Naruto POV~

Something was off. 

I was on my way to the Leaf village when I realized that something. was. off.

I was just about to henge and go into a village for a merchant disguise (what else?) when I stopped. 

Something was very off.

"Stop saying that over and over you are driving me to insanity."

'But something's wrong.' I slid back onto the tree branch from where I was about to jump down, 'I can't put my finger on it.'

Kurama growled, "I know what you mean. Something's happened. But the one thing you can do is shut up and watch out and leave my poor mental health intact."

'Hehe. Sorry?'

"Are you?"

'Not really.'

I took his advice, though, and waited. I didn't want to come out of hiding just yet. I had a bad feeling, the kind that made my skin crawl and my stomach clench.

I learned long ago to listen to my instincts. Right now, they were basically screaming "WATCH OUT."

An instant later, the chakra on the tree to my left shifted, and I leapt back with Kurama's chakra powering me. In less than a second, three large shuriken imbedded themselves in the spot I was standing. 

Adrenaline and Bijuu chakra flooded into my system as I took in the situation. The masked man from the lake was standing on the spot where I was just a moment before. Another figure rose up from the branch, two large branch like objects around his black and white form, donning an Akatsuki cloak.

"Hm. Your worries weren't unfounded." Kurama snarled. He was being defensive again. This masked man truly made him nervous.

"Naruto Uzumaki." he said, his voice much deeper and drastically different than how it was last time we'd seen him. "How interesting. You happened to be in the same area as Pain when he chose to betray me."

Chose to betray him?

I...didn't know what to think about that.

"Who are you?" I opted to ask. 

The man hummed, "You can call me Madara Uchiha."

My brain stopped for a second. 

"Madara Uchiha?" I repeated, raising and eyebrow.

'You've met Madara Uchiha, right?'

"I have." 

'Is that him?'

"Nope. He's the same guy from 16 years ago, but his chakra doesn't feel like Madara's. Similar, but not exactly the same. Madara Uchiha's chakra was...much more powerful." 

I stopped asking him. I was reminded, then, that Kurama was fucking scary, especially with the pure hatred dripping in his voice.

"Oh well." I hooked a couple of kunai around my fingers, just in case. Whether or not he was really Madara was confirmed now, and while I didn't know who he really was, I couldn't worry about that now. "I assume you're here for me?"

So many questions were running through my head, the first one being How did he find me? 

He regarded me coldly. I could see a glint of red through the one eyehole of his mask. Sharingan?

"I suppose. It wouldn't have been ideal to capture you so soon but you've stirred up quite a bit of trouble." he answered.

"Well shit. More evidence to my Gedo statue theory."

I just looked at him, keeping a blank expression. "You aren't actually Madara Uchiha. Why walk around carrying his name?" might as well keep him talking.

"That doesn't concern you." well that didn't work, "You have caught my interest, however. Somehow, you have convinced Pain to turn against me. And, yes, I've traced that back to you. It was quite...intriguing."

Kurama sent his chakra into my system, and a blaze of golden chakra shrouded me. I reached out my senses, trying to sense Nagato. From this distance, I should've been able to at least feel some sort of presence back there, considering how I'd been checking his location every once in a while ever since I'd left him. He'd been in the same place the whole time, but now, I sensed nothing. Not even the slight reflection indicating his presence.

In a sudden flash of worry, I asked him, "What happened to Nagato?"

Madara, Tobi, whoever he is just tilted his head slightly. "He betrayed me. I killed him."

I felt cold all of a sudden.

I didn't regret speaking my mind to Nagato, but did he get killed...

because of me?

I knew Nagato had been deluding himself and tried my best to help him and Konan, and make sure they didn't kill anyone, but this is what happened?

Maybe I should've at least suspected it a little, but damn it if I wasn't READY TO MURDER THIS MAN ON THE SPOT.

I flicked my gaze over to the village through the trees. There were no shinobi around for a couple dozen miles, but if things went into a full-blown fight (they would if I fought this guy, considering how he was strong enough to kill Nagato and Konan so quickly and easily) I didn't exactly want to risk being noticed. I've taken many chances, it was only a matter of time before my luck ran out.

"A fight wouldn't be ideal for either of us." the masked man said, noticing my posture, "We both are trying to remain as discreet as possible for now. You don't want the shinobi finding you again, and I wish to stay undercover for now. Don't worry, Kyuubi Jinchuriki. I am not here to fight you or drag you away. I am simply here to let you know," he and the Venus flytrap guy began to sink into the ground, much to my confusion, "who you are messing with."

With that, they vanished. Kurama's chakra cloak sputtered out, and I was left with an empty feeling and a chill in my bones.

Tsunade POV~

It was confirmed. A five kage summit.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried, especially considering what happened a couple days ago. 

Several shinobi were found either dead or knocked out (if they were lucky) at one of the outposts, and whoever did it was unknown. Of course, there were traces of...something there. There was no fight, it was like someone came and incapacitated them, then just left.

One of the Hyuuga clan members had found something, though. A trace of chakra was left, Kyuubi chakra, and then the bodies were found.

It was all a confused mess from there. Jiraiya returned to the village, shocked to see that the leader of the Akatsuki was dead, and, not only that, his student form the Hidden Rain all those years ago. The woman was also his student. 

For a while, it was assumed that Naruto killed them, what with the Kyuubi chakra in the area. There were no fingerprints on the bodies or anything near them. Of course, Naruto wouldn't need to touch them to kill them, but still. I found it hard to imagine Naruto of all people would kill them, and also leave the bodies. 

This confusion was roiling in my head for days until Yamato came back from the clearing where Naruto agreed to exchange messages.

The contents made me freeze on the spot.

Konoha,

I'm sure you have heard by now that the leader of the Akatsuki is dead. That is simply not true.

The masked man I have mentioned in the previous letter has killed the man known as Pain, who was in possession of the Rinnegan. I'm sure Pervy Sage remembers him. 

From my knowledge, this masked man has been pulling strings from the background and manipulating Pain all along. He killed Pain because Pain had turned against him. I was confronted by this masked man, who goes by Madara Uchiha. From his chakra, the Kyuubi confirmed he is not actually Madara Uchiha, but I expect no one to take that as an excuse to not take him seriously.

It has come to the point where I am willing to meet face to face, but only with the necessary people. Any attempts to capture me will be met in an act of self-defense, and I am only willing to speak to the Hokage and those close to her. 

Let me know your answer within two days.

Naruto Uzumaki

Once the elders read the letter, they balked and stood, stammering.

"Not...dead? What does he mean, not dead?" Koharu slapped the letter back onto my desk, "How do we even know he is telling the truth? You said it yourself! He hates us! For all we know-"

"He wouldn't lie to me. And before you claim that to be biased speculation, what would he gain from lying? Some petty revenge? Stirring up chaos? Does that sound like something Naruto would do?" I leaned forward, "Make sure your answer isn't based off bias. I know you don't like him, but be reasonable."

They stared at me for a minute. Then, scoffing, they turned and walked out the door. Homura uttered, "Telling us to be reasonable. Do as you please." before slamming the door shut. I listened to their receding footsteps in annoyance.

It was like listening to a couple of children getting lectured. 

I rubbed my temples. This was going to be a long day.

I set to work writing a reply to Naruto.

Naruto POV~

I waited in the nearby village, not daring to take my eyes of the letter until the shinobi came to take it. Only then did I allow myself to relax a bit. 

Such sensitive contents could not be stolen. 

I stayed in the village, waiting. Not a day later, the wood-style user appeared again, this time pinning a message of his own to the tree. Then he stood, and waited.

I grit my teeth. I knew he wouldn't leave until I showed myself. It was only logical, after all. And the longer I let him stand there, the more suspicion he'd draw.

I stood from the table I was sitting at and made my way outside. I was henged into a plain looking young man. I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked calmly towards the clearing, everything in my posture relaxed. My hands were shaking, but I refused to let him see that. 

"You got yourself into this." Kurama sniffed, "You dug your own grave. Go lie in it."

'Not helping.'

Kurama's voice became softer, edged with worry, "Don't get caught. I might kill him by accident if he tries anything."

'Please don't.'

"No promises."

I walked up to him, my calm exterior hiding my inner panic. Before I knew it, we were face to face.

He said nothing, leaning against the tree with his arms crossed. I stood across from him, hands in pockets, meeting his eyes. We stared at each other for a few moments.

"It's nice to finally meet you, officially." I said. My voice didn't betray anything. Good. I was still an expert at that.

He nodded to my outfit. "A disguise?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Of course. Taking into account what happened last time I didn't henge myself, I can't walk about without one, can I?"

He tilted his head. "Prove to me that you are Naruto Uzumaki."

I sighed. I figured he didn't need any more confirmation, but of course he demanded it. I probably would have, too, in his position. 

"Bring the letter. I can't bust out the Kyuubi's chakra here, so might as well get away from these innocent people beforehand."

He eyed me, then nodded and grabbed the letter, stuffing it in his pocket. I turned and leapt off, and he followed.

Once we were far enough from the village, I hopped down to the ground. The other shinobi landed in front of me, the expectation clear on his face.

I sighed again. May as well get this over with.

I let Kurama's chakra shroud me in a red cloud, letting out just enough to prove it to be Bijuu chakra, then dropped my henge.

For the first time in three years, I revealed my face.