KG: Sup!

Music of the Month: Bite Marks by League of Legends (ft. TEYA)

Quote: "A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be, " by Rosalynn Carter

Naruto was used to hearing ridiculous things, most of them coming out of his mouth. He was no stranger to the unusual. Hell, he still remembered that time when he'd nearly been passed out for a week after trying to retrieve Sasuke from the Valley of the End. However, this… this easily took the cake for every insane thing he'd ever heard in his life. He looked at his mother and then he looked at Yura. The sorrowful, yet relieved expressions on their faces told him all that they had to, but he simply couldn't accept that. He thought he had to be under an illusion at some point, but that idea quickly dismissed itself when he realized that any of his summons or Kurama would have broken the illusion easily enough. But… how was he supposed to accept this?! There was NO DAMN WAY HE'D BEEN ASLEEP FOR FIVE MONTHS!

However, before he could even throw out an outburst, almost like she was reading his mind, Kushina laid a hand on his chest. "Yes, Sochi. It's true. You've been asleep for the last five months. Tsunade and numerous medics from every nation have been hard at work treating you. Yuri found us passed out and… you were bleeding from a ruptured stomach. It… it was because of the Shinigami Mask. By all accounts, Otsutsuki Isshiki wielded the mask and was possessed by the Shinigami. Obito and the others then cut open his stomach. You took the damage as well and ended up like this. Amaru was able to keep you alive just enough long enough for Tsunade to get there. I woke up after a week. We visited you every day. I promise," Kushina explained.

She took a breath for a moment and Yura took over explaining everything else. Even through his haze, Naruto made out all the necessary information. By tearing open the Shinigami's stomach, those sealed in the stomach of the Shinigami had become unsealed. Through the power of the Edo Tensei, they had returned to the land of living. They then somehow extracted Kurama from his father, Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage.

There was so much information in so little time. The only time Naruto was given to process it was when Tsunade came bursting through the door. She quickly stepped forward with Karin right behind her. Naruto turned his head to them as the Godaime Hokage stood next to his bed. "Damn brat. You really know how to worry people, don't you?" she asked, throwing a doctor's robe on her shoulders.

Karin then stepped forward as well. "You fucking idiot. You're gonna make me pull my hair out one of these days!" the redhead growled. She still remembered how her body trembled when they brought her cousin in front of her. There was just so much blood. It just seemed like his stomach wouldn't stay stitched together. His wound would just open and blood would come pouring out. In fact, he lost so much blood that numerous medics thought about giving up on him already. He had drained her chakra numerous times as she tried to heal him. It was easily one of the most chakra-intensive treatments she'd ever administered.

Being him, Naruto actually had a witty retort to both of them, but his voice was far too raspy to reply. He also felt very tired. He tried to keep his eyes open but it was done just long enough to see Tsunade usher out Kushina and Yura. The latter two kissed his forehead and left. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki's vision slowly started to dim before he felt the warm glow of Tsunade's Mystical Palm Technique over his forehead. He then opened his eyes again as numerous doctors started to pile in. Tsunade barked orders to them all and footsteps ran to and fro, relaying and completing her orders without question. Karin lifted up his bed sheet and inspected the wound on his stomach. Medicinal herbs were rubbed on his body or injected into his body with a needle.

Naruto couldn't even find the strength to be terrified of the needle. He was simply too tired. His life seemed like it was hanging on a damn thread. They poked and prodded him, shining lights in his eyes, checking his temperature, studying the rest of his body with whatever equipment they still had available from Konoha, and generally tried to keep him awake. Slowly, Naruto's condition had improved enough that Tsunade could dismiss everyone else.

The Godaime and Karin closed the door behind them and sat in chairs. "Don't try to talk, brat. Like Kushina said, you've been down for the count a long time. To be honest, it's a divine miracle that you're even alive. The amount of blood you lost was enough to fill up ten bodies. I don't know who's watching you, but you better start thanking them," Tsunade said before she finally sighed. She really didn't like seeing Naruto like this.

"R-Rea…lly… f-f-f-five…m-mon…ths?" Naruto groaned out.

Tsunade and Karin sighed. "I'm afraid so, Naruto. But try to relax for now. It won't do good for you to start worrying too much. It will take some time and physical therapy to get you back to where we need to get you. Luckily, your muscles haven't atrophied to a severe degree, especially since every member of the Uzumaki Clan has been with your in-bed exercises. Now, that's enough for now. Let us work," Tsunade said.

Unfortunately, Naruto wasn't in any state to offer a retort. He had numerous questions and absolutely no answers. However, at the very top of every question that he had, there was one that seemed paramount against the others. What happened to the Shinigami?

-x-

(Five Months Earlier)

"Mother! Are you truly going to do nothing?! You see into eternity! You know this was done under the hand of the false god! He is attempting to usurp your authority. He has always been trying to do that. Now, even our brother has fallen because of his machinations! Why do you not take action?!" Susanoo thundered as he slammed his fist on the table.

"Susanoo! You are out of line!" Tsukuyomi fired back. Of course, the Goddess of the Moon agreed with him despite her chastisement. They'd been dealing with the false god for eons at this point. None of them doubted their mother's strength. So long as she desired it, she could rid them all of this annoyance once and for all. Yet, she chose to simply sit there while her children tried to help her keep her power and authority. None of them understood it.

Amaterasu leaned forward. "Mother, what aren't you telling us? You have allowed the false god to continue for much longer than you have allowed anyone. Please, what stays your mighty hand? The false god's disciples were even in the lower realm. The evidence is clear that they moved across to his will. Does it truly not concern you at all?" Amaterasu questioned.

Soon enough, all eyes were on Kami as she allowed her children to finish their interrogation of her. Given what she was putting them through, she figured it wasn't too much to allow them to vent their frustrations. Once they were all done, she opened her eyes. "I am sure you all have numerous questions of me and wonder why I permit certain things. However, you fail to understand something crucial. You believe I allow these things to spiral out of control under their own chaos. I understand your concerns, but your fears are misplaced. To usurp my position is impossible. Even the false god is aware of this. You believe the false god wishes to claim my throne, my power, even my very nature. However, you must know that despite being older, none of you can see as far as Shinigami can. Fear not, for he knew this day would come and such a day as this is crucial not just for him but for Uzumaki Naruto as well," Kami replied.

The other gods looked at each other. "The Shinigami's little pet summoner? What does he have to do with any of this?!" Susanoo asked.

Rather than answer, Kami leaned back in her chair. "Have none of you ever wondered why I haven't punished you all for interacting with the lower realms even when I forbade it?" Kami inquired.

The Woman Who Reigned Through Eternity looked upon her children. They looked at each other clearly bewildered by her question. Much to Susanoo's embarrassment and anger, much of the gazes were directed at him. Despite Jashin's great punishment, he had a point that Susanoo had eons of history… fraternizing with mortal women. In fact, many of his children lay across numerous worlds. That Kami didn't get rid of them was mercy and grace enough for Susanoo. Yet, it did beg the question why she allowed such things.

"Please, regale us with your great wisdom, Mother!" Susanoo said before he was blown from the table and slammed into the wall behind him. Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Sujin, Raijin, Fujin, and others shivered in shock as Susanoo groaned. He tried to stand to his feet before his body was forced to the ground by insurmountable pressure. Susanoo gritted his teeth before Kami stood to her feet and walked over to him.

"I am willing to overlook that slight just this once, Susanoo. Act this way again and you will be joining Jashin in his punishment. See that you do not do it again," Kami warned as the ground crumbled. So great was the pressure that Susanoo couldn't even nod his head. He could only lay there in utter agony before the pressure was released. Susanoo panted and gasped as Kami turned around and walked back to her seat. Her other children watched her silently before she took a seat.

"The first reason is because you are my children. I am your mother. No parent enjoys disciplining their children. One of those reasons was because I simply allowed you your free will to make your own choices. Equally, you would be responsible for the consequences of those decisions. Susanoo, you have asked me numerous times to return the power that your many children have taken from you by their birth. I have not done so because that is your punishment for your disobedience. As for the second reason…"

Kami smiled as she saw her children on edge, wondering what her next words might be. Yet, much to their surprise, she didn't answer that. Instead, she leaned back on her throne and lifted one leg over the other. "I shall provide you with an explanation simply because it is now time for you to know. The reason why I had not destroyed the false god was simply because Shinigami pleaded with me not to until certain matters came to pass. Of course, I knew what he was planning from the beginning. It was why I agreed to let things play out as they have. And, I have kept to my word that I would not interfere until he deemed my intervention necessary. For that reason… I am allowed to showcase how long I have held my wrath in check!" Kami said, her eyes burning with furious fire and her voice like the deepest strikes of thunder.

Her children weren't even allowed to fully comprehend her words before there came the sound of something being moved against its very will. Stars and celestial bodies shook violently. Everyone then noticed the very subject of their discussion standing next to Kami. It was clear that even the false god hadn't the time to fully realize it.

"What is the meaning of this?!" The false god clamored, his starry eyes wide. He had been meditating as he had done for eons. In fact, he'd been aware of his victory in orchestrating the events regarding his followers and Otsutsuki Isshiki. While the stragglers weren't a part of the plan, they were still additional pieces that he could work with. He had been preparing to manifest himself before them all.

Because The Great Will was a celestial being, he couldn't reveal himself haphazardly. He had to severely limit his power just so his disciples, his prophets, could comprehend his existence without their minds being shattered. Unfortunately, even after eons of learning, he still hadn't been proficient in doing that. It was why he did it so rarely, and why he never showed himself around Kami or her children unless necessary. However, the startling thing was that he had been forcefully brought before them all… and he hadn't even been aware of it until it was too late.

…Just like he hadn't been aware of that hand that slammed into his face and crashed him into the side of the wall. Celestial bodies and violet outer storms roared as The Great Will felt every fiber of his being slowly erode into an abyss of nothingness. He tried to raise his hand but his body was immediately pulled back and slammed into the wall again.

"Know this, Otsutsuki Shibai, I take no pleasure in the destruction of any being. Had you acted properly, I would have even permitted you to retain the fruits of your labors. Yet, you have mocked my authority, dealt deceitfully with my children, endangered my creations, and plotted against me for long enough. For your transgressions, I hand you your sentence. You shall become as nothing for not even ashes shall be burned up and laid to waste. And your followers… shall be used as steps for their enemy," Kami said as Shibai snarled at her. He tried to raise his arm, or even activate the dormant divine energies within him, yet he was unable to for Kami had taken command of all of it. Her eyes narrowed while her grip tightened.

"I rarely raise my fist for any matter. Yet, you shall feel every measure," Kami claimed as she blasted her fist into The Great Will's face. The walls shattered from the blow Kami dealt as Otsutsuki Shibai crashed through another set of walls. He slammed into the floor before Kami appeared behind him as he rolled. She then grabbed him by his throat and slammed him onto the floor. Shibai snarled as Kami's children raced out to watch. They watched their mother stare down at the false god.

"I… will not be the end. There will be many to take my place, many who will continue my legacy. You who see into the depths of eternity, know this to be true!" The Great Will snarled out as he felt the very essence of his divinity, eons of Otsutsuki evolution and devouring of chakra fruit crafted from the lives of other planets. He'd worked so hard to make it to this point, even shedding his mortal coil in the process. Now, it was all being erased. Energy that he couldn't even begin to comprehend was being pressed upon him. All his power was being taken away.

"Shall I impart one last thing upon The Great Will before it passes into The Vast Nothingness?" Kami inquired, lifting Otsutsuki Shibai until his gaze was leveled with hers. She then tapped his forehead with her finger. With that tap, the will to fight, live, or even be, had left The Great Will's body. His body eroded away as if burning dust had blown away. He couldn't even stare into the eyes of Kami like he used to. Her divinity was like the sun against a blade of grass, breaking his mind in an instant.

Kami released the false god and he burned away until nothing remained. Her children watched on as their mother straightened her dress and cleared her throat. She walked over the brief destruction and fixed every imperfection until everything was back to how it should have been. All of her children were silent as she boldly, yet gracefully stepped back into the room. She sat back on her throne and smiled. "I trust you are satisfied with my decision?" she asked.

Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, and the others remained silent for a long while. It certainly seemed rather… odd how decisively their mother had dealt with the problem after all of their complaints. Yet, with the false god taken care of that led to another matter. "Well… what about Shinigami? He is still recovering from the wound," Tsukuyomi clamored. Her little brother was always something of a pain with his attitude, but Tsukuyomi loved all her siblings. Some more than others naturally, but she never wished for a travesty to come upon them like one that came on her little brother.

"My son knew that this matter was coming and he asked for me to not interfere once again. He shall awaken when he deems it necessary. Fear not, his realm remains stable with Uzumaki Naruto as the anchor which is why I have allowed this matter to play out. As for the false god's territory, I shall divide it amongst Suijin, Raijin, and Fuijin. They shall govern this area. See that you not follow in Jashin's footsteps. I am not above disciplining the three of you either. Especially you, Suijin," Kami warned.

Her three sons swiftly nodded, bowing in the presence. Kami then dismissed her children and allowed them to go about their own affairs. She closed her eyes for a moment and spotted her son in his realm. He continued to float in the air, raising and falling as if in a deep slumber. After a moment, a smile graced her face. "Uzumaki Naruto. Be sure to not fail my son's expectations. He has quite a lot riding on you."

-x-

(Present Time)

Naruto looked out the window as the lands of his home. It'd been two days since he had woken up and he'd been receiving visitors all day. He simply couldn't believe it. He'd been asleep for five months. Five months he'd been unable to enjoy his marriage with his mother or continue professing his love for Yuri or Yura. He wondered how horrible his lovers must have felt without him being able to console them. Those were just five months of his life that he would never get back. And, there was simply no answer as to why or how this happened.

Oh sure, Naruto knew about that injury to his stomach that had been slit open. However, he always recovered quickly, even from injuries like that. Hell, Sasuke tore a hole through his damn shoulder when they fought back in the Valley of The End. He was no stranger to life-threatening injuries, but… never anything like this. Yet, the strangest thing of them all was that he couldn't speak with Kurama or any of his summons. Well, it wasn't like last time when he fought Jashin. He could still sense them all but… it was like something was blocking communication with them.

Well, it wasn't like Naruto didn't have an idea as to why. The Shinigami had warned him of the mask. As the summoner of the Shinigami, Naruto's power was directly tied to the god of Death. The Shinigami had warned him of the mask. It was certainly very powerful but all damage received to the host possessed by the mask would be transferred to the Shinigami, and that damage would also be transferred to Naruto. In fact, it looked a lot like the mask that covered his face whenever he lost himself to darkness that he hadn't gotten rid of.

As Naruto understood it, Shinnō had betrayed them. No, it was likely that he was never with them to begin with. Yet, not even Naruto was aware of it. No one was. They let him so close because of Amaru. She trusted him and why shouldn't she? He was the man who saved her life and the one who taught her everything that she knew. It was like Jiraiya betraying Naruto after the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki had learned all he could from the man. Apparently, Kushina decided to defer punishment to Naruto. If he didn't wake up, Kushina would have handed out the punishment eventually. Circumstances aside, it was true that Amaru violated the rule that Naruto and Kushina had put in place. Everyone understood why and it was clear that the guilt of the situation had been upon Amaru.

For the last few hours, Naruto had also been thinking about that. As the Clan Head, it was his responsibility to enforce their laws. A punishment ought to be given. Even then, given Amaru's personality, she wouldn't have been satisfied with not being punished either. Being pitied was much worse than any punishment. Naruto knew that very well.

Then there was the circumstances surrounding everything. He finally managed to digest all of the information. Akatsuki and Isshiki used the mask's power to summon the four previous Hokage of Konoha, especially the Yondaime Hokage, his father, from the Shinigami's stomach. They somehow extracted Kurama from the Yondaime Hokage and sealed it into Isshiki. Before the Otsutuski could do anything else, the two Otsutsuki that Naruto and Kushina had been fighting had taken Isshiki and the Akatsuki members away but not before Sasuke could kill Kisame back in the cave.

The chilling thought amongst it all was that Naruto had no idea how long Isshiki's plot had been going on. How long had he been preying on the civilian populace? Where had he gone when Jashin came upon the world? Where was he now? It wasn't like Naruto could just go to the realm of the gods and ask anyone there, especially not without the Shinigami.

"I think I'm starting to get why Shikamaru thinks everything's troublesome. It certainly feels like it sometimes," Naruto thought to himself. According to Tsunade, he'd begin physical therapy in a few days. Maybe it was the power of the Honshou working through him, but Karin and the doctors marveled at how fast he was recovering. It was even predicted that he'd be able to leave the constructed hospital in two weeks. Of course, he had to take things slow but just that improvement was more than anyone was expecting, especially him.

Naruto's thoughts were taken away when he heard a knock on the door. He turned his head and noticed the door open. To his surprise, he saw Hiashi come through with a basket in his hands. Ah right, he hadn't seen Hiashi ever since he woke up.

"I see the rumors are true. You have finally woken up. It is good to see you in good health, Naruto-san," The leader of the Hyuuga Clan claimed as he closed the door behind himself.

"Yo, Hiashi. I'd say it's been a little bit since we spoke, but I guess I'd be downplaying everything that part. How are you doing?" Naruto asked, his tone a bit melancholy from taking in everything. Oh sure, he could get angry, but at this point being angry served no purpose. His body kept shaking when he tried to move and muscles weren't responding the way that they should. Even he realized he'd only end up hating himself if he did anything reckless. Besides, he'd have his lovers bearing down on him. That was just a death sentence waiting to happen, especially since he just came back from a coma.

Hiashi walked further into the room and took a seat next to Naruto's bed. "Much better now that you're awake. You wouldn't believe how many of us lost sleep worrying about you. Hinako picked some fruit from the Hyuuga Clan's gardens," he said.

Naruto smiled at the basket. "Oh yeah? And what's it like being a father for a third time? Hanako-chan should be over a year old by now, huh? I might have missed her birthday," the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki returned, a small smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Hiashi grabbed a small knife and began cutting some of the apples and oranges. "It's one birthday. There will be more, Naruto-san. She is turning out just like Hanabi when she was younger. However, I would not trade this matter for anything. You have my thanks, Naruto-san," Hiashi offered, expressing a sincere bow as he handed a plate to Naruto and set it on his lap.

The blond slowly reached for the pieces of fruit. Even holding those was taking some effort, but he managed to eat and savor the taste. "Well, at least one thing is going right. So much for me keeping the nations under control. The first major threat and I'm left in a coma for five months. I have no idea what you guys must have gone through without me. If only I was stronger, none of this would have…"

"Naruto-san…" Hiashi interrupted, getting the blond to look at him.

"We all have things we can do with 'if.' However, there are no ifs. There is only what has happened. No one blames you. Rather, Kushina-san has been adamant that the two of you were having the fight of your lives with the Otsutsuki. You did what you could. Unfortunately, sometimes, doing all we can is not enough. If you wish to prevent things, then simply do what you can. If you have given all you have to give, and then given even more, then no one has the right to blame you. Look at us, the world is still moving. You've done fine," Hiashi advised.

Naruto opened his mouth and then closed it. He finally laughed. "Thanks, Hiashi. However, for once in my life, I'm dreading leaving this bed. I've missed so much, ya know. How am I even gonna catch up?" the Uzumaki Patriarch asked, biting into some of the apples provided to him.

At this, Hiashi leaned forward. "That is why you have us. It will take time but things will return to where they should be if you are willing to work for it. And, before you answer, I know that you are. You are a young man who has always worked for it, whatever 'it' is. You will be fine," Hiashi answered.

Though Naruto did not respond, he didn't believe he needed to. The smile on Hiashi's face was enough for the both of them. Since then, they spoke for a couple of hours enjoying each other's company as friends. Both pleasant and unpleasant news was shared between them without secrets. They continued talking without caring for the time. The sun slowly began to set as the two friends slowly fell into silence. Naruto couldn't help laughing once more before a knock on the door came.

Their conversation paused before the blond saw Amaru come through the door. Immediately, the room turned into a tense silence and Hiashi was more than aware to know the proper etiquette for a situation such as this. "It was enjoyable speaking with you, Naruto-san. I hope we will be able to speak more in the future," Hiashi said, dusting off his robe and standing to his feet.

The Uzumaki Patriarch turned from his cousin to his good friend and smiled. "Yeah, that was awesome, Hiashi. Tell Hinako-chan that I loved the fruit. Tell her that she's welcome to anything from our gardens too. I know she likes the pomegranates that Yukimaru likes to grow. I'll see you later!" Naruto assured, waving Hiashi away as the man bowed. He then passed Amaru and touched her shoulder.

"Take solace in that Naruto-san is not a strict man by heart. You know this. He will not punish you unreasonably," Hiashi expressed, hoping to comfort the young Uzumaki before he left. Amaru watched him go before she turned back to Naruto. His gaze remained even and she couldn't help feeling the guilt welling inside her. He was like this because of her, because she trusted in someone that she should have.

Had the signs always been there? Maybe, but clearly, Amaru either ignored them or couldn't accept them. Now, she was reaping the consequences of her actions. She almost lost her cousin and their family would have gone through a greater grief than she knew how to comfort. It was then that Naruto realized that if this was going to go anywhere, then he'd need to be the one to do something.

"Amaru, come here," Naruto said.

The young redhead lowered her head and her lips quivered. She slowly approached him, each step feeling like the weight of eternity pressing down upon her. She felt so ashamed of herself. When the clan heard that Naruto was awake, everyone quickly went over to see him… except for her. She hid away in her room when she should have been the first to go see him. However, she was too ashamed, too scared, too terrified of what she should say or what he would do. Her family tried to be there for her, but she shut them away. The sting of betrayal from her master simply allowed her no reprieve. The entire five months had been horrendous. She rarely ate and rarely slept.

Yet, here she was. She wanted to make things right, even if it would cause her some measure of pain. She finally stood in front of Naruto. She shook, trembled even. A part of her wanted to just run away, yet the fear kept her in place. She would have liked it more if he just yelled at her. The long silence only made her thoughts fester.

"Amaru…"

"YES!" The redhead jumped, throwing her head up in surprise. She shivered when she saw the blank look on Naruto's face before a smile formed there. He then laughed.

"Amaru, this is me remember? I'm not going to eat you or steal your soul," Naruto remarked.

At this joking nature, Amaru relaxed but only slightly. "Well, I'm sure you could if you really wanted. Besides, I know I'm not only in trouble with you but with the Shinigami as well. I should have just asked if I could share the clan secret with Shinno-sensei, but I didn't, and now… we almost lost you because of my mistake," Amaru replied, holding her head down.

Naruto focused on the way she looked before he finally sighed. "Yeah, I suppose I could, but not right now at least. Figuring some things out is such a headache. Anyway, why are you here?" The blond asked.

Amaru looked up and opened her mouth. She then closed it and looked at Naruto as if he had grown a second head. "Huh? Well, you're gonna punish me right? I figured we might as well get this over with," Amaru replied.

She looked up again and noticed the mock hurt on Naruto's face. "Oh, so all I am in the clan head who gives out punishments? Is that what you think of me? Well, you might as well not call me Naruto. Why don't you call me 'Punishment-Giver' since I'm just sitting here, handing out punishments to everyone who visits me?" the blond ranted rather childishly. It was enough to make even Amaru break out of her mood and offer a small smile. She quickly realized what the problem was.

"Alright, alright, I get it," she said before she leaned over and hugged him.

"NNNNNGH!" Naruto groaned out before Amaru jumped back as she watched him double over.

"Shit! Naruto, are you alright?! I'm sorry. I'm so stupid. I should have…"

"Nnnnnghhhahahahahaahaha! Wow, you really fell for that one?" he asked, laughing while Amaru gritted her teeth. Dammit, she'd beat Naruto to death if he wasn't bedridden at the moment. She was surely going to remember this. He wouldn't be in the bed forever.

"Ha! Ha! Ha. Never funny. I was worried that I hurt you, you idiot!" Amaru replied with a small growl, folding her arms in the process. Meanwhile, Naruto laughed a little more, feeling the need to lighten the mood. His ploy must have worked because Amaru started to laugh as well.

The two Uzumaki shared their laughs until they slowly dwindled to a stop. Silence fell over the room again before Naruto offered Amaru a seat. She sat next to him and the blond sighed. "Amaru, did I ever tell you guys about Mizuki-sensei?" the young clan head asked.

Amaru thought to herself for a minute before she shook her head. "I don't believe so," Amaru replied, her voice turning melancholy as the good times seemed to slowly end. She saw the faraway look on Naruto's face, almost as if the blond had been replaying events in his mind that he really didn't like.

"You know, it was graduation day in Konoha. It was finally the day when I'd get my headband and become a shinobi for the village. It was the first step in my dream of becoming Hokage. I trained as hard as I could, and I thought I could take on the world. Unfortunately, I was the dead last, the worst of the bunch. Either way, to graduate you had to successfully complete one assigned jutsu, the Bunshin Technique. It was an E-rank jutsu, a type that any kid should be able to get in a single try with any decent training. Everyone passed and was getting their headbands. It was my turn and I was pumped up, overjoyed even. I went in with all the confidence in the world. I thought nothing could stop me," Naruto answered, pausing for a moment.

His silence made Amaru look up. She smiled weakly at him. "I guess you wouldn't be telling me this story if you passed, huh?" she inquired, chuckling to herself a little pitifully. Naruto didn't chuckle with her, but he did smile.

"Something like that. But anyway, I walked into that room and I did exactly as I trained. I casted the jutsu and my clone fell flat on its damn face. Needless to say, yeah, I failed. However, all didn't seem lost for me. Before I walked out, Mizuki-sensei, one of the teachers at the academy, vouched for me. He said they could make an exception since I'd taken the exam and failed three times. I think that was what made me gullible against him at first. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, Iruka-sensei, the one who treated me fairly the most, rejected it. He said the others made it on their own efforts and without handouts. I failed, it was simple as that. You can imagine how much I must have felt. I did my best Sasuke impression and brooded on the Academy swingset, watching as all the other kids got congratulated by their parents. Then came Mizuki-sensei with his damn award-winning smile. That smile was acted so well that even Koyuki-san would have believed it," Naruto claimed.

Amaru continued to listen as Naruto recounted his past. She slowly started to get where this was going as she saw Naruto clench his bedsheets. "Again, I think he laid the groundwork against me when he stuck up for me in the exam room. It made me trust him, only adding to the fact that he was a teacher. He took me away and we sat on a rooftop. He told me why Iruka had it out for me and I opened up to him, spilled my guts pretty damn badly too. And, I took the bait he laid. He gave me a chance to graduate by sharing a secret with me. Apparently, failing students could graduate if they managed to get the Scroll of Sealing and learn a jutsu from it by tomorrow. And yes, I was stupid enough to fall for that," Naruto remarked.

Amaru gawked as she listened. While she'd never interacted with the Scroll of Sealing personally, she'd heard of it through the grapevine of discussing business with Konoha shinobi. It was supposed to be some really powerful scroll with all the forbidden techniques in the history of the village. Sure, Naruto stealing it was ridiculous, but that he was even able to steal it at all was insane in and of itself. How did he pull that off?!

"I stole the scroll and headed to a secluded part of the village where I learned the Kage Bunshin. I never believed in luck or fate, but even I think I had to admit that something was looking out for me because Iruka-sensei found me first. I was excited to tell him about my progress, that I had learned a technique, and passed the secret examination that Mizuki-sensei had for me. However, we were attacked by Mizuki-sensei. As it turned out, he hated me, loathed me, really despised me, perhaps even more than the village did. The man who was so kind to me, stuck up for me, cheered me up… got me to do what he wanted, and nearly killed me and my teacher in doing so. I managed to stop him, but I quickly learned that not everyone who gives you a warm smile has a warm heart," Naruto said, finally finishing his story.

Amaru immediately realized what he was trying to convey to her through his story. He had experienced what she had. Perhaps he experienced it to a lesser degree than she did but he knew what she was going through. He knew what she was feeling, and he knew… what she needed most.

"Amaru, you will be forbidden from access to the clan's funds for a time. If you need anything, you will need to either ask Kaa-san or me. You will also receive no pay for your medical work. YOu will work under Karin and all your projects will be handed to her. You will have her report to me daily on what you're doing. You can consider it volunteer work until your punishment is over. Lastly, you will take five dips in a spirit pool under the supervision of Kaa-chan. You can either accept those punishments, or you can accept whatever the Shinigami gives you whenever I see him," Naruto remarked. His tone wasn't harsh, but it was firm. He saw Amaru clench her clothes before she closed her eyes.

"I understand, Clan Patriarch. Thank you for your leniency," Amaru claimed. The punishment certainly stung, but it wasn't the worst in the world. Amaru was a pretty frugal spender anyway. Admittedly, not having the money was sad, and working under Karin even sadder. Karin… was easily the most unhinged member of their family. Some might even call her a perfectionist when it came to her work. Amaru just preferred the term crazy. Still, she supposed that wasn't all bad. She wasn't sure the Shinigami would be as lenient. Uzumaki though she was, she highly doubted the god of Death would be so forgiving to her.

"I-I'll accept the first option," she replied meekly. Naruto turned to her and smiled. He figured as much.

"Well, alright then. OH! And one last thing, you will take your shinobi training more seriously. Things have begun to slow down, even more so since I've been out of commission, so you have the time. Now this, I'm willing to let you pick, but you'd better take this seriously. If you don't, I will be more than happy to commission Bushy Brow to come and teach you," Naruto remarked.

"...can I go back to the second option?" Amaru asked.

"...No," Naruto responded.

Ah, there was the punishment. "T-Thank you for letting me pick," she said, a shiver running through her spine. To be honest, it wasn't even the green jumpsuit that was making her resistant to the idea of Rock Lee. It was simply his extreme measures. She'd seen him do nothing but punch raw stone with his bare fists. He asked her if she wanted to join in. She remembered how bloody his knuckles looked. How could he do that with a smile on his face?

"T-Thank you for your leniency, Clan Patriarch," Amaru said with a quiver in her voice. Now there was the dreaded expression Naruto was hoping for. Yet, his firm tone took on a gentler one.

"Amaru, come here," he said holding out his arms. His cousin looked at him and frowned.

"I'm not falling for that again," Amaru grumbled.

Naruto simply continued to hold his arms out and the latter finally relented. She cautiously leaned into Naruto and returned his hug. She then found him wrapping his arms around her. "It's alright, Amaru. Everything will be alright. So don't blame yourself. We forgive you," Naruto claimed.

The redhead's face contorted in anguish before she silently sobbed into his cousin's shoulder. Her tears stained his shoulder as the mark of her past love, admiration, respect, and loyalty to her teacher and master, the one who had healed her and given her a purpose for living. She clawed at Naruto's back but he just held her and spoke not a word. He let her cry for as long as she wanted until she'd run out of tears to shed.

When Amaru pulled back, she rubbed her face. "S-Sorry. Could you… not tell anyone else about that?" she asked.

Naruto smiled, but he didn't laugh. It wouldn't have been the right time. "Sure. You'll never hear a peep out of me," he answered. Amaru nodded, feeling a little ashamed of herself. She and Naruto spoke for a little while regarding all the time that he'd missed. It was… most certainly a lot but even Amaru's visitation time had ended.

Getting up, she bid Naruto goodbye. She would be there helping in any way to speed up his recovery. Though, it certainly seemed like his journey to wellness was already astronomical anyway. Still, even one day closer would be enough to ease her conscience. She left the room and Naruto watched her go.

The next few moments passed as he was subjected to eating fruits, chopped vegetable soup, and pieces of bread. It wasn't the most appetizing thing that he'd ever eaten, but after five months of not eating, it was definitely nice to chew something.

A nurse had just taken his tray away before he noticed Kushina, Yuri, and Yura come through the door. "Hey, Naruto-nii, how are you doing?" Yuri asked.

The Kyuubi Jinchuurki grinned when he saw his lovers approach. "Better now that my real dinner is here," he uttered, a large smile on his face.

"N-Nii-sama!" Yura stammered. She couldn't believe Naruto just said that, even if it did sound fairly exhilarating. However, it was clear to Yura that her little sister didn't have such problems.

"Carefully Naruto-nii, I haven't eaten in a long time either. I've kind of slacked on my protein intake," Yuri suggested. It was quick but Naruto saw the way the Sanbi Jinchuuriki licked her lips.

"Yuri!" Yura exclaimed before Kushina smacked Yuri over her head.

The oldest redhead shook her head. "Alright, that's enough out of you two," she motioned, even grabbing her husband's cheek and pinching it. "And you seem to be doing fine if you're cracking jokes."

Naruto's smile only got bigger as Kushina pulled the side of his face. "What? I guess I have five months of compliments to make up for with the three of you. I love you, all of you. Plus… I have to joke or I'm gonna get crushed by my guilt of leaving you guys alone for so long," the blond explained.

Kushina slowly stopped her assault while Yuri and Yura felt their bodies shudder. The former of the three released her husband. "Sochi, it wasn't your fault. We…"

Naruto held his head down. "I know. But it's all I've been thinking about. Hiashi tells me that I shouldn't worry about the 'ifs.' Even Amaru came by and we talked for a little bit. I know it wasn't her fault. Given how long she's known Shinnō, it's expected that if there were anyone she'd trust after us it'd be him. But, I can't help getting angry at myself. Shin warned me to focus on my training but I didn't take it as seriously as I should have. If I was even a bit stronger, maybe the whole situation would have been resolved, and… I wouldn't have put you guys through all of that. Instead, Kaa-chan and I barely made it out. And now, I have no idea what's happening out there. And what I hate is that all I can say is that I'm sorry," Naruto explained, grabbing his bed sheets.

When he'd had the time to recollect, the first thing Naruto imagined was the worry that he put Kushina, Yuri, and Yura through. He imagined how hard they had to work to make everything appear normal, never knowing if he would wake up or some succumb to whatever had knocked him unconscious. He simply had no way of knowing how lonely they felt when they went to bed. He knew the pain of sleeping with no one to wake up to. It was a kind of loneliness that he'd never wished on anyone.

With his head bowed, Naruto saw his lovers sit on the bed. Each of them held his hand. "Naruto, yes we were lonely, but we never stopped believing that you would wake up. Everything we did was so you could pick up where you left off. We watched, we waited, and we worked, and it all was worth it when you came back to us. And now, if you want to make it up to us then get out of the bed and back to what you were doing, protecting us and watching the rest of the world. That is all we ask," Kushina claimed, offering him a small smile.

"Oh! And be sure to beat those guys if you see them again. Make them regret ever messing with us! Make sure you have a black eye for both of them!" Yuri exclaimed.

"And you will not be alone, Nii-sama. We will be with you just as we always have. If you've messed up, then simply do it again. If anyone has a stubborn drive to correct mistakes, it's you, Nii-sama," Yura returned.

Naruto looked at the three redheads and grinned. He then scratched his cheek. "I don't deserve you. Any of you," he replied honestly. The three looked at him for a long while before Kushina leaned forward and kissed him unexpectedly. Yuri gawked while her older sister blushed.

"Hey! I was gonna do that!" Yuri roared while Naruto's eyes widened. The warmth of his mother's kiss filled his tired mind and body, even more so as he took in the burning passion of her unleashed desires. He then realized that it had been five months since he got to enjoy this, five months since he'd ever kissed his mother, Yuri, or Yura. Hmmm, all of those thoughts seemed weird in and of themselves, yet he longed for them.

Kushina pulled back and smiled at her son before giving Yuri a sly grin. "You're too slow. Besides, I'm still his first wife. I should get the first kiss. Unless you think you can take it from me," the Red Death claimed, licking her lips while Yuri balled her fists.

"Nnnngh! I won't lose to you!" Yuri challenged, grabbing Naruto's torso. She then slammed her lips against his, even going as far as to pull his tongue in her mouth, and taking his breath with it. She deepened the kiss almost immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck. Naruto actually wondered if Yuri was trying to put him back into a coma. Oh, believe him, he preferred this way, but he was much too weak to contest with her.

Luckily or unluckily for him, Yuri parted with a deep breath while Naruto fell back on his pillow, gasping for air while Yuri grinned at Kushina, the glint in her eye a challenge that the older redhead didn't like. The two glared at each other before Yura swallowed. She then took her place and grazed Naruto's chest with her hand. She then kissed him tenderly, panting into his mouth while Yuri and Kushina watched. Yura's kiss was noticeably more innocent in nature to Naruto, but Kushina and Yuri noticed differently. They saw the way Yura rubbed Naruto's chest, sensually moving her hands in a way that seemed to tease just the edge of reason for a mortal man. The smack of their lips was like pops of air in the silence, and the chilling heat of passionate breathes against their mouths. When they parted, it was with a pleasant sigh, almost likely a reprieve from an oasis in the desert.

Yura touched her chest before she noticed Kushina and Yuri looking at her. "W-What?" Yura asked. The two then looked at their lover. The goofy smile on his face irritated them for some reason.

"Yura-nee, you're sneakier than I thought," Yuri muttered, biting the nip of her thumb's fingernail. Even Kushina was giving Yura a sideways glare, making her flinch with a tint of red on her cheeks. The three simply continued to stare at each other while Naruto tried to remove the flames of passion that smothered his brain from kissing three hot women. Alright Ero-sennin, Naruto had to admit that he definitely loved doing that.

Unfortunately, the passions had to subside for now and give way to a more serious talk. Kushina, Yuri, and Yura couldn't stay for too long as Tsunade and Karin's role as Naruto's doctors took authority on medical matters. They didn't have long and the sun had long since gone down. So, there was a lot of talking, especially regarding the Shinigami. Much to Naruto's ease, Kushina, Yuri, and Yura easily maintained the might of the Shinigami. That at least let Naruto know that their connection to the Shinigami was fine.

However, if that was the case, then why wasn't he able to manifest the Shinigami's power like before? Sure, it could be because he was in less than proper form at the moment, but surely he would have been able to communicate with Kurama and the others. If Naruto and the Shinigami sustained the same injury, then did that mean that something happened to Shin? There just seemed to be too many questions and not enough answers. However, suddenly, Naruto remembered something.

Holding up his hand, the blond looked at his right arm, where the Shinigami Summoning Jutsu Formula ought to be. Unfortunately, nothing was there. The blond even tried pushing chakra into his arm to make it appear, but it never revealed itself. Kushina, Yuri, and Yura quickly recognized his concerns, noticing that the sealing formula was gone as well. That only led to more questions, which no one had the answers to. Finally, Kushina eased everyone's worries.

"I believe it would be best if we consider these circumstances later. Naruto, you're recovering and you don't need any more added stress. Rest for now, and we'll try and figure this whole thing out later. Promise us you won't do anything stupid!" Kushina exclaimed, stabbing his chest with her finger.

"I…"

"Promise!" Kushina reiterated. Her son was always a stickler for never breaking his promises, especially to those he loved. Sure, it might be a little manipulative on Kushina's part but she just knew that this investigation wouldn't cease if she didn't rein him in. He'd surely do something stupid if she didn't head him off at the pass.

Naruto grimaced under Kushina's scolding glare. He looked to Yuri and Yura for help but they were no different. All three of his lovers started at him disapprovingly, even though he HADN'T done anything… yet. "I promise, though I think the three of you are exaggerating. I'm not that bad," Naruto criticized. Rather than a response, he was only given even harder glares than before. He opened his mouth and then closed it, sighing heavily.

"Alright, alright! I'll just focus on recovering. I swear!" Naruto urged, holding up his hands to placate his lovers. They looked at him sternly for a moment or two longer before they each kissed him on the cheek. They then got up and left him to rest now that visitation hours were over.

The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was left alone as he looked at the ceiling. He continued to try and contact Kurama or any of his other summons. He tried as long as he could until his thoughts seemed to drift into the infinite expanse. It seemed so strange. After sleeping for nearly five months, the last thing he wanted to do was fall back into that neverending blackness. Yet, his eyes were heavy and the weight of so much information made his mind tired. The gentle breeze of the air outside swept over his face as the smell of his home's fresh outdoors filled his nostrils. It was a very pleasant feeling. It seemed like yesterday that the stench of battle had come upon him. He closed his eyes and they stayed closed as the comfort of his bed and pillow lulled him into a deep slumber. He only hoped that when he woke up another five months wouldn't have passed.

As the Uzumaki patriarch gave himself over to sleep, many potted flowers lay on the tables around him. All of them were given to him, wishing him a speedy recovery and congratulating him on finally waking up. Very soon, one by one, the petals of the flowers fell from their stem as they began to wither. All of them, once beautiful and vibrant, started to shrivel and die as the very essence of life was sucked from their bodies. They curled up until nothing was left except the pot and soil they'd been planted in.

-x-

In the vast depths at the near end of the cosmos, Obito frowned as he stood to his feet. It had been a long time since he'd been living in this strange temple-like structure. Supposedly, they were going to get to meet this "being" who had enacted this plan and took them away. The two mysterious figures who grabbed them had long gone into seclusion without so much of a word. The worst part was that they couldn't even leave. The air was almost suffocating most days and downright impossible to bear others. What was even worse was that Otsutsuki Isshiki seemed to grow in both strength and arrogance the longer he stayed in this place.

Yet, even more annoying than that was that it looked like The Regent wasn't affected by the environment. In fact, he seemed to be perfectly at home within it. Even Zetsu was gaining strength. If that was the case, then why wasn't he growing stronger as well? What did he need that they all had?!

"You are frustrated, Uchiha Obito," Black Zetsu said, coming up from behind him as the man had been looking out the stars and celestial bodies that seemed to defy all human reason and logic. The sight was enough to make even the most stubborn of men lose their reason. Yet, he managed to keep his. Perhaps his anger had kept him in check, or maybe there was something about this temple-like place that kept him sane. Either way, Zetsu's comment was as subtle as the floor beneath his feet.

"What do you want?" he asked, giving off a rather low growl. Project Tsuki no Me, it was in tatters. All the planning, all the deception, all the groundwork had been destroyed because he hadn't put that damn kunai through Minato's son when he had the chance. He had gone through with this plan because The Regent had made valid points. As it stood, Uzumaki Naruto was simply too powerful for the Akatsuki and Obito to handle on their own. He needed external forces, yet those forces themselves seemed so far beyond him that he found himself accelerating their plans and not his own.

"The two beings have exited. They have called everyone to a meeting," Zetsu claimed.

Obito's frown deepened. Wrong. It was all wrong. Why was it all wrong? "Noted," he replied, not even bothering to turn around. He just continued to stare out into the vast nothingness as Zetsu turned around and continued on their way leaving the Uchiha alone.

Meanwhile, Zetsu arrived at the meeting location and opened the door. There was a large black table there. The material of the table was unlike any that the Zetsu had ever seen. Even the chairs seemed otherworldly. He saw The Regent, Shinnō, and Isshiki already sitting there without much worry. However, Zetsu couldn't deny the shiver running through his body whenever Isshiki looked at him, especially with that menacing glare in his eyes.

Zetsu took his seat and the three waited for their benefactors to appear. No one spoke a word to anyone else. It was fairly easy to see that none of them were friends, not even close. They had only been brought together by a common purpose. Things only seemed beneficial for them to act together at the moment.

Zetsu heard two doors open. Immediately, Nanashiki and Nonoshiki stepped through the door. All eyes were on them. Their presence was just as foreboding as always. Zetsu couldn't help but tremble with every step they took. Even with how much strength Zetsu had accumulated, it seemed like but a drop in the ocean of vast strength that these two Otsutsuki had obtained. What had they done to become so powerful?

"Where is the other human? We ordered for everyone," Nanashiki claimed, her voice laced with already growing irritation. Zetsu perked up at her question, cursing the involuntary shiver that ran through his body. Even just her speaking was enough to cause that and yet Zetsu had no idea why even after all these months.

"He has been notified. It doesn't seem like he wishes to attend," Black Zetsu explained, drawing the irritating gaze of Nanashiki. Meanwhile, Nonoshiki took his seat at the head of the table.

"It wasn't a request," Nanashiki said before the others felt a strange power circulate through her body. Immediately, Uchiha Obito found his throat in her hand. He snarled and trembled when he found himself met with her vicious, unforgiving gaze. He couldn't even find the strength to grab her arm in some vain attempt to get her to release him. He could only stand there as she looked at him.

"The next time you are ordered to attend, you will obey. Now sit down, you lower lifeform," Nanashiki growled, tossing Obito across the table and into the wall. The blow didn't even crash the wall yet Obito was sure he felt something break as he fell to the ground. He snarled at Nanashiki as she took a seat next to her older brother.

"The Great Will has not answered our prayers nor our supplications. Suffice to say but it would appear that The Great Will offered up his existence to continue his orchestrated plan. Nanashiki and I have always had a special connection to the Great Will. By his grace, we have always been able to perceive the smallest traces of his majesty. Now, there is nothing to perceive. For these months, we have been in mourning for the greatness that the Otsutsuki have lost. For now, we shall wait for a short time. Even we cannot fully comprehend every matter of The Great Will. If we are wrong, we shall attempt to further receive divine insight. If not… then we will move on and seek vengeance upon the ones who have deprived us of His Excellency," Nonoshiki spoke, his voice carrying a heavy weight throughout the entire room.

Neither The Regent, Shinnō nor Isshiki seemed perturbed by the information. Then again, that was expected since they had not been with The Great Will as extensively as Nanashiki and Nonoshiki.

"So this was a waste of time then?! What good are you if even your so-called god can be done away with? The two of you have done nothing all these months! Why should we entertain you further?" Obito asked. Ordinarily, he'd be a lot more composed and regulated regarding these two. He obviously knew that he could not contend with them… yet, but the months of solitude were starting to get to him. The months of failed plans were starting to get to him. Everyone else seemed to be prospering but him. What was even worse was that he had a chance to do away with all of this and he'd stubbornly refused, hellbent on obtaining the sweet lie he'd convinced himself to strive for in his grief.

Nanashiki stood to her feet angrily before her brother raised a hand to stop her. She glared at him for a moment before she turned around and marched out the door, shattering one of the pillars on her way out. The pillar didn't even fall. It simply ceased to exist before she walked away.

"Uchiha Obito, your frustration is noted. However, you will watch your tone from now on. Silent or not, no one shall insult The Great Will while we are present. Your inferior ignorance is the only reason we will overlook this once. As for your matters, we have simply been judging which matters for you to undertake. Your ambitions are much too tied to your original world to be of particular use to us. We shall decide what to do with you. You may go back to what you were doing…" Nonoshiki claimed, snapping his fingers. Immediately, Obito was gone which left the others in the room.

Shinnō shook his head with a cruel smirk before he turned to Nonoshiki. "You're being quite harsh with him," the former teacher of Amaru claimed.

Nonoshiki ignored the lower life form and addressed Isshiki. "If the Great Will truly has fallen, then we shall pull every resource into training you to ascend to the same plane of existence," The Otsutsuki prophet uttered. The transformed Isshiki looked at the Otsutsuki and frowned.

"Judging by your mindset, you should be Otsutsuki from a lower branch of the Clan. Your choice is an adequate one," Isshiki mentioned. Nonoshiki maintained a calm demeanor as The Regent watched the exchange.

"Nanashiki and I are beyond such clan politics. Before The Great Will, all Otsutsuki are one. You simply possess what the Great Will was looking for. Had not she propagated with a lower lifeform, Otsutsuki Kaguya would have been a just as acceptable candidate," Nonoshiki explained.

Just the mere mention of Kaguya made Isshiki's chakra nearly spiral out of control. The stars around the temple gleamed ferociously as the floor beneath Isshiki's chakra splintered. His power swiftly began to rise as the space around them began to distort. It was then that Zetsu quickly realized that Isshiki knew the truth concerning them when he turned a severely harsh glare toward them. Black Zetsu quickly understood that its worry of Otsutsuki Isshiki was valid.

"Do not utter her name in my…"

Before Isshiki could finish his threat, Nonoshiki waved his hand and all of Isshiki's chakra immediately vanished. His power plummeted like a stone in a watery abyss. "Enough of your childish temper. It does not suit one selected by The Great Will. You clearly require greater training and even greater strength if you are to contend with the Summoner of the Shinigami," Nonoshiki claimed.

Isshiki slammed his fist on the table. "Uzumaki Naruto! Uzumaki Naruto! Uzumaki Naruto! You speak of the lower lifeform as victory is still within his grasp! Have we not severed his connection to the god of Death already? Has not the god of Death been laid to slumber for eons since we have slit his stomach? Even you yourselves mentioned this curse that Kami would not interfere as punishment for her son creating this mask. What more need be done?! He has nothing!" Isshiki exclaimed, his fists tightening. He couldn't believe they were even still having this discussion. They could take care of Uzumaki Naruto whenever they wished. In fact, why were they hiding like this?! If they were so worried, then they should just go and kill the lower lifeform now while he was weak.

"Remove a king's crown, his throne, his kingdom, his people, and even his royal blood, he is still a king. The role granted to The King was not chosen haphazardly. In fact, you might say none there is no other actor upon this glorious stage who can perform this role than him. Think of the countless beings across worlds who have existed before us. How many may claim that they have garnered the interest of a god? And not just any god, the god of Death, rumored to be the most hardened, inflexible, reasoned, and dutiful deity amongst the hierarchy. What should that tell you about the King?" The Regent inquired.

Isshiki said nothing, looking at the man in the mask before The Regent reached into a sub-space and pulled out the Shinigami Mask. It was an item that all in the room had become familiar with, yet three of the five were rather stunned when the mask showed signs of severe decay, cracking from the slightest touch. "We shall not be able to use this method ever again and we have incurred the wrath of one of the oldest of Kami's children. Why would this god choose the King of all beings? It is simple. The King has a better role than even he knows. And the reason Kami allows us our way is because… she trusts the outcome. The most powerful of our troupe would be obstructed by Her children now that they have been discovered. And… no one here can best the King's queens. It requires much more. It is impossible to vanquish the King now," The Regent explained.

"And why, pray tell is that?" Isshiki asked.

Behind his mask, The Regent's light blue eyes gleamed momentarily. "Because… his ascension has already begun. To combat him, we must stand on a stage higher. The next act must commence," The Regent uttered.

There came silence around the table. The only sound being heard was that of the breaking Shinigami Mask. Finally, Shinnō leaned forward. "And how do we enact this… next play?" he questioned, a sinister grin plastered on his face.

The Regent turned to him and his blue eyes gleamed once again. Finally, the Shinigami Mask crumbled into a thousand pieces.

-x-

Amaru stepped through the door to her clan's compound and closed the door. The weight of the day came down upon her as she was handed her sentence from Naruto. The worst part of it all was working under Karin. Yet, compared to everything else, that was actually relatively tame. She had to find herself a taijutsu teacher. She had never been good at fighting, and that was probably why she'd found herself caught off-guard by her former teacher.

Once she stepped through, she noticed Yukimaru in the courtyard, practicing the clan's techniques under the supervision of Tayuya. They seemed to be finishing up as Yukimaru panted, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"T-Thanks, Tayuya-nee" he panted, smiling in that way that made it impossible to be harshly critical of him,

"Yeah, yeah. Just go hit the bath already. You stink," Tayuya muttered, ruffling his long hair before the two noticed Amaru standing there.

"The fuck's wrong with you? You look like you've been put through the wringer. Unless the shithead finally got you with some well-deserved punishment," Tayuya taunted, even though there was hardly any malice in her words. She never told anyone but she'd gone to visit Naruto every day ever since she learned that he'd fallen unconscious. Once everything was settled, she remembered breaking Amaru's nose back at home. She apologized the next day but the whole family definitely felt her anger. Of course, some of it was directed at Amaru but most at Shinnō. She was gonna make that fucker pay or die trying!

Amaru looked at her cousin and Yukimaru. She then resigned herself to her fate. "Do you know where Karin is? I… kind of work for her now," Amaru commented.

There was silence in the training area for a moment before Tayuya burst out laughing. She fell on the ground and cackled boisterously as Amaru's cheeks turned as red as her hair.

"T-Tayuya-san, don't laugh!" Yukimaru chastised rather weakly as the redhead ignored the youngest member of the Uzumaki Clan. She just continued to holler in laughter before a hairbrush slammed into her head.

"TAYUYA SHUT UP! I can't focus on my seals with you laughing like a Sarutobi clan monkey!" Fuka shouted from the window in her room before she slammed it closed. Tayuya swiftly grabbed the brush and scowled.

"SAY THAT TO MY FACE YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Tayuya fired back, snapping the brush in her hand. Yukimaru tried to mediate between them even though Fuka had long since distanced herself from the ravings of her cousin. Tayuya continued to spout out all kinds of unholy obscenities before Yukimaru turned to Amaru.

"S-Sorry, Amaru-nee. We haven't seen Karin-san. You can try finding her in her room or her lab. You know she sometimes likes to spend her time in either of those places," Yukimaru commented.

Amaru nodded and walked off, set on finding Karin. In hindsight, she supposed she should have looked around the makeshift hospital where Naruto was staying but Karin was never one to loiter in one place. Besides, it was nighttime. Naruto would most likely be sleeping and she would be in the locations that Yukimaru mentioned.

As it turned out, Karin was in one of those two locations. Amaru just hated that it had to be the one that was the furthest away. She found Karin in her lab, sitting there at a desk as she continued to examine the remains of the battle from five months ago.

"Karin…" Amaru called. She heard her cousin suck her teeth before she pushed herself off her desk.

"Fucking… I said I didn't want to be dis…" The former associate of Orochimaru ceased her tirade when she saw her younger cousin standing in the hallway. She took off her glasses for a moment.

"Amaru. It's late and I'm busy. What is it?" Karin asked, turning back to her work. Amaru stepped further into the room and closed the door. She finally sighed.

"I… had a bit of a talk with our Clan Patriarch. I am being punished for my mistake and… I will be working for you in the foreseeable future. I'm also to hand over all the projects I was working on to you," Amaru explained.

Karin stopped writing in her notebook and turned to Amaru. The two exchanged glances before the former set down her quill. She stood up and stood to her feet. "Damn, Naruto's really pushing you hard, isn't he? Well, don't expect me to go easy on you just because we live in the same house. Believe me, you're gonna want to get far away from me when Naruto lets you go. Fine. You can get in here and start helping me research this stuff. You might wanna bring some toiletries. We're gonna be busy here," Karin warned.

Amaru's shoulders slumped. "And… I don't need to be paid. I'm doing it for free," Amaru said, a shuddering running through her face. Her visage worsened when she saw Karin's eyes glowing.

"You're working for me, and it's free labor?! I'd fucking kiss Naruto if I could!" Karin laughed as she pushed Amaru inside. Dear Kami, please let this punishment go by quickly. Amaru was already starting to regret it.

KG: I could really use some Korean fried chicken right now. I'm hungry. (You didn't really think the Shinigami picked Naruto because of Talk No Jutsu, did you? PFFT!)

KG: CHEESECAKE!

Wife: SHUT UP! I'm trying to sleep!