Next chapter of Karas The Fox Guardian. Akatsuki seeks to continue its goal of conquest by going after the Tailed Beasts. Sasuke also seeks power determined to fulfill his goal.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

At the Slums of Konoha the red haired glasses wearing figure leaned against a wall and slumped down. The guitar case he had that carried his gear was next to him. He winced in pain and looked at his right leg.

"Damn…it got me deeper than I thought." He mused as green colored blood dripped out of it. He had gotten injured during the earlier encounter with Zetsu and now he was feeling the effects of the wound. It would take time for it to heal.

"I got careless. Ah damn it!" He shouted as he felt the pain in it. The wound was really starting to bother him.

"Hey mister…" A small voice said and he turned and saw appear the same raincoat wearing snail like child that had been following him earlier "Are you alright?" He asked him.

Nue allowed a small smile. "I'll be okay kiddo," He said to it. "You're one of the Slug Queens son's eh?"

"You don't look okay." The child said and stepped closer seeing his wound. "Want me to take you to the hospital? Tsunade can heal you I bet."

Nue shook his head. "She can't heal it. Not this kind of wound…" He said in response. The only way for a Mikura to restore its health was by consuming blood.

Human Blood.

Amefurikozo, the youngest of The Slug Queen Katsuyu's children had found a way to venture to the human world from the summon world he resided in and stay there for a time staying invisible and mingling in with the humans unaware of his presence. Not yet ready to be summoned for battle he mostly spent his time making mischief during rainy days. He had discovered Nue ever since seeing him and had been following him.

"Kid, you better get away from me." Nue said to him. "I'm not the right type of person to be around with others. Most people who do wind up dead." He said to the blue haired boy.

"But you're hurt, I can't just leave you."

"I'll be fine, I just need some sleep. That will help my wound heal faster if I get some rest." Nue said to him. "Go on, get out of here. I don't want you winding up on the list of people who died cause they got too close to me."

Amefurikozo slowly faded away from him a look of sadness in his eyes wanting to help him. Nue watched him disappear and closed his own eyes trying to sleep so that his wounds would heal.

Elsewhere…

"So he has truly returned…" The Akatsuki leader said engaged in a private meeting between himself, Konan, and Zetsu.

"Nue has returned my master. He now wears the colors of a traitor." Zetsu said recalling the event and Karas's appearance.

"If Nue is here than it might be best if I deal with him. I am resistant to his methods" Konan said voicing her opinion of the matter.

The Akatsuki leader didn't say anything. "Karas and Yurine, that's twice now they've stuck their noses into our business. I'm growing weary of their constant appearances. Nue is also a key part of our plans. The Traitor left Akatsuki, taking the key to fulfilling our plan with him. He is needed once all nine have been gathered in order to activate it. He cannot be killed or else all our plans will be ruined. Only he would be able to unlock it and allow us to gain true dominance."

"He's betrayed us, and he now hides posing as a human. He hides his true Mikura form." Zetsu said to him. "He's ashamed of the power that was given to him."

"Nue will face the reality of his fate sooner or later." The Leader responded as if it was a trifle matter. "Eventually the urge he is struggling to overcome will consume him and he will snap. Then we shall make our move and bring him back here and we will punish our former member for his treasonous actions." He said ominously.

"There is still much work to be done, Karas will be dealt with eventually. We must obtain the Amulet that contains Kyuubi and force Yurine to unlock it so we can seal it." He said to them. "The day is coming when we make our presence known and gain control of this world…" He then stood up. "We are the ones who are the future of this world. Behold it, that which has decayed into little more than a wretched corpse. The people of this world seem to have forgotten that it's a privilege to live and one they take for granted." He then looked at them and then at the empty spaces where the other members would be at.

"We shall be the ones to bring about true peace and reform this world in the new and glorious future that I envision."

At one of Orochimaru's bases…

Sasuke Uchiha was seated quietly in the simple room he had in the underground base. Replaying the events that had happened in his mind. He was a bit surprised to have seen him there. He thought he was dead after all these years.

"So Naruto, you are still alive. You still believe that you can save me. You're an even bigger fool than I thought if you still think that." He said coldly. "I want let anyone stop me…not you, Sakura, Kakashi, anyone from Konoha or even Shinigami himself from stopping me from avenging my clan!"

He thought of Naruto's new appearance and the powers he used that disposed of Orochimaru's subjects. Orochimaru it appeared had been fascinated with what had happened back there even with the death of all his Mikura. As if he was glad that he had killed them all.

Shortly after coming to him, Sasuke had learned one of the many things Orochimaru had been doing. He had been trying to create an army for the past multiple years. A unstoppable army. Those who he had experimented on and captured where changed against their will into mindless horrific beasts called The Mikura.

The success rate had been low as most had died during the process or only lasted a few days. Despite the multiple lives he had killed to create them, Orochimaru was still determined to create an unstoppable army.

The army mattered little to Sasuke, as he was only concerned with gaining the power he needed to avenge his clan. What he did didn't matter to him.

"Power…Power is all I need to defeat him." He said to himself. "Once I obtain the power needed to kill him I shall avenge my family and clan." He said and clenched a hand into a fist.

Nothing would stop him…

The door to his room opened and he sensed that it was time for him to test his prowess

Meanwhile…

A giant three tailed monstrosity let out a roar as it had submerged from the water and place it had dwelled at. The beast appeared turtle like but had shrimp like legs and claws. It glared at the two figures in front of it and roared again echoing across the area.

"The Three Tailed Giant Turtle." Deidara on his bird of clay said looking at it his arms folded. "Without a host you're little more than a primal animal and wild beast. So you're the one Sasori was suppose to get." He said and smirked.

"Tobi thinks he's not too happy to see us." His mask wearing companion said to him standing on the water. Indeed the Bijuu's one red eye was glaring harshly at them as if angry that they appeared.

"We got orders, we're to bring this demon in." Deidara reminded him.

The Giant Turtle roared and fired several balls at them from its mouth. The two moved out of the way of the attacks and assumed a position.

"Well then, it appears we have no choice then but to fight. I got a big bang just for you…" Deidara said with a grin and revealed the mouths on his hands. "Now!" He shouted and Tobi ran towards it with Super Speed as they prepared to do battle

At The Hokage's Office The seated Blond woman overlooked the details and results of their analysis.

"Interesting, I've never seen anything like it. Just how did he create something like this?" Tsunade the Fifth Hokage of Konoha said to herself as she examined the report of the strange creature that had been brought in.

"Hello Tsunade!" A voice said and she groaned and looked up and saw standing in the room with a lecherous smile on his face a white haired ninja in red.

"Jiriaya…you've come back." She said as he had been gone for quite some time.

Jiriaya The Toad Sannin snickered at his old teammate. "You think I'd stay away forever?"

"I wish…" She muttered under her breath. "What do you want? I got work to do and I don't need some lecher lurking about."

"This is my welcoming?" He asked and folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm busy Jiriaya, ever since you swindled me into taking this stupid position and this damn paperwork. Not all of us have free time to go write dirty novels. Especially with-"

"Orochimaru working on creating a new force and Akatsuki having extracted Shukaku from the Kazekage." Jiriaya finished for her. She looked up at him a bit surprised that he knew. "You underestimate my spy network."

"Hmph so it looks like." She replied dryly "You've been gone for quite some time. Nearly Three Years, what do you plan on doing now that you've come back to Konoha? Besides peep on the Hot Springs?"

"Hmmm, well I've been thinking of taking a break for a while. Maybe work on my new novel while I'm here." He said with a grin and she rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you're doing just don't try anything funny around me." She said in annoyance. Jiriaya nodded his head at her. "Haven't seen you ever since you left after Sasuke left."

"I've had a lot on my mind as of late. There was some stuff I needed to have done." He replied to her.

"I figured you left after cause of The Kid's death, I suspected it was hard on you." She said as she did not know, as Kakashi had sworn all those who had witnessed it to silence.

Jiriaya didn't say anything as he knew who she was talking about. She was talking about Naruto. The common belief was that he died of his injuries at the hands of Sasuke.

But that was far from the truth. The boy was alive, he was sure of it. Yurine, The Youkai Priestess had appeared in front of him and told him. He knew the boy was alive. The boy wasn't the type of person to give up and die, just like his father and mother. He had been taken by Yurine and was the new Karas.

He didn't know the full details but apparently the girl who he had thought of as just a myth and had expected her to be older and much more developed had wanted his aid. She had used his spy network to aid her in her and Karas's quest. He was the one who had informed her of Orochimaru's plotting in Grass. She was using him as a way to gain info.

He hadn't seen Naruto, not in three years and he had thought of the boy. The boy had grown much he sensed as his duty as Karas would give him great power, or so the old legends said.

But would it be enough? That was the question he asked himself. Karas's power maybe strong but who knows just how powerful Akatsuki was.

His thoughts to himself Jiriaya left the Hokage's office.

Elsewhere…

Sasuke was surrounded on all sides by several prisoners in a circle arena who all had a mad look in their eyes as they encircled him. Each had been experimented on with a different type of Cursed Seal on them having been driven insane and where believed to be failures and no longer of any use to him. They where to fight him.

He looked around a bored look on his face as if finding the scenario dull. He slowly reached towards the sword strapped to his side and started to pull it out.

That was all that was needed…

One charged him and he ducked under the attack and stabbed it in the chest and pulling the blade sent chakra into it and did a slash sending a wave of chakra at an enemy which killed him on contact.

Another lunged at him and he avoided the attack and kicked him in the head and doing hand symbols engulfed him in a stream of fire. Three charged him at once and doing more hand symbols took a deep breath and then fired a large fireball right at them which set them ablaze. The prisoners howled in pain and fury as they where on fire and where killed by him.

His Sharingan activated he easily read their movements and attacks. It was all to easy for him as he cut them down, these maggots where no challenge for him and he was doing them a favor by killing them.

A loud chirping sound was heard and activating the Chidori he thrusted it right into a target's head taking it off.

It was pointless, none of these could even stand a chance against him. It almost made him sick to his stomach at how pathetic it truly was. None of them even deserved to stand in the same room as him.

He did hand symbols and sending chakra into his sword summoned lightning from it and fired it at the remainders electrocuting the rest and killing them all.

With a flick he sheathed his Kusanagi and looked at the dead bodies a look of disgust on his face. Was this all that could be thrown at him? Did nothing give him a challenge anymore here in this blasted place?

He looked up at Orochimaru who was watching on with Kabuto and let out a sneer at him. As if daring him to fight him. Orochimaru watching on only cackled in amusement.

Exiting the room he returned to his quarters finding the whole thing pointless

Elsewhere…

Yurine's head shot up as if in realization and alarm. Sensing it, Naruto headed to the room she was at and saw her seated on the floor.

"What's wrong?" He asked her as he sensed something was wrong.

"Akatsuki has claimed another Bijuu. They now only need five more."

"What?" Naruto said in disbelief as he didn't think they would move this fast after he had killed one of their members barely two weeks ago.

"They now have four, almost half of them. They now only need The Two Tailed Cat, The Four Tailed Monkey, The Eight Tailed Ox, The Five Tailed Dolphin Horse, and The Kyuubi."

"Let me go stop them what their doing right now!" Naruto said to her. "I can free the bijuu and take them down." He said and turned to leave grabbing his Katana.

"No Naruto!" Yurine shouted at him standing up surprising him and made him stop as he rarely heard her raise her voice. "It's too dangerous. The one who subdued the Three Tailed Turtle just now is more powerful than you. He wants you to come get him as he's hoping you appear." She said to him. "If you face him you wouldn't stand a chance as you are.

"But I can't just stay here." He protested.

"If Akatsuki defeats you, they will get their hands on the Kyuubi amulet. If you go now, you will be defeated. We can't do anything now, as its too dangerous. He wants you to come after him so he can capture you. Although your power is strong it's not enough." She said to him.

"Damnit…" Naruto cursed. "What should I do then? I'm not strong enough to face them even after all I've done these past three years?"

"You must learn that some battles as of now can't be fought. There will come a time for you to face him. But that time isn't now. We must wait for it. If you fought him now you will die and there will be no hope for the world."

Naruto looked at her and slowly dropped the sheath. "Fine…I'll stay here." He said reluctantly

"I know its hard but trust me, there will come a time when you face him. Then will you have the power to defeat him and end his threat." Yurine said to him knowing that the foe was too dangerous right now.

Meanwhile…

"Well that was simple enough." Deidara said as they had defeated the Three Tailed Turtle Beast and where subduing it to be taken to be extracted.

"Hey! Tobi did all the work!" His masked teammate protested. "It was Tobi's special jutsu that knocked it out!"

"Oh shut up." Deidara responded. "The sooner we get back to the base and extract it the better. Let's get going."

"Okay let's take off!" Tobi said and hopped on the bird and Deidara's back much to his annoyance.

A scream went into the air as the blond had thrown the buffoon off him and into the water. Scoffing Deidara went to take the unconscious beast to the base and Tobi swam after him trying to catch up.

A/N: That's it for this chapter. Review please.