned around, only to find Jiraiya sitting on her windowsill.

"Did you miss me, princess?"

Tsunade's face immediately heated up. There he was, once again. It was the same old Jiraiya, with the same old shaggy hair, the same old clothes, and the same old stupid grin. Her chest tightened up at the very sight of the man.

"… Jiraiya…"

Suddenly though, Danzo's raspy voice invaded their moment.

"It is considered bad form to enter private meetings and eavesdrop, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya merely raised an eyebrow at the man. He was not in the mood to play nice with the Council, and unlike Tsunade, he had no reason to fear them - least of all, Danzo Shimura.

"Is it now? Well, considering how you just insisted on squeezing into the meeting I was supposed to have with Tsunade, I'd say we're square."

Koharu grimaced at his bold words.

"Watch yourself, Toad Sage. We are the Elder Council."

"Don't waste your time throwing titles at me. They couldn't mean any less. I've done more for this Village than any one of your little Shinobi. You'd think that I'd be allowed to have a nice chat with the Hokage without any elderly supervision."

Both Koharu and Danzo were silenced. It had been a long time, after all, since they were last spoken to with such brashness. Homura, however, managed to remain calm and respond.

"Jiraiya… don't mistake our intentions. We are merely here because we would also like to know why you have returned. Seeing as the Hokage will have to consult us before she makes any decisions, we merely thought it would be more efficient for us to be present in your meeting with her. However, she does reserve the right to dismiss us should she see fit to do so."

As much as he still wanted to protest, Jiraiya could not help but begrudgingly accept the request, especially since it had come from the most tolerable of the Elder Council members.

"… Fine." said Jiraiya as he turned his attention to Tsunade. "I guess we'll have to deal with the babysitters, eh?"

Tsunade snickered slightly. However, while she may laugh at his wit and antics, she still could not shake off the discomfort that she felt. Their last parting ended in her having to deny him, and while he did not make it seem so when he left, Tsunade knew that Jiraiya took it to heart.

"Jiraiya… The last time you were here—"

"The last time I was here, I asked you for help."

Jiraiya's words had cut her off and rendered her speechless. After a short pause, the man continued.

"… You said no. You said you had to put the village first."

"Jiraiya—"

"He's dead."

The room was immediately silenced. All traces of playfulness were banished from Jiraiya's tone and expression. Save for the thin layer of sadness in his eyes, his face was utterly blank.

"… He really was dead, after all." said Jiraiya, as he ran a hand through his wild hair.

Tsunade stared at him sympathetically. Even Homura and Koharu were disheartened by the sadness in Jiraiya's voice. After all, the boy was his godson. They, of all people, knew what it was like to lose family. Though the atmosphere was heavy, it was Tsunade that broke the silence.

"… Jiraiya, I'm sorry."

"It was folly to think that he could survive and escape the clutches of the Akatsuki to begin with."

Homura and Tsunade glared at Danzo. Even Koharu was shocked by the callousness of her old friend's words.

"Danzo!" said Homura.

"No, he's right."

Much to their surprise, Jiraiya himself agreed with the one eyed old man. Tsunade turned to him, and spoke in a confused tone.

"W-What?"

"He's right… Maybe I was wrong to think that he was still alive after all. Maybe it was stupid of me to think that maybe…"

Jiraiya had to stop himself mid sentence. After a brief pause, he continued.

"… The first time I came to you, I asked you to help me look for him. You said no. And I don't blame you, because I asked for the wrong thing."

Tsunade could only stare at him. His words were not making any sense to her at the moment.

"… What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about what I should have asked you for right from the start."

Jiraiya stared deep into Tsunade's eyes, making sure she saw his resolve.

"… I want you to tell everyone in the Village his secret."

His request rendered everyone too tongue-tied to respond. Before they could even recover from the shock, Jiraiya continued.

"I need you to do this for me, Tsunade. The Village needs to know who Naruto really was. I need you to tell them he was the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. I need you to tell them that he was the sole reason why this Village was saved, and that Minato wanted him to be treated as a hero."

Jiraiya took a step towards her. He would not back down. This was the least he could do for the boy now, and he would not fail. He knew that Tsunade would help. After all, she loved the boy almost as much as he did.

"Tsunade… give him the hero's burial that he deserves. Minato wanted him to be recognized as the Hero of the Leaf… we couldn't do that when he was still alive, so at least help me do that now that he's gone."

Tsunade was at a loss for words. However, Homura and the rest of the Elder Council were now beginning to recover from the shock.

"Jiraiya… you realize that you're asking a lot, do you not?" said Homura in a careful and level tone.

Koharu then furrowed her brows and crossed her arms.

"The Third Hokage ordered to keep the boy's lineage a secret for a reason, you know."

Jiraiya turned to them and responded.

"I know. He wanted to protect Naruto from Minato's enemies and from anyone who may want to hurt him… but we're past that now. The kid is… he's gone. We have to give him what he deserves. We have to fulfill the wishes of Minato and Kushina. They saved the Village the night the Kyuubi attacked, and Naruto has protected this Village as well."

"And pray tell us," said Danzo in a deep and intimidating tone. "how has the boy protected this Village?"

Jiraiya glared at the man. Danzo did not scare him, and he would certainly not back down when his points were being challenged.

"By keeping the Kyuubi in check. What, did you think it was his job to do that? That it was his duty? He was a kid. He didn't ask to be the host of some demon. He didn't ask to have that burden placed upon his shoulders, but he took it upon himself to carry it anyway. And if that's not enough, then consider the Chūnin Exams. When Suna and Orochimaru invaded, who defeated their jinchūriki?"

He turned to Tsunade.

"… Who fought beside you against Orochimaru? Who saved your life?"

Then, he turned his attention back to Danzo, and spoke with venom dripping from his tone.

"… And who was the one who brought back your precious Uchiha?"

The bitterness in his voice did not escape anyone's notice. Jiraiya waited for a response from the Elder Coucil, but when he received none, he once again turned his attention to Tsunade.

"Tsunade… please. You have to do this. It's the least we can do. We owe the kid this much, please…"

"I'm afraid she cannot do that."

All eyes were now on the man who just stood up: Danzo Shimura. Jiraiya clicked his tongue and raised an eyebrow at the man.

"And why the hell can't she?"

"I'm aware that politics and strategy is not your forte, Jiraiya, so I shall enlighten you. As of now, Konoha is in a very delicate position. We are by all intents and purposes hanging by a knife-edge. We have just lost our Bijū. Thankfully, the other Villages cannot confirm this. All they have to go on are rumors. They do not know if we perhaps managed to retrieve the Kyuubi and seal it into a new host, or if there is in fact any truth to the rumor that we lost it in the first place. To the outside world, Konoha remains strong, when in fact we are weaker than ever. This is a façade that we must maintain. If we are to reveal the secret behind the boy's lineage, we would be confirming the suspicions of the rest of the world. Not only that, we would be telling them that our Village allowed the son of one of our greatest Shinobi to die. And do you know what kind of message that sends?"

Jiraiya scowled at the man's arrogant tone, but he could not respond. Then, Danzo continued.

"… It sends a message of weakness. It says that we cannot protect our own – that we cannot protect our greatest weapon. If your request is granted, we may as well spill our own blood in the water and wait for the sharks."

Danzo then turned to Tsunade.

"… But I'm sure you already knew all that didn't you Hokage-dono?"

Tsunade grimaced at him. Koharu once again agreed with Danzo, and spoke.

"… He's right, Jiraiya. I respect what you are trying to do, and I am not without sympathy for you… but the Village is bigger than any one person or boy."

Jiraiya snapped.

"This isn't just any one person or boy! This is Naruto Namikaze, son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki! This is a boy who grew up never being able to be a child! This is a boy who dedicated his entire life to this damned Village! This is the boy who GAVE his life for this damned Village… This is the fucking Hero of the Leaf, you heartless bastards…"

Both Homura and Koharu could not help but look down at the ground in shame. However, Danzo callously replied.

"… And he will continue to be the Hero of the Leaf, even after his death. As far as I am concerned, The Fourth Hokage's wishes are fulfilled. His son has become a hero in his own right… but the rest of the world cannot know it. Through his life, and through his death, he will protect this Village and its people. This is the way it must be."

Jiraiya bit the inside of his cheek in an effort to quell his anger. With outrage evident on his face, he turned to Tsunade, who immediately understood.

"… Homura-san, Koharu-san, Danzo-san… please allow us to discuss things alone."

Koharu looked as if she wanted to object, but a glance from Homura was enough to stop her. The two of them stood up and left, and while Danzo was hesitant, he followed suit. Once they were alone, Tsunade locked the door and walked over to the window.

"Tsunade…" said Jiraiya in the softest of whispers. "You can't listen to them. They didn't know him. Please, you have to do this. You know this is the right thing to do. He deserves it…"

Tsunade could not help but frown as she looked out from her window, at the Village. Then, her chest began to pound when she heard the soft pitter patter of footsteps coming towards her. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, but her efforts immediately failed when she felt Jiraiya's fingers touch her arms.

"Tsunade…" said Jiraiya, in a whisper that sent shivers down her spine. "Look at me, please."

Slowly, she turned to face him. As they looked into each other's eyes, faces mere inches apart, she felt Jiraiya take her hands in his.

"Tsunade please… look, there… there has to be enough here, between us, for you to feel SOME sort of obligation to me. I-I'm… I'm not asking you as a friend, I'm asking you as a godfather. Please, do this one thing for me. Grant me this one thing. If you won't do it for me, do it for the brat, please…"

Tsunade's hands began to quiver. She could feel his warm breath lightly tickling her lips. After a few moments though, she broke away from Jiraiya, and walked towards the middle of the room.

"… Do you remember when… when you two came looking for me?"

Tsunade could not help but smile slightly as she recalled the entire encounter.

"… You asked me to become Hokage, and I… I didn't want the job. I was very adamant about it too…"

Jiraiya could not help but smile as well.

"Yeah… I remember."

"… It took a while for you two to convince me, but you did. Or rather, he did."

"I'd like to think I helped a bit."

Tsunade chuckled slightly, as did Jiraiya. Then, all traces of happiness disappeared from her pretty face.

"… You asked me to become Hokage, and I agreed. I… I never wanted this job to begin with, but it was my duty. And as… as Hokage, I must put the safety and well-being of the Village first."

Jiraiya's eyes widened slightly. He could not believe what he was hearing. His ears had to be playing tricks on him.

"… What are you saying?"

"… I'm saying Danzo and the Elder Council… they have a point. B-Believe me, I want to say yes to you. I would want nothing more than to give Naruto the Hero's burial that he deserves… but Jiraiya, you have to understand—"

"Oh, I think I'm beginning to understand perfectly…"

His interruption had caught her off guard.

"Jiraiya…"

"No," said Jiraiya as he raised an eyebrow at her. "I understand. I mean, you've got to be kidding me, right Tsunade?"

"Jiraiya, just listen—"

"You owe him your life, Tsunade! If he hadn't come along, where would you be right now, huh? You'd still be in some casino gambling away and drinking! If it weren't for him, Orochimaru would have killed you… You OWE him!"

"I know that! What, you think I didn't lose any sleep when he died? You think I don't still think about it? You think I don't want to tell the ignorant people of this Village the truth? I want to just as much as you do, Jiraiya, but unlike you I have more than just one person to think of!"

"And at what price does thinking of their well-being come, huh? At what cost? So what, you're just… you're just going to let the people of this Village keep thinking that he was nobody? That he didn't deserve their respect? You're just going to deprive him of what he DESERVES so you can give the people of this fucking Village the things they don't?"

Tsunade was silenced by Jiraiya's outburst. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. There was a lull in the conversation that heightened the tension. After a while, Jiraiya took a step towards her, and spoke.

"Tsunade… what do you want, huh? You… You want me to beg? I'll do it, I'll beg, just please…"

The white haired man then started getting down on his knees. The sight itself was excruciating for Tsunade, and it prompted her to protest.

"Jiraiya, please… please don't just… just get up…"

"No, I'll beg if I have to…" said Jiraiya as he got down on both knees. "Tsunade… please. If… If you won't do it for me, then do it for him. I am begging you, right now."

The pain in her chest was indescribable and downright unbearable. Saying no to Jiraiya was not something she was ever good at doing, and it was even more difficult to do so now. However, she had a duty to the Village, and the Village would always be greater than any one person, be it Naruto, Jiraiya, or even her.

"Jiraiya…" said Tsunade, as tears ran down her cheek. "… I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry…"

His face was devoid of all emotions. She could not even tell what he was thinking, let alone feeling, in that moment. However, all that was made clear to her when she saw tears fall from his face.

Without saying a single word, he got up, and started walking backwards.

"Jiraiya…" she called out, as if she was pleading for him not to leave, because something inside her was telling her that if she let him leave now, she may never seen him again. She walked towards him, and when he was within arm's reach, she reached out to wipe his tears away.

But her hand could not reach him. It was as if he was already miles away. Jiraiya stepped backwards to avoid contact with her, and turned away. Then, he started walking towards the open window.

"Jiraiya, please just try to understand—"

"I'm done."

Those two, simple words managed rob her of her composure and steal her breath like a punch in the gut.

"W-What…?"

"I'm done. I'm done with this godforsaken Village. I'm done with your Elder Council. I'm done with your Shinobi… and I'm done with you."

Jiraiya turned to her for one last time, and spoke with ire.

"… Never forget this, because I won't. That kid… that kid lived a thankless life. And because of YOU… he died a thankless death."

Without another word, he jumped out of the window and vanished.

Tsunade could still remember it clear as day. She had spent so many sleepless nights thinking on it, wondering if perhaps there was something she could have said, or a compromise she could have made. Perhaps if there was, she could have avoided this awkward confrontation. Tsunade was about to open her mouth, but as soon as she did, Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at her, as if he was intrigued by her efforts to break the tension. This stole all the courage that she had built up until that point, and rendered her helplessly speechless once more.

"… Dammit Jiraiya! Why do you have to make it so hard for me…?"

Suddenly, Jiraiya looked away and let out a tired yawn. While deep down, Tsunade understood that he must have journeyed a long way and that he must be weary, she could not help but be wound up at seeing him yawn in her presence.

"D-Damn it Jiraiya…"

She muttered under her breath in a whisper that she thought only she could hear. She was, however, mistaken, as Jiraiya glanced at her as soon as she muttered his name. Tsunade panicked slightly and, deciding that staying silent and inhibited would do nothing for her, she decided to finally let loose her emotions.

"W-What? Are you just going to sit there and not say anything?"

Jiraiya merely stared at her, as if her inquiry made no sense to him. Frustrated, Tsunade continued.

"J-Just…! What did you want me to do, huh Jiraiya? I didn't have a choice… I wanted to help you, I really did! There is no one in this Village that wanted what you wanted as much as I did, but my hands were tied! The Village was… I had to decide as the Hokage, and not as Tsunade…!"

The bitterness inside her was beginning to overflow. She herself had not realized how upset she was when Jiraiya had left up until it was too late. She did not think it would affect her so intensely. Her outburst, however, proved otherwise. She paused, expecting a response, and when she received none, she grew all the more frustrated and continued.

"You didn't even give me a chance to find a compromise… or at the very least explain, so you could understand! You just left, saying that you were never going to come back… and now you're back? W-What am I supposed to make of that? What am I supposed to say?"

Tsunade frantically racked her mind for something – anything - to say to the man. She had spent so much time planning out her conversation with her old friend, should she ever see him again. She thought about what to say, how to apologize, and how to say all of it. And yet now, now that the moment was here, she was at an utter loss for words.

"Damn it…" muttered Tsunade as she looked down at the ground with a somber and defeated expression. "… Say something, would you? Don't be so stoic…"

Yet again, silence filled the room. Tsunade let out a sigh. It would seem Jiraiya had no intention of making it easy for her. As she busied herself with thinking of something – anything – to say, she failed to notice Jiraiya's lips curving into a smile. Suddenly, he spoke up.

"You're still hung up on that?"

His voice brought her relief and anxiety, all at the same time. Then, he stood up, leaned over the table, placed a finger under Tsunade's chin, and raised her head until they were looking straight into each other's eyes.

"You know, Tsunade-hime…" said Jiraiya in a breathy whisper. "You're quite adorable when you're flustered. I could just eat you up."

She gasped slightly. She could feel her face beginning to heat up intensely. She knew her face was beginning to redden, and on her pride as a woman, she could not allow such a thing to happen. That was when it the unthinkable occurred. Her fist, as if acting out of years and years' worth of reflex and muscle memory, rose. Jiraiya failed to see it until it was too late. Still with a smug smile on his face, he looked up, only to see Tsunade's fist shooting down at him. Her knuckles slammed into the crown of his head, face-planting him into the wooden desk. The poor sod's head bounced off of the desk's surface, and he fell to the floor. Tsunade's eyes widened. She hadn't expected it herself. Her hand had moved on its own before she could even think things through. She immediately rose to check on Jiraiya, but as soon as she did, he heard a slight chuckle escape the man's throat.

"Eheh… Kami, it's been a while since I've had one of those." said Jiraiya, as he rose to his feet with blood trickling out of his nose. "You haven't changed one bit, princess."

Tsunade's mouth was agape. She had imagined hundreds and thousands of ways that this meeting could go, yet this was not among them. Gone was the stoic and silent Jiraiya, and here before her stood her old friend. It was as if nothing had gone wrong between them at all.

"… Jiraiya… are you okay…?" said Tsunade. Her concern was evident from her face and from her voice. Perhaps he had lost his mind, Tsunade thought to herself. However, the response she received was not one she expected.

Jiraiya shot her a stupid grin – a trademark of the Great Toad Sage.

"… I'm better than okay, princess. But before we get to that… we have things to talk about."

Jiraiya once again took a seat and gestured for Tsunade to do the same. Once she was seated, Tsunade responded.

"… Things such as?"

"… Is this a safe place to talk?"

Tsunade noted the caution that her old teammate spoke in, and turned to the open window behind her.

"… Secure the area. No one is to approach. Everything about to be said is confidential."

From out of nowhere, a voice responded.

"… Hai, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade then shut the windows and sat back down.

"It's safe to speak now."

"ANBU, eh? You sure you can trust them?"

"Why wouldn't I be able to trust them?"

"Some of them might be in you-know-who's pocket."

Tsunade's face turned stern.

"The ANBU are loyal to the Hokage. And you shouldn't worry about him. I have him handled."

"Do you, now?"

"Yes, but I'm sure you aren't here to check up on me… are you?"

Jiraiya let out a slight laugh, took a sip from his flask, and continued.

"No, I'm not. Like I said, we have things we need to talk about, and a lot of them concern your Village."

Tsunade could not help but notice how he had said 'your' and not 'our'. However, she made no comment on it, and allowed him to continue.

"… Seems a few things have escaped the notice of certain people, and I'm here to remedy that."

She could not help but raise an eyebrow at him.

"… Information?"

"Secrets: the best kind of information."

Tsunade bit her lower lip. She knew when Jiraiya was up to something.

'… What's your game, Jiraiya?"

"… Excuse me?"

"I said, what's your game? What's your angle? Surely you're not doing this out of the kindness of your heart."

Jiraiya tilted his head at her statement.

"And what makes you say that?"

"Stop playing coy, damn it!"

Tsunade snapped. The outburst managed to make Jiraiya sit up straight.

"The last time you were here…" continued Tsunade. "The last time you were here, you said you were done with the Village, with its people, and with me. So don't expect me to believe that you're here to help, and don't act like our last conversation never happened either. I'm no fool, Jiraiya. Don't treat me like one."

Jiraiya couldn't help but smile. He had almost forgotten how tart-tongued Tsunade could be.

"… Alright. You've got me. I'll put my cards on the table. I'm here to help someone. Someone… important to me. And to do so, I'll need your cooperation. Now, I can't expect that from you without offering something in return, considering how our last meeting went. So, I thought I'd offer some information that you would find immensely useful. And yes, maybe I was also hoping that afterwards, all debts could be forgiven, and all the hatchets could be buried."

His response had stumped her for a short while. When she finally managed to respond, she could only say one thing.

"… You want to return to the Leaf?"

"I want to repair my relations with the Leaf. My home is in Wave now. I could, however, be persuaded to help the Village with a few things from time to time."

Tsunade thought about the proposal for a while, never losing her composure for a single second. However, on the inside, she could not deny that she was more than happy to accept it. She could not afford to be thoughtless however; else the Elder Council would bite her head off once again.

"… This information you speak of," said Tsunade. "What sort of secret is it?"

Jiraiya smirked.

"A secret damn near no one knows."

While at first Jiraiya only had her curiosity, he now had Tsunade's full attention.

"… I'm listening."

"Well… it concerns one Uchiha Itachi, and The Orange Spark."

Odd; The Stranger was an odd man indeed. Or rather, The Devil. That was what he was ordered to call him, after all, and as strange as it was, something within Mephistopheles compelled him to obey. It was as if he had been stuck in a world of darkness, and suddenly, a light came to him from out of nowhere. He did not know where it came from or what its intentions were, but he felt like he had to follow it, if only for the sake of finding out where it led.

"Hrmm… it's been a while now…"

Mephistopheles reached into his pocket and retrieved a small silver pocket watch. Its appearance spoke volumes of its age, as it showed visible signs of wear on the face of the watch as well as on its back. Popping it open, the tick-tock of the small object echoed loudly, bouncing off the cement walls of the empty warehouse he was in.

"Am I late?"

Mephistopheles nearly dropped the pocket watch in fright. He looked around wildly, in search of the voice's source. When he could not find him, he looked up, only to find The Devil himself sitting nonchalantly up on the rafters.

"A-Ah, no… you are precisely on time…"

The Devil tilted his head to the side ever so slowly.

"… Come now, little lion. You can be honest with me."

"Ah…"

Mephistopheles hesitated. He did not know what kind of effect it might have if he came off as impatient with his newfound partner, and the last thing he wanted was to damage The Devil's image of him.

"W-Well… to be honest, I have been waiting for an hour now…"

"Ah…"

The Devil spoke in a level tone. Perhaps Mephistopheles was imagining it, but he thought he heard a hint of sadness in the man's voice.

"… Well, my apologies. I had to tend to some urgent matters. I shall endeavor to be more punctual."

Relief immediately washed over Mephistopheles. Then, he felt an urge to say something along the lines of 'take as much time as you need', but he did not want to seem soft. He instead opted to ask the question that had been plaguing his mind for the past few days.

"… If I may, I would like to ask you a question."

"You may, if you wish."

Mephistopheles steeled himself and calmed his nerves.

"… T-The man… a few days ago, you called on me to meet you at the warehouse two leagues east of Kirigakure… t-the man there…"

"The Crucified Man?"

Mephistopheles paused for a moment.

"… Hai. The Crucified Man…"

"And what of him?"

"Well… I wanted to know why. Why did you kill him?"

The Devil remained silent for a while. Then, he looked away, and spoke in a dejected tone.

"… Well I meant for it to be a tribute to you – a show of good faith. I was hoping you would see it as a sign that we were in this together now. As partners, and dare I say, as friends. I thought you would appreciate it…"

Mephistopheles panicked, and immediately stammered out a reply.

"T-That's not it! I do appreciate it, I do! B-But I am certain I would appreciate it more if I knew the reason behind it… I-I mean, why did it have to be him…? Did he do something perhaps?"

Mephistopheles looked up at his partner, but as soon as he blinked, The Devil was gone. Suddenly, he heard The Devil's voice come from behind him.

"Well if that's all you wished to know, then the answer is simple really."

Mephistopheles turned around to face him immediately. As soon as he did so, he endeavored to per past the darkness that seemed to envelop the man, but soon found that he such a thing was not possible – at the very least, not in this dark warehouse that they were in.

"S-Simple…?" said Mephistopheles.

"Yes, simple."

The Devil paused for dramatic effect.

"… His name was Hiro Toniyama. He was a tailor by trade – one of Kirigakure's best, in fact. By all means, he was a good and decent man."

"S-So… why did you kill him?"

The Devil smiled.

"Like I said, it is simple. He… preferred the company of men over women."

Mephistopheles stood dumbfounded for a while.

"He adored young men. That is why he had to die~"

As much as it pained him to admit, Mephistopheles still could not understand his partner's mindset.

"B-But… T-That's all…?"

The Devil then let out an audible sigh, and spoke in a tone akin to a parent educating his child.

"My dear little lion… Hiro was without a doubt a talented tailor. However, this country does not need weakness like his. It is unnatural for a man to be attracted to another man. It is weakness in one of its most repulsive forms~ utterly abhorrent~ such a thing has no place in the Kirigakure of old. Male lions do not seek the embrace of other male lions. He was an example; a symbol, of sorts. But, more importantly, he is the first step in our journey to return Kirigakure to its former glory. We needed to stamp out weakness in all its forms!"

Mephistopheles was now beginning to understand, and as he avidly listened to The Devil's words, he felt an intense heat welling within his chest. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before, and the closest thing he could compare it to was the heat he felt in his chest when he butchered his fellow Academy students during his graduation ritual. His eyes were beginning to water, but he would not let those tears fall for fear of being seen as weak.

"… It is unfortunate that Kirigakure had to lose such a fine tailor," said The Devil as he playfully shrugged. "But~ he was a little lamb that needed to be silenced."

While he wanted nothing more than to just sit there in awe and listen to The Devil's brilliance, he had a few more questions that needed to be asked.

"A-Ah… but the way he was dressed…"

"Nothing more than a message that needed to be sent. As I've said before, we need to stamp out weakness in this country. We need to eradicate all those who would oppose the Old Ways and all those who would fight for the lambs and the sheep. It'll take us years to do it if we come after them all one by one. To do that, we need to send a message to these… guardians – these sheepdogs. And once they've all gathered in one place, we~ obliterate~ them~"

Mephistopheles was once again at a loss for words. It seemed his questions were pointless, and that his apprehensions were misplaced. The Devil clearly had everything mapped out, and there wasn't a single flaw in his master plan, so long as he did his job properly.

"Ah… Forgive me. I didn't mean to question you at all!"

"It's quite fine, little lion. It'd be quite concerned indeed if you did not have any questions. In fact, I want you to be as involved in this little plan as you can possible be. You are, after all, the Hero that will herald Kirigakure's return to greatness."

The Devil's words were sweet music to his ears.

"… What would you have me do?"

The Devil looked out the window, into the sky.

"… Dawn approaches. Soon the… games will begin. I will need you to follow every order down to the letter if you wish to survive it. There will be no more time for questions and answers, and no more time for hesitation. The sheepdogs should come barking soon. Are you prepared, Lion?

Mephistopheles grinned like a mad man.

"I am prepared to fight and die."

"… Good, then your first task is simple."

Here it was. After what seemed like an eternity, he had returned.

"… This place…"

He was home. Utakata took a deep breath as he walked through the busy streets of Kirigakure. He knew he was supposed to feel some sort of relief, but all he felt was a pressure bearing down on him. Perhaps he was imagining it, but something was amiss in his Village.

"You okay?"

Yugito's gentle voice startled him, causing him to jump slightly in surprise.

"Woah. Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"I'm fine."

Yugito raised an eyebrow at him.

"… You sure you want to play that card again? You remember what happened back at the ship, don't you?"

Utakata's hand went to rub his left cheek. After his discussion with Tsurugi, Utakata tried to retreat into the cabins in order to reflect on what he had just learned. He was not as fortunate as he would have liked to be, however. Yugito had caught him by the wrist as he made his way down the lower deck's hall. Then, she viciously slapped him across the face, and told him that if he ever suggested that they part ways again, he would receive a beating much worse than the one he had just gotten.

'We're jinchūriki' she said to him. 'We stick together, no matter what. So don't ever try to order me to leave you.'

"How could I forget," said Utakata. "My cheek still hurts."

Yugito smirked at him.

"It's your own fault. Besides, knowing you it probably turned you on."

Yugito closed her eyes and smiled happily. When she thought Utakata couldn't see her, she snuck a peek at his face. For the past few minutes, he had been wearing a serious expression, and for some reason, she wasn't able to stand it. Ever since she first saw his grim and grave face back in Kumo, she had felt off whenever he wasn't smiling his usual perverted and lecherous smile. She did not understand why, but she rationalized that it was because of their camaraderie. She had, like with the others, formed a bond with him. And in that moment, as she peeked with one eye closed at Utakata's face, relief washed over her when she saw that she actually made him smile once again.

"Careful, little kitten. If you keep teasing me like that, I might just pay you back one of these days."

Yugito stuck her tongue out at him.

"Really now? I highly doubt that. Why don't you give it a shot right now then, hmm?"

Suddenly, Utakata stopped walking, allowing Yugito to pass him. She turned around, but just as she was about to ask him if there was anything wrong, he grabbed her gently yet firmly by the waist, and moved in to whisper.

"Don't tempt me, woman."

She could feel his warm breath tickling her ears, causing her to close her eyes and shudder slightly. Then, she felt his hands pulling her closer. She knew that she ought to resist, but for some reason, she could not. Just as she thought things could not get any more intense, she felt his lips lightly brush against her ear, kissing them ever so slightly. Yugito's knees nearly gave in from under her. She let out a slight gasp that sounded like a moan. Then, just as she was about to grab Utakata by the shoulders, he pulled away, leaving her hanging high and dry.

"E-Eh…?"

Yugito opened her eyes, and saw Utakata smiling smugly at her. Then, he pinched her cheek, and spoke.

"You are quite adorable when left wanting more, little kitten."

Before she could get a word out, she heard the faint voice of Fū.

"Y-Yugito-san…"

Her eyes widened. She had been so engrossed in her little competition with the lecher that she forgot they were in a public area, and that they had company. She looked over at Fū, and saw the mint haired girl staring at her, obviously scandalized.

"F-Fū…"

"… And in a crowded place too… H-How bold…!""

She glared at Utakata, who seemed to be surprised as well. Perhaps he too had gotten carried away, and had forgotten where they were.

"For shame!" cried Naruto, who was standing behind Fū, looking equally scandalized. "There are children here, Utakata!"

"Yeah Utakata, there are children here." said Han.

"Just when I thought you're morals couldn't get any looser." said Rōshi.

"To be so freaky when children are in sight? Damn Utakata, that ain't right~ Bakayaro Konoyaro~" rapped Killer B.

Utakata panicked.

"W-What!? W-Why just me?"

"You know why, Utakata." said Han as he shook his head. "You horndog manwhore."

Rōshi merely shook his head and let out a slight laugh.

"The youth today are so adventurous… Doing such a thing in the streets back in my day was asking for a flogging."

"Yeah Utakata," said Naruto. "Get a room. We'd flog you but you'd probably like it."

"He's right Utakata. Get a room. For shame." said Han.

"Shame." said Rōshi.

"Dishonor on your ancestors." said Naruto.

"Dishonor on your cow." said Fū.

Then, the rest of their group started chanting 'shame' while pointing a finger at Utakata and Yugito in a non-subtle manner. Even Killer B joined in by dropping a sick beat so Naruto can musically slut-shame the two. By the time they were finished having fun at Utakata and Yugito's expense, they had already arrived in front of the Mizukage's Office building.

"This is it," said Tsurugi. "Now, before we go in there, there are a few things I must tell you."

"Tsurugi!"

The long haired man was interrupted when he heard a familiar voice call out to him. He turned around, and greeted his old friend.

"Ao. I come bearing good news."

"I'm aware. The message of yours was quite a shock. We didn't think you'd find him so soon."

As soon as Ao was close enough, he caught sight of Utakata, and let out a slight grunt.

"… We've been after you for some time now. How'd you manage to catch him, Tsurugi?"

The long haired man glanced over at Utakata.

"… I didn't. Believe it or not, Utakata here came along of his own accord. I told him about what was happening here."

Ao crossed his arms and glanced at the rest of the jinchūriki. As soon as he did, his entire form tensed up.

"… Tsurugi." said Ao as he pulled Tsurugi aside.

Tsurugi turned his attention to Ao, and spoke.

"What is it?"

"… Who exactly are these people?"

"… These are Utakata's companions. He vouches for them, and I believe him. If he says they'll work in alignment with Kirigakure's interests, then I trust them as well. Why do you ask…?"

Ao was silent – something that troubled Tsurugi slightly. He could not help but notice how the blue haired man had been staring at Utakata's companions, particularly the hooded young man who wore a scarf around his face.

"… Ao," said Tsurugi. "… Is something amiss?"

Ao swallowed his nervousness. He had always prided himself as a real man's man. He was not one that could easily be intimidated. In fact, the last person to leave a mark on him was none other than the genius Shisui Uchiha. And yet now, as he stared at that hooded boy's form, he could feel cold sweat forming at the nape of his neck. There was an aura about the boy that could not be considered human – in fact, he would even venture to say it was borderline demonic. The pressure he felt bearing down on his shoulders and pressing into his gut was enough to make most Shinobi buckle.

"… Be cautious, Tsurugi."

Ao spoke in a hushed whisper.

"… They are much more dangerous than they seem. Particularly, that boy."

Tsurugi subtly glanced over at Naruto, and nodded.

"… I should know that better than anyone, old friend. They decimated my squad. But, I will be careful. I do not, however, think that they will cause any trouble for us."

The two men then walked back to the group. Suddenly, Utakata spoke.

"What was that about, Tsurugi?"

"A trivial matter. Nothing important, I assure you. However, the Mizukage is eager to speak with you, and seeing as your companions have offered their help, they ought to speak with her as well. Come, we should not keep her waiting."

Without another word, Tsurugi and Ao led the way, prompting the others follow.

"I'm off! Don't forget to lock the doors and turn off the lights, now okay?"

The balding man spoke in a gentle but loud voice, making sure that he could be heard. He waited for a few moments, and when he received no response, he called out.

"Maia-chan?"

"A-Ah!"

Suddenly, a small blonde haired girl wearing a white button down shirt and a black apron came rushing out of the backroom, nearly tripping over her own feet.

"W-Wahwahawah!"

She managed to steady herself by placing one hand on the nearby table. The man saw this, and could only scratch the back of his head.

"Maia-chan… you're such a klutz. Are you sure you can handle closing up the store?"

"H-Hai, Tonoo-jiji! Don't worry about me! I've been working here for years now, haven't I?"

Tonoo could not deny that she was one of his most diligent workers. When it came to waiting tables, the girl's pleasing personality brightened the days of all his customers. And when the time came for her to step up on the makeshift stage of his quaint little restaurant, her voice would captivate all the women and leave the men swooning. However, the girl had her faults as well. At times, Maia had a tendency to be naïve, grubby, ditzy, and a bit vague. Her biggest fault though was perhaps her clumsiness. You could give the girl a plate, lock her in a room made of and filled with goose feather pillows, and she'd still find a way to accidentally smash that plate and skin her knees.

Tonoo sighed slightly, and replied.

"… Alright. Be careful heading home, you hear me?"

Maia placed both hands on her hips, and pouted.

"Ne, ne! Quit worrying, or you'll wear out that big old heart of yours. I'll be fine! Now, go on home or else the missus might put you back in the doghouse!"

Maia stuck her tongue out playfully. Upon seeing this, Tonoo could not help but laugh slightly.

"Yes, I suppose she might. Good night, Maia-chan! Give my regards to your sisters. Oh, and don't forget to switch the open sign to closed. You always forget."

"Will do!"

Maia saw Tonoo off, and once the old man was gone from her sight, she entered the restaurant and resumed cleaning the backroom. Some time later, she heard the chimes above the front door ring. Startled, Maia grabbed her broom and cautiously walked over to the hallways. Suddenly, she heard the gentle voice of a young man.

"U-Um… H-Hello? Is there anyone here?"

Maia immediately began to panic.

"No… What do I do? What if he's a robber? I don't know if I can fight him off… alright, stay calm. I just need to find help, or at least to incapacitate him. He doesn't know I'm here, so that means I have the element of surprise. If I just ambush him, I should be able to get a few good hits in, and if I aim for his… thing, I can end this battle before it even begins."

Maia took a few deep breaths, and tightened her grip on the broom. Then, she dashed out of the back room holding the broom horizontally.

"Gyaaah! Take this, robber-san!"

She made one crucial error, though. The hallway that she was currently running down – the one that connected the main dining room and the backroom and kitchen, was indeed wide. However, the doorway between that hall and the main dining room itself was too narrow to accommodate her, given the way she had been holding the broom. The broom was jammed in between the jambs of the doorway, fixing it in place, and the wooden shaft of the broom clotheslined Maia, knocking her off her feet and on her rear.

"A-Ah… Ow…"

Maia rubbed her sore neck and bottom as she endeavored to stand up. Upon realizing that her attack had backfired, she immediately got up and grabbed her broom, which was still jammed betwixt the doorframe. She gave it a forceful tug, expecting it to come loose immediately. However, her lack of strength made the task untenable.

"Hnrgh!"

Maia tugged on it once more. When it once again refused to come loose, an awkward silence hung about for a few moments.

"…"

"…"

"Hnrgh!"

Maia once again tugged, and once again, it did not budge. Suddenly, the young man spoke.

"M-Maybe… I-If you try to do it slowly."

"S-Slowly?"

"Yeah, like… side to side."

"… I don't understand."

"A-Ah, uhm… Y-You know, shimmy it a bit…"

Maia furrowed her brows.

"L-Like this…?"

She then proceeded to grab both ends and slowly move the broom, alternating between the right and left end. After a while of shimmying, the broom came loose, much to Maia's delight.

"A-Ah! It's out!"

"There you go! Nice."

… Once again, there was an awkward silence. After a long while, Maia suddenly took a wide stance and held the broom like a samurai sword.

"Hah! That was a good counter to my ambush, Robber-san! You sure did a number on me!"

Robber-san merely raised an eyebrow at the girl, and responded.

"… No, I didn't do anything—"

"But! They don't affect me! Haha! Your attacks sure don't affect me!"

"I told you, I didn't do anything."

"Prepare yourself for my counter-counter-attack though, Robber-san!"

The girl readied herself. Her legs were like a coiled spring, ready to let loose all the pent up energy at any second. Her arms were strong and steady, ready to bring down the finishing blow on all who would oppose her. She would not stumble. She would not fall. She would not fail. But above all, she would not be robbed.

"Are you ready, Robber-san?"

Robber-san unconsciously took a few steps back.

"W-Wait! You mean you actually gave me time to get ready?"

"Here I come!"

"H-Hold on! I'm not a robber!"

"Mama! I just killed a man! Swung a broom against his head! Hit him hard and now he's dead!"

The words struck Robber-san to the core. Then, she uttered the name of the fatal technique.

"Kirigakuran Rhapsody!"

Maia lunged at her opponent. Her impromptu sword would swing true. Victory was hers to claim, if she could claim it. Sadly, she could not. She misjudged the reach of her weapon terribly, and as a result, Robber-san watched as the end of the broom slashed at the open space fourteen inches in front of him. The end of the broom slammed down against the floor, kicking up a storm of dust. This not only disoriented Maia, it caused her to shut her eyes and sneeze. As she was stepping back, her foot tripped over the end of a rotting floorboard that was raised slightly higher than the others. She fell backwards, hitting her head hard against the wooden floor.

When she came to, the first thing she noticed was that she was now lying down on the couch in the backroom.

"A-Ah… What the…"

She tried to get up, but she was immediately stopped by a strong, yet gentle hand.

"I-I'd stay still if I were you. Your head took quite the hit."

She looked to her right, and saw a man with dressed in a black jacket sitting next to her. His hood was up, casting a shadow over his face that prevented Maia from seeing it.

"A-Ah, R-Robber-san…"

"I told you, I'm not a robber. Here," said the young man as he handed Maia a pack of ice. "For your headache."

As soon as he mentioned the word headache, a dull ache assaulted Maia's senses. She took the ice pack and pressed it against the back of her head, almost instantly alleviating the pain. After a while of silence, Maia spoke.

"Ne, if you're not a robber, then… who are you?"

The man stared at the girl as if she had just said something utterly odd.

"… The sign says open."

That was when she realized her mistake. Her eyes widened slightly, and she had half a mind to slam her palm against her forehead. She had forgotten to switch the 'open' sign to 'closed'.

"Ah…" said Maia as she shut her eyes and tried to play off her embarrassment. "Sorry… it's my fault really, but I was just closing up, and I must have forgotten to switch the signs…"

Suddenly everything began to make sense to the young man.

"Ah… So that's why…"

Maia could not help but notice the hint of disappointment in his voice. Then, before she could utter a single syllable, the young man stood and spoke.

"T-Then it is my fault. Please, forgive my intrusion. It is because of me that you were sent into panic, and as a result you injured yourself. Forgive me."

The man bowed, surprising Maia.

"A-Ah! No! It was my fault! I'm the one who jumped to conclusions after all. Eheh…"

She smiled sincerely at the young man. The moment he saw that smile of hers though, he found that he could not look away. Maia noticed as much, and spoke.

"Wahwah~ What's wrong? Is there dirt on my face?"

"N-No, your face is perfect! I-I mean, it's perfectly clean… is what I meant… A-Anyway! L-Let's just agree to split the blame!"

Maia rubbed her chin as if she was in deep thought. Then, after a few seconds, she smiled widely at him and responded.

"Agreed~"

The young man could not help but look away as he replied.

"O-Okay! Well, I'd best be off, since you're closed and all, eheh…"

Just as he was about to turn on his heels and scamper away, there was a growl that silenced the entire room. If Maia didn't know any better, she could swear it was the fierce growl of a tiger in the middle of battle. However, she did know better, and she knew exactly where it came from. Red faced and flustered, the young man tried his best to run away. This was not something that Maia would allow. She pinched the cuff of his jacket and tugged on it gently. Despite the action's lack of strength, it rooted the man in place, as if something otherworldly was preventing him from leaving the girl's side for any reason whatsoever.

"Ne… s-since you took care of me while I was asleep… m-maybe I can do the same for you?"

The young man turned around, being careful not to let her see his face.

"… What do you mean?"

Suddenly, Maia grinned at him and pulled him onto the sofa. Once he was seated beside her, she stood up and winked at him.

"Just sit tight! You're about to get the special Maia treatment!"

She then put both hands on her hips and leaned forward.

"Get ready, Robber-san, because I'm about to knock your socks off!"

Without another word, she darted off towards the kitchen. From where he sat, he could hear the clanging of pots and pans – clanging that was sweet music to his ears. In just twenty minutes, Maia brought out a piping hot bowl of Gyudon with raw egg yolk on top. The smell wafted up into the room's atmosphere and made its way into the young man's nose, entrancing him. As Maia set the tray down on the table, the young man stood up. As he was doing so though, the tip of his left boot got caught under the couch. He pulled it free, but as soon as he did so, he scuffed the leg of the couch with the sole of his boot.

"Ah, gosh I'm really sorry."

Maia smiled warmly at him and laughed slightly.

"It's fine. It happens to me too, actually. That darn couch is way too low that the edge of your sandlas and shoes get caught."

As soon as he took his seat, and so did she. Then with a bashful expression on her face, she looked away and spoke.

"It's not much, I know. I had to make do with what was left in the storage room, and I had to consider which ingredients I could afford to replace… eheh… a-anyway, I hope you like it! I always say, no matter what the meal is, as long as it's made with love, you can't go wrong!"

"Itadakimasu!"

After a few seconds, she snuck a peek at her guest, only to find that he had not only emptied out the bowl, it was almost spotless – not a single grain of rice or shred of beef was left. Her eyes widened noticeably. Then, she leaned back in her chair and stared intently at the young man, much to the latter's discomfort.

"… You ate it all within seconds… not only that, you also managed to counter my Kirigakuran Rhapsody…"

"Uh… Like with your earlier attacks, I didn't do anything against that as well…"

Suddenly, she stood and pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"Speak your name, Entity, and speak it now!"

"W-What?!"

She then jumped back and lowered herself into a stance with her feet wide apart, much like a sumo wrestler's. Then, she formed a cross with her arms, and spoke.

"Your name, Entity! Speak now, or… o-or forever hold your peace!"

The young man panicked and raised his hands above his head. Just as he was wondering whether the girl in front of him was a bit soft in the head, an idea came to him.

"A-Alright! If it'll calm you down… At least it'll get you to stop calling me Robber-san…"

Then, he stood up and pulled down his hood, revealing a young and handsome face – handsome, if not for the terrible scars that marred the entire right half of his face. Not only that, a painful looking scar ran down his left eye as well, and it remained closed despite his right eye being open. His long spiky hair ran down his face, almost covering his right eye. Upon seeing this, Maia's hands went up to cover her mouth. The young man noticed her reaction, and frowned.

"… I know. Pretty bad, huh?"

He let out a disdainful laugh as he once again took a seat. Running a hand through his wild hair, he spoke.

"My name's Minoru. You can probably tell, but I'm actually not a local. I've only recently moved here though, and I didn't have much money when I came here. I only managed to afford a small apartment, that's not even half as big as this room… I don't have much furniture too, so I have to resort to eating out. It's only my third night in this Village, actually…"

Minoru rubbed his belly and smiled like a child.

"Most of the restaurants here are pretty expensive… it's a miracle I managed to get something warm to eat."

Maia's surprise then turned to shame, which then turned to sympathy. As she took her seat in front of him, she spoke.

"… You're kidding… b-but, you're so young! Aren't your parents looking for you?"

Minoru stared at her blankly for a while, before letting out a loud laugh.

"… Ahahahaha!"

"W-What? What's are you laughing at?"

As soon as he managed to calm himself down, he responded.

"A-Ahah… W-Well, I know better than to guess a woman's age, but I think I'm just as young as you are."

Blushing furiously, Maia looked away and tried to change the topic.

"W-Well you said you just moved here, right? Where did you live before this?"

Suddenly, all traces of amusement left Minoru's face, and all that was left was a sad smile.

"… I used to live in Kusa. There, instead of Clans and towns, we had Tribes - families, all supporting each other for the sake of the community. Each Tribe had a specialty; a contribution to the Greater Whole. There were Craftsman Tribes, Artisan Tribes, Woodworking Tribes, Foraging and Farming Tribes, Hunting tribes, Warrior tribes, and all sorts of others… I came from one of the best Hunting Tribes in the country."

Maia bit her lip in hesitation; there was a question that was nagging her, gnawing at the back of her mind. After a few moments, she dared to ask it.

"… Is that… is that how it happened?"

Minoru glanced at her and tilted his head. She then bit her lower lip and gestured at the right side of his face. Her apprehension managed to make him chuckle.

"Ah, this… no. If that were the case, I wouldn't ever try to hide it. Back in our Tribe, there was a belief that scars acquired from a hunt was something to be proud of. It was a mark that symbolized strength; that you faced off with Nature and proved to be the better predator. Sadly, this happened for something much more trivial."

Minoru glanced at Maia, and as soon as he saw her staring at him, all doe-eyed and attentive, he could not help but continue.

"… It's a long story, but seeing as you fed me, I'd be okay with telling you if you want…"

Maia thought about it for a few seconds, but after a while her curiosity got the better of her. Nodding her head, she grabbed Minoru by the sleeve and dragged him to the sofa. Once they were both seated, she gestured for the boy to continue, and continue he did.

"… Like I said, I was from a Hunting Tribe back in Kusa… we were the best. I don't mean to sound cocky, but… we really were."

Maia could not help but wonder at the sincerity and passion in the boy's eyes as he spoke about his home. With a smile on his face, Minoru sat up straight and continued.

"See, hunting wasn't just a means to an end for us… it wasn't just sport either. Hunting was… a Grand Tradition. I wish there was a better word for it, but that's the closest one we ever had: Grand Tradition. It was something that was ingrained into each and every one of us from the moment we were born. It… brought us closer to Nature. When we're out there, in the wild hunting for food and fighting off predators the way our ancestors used to do – the way the First Men and Women of our tribe used to do, it… feels like there's this thing that's… tethering you to Nature. Like our souls were truly anchored to the world. And when you're running, whether it's after your prey or for your life, you feel… free."

Minoru leaned back and let out a sigh.

"We never hunt as a show of strength or for trophies… that desecrated the Grand Tradition, and it's disrespectful to the animal you killed. When we kill, you say a prayer to the animal and send it off respectfully, with the dignity it deserves. Then, you use all of its parts for the benefit of the Tribe, whether it be for food, lucky and blessed trinkets, or for idols. You keep none as a trophy to feed your pride and ego. You only keep the soul of the creature, as a reminder that one day, you too will be prey instead of predator. It joins yours, and when the time comes for you to pass on to the next life, you greet them like an old friend. That was the essence of a true hunter: to survive, and not destroy. To conquer, but not humiliate."

Maia smiled, and replied.

"That sounds beautiful."

"It was. Life in the Tribe was great, actually."

"So…" said Maia in a hushed tone. "… Why did you leave?"

The radiant smile of Minoru that Maia was beginning to adore disappeared. In its place, was a small frown which spoke volumes.

"… I never knew my mother and father. I grew up alone. Well, not alone… I had my grandmother. She was such a kind and gentle soul… but like all grandmothers, she had to pass at some point."

Minoru rubbed his hands together as he spoke.

"… I remember the feeling in my chest when she left me. There was this… hollowness, you know? Like the pounding I was supposed to feel was gone. I mean… she was my only family, you know? And I never felt alone; not when she was around. I knew I was, but I never felt it… until the day she left me as well.'

He let out a sad sigh as he ran a hand through his hair.

"… I never liked the word orphan. I just… didn't feel like one. Then she left, and I had no choice but to accept it."

Minoru paused. As soon as he did, he felt a soft hand resting on top of his. He turned to Maia with surprise evident on his face.

"… It's alright," said the girl with a sad smile. "… I think I understand. I lost my parents too… and at one point, I thought I had lost my sister as well."

"… What happened?"

Maia frowned and looked away. Thinking that he had said something off-putting, Minoru opened his mouth to apologize, but she cut him off.

"I'll tell you about it after you finish telling me your story, but… let's just say that a bad man took her away, and I thought I'd never see her again, but she came home."

Minoru furrowed his brows. Maia saw the look of concern she was giving him, and lightly tapped him on the nose.

"Anyway, what happened next?"

Minoru smiled slightly.

"Well… I did manage to find a new family."

"Really? That's good, right?"

"Yeah, although…"

Maia tilted her head to the side.

"What is it?"

Minoru couldn't help but chuckle slightly as he recalled his memories.

"Eheh… it's just, I was taken in by a new family but… they had their faults. I know every family has their faults, but ours was pretty bad. My father… well, he was maybe the greatest person I know… but he had a bad habit of not being around when you need him most, you know? When it really counts… and my brother, oh my brother… The two of us couldn't get along on anything. We couldn't be any more different! He was… well, he was one of the best hunters in the Tribe. Talented, at everything he tried to do. Whereas I was… I guess you could say dead-last in everything."

Maia pouted at him and crossed her arms.

"Ne, Minoru-san, don't you think you're being a bit too hard on yourself?"

"N-No, it's true, really! I've come to embrace it actually. I really was dead-last at everything. Whether it was hunting, fighting, or studies, he was always better than me. And… well, we had this childhood friend. She was… she was probably the nicest and most beautiful girl in all of Kusa."

Minoru wanted to say 'in the entire world' but quickly reconsidered his choice of words after realizing that he was in the presence of a woman.

"The three of us were inseparable. And she was the only person who was nice to me… the only person who didn't look down on me for being weak… She believed in me."

A mischievous look dawned on Maia's face as she scooted over to where Minoru sat.

"Hrmm? I bet she liked you, Minoru-san~"

Minoru merely laughed at her suggestion.

"Ahahaha! Me? Not a chance! I was… never really her type."

Once again, his smile disappeared.

"… She liked my brother, and I liked her. Tragic, I know. But, I never blamed her. Not once did I ever resent her whenever she would praise him for the things he did, because she always tried to cheer me up whenever I'd try the same things and fail. I knew why she liked him… and I understood… but I guess I just couldn't bring myself to accept defeat. So, one day when my brother was chosen to hunt a large white jaguar that was spotted in our territory, I decided to follow him. The white jaguar was a beast. It had been going about attacking and eating our hunters, even the women who went to the rivers to draw water and the children who went there to play or bathe. Obviously the one who would be able to slay it would earn the respect of everyone in the Tribe… and I, like a fool, thought that if maybe, just once, I could do something amazing… something that even my brother couldn't do… maybe that would be enough to change things, you know? M-Maybe… maybe that would be enough for her to see me instead… And maybe, the two of us would finally be on equal ground, instead of me just looking up at him, and him looking down on me…"

Suddenly, Minoru's expression grew completely dark.

"… So I followed him. Halfway through, he realized I was tailing him and told me to go back. I… told him I wouldn't. So he warned me not to get in his way. We tracked the jaguar for an entire day. By the time we found it, it was already night. I… I thought that was my chance. So, ignoring my brother, I stalked the beast. But I was careless. It heard me coming, and ran off. My brother chased it up a steep, muddy, and rocky hill. I tried to follow them, but I twisted my ankle on the way up… I nearly slipped and fell, but I managed to get a hold of a rock. I-I… I called out to him… I begged him to come help me, because I could feel the rock coming loose… but I guess the hunt was more important than anything else."

Minoru then let out a dry laugh.

"… He left me, to go after the jaguar. I… I tried to hang on, but… but I couldn't. The rock I was holding onto came loose, and I came rolling down."

He then pointed to the scar over his left eye.

"A sharp rock caught me here. I still remember what it felt like when my eye left its socket."

Maia cringed in horror upon hearing his story, but decided to listen on for the boy's sake.

"… I don't know for how long I was lying at the base of that hill… but it was still night when my brother came back, carrying the white jaguar over his shoulder. He… I remember him standing over me and… and looking at me. It… It was always like that. Again, I was looking up at him, and again he was looking down on me. I could tell: he felt sorry for me. Beyond that though… he was afraid. And I don't blame him. After all, how was he supposed to explain to our father or to the rest of the Tribe, or to her that he abandoned his comrade – his own brother - to finish the hunt? He couldn't. So he… he did the only logical thing to do. He climbed back up that hill, and he dislodged one of the bigger rocks. Suddenly, countless of them came tumbling and sliding down."

Minoru lightly touched the right side of his face.

"Most of my right side was crushed, and the right half of my face was shattered. I was lucky though. I think an entire day went by until I was found by someone from the nearby Artisan Tribe. He was supposed to trade with my Tribe, but when he found me I begged him to take me away. I… I never wanted to go back. After all, my brother probably already fed them a story about how I somehow put his life in danger… and they'd believe it. I was the dead-last, after all - the jealous brother. The man took me back to his home and raised me, teaching me everything he knew, and eventually passing down his Dream to me: the Ultimate Artistic Creation, he once called it. It's actually why I've been travelling around… to practice our trade. A few years passed… and I learned from a hunter that visited my new Tribe that she went to hunt with him and a few others. As usual, our father wasn't with them… The hunter didn't recognize me because, well, I looked nothing like I used to. Apparently, my brother… he was the only survivor. She died… because he couldn't protect her, or rather, because he wanted to protect himself more than he wanted protect her, the way it was with me. He couldn't save her. And in the end… neither could I."

Suddenly, he felt Maia's arms wrap around him. Before he could react, she had him locked in a warm and tight embrace.

"A-Ah…"

She pressed him into her chest, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh dear… it wasn't your fault, okay Minoru-san? P-Please listen, okay? It wasn't your fault, and I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry that it happened to someone as nice and wonderful as you…"

Minoru was speechless. When she pulled away, Maia could only wipe away her tears and smile at him as well. After a while, the young lad spoke up.

"Y-You… do you really mean all that?"

A bashful expression crossed her face as she replied.

"W-Well… you've been nothing but nice to me so far, so… of course…"

Maia gently stroked his right cheek, being careful to not strain his scars.

"… You know what I think, Minoru-san?"

"… What?"

"… I think you're an honest and diligent person, who has a good heart. Even your name says so~ Minoru means truth~"

Maia smiled warmly as she gazed at him. Suddenly, Minoru moved in and kissed her. The suddenness of the act shocked her at first, but she soon gave into it, burying her hands into the young man's hair. When they broke away from one another, Maia nuzzled into his chest and embraced him. They remained in that position, on that couch, for quite some time. Then, it was Maia who broke the silence.

"Ne… I don't mean to ask this so suddenly, Minoru-san, but… what ever happened to your brother?"

There was a long, empty silence. Suddenly, a chill ran throughout Maia's body. Her skin began to crawl. The temperature of the room began to drop, and her body felt cold to the touch. She didn't understand what was happening – that is, until 'Minoru' spoke once more.

"… That's the thing."

'His voice changed', Maia thought to herself. 'Why did his voice change?' she wondered. Not only that, the young man's entire demeanor seemed to take a 180 degree turn. His aura, which once seemed warm and welcoming, now felt like an embrace from death itself. Slowly, she looked up at him, and when their gazes met, the sight she saw terrified her to the core.

Minoru was staring down at her with wide eyes, grinning like a mad man. Suddenly, she felt something prick into the side of her neck. Her eyes widened slightly as she began to understand what was going on. She started to struggle, but it was no use. Strength was seeping out of her body, and her limbs were no longer listening to her. Her heart started pounding within her chest. She had never known fear like this before; she had never known helplessness like this before. Surely this was what men and women devoured by beasts felt like in their final moments.

Then, in a wicked and playful voice, the man embracing her whispered into her ears, sending shivers all throughout her body.

"That story isn't quite finished yet~"

That was the last thing she heard, before her vision went dark.

In an instant, she was gone – banished, into a realm that only he can visit. He let out a sigh, stood up, and began stretching. The entire ordeal had tired him greatly.

"Ahhh… tedious. Well, I can't say it wasn't entertaining."

He spoke, as if there was someone there to hear him.

"I suppose there is some fun to be had with ordinary people every once in a while. It's just so exhausting though, now isn't it? They're so simple and boring~"

As he spoke to no one in particular, he made sure to clean up after himself, erasing the traces of his presence in the restaurant.

"It's not that difficult, really. All it takes is a sob story here and some emotional drivel there. Honestly, I should get an award for these sorts of performances…"

He finished tidying up, and headed for the door whilst twirling the ring of keys around with his index finger. He shut off all the lights, and as he was leaving, he called out.

"Well! I'd best be on my way, yeah? Thank you for the hot meal, and for the company… It's so nice to have had a nice casual chat, but I really must be getting back to my work!"

The door slammed shut. Darkness flooded the restaurant. The deadbolt turned, and the doors were locked.

The doors opened, and Tsurugi exited the Mizukage's office visibly sweating. Ao followed behind him, looking like his he had almost lost his life.

"Utakata," said Tsurugi in a shaky voice. "The Mizukage will see you now… I don't suppose I need to remind you this, but be very careful with your words. That goes for the rest of you as well… She does not seem to be in a proper mood right now…"

Naruto and the others could not understand what the man could possible mean, but Utakata did. With a wry smile on his face, he turned to Ao and responded.

"Was it you, or Tsurugi?"

Ao crossed his arms and looked away.

"D-Do not ask such obvious questions… it's always me…"

Utakata sighed and smiled sympathetically at Ao, before turning to the rest of them.

"Tsurugi is right. You should all be very careful with your words. The Mizukage seems like a gentle and playful person, but she is dangerous to the core."

Naruto merely shrugged and replied.

"Well she has to be. She's the one they chose to lead the Village after the Revolution, right?"

Utakata narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"Yes, but it's more than that. This warning is mostly meant for you, you know."

Naruto tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"Me? W-Why me? What did I do?"

Suddenly, Utakata's expression became deathly serious.

"… Listen up!"

His words caught the attention of everyone in their party. Then, he turned to Naruto ocne more, and spoke.

"You cannot, under any circumstances, pull the same shit you pulled back in Kumogakure, nor can you do anything of the sort, do you understand?"

"E-Eh?"

Naruto vaguely recalled his meeting with the Raikage, and how he showed the man up with his little 'test of strength'.

"T-That's not fair! Why am I being singled out here? It's not like I don't know how to behave or something!"

"Silence, fool!"

Utakata then slapped Naruto across the face, rendering the boy submissive.

"H-Hai sensei…"

"Listen to me… you cannot, you must not, show off. You have to be as plain and simple as you can be, even if it means acting like a dullard! You'll be in grave danger if you do, because…"

Naruto grew tense, and so too did the rest of the jinchūriki. They did not know what kind of person the current Mizukage was, but if they were to hazard a guess as to what Utakata was trying to say, then she must be the type of Kage to capture any Shinobi that piques her interest, especially if they are talented or if they are a jinchūriki – all the more reason to do so if they were both. Naruto gritted his teeth. He was prepared for what Utakata was about to say: 'The Mizukage is a ruthless individual that will capture you and force you to join her ranks if you show the slightest bit of talent'. Suddenly, Utakata looked fiercely at Naruto, and continued.

"… Because the Mizukage has a penchant for young men!"

Silence, all around. Utakata then rubbed his chin in deep thought as he spoke.

"This is a dangerous meeting. You must understand that before we go in there. There's no telling what might happen if you, by any chance, impress her. Needless to say, you're unlike any of the other shinobi in this Village, so you must be wary."

Naruto's cheeks began to redden as soon as he realized what Utakat was implying.

"W-Wait a second here, w-we don't know that for sure! Who says she'll like me? I-It's not like I'm an easy-to-like kind of guy!"

"Perhaps, but you are a peacock, however."

"W-What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you know full well what you're capable of, and you like to show off. Not only that, you can be quite boisterous and energetic when you want to be. Plus, you know exactly how to use that brain of yours."

Utakata paused and turned away dramatically.

"… That's exactly her type."

Naruto had to take a step back to recover from the shock. The things that Utakata was saying scandalized him. However, he would not allow Utakata to single him out in such a way. He was certain that the man was merely trying to psych him out, or perhaps inflate his ego so that he proceeds to embarrass himself in front of the Mizukage by needlessly acting like a simple-minded dullard. He did, however, have a counter up his sleeve, and by Kami would he execute it.

"Oi, oi, Utakata…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the man.

"… How would you know what her type is?"

Utakata's eyes widened. His shoulders tensed up visibly. His breath nearly faltered. The counter had not been expected, and it struck hard and true. Naruto smiled beneath his scarf. His payback for the sabotage he had suffered in the Northrend Tavern back in Kumo was underway. Suddenly, everyone present felt a chill in the air and a rise in the temperature. When they all turned to look, Yugito was smiling ever so sweetly at Utakata and her fingertips were burning with blue flames.

"Yeah, Utakata-kun~"

Yugito tilted her head and leaned forward ever so slightly.

"… How would you know what her type is?"

Death had never been so imminent. One wrong word – no, just one syllable uttered wrongly could lead to his demise. Utakata nearly choked on his own saliva as he responded.

"W-What are you all talking about…? I used to be a shinobi here! There was this rumor about the Mizukage… y-yeah! That's what it was. Hearsay! I only heard it as a rumor, that's all!"

Suddenly, Ao placed his hand on Utakata's shoulder. Utakata turned to him with a smile that could be immortalized on a canvas etched onto his face, for he was about to be saved.

"Comrade…!"

Much to his surprise, Ao had a dark and twisted grin on his face.

"Ehhhhhh? Utakata-kun? I'VE certainly never heard of this rumor! Have you, Tsurugi…?"

Utakata cringed at the impudent betrayal.

"God damn cock-fuck shit eating cunt… dick bitch-ass one eyed pirate looking motherfucker…!"

"U-Utakata-san! Y-Your language is out of control…! Surely you can explain the situation to the little kitten, can you not?"

While Saiken was thoroughly amused at the situation her jinchūriki was in, she could not help but feel concerned, for Utakata had never before uttered so many curses in one sentence.

"No need, Saiken. I'm sure Tsurugi will have my back!"

He turned to Tsurugi, and much to his dismay, a nonchalant and mischievous expression was engraved on his face.

"Huuuuuhhhh? Well, I can't say I have either, Ao! This really does make me wonder…"

The final blow had been dealt. Utakata had been chained to a sinking ship, and there was no way to survive.

"… Kh! Be that as it may, I won't go down alone!"

Before Yugito could get a word in, Utakata turned to a certain mint haired girl who had been silent the entire time.

"Fū? I don't think I need to tell you this… but if a certain someone were to do or say anything that would catch the attention, and quite possibly, the admiration of the Mizukage… well I don't see that working out well for someone. She is quite the specimen, after all. Everyone in the Village adores her for her beauty and strength. Mayhap she might even confine him to her room and force him to do…"

Utakata leaned in slightly, being careful to emphasize the next word that would come out of his mouth.

"… Unspeakable acts… We both know he's a bright little firefly that's bound to attract others! Can you really trust him to behave around such a dangerous… rival?"

Fū's mouth was agape. Her cheeks and ears began to redden, and her lips were starting to quiver.

"A-Ah…"

Naruto hadn't expected such an underhanded move. He glared at Utakata, and Utakata, smiling smugly, glared back. Their eyes met with such intensity that it was almost as if they were communicating telepathically.

"Y-You mad bastard! Trying to take me down with you, eh?"

"I won't let you have this victory! Fall to the abyss with me, Naruto!"

Desperate to escape the grasp of Utakata who was trying to drag him down, Naruto turned to Fū and spoke.

"N-Now hold on here, don't listen to him okay Fū? Nothing like that will happen, I'm sure! G-Girls don't even like me! I-I'm sure the Mizukage has refined tastes, and someone like me wouldn't do at all! Don't tell me you believe him?"

Suddenly, Fū spoke with great conviction in her voice.

"O-Of course not! E-Even I know that Utakata-san is just trying to tease me…!"

Naruto's eyes widened slightly. Then, he let out a sigh of relief and grinned triumphantly at Utakata.

"B-But…"

Suddenly, he heard the sound of knuckles cracking. He turned to look at the source of the sound, and what he saw was Fū looking up at him with beet red cheeks and a pout on her face.

"D-Don't misunderstand! I-I'm doing this for your own good!"

Then, she shut her eyes and swung. Naruto hardly had any time to react. Fū's fist, enhanced with just the right amount of chakra, caught Naruto right on the chin. The blonde boy could not defend himself at all.

"Ah…"

This was the last word he uttered before his eyes rolled up into his head and he crumbled. Before he could hit the ground though, Fū caught him in her arms. Then, she turned to Utakata, gave him the thumbs up, and spoke.

"This should take care of him."

Utakata returned the gesture and smiled. His smile soon faded though, when he heard Yugito's sickly sweet voice whisper into his ear.

"We'll finish this later~"

Suddenly, he felt her strong grip seize him by the back of his collar and drag him into the room. Still carrying a now unconscious Naruto, Fū entered as well. Rōshi, Han, and Killer B followed behind her, trying their best to suppress their laughter. As soon as the doors closed, Tsurugi and Ao shared a laugh.

"Gahaha! That Utakata… he sure found himself a strange group of comrades." said Ao as he crossed his arms.

"That he did. He's been gone for some time now, but I can still remember when he was one of the best shinobi of the Village."

Ao smiled as he recalled those times when they were comrades.

"So can I. He was a real warrior, that Utakata. He respected Harusame-san greatly and acted with the resolve and honor of a true man, which is more than I can say for the Village's current generation of Shinobi! It's such a shame that he refused our offer to join the Hunter Squad back then."

It was a quiet day, Mei thought to herself. Granted, there was trouble brewing in her beloved Village, and there was a virus that meant to harm her people. Despite all that though, as she looked on at her Village from her office, she could not help but marvel at the beauty that was Kirigakure.

"This Village… To think it would survive the things that it has. It truly is a lotus that blooms in adversity."

As she took a sip of tea from her fragile porcelain cup, she heard the doors of her office open rather suddenly. Mei closed her eyes and smiled as the shuffling of footsteps filled the Mizukage's office. Aside from the pitter patter of footfalls, she could also hear snickering – something that intrigued her. Mei smiled and licked her lips as she set her cup down.

"… This ought to be entertaining."

"Lady Mizukage?"

The voice of a woman called out to her. In response, Mei turned her chair to face her visitors. She noted the looks of surprise on the men's faces, as well as the brief flash of intimidation on the women's. However, there were two curious sights that piqued her interest. One was the man clad in a blue kimono who seemed as if he was dragged into the room by the collar, and the other was the figure clad from head to toe in black, being supported by a young mint haired girl. She tried to focus on that figure, and almost immediately did her eyes widen.

"… That man…"

There was something strange about him, or rather; there was something strange about all of them. What it was though, Mei could not put her finger on. Deciding that it would be best to maintain her composure, Mei stood up from her seat and turned to the blonde woman in front of her.

"Good day. I am the Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi."

Yugito's lips tightened. Then, she bowed slightly and spoke.

"Good day, Lady Mizukage. My name is Yugito Nii."

Then, she gestured at Fū.

"This is Fū, and the young man in her arms is Tatsu."

She then turned to Han, Rōshi and Killer B.

"This is Han, Rōshi, and Killer B. We are all comrades of this man."

She then tugged on Utakata's collar, prompting him to turn and face Mei. As soon as he did though, a smile appeared on Mei's face.

"… Utakata."

Utakata looked away and scratched his cheek.

"… Lady Mizukage."

Mei frowned slightly at being addressed so formally.

"You've been on the run for quite some time now. You had us chasing you left and right. If it hadn't been such a waste of the Village's resources, I'd actually be impressed that you managed to dodge the hunters at every turn."

Utakata turned to her and replied nonchalantly.

"Perhaps if you had sent someone worthwhile earlier, you wouldn't have had to waste so much of your precious resources."

The rest of the jinchūriki were slightly perturbed by the casualness of Utakata's response. They were certain that if there had been any of the Village's shinobi guarding the Mizukage, he would have been called out on his impudence. However, Mei's reaction was something that surprised them even more.

Mei smiled sweetly and let out a feminine laugh.

"True. Perhaps I should have gone to retrieve you myself?"

Utakata narrowed his eyes slightly at her.

"… I asked for a challenge, not to be over-killed."

Mei merely shrugged slightly, never losing the carefree smile on her face.

"Besides," continued Utakata. "… Isn't something so trivial below you? Now that you're Mizukage, I mean."

Mei leaned on the table and raised an eyebrow flirtatiously at Utakata.

"Hmm? Oh I'm sure I would have made an exception for you."

"Ahem."

Mei turned to the source of the interruption: Yugito Nii.

"… I'm sorry to interrupt your reunion, but with respect Lady Mizukage, there is an urgent matter that needs to be discussed is there not?"

Yugito was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her tone calm and level, for she was feeling more and more agitated, and she did not know why. Mei nodded at Yugito, and gestured for them to take a seat. They all obliged, and Fū laid Naruto down gently on the sofa before sitting right next to him. Once they were all seated, Mei spoke.

"… Tsurugi has reported back to me. He tells me that you've been informed of the situation here in the Village. Sadly, it is just as he said. There have been murders all throughout the Village, with neither one having any sort of connection with another. We have an idea as to who is responsible, but we have not been able to locate him."

"And why is that? You've caught him before, haven't you?" inquired Utakata.

"We have. Ichiro was never as sharp as he thought himself to be. If it were just him, I'm confident that we could catch him before anyone was hurt."

"With your new Investigations Unit? I hear from Tsurugi that they underwent drastic reforms."

"A lot of things have changed since you were last here, Utakata. Unfortunately, the Investigations Unit cannot come up with anything, and we suspect there may be a third party involved."

"Third party?" asked Yugito. "You mean his partner? The one who wrote the note and freed him?"

"Yes. This person, whoever it may be, has proven to be quite resourceful. They did, after all, manage to break into a maximum security prison and kill all the guards and prisoners."

Rōshi then took the opportunity to speak up.

"Pardon me for interrupting, Lady Mizukage, but what exactly is your plan? Do you mean to use Utakata here as bait in order to lure them into the open?"

"No, absolutely not. That is not the way I run things. I sent for the Hunter Division to pursue Utakata because I feared for the safety of my people. Rest assured that though Utakata here is a missing nin, he will still be protected. That is precisely why I wished to speak to you, Utakata."

Mei then turned to Utakata.

"Whoever is behind all these gruesome murders… it is clear that he means to do you harm, in some way or another. You and your comrades will be protected, but for the sake of the innocent people who are in danger, you must remain in the Village until this is all over."

Utakata did not hesitate in his reply.

"Understood. I won't leave the Village."

His reply gave Mei pause; she had not expected him to comply so easily. She thought she would have to convince him or, if there truly was no other choice, coerce him. However, he happily agreed to her request. This surprised her, seeing as she thought that whatever love he had for his Village had all but run dry when Harusame died. Suddenly though, Utakata continued.

"… However, I will not sit idly by as well."

His words confused her for a moment or two.

"… Hmm?"

"I don't know why anyone would target the Village in order to come after me, but I refuse to do nothing as innocents are slaughtered. If they want a fight, then by all means, I'll bring them one."

Mei looked at him as if he had said something ridiculous.

"Hold on, Utakata. I cannot, in good faith, let you do whatever you wish."

"Mei."

The sudden seriousness in his voice silenced Mei. In that moment, she felt as if she was speaking to the Utakata of old, back when he was still a faithful no-nonsense shinobi of Kirigakure. Utakata took a step forward and placed his hands on the desk.

"… You know better than anyone that I'd be more useful on the frontlines than locked in a room."

Mei stared deeply into his eyes. She had not seen such resolve in a long time.

"… Utakata…"

"Mei… you owe me. Remember?"

Slowly, a sigh escaped her lips. With a weary smile on her face, Mei spoke.

"… And here I thought I wouldn't live to see the day when you'd call me on that. Geez, what happened to you out there?"

Utakata retorted with a smirk.

"I stopped running."

"… Well, I'm glad. In any case, fine. We'll have it your way. However, I need to be able to trust you on this. I can't have you spreading fear and panic, riling up the people, so you need to keep a low profile. It'd probably be best if your comrades stay in a safe house while you work with the Investigations Unit."

Utakata furrowed his brows, and replied.

"That won't do, Mei. They can help."

"Look, you asked to help, and I'm letting you. We, however, have to do this the right way. There's a system to be followed, Utakata. You are a former shinobi of Kirigakure and a missing nin. I can let you help by reinstating your status as a shinobi and temporarily assigning you to the Investigations Unit, but your friends here are - no offense - outsiders. I can't let them interfere in the domestic affairs of the Village."

"I'm afraid I won't stand for that, Lady Mizukage."

Much to everyone's surprise, Yugito took a step forward and spoke up.

"Killer B and I are ambassadors of Kumo, sent on a mission to accompany Utakata and the others. I cannot, and will not, allow anyone in this group to jump into danger without the rest of us there to back them up. That would be tantamount to abandoning my comrade. So it seems you must accept all of us, or none of us, because there is no way that I am leaving Utakata's side."

The brazen response had caught Mei off-guard. Ever since her ascension to Fifth Mizukage, everyone in the Village began to address her so formally. No one dared challenge her authority or brashly speak their mind in her presence. She however found it all to be terribly dull and exhausting. This was perhaps the first time she had been confronted, and Mei could not help but feel intrigued. She turned to Utakata, as if to inquire whether he agreed with her words. The man merely smirked at Yugito, and proceeded to meet Mei's gaze.

"… You heard the lady."

There was a brief moment of silence, during which the tension in the room slowly became palpable. Then, Mei giggled effeminately into her hand. It did not take long for her to burst into laughter.

"Ahahahahaha! I see! I see how it is~"

She then walked around her desk and over to Utakata. As she approached, Utakata couldn't help but feel anxious. He took a step back, fear evident on his face. She would not let him escape though. In one fluid motion, Mei grabbed Utakata gently by the collar, and pulled him in close. As they were face to face, she spoke in a sultry and flirtatious voice.

"… You've gone and found yourself a new playmate while you were away, haven't you?"

Utakata nearly choked on his own saliva. Mei's proximity was causing his mind to go blank and his body to panic.

"W-Wha… Mei, you're too close! Y-You're definitely too close!"

The rest of the jinchūriki were flabbergasted: never before had they seen Utakata so flustered in front of a woman. He broke away from Mei's grip, but as soon as he did so, she turned her attention to Yugito.

"Yugito Nii, was it?"

"A-Ah, yes."

"You say you're an ambassador of Kumo? Where and how exactly did you and Taka-chan here meet?"

Yugito noticed how she suddenly began addressing the letch with a childish and sickly sweet nickname. This, for some reason she could not fathom, slightly annoyed her. Just as she opened her mouth to answer the question, Mei cut her off.

"Don't tell me. I suppose it does not matter much. Tell me, has he mentioned me at all to any of you?"

Silence was the only reply she received from the group.

"No? Well, that's a shame."

She then turned to Utakata and frowned slightly at him. As Yugito watched this, she could not help but notice the sleek and slender figure of Mei, and how she looked ravishing even when frowning.

"Dammit… look at her… Something about her just pisses me off."

"I think I know what it is, little kitten~"

"W-What are you talking about, Matatabi-san?"

"Oh, nothing~"

Suddenly, Mei's melodic voice caught her attention.

"Hmm. I have to say, I'm a bit disappointed in you Taka-chan. To think you would neglect to tell your new playmate about me. Why, it makes me feel… used, and forgettable. Perhaps it was all meaningless to you, in the end…"

Utakata's voice nearly broke as he responded.

"H-Hey! That's not it at all!"

Yugito turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Mei licked her lips and smiled.

"Yes, Taka-chan. Do tell her exactly what that means."

"These lovely women are right, Utakata. It is important to be clear with one's words."

Utakata's heart nearly faltered. He turned to the source of the sudden interruption: Rōshi. Suddenly, Han chimed in as well.

"Yeah, Utakata. Be a man and tell them what you mean."

Fū noticed what they were doing, and with a playful smile on her face, she decided to join in.

"A-Answer their questions, Utakata-san~ was it all just meaningless to you?"

The kimono clad man gritted his teeth and took a step back.

"Shit…! Even Fū… Why is everyone yanking my goddamn chain?"

"Perhaps karma has finally caught up with you?"

"I've done nothing wrong."

"Tell that to all the women who wept when you left them in the morning."

Utakata grimaced visibly as he cursed his own luck. Even his Bijū wasn't going easy on him. Much to his relief, Mei let out a laugh and decided to ease off on him. As she sat on her desk, she turned to Yugito once again, and spoke.

"Hmm~ It matters not. I'm certain you'll hear about me at one point or another. In any case, I shall approve of your wishes, since I don't seem to have much of a choice in the matter. You may assist the Investigations Unit, but I will have to send one of my capable Shinobi to supervise your actions. They will be reporting directly to me, as I cannot have you going about doing as you please. Do not think of it as a sign of mistrust, but rather, a safety precaution."

Before anyone could get a word in, Mei leaned forward slightly and looked Yugito dead in the eyes. The blonde woman immediately realized that she was being challenged. It did not matter that it was by a Kage though; she would not back down. Her pride as a woman would not allow her to. She locked eyes with Mei and stood tall. This obviously delighted Mei, as she licked her lips and spoke.

"… You say there is no way you are leaving his side… correct?"

Yugito bit her lower lip and stood unflinching.

"… Correct."

Mei's smile turned into an enchanting but wicked smirk.

"… Perfect. Be sure to never take your eyes off him, then… else someone might steal him away~"

The tension in the room intensified. All the men were taken aback by the audacity of the threat. Even Fū could not stop herself from commenting on Mei's 'boldness'. In an effort to prevent things from escalating, Utakata took a step forward and spoke in the most masculine tone he could muster.

"Oi! What do you two think you're deciding on? If you think I'll stand for this—"

Both women then turned to him with a fierce and lethal gleam in their eyes. Suddenly, a chill ran right through Utakata, making his skin crawl and his legs nearly buckle.

"You stay out of this." said both women in unison.

Utakata was sent reeling back, for he honestly thought that he would meet his maker if he were to say another word. In that moment, he knew that a battle between Women with their Pride on the line was about to ensue, and any man unfortunate enough to get caught in the middle would surely perish.

First blood was shed by Mei.

"My oh my, I can tell you've been travelling for a while, Yugito-san. Your weariness is evident on your face~! Though I must commend you! It's admirable how well you're able to fix such dry and dull hair. It almost looks presentable~ I've heard of the all-natural look, but I don't think I've seen anyone with enough fashion sense or boldness to don the 'wild and haggard' look~!"

Yugito flinched, and Mei noticed as much.

"O-Oh yeah…?! W-Well…!"

"What was that, Yugito-san? Come now, a true lady never stumbles over her words."

"W-Well…. Y-You're... physically flawless… But!"

Yugito narrowed her eyes, and continued.

"… I… I still don't like you…"

Yugito cringed, for she knew, and so did everyone else in the room. The first battle was over. Victory belonged to Mei.

"Oho~ How tepid." said Mei as she turned away and returned to her seat. Suddenly, the doors to the office burst open

"L-Lady Mizukage!"

Mei turned her attention to Ao, who stood by the doorway looking disturbed.

"What is it, Ao?" said Mei in a serious tone. "We're in the middle of a meeting."

"I-I am aware, Mizukage-sama. However, there's been another incident."

Fluttering: again with the fluttering. The sounds had not stopped ever since she walked into that cave entrance. She knew that she had no business whatsoever navigating these dark and treacherous tunnels alone, and yet still she trudged onward with a flickering lantern in her left hand and her war flute her other.

Closer…

The whispers of the shade beckoned to her. Tayuya hesitated, before gritting her teeth and proceeding onwards.

"… What the fuck is this…?"

After a few minutes, she reached a crossway. She vaguely recalled having come from the tunnel to her right when she and the others escorted their rescued captives into the Village, but something within her told her that that was not the path she ought to take.

… Left.

Tayuya's eyes widened. The soft whispers that she had been hearing up until now had turned into a weak voice inside her head. Suddenly, she felt something was amiss. Her heart began to palpitate, and her breathing was becoming heavier.

"Shit…! What the hell… is going on…?"

She tried to raise her lantern in order to illuminate the area in front of her. When she did, she found that there was, in fact, no one there.

"… This presence…"

Tayuya bit her lower lip.

"… I'm definitely under a Genjutsu… but…"

There was no escape now. She had realized that she was under the effects of an illusion, but it was too late. Rather, right from the beginning it was too late. Even if she had detected it early on, it would have been futile, for Tayuya knew one simple truth.

"… There's definitely no fucking way I can break this… I can't…!"

The realization left a bitter taste in her mouth. How could she, an expert in Genjutsu offense and defense, so easily fall victim to one, after all? One thing was for certain: whoever cast this illusion on her was not someone to be trifled with.

"God damn it…! I can't die here…"

Such a thing was not something she would allow to happen. She could not allow whatever entity that enacted this jutsu to kill her. And so, Tayuya realized that there was only one thing she could do.

"… He wants me to get closer, then fine."

To go along with the caster's wishes was all she could do at the moment. Suddenly, she heard the sound of fluttering wings. She raised her lantern, and saw a silhouette fly into the tunnels to her left.

"Was that a bat…?"

Once again, a voice rang within her head.

Left.

She tightened her grip on her flute, and headed left. The tunnel she entered was long, and even damper than the others. She did not know how long she walked it, but she was certain it had to be more than a quarter of an hour. Just as she was beginning to wonder if the voice had merely led her astray in the winding tunnels of Yu, she stepped into a puddle of murky and slimy liquid. Immediately, she shined her lantern on it and saw that it was not water, but rather dark green gunk mixed with a red substance that she was all too familiar with.

"Gh! What the fuck!"

She stepped back in surprise, and shined her dying lantern at the path before her. What she saw not only paralyzed her, it instilled within her a fear that she had not known before.

In that dimly lit tunnel, lying before Tayuya, was the carcasses of not one, but two Gravediggers. The worms, huge as they were, had been reduced to carrion for other creatures of the tunnels to feast on. The Gravedigger to Tayuya's right had a gaping hole in its midsection, and the area around the said hole was seared. Not only that, its head had been blown off rather messily. The other Gravedigger could not have died in a more disparate way. While it remained relatively whole, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of stab wounds all across its body. Its dark red blood poured out of the wounds, dripping down and soaking the earth crimson.

"Hguh!"

Tayuya's hand went up to her mouth in order to stop herself from vomiting. It wasn't the sight of it that bothered her – that wasn't it at all. She had seen plenty of gruesome things during her tenure as Orochimaru's guards. It was the stench that caused her to react the way she did. With their bodies blown open and mutilated, the Gravediggers gave off a scent of rot that she could not ignore even if she wanted to. Knowing better than to linger in that place, Tayuya wondered if perhaps turning back was an option now, but as soon as the thought entered her head, the voice spoke once more.

… Just a bit more. Closer.

With one hand covering her mouth and nose, Tayuya begrudgingly walked onwards. Unfortunately for the girl, the scent only became more and more pungent the closer she got to the carcasses. With her stomach threatening to regurgitate all its contents, Tayuya shut her eyes and picked up the pace. Nevermind the repulsive sensation she felt when her foot stepped on a shred of brain matter or flesh. She had to keep going.

After a while, the smell started to fade. Tayuya opened her eyes, and as soon as she did, she saw a faint light at the end of the tunnel she had been traversing. The girl narrowed her eyes and tried to peer at it, but it was not use. The distance, coupled with her lantern which was just about to run out of oil, made seeing the path ahead of her untenable. The lantern in her hand flickered once more. Upon realizing that she had to make it to the faint light before the lantern went out, Tayuya walked forward at a brisk pace. It did not take her long to arrive at her destination. The tunnel was a dead end, and in the middle of that grotto was a small fire with a hare roasting on a wooden spit. There was a small fount to the left of the entrance with water so clear that it seemed almost magical. It trickled down from a crevice at the ceiling of the grotto down into the fount and spilled over into a small river which led into the wall. Before she could take a single step towards it though, a figure at the far end of the cavern opposite to where she stood caught her attention.

Tayuya expected him to speak. However, silence was the only greeting she was met with. Clad in black from head to toe and wearing a hooded brown cloak that obscured his face, the figure sat wordlessly, leaning against the earthen wall. Suddenly, he coughed heftily, slightly startling Tayuya as he did so. When his coughing subsided, Tayuya spoke with hesitation clear in her voice.

"Who… Who are you? What do you want with me?"

The man looked up at her and paused. While the bonfire in the middle of the grotto gave off a fair amount of light, all Tayuya managed to see was the stranger's jaw line, and how the lower half of the man's face seemed to be devoid of all emotion.

"You…" said the man.

For a moment there, it seemed to the girl that seeing her was just as much of a surprise to him as seeing him was to her. Suddenly, the cloaked man relaxed and gestured for her to take a seat by the fire. While she was hesitant on staying, Tayuya realized that she did not have much of a choice, for whoever the man was, he was capable of Genjutsu that even she could not break. She had to take caution.

"So," said Tayuya as she took her seat. "… What do you want with me?"

The man was silent for a while. Only after a few minutes did he speak, and when he did so, it was in a calm and emotionless tone.

"... As you may have noticed, I am… unwell."

"I can see that… but that doesn't answer any of my questions. Who are you, and what do you want with me?"

"Who am I, you ask…? Who I am matters very little, though… perhaps you've heard of me already."

Suddenly, everything started to fit together. The civilians who were taken hostage by the Daimyō had told tales of a cloaked man fending off the soldiers with just one glance. She did not, however, expect to find said man in such a place.

"… You're the one who protected those people."

Silence was the only reply she received. It was more than enough for Tayuya, though, for in the man's silence, he said more than he would have if he had spoken.

"… What are—"

"The fire…"

Tayuya was cut off mid-sentence. After a few moments of silence, the man spoke again.

"… The fire."

Tayuya turned her attention to the bonfire, and as soon as she did, the man continued.

"… I would hate to trouble you, but would you mind removing the hare before it burns?"

Tayuya narrowed her eyes at him, but complied anyway. Once she had removed the meat, she warily approached the cloaked man and handed it to him. Much to her surprise though, the man suddenly pulled out a kunai. Tayuya immediately tensed up and moved to draw her war flute, prompting the man to pause. There was a short standoff between the two of them which lasted for half a minute or so. When it passed, the man used the kunai to cut the wooden spit, along with the hare, in half. Then, he handed one of the halves to Tayuya.

"What…"

"Take it. I prepared it in advance."

Hesitantly, she took her half. However, she waited until the man bit into his before taking a bite of her own. The man noticed this, and commented.

"… You are under the impression that I wish to do you harm."

Tayuya gritted her teeth. The atmosphere wasn't getting any lighter.

"You did put me under a high-level Genjutsu."

"Nothing more than a precaution."

"That type of Genjutsu wasn't the sort one would use as a… precaution."

The man was silent for a few seconds. Though he said nothing, Tayuya could feel that she was being observed. Suddenly, he spoke.

"… True. However, if I truly wished to do you harm, I could have ended you the moment you took that step into the tunnel."

Tayuya narrowed her eyes at him.

"… And yet here I stand."

"Yet here you stand."

Once again, silence reigned over the two of them. After a while, Tayuya spoke up.

"… What are you doing here?"

The man's only response was to turn his attention to her. Taking it as a sign to continue, Tayuya once again spoke.

"… You protected those people, right? Back in Yugakure… so what are you doing here? Why didn't you come with us?"

The cloaked man took a bite out of his half of the hare, and replied.

"… I suppose you could say that I… don't do well around people."

Tayuya noted the nonchalance in his voice. It was clear that the man was hiding something. She would find out soon enough, she thought to herself. For now though, she would learn more about the man.

"... You're no good with people, and yet you chose to remain by the side of those hostages when you could have easily escaped. Why were you even there in the first place?"

The man was silent for quite some time. When he finally spoke, it was with a cautious sincerity in his tone.

"... I came to Yu because there was something I intended to do - something that would undoubtedly be of help to the people of the country, and to a friend. However, I had not expected the situation in the country to escalate so quickly. I was caught in the midst of it all, and I ended up becoming a hostage myself. I protected those people because it was the only good I could do in the situation that I had found myself in. Now that you and your comrades have liberated us, I can continue to work towards my goal."

Tayuya mulled over his words with a serious expression. Upon finally deciding to make an ally of the man, Tayuya spoke.

"… Alright. What do you need?"

"… I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me. What do you need? You said you had a goal, right? Then I'll help whatever way I can. What you did saved a lot of lives. There's no telling what would have happened to those people if you hadn't been there to protect them. The way I see it, this is the least that the people of Yugakure can do. So, what do you need?"

The man stared at Tayuya for a few moments. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she could swear that she saw the ghost of a smirk on his face. Suddenly, he spoke.

"… I see. I suppose he was right about you?"

"… Who? What do you mean?"

"I would need provisions. I intend to say in this quaint grotto for quite some time."

"Sounds easy enough."

"I must ask you to not tell anyone about me or my whereabouts, though."

Tayuya bit her lower lip. It would have been a much easier task if she were allowed to tell Ganryū and the others what she needed the provisions for, but seeing s she was not, she would have to sneak said provisions out of the Village, which could prove troublesome.

"Also," said the man. "… I would like information."

Tayuya raised an eyebrow at him.

"… On what?"

"On the Insurgency."

Tayuya's shoulders stiffened ever so slightly. Slowly and subtly, her right hand crawled its way to her holster and came to rest on top of her flute. Then, in a low tone, she inquired.

"… And what would you need that kind of information for?"

"I assure you, I am not a spy of the Daimyō."

Tayuya tilted her head slightly.

"No one said you were. However, if a spy were to be accused of being a spy, I imagine that would be their response as well."

Them smiled slightly once again and began stoking the flames with his stick.

"… The Daimyō and his men were the ones who sparked this civil war to begin with. I told you I wished to help the people of Yugakure. The fate of its elites do not concern me."

Tayuya's hand slowly retreated from her flute.

"… Why should I believe you?"

"… Have I not given you enough reason to, Tayuya?"

The red haired girl's eyes widened. She did not recall ever giving the man her name.

"How did you-"

"Once a fierce and loyal guard of Orochimaru, you were defeated in battle. The Snake tried to publicly execute you. You managed to escape, but not without a scratch. You lost your right leg. You were found by your younger sister Haruko and her mother, and up until recently you've been living a peaceful life with her in Yugakure. However, the sudden civil war has left you and your sister under the Insurgency's protection."

"W-Who the fuck are you?!"

"I have many birds singing me many different songs. I do not wish you or your sister harm. If I did, I would have acted on the things that I know long ago. I only need what I need. Now I can imagine how getting your hands on both provisions and information, and passing them on to me - an outsider - could prove untenable if you were to be discovered by a comrade. In exchange, I'd be willing to offer you information of equal value."

Tayuya gritted her teeth.

"… Do I even have a choice?"

The man nodded solemnly.

"If you wished, you could leave and never come back. However, I do believe I still have things to say which may pique your curiosity."

"Do you? Because right now, you're asking me for information that could get dozens of the Insurgency's soldiers killed if given to the wrong people, and all you seem to have is my background. Maybe… maybe back then that would have been enough for me. Maybe back then I would have jumped at that offer if it meant saving my own skin or keeping my interests safe. But I am not that person anymore."

Tayuya thought back briefly, and realized that she did in fact change vastly. For that, she only had her new family and a certain blonde haired boy to thank.

"So," said Tayuya. "You better have something else up your sleeve, because if all you've got is dirt on me, then forget it. I won't sell out my comrades, because they're good people. And I won't let good people get hurt."

The man once again smiled smugly.

"… Then what do you have in mind?"

"Take a guess, because right now you're offering me an exchange of information, but I don't even know what kind you have. You don't expect me to get in bed with someone I know nothing about, do you?"

"… Very well. I have a rather basic knowledge on all the Insugency's officers. As I've said, I have many birds that sing many songs. Not even the plans and strategies of the Daimyō are a secret to them. So rest assured, whatever information I may have is of the highest caliber. Any information I have that may be of help to the Insurgency's cause would be available to you, and you are free to use them or to ignore them. In exchange, I only ask to know that Insurgency's plans and goals. I wish to know more about this organization."

"Then why not just join?"

"I cannot. As you can see, I am not in my best condition, and my goal is something I can only accomplish by remaining in the shadows. That is why I require assistance from within the organization. That is why I require you."

Tayuya looked down at the ground and crossed her arms. The pensive expression on her face told the cloaked man that she was thinking long and hard about what to say and whether she ought to agree or not.

"… Shit. I'm not going to lie, it sounds like a good deal… almost too good though. I don't even know who he is! Why the fuck should I trust this shady ass motherfucker…? But… the Insurgency needs whatever it can get. As far as I can tell, they've been on the defensive since the start of all this. This could give them the upper hand…"

Before she could finish reflecting though, the cloaked man spoke.

"… If that is not yet enough to persuade you, then I suppose I could throw something else in. Lately my birds have been singing me certain songs that I think you may want to hear - whispers concerning one Uzumaki Naruto."

Tayuya's eyes widened. Her breath faltered, and her heart skipped a beat. Her mouth slowly opened. She knew what her answer would be the moment she heard his name.

The mist was thick. Such was to be expected from Kirigakure, though: The Village Hidden in the Mist.

"Glad to see that this place is as gloomy as ever."

Utakata calmly commented as his gaze wandered about, observing the relatively empty and quiet streets of Kirigakure.

"Although I do remember it being a bit less… deserted."

Mei, who had been walking ahead of their group with Tsurugi to her right and a young blue haired boy to her left, let out a slight sigh and replied.

"… They're scared. Word's gotten out, it seems. No one in the Village wants to be the next victim. While I do wish we could have prevented the public from knowing about this entire ordeal, this was bound to happen sooner or later."

Utakata clenched his jaw in frustration. He hadn't realized that things had escalated to such a point, and the thought that it was all but a consequence of someone coming after him brought him no relief whatsoever. As they walked past a narrow and dimly lit alleyway, Utakata saw a young boy and an even younger girl peering at them from within the alley. The moment he locked eyes with the young boy though, the two children recoiled and retreated slightly.

"… Street urchins. I remember there used to be a lot more of them back then too."

"I sense great fear and distress from them."

"Naturally. We are outsiders to their eyes, after all. Having Mei in our company isn't much help either. A bunch of strangers walking around with the Village's streets with the Mizukage when people are dying left and right: I can see how such a sight would scare them."

"… Utakata, do you think they may be in any danger?"

"Danger? You mean if they're going to be targeted? It's possible, but unlikely. Whoever is behind all this, it's clear that they want attention. They'll keep baiting us until we bite, making sure that we're looking right where they want us to look. Most likely, they'll be targeting people who are known - people who, to be frank, will be missed. Not a lot of people would notice if a beggar or a street urchin were to go missing."

"So they are safe?"

"No. As long as the killer is loose, no one is."

Saiken nodded solemnly and spoke with great sincerity.

"… I suppose that's one more reason to finish all this as quickly as possible, then."

"Definitely."

Utakata let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. Suddenly, he heard a soft voice, akin to a whimper, come from beside him.

"… You'll get wrinkles on your forehead if you don't stop worrying."

Utakata turned to the source of it: Yugito. Then, he smiled slightly, and replied.

"… We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

Much to his surprise, Yugito merely glared at him coldly, before looking away with an indignant 'hmph'.

"… Oi, Yugito," said Utakata.

He received no response.

"Oi, little kitty."

Once again, silence. After a few seconds, he heard Han snigger from behind him.

"Kukuku… Brr! You feel that B? Seems like there's a bit of a chill in the air…"

"Yo, I feel ya, but I think bubble boy needs to be told! There's a chill cuz someone's shoulder is little bit cold~ Bakayaro konoyaro~"

Utakata scowled at the two.

"Kh…! Oi, Yugito. T-That's not true, right? I-I didn't do anything wrong, right?"

He waited for a half a minute. Yet, he received no reply. Noticing the commotion behind her, Mei subtly licker her lips and slowed down until she was walking at the same pace as Utakata.

"Feeling a bit loquacious, are you Taka-chan? Why not walk with me? I promise I'll be a much more… active companion."

Utakata straightened up as soon as he hears Mei's singsong voice. Yugito on the other hand was now looking visibly annoyed. She knew what Mei was trying to do. She was being called out. It was as if Mei had asked her 'Are you certain that you should be ignoring him right now?' Yugito would not stand for it, however. Steeling her nerve, she opened her mouth and spoke up.

"W-Wait right there!"

She managed to catch their attention just as Mei was taking Utakata's arm in hers.

"Oh?" said Mei in a playful tone. "Was I disturbing something, Yugito-san?"

"W-We were just in the middle of… discussing something! Utakata can't go anywhere just yet."

"Is that so? Hmm… But I do recall you being terribly quiet. In fact, this is the first time you've said more than one sentence since we left the Office. Are you quite certain you were discussing something?"

Yugito nearly crumbled. She still had some fight left in her though, and she would not allow that she-devil minx to win.

"I-I did not need to talk all that much. See, I believe that a proper lady must be able to express herself even without hiding behind the veil of words. In fact, Utakata and I have a sort of bond. I'm quite certain he understood how I felt without me having to say a thing, like always. Isn't that right Utakata?"

Utakata stared at Yugito, and when she stared back at him with prodding eyes, he nodded, much to Mei's surprise. Then, Yugito continued.

"You see, Lady Mizukage? It's a very… deep bond. It isn't something he is capable of having with most other people. Isn't that right Utakata?"

Utakata paused and reflected on how he had indeed formed a bond with Yugito, as well as with the other jinchūriki. She was right, he thought to himself. It wasn't something he could have with other people. Letting out a sigh, Utakata responded.

"Don't ask such obvious questions, kitty."

With a triumphant smile on her face, Yugito turned to Mei, who had a mixture of frustration and surprise on her face.

"You little…" mumbled Mei under her breath as she released Utakata. Then, she pointed towards Tsurugi, who was a some ways ahead, and turned to Utakata.

"Taka-chan, I think I heard Tsurugi call you."

"… Eh? I didn't hear anythin-"

"I heard it too, Utakata."

Much to his surprise, Yugito interjected. Seeing as the two women were once again heated, he decided to quietly obey, lest he lose his life. When he was out of earshot, Mei smiled sweetly at Yugito, for his was not the end of their second bout. It was but the beginning. Raising an eyebrow at Yugito, Mei replied.

"Knowing one another's feelings without the use of words, hmm? That sounds quite special… but is it really what's going on here? You speak as if there's an invisible thread tethering the two of you, creating a two-way connection. I wonder about that, though…"

Yugito narrowed her eyes at the woman.

"… What do you mean?"

"Hmm~? Pish posh, nevermind me~"

"Gh…! N-No, what do you mean?"

Suddenly, a smile that could make the devil nervous flashed across Mei's face.

"… An orchid uses a tree for support. It absolutely requires it in order to grow properly in the wild. Not only that, the tree raises it higher as it grows, bringing it closer and closer to rain and sunlight, making sure it is well-nourished. The tree supports the orchid by simply being a tree… gives it vitality. The orchid needs it."

Mei glanced over at Yugito.

"... But what of the tree though? The tree would do just as fine without it. Perhaps the tree would not even notice if that orchid were to disappear. The tree would still be a tree: none the worse for wear."

"… What are you saying?"

"Oh, I'm not saying anything Yugito-san. It's just quite sad though, is it not? I'm sure that poor little orchid thought that its relationship with the tree was that of mutualism - that it was a two-way road. When in truth, it was a path that only ever flowed one direction. And it makes one wonder… did that tree ever notice that poor little orchid that was trying so desperately to cling to it? Or was it something that was just… there? Do you perhaps think that tree ever reciprocated that poor little orchid's feelings? That at any point in time, the tree needed the orchid as much as the orchid needed the tree? Or perhaps… perhaps the orchid, no matter how much it wishes so and no matter how desperately it tries… perhaps the orchid's feelings never mange to reach the tree."

"Kh…"

Yugito was absolutely flustered. She was at a loss for what to say. Mei had viciously and mercilessly attacked her at her most tender areas, and left her with no room to go on the offensive. She could feel a heat in her chest. There was a lump in her throat, and even if it were to magically disappear, she was certain that her mind was far too frazzled to conjure a retort. Panicking, Yugito noticed the small beads of sweat that ran down Mei's neck, and between her chest. Suddenly, a cool breeze came in from behind Mei and towards Yugito, allowing the blonde haired woman to catch a whiff of Mei's scent.

"Y-Yeah well… your sweat s-smells like vanilla!"

Yugito's eyes shut tight, and she had to fight the urge to slap herself.

"Dammit! She's really getting in my head… I'm going to murder this century old hag, wrap her in a carpet, and toss her back into whatever tomb she crawled out from!"

"K-Kitten! You must calm down! W-We need not start the Fourth Great Shinobi World War over this!"

Mei laughed slightly - her own way of claiming victory. Then she glanced over at Utakata, and spoke.

"Hmm? Taka-chan seems to be catching on over there. I suppose I should let him escort me to our destination. I could show him all the new establishments that have gone up since he was away."

Then, Mei slowly pulled ahead. As she was walking towards Utakata, Mei spoke.

"… So?"

Yugito, who had been staring at the ground in silence for a while, looked at Mei.

"…What?"

"… What'll it be, little orchid? Will you concede? Or will you continue to cling?"

With that, Mei walked away. Yugito watched from a distance as Mei took Utakata's arm in hers and dragged him along.

"… Kitten."

Suddenly, she clucked her tongue.

"… Like hell I'd let her win!"

Without another word, she dashed after the two. The blue haired young boy then followed after Mei, yelling something about being the Mizukage's official escort. Tsurugi, Han, and Killer B watched all the commotion from afar. After a while, Han asked the question that had been on his mind for quite some time.

"You know, Utakata never told us he was chummy with the Mizukage. What's the deal with thoses two? Is she one of the women Utakata tricked into sleeping with him way back when?"

Tsurugi stared at Han as if he had said something outright insane.

"… What?"

"Utakata-san, sleeping with women for fun? Ahahahaha! No, believe it or not, the Utakata you know is a completely different man from the one who used to serve as a Shinobi of Kirigakure."

"How so?"

"Well back then, Utakata was the farthest thing from a womanizer. In fact, he wanted nothing to do with them, if you could believe it."

Han and Killer B shared a look of disbelief. Tsurugi saw this, and continued.

"It's true. That man… he was always so serious back then - always so dedicated to his duty as a Shinobi and to Harusame-sama. It made him unapproachable. Everyone respected him and admired him for his strength, but all he ever cared about was Harusame-sama and the Village, so much so that when he received an offer to join Kirigakure's elite Hunter Squad, he turned them down, saying that he could do more good for the Village by doing missions rather than by chasing after crooks and traitors."

"That doesn't sound like him at all. You sure we're talking about the same Utakata here?" said Han.

"Absolutely. He was even one of the youngest Shinobi to reach the rank of jōnin. At the mere age of 14, he was promoted and given the task of becoming the next jinchūriki for the Six Tailed Beast. The Lady Mizukage, who was the top jōnin at the time, was assigned to supervise him during his training. We all thought it'd be disastrous. After all, the Lady Mizukage was feared by all the men in the Village because of her demonic strength and presence. She did not care for men who were weaker than her. To pair those two together - a man like Utakata and a woman like the Lady Mizukage - was folly in our eyes. However…"

Tsurugi chuckled slightly as he recalled the hijinks that used to ensue whenever Mei and Utakata met.

"… I guess she took a liking to him. The Lady Mizukage was the only woman in the Village that could get whatever response she wanted out of Utakata. It was as if she always knew exactly which strings to pluck. Utakata was like a helpless puppy."

"That damned womanizing bastard." said Han as he glared straight into Utakata's back from a distance. "I'm going to enjoy watching as you're ripped in half by those two women. Then, you'll come crawling to me, begging for me to help you. Teach me your method Han-san, you'll say to me! Teach me how to get women to ignore me. Teach me how to scare them off without meaning to! I want to be like you! I want to know what it feels like to stay up late at night, alone with your thoughts, wondering if you'll ever find someone or if you'll just die alone. And then, I would mercifully and graciously accept you as my disciple."

Killer B and Tsurugi shot Han a look of pity and smiled sympathetically.

His chin was still sore. Perhaps it would swell, he thought to himself. As Naruto rubbed the left side of his face, he let out an exasperated sigh that did not go unnoticed by his companions.

"Haaah…"

Rōshi merely laughed slightly, and Ao smirked as well. Fū, however, had a pout plastered onto her face. Naruto subtly glanced at the girl, and when their gazes met, he narrowed his eyes and looked away. There was a brief moment of silence as they walked down the street. After a while, Naruto once again sighed loudly.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh…"

Fū bit her lower lip and held her tongue. Naruto continued, only this time, he sighed even louder.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"

"I already apologized, didn't I?!"

Slowly, Naruto turned his head to face Fū. Then, he pulled down his scarf, childishly stuck his tongue out at her, and once again looked away. Fū puffed her cheeks and pouted. Then, she tugged on the boy's cuff, and spoke.

"Heeey… I'm sorry already, so…"

Naruto turned to Rōshi, and spoke.

"Hey Rōshi, cold you take a look at my jaw? I think it might be dislocated or something. I'm having trouble talking."

"Wha- I didn't hit you that hard!" interjected Fū.

Naruto scowled at her.

"You didn't have to hit me at all."

Fū immediately went on the defensive. She crossed her arms, and responded.

"I-I was only doing what was best for everyone. D-Don't misunderstand."

"Eh? How is knocking me out cold supposed to help anyone?"

The two then proceeded to squabble. From a few paces away, Ao and Rōshi observed the two youngsters.

"… Are they always like this?" said Ao.

Rōshi smiled slightly.

"Not quite. Fū is actually quite shy and reserved. She hardly talks at times. Whenever Tatsu is around though, she becomes quite active. I'm beginning to think that this is in fact who she really is, and it's slowly coming out because of Tatsu."

Ao then proceeded to observe Naruto carefully. Ever since he first laid eyes on the boy, he could not doubt that there was something about him that interested Ao to no end. He had never been good with faces - there were simply one too many in the world. He only ever cared to remember a particular few. One of these faces was that of Shisui Uchiha's. when he first went up against the prodigy, he could not deny that there was this aura about Shisui - an undeniable air of pure genius and raw potential. Looking at the boy named Tatsu, Ao could sense something similar. It was as if his instincts were telling him that the boy was capable of great things, and that he ought to be cautious.

As he reflected on these thoughts though, Naruto turned to him, and spoke.

"Ao-san, are we nearing our destination?"

Ao was snapped out of his reverie.

"... Yes. The restaurant is just up ahead. There was a break in last night, and we've been sent to investigate it."

"Hmm… Was it just a break in?"

"Well, no. There was supposedly a young woman in charge of locking up on that night. She hasn't been since."

"And I'm guessing we're being sent to investigate it because that said girl is somehow connected to that girl? So it might not be a coincidence that she hasn't been seen."

"Yes. By the way, I mean no disrespect… but are you certain that you are capable of assisting us in the search for this Mephistopheles? Because if not, then I would like to ask you to not get in the way. This is, after all, still considered a domestic issue of Kirigakure. We would appreciate it if we aren't hindered by anything."

Instead of being offended, Naruto opted to merely shrug nonchalantly and quietly walk away. His playful confidence however was misinterpreted by Ao as lethargic apathy.

"Kh… And to think I compared him to Shisui… this new generation is full of snot-nosed brats after all." muttered Ao under his breath.

Rōshi could only laugh at Ao's reaction, prompting the latter to turn to him and inquire.

"Is there something amusing?"

Much to Ao's surprise, it was the mint haired young woman who came to the boy's defense.

"Ano, Ao-san? You shouldn't worry about Tatsu."

"And why not, little girl?"

"Well… We're headed to that restaurant in order to find anything that might be able to help us in tracking down Mephistopheles, right?"

Ao nodded. Then, Fū crossed her arms and went into deep though.

"Hrmm… How am I supposed to explain the things Naruto does to Ao-san…?"

"Perhaps it would be best to speak from the heart, little ladybug?"

"T-That's a lot easier said than done though, now isn't it…? Ssu! This is frustrating! It's like trying to describe a shooting star to someone blind!"

Chōmei could not help but laugh at the apt example. After a few more seconds, Fū turned to Ao.

"… Then like I said. You shouldn't worry."

The girl then turned to the blonde boy who was walking ahead, hands in his pocket, and staring at the sky. Then, with a smile on her face, she spoke.

"… If there's anything to be found, no matter how small it is, Tatsu will find it."

"And how can you be so sure?"

"Hmm? Eheh… I don't know if I can do it justice by describing it… so you'll just have to see for yourself."

Fū's right hand went up to tuck her hair behind her right ear. Then, with her gaze still lingering on Naruto, she spoke.

"He's… really something else."

Ao himself could not help but be convinced by the sincerity in the girl's words.

"Man… I can't believe I had to get called in today of all days…"

Saito sighed as he leaned against the stone wall.

"Stop complaining. This is part of our job."

"Ehhh… I know that, Nao-san. It's just that today was special… I can't believe I had to leave my poor daughter behind. She was really looking forward to our daddy and daughter play time as well. She'll really hate me…"

Once again, Saito sighed. Then, with a frown on his face, he turned to Nao.

"Hey, Nao?"

Nao rolled his eyes.

"What? And if you show me another picture of your daughter I swear I'll feed it to you."

"What?! How can you say that? You should be honored that I let you gaze upon even a photo of my beloved Kobato-chan! She is absolutely, without a doubt, the most adorable angel on the face of this world! You don't understand. Hah! You sure don't understand, Nao! That's because you don't have a family who loves you to come home to~ When I get home I'm greeted by a lovely wife who cooks for me and politely and lovingly rejects me when I ask for sex involving her rear! All you have is an echo to greet you back when you say the words 'I'm home'."

Nao clucked his tongue and replied frantically.

"H-Hey! Don't imply that nobody loves me! I-I have a cat, you know!"

"A cat. Hah! The fool compares my beloved Kobato-chan to a cat. Haha! You sure are a fool, Nao. You will never understand how it feels to have such a lovely and cute daughter like my dear, dear Kobato-chan. She is simply too delectable! Everything she does sends chills straight to my heart - every word and gesture. When she says 'Papa, I missed you'! When she says 'Papa, you're hugging me too tight'! When she shyly knocks on your bedroom door just as you and your wife are about to make love and you have to suddenly abort mission, then she comes in and asks to sleep beside you because she had a bad dream, and you feel this hollow disappointment in your crotch but this unbelievable warmth in your chest! And the best of all? When you catch her off guard and walk into her while she's in the bath, then she screams 'W-Wah! P-Papa, you stupid pervert, I hate you'! O-h-m-y-K-a-m-i! Those last three words just give me all sorts of feelings!"

Nao's face twisted into a mix of horror and disgust.

"… You have issues, Saito."

"I am not! I am simply a dedicated father, and a loving family man."

"Says the guy who skipped out on his daughter's birthday."

"Moron!"

The sudden outburst managed to silence Nao. Saito took a second to regain his composure, and once he had done so, he spoke once again.

"Of course I'd want to be with my family right now. What kind of idiot father wouldn't? You don't understand because you don't have a family of your own yet, but when you do, you will. The idea of that monster Ichiro walking around in the same Village as your daughter… the idea of anything dangerous being anywhere near her… it's what your nightmares will be made of. I came here because I want to do everything I possibly can to catch this guy, so that Kobato-chan and every other son and daughter in Kirigakure won't have a thing to fear when they're walking down the streets. If I have to miss a birthday for that, then so be it."

Saito scratched the back of his head and looked up at the sky.

"… I'll beg for her forgiveness. I'll grovel, and I'll cry for her to not be mad at me anymore. And even then she might still curse me. Even then she might still hate me. But at least I'll sleep peacefully knowing that my little girl is safe from harm."

"Well said, Saito-san."

Each and every one of the Shinobi standing guard outside the house immediately tensed up. Saito frantically turned to the source of the reply, only to find the Mizukage herself approaching him.

"Mizukage-sama!"

"I like your spirit, Saito. It's quite clear that you love your family. You're a good man. I'd love to meet Kobato-chan someday, if you don't mind. You seem to speak very highly of her."

"H-Hai, Mizukage-sama! S-She is an amazing girl, and she idolizes you as well. I am sure she would love to meet you as well!"

"Oh? Then perhaps it could be your way of making up for having to work on her birthday? In any case, let's all work together. Perhaps we can finish all this just in time for you to make it back before the candles are blown, hmm?"

"H-Hai!"

Mei then smiled and walked past the steel gate with her escorts. As soon as they were gone, Saito spoke.

"Hah… I can't believe the Lady Mizukage heard all that."

"Ah don't worry about it. It was one of the rare moments when you actually sounded cool."

"H-Hey! As opposed to what?"

"As opposed to how you usually sound: a creepy pervert with a daughter complex."

"I do not sound like that."

"Please. You start panting like a dog when you talk about your daughter or when you stare at a picture of her."

"S-Shut up, you daughterless gargoyle."

"Heh. Anyway… Did you see the guys with the Lady Mizukage? Pretty scary huh?"

"Who? Chōjūrō and Tsurugi-san? Aren't they always with him though?"

"No man! The other ones. There was this freaky guy in red armor, and the other one had all sorts of swords and looked like a Hulkamania brotha."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You know."

"… I don't think I do."

"Man, you know. But did you see who else was there?"

"Who?"

"… Utakata, man."

Saito's eyes widened.

"No way… that beast is back?"

"Looks like it."

Saito and Nao stared at each other for some time. Then, they both burst into a fit of laughter.

"Ahahaha! I can't believe it. I might just make it back in time for Kobato-chan's celebration."

"With Utakata here, we might catch that rat bastard Ichiro in an hour or two."

"No wonder the Lady Mizukage was in such a good mood."

"Just as I thought. You're perfect for this job."

Utakata sighed and scratched the back of his head. This, Mei playfully giggled at, and responded.

"Oh? Well, you know I like being on top."

The flirtatiousness in her tone never vanished, and it left Utakata speechless once again. He looked away in order to avoid Mei's gaze, only to lock eyes with Yugito, who was still glaring daggers at him.

"Kh…"

Utakata slowly backed away from the blonde woman, only to feel his back collide with something. He turned around, only to come face to face with a young blue haired boy.

"Ah, I apologize," said Utakata. "I didn't see you there."

"… So you're the one…"

Utakata raised an eyebrow at the mumbling boy.

"… I beg your pardon?"

Then, the boy glanced over at Mei, who was about to enter the front door. His gaze lingered for a spell, then he suddenly glared at Utakata once again, and spoke.

"… I won't lose."

With that, he ran into the house, following after his Mizukage. Tsurugi and Han passed him, snickering at his expense as they did so. When the two had entered the house, Utakata let out a long, weary sigh. He then pulled out his pipe, filled it, lit it, and took a drag. As he was blowing out smoke, he heard a voice call from behind him.

"… Those things will kill you, you know."

Utakata could not help but smile slightly. It was not often, after all, that he heard the confident and fierce Yugito mumbling. It had sounded so childlike that he could not help but admire it.

"Yeah, well," said Utakata in a nonchalant tone. "It seems everything is trying to, today."

There was a brief moment of silence. After a while, Yugito was the one to speak first.

"… Not me."

"… Hmm? What was that, little kitten?"

"I-I said I'm not!"

Without waiting for a response, Yugito walked up to Utakata and snatched the pipe out of his hands.

"O-Oi!"

"You'll get this back later. Let's go."

She took his hand in hers and dragged him towards the door, never even giving him the chance to resist. Once they were inside, the first thing they noticed was the chaotic state of the main hallway. There were fallen portraits here and there, and glass shards scattered across the floor. One of the more noticeable things were the shards of a broken vase near the entrance. Immediately to the right of the front door was a door that led to the bathroom. There were light scratches around the lock, and the knob looked broken. Down the hall was the stairway, and halfway down the hall, there was a door to the right that led into the main living room where Mei and the others had gathered. Once Yugito and Utakata were present, Mei nodded at them, and proceeded sit on the couch in the middle of the room, right beside a weeping blonde girl.

"Megumi-chan…? Do you remember me? I'm the Mizukage. We met once before…"

The managed to contain her sobbing long enough to look at Mei and nod.

"Megumi-chan… I'm so sorry that this happened… but I promise you dear, we'll do everything we possibly can to help. But, I'm going to need your help too. Now, I know you're scared, and I understand that it must be difficult for you right now, but I need you to tell us what happened here last night."

Megumi was apprehensive. Seeing this, Mei slowly reached out to her and pulled her into an embrace. Then, as she was slowly patting the girls head, Mei spoke.

"Now, now, darling… I know it hurts… if you can't, then we'd all completely understand. But could you try for us, dear? Can you do that for me?"

Mei's sweet and gentle voice managed to calm the girl down. As she wiped away her tears, Megumi nodded, and spoke.

"… I-It was really late, a-and… it was only me and Mina onee-san here…"

"Haaah… I'm starving…"

There was a low growl that came from her stomach, as if to emphasize her point.

"Onee-san! I'm staaaaarving…"

Megumi pouted and let out a sigh as she plopped down on the sofa. After a few seconds, her griping was met by a response.

"Ne, just be a little more patient dear. Maia onee-san said that she'll be a little late in coming home since it's her turn to lock up. When she gets back, we can eat."

"Eh? What are we having anyway?"

Mina smiled as she sat on the arm of the sofa and patted her little sister's head.

"We are having your favorite: sukiyaki."

Megumi's face immediately brightened up.

"Yes! Sukiyaki!"

The girl then proceeded to dance in joy, prompting Mina to laugh.

"Geez, you're such a little kid."

"Ne, that's because I am a little kid."

Mina scowled at her sister and quickly replied.

"You're turning sixteen now, Megumi. You ought to learn how to act like a proper and refined lady."

Megumi raised an eyebrow at her sister.

"And who am I supposed to learn that from? You, Mina onee-chan? Ohohoho~"

Mina's face immediately contorted into an expression of rage. Then, she hit her childish sister on the crown of the head, prompting the girl to plummet face first into the sofa's cushion.

"Who are you calling unladylike?!"

Rubbing the top of her head, Megumi spoke.

"A-Ah, ow… you can be so violent, Mina onee-chan. I feel bad for your future husband. I mean, you can cook and you can clean, and you're so sweet. By all means, you're the perfect wife, but when you lose it, you REALLY lose it. You'd probably kill him in the first month of your marriage."

Megumi was about ramble on, but she was abruptly stopped by the sound of knuckles cracking.

"Oi, oi…"

Terrified to the core, Megumi turned to her older sister, who now looked visibly enraged. Slowly, Mina grabbed her sister's collar and hoisted her up until her feet were no longer touching the ground.

"A-Ah, onee-chan…" said Megumi, fearing for her life. "Y-You're ex-delinquent side is showing…!"

"Megumi-chan… you've become quite lippy little brat, haven't you…?"

"A-Ah! F-Forgive me onee-chan! P-Please don't hurt me!"

Suddenly, Mina released her, causing her to fall back down onto the sofa. Before Megumi could even comprehend what had just happened, Mina immediately sat near her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Stupid little brat…" whispered Mina into her little sister's ear. The words were hushed, by they spoke volumes, and Megumi heard them loud and clear.

"… You know I'd never hurt you."

Suddenly, warmth filled Megumi. A smile slowly crept its way onto her face.

"… I know, onee-san."

The two embraced each other tightly for quite some time, eventually falling asleep in each other's arms.

By the time they awoke, the clock had already struck twelve. Megumi stirred in her sister's arms. After a few seconds, her eyes creaked open.

"Hrmm… Onee-san…?"

She gave her older sister a shake to wake her up. After some nudging, Mina finally stirred.

"Onee-san… what time is it…?"

Mina slowly sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Then, she glanced at the clock with a drowsy expression still on her face.

"… It's midnight…"

Suddenly, a realization came to her.

"Wait… it's midnight."

It would seem that the same realization had reached Megumi as well for she was equally perturbed. With a hint of worry and fright in her voice, Megumi spoke.

"Mina onee-san… it's midnight already, so… where's Maia onee-san?"

Mina bit her lower lip.

"… I don't know. She should have been here hours ago."

"Do you… do you think something happened…?"

Mina's eyes widened in fear. That was the one thing that she did not ever want to imagine.

"No. No, nothing happened. I'm sure she just stayed late cleaning. Knowing her, she probably fell asleep there. You know your sister, always so ditzy."

"… Y-Yeah, that has to be it, right? Maia onee-san is always overdoing it…"

"Yeah, she's a weirdo."

The two girls shared an apprehensive laugh. Suddenly, there was a noise that came from the second floor. A short silence ensued, but it was soon broken by the sound of glass shattering. Megumi jumped in fright, and Mina's eyes widened. The older of the two wasted no time though. She quickly turned to Megumi, and spoke.

"Megumi, listen to me and listen carefully okay? I need you to go hide in the bathroom and lock the door, right now."

"B-But!"

"No, no buts! Go hide in the bathroom right now, and don't come out until I say it's okay, do you understand?"

Megumi was utterly speechless.

"Do you understand?!"

Mina's hushed but intense voice shook her out of her trance. Megumi nodded, abeit hesitantly, and both girls proceeded into the main hall. Mina, who had grabbed a knife from the kitchen, stayed near the stairs, while Megumi ran to the bathroom door which was to the left of the main entrance. As Megumi reached for the door knob, she turned to her sister, who reassured her with a solemn nod, and turned off the lights near the stairs. Mina's hand went to touch the switch for the lights in the main hall, but decided against it at the last second, figuring that she would need at least some light to fight off the invader. Once the lights near the stairs were shut off, Megumi entered the bathroom and locked the door. Then, she rushed to the wall opposite the door and crouched down.

For what seemed like an eternity, there was nothing but absolute silence. At one point, Megumi even went so far as to think that perhaps they were in no danger at all, and that she ought to check on her sister. Her brief moment of optimism was immediately and abruptly shattered when she heard her sister let out a fierce battle cry. The sound was immediately followed by sounds of scuffling and glass breaking. Even from where she sat, Megumi could tell that the sound was drawing nearer and nearer - her sister was attempting to fight off the invader, and the struggle was starting to spill into the main hallway. Megumi could hear what she could only assume to be the sound of the portraits, which were hanging on the main hallway's walls, falling to the ground. Then, she heard a masculine cry and the sound of porcelain smashing,. Then, there was absolute silence.

Megumi sat there silently, holding her breath, waiting for any sort of sound or indication that her sister was unharmed. Then… there was a foot step. It was slow and heavy, yet at the same time, faint and light. The sound was akin to a minute hand ticking in a dead silent room. Then, there was another, and another. It drew closer and closer to the door. Megumi's quivering hands shot up to cover her mouth, preventing her from making any sort of sound. The footsteps stopped for a second… and they continued, only this time, they walked past the bathroom door. Suddenly, Megumi heard the sound of the front door opening. But alas, she could hold her breath no longer. She shut her eyes to try and endure - only a few more seconds, she thought to herself. But what of her sister? Was she really about to let the invader leave? What if he took her sister with him? What was she supposed to do? Megumi cringed - she could no longer endure. Anxiety was taking hold of her. Her vision started to swim. Nausea assaulted her mercilessly. Her face was changing color. Her resolve wavered in that moment, and she let out the breath she had been holding and began gasping for air. Then, the need to retch took hold of her. She crawled frantically to the toilet, throwing all caution to the wind. As she reached out for the toilet in the darkness of that bathroom, her hand grabbed on to the flushing lever, causing her to accidentally trigger the flushing mechanism. The sound made was boisterous, breaking the still silence. Megumi's eyes widened, and her heart nearly stopped. Slowly, and with an expression of pure, unabated terror plastered on her face, she turned to the door. Her lips began to quiver. Her mind was racing. She was deathly silent…

There was a series of sounds. The sound of the front door shutting. The sound of rushed footsteps coming towards the bathroom door. The sound of the door knob being twisted frantically and relentlessly. The banging on a wooden door. The terrified screams of a young girl. The sound of locks being picked. The frustrated snarl of a man. The banging of a heavy metal object against a door knob. The sound of a knob breaking.

The door creaked open. In a fit of desperation, Megumi shut he eyes, stood up, and rushed towards the door. She slammed her shoulder against the wood, forcing it open and causing whoever was behind it to stumble back. Before her pursuer could recover, Megumi rushed down the hall. It was all for naught, however. The invader grabbed hold of her long blonde hair and pulled her to him. Megumi turned around and began struggling against the man, landing a few scratches and lucky hits. Suddenly, she felt something push her away. She fell backwards, slamming he head down on the wooden floor.

Megumi's recounting of the events ended there. No longer able to hold back her tears, she broke into a fit of sobs. Mei could only comfort the girl and slowly pat her head. Then, in a gentle voice, Mei spoke.

"Megumi-chan… I know you've been through a lot… but can you tell me what the person looked like? Anything at all that you can tell us about him…"

Megumi shook her head fiercely.

"I-I couldn't see what he looked like… I-I was just so scared… When I woke up, my sister was gone and… Oh Kami…"

Mei could not help but feel sorry for the girl. Han and Tsurugi looked on with sympathy. Chōjūrō, as well as the other members of the Investigations Unit, donned pensive expression on their faces, as if wondering what to make of the story. However, there was one person whose reaction differed from everyone else's.

"… That's quite impressive."

Everyone turned their attention to Utakata, who was standing by the doorway looking utterly unconvinced. Megumi was unsure what to make of the man's reply. With a confused look on her face, she spoke.

"W-What…?"

Utakata merely narrowed his eyes at her and shot her a look of disgust.

"I'm saying it's impressive that you managed to convince the Mizukage so quickly. The victim is definitely a role that suits you, what with your child-like face and your unassuming personality."

Utakata then took a step towards the girl.

"… But you're no victim, are you? No. No, you're hiding something from us."

The dirty looks that Utakata was getting from the members of the Investigation Unit prompted Mei to take action.

"U-Utakata, let's just take it easy okay?"

This did nothing to deter the man though.

"Hold on. See, you say that you hid in that bathroom over there, right?" said Utakata as he pointed to the bathroom by the front entrance.

Megumi spoke, albeit with great hesitation.

"Y-Yes…"

"And you also said - at least in your story - that your sister turned off the lights in this room as well as the lights by the stairs, but not the lights in the main hallway, yes?"

Megumi nodded, and looked as if she was about to say something. Before she could even open her mouth though, Utakata marched towards her and interrupted her.

"Then there was sufficient lighting when you barged out of that bathroom and struggled against him. Yet you're telling us that you couldn't see what he looked like? Not even a single detail?"

Before anyone could stop him, Utakata grabbed the girl by the shoulders. Prompting her to scream.

"K-Kyah!"

Everyone in the room moved to restrain Utakata, but Mei stopped them.

"Utakata!" yelled Mei.

"No, listen! You see? I'm just holding you at arm's length - not even half as close as when that 'invader' grabbed you. And yet, in this sufficiently lit room, I can already tell that you have blonde hair. Your eyes are a dull blue. I can tell what you're wearing. I can see that you have a fair complexion, and that you have a scar on your right shoulder."

A look of sheer terror passed over Megumi's countenance. Panicking, the girl began to struggle against Utakata, who merely continued.

"See? Even when you're struggling, I can still see that you have a mole just above your right collar bone. I could describe what you look like in great detail to anyone if I had to!"

Utakata then released Megumi, who immediately crawled back to the Mizukage.

"U-Utakata!" said Tsurugi, looking quite shocked at the man's apathy towards the girl.

At that moment, all of the members of the Investigations Unit saw Utakata as some sort of heartless beast. However, Yugito and Han understood Utakata's actions.

"So," said Utakata in a cold tone. "Are you still going to stick to your story, or are you going to tell us the truth? What did the man look like?"

"I-I didn't see!" yelled Megumi in a flustered tone.

"I find that hard to believe."

"It's true!"

"Were your eyes closed? Were you blinded? Because if not, then I don't think it's possible that you couldn't see a single thing about the man, or that you didn't get a glimpse of his face."

"I-I didn't see his face! H-He was wearing a m-mask!"

Utakata raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"… He was wearing a mask? So earlier, you didn't see what he looked like, and now suddenly he was wearing a mask?"

"A-Ah…"

Megumi was stunned. Fortunately for her, Mei was in a situation where she had to defend her.

"Utakata… don't you think you're putting a bit too much pressure on her to remember? She's under a lot of stress. We can't expect her to recall much of what happened last night."

"Clearly we can. She just 'remembered' that the suspect was wearing a mask, didn't she? Clearly she got a good look at him if that's the case, or at least a good look at his head." said Utakata. Then, he turned to the girl, and continued. "Suppose I was to believe that he was wearing a mask. What about his hair? How long was it? Was it cut short? What color was it? Did he have any scars or tattoos? Were his eyes visible?"

"I-I don't know!"

Megumi looked away as soon as Utakata mentioned the suspect's eyes. In that moment, Utakata began to understand the situation.

"… You know what I know?" said Utakata in a low voice. "I know that two years ago, you were a graduating Academy student. It was supposedly a particularly talented class as well."

The eyes of every Shinobi present widened. They all knew exactly what Utakata was about to say. Mei was just about to intervene, but before she could, Utakata continued.

"But something happened, didn't it Megumi-chan? Something kept you from graduating? Someone kept you from graduating?"

Horror was evident on the young girl's face. Slowly, she started shaking her head.

"Utakata, that's enough." said Mei. Utakata would not listen though.

"Do you remember that Megumi-chan? Do you remember the person who did that to you?"

Even Tsurugi had to openly protest to Utakata's method.

"Utakata, you've said quite enough. Stop!"

Suddenly, Chōjūrō stepped in between Utakata and Megumi. With a hand gripping the hilt of his sheathed Hiramekarei, he spoke.

"Y-You will obey the Lady Mizukage's command and stop harassing the girl!"

Utakata merely raised an eyebrow at him. Then, in a smug and cocky tone, he spoke.

"… Are you quite sure about that, kid?"

Utakata stared at Chōjūrō's hands.

"… You're hands are shaking. Have you ever even used that on a person before?"

Chōjūrō steeled his resolve. He would not be embarrassed in front of the Lady Mizukage. He would protect her and defend her honor - the honor that was being trampled and shamed by the man in front of him. Tightening his grip on the hilt, Chōjūrō prepared to draw his weapon. Utakata saw this, and opted to give out one final warning.

"I'm telling you: draw that unwieldy thing, and it won't end well for you. For your own sake, believe me."

"Utakata, I think that's enough."

Much to his surprise, the protest came from Yugito, who had been watching him intently.

"No, you know what I think?" said Utakata. "I think it's a little too convenient that she and her family are targeted just now. Ichiro escaped days ago. She should have been one of the first people he'd target. But that's not the case, now is it? No, I think he waited for the right time. I think the 'invader' was Ichiro, and I think she knew."

Utakata then turned to Megumi, completely ignoring Chōjūrō who was still standing in front of him.

"Isn't that right? I think you knew who it was the moment you saw him - that you recognized him - and yet for some reason, you're trying to protect him."

"Stop!"

"Why are you doing it? Why are you protecting him?"

"S-Stop please-"

"Don't you remember what he did to you? He has your sisters. What if he does the same to them? Why aren't you telling us the truth?!"

"I-It was him!"

The girl's shrill cry was enough to make even Utakata cringe. The sobbing that followed immediately after it filled the room.

"… It was him…" she cried in a low, defeated voice.

Before anyone could say or do a thing, Utakata passed Chōjūrō and held the girl in an embrace. Then, the kimono clad letch whispered to her in a calm, gentle voice.

"… I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I upset you. I needed to know whether it was Ichiro or not, and I didn't have much time to waste. I know it was quite difficult for you to say. I know that you're quite afraid, and that sometimes it's easier to just… lie and pretend that certain things didn't happen. I know that you're scared because saying it out loud makes it real. But look at me…"

The girl did as she was asked, and Utakata proceeded to wipe away the tears in her eyes. Then, in a voice that could make any woman swoon, Utakata spoke.

"… I promise you I'll find your sisters. Then, I'll take care of Ichiro. I'll make sure you never have anything to fear from him again."

Megumi felt an undeniable warmth flooding into her chest. Then, with watery eyes, she embraced Utakata tightly. After a few more moments, Utakata broke away, and spoke.

"Megumi, these people from the Investigations Unit are going to look around some more, and they'll be keeping Shinobi posted outside your house for your own safety. I need you to stay in this house, alright? Stay safe until I find the monster and kill it."

Megumi nodded, and with that, Utakata stood up and exited the room, paying no mind to the looks he was getting from everyone else. Yugito and Han immediately followed him, and when they exited the main entrance and walked out into the garden, Yugito spoke.

"… Where did all that come from?"

Utakata couldn't help but smirk slightly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Yugito rolled her eyes.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. That looked like something he would have done."

"What, did you think Fū was the only one allowed to take a leaf from his book?"

"I do feel bad for that girl though. You were an outright asshole to her." said Han

"Yeah well, like Yugito said. It's something he would have done."

"Utakata!"

A voice suddenly called out from behind them. When they turned around, they saw Mei, Tsurugi, and Chōjūrō exiting the house. Mei walked over to Utakata, and with a somewhat baffled expression, she spoke.

"What the hell was that all about?"

"I needed to know for certain that this was Mephistopheles' doing."

"Why? Knowing that it was him that did it doesn't bring us any closer to finding him."

"No, but it does tell us who was where last night."

Mei raised n eyebrow at Utakata, prompting him to explain further.

"When we were in your office, they told you there were two incidents, right? One in a restaurant, and one here. According to that girl's story, one of her sisters worked at a restaurant and was in charge of locking up last night. She also didn't come home last night. I already figured that the two incidents were connected. So that means two different break-ins happened last night, and they were orchestrated by two different people - most likely, Ichiro or Mephistopheles, and his unknown partner."

"How can you be so sure that it wasn't both Ichiro? He could have easily summoned a Mizu Bunshin to go to the restaurant and head to the house himself." said Tsurugi.

"If that was the case, then what would be the point? He would have had to know where all three of the sisters would be last night. He could have just waited for the third sister to arrive home, and then break in while they slept. The only explanation that makes sense is that he only knew where the three sisters lived, but not where the third sister would be. Otherwise, why go after them in separate places? And it isn't like he could follow the third sister around in broad daylight until he found out where she would be, because his face is plastered all over the Village. He'd be recognized immediately. No, he would need someone that nobody knows. He would need an unfamiliar face. I'm betting that he was tasked with breaking into this house, while his partner would follow the third sister, find out where she would be, and abduct her when he gets the chance."

Mei pondered the scenario for a brief moment. Then, she turned to Utakata, and spoke.

"So what do you propose we do now?"

"Now? Now we head over to the restaurant and hear about who Mephistopheles' partner is and how we can find them."

Mei looked at him as if he had said something completely off-putting.

"… What makes you so sure Ao and the others will have an answer by the time we get there?"

Utakata smirked smugly, and replied.

"I don't know about Ao. I don't doubt that he's a skilled Shinobi, but I'm positive it won't be him with the answers."

"Then who?"

"… Do you remember that kid in the black coat?"

"Ah! Damn it."

Naruto's hand shot up to his mouth. Upon his face, he wore an irritated expression.

"What's wrong?" said Fū as she casually strolled up to his side.

"I bit my tongue."

The girl smiled slightly and responded.

"Well, you know what they say. That means someone is talking about you."

"Eh. I doubt it. In any case, this is the place right?"

As soon as he said that, Ao and Rōshi caught up to them. Presently, the four of them stood in front of an empty restaurant that was being guarded by two Shinobi. Ao was immediately greeted by the two, and without any ado whatsoever, they entered the establishment. As soon as they were inside, Naruto felt a shift within his body, as if his instincts were notifying him that something was amiss. Before Ao could even get the chance to introduce them to the Investigations Unit, and before Fū or Rōshi could say a single thing, Naruto broke away from the group and started analyzing his surroundings with razor sharp focus. As soon as he was off, Fū and Rōshi immediately realized that he had already gotten to work.

"There he goes again." Said Rōshi as he stroked his fiery red beard.

Fū could only smile in deep admiration as she watched Naruto. Upon seeing the boy go off on his own though, Ao spoke up.

"Oi, kid!"

"It's no use." said Fū. Not for a second did she take her eyes off of the boy. After a moment's pause, she continued.

"He won't hear us. He won't hear anything, actually. He… gets like that sometimes, when he's thinking and watching everything around him. He blocks out the rest of the world - anything that isn't relevant to what he needs to know."

Ao opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but upon laying eyes on the boy, he opted to hold his tongue and decided to observe. From his end of the restaurant, Naruto silently looked around for anything of interest.

"… Damn it."

"What is it, kit? Find something?"

"Just the opposite, actually. I don't see anything out of place. In fact, everything's a little too orderly for a place that was supposedly broken into."

"A girl is missing as well. Maybe it'd be best to talk to the owner of this place first."

"Seems like a good place to start."

Silently, Naruto walked back to the others. As soon as he met with them, he was immediately engaged by Fū.

"What is it? Did you find out anything about what happened?"

"No, not yet. But something isn't right here. It'd be best for us to speak to the owner of this place first. Maybe he can tell us about the girl who's missing."

"He's in the back room. By now the Investigations Unit should have already asked him their questions, so you can go ahead and talk to him." said Ao. Naruto nodded at him, and began walking towards the hallway that connected the main hall to the kitchen and back room. As soon as he passed through the doorway though, he stopped briefly, prompting everyone behind him to do so as well.

"… Is there something wrong?" said Ao.

The blonde boy was silent for a few seconds. Then, he turned around, stared at the jambs of the doorway, before once again turning on his heels and proceeding to the back room. While Ao wanted to ask the boy's comrades what had just happened, it was clear when he turned to look at their faces that they were just as confused as he was. When they entered the room, they were immediately greeted by a stout old man, looking visibly distressed. The man turned to them and, for the faintest of moments, there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes, but it vanished almost instantaneously. Before Naruto and the others could speak up, the man approached them with undeniable urgency, and spoke.

"W-What news do you have of Maia-chan? H-Have you found her?"

The man' eyes darted from Naruto, to Ao, to Fū, and to Rōshi, eagerly anticipating an answer. This, he received from none other than Ao.

"Sir, I'm afraid there's been no news as of late. However, we are dedicating all our available resources and manpower to finding the people who did this and getting the girl back. To aid in this endeavor, the Mizukage has seen fit to call in outside help. This is Tatsu, Fū, and Rōshi. They'll be cooperating with the Investigations Unit from here on out."

The stout old man looked at the three of them for some time, unsure what to make of it all. Naruto sensed his growing anxiety though, and spoke up in an attempt to alleviate it.

"My name is Tatsu, sir." said Naruto as he extended a handshake. While he was hesitant at first, the man eventually shook Naruto's hand and replied.

"A-Ah, the name's Tonoo. So… Are you mercenaries or something?"

"No, nothing of the sort. More like consultants, actually. We're here to see if there's anything we can find in your restaurant."

"Well feel free to look, although the other shinobi have practically searched the place top to bottom, and they couldn't find anything."

"Well we're hoping that we might have a bit more luck his time around. Before that though, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"If it'll help find Maia-chan, then by all means ask away."

"Thank you. We appreciate your cooperation. Let's start with this morning. What time did you arrive?"

"Around five in the morning. I'm always the first to arrive. I like to get a head start on the day's work before my employees get here."

"Was there anything peculiar?"

"… No, I don't think so. The place was doors and windows were locked. We've had to invest in extra security, since we used to get broken into a lot. Maia-chan was on night duty last night. It was her turn to lock up. And… this morning, everything was locked. She was always such a diligent girl, so I didn't think for a second that something may have gone wrong."

"I take it you had a copy of the keys then?"

"No, I had the original. I left Maia-chan with the copy. T-There's a potted plant outside with a hollowed out rock in it. The person in charge of locking the doors and windows is supposed to leave the copied set of keys inside, but when I saw that the keys weren't there, I thought something was wrong. Also, the sign on the door hadn't been flipped. It still said open. Maia-chan was a… clumsy girl, and a bit ditzy, but she worked harder than anyone else. Granted, there have been times before when she forgets small things like whether the sign still said open or closed… At the very least though, she would have checked the sign before she left. I-I even reminded her before I left last night."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the man's statement, and responded.

"… The sign said open, and the copied set of keys are missing?"

Naruto then turned to Ao, and spoke.

"Nothing's been tampered with, right?"

"Of course. It's only been a few hours since the Investigations Unit searched the area, but they didn't move anything."

"Good."

Naruto closed his eyes and let out a long exhale. When he opened them, everything seemed ten times clearer. The first thing he saw was the scuff mark on the bottom of the couch. He approached the piece of furniture, crouched down, touched it to feel the texture, and examined the mark.

"Dirt… Color indicates clay."

Naruto spoke up, still looking at the mark.

"Tonoo-san, has this dirt mark always been here?"

Tonoo turned to him and spoke.

"… What dirt mark?"

"I see."

Without another word, Naruto stood and walked to the far end of the room, near the kitchen. On his face, he wore a pensive and stern expression.

"Think… "

Just as he was pondering the situation, his attention was captured by a pot sitting on the stove in the kitchen. Naruto approached said pot and analyzed the contents.

"The smell… definitely Dashi… ginger… sake…"

Then, he crouched down, opened the cabinet beneath the stove, and checked the trash bin.

"Onion skin. And… a pack of water?"

Naruto stood up, and turned to the others.

"Tonoo-san, may I check the food storage?"

"Ah, o-of course. It's through the door to your left."

As soon as he was given permission, Naruto entered the food storage room and immediately checked the meats.

"… Let's see… chicken… pork… ah, beef."

The blonde boy rummaged through the packs and stacks of beef for a brief spell, then he turned to the clipboard that hung by the door and checked the inventory. After a while, Tonoo appeared by the door, and spoke.

"Tatsu-san, may I ask what's going on?"

"Ah, Tonoo-san. Tell me, was Maia alone when you left her last night?"

The question seemed to perplex the old man for a few seconds, but when it passed, he responded.

"Yes. She was the last one to leave, actually."

"… And there were no customers left?"

"No, the place was cleared out hours before closing time. Business hasn't really been good lately…"

Naruto stared at the inventory once again, and with a suddenness that took Tonoo by surprise, he exited the room and proceeded to the hall connecting the back rooms and the main dining area. When he was there, he let out a slight exhale, and focused his senses.

"… Doorway's jambs… scratched. Sign was left open, and there were no customers when the old man left…"

In that moment, Naruto noticed the broom that was leaning on the wall beside the doorway. He took the broom in his hands, and upon analyzing its end and length, formulated a hypothesis. Then, he walked to the main dining hall and looked around in a manner that could only be construed by the other Shinobi present as frantic.

"… No blood, no signs of a struggle… what happened here…?"

Naruto went prone in order to take a closer look at the floors. The first thing that caught his attention when he did so was the rotten floorboard that was raised slightly higher than the others. As he crawled towards it, his eyes caught something that piqued his interest.

"… Black marks on the edge."

He then looked around a bit more, and when he found something else, he crawled towards it.

"… Distance: five feet apart. Something between the floorboards…"

By that time, Ao and the others had already entered the main dining hall, only to be greeted by the sight of the boy lying prone on the floor. Before any one of them could even make a comment, Naruto stood up, using a nearby table for support. He was about to ask Tonoo another series of questions when the odd texture of the table's surface caught his attention. Looking at his hands, he saw that the tips of his gloves were coated thinly by something.

"… Dust… I've got it."

"Hmph. And the peacock prepares to unveil its feathers."

Naruto grimaced at his tenant's comment.

"Shut up, furball."

He was silent for a while as he endeavored to arrange the scenarios he envisioned in his head in a manner that made sense. After a while, the pieces fell into place. Confident in the conclusion that he had arrived at, Naruto walked over to Ao and the others and addressed Tonoo.

"Tonoo-san, what was Maia doing when you left her?"

"Ah well, she was sweeping the floors in the back room."

"And the tables? Had they been cleaned already?"

"O-Of course! We wipe the tables down every time a customer leaves."

"But you said the place was cleared out hours before closing time, did you not?"

"It was, but even then Maia wiped down all the tables and chairs. This place was spotless when I left last night, and even when I came in earlier. In fact, sweeping the back room is the last thing she always does before she leaves. Why do you ask?"

Naruto adjusted the scarf that covered the lower half of his face, and replied ever so nonchalantly.

"Because if I'm right, then I may have just figured out what happened last night."

All eyes were on him as soon as he uttered he brazen statement. Before any of the Kirigakure Shinobi could say anything though, Rōshi chuckled slightly and spoke.

"I knew it. You had that look in your eyes again."

Fū merely crossed her arms and smiled.

"To think I was worried that I might have hit you too hard."

Ao could not believe what he had just heard, nor could he believe the casual attitudes of the boy's comrades. It was as if they knew for a fact that he would be able to easily solve the mystery.

"Hold on now, what exactly do you mean?" said Ao.

"Before I say anything…"

He turned to Toono, and spoke with great sincerity in his tone.

"Toono-san, I am aware that you care deeply for Maia. However, the things we are about to discuss is strictly confidential, and we cannot allow any civilian to partake in said discussion, isn't that right Ao-san?"

With a stern expression on his face, Ao nodded.

"B-But Maia-" said Toono, his voice full of fright and concern.

"However, I will tell you this. If I'm right, then there's a high probability that Maia is still alive somewhere. I promise you we'll find her, but for now, we'll have to ask you to stay in the back room."

While he was hesitant with complying, Toono nodded and proceeded to the back room, but not before turning to the cloaked boy and speaking.

"I'll hold you to that promise."

When he was safely out of earshot, Ao turned to Naruto and inquired.

"So what exactly did you mean when you said you know what happened here?"

"It wasn't Mephistopheles."

That one name was enough to silence the entire room.

"… How are you certain?" said Ao.

"Maia's youngest sister… she's the survivor is she not? That goes to say that Maia as well as her other sister know what this Ichiro character looks like. If either of them saw him, there would definitely be a struggle."

"And isn't that exactly what happened here? She's missing, kid."

"She is, but there was no struggle."

"… Are you saying she went along of her own volition?"

"That's a possibility, although an unlikely one. I thought it may have been what happened at first. I thought that maybe her family was threatened, and she was forced to go along. But when I looked closer at everything, it didn't make sense."

"You're speaking in riddles, boy."

"The kitchen in the back room. You assured me that this place hadn't been tampered with, and Tonoo assured me that there were no customers when he left. And yet, there was a pot there that had been used. Of course it's possible that Maia cooked for herself, but given the description that Tonoo gave us of her, that's not likely. So she must have cooked it for someone else, but if it was Ichiro that came here to threaten her and blackmail her into coming along, why would she cook him a meal? It doesn't make sense now does it? No… I don't think it was Mephistopheles that came here. I think it was someone Maia didn't know - someone she could have mistaken for a customer that entered the restaurant upon seeing that the sign still said open."

Taken aback by the boy's astuteness, Ao spoke.

"… So what do you think happened here then?"

Naruto closed his eyes, exhaled, and walked to the doorway of the hallway which lead to the back room. Then, he opened his eyes and spoke.

"… After Tonoo left, the one abductor comes in posing as a customer. It's well past closing time though. Perhaps Maia panics, thinking that the sign already said closed, and that something may be amiss."

Naruto then walked over to the broom and took it in his hands.

"She was sweeping when Tonoo left. Maybe she was suspicious, thinking that a customer wouldn't possibly come in that late in the night, nor would they come in if the sign said closed. And seeing as this place has a history of being broken into, it's not too far-fetched for her to think that perhaps she was about to be robbed. So she grabs this broom, and runs down that hallway."

Naruto then walked over to the doorway and pointed out the scratched on the jambs.

"This doorway stopped her. These scratches are relatively new. There are also some scratches on the end of this broom. You see? I think she was running down that hallway when the broom got jammed in between the doorway."

Naruto then proceeded to jam the broom between the doorway.

"It takes a lot of force to get it in like this, so she must have been moving at a relatively fast pace. The scratches were most likely a result of her prying it out. And look at that table."

Walking over to the dust covered table, Naruto spoke.

"Its surface is dusty. Tonoo assured us however that the tables were wiped down last night, and seeing as all the other tables seem clean, this one dusty table seems out of place."

"Isn't it possible that maybe she missed one table when she was cleaning up?" said Fū.

"It is, but again, given that Tonoo describes her as a diligent worker, it's not that likely. I think that maybe she swung at the stranger with the broom, and that maybe it missed or that maybe it was dodged. The broom would have kicked up the dust that had clung onto it when she was sweeping though. And here, look at this floorboard. There's a black mark on it. That's the mark left when you scuff the sole of a sandal on something. The dust must have disoriented her and caused her to trip over backwards on the raised floorboard. The blonde hair caught between the floorboards a few feet away seems to support that theory. She must have banged her head on the floor. For some reason, both of them must have headed to the back room and the stranger must have tended to her injuries because in the trash bin under the stove I found a pack of water. I thought it was strange at first, until I realized that it must have been a pack of ice that melted. I also found onion skins, and when I inspected the pot I mentioned earlier, it smelled of Dashi, ginger, and sake. Then, when I checked the inventory and the storage room, I noticed that there was a pack of thinly sliced beef that had gone missing."

Rōshi stroked his beard and responded.

"… Gyudon?"

"I think so. That's why I'm sure that this wasn't Ichiro's work. It had to be someone else - someone that Maia didn't know. Someone that could easily blend in and pretend to be a customer, feigning good will and fooling her into letting her guard down so much that she cooks him a meal."

Ao raised his eyebrow at the boy.

"… You're saying it must have been his partner: the man who freed Ichiro."

"I am. And given that the residence of Maia's sisters were attacked as well, I'm certain that both Mephistopheles and his partner are planning something that involves the sisters of the sole survivor during the incident years ago. They're probably keeping them in the same place, and they're probably still both alive."

"So we just have to figure out where they're keeping them? We still don't have any sort of idea where though." said Fū

"Not necessarily. In the back room, there was another scuff mark on the bottom of the couch. It was a mixture of dirt and clay. If I had to guess, I'd say it was from the abductor's shoes. So that means we have to find abandoned lots and properties - places that people wouldn't approach - that have or are near places with high deposits of clay in the soil."

As soon as he finished his sentence, the Mizukage entered through the front door with the others following closely behind. While their sudden appearance was met by the Kirigakure Shinobi with bows of respect, Naruto however could not be bothered to make the least obeisance. Brazenly, the blonde boy walked up to Utakata and spoke.

"How well do you know the Village's layout?'

Utakata was slightly taken aback. However, he had expected as much from their boy wonder. Smirking, he replied.

"Not well at all, I'm afraid. I've been away for quite some time, and the Village has changed drastically."

"Might I ask what you need to know?" interjected Mei, her curiosity piqued by the peculiar sense of urgency in the boy's tone.

As if he hadn't realized that she was present, Naruto turned to Mei, paused, and responded.

"… Lady Mizukage. I need to know if there are any abandoned areas in or around the Village where the soil contains high amounts of clay deposits."

Mei raised an eyebrow at the boy, and after a few seconds of thought, she replied.

"… There are only two places that come to mind. Just a few leagues west of Kirigakure, there's a large clay pit that's no longer being operated. The warehouses meant for storage were far too dilapidated to repair, and they've been left untouched for some time now."

Naruto bit his lower lip and pondered on the possibility of Mephistopheles and his partner hiding out in a run-down storage warehouse.

"… And the other?"

"It's one of the largest plots of land on the north side of the Village. If I recall correctly, there were plans to turn it into another clay pit years ago, but it never fell through because the land was purchased by an affluent merchant. A large manor was built on top of the clay deposit, but it's been derelict ever since the owner of the land passed."

Suddenly, a there was a spark in Naruto's eyes.

"I'd like to know more about this manor. Is it still abandoned?"

While Mei found the boy's interest in such a trivia piece of land outright questionable, she responded nonetheless.

"It was, for a time. It hadn't been claimed by any sort of kin after the owner of the land passed, and eventually the deed fell back into the Kirigakure government's hands. It was, however, purchased recently by yet another wealthy Southern merchantman."

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.

"… What's this merchantman's name?"

Mei paused in order to recall the name. She had seen it - briefly skimmed over it, more like - while she was signing documents, as was her duty as Mizukage. After a few moments, the name came to her.

"… Haru Noboru, I believe."

The name struck something within the boy, as if something about it bothered him greatly. Without uttering a single syllable, he turned to Fū and Rōshi, nodded, and turned to Utakata once more.

"We need to get as many men as we can to surround that manor by nightfall without raising suspicion. We'll meet you there later."

And with that, Naruto darted out of the establishment. Fū and Rōshi immediately followed after him, leaving Mei, Tsurugi, Ao, and the other Kirigakure shinobi behind in a state of befuddlement.

"… Ao?" asked Mei. "Would you like to tell us what just happened here?"

They all turned to the man who, surprisingly, had a look of awe and confusion on his face as well.

Ao was not an easy man to impress. He had met many shinobi in his day and he had seen many things. In that moment in time, however, he was convinced that he had not seen mental acuity of the cloaked boy's caliber since his meeting with the prodigal Uchiha.

"… Truthfully," said Ao in a level tone. "… I don't quite understand it myself."

"… Haaah…"

Saito sighed and let his shoulders slump. The heat of the afternoon sun was bearing down on them. Drenched in sweat and leaning on the wall outside the residence they were tasked with guarding, he grumbled and mumbled about everything around him.

"… Goddammit! Fine, I'll do it!" yelled Nao.

Saito stared at him as if he had gone completely daft.

"… What are you on about?"

"I said I'll do it! I'll cover for you, so go to your freaking daughter's birthday already."

Saito was confused for a few seconds, but when his confusion passed, his eyes glimmered, full of hope and joy.

"N-Nao! You would do that for me?!"

Nao rolled his eyes and sighed as well.

"It beats standing here listening to you whine. Just go. We've got three other Shinobi in there anyway, and it's only a few hours before the evening shift comes in. I doubt Ichiro would try anything."

Saito let out a slight squeal and began bowing repeatedly.

"I thank you, Nao! I swear on my life I shall not forget the kindness you have done me today!"

Slightly annoyed, yet at the same time flattered, Nao looked away and replied.

"W-Whatever! Just get the hell outta here already. Geez, you're such a pain in the ass."

Suddenly, they heard the sound of glass breaking. Raising an eyebrow, Nao spoke.

"… What the hell was that?"

Saito's expression turned stern. Gone was the playful and overjoyed man.

"… It sounded like it came from inside the house."

As if to answer the question that both men were inwardly asking themselves, a shrill scream pierced the tense silence. Neither men needed anything more. Drawing out their L-shaped kunai unique to Kirigakure Shinobi, they charged into the house, crashing through the front door. Another scream was heard. This time, it came from above them. Nao lead the way, moving like a bat out of fell up the stairs. Saito followed closely behind. As soon as they reached the second floor, Nao spotted the door at the end of the hall slamming shut. Throwing all caution in the wind, he sprinted towards the room. Saito called out to him. He would not hear it, however. They were tasked with keeping the young girl safe, and he would not fail that task. Halfway down the hall, he heard Saito chasing after him. When he reached the door though, just as his hand had touched the knob, he heard a faint sound - the faintest of sounds. It was a creaking - a slow creaking, soft as a whisper, yet at the same time, as loud as an explosion. It was the creaking of a door. The creaking of a door near the stairs. He turned to Saito, but it was too late - far, far too late. Saito stood, still as a statue, eyes wide and full of confusion. His mouth was agape. Groans escaped his throat. Then, blood poured out of his open mouth. It trickled down his lips, past his chin, and past the wide gash that ran across his throat.

"Kah… Hnkh…"

There behind him stood Mephistopheles himself, brandishing a bloodstained dagger. Nao had neither the time to react nor the time to recompose himself, for the demon Mephistopheles had already darted down the hall after him. In the heat of the moment, Nao's body reacted to the attack on pure instinct, managing to parry the first slash that was aimed at his throat. He failed to do any more than react to the first strike though. As soon as the slash was parried, Mephistopheles used the momentum of his parried attack to turn and launch a spinning back kick. The heel of his foot slammed right into Nao's solar plexus, forcing him backwards and nearly gag. This, however, was more of a boon than a bane for Nao. Stowing aside all thoughts of pain and shock, Nao straightened up immediately and slipped into a defensive stance. Mephistopheles would not dare attack so recklessly again now that his opponent was braced, Nao thought to himself. Such a thought proved to be folly.

Mephistopheles did not relent. Like a wild animal crazed for the taste of its prey's blood, he lunged, swiping, slashing, thrusting, and swinging like mad with his dagger. Nao could hardly keep up with his movements. It took no longer than three seconds for his defense to falter. Mephistopheles slashed at him horizontally. He managed to parry the attack, but it was immediately followed by an overhead thrust. He watched at the tip of the blade descended down on his head, threatening to run his face through. At the very last moment, he blocked stopping his opponent's wrist with his own. A brief and faint feeling of relief washed over him, but it vanished as soon as it came when Mephistopheles released the dagger from his right hand's grip. Then, he caught the falling dagger by the handle with his left hand, and before Nao knew what had just happened, a sharp pressure pushed into his gut. His body was robbed of its strength.

"Gh…!"

In that instance, he felt everything. Sensations of pain wreaked havoc over his consciousness, forcing his knees to buckle. Then, he felt the cold pressure being pulled out from his gut, and he fell to his knees.

"… What the hell…"

He fell to the wooden floor, face first. Blood sloshed around in his throat, rising into his mouth, and flooding out. Things had happened so fast - so uncontrollably fast - that he was unable to make anything of it, until that very moment, when his face hit the hard wood floor, and the taste of blood filled his mouth.

" Kh…! Fuck…!"

He struggled to get up, endeavoring with all his might. This couldn't be happening, he thought to himself. He repeated the statement, over and over and over, until it was the only thing he could hear in his head. This was not at all how anything was supposed to go. He did not wake up that morning only to die in the evening, writhing on the ground, bleeding like a stuck pig. Pushing up off the ground with every ounce of strength he had left, he found that he did not have it in him to stand back up. He did, however, have enough strength to crawl. Looking at his comrade, Nao slowly crawled to Saito, inching his way closer and closer.

"Kh…! O-Oi… S-Saito…"

He received no reply.

"Gh! S-Saito!"

He stared into the dull, lifeless eyes of his comrade. Gritting his teeth, Nao spoke.

"O-Oi…! Y-You can't die, you fucking moron… N-Not today…!"

Nao felt another sharp pain shooting throughout his body. He ignored it, however. He had to tolerate it. He could not afford to mind it at the moment, for he had to wake his friend. He had to keep talking, as if his words would be enough to bring a dead man back to life.

"Dammit… Goddammit! S-Saito! Not today, you fucker… think about Kobato-chan…!"

Suddenly, he felt a piercing sensation plunge into his back, robbing him of his breath.

"Haaah…"

Nao turned to look ever so slowly, and found that the demon Mephistopheles was now hovering over him. His vision began to swim, and his consciousness swooned. The loss of blood had begun to take its toll on his body. Then, he felt the sensation in his back intensify as he felt something being yanked out. What little strength that still remained in Nao's body had dissipated now, and as the darkness slowly began to fill his vision, he thought he saw quite a peculiar sight.

He thought he saw the young woman, Megumi, walking towards Mephistopheles.

This was the moment of truth. He had waited what seemed like an eternity, and now, with the moonlight illuminating everything before him and as dark and dreary clouds hung over them all, Naruto was prepared. Gripping his bow in his left hand, he took in the sight before him.

Standing atop a nearby building. He found himself within view of the melancholy manor. He knew not now long it had been left in such a state, but within the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom and anxiety pervaded his spirit. Insufferable, for the feeling was unrelieved by any of that half-pleasurable, poetic, sentiment with which the mind usually received even when faced with the sternest natural images of the desolate or the terrible. He looked upon the scene before him - upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain - upon the bleak walls, the vacant eye-like windows, upon the rank sedges, and upon the dried and decaying husks of a few dead trees. There was an iciness in the air - a sinking, sickening of the heart and an unredeemed dreariness of thought. He could not pinpoint what exactly it was about the house, with its ominous setting, that perturbed him so. Despite this though, he would not turn back.

He heard the soft sound of foot falls coming from behind him.

"… Naruto, are you sure?"

He did not doubt himself for a second.

"… Yeah."

"… How? I mean, how did you know this is the place?"

Naruto turned to Fū, and replied.

"… The clay pit was too obvious. And besides, its distance from the Village doesn't make sense. It's definitely far enough to keep anyone from wandering into it, but it's also too far to be a practical hideout if you plan on kidnapping a person. Also, there are patrols way out in those woods, combing the area for any missing nin. This place though… you can do anything you want without fear of anyone finding out. This entire block is abandoned. The people of the Village avoid the manor due to how it looks, and it's close enough for one to be able to stalk their hunting grounds whenever they wish and easily retreat if required. No one would expect Mephistopheles to be hiding right under their noses."

Fū bit her lower lip, hesitated, but proceeded to ask the question that had been bothering her.

"… That name earlier though… Haru Noboru. It seemed to bother you."

"It did. At first I thought nothing of it, but when I remembered how I had a feeling that there was something wrong ever since Tsurugi-san showed us that letter on the ship, it came together. Haru means 'sun', and Noboru means to 'rise' or 'ascend'. Written together, the word 'sunrise' can be read. Another way to read it would be 'dawn', or 'daybreak'. But… that's not the only way to write dawn or daybreak. There's another way to write it."

Clarity dawned on Fū's face as she began to understand.

"… Akatsuki."

Naruto nodded, and continued.

"… It couldn't just be a coincidence."

Once more, he stared at the manor. The sickness in his gut persisted, and he knew that there was only one way to banish his apprehensions and anxiety. In the streets below, the Lady Mizukage arrived, with Mei, Ao, Tsurugi, Han, Killer B,Yugito, Chōjūrō, and Utakata were hidden in the shadows, waiting. Without making a single sound, Naruto leapt off the edge of the roof and dashed towards them. Upon his arrival, Mei nodded and spoke.

"Tatsu-san… before we go through with this, I shall ask again: are you certain of this? I've put my resources to good work. I need you to tell me right now that you're sure Mephistopheles is in there."

In a level tone, Naruto replied

"I'm quite sure. Tsurugi-san, is everything in order?"

Tsurugi nodded.

"I've ordered four squadrons of men to surround the compound. Currently, they're positioned northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest. I have also left behind two squadrons in the residential districts nearby. If we're met with resistance, they'll make sure none of it spills out into the neighboring districts. Mephistohpeles and his partner won't slip out of our grasps this time. I've also received reports… it seems the residence that was being guarded was attacked. The evening shift arrived in time to find a survivor though."

Naruto gritted his teeth.

"But the girl is gone?"

"… I'm afraid so."

"… So now we're looking for three hostages."

"Does this change anything?"

Mei spoke carefully. At that point, the boy before her had intrigued her enough to attract her attention. This conversation wasn't just to discuss their plan, it was also, for Mei, a way to gauge the boy's mettle.

"… No. They still don't know we're coming. If we're quick, we should be able to get all three of them out. Although the chances are slim, we may as well take it seeing as such a chance may not come again."

The pieces were in place. All that was left was to drive Mephistopheles and his partner into a corner - to drive him into a checkmate.

"So," said Utakata. "What's the plan then? We can't very well storm the place."

"No. A small group should go in first and check for traps. I'll be able to easily slip in and out if you hold one of my Tenka seals for me. Rōshi has already agreed to come with me. Fū will keep an eye out from above. Han, I was thinking you could come with us. I don't know anyone who's physically stronger or faster than you in a fight, so that'll help keep Mephistopheles at bay while we get those girls out."

"Of course." said Han, without the least bit of hesitation.

"Kid."

A deep voice spoke. They all turned to Ao, the source of the interruption.

"… Despite his perverseness, Ichiro used to be a skilled Shinobi. Are you certain you'll be able to handle him with those numbers?"

While the answer to that question was quite clear to all of the jinchūriki, it would seem that the Kirigakure shinobi still had some still held some apprehension. However, Naruto's answer surprised everyone who was present.

"That doesn't matter," said Naruto, his voice sure and steady. "I'm not going in there to take down Ichiro. That's your job, or rather, Utakata's. My job is to go in there and make sure those girls come out alive, and if we do that properly, Mephistopheles will likely try to flee. That's why we're the ones going in, and you're staying here."

Then, the boy turned to Utakata.

"… When he runs, take him down with all the force you can muster."

Utakata understood what the boy was trying to say, and appreciated the boy's sentiments. He knew that this was a personal matter for Utakata right from the beginning, and if anyone was going to make the devil pay, it had to be him. Then, without another word, Naruto unsealed his bow, equipped his quiver, and started walking away. Han followed after him, and upon receiving a signal from the boy, Rōshi jumped down from the roof and dashed to a dark alley near the compound's front gate. Just as Naruto and Han were about to rush off after him, Yugito spoke.

"Naru- Tatsu… Be careful in there."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat when Yugito nearly slipped. Smiling beneath his scarf, Naruto nodded and dashed off, with Han following him closely. The pair of them darted through the streets, going from alley to alley, staying shrouded by the shadows. Once they were gone, Mei turned to Tsurugi, Ao, and Chōjūrō.

"You heard him. Tsurugi, head east and keep the shinobi focused. Ao. Take to the roofs. Scan the entire neighborhood for anything suspicious, and keep an eye out for possible escape routes. You may use that."

Tsurugi and Ao bowed slightly, and dashed off. Then, Mei turned to her young bodyguard.

"Chōjūrō, stay beside me and await orders."

"H-Hai, Lady Mizukage!"

As they prepared themselves for the chaos that would soon ensue, in an alley near the gate of the compound, Naruto, Rōshi, and Han found themselves at a crossroads.

"How are we going to do this?" inquired Han.

"Well," said Rōshi. "I suppose we could attempt to take to the roofs and leap over the walls. I don't see that going very well for us if they're watching the gates and walls closely though, or if they set up traps and alarms."

Pulling out one of his specialized arrows, Naruto spoke.

"I have a better idea. When I tell you to, grab my shoulders."

While they weren't quite sure what the boy was up to, Han and Rōshi acquiesced. Then, Naruto continued.

"You may want to brace yourselves as well."

Without another word, Naruto fired off an arrow into the air. The projectile flew in an almost vertical arc. There was complete silence as the three of them awaited the sound that they expected to come. Then, when a faint 'thwack' was heard, Naruto spoke.

"Grab on."

Rōshi and Han grabbed on to the boy's shoulders. Suddenly, their vision swam, and became warped. Before they knew what had happened, all three of them were inside the compound, just a few dozen meters away from the manor itself. The arrow had landed on the ground near a few fallen dead trees, and it was fortunate that it hadn't embedded itself into one of the few trees that were left standing, for the three of them would have taken a fall if such a thing had happened. Han was about to speak, when suddenly, an intense wave of nausea assaulted his senses. It sapped the very strength from his body, and left him dazed. Rōshi fell victim to the same sensation, and as both men struggled to steady themselves, Naruto could not help but snicker.

"Shit… what the hell, kid. This is what that jutsu of yours feels like? How do you manage to even use it?" said Han.

"I agree with Han, Naruto… it's quite a feat for you to be able to use it so easily, let alone use it in battle." said Rōshi

Naruto smirked at the two of them and replied.

"Your body gets used to it… after a while."

Once both Han and Rōshi managed to regain their composure, the three of them moved quickly and quietly through the front courtyard, using the dead trees as cover. Then, they arrived at a gigantic stone arc near the eastern side of the compound, serving as a pathway from the East wing of the manor to the courtyard. Once they had managed to take cover, they observed the building and planned out amongst themselves how they ought o go about infiltrating it.

"The main entrance seems like a sensible course to me," said Rōshi. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but if you take into account the ruined state of the East wing, and the fact that the West wing doesn't seem to be accessible from the outside, the main entrance seems to be the only way to go."

Han clicked his tongue, and responded.

"Yeah, but that just means they probably rigged I with an alarm or something."

"Yes, that is a possibility, but look at the East wing. It's in a far worse state than the rest of the manor. Who's to say that it won't collapse if we were to come in from there?"

As the two men discussed their next course of action, Naruto kept an eye out, his gaze never leaving the manor. He felt something stirring within the pit of his stomach.

"… Damn it."

"What is it, kit?"

"… It's the feeling again. I… can't shake it, for some reason. I feel all anxious and jittery."

Kurama could not help but feel intrigued by his host's statement.

"… Nervous? You've been in tougher situations before. You do realize that, right?"

"I know, it's just that… I can't shake the feeling that something's off…"

Suddenly, a faint movement caught Naruto's eyes. Every single window on the first story of the manor had been boarded up, and the windows on the third floor were all either shattered or covered as well. What caught his eye though was the windows on the second story. The shutters had been closed, except for the ones on the West wing. Its curtains were drawn, and every now and then a breeze would lightly blow and cause them to dance.

It was faint - easy to miss, even for him. Despite this, Naruto was sure of one thing: the curtains had moved when there was no wind. There was someone there.

"… They're watching us."

It was too late - far, far too late. An explosion went off near them. Naruto, Han, and Rōshi were swept off their feet. The gigantic stone pillar near them came crashing down.

They had no clue what was going on. It had only been a few minutes since the hooded boy and his comrades infiltrated the compound, and already they had heard an explosion. Soon after the first one went off, they began hearing others in the distance. One thing was certain at the moment: Mephistopheles and his partner had expected them to come. The fly had come into the spider's parlor, and now they had been ensnared.

"Damn it," cursed Mei. "For him to have been this prepared… this can't possibly be Ichiro's doing."

Utakata gritted his teeth. Concern for Naruto and the others was visible on his face. Deciding to throw all caution into the wind, Utakata unsheathed his bubble pipe and prepared o run off. However, he was stopped by Yugito.

"Yugito… the others-"

"They'll be fine. You're forgetting who they are. Right now we have to stay focused on our task."

Suddenly, a Kirigaure shinobi came stumbling towards them.

"L-Lady Mizukage! Lady Mizukage!"

Mei turned to him with a stern expression on her face, and spoke.

"What's going on?"

"F-Fires! Fires have spread to the trees in the west and east of the compound. Some of the abandoned buildings have gone up as well! The squadrons are trying their best to put it out, but it's spreading to fast, and we can't get close due to the continuous explosions."

Mei clucked her tongue. Their enemy was prepared - too prepared. It would seem they had planted tags around all the abandoned buildings in the vicinity, and stored accelerants near the explosion radius in order to spread the flames faster.

"Chōjūrō!"

"Hai!"

Head to the east and assist them. Keep those flames contained. They must not spread to the residential districts."

"Hai!"

Chōjūrō sprinted off without a single shred of self-doubt or apprehension in his step. Then, Mei turned to the shinobi and spoke.

"You're coming with me. We'll handle the flames to the west. Utakata, can I count on you to keep a weather eye on the situation?"

"Of course. Mephistopheles isn't getting by me. With that, Mei departed, leaving Utakata and Yugito on standby, ready to act when the demon Mephistopheles shows himself.

There was a ringing that could be heard. The sound was so ear-splittingly loud that it overwhelmed all other sounds, drowning them out. His head felt heavy, as did the rest of his body.

"… Oi…"

Slowly, he began to hear other voices. He began to feel something shaking him. The dizziness was starting to fade, and he was starting to stir.

"… Oi, Naruto! Get up!"

He heard Han's booming voice, and it shook him out of his trance. Naruto's eyes shot open, and he quickly sat up.

"Easy, easy…" said Rōshi.

"Ugh…"

Naruto rubbed the side of his head, and upon looking at the tips of his fingers, found that he was in fact bleeding. A few meters away, the debris of the large stone pillar they had been taking cover in lie in a heap on the dried earth.

"That was too close for my tastes." said Naruto.

Han snickered slightly. He couldn't believe that the boy was still able to make light of their situation despite how grave it was.

"A lot closer for you than for us. The explosion was on the other side of the pillar. You were the closest to it. I was lucky enough to have reacted in time."

"Thanks for the save. I owe you."

"Let's just get out of here first."

Rōshi and Han stood up and prepared to make a hasty retreat. Naruto, however, was not inclined to do such a thing.

"No, we can't yet."

Rōshi raised an eyebrow at the boy, and replied.

"Naruto, we have to go now. There are explosions going off all around the compound. They knew we were coming. We have to retreat and regroup."

Naruto stood up, dusted himself off, and picked up his bow.

"We can't. Mephistopheles is in there, right now. Before the explosion, I saw the curtains in the West wing move. He's in there right now, probably with the hostages. If we don't go now, they'll get away and we'll be back to zero all over again."

"And what if he is in there?" said Han. "What if he's in there, and the hostages aren't?"

"Then at the very least we can drive him out of hiding. Utakata and the others can take care of it from there. We don't have much time. He could be getting away as we speak! He's our only shot at finding those girls now. And I'm sorry, but I'm going in there no matter what."

"Don't be foolish Naruto! There's no reason for us to take reckless gambles!"

Rōshi scolded him like a father would scold his son.

"Like it or not, it's the only way. We can't just go back, now can we? I'm going in there."

Without uttering another word or awaiting for his comrades' approval, Naruto dashed towards the main entrance of the manor. Rōshi let out a half-amused half-tired sigh, and spoke.

"Oh, youth. I remember days when I was that reckless."

Han snickered, and ran off towards the main entrance as well, but not before retorting with a quip.

"Days when you were young, eh? Must have been fun to run around with the Sage of Six Paths."

Rōshi grumbled and rolled his eyes.

"Hilarious."

Then, he went after the two.

"Douse those flames! Squadron two, flood the base of the buildings and the roads! Give Squadron 1 enough water to work with!"

Mei called out orders like a seasoned general in the middle of battle. Suddenly, another explosion went off near her, blowing the shinobi off their feet. She remained standing, however. Such was her duty as Kage - to remain standing when all others stumbled. Breezing through a set of hand seals, Mei called out the name of her jutsu.

"Suiton: Shigure!"

The air around her began to condensate, turning into water droplets. Then, the droplets came together and formed into a large ball of water. Mei used her chakra to propel the ball of water towards the flames, easily dousing them and drenching the other explosive traps that had been set in that area. Then, Mei heard the sound of thunder booming in the sky.

"There should be enough vapor in the clouds…"

Once again, Mei went through a set of hand seals at lightning speed, and called out yet another jutsu.

"Suiton: Kirisame!"

The wooden floorboards creaked noisily with each step, as Naruto and the others made their way through the halls of the manor. All around them were valuable pieces of art and vases, with nothing much left to do but gather dust. With each step, they inched closer and closer to the Western wing of the manor, and with each step, the feeling of unease within Naruto grew.

Suddenly, they heard the boom of thunder echoing throughout those empty halls, followed by the heavy pitter patter of rain on the roof. Gripping his bow tightly, Naruto trudged on, with Han and Rōshi following behind him, weapons drawn and guard readied. None of them knew what awaited them in that manor, and yet the three of them knew that even if they did, there may still be no way to prepare for it. After what seemed like an eternity of navigating through the endless maze of hallways and rooms, Naruto, Han, and Rōshi found themselves standing outside a large double door leading into the West wing. Hesitation kept them from bursting through those doors though, for the room they were about to enter was unlike all the others. There was a faint light - faint as a candle - coming from the gap beneath the door. On the wall to the right of the door, an engraved plaque with the words 'Library' hung by one rusty nail. In that moment, all three of them knew that they would find the answers they were looking for on the other side of that threshold.

Naruto nodded at Rōshi, who nodded back, and leaned against the wall to the right side of the door, keeping an arrow nocked. Han and Rōshi positioned themselves on the left side. As they prepared to breach the room, Rōshi glanced at Naruto, as if to inquire if he was certain he wanted to proceed. He received his answer when the boy tightened his grip on his bow and prepared himself, his body tensed, ready to release all its pent up energy in a burst. Rōshi turned the handle and opened wide the door.

The trio moved so quickly and flawlessly that Mephistopheles would have had no time to react. Han was the first to enter, slipping into his Spartan like stance with his hat ready to block any incoming projectiles. Rōshi covered his right flank, ready to unleash a vast array of defensive Doton jutsu that would undoubtedly negate any explosion. Naruto covered Han's left flank, entering the room with his bow drawn and arrow ready to fire. They had expected Mephistopheles and his partner to be standing in the middle of that library, or at the very least, they had left a trap of some sort. This, evidently, was not the case, for in that candlelit grand library, with toppled shelves and dusty tomes, was something they could never have expected.

Sitting in the middle of the room with legs bound by chains, Mina was staring at the three of them with bloodshot eyes. Suddenly, before any of her three rescuers could utter a single word, tears ran down her cheeks. Upon seeing this, Naruto immediately lowered his weapon.

"… What the hell?"

"… Watch yourself, kit. This is all too convenient."

Naruto clenched his jaw beneath his scarf. The anxiety had yet to disappear.

"… I know."

Rōshi was the first to speak up. Slowly, with hands raised in front of him, he approached the girl, and spoke.

"… We mean you no harm. Listen to me, are you Maia-san?"

Hope, with a tinge of fear, flashed across the girl's face for a brief moment.

"M-Maia…? M-My sister…"

Rōshi was now beginning to understand the situation.

"I… I see. You're Mina-san then, I take it? Listen to me Mina… we're here to help you okay? We're going to get you out of this terrible, terrible place. Then, we're going to find your sister."

Rōshi took one step – one small, subtle step – towards her, and almost immediately did the girl burst into a fit of panic.

"N-No! No!"

Rōshi immediately backed away. The last thing he wanted was to grieve the poor girl.

"Alright, it's alright… Mina, you're safe with us, okay? We're here to help… The Mizukage is here to help. They're all outside, waiting for us. So just… let us help. Would that be fine?"

"No! You stay away from me! Not one step!"

Rōshi was about to gently object, but he stopped himself when he felt Naruto's hand on his shoulder. He turned to the boy, and saw a grim expression plastered on his face. Suddenly, Mina spoke.

"N-Not one step… please…"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her, and after a few seconds, he spoke in a hushed whisper.

"… Do as she says."

"Naruto, you know we can't do that. This whole building could come down at any moment. We don't have much time left." said Rōshi, in a hushed whisper.

"… If we make one wrong move, she won't have any time left at all."

Rōshi raised an eyebrow at the boy, and turned to look at what Naruto had been staring at for the past few seconds. That was when he fully understood the scope of the situation that they had walked into. Mina sat in a wooden rickety chair in the middle of the room, with a broken and rusted chandelier hanging overhead and a flight of stairs leading up to the second story of the West wing behind her. Her feet were bound by shackles, chained to the stone railings of the stairs behind her. Yet, her hands remained unfettered and unbound, and they remained that way for a reason.

In her hands was a roll of paper, and on her chest was an explosive tag.

One wrong move. One wrong move was all that it would take for everything to end. The three of them had been backed into a corner; they had been forced into a situation where the only move was not to move. Then, after a few brief moments which seemed like an eternity, Mina began sobbing. It was hushed at first – subdued. Then, it grew, until the sound filled the room, overwhelming the cacophony of explosions and the heavy downpour. Lightning struck in a far off place, and the boom of thunder resonated all around them.

Then, Mina unrolled the roll of paper, and read its contents aloud, trying her best to stifle her sobs. This, she failed at.

"God… Oh god…"

Mina bit her lower lip until she could taste blood in her mouth. She could still feel the ache of the bruises – the dull, dreary ache. Her entire body felt heavy as stone. The pain stirred her on. All the gashes, and bruises, and broken bones pushed her into gathering all the strength she had left, and reading that wretched sheet of paper.

"H-H… Hello kids… N-Now, I know you must be sooo t-tired, what with all the running around… and… and all the tail chasing… b-but I have some good news…"

Mina shut her eyes and wiped away her tears. Then, she looked at Naruto and the others, and flashed them a wide, pained smile.

"… It's time for a story!"

She had to do what she was told, thought Mina. She didn't want to die – dear god, she did not want to die. Not in that dreary place. Not under those circumstances. She wanted to live, but to do so meant following the orders given to her down to the letter. She would smile if she had to. She would 'speak in a playful tone', like she was told. She would 'loosen up' – she would 'relax and have a little fun'. These were the words of The Devil, and these were the words she would obey.

"S-So kids! I have quite story for you today… this one is really exciting with aaaaaaall its twists and aaaaaaall its turns… This is the story of Sir Lightbringer, and his hiiiiigh high horse~!"

Lightning struck once again. This time though, it was much closer - so close that for a second, Naruto thought that it had pierced his chest and jolted his quick-beating heart.

"Now kids… You all know Sir Lightbringer, don't you? Well, for those of you who don't know, Sir Lightbringer was the braaaaaavest and smaaaaartest knight in all the land~! A clever little fox, he was! And he rode around the towns and castles and roads with his trusty steed, which was taaaaller and biiigger than all the other horses in the land. Everybody loved Sir Lightbringer. They all admired him and praised him, because he was such a Good Samaritan, helping everyone he sees. He went from kingdom to kingdom, stopping all the wars, slaying all the evil monsters he could find, solving all the problems he came across, and bringing Peace back to the lands… but one day though, Sir Lightbringer ran into a problem he juuuuuust couldn't fix…"

With tears still welling in her eyes, Mina pursed her lips and slowly shook her head, as if expressing sympathy for Sir Lightbringer himself.

"See kids, all the townspeople and all the knights didn't really love Sir Lightbringer… they just loved how he fixes their problems for them. They just loved how if ever there was trouble, Sir Lightbringer would come to save the day~! The hero of the lands would restore the Peace… and so no one ever cared about keeping it. Then, the dreadful, dreadful day came – the day when Sir Lightbringer found a problem he couldn't fix. It was a monster, you see – oh but not just any regular monster, kids! This one… this one was a Dragon. Oh but Ms. Storyteller, wasn't Sir Lightbringer a knight? I'm sure he's fought lots and lots of Dragons before! You're right kids~! He has, but this wasn't just any old Dragon…"

Mina paused, and after a few seconds, she continued.

"… Kids? This was a Dragon only Sir Lightbringer could see. And this scaaaary Dragon went flying around towns, burning them down to the ground~ One after another, the kingdoms began to crumble… So, the braaaave and gallant and clever Sir Lightbringer had to put an end to the Dragon! But listen here: the Dragon wasn't a bad guy… not at all! The Dragon didn't want to fight Sir Lightbringer! So, instead of fighting, the Dragon had a little talk with Sir Lightbringer. Listen here knight, said the Dragon! Why chase after me? Look around you young Sir Lightbringer… the people you fight for? The people you help? These people are the ones making the world a bad, bad place! You fix one problem here, then they just mess things up even more! They don't care! They don't care about what happens! They just do what they want, because if something goes wrong, there's always a knight like Sir Lightbringer around to fix it. Don't you see, Sir? I'm not the monster here! I'm not the one making the world a worse place! Then, the Dragon fluttered his wings, and as he was about fly away, he said to Sir Lightbringer: Sir Knight, the monsters aren't the ones hiding in the mountains and forests. The monsters are the ones walking around the towns and kingdoms, with smiles on their faces!"

Mina was about to keep reading, but she hesitated. As soon as she did so, she felt the tag on her chest begin to heat up. Panicking, she continued.

"S-So, Sir Lightbringer thought… and he thought… and he thought… and the answer came to him. If he could fix the people in the land – if he could somehow change them, and make them better, then maybe the world would be a better place! Then, maybe the Dragon won't burn down all the castles and kingdoms anymore! So, Sir Lightbringer got back up on his high, high horse, and rode through the lands! He went to every castle in every kingdom, and told everyone that there was a biiiiig, mean, scary Dragon that was going to eat them up if they didn't behave! He told them that everyone needed to work together to beat the big bad monster! He… he shouldn't have done that, though… No… He shouldn't have done that… You know why, kids? Because kids… the moment Sir Lightbringer told them what was wrong with them… They. Turned. On. Him."

Naruto's hands began to shake as he listened to the story. The ever expanding void in the pit of his stomach was growing again.

"The townspeople grew tired of Sir Lightbringer! There was no Dragon! They'd see one if there was! And soon… even the knights who once idolized Sir Lightbringer… the knights who envied him… they all started to doubt him~ I don't beliiiiiiiieeeeeeeve Sir Lightbringer's stories... I think he's just a big, fat, liar who's making stuff up to make us look bad, just so he looks even better… Just so he gets to be special… I think he's just building up an Ivory tower, just so he can shoot thunderbolts down on the rest of us… and soon… even the knights who followed Sir Lightbringer began to wonder… hmm… hmm… But you know what, kids…? This wasn't the end of Sir Lightbringer's troubles… no. This was just the beginning. See, the higher Sir Lightbringer climbed… the greater the fall. Do you want to know how the story ends, kids…?"

Mina paused for a few moments. The tension was palpable. Neither she nor the rest of the trio could breathe. Then, after a while, she continued, still in a singsong tone.

"… Sir Lightbringer came riding up to the Dragon on his high, high horse, thinking he had all of the kingdoms and all of the knights following him. But when he turned around… no one was there. Poor, poor Sir Lightbringer, all alone against the biiiig scaaaary Dragon… Poor, poor Sir Lightbringer, the little knight that fought for the people who could never understand him… Poor, poor Sir Lightbringer, abandoned by those he trusted, because they were too blind too see the things he saw… And poor, poor Sir Lightbringer… falling, and falling, and falling, with no one left to catch him. But he hadn't hit the bottom yet, though… no. He had a looooooooooooooooong fall ahead of him."

A flash of light illuminated the room, and in a second, the roar of thunder overwhelmed the heavy silence that fell upon that library. For a few minutes, not a single word was said. Then, Mina spoke.

"… The End! So, kids! Did you like that story? You know what'll make it even better though? Like all stories about knights and dragons… This one needs to end with a bang!"

Mina's eyes widened as soon as she read the last word. Suddenly, the tag on her chest began to heat up intensely. Then, it began to sizzle. Mina closed her eyes and braced for the pain. It was going to explode, she was sure of it. Much to her surprise though, before the tag could detonate, he heard someone yell.

"Suiton: Suidan no jutsu!"

Naruto concentrated the fine amount of chakra that he had been building up in his mouth and kneaded it. Then, he released a small burst of water that slammed hard against Mina's chest. The force behind it was so great that the girl was pushed back, causing the chair she was sitting on to give out from under her Mina fell backwards, slamming her head against the hard wooden floor. Though she was knocked unconscious, the burst of water slammed against the tag on her chest with pinpoint accuracy, blurring the seals and effectively diffusing the explosive tag. The trio immediately rushed to her side, with Rōshi checking her vitals, Han working on breaking apart the chains, and Naruto watching their surroundings.

"Three broken ribs, a few deep gashes on her back and legs… a few bruises too. Naruto, help Han with the chains, I'll tend to her injuries.

Naruto quickly let his kila dagger slip out of his sleeve. Then, he channeled his Wind natured chakra into it, causing the blade to sharpen immensely. With this, he cut through the chain on Mina's left leg. Han had just finished ripping apart the chains on her right leg with his bare hands.

"Naruto," said Han. "Can you sense anyone else in here?"

Naruto gritted his teeth and looked around.

"… One of them is close. I don't know if it's Mephistopheles or his partner, but one of them is at least close enough to watch us and detonate the tag after she finished reading."

Suddenly, he heard Kurama's voice from inside his mind.

"Kit! On the second story!"

Naruto's eyes widened. If Kurama was able to sense malevolence, then it had to be Mephistopheles or his partner. As soon as he finished that line of thought though, he heard the sound of a door slamming shut from the floor above them. Naruto neither wasted any time nor hesitated. He grabbed his bow and flew up the flight of stairs before anyone could say a thing.

"Naruto!" yelled Rōshi. He wanted to call after the boy, but it was far too late for that. Instead, he turned to Han, and spoke.

"Han, go after him!"

"Already on it."

Han was already hallway up the stairs when Rōshi addressed him. He reached the top of the stairs and turned right into a hallway, still following Naruto's lead. It took him a few seconds to catch up with the boy, but when he did, he saw Naruto crouching in front of a locked door with a plaque beside it reading 'Master's Bedchamber'.

"Naruto—"

"Wait…"

Han raised an eyebrow at the boy. For the next few seconds, the pair of them remained silent, with Han watching Naruto, and Naruto crouching in front of the door, staring at his palms. While Han couldn't be sure of it – it was nearly pitch black in that hallway after all – he thought he could see some dark substance staining the boy's fingertips. Then, as the flash of lightning illuminated the hallway, Han's eyes widened. Naruto's fingertips were stained in blood, and from the gap beneath the door, more blood was flowing out. The sight awoke within them a sense of urgency even greater than the one they felt at present. Naruto immediately stood, nocked an arrow, and kicked the door in. As soon as they entered that bedchamber, they were greeted by a sight most horrid. One of the hostages that had been taken was in there with them. But unlike Mina, she was not seated, nor was she lying in the bed. Lightning flashed once more, and thunder boomed soon after. Maia hung upside down, unconscious and stark naked. Her once snow white skin now had a deathly pallor to it. She looked so calm – so tranquil, as if there was nothing in the world that could bother her, and nothing that could stir her from her gentle slumber. On the surface of her smooth skin was a trail of bruises, scattered across her seemingly flawless skin. She looked so fragile, as if her flesh was nothing more than smooth but frail porcelain – beautifully battered porcelain.

An expression of serenity was on her face, but on her arms, were deep gashes that ran from her wrist down to her elbow. Blood poured out of the fresh wound, down onto the tips of her fingers, and trickling onto the wooden floor. Her hair – her thick, long, blonde curls cascaded down onto the floor, like a silken bloodstained curtain.

Terror and panic flooded into Naruto. He rushed to the girl's side, prompting Han to do the same.

"Hold her up!" screamed the boy. Han held the girl in his arms, being careful to support her neck and back. Naruto immediately went to work on cutting the ropes around her ankles. Once they were severed, the girl fell into Han's arms, and he gently laid her down.

"Is she alive?"

Han checked the girl's vitals, and when he felt a weak pulse, he responded.

"She is, but just barely. The best I can do is to stop the bleeding though."

Suddenly, they heard the sounds of footsteps coming from the floor above them. Naruto immediately turned to Han, and spoke.

"That'll be enough for now. Once the bleeding dies down, get her to Rōshi."

"What the hell do you mean get her to Rōshi? Where are you going?"

"He still has one of the three sisters, and he's still in the house! I can't let him get away."

"Naruto we have him surrounded. He's not going anywhere."

"Didn't you hear those explosions outside? He'll be able to slip right past them while they're busy keeping the blasts and fires under control. If I don't go after him now, that girl is as good as dead."

While Han was still hesitant about letting the boy go off on his own, he saw that there really was not much of a choice to be made at all. There was no time left to come up with a compromise.

"… Fine, but watch your back. For all we know, he could be baiting you into another trap."

"Don't worry. I will."

With that, Naruto ran over to the window on the far side of the room and pushed it open. Then, he clambered up to the window above it and kicked the wooden barricade in. Once he was inside, he exited the room he was in and entered the third floor main hallway. As soon as he got there, he heard a shrill, feminine scream come from the end of the hall. In one quick and elegant movement, Naruto nocked an arrow and aimed at the end of the hall. There was a movement that caught his eye, and despite the pitch black darkness, he managed to visually mark his target. Without any thought of missing, Naruto released the arrow. The projectile flew down the hall and, just as it was about to run Mephistopheles through the face, the man dodged to the right, dragging his hostage along with him. The arrow dug into the wall behind him, but it did not leave him unscathed. The blade of the broadhead left a deep gash on his left cheek. The pain of said gash prompted him to grab his hostage and rush up the stairs. By the time Naruto realized that the arrow he used hadn't been marked with his Tenka seal, his prey had already made his way up the flight of stairs. Running as fast as he could, Naruto rushed down the hall, and up the stairs, grabbing the arrow from the wall as he did so. He heard the sound of a door being thrown wide open, and when he reached the top of the stairs, he nocked an arrow, drew the bow, and crossed the threshold that lead to the roof top.

The sky was dark. Rain poured down heavily, the sound of which formed an almost harmonious cacophony alongside the distant explosions. On the far end of the rooftop, roughly ten meters from the doorway where Naruto stood, was Mephistopheles himself. In his left arm, he held Megumi in a tight chokehold, and in his right hand was a dagger.

"Not one step!" the demon Mephistopheles spoke.

His words were meaningless though, for nothing would stop Naruto from meting out justice for all that the demon had done. The blonde boy loosed an arrow at the man. Had Mephistopheles been like any other Shinobi or rogue, the arrow would have flown true and buried itself in his head. However, this was not the case. He did not survive the Bloody Mist of Kirigakure through sheer luck. He was a hardened soldier – a lion in a den of lambs.

With his dagger, Mephistopheles easily deflected the arrow, prompting Naruto to cluck his tongue and draw another from his quiver. By the time he could nock another arrow though, Mephistopheles already had his dagger to Megumi's throat.

"That's quite a dangerous toy you have there… best put it away before someone gets hurt."

Mephistopheles smiled wryly as he taunted his pursuer. After a few seconds, he saw the cloaked man lower his weapon. Something was wrong though, thought Mephistopheles. He was not certain if he was merely imagining it, but it did not seem as if the boy lowered his weapon because he had no choice. Rather, it seemed as if he did it because he chose to do so. Something was truly wrong, though what it was he could not tell. Then, before he could come to any conclusion, something dropped down from above in front of him. He looked down, but as soon as he did, he saw a set of claws lunge out at him. He managed to back away slightly – just enough for the claws to miss his face. However, the razor sharp claws managed to sever his hand that held the dagger. A jolt of pain ran throughout up his right arm, prompting him to release Megumi and scramble away. He heard a dull thud as his severed hand hit the wet floor, and a clang when his knife bounced against the concrete.

"Kh…! Gah, you b-bastards!"

He glared at his attacker – a slim blonde woman, who was crouched in a feline-like manner. The nails on her right hand had extended, and were now razor sharp claws. Mephistopheles gritted his teeth. His anger began to boil over. With his other hand, he pulled out a shuriken. He was just about to throw the projectile at the woman, but before he could even begin the motion, he caught a glimpse of something to his immediate left. He turned to look, and he when he saw that it was nothing more than a simple bubble, confusion passed over his countenance.

Rōshi was hard at work. A few minutes after he managed to stabilize Mina's condition, Han returned, carrying another one of the sisters in his arms. The old man was at a loss for quite some time. The extent of the girl's injuries surprised him, and it was a miracle that she was still alive.

"Damn it… Han, tighten the tourniquet above her right arm. She's still steadily losing blood."

Han nodded and acquiesced. He tightened the piece of cloth, but not so much that it would constrict all blood flow and further injure the girl. The bleeding did not quell though. In a last ditch effort, Han turned to Rōshi and spoke.

"… We need to cauterize it."

Rōshi pursed his lips and began wiped the sweat from his brow. Han had a point. If they were to cauterize the wound, they might be able to close it and keep it from bleeding any further. However, without a team of highly trained medical nin to scan the victims, they were uncertain if that was the proper thing to do. They had no idea how damaged the girl's arteries and veins were. If they were to make even one small mistake, they could sear an artery or vein and damage her arm permanently. Worse, they could cause her to bleed even more. The pain may wake her, and if she were to see her situation and go into shock, then their situation would immediately take a turn for the worse.

It took a few moments, but Rōshi came to a decision. They would have to take their chances and cauterize the wound. The blood had already begun to clot, but by the time it fully clots, she would have lost more than enough blood to kill her. They had to stop the bleeding then and there. Rōshi gave Han a nod, and proceeded to hold the girl down in case she woke. Then, Han gathered his chakra into his palms and heated it to its highest temperature. Steam began to emit from the palms of his hands, and it heated up his gauntlets. Once the tips of his gauntlets' fingers were hot enough, he pressed his index finger into the wound. There was a sizzling sound as the heated metal seared Maia's flesh. The girl started to stir. Slowly, Han moved his index finger down the wound, making sure to cauterize every inch of it. Once the left arm was finished, he did the same with her right. Thankfully, Maia did not wake. Just as Han and Rōshi were bandaging her wounds though, they both heard a sound come from behind Rōshi. The red bearded man turned to look, and when he saw that Mina was now awake, he immediately rushed to her side and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Easy there, young one. You took quite a hit on the head. Lie down and rest for a while longer."

"W-What…? B-But… the paper…"

Mina went to touch her chest, and when she found that there was no explosive tag there, a look of surprise flashed over her countenance.

"It's fine. We've removed it. You're safe now. Your sister is here with us too."

Suddenly, Mina's eyes went wide.

"M-My sister…?"

Rōshi did not know if he was merely imagining it, but he thought that for a second there, he heard a tinge of fear in Mina's voice. Deciding to rationalize and call it concern, Rōshi smiled at her and responded.

"Yes, your sister. I believe Maia was her name?"

Suddenly, relief washed over Mina's face. In that moment, Rōshi knew that there was something wrong.

"M-Maia onee-san…"

"Yes. She's safe with us, and so are you. My comrade is on the roof right now. He'll have your youngest sister with him. You'll all be reunited again, I promi—"

"Youngest sister…?"

Rōshi raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"… Yes. Megumi-chan."

Mina's eyes went wide. Terror flooded her visage.

"No… No no no no no…."

"M-Mina, it'll be alright, oka—"

"No! No it won't be alright!"

Mina grabbed Rōshi by the collar and started weeping.

"M-Mina, calm down okay?" said Rōshi. He had to placate her. She was under a great amount of stress, and if he did not do anything to ease her burdens, then he feared her mind may buckle under the weight.

"No!"

Mina screeched the word. She would not be calm. They did not understand the gravity of the situation, after all.

"No, you don't understand, okay? You have to call your friend back, okay? You have to get him back here. We have to leave right now!"

Rōshi had no idea what the girl was rambling on about. All he knew was that something did not feel right.

"… Mina, what are you talking about…?"

Then, Mina released him. Tears poured forth from her eyes like a river seeping through the cracks of a dam. And she spoke – in a hushed and shaky voice, she spoke.

"… Megumi, she…"

Rōshi raised an eyebrow at the girl. He was not certain if his ears were playing tricks on him. Even Han was now perturbed by the girl's ramblings. Then, a smile appeared on Mina's face – for what reason she was smiling for, she did not know.

"… Megumi…"

There was an explosion – small, yet audible.

Mephistopheles was sent reeling back. His shuriken fell to the ground, and with his left hand, he covered the left side of his face. The night was no longer filled with the cacophonous harmony of rainfall and explosions. The only sound they could hear now was Mephistopheles' wails of pain. He howled, howled like a dog during its death throes. He screeched like a banshee in the night. As he thrashed around, Yugito took Megumi and ran back to Naruto's side. Then, Utakata descended in a bubble down onto the middle of the rooftop.

"It's over, Ichiro! There's nowhere for you to run!"

Utakata screamed every word with all the vigor and rage he could muster. Suddenly, Ichiro's pained howling stopped. Then, with the left half of his face still badly burnt, he turned to Utakata and shrieked.

"NO! NOT ICHIRO! MEPHISTOPHELES!"

Mephistopheles grunted and growled. The pain of his wounds were overwhelming, but they were not enough to make him fall. Petty cuts such as these were not enough to bring down a lion such as him.

"Mephistopheles is my name! Not Ichiro! Who is Ichiro?! Who is that? Who is that fool? He's not real! My name is Mephistopheles, and I am the right hand of The Devil! I'm the Hero that will herald the return of the Bloody Mist, handpicked by The Devil himself!"

Utakata merely sneered at the man, and replied.

"… The Devil chose poorly."

"THE DEVIL CHOSE ME! HE CHOSE WISELY! How dare you even speak his name? You're not worthy, you worm! You're nothing more than a sheepdog, and the rest of those people are lambs! I'm the only living lion in this fool Village!"

Utakata was just about ready to rip his throat out.

"… Keep talking and that will change quite quickly. Surrender. This is the end of the road."

"Ohohoh… you'd like that, wouldn't you? No… No, see The Devil has more plans, and he needs me for them you see… This is just the beginning."

"… You're right. This may very well be the beginning of this Devil's plans. However, it's the end of your role in them. Did you… did you really think he needed you for anything? You? Come now, Ichiro… you were a pathetic excuse for a Shinobi, and an even worse criminal. Did you think it was difficult for us to find you? To corner you like this? I read the reports. You were caught immediately when you tried to torture those children. Did you truly think they'd have a difficult time finding you this time? It's time to face the truth, Ichiro. You're never going to hurt these girls again."

Suddenly, a low laugh erupted from Mephistopheles. The laugh grew steadily, carefully, until it was a hysterical guffaw.

"Gaahahaahaha! Ahah! Ahahahahaha! Is that, ahahahaha! Is that what they told you?! GAHAHAHA! Is that what those reports said?! Ahahahaha! Oh, Kami…"

Utakata gritted his teeth. Yugito shielded Megumi, who was now hiding behind Naruto.

"Oh Kami…" said Mephistopheles. "He was right… he was right about everything, oh Kami, he truly is The Devil!"

Naruto was starting to lose his patience. From the back of the group, he yelled.

"What was he right about?!"

"EVERYTHING! Every single move and every single thing you would say! He called it! I thought he was daft at first, but good god he is The Devil himself!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Well, for starters… I didn't hurt those young girls."

Utakata raised an eyebrow at him.

"… What the hell are you saying?"

"… I'm saying I never laid a hand on them. Taking them hostage wasn't even my idea… and it wasn't The Devil's either."

Confusion passed over Utakata's and Yugito's expression. Naruto though… Naruto already had an inkling as to what the demon Mephistopheles was saying. Suddenly, Mephistopheles spoke.

"… Would you like to know how long it really took them to catch me the first time?"

Suddenly, there was an earsplitting screech that broke through the night. Utakata and Yugito turned to its source, but they were too far and too late. It was Naruto who had reacted fast enough.

The blonde boy turned around as soon as Mephistopheles had finished his question – just in time to drop his bow and catch the blade that was about to plunge into the back of his head. The razor sharp edge of the dagger ripped through his glove and through the flesh of his palms. Blood dripped down his arms as he held Megumi off to a standstill. Suddenly, both Naruto and Megumi heard a feminine voice yell.

"Hiden: Rinpungakure no jutsu!"

A flash of light from behind Naruto blinded Megumi. Then, before she could recover, Naruto kicked the inside of her right leg, causing her form to lose stability. Then, he plied the dagger from her hand and sent her reeling with a spinning back kick to the gut. Megumi took the brunt of the attack and slid backwards. If she hadn't received any training to become a Shinobi, she was certain that would have been enough to finish her. However, she still managed to maintain some of her body strength even after all those years, and it was thanks to this that she was able to recover quickly and run to Mephistopheles' side. Once she was there, she was greeted by open arms.

Utakata could not believe what he just saw. Megumi had just attacked them. Why, he thought to himself. He couldn't understand it at all. Why would she side with the very monster that was the reason for her destruction?

"Naruto, are you okay?" said Yugito.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a scratch."

Naruto subtly channeled Kurama's chakra onto the wound on his palms. They would heal in time. For now though, they had other things to worry about.

On the opposite end of the rooftop, Mephistopheles stood, grinning like a madman and embracing the young Megumi with his left arm. Utakata was the first to speak.

"What…?"

"Surprised?" said Mephistopheles. "You should be… you didn't know, after all."

Naruto gritted his teeth as he picked up his bow. Shooting Mephistopheles in his smug face was almost too tempting to resist.

"Know what?" said Yugito.

Mephistopheles smiled.

"… Those reports lied to you. Your precious Mizukage lied to you. They didn't catch me immediately."

Mephistopheles paused for dramatic effect.

"… It took them eight months to find me, and another two to take me down. That was more than enough time for me to… bond, with little Megumi-chan here. Isn't that right, dear…?"

Megumi looked up at him, and smiled. Then, she grabbed Mephistopheles by the collar and pulled him into a deep kiss. His tongue explored the depths of her mouth, and hers explored his. The mere sight of it disgusted Utakata, Yugito, and Naruto in a way that they had never felt before. When the two finally broke away from one another, Megumi smiled at the three of them, and spoke.

"… I'm sorry I had to cause so much trouble for you all… especially you, Utakata-san. But… the truth is…"

The girl gazed longingly at Mephistopheles, and continued.

"… I love Ichiro… Oh, I'm sorry dear… I love my dear Mephistopheles."

Megumi turned to the others once more and proceeded to explain.

"See, it took a while for me to understand what he was trying to do… at first I really hated him. I thought he was just trying to hurt me. But… I realized that he was trying to make me strong. He was trying to make me into the perfect lioness for him… And I love him…"

Suddenly, her expression grew dark.

"… But my sisters… oh, my dear dear sisters… they never understood. They didn't understand at all… I tried to explain it to them, but they JUST. WOULDN'T. LISTEN. They… they would have never approved… They would have never let me be with my darling Mephistopheles… So I had to take care of them."

Suddenly, Mephistopheles interrupted.

"We took care of them, dear. The two of us."

Megumi looked up at him, her eyes filled with hope and ardor.

"The two of us?"

"Yes. Us."

"Together."

"Together."

Megumi smiled warmly at him, took his right arm – which was now nothing more than a bloody stump – in her hands, and kissed it. Mephistopheles flinched slightly, but soon the sting turned into an erotic kind of pleasure. Then, he started to feel his presence. Mephistopheles smiled, and turned to Utakata and the others.

"… This is it, for now. But heed my words, sheepdogs… this is only the beginning."

Suddenly, the space behind them began to distort, as if it was being sucked into a vacuum of some sort. Naruto's eyes widened. There was a vague familiarity to it.

"Kit, that's a space-time jutsu!"

"I know!"

"They're going to get away goddammit."

"Not if I can help it."

Without wasting a single split-second, Naruto drew an arrow, nocked it, drew the bow back, and fired at Mephistopheles. The fluidity of the boy's sudden movement caught Mephistopheles by surprise. Then, just as the arrow was about to plunge into his right eye, the hooded boy vanished. Mephistopheles' eyes widened, for the boy who had been standing more than ten meters away, was now directly in front of him. Naruto clenched his jaw. He had half a second, at most.

"… Half a second should be enough!"

His kila dagger slipped out of his right sleeve. Then, without a shred of hesitation, Naruto slashed at the demon's throat.

Time itself seemed to pause.

The blade of the boy's dagger was only inches away from its target, and Mephistopheles knew as much. For a brief momet, he faintly – ever so faintly – believed that he might meet his end on that rooftop. But then, he felt a strong grip sieze the back of his collar – it was the grip of his Guardian. The Stranger. The Devil. His Savior. The grip pulled him backwards, causing the blade to leave a shallow cut on his neck instead. Then, he and Megumi were gone.

The demon Mephistopheles had retreated back into the depths of hell. One thing was certain though – one thing was clear to Naruto, and to everyone on that dark, blustery night: Mephistopheles would return to raise hell on earth. When he does, he may very well bring The Devil himself with him.

The games had only just begun.

"A-Are you quite certain about this, Kazekage-sama?"

Ebizō spoke with hesitation clear in his voice. There was a large crowd of people behind him, all of whom were there to see their beloved Kazekage off. Gaara turned to him and nodded solemnly, before responding.

"I am, Elder Ebizō. As Kazekage, I cannot allow such atrocities to happen in a neighboring Village. Not only would it be unethical, we also run the risk of letting it spill into our borders if we do nothing."

Chiyo, who had been standing behind Ebizō, crossed her arms.

"Hmph. This still makes little sense. What happens in their country is none of our business. If they are to crumble in the face of such adversity, then so be it. You younger generations… you're all so dependent on others. It's disappointing to see how weak this Village has gotten."

Temari and Kankuro, who had been standing behind Gaara, cringed at the old hermit's words slightly. It had taken a great amount of convincing to get the two to come down from their hut and to give their blessing. However, it would seem they fell short with the latter. Suddenly, Gaara bowed slightly to Chiyo – an act that surprised to old woman.

"With all due respect, Elder Chiyo… I am young. There are things in this world that I still know very little of. That is why you were asked to come down. That is why I turn to my elders for guidance. However, I do possess wisdom of my own. For so long, every Village in every country has tried to live on its own, without a single care for anyone around them. It hasn't done anyone any good. In fact, history would show that certain Wars could have been prevented altogether if the Villages had better relations with one another. That being said, I do not believe that fostering relations with other Villages through kindness and compassion is an act of weakness at all."

Chiyo was slightly taken aback by the boy's answer. She and her younger brother had been living in a self-imposed exile from the Village for years now. They wanted nothing to do with the Village and its vicious tenets. However, looking at the youthful face of Sunagakure's new Kazekage, she could not help but feel a faint sense of hope. Smirking, Chiyo replied.

"Yes, well, you're young. We'll see if those ideals of yours hold up against the test of time. In any case, if it was our blessing you wanted, then let the entire Village bear witness. You have our blessing. Go, but be sure to return safely."

Suddenly, they heard a feminine voice calling out through the crowd.

"A-Ah, sorry! E-Excuse me please, excuse me!"

Chiyo, Ebizō, Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari all turned to the direction the sound was coming from. When they did, a brown haired young lady squeezed through the crowd and landed none too gracefully on the ground in front of Gaara.

"Kya! Ow…"

The girl looked up, and when she locked gazes with Gaara, her face immediately went red. She quickly stood upright and bowed to her Kazekage.

"K-Kazekage-sama!"

Gaara stared at her silently for a few seconds, making the girl all the more uneasy. After a while, Gaara spoke.

"Matsuri."

Still flustered and panicking, Matsuri struggled to stammer out a reply.

"A-Ah, I-I heard that you were about to leave on a mission, Gaara-sama, s-so I thought I outhgt to bring you something!"

Then, Matsuri reached into her backpack and pulled out a rather large bento box, along with a metal flask.

"I-It's not much, and I'm not the best cook but… I thought it might be of some help. It's a long way to Ishi, after all. A-Also, I made this herbal brew that's supposed to slow down bleeding. I-I mean, I know you probably don't need it but… ah…"

Matsuri stopped herself before she could babble on and embarrass herself in front of the Kazekage. Her gaze flickered to and fro from Temari and Kankuro's smirking faces to the ground, before she finally snuck a glance at Gaara. Much to her surprise, the boy merely stood silently, head slightly tilted to the side, as if her gesture confused him. Deciding to salvage the situation, Kankuro took a step forward, barely able to contain his snickering, and took the bento from the girl.

"I'll take care of that. Don't worry Matsuri, we'll make sure Gaara here eats it."

Matsuri smiled at Kankuro and handed him the bento. Then, she turned to Gaara who, despite still having a confounded expression plastered on his face, took the flask from her and spoke.

"… Thank you, Matsuri. Your concern is appreciated."

A faint blush passed over Matsuri's cheeks. Then, without so mucha s another word, Gaara turned and started walking. Kankuro and Temari followed after him, smiling all the while. As they departed, the villagers and shinobi of Sunagakure waved and cheered, wishing them well on their journey.

Once they were far enough from the Village, the sound of cheering began to fade. All that was left was the sound of sand swirling and scattering. Gaara stopped his march, prompting Kankuro and Temari to stop as well. Then, the sand beneath their feet began to swirl. Slowly, it clumped together and compressed until it took the shape of a small boat. Gaara threaded his chakra through his feet and into the sand beneath them, and for a second, his concentration wavered.

"… Oi oi! You taking liberties with my sand again, ya little brat?"

Gaara clenched his jaw.

"… What do you want, tanuki?"

Shukaku snarled at the insulting term, and replied in a harsh tone that sent a dull ache throughout Gaara's head.

"Shut your mouth, brat! I just wanted to remind you of our agreement. Hehehehahahaha! You better keep your end of the bargain, or I won't keep mine!"

Gaara clenched his fists – something that was received with fear and concern by Kankuro and Temari. He disliked the entire premise behind his agreement with the Bijuu, but it was a necessary step in keeping him in line.

"… I will. Once we've crossed into Ishi territory, you'll get your fair share of bloodshed."

"Hahaha…. Ahahahaha gehehehe! Good, good… It's been a while since I last got to flex these ol' muscles of mine! Not since that damned Kyuubi's brat took you on! This'll be fuuuun!"

Gaara sighed heavily. Suddenly, the voice inside his head fell silent, and the ache subsided.

"… You okay, Gaara?" asked Temari.

"… I am."

Kankuro narrowed his eyes slightly at the boy. Despite the amount of change Gaara has underwent, he still had a tendency to rely on his own strength even when he ought to rely on others. Perhaps the burden of being Kage was one of the reasons he retained that quality. Regardless of that, there were things even Kage could not handle alone.

"… It's him again?"

Gaara was silent for a few seconds. That was the only answer Temari and Kankuro needed, though.

"Gaara," said Temari. "You should get the seal strengthened. We have the means to do so. You can't keep him at bay foreve—"

"No."

The sudden reply caught her off guard.

"To strengthen the seal means to cut off all ties with him and to restrain him all the more. That's not an option. If I wish to eventually control this power, I have to establish a decent tie with the tanuki, despite our differences. I cannot afford to cordon off his power when I could instead be using it for the protection of the Village."

Gaara then turned to his siblings, and spoke in a serious yet sincere tone.

"As I've said before, I can handle him."

Kankuro and Temari nodded hesitantly. It was true – he had already said it many times before. He had repeatedly expressed how he had the Tanuki's power and influence under control. The only problem was, everytime he did so, neither Temari nor Kankuro were convinced.

Gaara turned once more and manipulated the sand beneath them. The sand-boat suddenly dashed forward with a quick burst, causing both Kankuro and Temari to stumble backwards slightly. They managed to steady themselves quickly though. Quickly and quietly, the Sand Siblings raced across the desert of Suna, heading towards the hellish wastelands of Ishi.

Little did they know that lurking within those lands, were two ferocious and bloodthirsty devils, looking for the next prey to sacrifice.

Well. There you go. A lot more intrigue than actual fighting, I know. Although, as you can see, Gaara was mentioned in this chapter. This means in the next chapter, he will be faced with plenty of challenges, as well as maybe... hmmm... a BATTLE? And there's going to be a different kind of action scene next chapter too, just a warning. I'll try to make it steamy, but not too cheap or pornographic. Although I must say, writing anything erotic is really HARD for me. (Get it? Hehe. It's STILL a sex thing.) I hope you enjoyed this chapter guys! What will become of their little game with The Devil? Who will come out on top? What of the Sand Siblings? Lots of questions! Tune in next time to get your answers.

And now, on to the reviews!

supperdude - I'm really glad I can give you such a rush with the written word! I hope you keep getting the same feeling, and I hope you continue to enjoy yourself friend! And don't worry, I won't stop writing until this story is finished. I'll make sure to keep myself alive until then. Afterwards though, I'm free game. Thank you for the review, and feel free to write another one if you have any questions or comments!

A happy person - It's a shame what happened to him. He could have done so much more adventuring if it wasn't for that damned kunai.

Scarease - He's another new chapter! Sorry for the delay. Hope it didn't put you off that much, friend!

King of Spears - I'm glad you liked the chapters! Trust me, it gets a lot more intriguing from here, and if you liked Game Master Obito, then you're going to love the part he plays in the story! Also, don't you worry friend. Naruto will have plenty more of those badass moments. Sorry if it took a while, and i hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Thanks for reviewing!

Darklink1011 - Ah, that. I reread it and I'm pretty sure that it's an autocorrect error. Word tends to take liberties every now and then. The fox is definitely female though, and she is the First of Nine (That is explained a little later in the story).

Guest - I don't know if I would say that they're paired. Again, I don't believe in pairings. Things change. Relationships fall no. No one in this story is paired. I hope that answered your question!

thor64 - I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I'm happy you found that scene funny. I work really hard to put some funny content in there just to offset the dark and somewhat depressing tone I tend to take at times. I'm glad you guys appreciate it! Also, with regard to Naruto being immune to poisons, I don't believe that's quite true. During his fight with the Oni Brothers, I remember Naruto solving the poison by stabbing his hand to bleed it out or something. Then, the Kyuubi's chakra healed his hand. Also, when Sakura used that poisoned kunai on Sasuke but ended up scratching Naruto with it and he felt the effects after the fight with Sasuke. So yeah, I don't believe he should be immune to poisons. And if he is, then I'm going to have to seriously nerf his abilities because seriously that's cheating. I don't know what it's like to write a Wolverine comic, but I imagine it'd be similar in the sense that no matter what you do the readers will just think pssh it's Logan he can't die. In fact, if any of the jinchuuriki are going to have higher resistance to poison, I think it should be Utakata since his Bijuu has show proficiency in usage of acid and poison gas/secretions. With regard to him being Uzumaki, I recall someone in the manga saying that Uzumaki were famous for their fuinjutsu and their strong life force. I think that means they just live long lives. Mito did live past 100. I don't think that equates to stronger healing powers. Also, I will finally let the cat out of the bag. Yes, Jiraiya knows. And if you tune in next time... mayhap someone else will find out? Thanks for the review, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

RandomPudding - Wow... Seriously, that review of yours meant a lot to me. Everytime I get a review as nice as yours, I can hardly believe it. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you, friend! And I hope the next one won't take a dive in quality as well. Thank you for your kind words and for your review. Every review I get means a lot to me, so I really mean it when I say that your words are appreciated and are taken to heart. Thank you once again!

ScarletRoofs - Iwa will DEFINITELY be interesting, that much I can promise you. I hope you like this chapter. Sorry if there's not much actions. What I'm trying to do is use each visit to the Villages as an chance to further develop the character of the jinchuuriki that belongs in that Village, which is something I've always felt that Kishimoto should have done. Don't worry though, next chapter is going to be action packed, and you will see more of the might Sabaku no Gaara! Also, a lot of people have been saying they don't like Akane very much. I don't know why though. Granted, she was a baddie, but i thought people would at least feel some sympathy for the girl. Apparently not haha!

angel11xpr - Here's another comment reply to your comment which you left in the comment section of ffn! I'm glad you liked the previous chapter, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Again, I'm sorry it took a while. Hope you haven't abandoned the story yet, because things are about to get dicier up in here! Thank you for your comment. As always, it is appreciated!

silentdeath2-2 - I'm happy that i managed to tug at your heartstrings! It always makes me glad when readers feel a connection with my characters, to an extent where they feel intense emotions. I makes me happy to be a writer. Thank you for your review, and know that I will endeavor to make this long story a journey which will make you both laugh and shed tears. Keep on keeping on yo!

Djflemse - I also liked that part! I just loved Jiraiya. I feel like my heart was ripped out when he died. But now that I am the god of this world, I can make sure that that won't happen. Mwahahahaha. Also, it's great that you liked the portrayal of Yugito and Akane's relationship. I tried my best to make it as realistic as possible. With regard to Obito being the Darkspawn, I think he's more of a Corypheus (The controller of the Darkspawn in Inquisition, a game which I have yet to play, who is incidentally also a bitch to beat in Dragon Age 2). I'm thankful for your review, and don't worry about the length. I actually like reading long reviews. Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you keep enjoying the chapters as they come.

Shinsou Tengen Wabisuke - So Tobi is the one that piques your interest the most, you say? Hmmm... BOOM. New chapter is out, Tobi is a bad ass straight up mental motherfucker. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and don't worry because there will be MORE Tobi scenes and MORE games between him and Naruto. I'd like to think that if Naruto was Sherlock, Tobi is THE Professor Moriarty. Thank you for your review, and I hope you keep reading!

Guest (OOS) - Thank you for the compliment! I'm quite late with the update on this one, I know. However, it's finally up after countless hours of rewriting. I hope you enjoy this one as well. And if you're trying to figure out who H is... hmm. You're in for a surprise. No spoilers.

SneakyDevil - She was a little whiny. That much I'll admit. But you have to consider the fact that the girl got jilted by the one person she loves. Granted, it was in the name of justice, but justice and rationality kind of go out the window when you're being raped every night for years and the person who put you in the rape hole goes on with their life like you never even existed. Rape does shit to a person. I think Akane had her judgment clouded by anger and her need to get back at Yugito, and she came off whiny. But still, thank you for your review, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

UchihaMadara1997 - Why thank you, friend! I'm glad that you liked the story so much. For it to be one of your favorite stories really means a lot to me, and I hope you continue to read the chapters despite how shitty I am at updating on time. Thank you for the review!

Leon Negro - Thank you for your kind words Leon Negro! I hardly feel worthy of them, but I shall accept them nonetheless. I hope you liked this chapter as well, and I hope that I didn't make you wait too long. Again, I thank you for reviewing and for being such a good person. I shall try not to disappoint you in the future chapters.

Guest - Woah... Honestly, I've read your review more times than I can count now, and I still find it hard to believe. I mean, FFN is a huge site, and for someone to admire my work so much that they would say something like that, it's unbelievable for me. I don't really share my works outside of FFN, so this really means a lot to me. That being said, I don't really do it for the attention. I'm actually really happy with the attention the story has right now. I'm already familiar with the readers and the reviewers. It feels like a really large family. But if more people were to join that family, I really wouldn't mind at all. They're welcome to, in fact. But yeah, what's important to me is that those who read it like it or that those who read it are able to take something away from it - that I can impart onto them something. With regard to the whole Asura and Indra thing... That's a tough question, and it'll get me started on a rant about the BS that went down in Naruto. So, I'll keep my answer brief. Asura and Indra were meant to be a metaphor in the beginning of the story. And it was beautiful that way. The brother that brandished the sword and the brother that held the shield. Force against Compassion. Power against Patience. It was a beautiful concept, when it was a metaphor. When it became a literal goddamn thing though, shit went off the rails. Kishi spent an entire series setting up a world with certain rules like strength comes with time etc... and then by the end surprise you're literally the spirits of Asura and Indra boom god powers. No. That's going to stay a metaphor, thank you, and I will use that metaphor as wisely as I can. No spoilers though.

Guest - I'm glad you read the first 12 chapters, although I have to say, I was a lot younger when I wrote those. Well, not a lot, but my writing style has kind of changes a bit. I hope you read the other chapters as well, and I hope you enjoy them!

omega-fanfiction - Here we are at last, old friend! Once again, let me start off by saying thank you for your review. I always have fun reading them. And you're right. I reread my earlier chapters, and I guess i did develop a lot. I'm glad you noticed, and I'm glad I'm improving. I get what you mean, and I'm grateful that you feel that way. Also, don't you worry about how the story is going to end. I know exactly how this story is going to go. Well... I have a rough draft in my head that is open to modifications.

Hopefully you like how i eased them into the setting of Kiri. By the way, in this story, Mei became Mizukage before Naruto 'died' in the Valley of The End. If I recall correctly, Yagura died before the show even started. Obito had already worked his magic on him. I hope you also enjoyed the backstory i put in about Jiraiya and Tsunade. There;s going to be a lot more Jiraiya in the future. With regard to him knowing about Naruto's secret... I can't say if he's going to tell people about it. All I can really say is... SOMEONE will find out. Also, Orochimaru will still play a big part in this story. Just... maybe not in the way you might expect. And yes, Naruto will, in his own way, eventually get a shot at all the Kage, EVEN Tsunade. Who knows, maybe even Gaara. Their rematch is long overdue, after all. I did dole out an Itachi versus Kisame. Why not Naruto versus Gaara?

Regarding Kurama and Kushina, yeah I agree. Their relationship wasn't the best. They definitely didn't seem to get along. So it might be awkward for her to appear in Naruto's psyche and watch as her son playfully dicks around with Kurama. Also... Tayuya and Naruto. Oh god, I know exactly where this story is going, and I'm excited to see what kind of reaction I'm going to get when i reach that part of the story. Naruto will also have plenty of moments with Sasuke, though they might focus more on repairing their relationship/rivalry. But he definitely will troll Sasuke because, let's face it. My version of Naruto is smarter than canon Naruto, but he's also an asshole. Like, a huge dickwad. A massive prick. I guess it is true what they say about authors imparting some of their attributes onto their main characters. (Because I'm an asshole too, yay!)

Gaara. Want to see more of him, huh? Granted, he only made one appearance in this chapter... but the next chapter though. Dear god. I feel like a lot of people will enjoy reading Gaara's scenes in the next chapter of this arc because... well, let's just say that I put an interesting twist to him. And this agreement he has with Shukaku? You'll find out aaaall about it... next chapter.

And finally... Tobi. Oh, Tobi. Out of all the characters I had to write about in this story, he's the one i take most pride in. To answer your question... As of now, Tobi is shrouded in mystery. Everyone knows that I changed up his character, but no one knows just how much I actually changed. Well, trust me, everything will be addressed. In the future chapters, the veil will slowly be lifted one inch at a time. Tobi is the ultimate baddie here, so he has to have as much build up as possible. And his meeting with Kakashi? Ohhhhh my... That'll be a few chapters away, but in the near future, you WILL get a teaser of that. I won't say too much, but I will say that Tobi and Kakashi will run into each other. That's it. No more comment on that subject. You'll have to keep your eyes open for that scene. But know that when the reveal finally happens, it's going to have a lot more emotional weight on it than in the mange, where everyone almost already knew it was Obito.

Anyway, there's the reply, and boy it was a long one as well. Thank you for the review. It really means a lot to me that you review every chapter. I don't think I say that enough. You don't have to do it, but you do anyway, and that's what's so great about it. Thank you friend, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

That's it for the reviews. As always, Keep on keeping on yo. - IIVII