A DAY LATER
Daigo was looking over the council chamber, well, Daigo wasn't his real name for 23 years.
23 Years ago, a Kirigakure Shinobi named Daigo had been assassinated by Iwa Shinobi, after months of investigation, Iwagakure had decided that he was the best candidate.
And a few days later, 'Daigo' had been found unconscious with almost fatal wounds by members of Kiri's Patrol Team, who brought him to their hospital.
Daigo's old team died a month later, all but 'Daigo' were killed by Iwagakure.
And thus, 'Daigo' started his mission, to rise as high as possible in the ranks of Kirigakure.
It was a slow and steady climb, from Chunin, to Jonin, as a member of ANBU for a few years, before a lucky hit during a skirmish with Iwa led to him being crippled, so he moved into administration afterwards, and now, he was a minor Council Member, overseeing various projects and missions in Kirigakure.
His infiltration was long and slow, and until now, too valuable to use.
But now, finally, after years of minor reports and orders back and forth between him and Iwa, he was receiving a serious mission.
'1- Push Kiri into external war - target Order/Konoha/Wave
2- Kumo will assist - discover Kumo agents/informers
3- Encourage view that neither Kumo nor Iwa will intervene due to border conflicts'
He memorized the message, burned the paper, and then walked out of the room, mind filled with plans.
And now, he was finally fulfilling his duty to Iwagakure.
"Wave belongs to The Land of Water, Konoha trying to fool people that the Order isn't just a puppet for their expansion into our territory is an insult to our strength! Kirigakure must intervene, or we will be next!"
"Ridiculous, all this talk of war when you only want to increase your own standing! Wave doesn't belong to anyone, and they have already allied with Konoha, going to war with them would be foolishness!"
"Letting Konoha expand further into our territory is the true foolishness, we must push back before it's too late!"
"We cannot act in haste, if we make a mistake here, it could lead to Kumo attacking us while our guard is down."
Daigo quickly took the opportunity, standing up and interrupting both of them.
"We have received reports of Kumo clashing with Iwa." He announced. "Iwagakure is currently tied down fighting Kumo, we can encourage this conflict through our information network, their skirmishes could easily escalate until neither side will be able to interfere if we go to war."
"Daigo!" The one advocating for restraint yelled in anger. "I expected better of you, I didn't think you would join the warmongers!"
The other person smiled widely, happy to receive support from an unexpected place.
Daigo remained calm.
"I am not joining anyone, I am against open war, but I agree that Konoha has gone too far, and since neither Iwagakure nor Kumo will be interfering, and Suna is still recovering from their disaster in Konoha and years of economic decline, I believe we should consider at least a more... aggressive policy towards Wave."
The discussion continued on like this for hours.
But at the end of the day, the Mizukage was the one that would make the decision.
But he had a good feeling about it, if there was anything that Yagura didn't lack, it was bloodthirstiness.
***
A DAY LATER
"Hey boss."
Obito looked up from his bed, he was resting after having taken the safest approach to transporting the Six-Tails, temporarily sealing it into himself.
It hadn't been fun, his body had felt like it was melting for hours as the corrosive Chakra of a Tailed Beast filled him, and it took a long time to flush it out of his system after he unsealed the beast into the statue.
The White Zetsu was one he had imbued with the Animal Path, giving it the power to summon, its job was simple, summon the Zetsus and check in on their reports, the Rinnegan allowing him to expand his information network massively.
"What is it?" He asked tiredly.
"Ah, one of the boys in Kiri said something interesting today, 'Yagura needs orders' he said." The White Zetsu started. "Well, do you want Kiri to start a war?"
Obito blinked tiredly, he was aware of the growing discontent in the ranks of the Kiri Shinobi, he had specifically trying to cause it after all.
But last he checked in on it, it was still simmering quietly, unless something big happened it should be months before any action is taken.
"Explain." He ordered, now that he was in the final stages of the plan, instability and confusion would only help him.
"Well, Kiri's Council seems pretty damn close to declaring war on Wave."
Obito slowly sat up in bed, eyes sharpening, Wave.
The rising star, the country where Hidan had died, and a country filled with mysteries.
He considered, he would have to end Yagura eventually, the Three-Tails inside of him marked him for death.
Well, why not?
As long as he kept Yagura back, there would be little risk, if Kiri was close to losing, he would take Yagura, if Kiri won, he would still take Yagura, leaving Kiri to the brewing rebelion.
He got up from his rest, stretching slightly.
Yagura would be receiving his orders soon.
***
ABOUT THE SAME TIME
Kurama was annoyed.
The idiot hadn't given him any chance to talk, the Toad brat encouraged him to focus on the basics, training the Yang side of his Chakra, which meant the idiot had not touched Kurama's Chakra at all.
So Kurama couldn't speak to him, how irritating.
Every day where he was stuck here was another day that the masked bastard continued with his plans unopposed, and it pissed him off.
When he got out, he would kill every single person that knew how to make seals.
Or run far away into the ocean, eventually he would find a place untouched by the disease called humanity, right?
But while he was lost in his usual thoughts of destruction, the blond idiot finally decided to call upon his Chakra.
Kurama took the chance instantly, he toned down his hatred as much as possible, the last thing he wanted was the Toad brat stopping the Idiot.
He pulled the idiot into the seal, Naruto appeared in front of him, standing in the ankle deep... liquid.
"Huh?" Naruto muttered from his stupid human mouth. "Oh, this place again."
Kurama restrained himself, barely.
"Brat." He greeted, voice filled with irritation and suppressed anger. "We need to talk."
Naruto frowned, squinting past the Gate, trying to see him in the darkness.
"Stupid fox!" He called in realization, pointing at Kurama rudely. "I'm training now, leave me alone!"
Kurama's body moved on its own, his claws hit the Gate with a thunderous noise, shaking the entire room.
Naruto stumbled slightly but held his ground, glaring up at Kurama.
But Kurama took a deep breath, just a few years, maybe decades, just so he could deal with the masked bastard, and then...
"Brat." He growled slowly. "I said we need to talk, it's important."
"No way," Naruto yelled back. "Tenzo said not to listen to you, go away!"
The urge to bite this brat in half was getting stronger by the second, and it was already pretty damn strong.
"Shut up and listen." He ordered darkly. "Or do you not want to hear about the person who is responsible for your parent's death?"
Naruto's expression darkened instantly.
"What?" He demanded quietly. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Good, he had the brat's attention now.
"Do you know how you became a Jinchūriki?" He asked slowly.
"Uh... Dad sealed you inside of me, right?" Naruto answered uncertainly. "After you escaped."
Naruto was glaring at him now, which would almost be satisfying, but he needed the brat to work with him for now.
"True enough." He admitted. "But do you know why I escaped? Who released me? Why it happened the same day you were born?"
Naruto looked at him warily, clearly considering if he should listen or not, everytime they had spoken before, Kurama had been trying to overwhelm Naruto into losing control.
"A Masked Uchiha broke into the village and attacked your parents, releasing me from your mother's seal." Kurama started explaining. "Your father fought him off, and resealed me into you, sacrificing his own life to do so."
Naruto was quiet, listening carefully now.
"That Masked Man had the power to control me, which is why I attacked Konoha instead of running away." Kurama continued. "And he is alive, planning something."
He knew this idiot had the brainpower of a particularly smart dog, so he wasn't going to explain the Rinnegan just yet.
"You're saying that you didn't kill my parents?" Naruto questioned suspiciously. "That it was really this masked guy?"
"No." He denied immediately, he wasn't going to lie about that, he wasn't a human after all. "The control broke eventually, and I was left standing in front of you and your parents, I realized what your father wanted to do, so I tried to kill you, he and your mother gave their lives to stop me."
Naruto's face became conflicted.
Kurama kept going.
"I will not apologize for that, I had spent almost 80 years in a seal at that point, chained to a rock impaled by spikes, unable to move or even see the outside world, there was no room for mercy in my heart." He admitted freely. "I tried to kill you without regret or hesitation."
It was quiet now, Naruto clearly thinking over his words.
But eventually, he spoke again.
"Why were you sealed inside Mom? And inside someone else before her?"
Kurama felt like he was being judged, but he shook it off, if this idiot wanted to know the depths humanity sunk too, then Kurama would tell him.
"A thousand years ago..."