Greetings, my loyal readers! Yes, I'm still alive. Writing this has been a bitch. I can't tell you how annoying this chapter has been. To compensate for its belatedness, I added in a bit of the next chapter. Since you didn't come here to listen to me, let's get this show on the road!

LET THE READING COMMENCE!

Susanoo slammed the pommel of his blade against his face, crushing his nose. He immediately followed up with a powerful kick to his side, audibly cracking a few of his ribs. As he squirmed, trying to reset the bones to speed up his healing, Susanoo reached down and picked him up by his neck and proceeded to drag him to the edge. He held him out over it, preparing to drop him. It was at that moment that he saw his grin. That sadistic grin that never went away, the expression that made the other Kami question if he was really related to Amaterasu. "You wanted a duel, you got one."

"I hate you…" he growled as his nose began to heal. Susanoo's grin seemed to widen.

"Oh, I know you do. Here's the problem. I don't care!" his tone was dripping with mockery, infuriating him. "I hate listening to you prattle on and on about how much you hate me and my siblings. I hate listening to you complain about your lack of notoriety amongst the humans. You talk too damn much!" he tossed him to the side, keeping him on the plane. He sat up, wincing as his ribs creaked in pain. "So now I'm gonna fix that." he looked up at Susanoo, seeing his grin go from being sadistic to absolutely psychotic. He then tasted blood as Susanoo plunged Totsuka into his throat and began carving his vocal cords out. His mouth gaped open in a silent scream, he watched in horror as Susanoo pulled them out of his throat, gleefully incinerating them with a blast of lightning.

He let out a gargled sound, completely unintelligible to anyone's ears, clutching his throat. Susanoo grinned happily. "Oh, that's much better. I prefer you this way. Now, then," his eyes darkened, actually making him shiver in fright, "let's see how many pieces I can cut you into before you pass out." he hefted his blade and crouched down next to him. He raised his bloodstained blade…

He blinked tiredly, rubbing the scar on his throat. Ever since he found Susanoo in Yomi, he had dreamt repeatedly of the day he lost his ability to speak. After thousands of years, the act itself held no tormenting memories for him. What still terrified him to this day, though, was his smile as he did it. He had carved his throat open with an almost childlike glee. That smile still tormented him to this day.

He stood up, waving off his oni servants as he grabbed his cloak. It was time to check up on his favorite prisoner…

Amaterasu sighed impatiently. She and Kushinada had traveled down to the lower realms to enter Yomi and, after stepping over the carnage caused by her little sister and her apprentice, met up with Enma. Unsurprisingly, he informed them that they had entered the gate. "And you're sure there's no way you can permit me to enter?" she asked. Enma didn't have a problem with Kushinada entering, but Amaterasu was not allowed in. Her powers were toxic to practically everything in there, due to it being a land of darkness and her a light Kami.

"I am truly sorry, Amaterasu-Omikami-sama, but my duty is to make certain that Yomi remains safe for its denizens. Your mere presence would kill thousands." she nodded reluctantly. She couldn't risk destroying that many souls just to save her brother. Tsukuyomi would have to do it alone.

"I understand, Enma-daio. Would you be opposed to my staying here until my otouto is found?" he shook his head.

"Of course not, Amaterasu-Omikami-sama. Kushinada-sama may stay as well, if she wishes." he offered. Kushinada shook her head.

"Thank you, but I would rather bring my husband back. I trust Tsukuyomi-chan, but this is something I need to do myself. Susanoo-kun has always been there for me, and I for him. That's not going to change, no matter how long we're apart." Enma and Amaterasu smiled.

"Very well, Kushinada-sama. Please hurry, though. As Susanoo-no-Mikoto-sama's wife, some of them will be quite eager to get their revenge on him through you." he reminded.

"Thank you for the warning, Enma-daio, but I still need you to open the gate." the giant deity nodded, pulling the gate open. With one last reassuring smile to Amaterasu, Kushinada headed into Yomi, intent on finding her lost love.

Deep in Yomi

Naruto grimaced as he wiped the blood off of his face. Apparently, the deeper one went into Yomi, the more violent the, as Tsukuyomi called them, Yokai got. They had long passed the dark, desolate wasteland, now in a place Tsukuyomi identified as the "Tengu Forest". From what she told him, this area was, obviously, occupied almost solely by the spirits of evil tengu. The tengu were much more formidable than the oni, being agile and strong. They weren't as durable as the oni, though, making it somewhat easier to slay them.

He turned to Tsukuyomi, who somehow was perfectly clean, not a drop of blood on her. "Hey, Tsu-chan," he called, drawing his girlfriend's attention, "you find anything?"

"I'm not sure…" she replied, looking puzzled. "I'm sensing Kami energy, but it's not Onii-san's…"

"What about that Amatsu Mikaboshi guy? He's a Kami, right?" she nodded.

"Yes, but his energy is very different from ours. Evil Kami always have a darker energy. This energy isn't dark, but it's not really light, either. It's… chaotic, and it's close." she frowned, thinking. The energy felt so familiar, but she just couldn't pin where she had sensed it before.

As he watched her, he winced, feeling his stomach tighten. Dismissing the pain as nothing serious, he attempted to continue their trek, only to fall to his knees, feeling as if a fire had been set inside of him. Tsukuyomi quickly took notice of this and rushed over to him. "Naruto-kun, are you okay?" he winced, trying to smile to reassure the moon goddess.

"Y-Yeah, Tsu-chan. I'm-" he grunted as the pain spiked, "I'm fine. D-Don't worry about me. We need to f-find Susanoo-sensei." he took multiple deep breaths, the pain beginning to dissipate slightly for some reason. "Alright?" she seemed unconvinced, but acquiesced, helping him to his feet.

"We still need to search the rest of this area before we can move on. Let's go." she headed off deeper into the forest. Naruto followed after her, unknowingly holding his stomach.

Unknown Location

Susanoo growled. This was more torturous than the physical torment by far. The monotonous drip of falling water, the relative silence of everything else around him, it was annoying. "If he's really going to kill me, I wish he'd just do it all ready. Yeesh, even I never took this long to finish someone off…"

"Susanoo-kun?" he blinked.

"Kushinada-chan?" he called. Was he hallucinating? Had the torture unhinged him?

"Susanoo-kun! I can't tell you how good it feels to hear your voice, even if it's through telepathy." he smirked. Their bond…

"Likewise, Kushinada-chan. Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm in Yomi, looking for you." he blinked, not expecting that.

"You're where? Kushinada-chan, I never wanted you anywhere near this place! It's too dangerous!"

"I know it's dangerous, but if our roles were reversed, you would have dived headfirst into Yomi to save me. I'm going to do the same for you." he smiled in spite of his anger.

"Alright. We can argue later. Where are you exactly?"

"I'm near the Sanzu River." he grinned triumphantly. He loved this woman.

"Good. You can get me free. Listen closely…" he began to relay directions for her, telling her how to get to him and what to do once she was there. With the two of them working together, this would never fail.

With Amaterasu

The sun goddess bounced her foot impatiently as the oni gave her a cup of tea. She trusted Tsukuyomi and Kushinada, but she shared her siblings' desire to save her loved ones herself. "I am truly sorry, Amaterasu-Omikami-sama. I wish I could allow you inside." Enma apologized again. She waved off his apologies, sipping the tea. Its taste calmed her, made her less anxious about her siblings' return.

"You need not apologize, Enma-daio. I just want my siblings to return safely." he nodded. They were silent, no other subject to speak of. Enma had graciously allowed her into his private office, a rather spacious area due to his size. It was quite luxurious, as befitting the ruler of the lower realms. Trying to find something to distract her from her family's predicament, her thoughts turned to Naruto's training. Tsukuyomi had taken it over, due to them splitting up to search for Susanoo, but Tsukuyomi had kept her well informed. His skill at wind manipulation had increased dramatically, though she doubted he would be able to last even five seconds against a Kami. That fact was precisely why she was so uneasy about Naruto and Tsukuyomi going into Yomi without her. While her younger sister was quite powerful, being one of the oldest Kami, she would not be able to best the Kami that currently resided in the realm. There was one in particular that she was extremely worried about. Deciding to glean some information on said Kami's whereabouts, she drew Enma's attention. "Enma-daio."

"Yes?" he asked, his attention completely focused on her.

"Do you know the section of Yomi that Amatsu Mikaboshi resides in?" Enma shifted in his chair, seeming reluctant to speak of the evil Kami.

"…Why do you ask?" he responded after a moment.

"Enma-daio, you are well aware of how Amatsu Mikaboshi ended up in Yomi. You know the role I and my brother played in it. My imouto is in Yomi now. If she gets close enough for him to sense her…" she left the implications hanging. He nodded reluctantly.

"I understand, Amaterasu-Omikami-sama. He is rather difficult to locate, even for my Shinigami." he began. "I will summon one. Hopefully they can glean his whereabouts, and perhaps your sibling's as well." he waved his hand, summoning an odd creature to their side. It was roughly ten feet tall and wore a long white robe. The robe was open slightly at the chest, revealing its emaciated purple skin. Its hair was white and quite shaggy, making his head appear rather large. Poking out of the large mane were two long dark horns. It held a tanto with a bandage wrapped handle in its mouth.

"Yes, Enma-daio?" it asked, cocking its head.

"Go into Yomi and find Amaterasu-Omikami-sama's siblings. I also want you to locate Amatsu Mikaboshi-sama. Report back to me when you've located either of them. Understand?" the creature nodded, dissipating into a shower of white orbs.

With Kushinada

The raven haired woman pulled her tanto from her kimono as she crept through the dungeon-like area. Finding this place hadn't been easy. Yomi's landscape was deceptively tricky to those unfamiliar with it. Fortunately for her, Susanoo had been to Yomi quite a few times, so he was quite detailed in his directions to the otherwise unseen entrance to the "dungeon". It was guarded by two oni, though she was able to slip past them unseen. Fortunately for her, oni weren't too observant.

She swallowed, taking a deep breath. The air in this place was nearly suffocating. It felt vile, as if there was a pall over her head. Whoever lived here definitely wasn't someone she would enjoy spending time with. She crept past the few oni that were making their way through the halls rather easily. She understood that oni made good minions, but why were they the only ones in the base? They weren't exactly good security, as she had already demonstrated. "Go down the next hallway and turn left." she nodded, carefully sneaking around the corner. With every turn she made, Susanoo's voice got louder and clearer. She could tell from the clarity of his voice that he was close.

Soon enough, she came upon a pitch black door. It deeply contrasted the almost medieval look of the rest of the area, being sleek and flawless. She didn't even see a way to open it! "Break it down." he said.

"But won't that-"

"Yes, but once its down, you just have to cut me free. Even weakened, I can handle his oni guards. Do it." she nodded, bracing herself. She charged the door and slammed her shoulder into it, knocking it to the floor with a surprisingly loud thud. As she rubbed her shoulder, she allowed a smile to come to her face as she stared at her husband for the first time in half a year. In spite of the many scars that now adorned his torso, he looked surprisingly healthy. His face was mildly obscured by a bushy beard that, in her mind, didn't really fit him. She sped forward, kneeling to meet his eyes. "Hey, hime." he smiled weakly. "Cut off the chains." she nodded, slicing through them with her tanto. He rubbed his wrists, wincing as he shakily stood up. Kushinada grabbed him, helping him stay up. "It's good to see you again, hime. How's Imouto and the others?"

"We can catch up later, Susanoo-kun. We need to get you out of here." he nodded. She helped him walk as they made their way out of the room. Unfortunately, their escape would not be easy, as they saw several oni barreling down the hall towards them. Susanoo sighed, pulling free from Kushinada.

"I'll handle this…" he immediately fell to his knees, unable to stand without support. He looked down at his legs quizzically, clearly surprised at his body's weakness. Kushinada made him sit against the wall.

"You rest. I'll handle them. Have a little faith. I am your wife, Susanoo-kun." he nodded.

"Give 'em hell, hime." she flipped her tanto into a reversed grip and bolted towards the oni. She ducked under one's club and swiftly cut its arm off as she smashed another's head into the wall. Seeing the shock on the group's faces, she capitalized on their surprise and charged them. She threw her tanto into one's head as she flipped another onto its back before breaking its arm. She wrenched its club out of the broken limb's hand and bashed open another's head with it. She furiously swung the large club, killing every single oni in the hall in a disturbingly bloody display. "Holy shit, hime…" Susanoo blinked, surprised at his wife's ferocity.

"What?" the now bloodstained woman asked as she tossed aside the blood-stained club. She retrieved her tanto and headed over to him.

"I don't think I've seen you be so… brutal. That's usually my job." he said as she helped him stand again.

"They took my husband." she responded simply. He smiled. She had come a long way from the shrine maiden he had met all those years ago.

"Let's go. Someone will have heard that." she nodded, helping him move through the halls to the exit.

With Naruto and Tsukuyomi

Naruto wiped his brow, feeling a burning heat in his abdomen. The rest of his body, however, felt disturbingly cold. He had so far managed to keep Tsukuyomi unaware of his ailment, but he knew she was observant. She'd see it eventually. For now, at least, he had to keep his condition to himself, though. They needed to find Susanoo. They could worry about his ailment tomorrow.

He looked ahead to Tsukuyomi. As they got deeper and deeper into Yomi, Tsukuyomi had spoken less and less. She seemed… anxious about something. Naruto had initially passed it off as worry for her older brother, but that seemed less likely now. Tsukuyomi was acting as if something was hunting them, not like she was worried about her brother. Naruto didn't feel anything, but that wasn't enough for him to dismiss it as paranoia. He had noticed that it was extremely difficult to sense the creatures in Yomi when he first entered. He hadn't sensed anything when the tengu first attacked. He could barely sense the oni outside the gate. He had guessed that it was due to their being, in Susanoo's words, in a different dimension of power compared to him. It was the same reason he couldn't sense Tsukuyomi or her siblings.

He winced as the burning sensation increased. As Tsukuyomi's paranoia increased, so did his pain. Taking a deep breath, he sped up his strides, moving closer to Tsukuyomi. He had to ignore it. They had to find Susanoo. Soon enough, they came upon a dark river. It wove through the bleak landscape like a serpent, going on far past what he could see. Naruto stared into the river, wondering what sort of fish would live in such a dark river. Much to his shock, a face stared back at him. It was contorted in a look of pure, unbridled suffering, a look that Naruto had never really thought could seem so horrific. He jumped back, afraid that something else in the water might pull him in.

Seeing his shock, Tsukuyomi called his attention. "This is the Sanzu River. That was an evil human soul."

"Human souls are put into a river as punishment?" he asked. Naruto didn't really see that as a suitable punishment for people like Orochimaru.

"They aren't the only ones in there, Naruto-kun. We keep serpents in the river. Carnivorous serpents." he gulped. Okay, that was definitely punishment… "Oh, and they can't get out. Ever." Yeah, definitely a suitable punishment. As Naruto peeked into the river again, Tsukuyomi suddenly gasped in recognition.

"What is it, Tsu-chan?" Naruto asked, jumping up.

"I…I can sense Onii-san…" she shakily replied, shocked at the sudden appearance of her brother's life force.

"Really? That's great! Where is he?" he asked excitedly. Now they could hopefully get out of this damn place!

"He's close. That's all I can get. He barely has any energy in his body, but he's alive." she responded, frowning in concentration. Without the Yata-no-Kagami, she had difficulty picking up her brother's life force. She shut her eyes, honing her senses to locate her brother. After several moments, she opened her eyes and began sprinting along the river, having locked on to his life force. Naruto, surprised, quickly followed after her. He found himself struggling to keep up with the small Kami, though he was managing to keep her in sight. Eventually they reached a ninety degree bend in the river, where Naruto saw two figures on the bank. Their physical features were muted by the lack of light, rendering Naruto unable to recognize them at this distance. The only thing he could definitively make out was that they were both covered in a red substance, which he guessed to be blood. Tsukuyomi reached them far sooner than he did, and she excitedly embraced them, confusing Naruto until he got closer and could make out who they were.

Tsukuyomi tightly hugged her family members, happy to see them both again. Aside from Kushinada being covered in blood, they seemed relatively okay, though Susanoo was quite weak, looking to have been tortured, if the marks on his chest were any indication. "Onii-san, who did this to you?" she asked, grimacing at the numerous scars on his torso.

"Who do you think?" he responded, grunting as he adjusted his hold on Kushinada.

"Amatsu Mikaboshi…" Kushinada growled out. Tsukuyomi frowned, her gaze returning to her brother's scars.

"I wish I had my mirror. I could heal these for you." he shrugged uncaringly.

"They'll heal once I get my powers back." he dismissed. He looked around the area, scanning for potential threats. "We should get out of here. Some really big yokai like to frequent this area, and we'll be hard pressed to beat them without a decent weapon." Tsukuyomi nodded. The group began to go back up the river, moving as fast as they could without Susanoo's wounds opening. "Hey, Gaki." Susanoo called, making Naruto look back at him. "Is that Tonbogiri? How'd you get it?" he asked, pointing to the spear on Naruto's back. The blonde nodded.

"Amaterasu-sensei gave it to me as a reward for progressing in my training." he explained, proud of his accomplishment. Susanoo nodded, a proud smile on his face. His student was in possession of a sacred object, and seemed to be putting it to good use. He earned it. He could tell that the blonde had come a long way since the last time he had seen him. It was impressive.

The group continued to make their way along the bed of the Sanzu River, astonishingly avoiding any yokai spirits. The lack of attacks were serving to unnerve Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. As he had said, large yokai frequented the area around the Sanzu River. They weren't exactly the type of yokai that could hide themselves, either. They all jumped when a loud crash erupted from behind them. They turned to see a large serpent with eight heads staring ominously at them. "Well," Susanoo whistled, "this is unexpected."

"What's wrong, Susanoo-sensei?" Naruto asked, pulling Tonbogiri from his back and taking a combat stance.

"That's the Yamata-no-Orochi. I killed it when I met Kushinada-hime." As it slithered closer to them, they were able to make out the many wounds on the creature, all of them looking extremely old. The creature seemed to immediately take notice of Susanoo, roaring furiously at the group. "Good to see I left an impression…"

"So this thing is the legendary eight headed serpent?" Naruto asked, getting a nod from Susanoo. "And it won't likely leave us alone, since you're the one who killed it, right?" another nod. "Okay, that leaves us with one option, then. Fight." Naruto hefted his spear, staring down the serpent.

"Naruto-kun-" Tsukuyomi was about to stop him, but she was cut off by her brother.

"Go for it, Gaki." Naruto grinned at his sensei, charging towards the serpent. Tsukuyomi glared at her brother. "He won't grow as a fighter if you coddle him, Imouto."

"He's still just a Ningen, Onii-san!" she protested. Susanoo grimaced slightly, unnerving the diminutive Kami.

"Not anymore."

Naruto scowled as he charged the serpent, feeling the burning in his stomach increase. Unlike before, though, it actually felt… good, like an explosion of power erupting from deep within him. He didn't know what it was, but the Yamata-no-Orochi no longer felt as threatening. He felt like he could take on anything right now.

He ducked under the tail sent flying towards him and stabbed his blade into the serpent's chest. The beast roared in pain even as several of its heads dove down for Naruto. Naruto quickly pulled the blade free and jumped back, narrowly avoiding their snapping jaws. 'Okay, I think I just pissed it off.' he thought with a slight grimace, seeing that it didn't really seem to care about the wound. 'How am I supposed to kill this thing?'

Off to the side, Tsukuyomi was asking her brother just that question. "It's not immortal," her brother answered, "I proved that years ago. I'm not exactly sure how to kill it here, though."

"What do you mean?"

"See those burn marks?" he asked, gesturing to the many wounds on the serpent. In spite of their obvious age, they still looked to be extremely painful. She nodded. "I made those. I stabbed it with the Totsuka and fried it. With that thing's scales, Naruto's wind won't be much help. Tonbogiri can pierce them, but unless Naruto's a hell of a lot faster than he was six months ago, he won't have a lot of luck with that, either."

"So are you saying he can't win?"

"No. He's going to win this. I know he will." he smiled at his sister. "That kid is strong. Stronger than any Ningen I have ever met. He'll find a way."

Naruto huffed as he dodged another swipe of the serpent's tail. Its 16 appendages were blindingly fast. Coupled with their incredible length, Naruto felt like he was running out of options. It kept snapping at him, keeping him away from its vital areas. 'At the rate this is going, I'm never getting out of here.' he weaved around a head, lashing out at it with his spear. He cut clean through its neck, nearly cutting it off. Landing on his feet, Naruto looked up at the wound, then looked to his spear. 'Tonbogiri can get through its scales…' he looked back up to the Orochi. 'It can't heal… Guess I'll have to do this the old fashioned way. It can't fight without a head, er, heads…'

Naruto grinned to himself, tightening his grip on Tonbogiri. He charged forward, provoking the creature. It sent one of its heads barreling towards the blonde, jaws agape. Naruto danced around the serpent's jaws and slammed the shaft of Tonbogiri against the head that was after him. He jumped past it and, in a single, fluid motion, stabbed the blade into it's neck and cut the head off, sending it flying into the Sanzu River. Yamata-no-Orochi reared back, roaring in pain as the stump flailed about wildly, blood spurting infrequently from it. Naruto grinned, feeling his adrenaline pick up. He hurt it. He could do this!

Elsewhere

His face was fixed in a scowl as he stormed through the halls, a dark aura seeping from him. He quickly reached Susanoo's cell and headed inside. His scowl deepened as he saw Susanoo not in his cell, the chains cut by a blade of some kind. "Damn you, Susanoo…" he growled. He looked down at the door. It was relatively intact, a small dent in the center. Clenching his fists, he brought his foot down on the ebony door, shattering it.

"Um, boss?" an imp stepped into the cell meekly, seeing his master's foul mood.

"What?" he questioned, not even turning around.

"Susanoo has escaped…"

"I can see that, you imbecile!" he growled, his aura flaring wildly.

"B-But we know where he's gone!" he quickly added. This got his master's attention. "He, his wife, his sister, and some boy are on the Sanzu riverbed not far from here. The boy is battling the spirit of the Yamata-no-Orochi."

"How far are they from here?" he asked, approaching the still terrified imp.

"N-Not too far! Their pace must be so slow because of Susanoo's injuries! If you go now, you should be able to catch him!" his master raised his hand, the shadowy aura still coalescing around him. The imp began to shake, certain that he was about to lose his life. He shut his eyes, waiting for the inevitable blow. To his surprise, he felt a gentle patting on his head. He hesitantly opened his eyes to see his master still looking furious, but he seemed… happier somehow, his face holding a slight smirk to it.

"You've done well, imp. Get an oni to clean up the hallway." the imp nodded, immediately taking off to complete his next task.

He grinned sadistically. He could end Susanoo and his loved ones in a single stroke! This just kept getting better and better!

Back with Naruto & Co

Naruto stabbed his spear into Orochi's mouth, making it roar in pain once again. For all the legends about the creature, it wasn't as dangerous as they had led him to believe. It was definitely lethal, but legends had painted it as almost as fearsome as the Kami themselves. He took a moment to examine his handiwork. He had severed two heads so far, and damaged three of it's remaining mouths.

Seeing that it had already recovered, he pulled his spear free and jumped off of the head, narrowly avoiding another snap of its jaws in the process. Before he could land, however, it swung its tail, knocking him against the ground. Surprised at the attack, he was unable to block the head that slammed atop him, barely getting Tonbogiri up in time to prevent it from eating him. Not to be deterred, it closed its jaws around the weapon and reared its head back before releasing it, sending the blonde into the air.

"Shit!" he cursed, unable to maneuver in time to avoid the creature's heads slamming into him. He grunted, releasing Tonbogiri from the shock. The spear spun as it fell, embedding its blade in the ground a good ten feet from Naruto.

Tsukuyomi was about to dash forward to assist her boyfriend, but was stopped by her brother's hand grabbing her shoulder. "Imouto, don't."

"It's not coddling if I'm keeping him from dying!" she shouted. She wasn't going to let Naruto die in a battle that could have been avoided.

"I know. Wait. He's going to be fine. Can't you sense it?" she frowned at her brother.

"Sense what?" she turned back to Naruto, who was being pummeled by the Orochi's heads. Her brother's firm hand on her shoulder was the only thing keeping her from charging towards Orochi to protect him.

"Ignore what's happening. Look at Naruto. Does he look worried?" she focused her gaze on Naruto's face. To her surprise, the blonde was grinning. "I told you, he's not the boy he was when we first met him. He's stronger than ever." he smiled at his little sister. "He will win."

Naruto grabbed the head as it impacted him, immediately halting its momentum. His eyes were wild, showing an odd madness in them. He grit his teeth, standing up as he firmly kept hold of the serpent's head. He dug his heels into the ground and braced himself before lifting the Yamata-no-Orochi off of the ground and slamming him onto his back. Successfully stunning the creature, Naruto bolted over to Tonbogiri and grabbed it before quickly speeding back over to the serpent and cutting off another head. Orochi's other heads flailed as they tried to flip the body back over. Naruto didn't give it time, however, and quickly began to sever its heads. By the time Orochi had flipped itself back over, it was down to three heads. Naruto deftly spun Tonbogiri, flicking the blood from its blade. He wasn't even winded from the immense show of force.

Naruto stared down the bleeding creature, feeling more power than ever coursing through his body. He raised his spear, knowing that if he attacked again, he would destroy the great serpent. He could tell that the serpent knew it, too. "Come on," he muttered, "make your move so that I can end this." the Orochi hissed angrily at the blonde, one of its remaining heads casting a furious glare at Susanoo before it slinked into the Sanzu River, retreating from the battle. Naruto grinned widely. "I won…" he turned to face Tsukuyomi, who looked elated at his victory. "I won!" he ran over to her and scooped her up, spinning her around, ecstatic at his victory.

"Congratulations, Naruto-kun." she said, smiling as he put her back down. She locked eyes with him and immediately frowned confusedly, making Naruto look at her, confused.

"What is it, Tsu-chan?"

"Your eyes, Naruto-kun. They're red." Naruto frowned, releasing her and moving over to the river to see his reflection. She was right. His eyes were red, the pupils slits. They were just like when he was using…

"Kyuubi…" he placed Tonbogiri on his back, turning back to face Tsukuyomi. "Were they like this the whole time?"

"I couldn't see." Naruto frowned, worried. Every time Kyuubi had manifested, save for the incident when Jiraiya was training him, it had been an attempt to take over his body. Right now, though, he didn't feel anything like those moments. He felt better than ever. 'Maybe Kyuubi finally decided to help me?'

"Don't worry, Naruto." Susanoo said, drawing the blonde's attention. "Kyuubi's power is a variation on Kami power, which is why it's so potent. It's mostly his will that runs risks, and as long as you're around us, he shouldn't try to take you over."

"Why?"

"We made him, Naruto-kun." Tsukuyomi reminded. "He's well aware of how easily we could destroy him. He won't risk his death just for freedom."

"It's strange, though." Susanoo interjected. "Kyuubi's power, even lessened by that Shinigami, would be more than enough to obliterate Yamata-no-Orochi. Maybe the seal's leaking…"

"But Kyuubi only loans me a certain amount of his chakra at a time. He's never given me anything close to all of it."

"Yes, but the Yamata-no-Orochi was going to kill you. He would have pumped as much of his power into you as he could to kill it." Susanoo responded. "With the amount you were given, you still could have died."

"I don't see how that's proof that something bad is happening." Naruto said, scratching his head. He froze as he suddenly found himself in front of the Kyuubi's cage. "Okay, maybe he has a point…"

"Gaki…" Kyuubi's tone was markedly different from how it usually spoke to Naruto. It was less condescending than usual, having a slight hint of eagerness to it. "Why are you in Yomi?"

"I thought you could see outside my body." Naruto said. "How could you not know?"

"Your life isn't as entertaining as you seem to think. I was asleep." Naruto blinked, staring at Kyuubi incredulously.

"Seriously?"

"What? I can't take a nap?" it replied, sounding a bit indignant. Naruto wasn't sure to say. The thought of a malevolent entity feared by his entire village taking a nap just seemed… weird, to say the least. Kyuubi crept forward, its eyes focusing on the blonde. "Answer my question, Gaki. Why are you in Yomi?"

"To free Susanoo." Naruto said. He then saw an emotion in Kyuubi's eye that he had never seen before: fear. "He was your creator, right?"

"No." Naruto frowned. "I was not created by the Kami."

"But they said-" Kyuubi scoffed, a condescending smirk adorning its face.

"You're too gullible, Gaki. You believe anything that anyone tells you. You believed that idiot sensei of yours when he said you were me!"

"I…" Naruto felt extremely confused now. The siblings had been nothing but honest to him so far, at least, he thought they had. Now Kyuubi was saying they were lying to him. 'I'm missing something here. Either Tsu-chan and her siblings are lying, or Kyuubi is lying. It's most likely Kyuubi, but he's never lied to me before, either.'

"Don't think too hard about it. Your brain might explode." Naruto glared at the fox.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"It's always entertaining to watch you screw up, so yes."

"What are you doing to my body, Kyuubi?"

"I'm not doing anything, Gaki. It's your location that's affecting you."

"What? What does being in Yomi have to do with your power leaking from my body?"

"Everything." its eyes narrowed at the blonde. "Gaki, I'm going to be clear with you. I hate you. A lot. But you need to know something about the Kami." Naruto stared impassively at the large fox. He needed to withhold his final judgment of who to trust until he had enough information to make a proper decision. Amaterasu had taught him that much. 'Guess her training was useful after all.'

"What, Kyuubi?"

"They're not as benevolent as you seem to think, your girlfriend's brother especially." Naruto frowned again, but remained silent. "They're hiding a great deal from you, Naruto."

"Like what, Kyuubi? I'm going to need a lot more than just your word to believe you." he wisely responded.

"Heh." Kyuubi chuckled, grinning slightly. "Guess you actually were paying attention to that Kami's lessons. I half expected you to start ranting about how much you trust them, or something stupid like that."

"Get to the point." Naruto said impatiently.

"I miss the time when you were afraid of me…" the fox grumbled. Where was the respect? "The nine Biju are the culmination of the natural power of the world."

"Huh?"

"Apparently you're still an idiot." the fox grumbled. "We are the manifestations of a certain element of the world. The more tails we have, the more destructive what we represent is."

"And what do you represent?" Kyuubi grinned pridefully.

"Negative energy. I've been called anger in a sentient form."

"So the whole 'causing tsunamis and tidal waves with a shake of your tail' thing is true?" Naruto asked. The fox nodded.

"You've felt my power. What do you think?"

"So what does this have to do with the Kami supposedly lying to me?"

"Damned impatient Ningen… We were created by the Rikudo Sennin, not by the Kami. It's my first memory."

"But why would they lie about something as frivolous as that?" Naruto said, frowning in confusion.

"You can't trust them, Gaki. Any of them."

"But Tsu-chan's-"

"A Kami. One of the oldest. They've been looking for the Biju for centuries, Gaki. It's a power struggle."

"Power struggle? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Look, you dumbass, I'm actually trying to help you." the fox said, sighing exasperatedly. "Every Biju is aware of this struggle. The Kami are fighting for who's going to be top dog. You've basically been drafted by the San Kizoku no Kodomo. Sounds fun, doesn't it?"

"Even in the off chance that you're telling me the truth, there's still the matter of the proof you haven't shown me yet." Naruto didn't believe the Kyuubi. While he knew there was bad blood between a few Kami, it just wasn't possible for him to believe it without some definitive proof.

"I would, but I can't."

"Why?" Naruto pressed, stepping closer to the cage.

"When your father and that damned Shinigami sealed me in you, they sent half of my power to Yomi. If you get it, I can prove it to you."

"You could also use that boost of power to break out of the seal." Naruto glared at the fox.

"True. Gaki, you'll have to choose who to trust, the Kami that have been manipulating your race for centuries, or the creature that will die if you do. Honestly, which of us has more incentive to manipulate you?" the fox grinned, seeing the conflicted look that briefly formed on Naruto's face. 'Come on, Gaki. You and I both know who you'll choose.'

Naruto clenched his jaw. If Kyuubi was telling the truth, a most unlikely prospect, then he had been lied to. If Kyuubi was lying, then he finally had people who genuinely cared about him. 'Something just doesn't feel right about any of this. Kyuubi's talk about a power struggle could just be an attempt to get free. Foxes are tricksters by nature. Even so, I've been feeling off ever since we got in Yomi. If Kyuubi's power is really in here, I could be… what's the word Amaterasu-sensei used… resonating with it.' One thing Naruto was certain of was that he couldn't let that power remain free. 'If there really are evil Kami in here, I can't let his power remain free. Even with half of his power, Kyuubi is still strong enough to overpower other Biju. If a Kami got their hands on it, we'd be screwed…'

"Alright, Kyuubi. I'll get your power for you, but on one condition." Naruto offered.

"And what might that be?" Naruto smirked.

"Naruto-kun, are you alright?" Naruto blinked, finding himself on his back.

"Uh, yeah, Tsu-chan. What happened?" he asked, sitting up and looking around. They were still on the riverbed, Yamata-no-Orochi's severed heads still laying on the ground around them. Susanoo and Kushinada were standing not ten feet away, her working to keep his wounds closed.

"You lost consciousness after you beat the Yamata-no-Orochi." Tsukuyomi said, looking concerned. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine, Tsu-chan." he assured, standing up with a smile on his face. After a moment, he frowned, looking to the other side of the river. "Do you feel that?" he asked. 'Is that…'

"Feel what?" the diminutive goddess asked.

"That power. Almost feels like Kyuubi's…" the blonde said absently, ambling towards the river. Tsukuyomi immediately pulled him back. Was he crazy?

"What are you doing? I told you, that river is filled with serpents! They'll eat you alive!" she reminded. She immediately took notice of the blonde's unfocused gaze. "Naruto-kun?"

"I've gotta get to the power…" he mumbled, moving back to the river. This time Susanoo stopped him.

"Gaki, you can't go into the Sanzu River. It'll kill you." Naruto brushed past the injured Kami. Just as he was about to step into the river, Kyuubi's power burst from his body, sending him clear over the river. He gracefully landed and continued his journey, surprising the Kami. "Where the hell's he going?" Susanoo asked, turning to his equally confused sister.

"I.. don't really know. He said he sensed a power. A power like Kyuubi's." Susanoo groaned.

"Ah, fuck…"

"What's wrong?" Kushinada asked.

"That probably is Kyuubi's power. Naruto's dad summoned a shinigami to seal it up. It makes sense that they'd put it here." he grimaced. "Those things are more trouble than they're worth. I'm starting to wonder if making them was such a good idea in the first place…" his gaze turned back to his sister, a serious look on his face. "Imouto, you need to go after him. That power is too strong for Naruto to contain. Even half of its power is enough to nearly overwhelm him. He's not strong enough to handle it all." she nodded.

"I'll grab him and get out. What about you? Are you going to be okay?" he grinned, gesturing towards Kushinada, who was helping him stay up.

"I've got my bodyguard to keep me safe." she smiled faintly before nodding, once again serious.

"Good luck." she said before jumping over the river and bolted after the blonde Jinchuriki.

"Come on, Susanoo-kun." Kushinada said, urging him to continue on their trek to the gate. He nodded, a hand clutching his chest.

"We'd better get out of here soon, or you might have to carry me out."

"I will, if that's what it takes." he smirked.

"You've come a long way from when you were human." he complimented. "You needed me to protect you. Now it's the other way around."

"I can't be weak if I'm to be respected as your wife. I refuse to be your weakness." she stated, a serious look on her face.

"You stopped being his weakness years ago." they both stopped in their tracks. "He only has two weaknesses. His explosive temper and his tendency to take in hopeless Ningen." they turned around, both of them glaring at the man before them. He had long raven black hair, stopping at the middle of his back. He had a deceptively pleasant face, the sadistic look in his eyes being the only inkling of his true nature. His skin was pure white, making his black eyes all the more unnerving. Most noticeable, though, was the horrific scar on his neck. It was rather jagged in appearance, looking as though it had been sloppily mended. Kushinada stood protectively in front of her husband.

"Amatsu Mikaboshi…"

And done! Hooray! I'm ecstatic that this chapter is done.

So, yeah, Kushinada is a badass. I figured, being Susanoo's wife, she had to have learned a few things from him over the years. As for Naruto being able to take down Yamata-no-Orochi, that wasn't just because of his training. This chapter has a bunch of little plot hints, so look for them if you want any previews for next chapter.

It's been extremely hard to get a grip on the storyline lately, and that's caused some major writer's block. Dealing with that has caused me to make a decision. While MOTG is still my priority, I will resume work on my other stories, primarily to avoid getting another case of writer's block. Hopefully, that will speed up my posts a bit. Keep reading!

Forever in the Sky,

The Red Star