The Contract

Chapter 1- Decision

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'' You got ta move faster kid ! '' Jiraiya barked as he sidestepped Naruto 's fist and delivered a fell slap to the boy 's skull. `` And do n't just have yourself into your tone-beginning, anticipate your resister 's moves and ALWAYS be prepared to oppose accordingly ! Have n't you learned anything over the past two twelvemonth ? ``

Nothing I could n't have learned back home.

Naruto shook his principal, physically trying to bump the snarky thought as he tried to conceive up a way to defeat his mentor. He took too farseeing though, and Jiraiya capitalized brutally with a fist almost shearing through his abdomen in retaliation.

'' Never neglect your guard ! ``

The blond gritted his teeth, biting back the painfulness as he grabbed on to the offending fist with one hired hand and slammed duplicate retaliatory blast to his mentor 's snarky mug.

It dissolved into mud beneath him.

His oculus widened by a fuzz and he immediately replaced himself with a tree branch.

A moment later, the branch was skewered by a grand muddy needles.

'Fuck it !'Naruto swore as he imediately began to pussyfoot through the underwood .'I need to get my head in the game !'

No umbrage, man, but is there really a point ? I mean, you 're here getting beat up by one man. A Sannin, granted, but just ONE man. Sasuke 's getting his ass in gear wheel with the resources of an entire small town. A nipper one, admittedly, but they 've got their own Sannin and a genius to bang. Not to refer ol'Four-Eyed Kabuto with his insane skills and, if the speech sound Four and the flakey bone guy are any reading, a hale squad of jonin level shinobi. The Perv 's breeding you like you 're going up against a single enemy while the guy who will be going up against a 1 foe 's getting prepped for an all out war.

'You're…'Naruto snapped out of his almost trance-like state with a trigger-happy tug. Realizing how close he had come to agreeing withthe vocalisation in his head, the blond clamped down on all thoughts and focused on taking his mentor down with a vengeance…

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'' Come on boy ! '' Jiraiya whined, chasing after a briskly walking Naruto on his knee. `` I need the cash ! ``

'' To chase some hooker, no doubt. '' Naruto scoffed as he marched away.

Jiraiya 's expression, though, had gone from pleading to disturbingly perverse. `` Oh~ kid you had to feature seen her ! That was n't just some hooker, she was an downright infant ! Tits as big as my header and an ass you could reverberate a coin off ! And her legs ! ``

THIS is what I 'm training with ? The depraved idiot of the Sannin ? So, Sasuke 's getting trained by the mavin of the Sannin, a direct contender for the Big Hat alongside the Yellow twinkling and the guy that ended the Old Man 's stellar life and we 're getting trained by the Perverted Sannin. Wonderful. No, fuck caustic remark ! Even Sakura had a honorable deal. At to the lowest degree her Sannin wo n't bug her for immediate payment so she could go turn back out strippers and damn. I mean for the love of- Orochimaru 's a fucking genius ! He 's on a exchangeable level to the fucking Fourth Hokage ! He 's a swan steel master. He knows more than ninjutsu technique than most shinobi ever get to even witness ! Sasuke, the angst ridden gay emo gets THAT guy and you 're stuck with the guy who 's biggest call to fame is that he trained the twenty-five percent ? Is there anyway you could receive come up with an even worse business deal ? !

'' Shut the nookie up and pull up stakes me alone ! '' Naruto roared angrily.

Jiraiya, who had been caught mid-rant when his learner snapped, simply thought he might have pushed the limit and decided to direct into the whorehouse on his own. The madam of the planetary house knew him well and, unlike his busty teammate, he had a reputation for maintaining minimal, if any, debts.

Had he bothered to dig deeper, he might have figured that something was off with his apprentice…

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'' So, Naruto, what 's the first thing you wan na do when we get back to Konoha ? '' Jiraiya asked. Himself and his apprentice were relaxing in a meadow a few miles away from the Land of Bears, taking the day off to slacken and make relaxed. `` Me, I 'm gon na hit up Tsunade first ; see if she 's finally come around to my manly charms. ``

'' The only thing manly about you is your hair, Pervy Sage. '' Naruto shot back with a smile. `` And even that 's foresighted than almost women wear their hair. ``

'' Oi ! Do n't insult these locks you little brat ! ``

'' I 'll diss 'em when I want to old man ! '' The blond dead reckoning back playfully.

For the next few moments, nothing came up until Jiraiya spoke again. `` I 'm still waiting for your answer kiddo. ``

To be honest, Naruto was n't quite sure of what he wanted ; over the preceding few hebdomad, dubiety and fright had set into his inwardness and, no matter how hard he tried to ignore them, they had burrowed in rich. He did, however, know what to say to his mentor. `` First things first, I wan na see Sakura-chan again ! She must have grown quite stack with Baa-chan training her ! I bet she 'll be really awed by how I 've grown too ! Might even get her to go out with me. ``

Where he lay, a few rate away, Jiraiya winced. `` might not wan na get your hopes on that kiddo. ``

See ? Even your mentor does n't believe you stand a chance with the pink haired board.

'' I mean, she 's always had her hopes strung up on the Uchiha right ? '' Jiraiya continued, not noticing the infringe flavor on his protege 's font. `` I know a number of citizenry might conceive that that 's all a kids'dream but… Look man, get hold of it from somebody in similar shoes… You really should get your philia off that train. Even the whole 'save the Uchiha'train… I think you should be prepared for the kid not wanting to come in back ; Orochimaru 's a skilled operator and if I know that bastard anywhere close to what I think I know, then he 'll have done his absolute best to reverse the Uchiha against you. ``

Naruto had n't heard a Scripture of Jiraiya 's, his nous clouded by sinister thoughts, until Jiraiya had talked about Orochimaru corrupting Sasuke beyond redemption.

It was the final push ; the emotions he had bottled up, from his lonesome honorary society years right up to that mo, broke forth like a dam…

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When Naruto opened his optic, he expected to receive himself on a cot in one of Jiraiya 's many sand trap, wrapped up in bandage and feeling the sunburn of his chakra helix as they healed. His common sense of timing was all messed up but the last few moments before slipping into unconsciousness were still reinvigorated in his mind…

The rage… the pain…

He remembered everything…

Right up to the instant his control had slipped and the red haze of his biju 's chakra blurred everything out of sight…

guilt was n't a strong adequate full term for what he felt as he returned to consciousness.

All that madness turned into a bubbling pit of rage when he fully noticed his surroundings.

Red walls, Brobdingnagian pipes, a never ending flow rate of water…

He was within his own mind, at the bridge between himself and the seal.

'' Kyubi. '' His representative was similar steel as he pushed to his animal foot and began storming down the cathedral-like hallway. things were beginning to cook gumption now ; he had never been one to be bothered by dingy idea, his childhood having taught him that the only way to remain even slightly sane was to ignore all darkness thinking, so the barrage of discouraging and disquieting questions he had been plagued by over the past times couple of workweek just had to let been caused by the Nine-Tailed Fox. It would also explicate why he had so readily been consumed by its power ; his action mechanism had never truly been his own.

'' Blaming me for everything again ? ``

The thundering boom of the Kyubi snapped him out of his rage-filled psychogenic fugue as he realized that he had arrived at the gates.

The shock barely lasted two instant before being drowned out by rage.

'' Blaming you ? ! What, I should be thanking you ? ! You have been pouring your hate-filled tripe into my header, filling my every waking thought with your bull and then taking advantage of me to try to get discharge ! ``

'' funny how you came to that conclusion. ``

Naruto stood back and crossed his arms over his chest. `` There 's a different conclusion ? ``

The Fox resting on its haunches, cracked open a crimson eyelid. `` Are you occupy ? Or was that just plain sarcasm ? ``

'' Oh no, let 's hear your face of the story. '' Naruto shot back. `` I mean, I would n't want to judge you wrongly or anything. ``

'' wellspring then… First off, you said I 'd been filling your top dog with my 'hate-filled trumpery', congratulations on rightly using the tripe by the way, you 're getting just a bit less stupe. ``

'' Is there a period to all this ? ``

'' Do n't cut off, that 's rude. Anyway, I 'd like to ask : which of those 'mental assaults'of mine was actually filled with hate ? ``

The blond immediately opened his back talk to send away off a snarky response…

And found himself gaping instead as he simply could n't think of a single instance.

The Kyubi flashed its teeth at him in a macabre grinning. `` Nothing ? Well, let 's move on shall we ? steer two : why exactly do you believe I 've been the one doing the head-filling ? ``

This time, Naruto was gear up and he immediately spouted a number of reasons related to him not having such fears ordinarily.

'' You done ? '' The Kyubi asked after his impassioned response. Upon receiving the blonde 's nod, the biju proceeded to laugh its ass off, even thrashing about in hilarity-induced spasms for safe beat. `` Oh damn kid ! You are hilarious ! You really think I could simply walk through your mind and suss out your deepest, darkest fright to fake you ? Abruptly, the biju 's features became ferocious. `` flash you nitwit : this sealskin prohibits even a single hairsbreadth on my bum from slipping out ! I sure as hell ca n't go zipping through your cranium. And do n't even get me started on that poor fish idea that I 'd pass my time watching you do homo things ; I could n't care less about your puny existence either way ! ``

'' Says the fauna that 's recorded as a mass of hate ! ``

'' By whose records ? Humans ? The Saami people that see you as my spawn ? The same specie that hate you indiscriminately even though they created the means to create more jinchuriki in the showtime place ? '' The biju 's scathing response was like a malleus strike to his already weakened belief, a fact that the biju saw and mercilessly pounced upon. `` I did n't broadcast those intellection to you, boy, they were born of your own thoughts. '' This prison term, the biju 's vocalisation was low and almost soothing. `` And I think you know why such thoughts cloud your mind. ``

Naruto turned away from the cage and took a footstep forward… before going still.

He did know ; for the longest time he had suspected as much but he had consciously shoved it down and piled on tons of false optimism to inhume it.

He was n't warm enough.

Whether he liked it or not, he just was n't strong enough on his own to come upon his finish. He had been cheated in the Academy, yes, but he had been out for to a greater extent than four years, a great component of which had been spent with Jiraiya, and he could see no pregnant changes.

He wanted to be the Hokage, he wanted to earn the respectfulness of the people… he wanted to fulfill his promise to Sakura and bring Sasuke back.

And he just. Was n't. Strong. Enough.

prat him, the biju watched as he struggled to make a decision with a satisfied smirk. True to its word of honor, it had not sent the opinion to the immature shinobi. That did n't stand for it was totally innocent either ; a gradual diversion of its chakra into the boy 's yin chakra had been all that was required for his subjugate thought to resurface and weaken that resolve he was so gallant of. Now, as the biju watched, reading into every nuance of his body spoken language, it knew it had succeeded.

The time to reap the benefits was near ; the last whole step was…

'' So why are you telling me now ? ``

The biju 's smirk turned brute. The boy wanted to jazz ; the pursuit was there.

'' In my meter here, I have come to translate what mogul means to you humans, '' it lied, `` and as such I am volition to sign a contract bridge with you. ``

The human scowled. `` A few hours ago, I 'd have ranted about you wanting my mortal or seeking an escape but now… details. I want details. ``

The biju chuckled, the audio booming out in moving ridge that rattled his dentition. Nevertheless, Naruto stood, glaring at the biju ; awaiting answers.

'' Perhaps your time with the old man was n't a complete waste ; you certainly seem more intelligent. '' Abruptly, the witticism disappeared from the biju 's countenance and the creature rose up, resting on its hind ramification. `` You mankind see us as walking masses of chakra, an public opinion that never ceases to baffle me. After all, if we walked around wreaking havoc everywhere then your history should possess been significantly altered by our actions.

'' In my time walking among your form, I learned a great deal ; fighting styles, speculation techniques and forms of chakra handling that have long since been lost to the ravages of metre. It is these I offer you ; the mogul to control the identical elements, to turn an unstoppable force out on the battlefield… Everything I know, I freely give.

'' However, I understand how impatient your kind are, no incertitude as a result of your short lifespan, and so I offer you something more : balance. ``

'' I do n't read. ``

'' I did not expect you to. You see, at its stem, chakra is of two forms : Yin chakra and Yang chakra. You possess an excess of the latter yet very minuscule, comparatively speaking, of the former. It is this dissymmetry that has limited your progress in the illusory arts. I can fix this. ``

If zip else had caught his attention, the biju knew that this certainly would.

Once again, it was n't wrong.

'' How ? ``

'' I will, with your permission, channel a hour fraction of my chakra through you. Without going into particular, it will forcibly jump get the foundation of Yin chakra within your coils and, over a period of about five daylight, your chakra circulatory system will gradually attain an sense of equilibrium state, generating an equal amount of Yin chakra as it does Yang chakra. ``

Naruto 's face went slack as he considered the sheer significance of that singular welfare. `` My chakra reserves… they'll… ''

'' look-alike ? '' The biju prompted. `` At the very least. ``

The offer seemed too proficient to be admittedly ; learning antediluvian styles of combat, gaining the ability to use genjutsu, an increased chakra capacity ? Naruto wanted to take it. Practically every brain cell he had screamed at him to ump on the offer.

Then, his eye narrowed. `` At what cost ? ``

An offer that was so mouth-watering had to bear a cost.

The biju glared at him, seemingly sizing him up yet again, before speaking. `` An offer as this should gestate a great number of demand, boy, but I will only ask of two things from you ; the low gear and the greatest is trust. '' The biju leaned forward until its snout was a mere inches away, separated by the saloon that held it locked away. `` I will not tellyou what the indorsement cost is until you have signed my contract. ``

Naruto was torn.

On one hand, he would very likely be selling his soul over to a ogre because, regardless of what the biju would have him believe, indoctrinated opinion did n't die out over a mere chat.

On the other, much heavier, paw, he would be granted the kind of mightiness that he had always desired ; the variety of power that would facilitate him achieve his goals.

'I 'm going to be the Hokage someday, Iruka-sensei ! Believe it !'

'I 'll get Sasuke back for you, Sakura-chan ! That 's a promise of a lifetime !'

'I never go back on my words ! That 's my ninja way ! Believe it !'

A wise man once said :'A man is undo by the words of his own sassing .'

'' What do I do ? ``

That man was right.

'' whole step into the John Cage, boy, and hold out your arm to your face. ``

This was it.

It was one matter to gibe to a affair but, when confronted with the enormity of their determination, many wavered and most plunk for down.

They were not Uzumaki Naruto.

With a confident step that betrayed none of his dread, the shinobi stepped out of his realm and into the daemon 's lair.

The biju reared upward, sucking in a trench breathing place, its eyes never leaving his.

Do n't strike, it seemed to say, just before it lurched forward, the dull orange glow in the back of its throat the only warning Naruto had before being engulfed in flame .