Chapter 51

"You look pathetic, Zabuza," Utakata's first words to his former comrade were quite harsh. "I heard how you got outplayed by a couple of kids. Seriously, you should know better. After all, you have more experience, and you even tried to kill the Mizukage. Aren't you ashamed of yourself getting yourself so beaten up?"

"Fuck off, Utakata," Zabuza wasn't happy to see Utakata, probably feeling a bit embarrassed. "I don't need help from a twat like you."

"Please, even if you wanted to refuse my help, can you do it with your condition," Utakata replied, poking Zabuza's unmoving arms. "Sheese, kids these days are scary. Look what they have done to you."

"Shut it," Zabuza could only speak, as his entire body was paralyzed, including his head. "Get this lunatic out of my sight, Haku!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Utakata said as he checked Zabuza's body.

"You are the one who is ridiculous," Zabuza replied. "A monster like you is playing a good doctor. What nonsense is that? Just kill me already instead of playing those little games of yours. Do you think I will believe you for a second that you turned a new leaf, and now, instead of killing for living, you are healing others? Ahhh!"

"Oh, sorry about that," Utakata smiled as he accidentally touched a nerve. "Maybe I shouldn't play a doctor after all. Oh, well, I'm sure you will be fine."

"Haku, get him out of there!"

Utakata ignored Zabuza as he continued painfully treating Zabuza's damaged nerves, as it seemed quite a waste to use expensive painkillers on him. Since he had so much energy, Utakata was sure Zabuza would be fine. And since Zabuza was in a rush to get Utakata out of his sight, Utakata rushed his treatment and accidentally made a few mistakes, but they were harmless ones, so it was fine.

…

Utakata looked at the unconscious Zabuza as he finished the final touches on him. His body will hurt like hell when he wakes up, but he will be able to move like he used to. And he will probably try to kill Kakashi and the kids before damning the town to hell. And here was Utakata; instead of stopping him, he helped him.

But Utakata wasn't worried too much. He was confident in his strength to stop Zabuza. What he wasn't so much confident in was how to get Zabuza to join him. For a better future, Utakata needed Zabuza's help. At least he hoped to convince Zabuza to return to the Mist, where he could do some good instead of playing a mercenary killing innocent people.

"You are Utakata of the Blood Waters?" Haku asked the question Utakata expected from him.

"I am."

"I heard that every time you entered a battlefield, you would leave rivers of blood," Haku continued. "You faced an entire army of Cloud shinobi and survived. Then you betrayed your village and defeated the rest of the Seven Swordsmen before returning for revenge and almost killed the Fourth Mizukage."

"There is a bit of truth in those rumors, I guess," Utakata replied. "But whatever man I was before, I am no longer."

"You cannot change," Zabuza replied from his bed. "Once a killer, always a killer. You can't forget the training. You certainly can't forget what you have done. The missions. The war. It will never leave you, even if you try to bury your past."

Now sitting on his bed, Zabuza checked his body, groaning in pain. Still, he looked satisfied as he moved his limbs. Standing up, he moved to his sword, taking a few swings. They were slow, probably because of the pain, but he made sure he could move his body according to his will. That seemed to have satisfied the Demon of the Mist.

"I know it too well," Utakata said, remembering the nightmares he had. "But at least I am moving forward with my life, unlike a certain demon I know."

"You are only fooling yourself," Zabuza replied, getting angry for no reason. "Time will come when you return to your old self, to a monster you were made to be. There is no escaping that."

"It could happen," Utakata had his fears of it, too. "But I won't know it unless I try. In the end, it is my life, and the only limits I have are the ones I set. So I will live, and if it ends horribly for me, so be it. At least I have tried and will leave his life without regret. Now, since you are all better, I have something to ask you, Zabuza."

"Hmph, I will not abandon my mission. Kakashi Hatake will die by my hands once I fully recover."

"Why?" Utakata asked. "Is he your enemy?"

"Of course, he is. He is standing in my way."

"Can't you walk around him?"

Zabuza moved his giant sword at a speed that would only get a kid hurt towards Utakata. But the message was clear: Zabuza had no intention of speaking of the matter with Utakata. And if he stood in his way, he would, too, be Zabuza's enemy. For now, Utakata backed away; he didn't want to fight with Zabuza, and since words didn't seem to work with him either, he decided to leave.

…

"What?" Surprisingly, it wasn't Naruto whose scream rattled the house Kakashi and the rest of his team stayed at. "How could you? After all he has done. How could you help the enemy?"

"Calm down, Sakura," Kakashi said before she said something that she would regret. "I'm sure he has his reason; am I right, Master Uta?"

"I am a doctor; I heal people," Uta replied as if it were a matter of fact.

"But," Sakura was lost for words. "But he is an enemy."

"To you, yes," Uta replied. "To me, he was a patient. I have no enemies in this fight."

Kakashi didn't detect any lies, no matter how hard he tried to read Uta's expressions. In the end, he could only sigh. Zabuza would have recovered either way, and Uta was considering enough of their situation to inform of Zabuza's condition. With that information, they could prepare. For now, it didn't seem that Uta was their enemy, but Kakashi was sure to keep a better eye on him.

"Well, that's fine by me," Naruto uncharacteristically seemed calm. "It gives me a chance to beat him."

"Heh," While Uta only smiled softly, Kimimaro snickered at how naïve Naruto was. "You beat one of the Seven Swordsmen? Who do you take yourself as? A child of prophesy or something?"

"Shut it! Once I learn how to control my chakra, I will not lose to some wannabe bandit with a big sword. You better believe it!"

And there Kakashi was worried that Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja had matured a bit. But he was glad that the kid was still the same even after experiencing his first glance at the death door. Most shinobi crumble under the pressure of the wall they face. There are always more talented and stronger people than them. Some seem so unreachable that people give up on even trying. Kakashi didn't think he needed to worry about that with his little genin.

"You shut it, little shit," Now it was time for the white-haired kid to yell. "You know nothing. That wannabe bandit you call is a monster. A demon who slaughtered more than a hundred people when he was only six years old. The best killers trained him to be the best killer. He tried to kill the Fourth Mizukage, considered to be the strongest of the Mizukages, and still escaped with his life intact. Do you think a brat like you, who left his home for the first time, stands a chance against him?"

"That's enough, Kimimaro," Another weird thing was that Kimimaro listened to Uta and shut up.

Kakashi could recognize that Kimimaro wasn't an arrogant kid without a skill. The way he walked, the way he eyed Kakashi and his genin, Kimimaro seemed capable enough. So, the question rose to Kakashi why was he following Uta? Who was Uta to him? A teacher? That didn't seem right, as Kimimaro didn't seem to know or even care about medical ninjutsu, so what was he taught then?

…

Days passed slowly as Kakashi fully recovered. Naruto and Sasuke managed to reach the top of the tree, too. Both were exhausted but still had the energy to argue about who was the first one to do it. Kakashi didn't have the heart to tell them that they were drawn and let them argue over it. It let them and Sakura keep their minds off Zabuza, as he should be appearing any day now.

"Well, since you managed to accomplish your task, I guess I have to keep my word," Uta said. "I let you both fight Kimimaro."

Kakashi was quick to understand why Master Uta wanted Naruto and Sasuke to fight Kimimaro after they finished their training. It was to show how big the world was and how small their achievements were. There wasn't a fight. Kimimaro easily trampled both of them, even when they tried to work together. Kimimaro was far more adept in his chakra control and far stronger and faster than either Naruto or Sasuke. They didn't stand a chance.

"It was a bit cruel, Master Uta," Kakashi said after the fight.

"If they can't stand up from this much, that only would mean they weren't going to amount to anything in the first place," Master Uta replied. "It is better they know how to lose in an environment where losing doesn't have many consequences. And if their pride is hurt, they should train harder and work on their weakness rather than wallop in frustration."

The last part was said aloud for the boys to hear, while the rest was for Kakashi to hear. As a sensei and someone who grew up during the third shinobi war, Kakashi understood that even in these peaceful days, they should prepare for the worst and slowly learn of things like losing, knowing that there is someone better than them, and having a taste of utter defeat.

"I won't lose next time!" Naruto, showing his incredible stamina, was the first to reply. "I will learn a super dope jutsu, and the next time I see you, I will beat your ass. Believe it!"

"Hmph," Sasuke scoffed at Naruto. "Don't fool yourself. Before you learn anything, I will already surpass him and kick his ass until he won't even think of fighting anyone else."

Whatever lesson Kakashi wanted them to learn seemed useless, as they were way too stubborn to acknowledge defeat. To them, it was just a setback; they were already ready for another fight and set new goals for themselves. Their answer wasn't wrong though, that recklessness and stubbornness to get better will make them both into splendid shinobi, but it also will make Kakashi work more to train them.

…

"Bah! What is the point of the training? You all still going to die!"

"They sure are loud people," Kimimaro commented as they just heard Inari, the son of the sweet Tsunami and the grandson of the drunken bridge builder. "How much is he going to repeat that? And that Naruto is a fool to even get into in argument with the kid."

Almost every day, Inari will argue with Naruto. They were very similar to Utakata. It is just that Inari has given up on the world itself after his stepfather Kaiza died before his eyes. To him, no one could stand up against the cruelty of the world; there was nobody who could protect him and his mother. The boy thought that everyone else was a fool if they couldn't accept it and tried to fight against it.

"It doesn't concern us," Utakata replied as Tsunami ran after her son, who angrily ran away from the house. "We already overstayed our welcome, let's go."

Utakata could feel Zabuza's chakra near the town. He was observing the place and preparing for an attack. To Utakata's calculation it would happen the next day. And it would be the day he would have to reveal his identity to Kakashi. It was hard to tell how he would react, but even if he tried something, there wasn't much he could do to Utakata.

…

"Master Uta," Utakata turned to two fishy guys with swords. "You are coming with us."

"Is that so?" Utakata asked and motioned Kimimaro not to interfere. "And if I won't?"

"Then we might get rid of the other hostages."

"Mom!" From behind them, more guys came in, holding Tsunami and Inari at knifepoint.

"Our boss doesn't appreciate what you and this family are trying to do in this town. It is time you pay for it. Now come in quietly, or only parts of you will come with us."

Utakata believed that from Kimimaro's perspective, this scene was the most ridiculous one he had ever seen. Even Utakata could only sigh at the stupidity of these people. Well, it was more of ignorance and arrogance rather than stupidity, but still, it didn't change the fact that they were doing something that would have killed them if it was someone else and not Utakata they encountered.

"The shinobi have left for the bridge. They won't save you," The thugs said. "You shouldn't have come to this town, and you shouldn't have been playing a good doctor. Now Gatou will have his due for your actions."

The thugs laughed for two seconds, and then, in the third second, they all collapsed to the ground. Tsunami and Inari looked shocked and confused as Utakata slowly approached them. He crouched down and picked up the needles stuck in their necks. The needles were quite expensive, and it was already a waste to use them on guys like them.

"They should wake up in a couple of hours," Utakata said to Tsunami. "I suggest gathering the town folk and locking these guys up. Don't worry; I will deal with the rest of them too."

"What about Naruto?" Inari asked through his tears.

"Shinobi are stronger than you think," Utakata said as he walked past him. "There might not be any heroes anymore. But there sure are many people who will do everything in their power and even sacrificing themselves for others. Strength has nothing to do with it; one only needs courage."

Gatou wasn't stupid, so while the Leaf shinobi were busy, he sent out his thugs to take care of all the troublesome people in the town. Getting rid of any future trouble in one go. Too bad for him, Utakata was one of the people he thought he could get rid of, and Utakata had built a bit of a reputation in the town as a good doctor.

Even though the people in this town had mostly given up on themselves, there were plenty of people who felt like they owned Utakata and couldn't let him get hurt. So, before long, Tsunami and Inari had gathered most of the citizens of the town and prepared to push the thugs out of their town. Of course, by that time, most of the thugs had already been put to sleep by Utakata.

"Is sharingan that scary?" By the time Utakata and Kimimaro arrived at the bridge, the fight had already started. Zabuza was facing Kakashi while Haku was battling with Sasuke and Naruto. "And what with that jutsu, I never heard of it before?"

"It is one of a kind; probably only that boy can use it. It derives from the boy's bloodline being able to manipulate ice, but even the Yuki clan didn't possess such a jutsu. Their use of the ice manipulation was crude, while this boy's is elegant and far more complicated," Utakata admired Haku's use of his bloodline. "And yes, the sharingan is scary dojutsu, even if it isn't the Uchiha clan who uses it."

Utakata could tell that the Sharingan was putting much pressure on Kakashi's chakra reserves. And maybe that is why he was such a feared shinobi in the world. Kakashi had to finish his fights quickly before his weakness was shown. In the end, Kakashi wasn't a Uchiha and couldn't use his Sharingan to its full potential, but Kakashi was still an excellent shinobi who had many tricks on his sleeves.

While Zabuza's use of mist was also creative, Utakata was more interested in Haku's jutsu. Those ice mirrors were quite sturdy enough to block Sasuke's fireball easily. And even though they used quite a bit of chakra to maintain them, anyone trapped inside couldn't escape. With a bit more refinement, that jutsu might even be able to trap a tailed beast. Utakata only now realized how much potential Haku had.

"Well, it seems the fight is coming to an end," Kimimaro said. "That Kakashi is something. He had planned the fight before it even started. Got his blood on Zabuza's weapon so his summoned dogs could drag him by the smell and ambush him. Wait, what is that?"

Kimimaro lost interest in Kakashi and Zabuza as he felt enormous and dangerous chakra coming from Naruto. The ice mirrors trapping Sasuke, and Naruto was starting to crack under the pressure of that chakra. It wasn't surprising as even though it wasn't even one full tail, the power of the Nine-tails was far more powerful than other tailed beasts.

"Stay here," Utakata told Kimimaro as he moved to end this fight before more blood was spilled.

…

It was time to end it. Kakashi's chakra was already running low because of Sharingan use and he needed to check on Naruto before he released even more of the Nine-tails chakra. The situation was becoming unpredictable. Lightning chirped in his hand as Kakashi's nin-dogs held Zabuza in place. Rushing forward, Kakashi was about to pierce Zabuza's chest when suddenly, the masked boy got between them.

It was too late to stop now. Kakashi's Sharingan could see every minute detail, and he saw a peaceful expression on the boy's face as he was prepared to die protecting Zabuza. The face overlapped with Rin's as Kakashi was about to kill the boy. A hand caught Kakashi's Chidori right before it could hit the boy. Something that shouldn't be possible.

"I think it is time to end this," Master Uta said, holding the lightning in his hand without being injured by it.

Kakashi didn't even think; his body moved on its own, and it moved away from the traveling doctor. Only then did he notice a red chakra cloaking Uta's hand. Kakashi didn't know what to think, but he knew that Uta was more dangerous than he expected. No one has ever stopped Chidori before, after all. It was Kakashi's killing blow that even he didn't use recklessly.

"I told you to leave me alone, Utakata." Zabuza didn't seem happy to be saved, and Kakashi quickly connected the dots once Uta's real name was uttered.

"You bastard!" But before he could do anything with this new information, Naruto flew towards one of the deadliest shinobi in the Bloody Mist. "I will kill you."

Powerful red chakra was cloaking Naruto, indicating that the Nine-tail's chakra was leaking from the seal. Rage was evident in Naruto's red-slitted eyes. He wasn't thinking anymore, only moving on pure instinct. And that proved to be dangerous as Kakashi didn't have a chance to warn him, as Utakata of Blood Waters caught Naruto's head and smashed him into the bridge making countless cracks.

"Naruto, calm down, Sasuke is alive."

Kakashi was so focused on Utakata that only now, after hearing his words, did he look behind him. With the fog clearing up, Kakashi saw Sasuke's body lying down on the ground. Even with his sharingan, it was hard to see the boy's breathing, so it wasn't a surprise if Naruto thought of the worst. But Kakashi couldn't let his focus waver from Utakata.

What kind of strength did one need to have to subdue a jinchuriki completely? Kakashi had only heard and read about Utakata, and what he had learned about the missing-nin wasn't anything good. At least nothing good for him and his team. Kakashi's priorities quickly shifted from completing the mission to stopping the two missing-nin and letting his students escape back home.

"I am not your enemy, Kakashi," Utakata, probably feeling what Kakashi was thinking, said. "And don't move, Zabuza. This fight has now ended."

"Don't interfere; I will deal with you later," By now, Zabuza had freed himself from Kakashi's dogs and was ready to continue the fight.

"I said, this fight is over."

Just as Zabuza readied his sword and Kakashi drew his kunai, they were stopped in their tracks. Bright red chakra spread from Utakata, surrounding the area and completely covering Kakashi and Zabuza. He didn't know about Zabuza, but the red chakra was crushing Kakashi, making him unable to move.

"Even if you don't care about the boy, isn't he worth more than anything someone like Gatou could give you?" Utakata turned to Zabuza. "Look at him; he is already gravely injured and was ready to throw his life away for you, and you won't even look at him. I know how you tend to think, but an excellent weapon like him is wasted on a master like you."

"Grr," Naruto continued to growl as the Nine-tail's chakra leaked more and more from the seal.

"Calm yourself, Naruto," Utakata said, but he quickly realized he wasn't truly speaking to Naruto right now. "You too, Nine-tails."

Kakashi didn't know how, but Utakata's words seemed to have worked as Naruto calmed down and started to get back to his normal self. By now, Utakata had full control of the situation. And Kakashi was getting calmer, too, realizing that if Utakata wanted to harm them, he would have done so by now. And maybe there was a way out of this situation without a fight.

"Huh? What kind of chakra is that?" Utakata suddenly turned in full confusion as a blue light came crashing at him.

"Dynamic Entry!"

…

There was a reason why the surprise attack worked on Utakata. Firstly, Zabuza's and Kakashi's chakra was already powerful, but when the chakra of Nine-tails started to leak out it overflown Utakata's senses. Secondly, the chakra belonging to the man who attacked him wasn't very strong, or it was very subdued, and it didn't concern Utakata. And lastly, the attack was unbelievably fast, as the moment Utakata registered the new chakra source, he was already hit and sent flying.

"Don't worry, Kakashi. The Handsome Blue Beast has arrived."

"Guy?"

"What the hell is this now?"

Before Kakashi and Might Guy could talk, Zabuza moved his sword, trying to cut the self-proclaimed Handsome Blue Beast. But Might Guy has kicked the flat side of Zabuza's sword, deflecting the attack. Haku, even with his injured body, moved to attack, too, but a boy in white clothes blocked Haku's path and was ready to fight him.

"Hah," Utakata slowly got up, getting frustrated at the situation getting out of hand as more parties arrived and making him withdraw his chakra. Lifting his hands and pulling them back in fast motion, Utakata proclaimed. "Nobody moves!"

Everyone's bodies stopped at that moment; neither Kakashi, Guy, Zabuza nor the kids moved and were frozen in mid-action. The more keen-eyed people noticed the thin wires surrounding the area and on their bodies. Even if Utakata had to use a lot of strength to stop them, especially stopping Guy from moving, at least he was able to stop the fighting.

"What is this?" And, of course, the real reason for this mess had to show at this moment with his scores of thugs coming up from his boat, complicating the situation as it already was. "As I have expected, you failed me, Zabuza. In the end you all are not worth your reputation. I see you all are stiff from fear of seeing real men. As I can see, I can get rid of all of you right now and here. And after I gain control of these lands, I will continue to build my empire, and my name will be…"

"Shut up," Utakata didn't have time to deal with him, so he kicked a loose rock at him and knocked him down before Kimimaro landed next to Utakata and finished all the goons in mere seconds. "Now, all of you, calm down; no more bloodshed needs to be seen today. Kakashi's mission is finished and Zabuza lost his employer."

"But we are not here for The Demon of the Mist," Might Guy replied as he struggled to overpower Utakata and nearly succeeded. "We are here for you, Utakata of Blood Waters."

"Really now?" Utakata asked; his disarming smile dropped, and his eyes narrowed. "And why are you after me?"

"Why, that is a secret," Might Guy tensed up and was preparing something.

"Is that secret worth the lives of yours and Kakashi's teams?" Utakata's voice came out from everywhere as thick mist surrounded them, Utakata' was prepared to do even more. "Kakashi, you have faced Zabuza's mist, but let me tell you, mine technique far surpasses that of Zabuza's or anyone's else. You won't hear me nor see me as I kill you all one by one. So, advise your friend to drop his weapon, and we will all walk away safe and sound. I will even help Sasuke Uchiha."

"Sensei? What's going on?" Naruto's voice was heard from within the mist, but neither Kakashi could see him nor Naruto could see anyone else.

"Guy, what rank is the mission?" Kakashi cautiously asked.

"A-rank."

"Phew, so it is not killing or capturing him," Kakashi sighed in relief. "We have no reason to continue this fight, and my student needs medical care. So, I ask you if your mission details let us end this here?"

"Utakata of Blood Waters, will you leave this country and not get near the Land of Fire if we do as you ask?"

"Yes," Utakata answered from right behind Might Guy, giving the guy chills.

"Then we shall retreat, but we are watching you," Might Guy replied.

Utakata calmed down and looked at Zabuza, who was struggling against Utakata's wires. With Gatou dealt with, Zabuza didn't seem to care to fight anymore, and he did glance at Haku's side once in a while with an unreadable expression. And soon sounds of the townspeople approaching the bridge seemed to indicate that it was finally over.

…

It seems that because Kakashi had sent Utakata's description to the Leaf, their intelligence quickly discovered his identity and sent Guy to confront him. However, since there was limited information about him and he hadn't done much in the past few years, they had no reason to target him. Still, he was a dangerous individual near their country, and that couldn't be allowed.

In the end, it didn't matter to Utakata. Even with some differences that he didn't remember happening, everything went more or less smoothly. The angry people of the town captured Gatou, and his thugs were all dealt with. Zabuza seeing that he wouldn't get paid, went to Gatou's base and stole the money he was promised.

Naruto, who hadn't met Haku before, made quick friends with him, even if Sasuke was gravely injured. But the fact that Sasuke wouldn't receive any lasting damage from the injuries that should have killed him, made it clear that Haku was holding back. And Haku was too kind to be hated by someone like Naruto.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was a different story. He was moody and not a well-behaved patient who listened to his doctor. Utakata forbade him many times from doing any kind of training, but getting defeated by Haku, then challenged by Rock Lee and ending it at a draw before it was revealed that Neji Hyuga is even stronger clouded his mind.

"You don't have to do this," Utakata felt pity for Sasuke he found the boy training on his own once again. "You don't have to deal with it all alone."

"What do you know?!" Sasuke snapped back. "You know nothing. You don't understand anything of what I must do."

"Maybe not, but I know where your path will lead," Utakata said. "I won't say to give up on your vengeance; it would be as meaningless as letting go of your hatred. But I will advise you not to do this alone. You have comrades who are ready to fight with you. And you are already ready to put your life for them."

"And what if they will hold me back? They will try to stop me."

"Then let them understand your situation and why you must do what you must do," Utakata replied calmly, as he could see himself in Sasuke. "And them holding you back isn't a bad thing. Because your vengeance will never end, your hatred will never disappear. After you kill the one, there will be others. You will find someone else to hate and to kill, entering never never-ending cycle. And before long, you will realize that you have nothing but a sea of blood surrounding you. Don't walk the path I did. Please don't wait until it is too late and accept the help from others. Don't abandon everything and everyone you have for the hatred in your heart. Let them stop you. Because you will regret it otherwise, I promise you that much."

Utakata didn't know how much of that Sasuke understood. But he hoped that Sasuke wouldn't experience the loss Utakata did. There wasn't a day he didn't think of his master. What life he could have lived if he trusted him, if he let him help Utakata. Now, all he could do was continue on this path and make the best of what was left.

And that was negotiating with the Leaf. Utakata sat before Kakashi and Might Guy. Zabuza was getting ready to leave, but he would not leave alone. Even if he hadn't yet agreed to go with Utakata, it didn't mean Utakata couldn't follow Zabuza; after all, he didn't really have a destination. He was sure he could annoy Zabuza enough to agree with him, but now he needed to warn Kakashi and get his two idiot friends back.

"Akatsuki? I have heard of them," Might Guy was more serious than Utakata thought he would. "But why would they go after Naruto?"

"For the same reason, they will go after me."

"For the Tailed beast," Kakashi caught up quickly.

"They already have tried to get me," Utakata lied. "They are on the move, and I am one of the easiest targets as I don't belong to my village any longer. But after they gather more Tailed Beasts, there is no stopping them from attacking the villages with that kind of power. And on their own, every single member is a powerful shinobi."

"I understand your situation, and wanting more allies with you is reasonable, but I can't give you the Demon brothers so easily," Kakashi replied. "They are in custody in the Leaf, and even if the Mist made an offer for them, it is up to the Hokage to make the decision."

"There is something else I have to offer," Utakata said. "Information about Orochimaru and an ally in me."

"Let me contact the Hokage first."

Utakata didn't restrain himself from telling everything he knew about Orochimaru and the Sound Village and their dealings with the Sand once he was promised that he would get the Demon brothers back. He also indicated that Orochimaru might go after Sasuke as he was trying to gather unique bloodlines in the Land of the Water. With the deal made, Utakata only had to wait for his old friends and get ready for what will come.

A.N. Sorry for not updating for so long. It was just a hard month and a half. I didn't have the energy or motivation to write. I hope you enjoy this chapter, as it is a bit longer than usual since I decided to end it here for a while. From now on I will only focus on "Will of embers" until I finish my service in military as it is just easier for me. Sorry if I disappoint some of you.