Shanks's Way of Breaking Up Fights

The Akatsuki had always pursued world peace as its goal. It was just that after Yahiko died, Nagato could not get past it and was led down a dead end.

At the very beginning, Yahiko believed disputes should be resolved through negotiation. In the Akatsuki's early days, they traveled from battlefield to battlefield, breaking up fights and hoping everyone would do them the favor of stopping the war.

Generally speaking, the weaker side was willing to give them that favor and agree to a ceasefire, while the stronger side would also carefully consider their opinion.

But if the stronger side insisted on fighting, then fine. The Akatsuki would declare that they were joining the weaker side. You want to fight? We'll fight alongside them.

They were much like Red Hair, who had arrived to break up the Summit War. Give me some face and let this matter go. If you refuse to give me face, beat me until I cry first.

As it happened, the Akatsuki possessed the power to influence the course of a war. Thus, time and again, they successfully stopped wars and brought about negotiations.

That was also why the Akatsuki's reputation grew greater and greater, drawing more and more people into its ranks.

At the same time, however, they had become an eyesore to others. Danzo wanted the other countries to wear each other down through war, which would make whatever he wanted to do more convenient.

Salamander Hanzo, meanwhile, viewed them as an unstable force. Although most of their members came from the Rain Country, they did not serve Amegakure. At times, they even hindered the Rain Country's operations. If allowed to keep growing, they might eventually threaten his position.

When the Akatsuki had grown too powerful to be dealt with through a simple campaign of suppression, Hanzo and Danzo joined forces, claiming they would resolve the issue through the Akatsuki's preferred method of negotiation.

In reality, they had laid an ambush with a large force and surrounded them. They took Konan hostage, forcing Nagato to kill Yahiko—or all three of them would die.

In the end, to protect his friends, Yahiko threw himself onto the Kunai in Nagato's hand.

Nagato was driven over the edge. His powers ran wild as he Summoned a gigantic creature, which slaughtered all of Hanzo's men.

From that point on, the Akatsuki's style changed completely.

"This is why the Akatsuki changed. What we need to pay attention to is that Nagato, the Akatsuki's current leader, possesses a genuine Rinnegan. Also, that gigantic Summoned creature is called the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Its true nature is the shell of the Ten Tails."

"The Ten Tails?" Everyone noticed the unfamiliar term. Could there be a tenth Tailed Beast?

"The nine Tailed Beasts we speak of were separated from the Ten Tails by the Sage of Six Paths. Its shell should originally have been sealed on the moon, but someone with the Rinnegan can summon it back." Minato's gaze swept across the shocked faces. "If he gathers all nine Tailed Beasts, the Ten Tails will be revived."

Following his train of thought, the Raikage asked, "How strong would the Ten Tails be... if it possessed the power of all nine Tailed Beasts?"

Minato answered gravely, "It possesses inexhaustible Chakra and can create all manner of natural disasters. Its power far exceeds the combined strength of the nine Tailed Beasts. Whoever controls it will become a being close to the Sage of Six Paths."

"That's an exaggeration, Hokage!" the Raikage challenged. "How are we supposed to believe something from ancient legends?"

Ōnoki agreed. "That's right. How do you know any of this? Even records from ancient books cannot be completely trusted, can they?"

Minato lowered his eyes. What he was about to say might be difficult for them to accept. "The Tailed Beasts can verify it."

"The Tailed Beasts?" Ōnoki froze, looking at Minato as though he were an idiot. "Are you joking?"

According to common knowledge in the ninja world, Tailed Beasts were beasts, weapons, power, disasters. How could they be asked to verify some inexplicable legend?

Minato said earnestly, "All this time, we humans have misunderstood the Tailed Beasts somewhat. We fear them, hate them, and crave them, but we have never truly tried to understand them."

"Oh? And how are we supposed to understand things like that?" Ōnoki clearly remained unconvinced, though he was curious what this supposedly outstanding Hokage could say.

Yet the Tailed Beasts, who could learn what was happening outside through their Jinchuriki, were stirred. This was the first time they had ever seen a human say such things on an important occasion like this.

Other than the feelings formed through years spent with their Jinchuriki, which allowed them to sense some friendship, where else could they have encountered such a person?

Even when Jinchuriki spoke up for them, it was useless, because the Jinchuriki themselves would be rejected!

"Hey, stinking fox, is that man called the Hokage serious?" Shukaku could not help connecting to the Nine Tails' line.

The Nine Tails snapped, "You've lived this many years, and you still need me to teach you how to tell truth from lies?"

Shukaku, Isobu, and Chōmei all felt as though they had waited thousands of years for the old man's prophecy, and today, they were finally seeing hope.

The Nine Tails watched Minato speak at length, then looked at Naruto grinning foolishly. It seemed that things reaching this point today were all thanks to that brat Naruto.

Come to think of it, by human standards, he had grown up. Wasn't it about time to stop calling him a brat?

After arguing with Ōnoki for a while, Minato finally understood just how difficult it was to change someone's preconceptions.

In the end, he could only turn and call upstairs, "Naruto, come down here!"

"I'm coming." Naruto answered and jumped down.

The other guards instinctively shifted, but seeing that the Kage said nothing, they could only remain where they were.

Minato introduced him with some pride. "This is my son, and he is also a Jinchuriki. But he has done something we were never able to do, something we never even thought of doing: truly treating the Tailed Beasts as friends, truly communicating with them."

"Hello, everyone." Naruto greeted them as though they were already acquainted. Though some were meeting him for the first time, that sense of familiarity could not be shaken.

"Naruto, can you ask him to come out and speak?" Minato wanted the Nine Tails to come out for a chat. Only through communication could they understand each other; only through understanding could they trust each other; only through trust could they cooperate. Minato hoped to take that first step as soon as possible.

"Okay." Naruto agreed and entered the Sealing Space.

"Big Fox, you heard all that. Want to talk with them?" Naruto was prepared. If this tsundere fox refused, he would first bring up the Sage of Six Paths' final wish, then invoke the power of give me some face. That should persuade him, right?

"Fine."

"You need to understand, this is..." Naruto opened his mouth to persuade him, then said in astonishment, "Huh? You agreed?"

The Nine Tails nodded. "Give this old man control of your body."

Naruto was reluctant. "Can't you send out a small clone?"

"No." The Nine Tails cared about appearances too. A small clone had no dignity at all. He could not let Shukaku and the others laugh at him.

"Oh, then it's yours."

Before everyone's eyes, Naruto's pupils turned vertical, and the aura of the Nine Tails radiated from his body.

I just glanced at the comments. Damn, why does it seem like the side stories are more popular than the main story?