The contract bridge

Chapter 1- decision

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'' You got ta move faster kid ! '' Jiraiya barked as he sidestepped Naruto 's fist and delivered a vicious slap to the boy 's skull. `` And do n't just fuddle yourself into your attacks, anticipate your opponent 's moves and ALWAYS be prepared to oppose accordingly ! Have n't you learned anything over the preceding two year ? ``

nada I could n't have learned back home.

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

'' Never drop your guard ! ``

The blonde gritted his dentition, biting back the pain in the neck as he grabbed on to the offending clenched fist with one hand and slammed twin retaliatory C to his mentor 's snarky mug.

It dissolved into mud beneath him.

His center widened by a hair's-breadth and he immediately replaced himself with a tree branch.

A bit later, the branch was skewered by a thousand muddy needles.

'Fuck it !'Naruto swore as he imediately began to crawl through the underbrush .'I need to get my chief in the game !'

No criminal offense, man, but is there really a gunpoint ? I mean, you 're here getting beat up by one man. A Sannin, granted, but just ONE man. Sasuke 's getting his ass in paraphernalia with the resource of an intact Village. A small one, admittedly, but they 've got their own Sannin and a genius to boot. Not to mention ol'Four-Eyed Kabuto with his insane skills and, if the audio Four and the freaky bone guy are any indication, a totally squad of jonin level shinobi. The Perv 's training you like you 're going up against a 1 enemy while the guy who will be going up against a single foeman 's getting prepped for an all out war.

'You're…'Naruto snapped out of his almost trance-like nation with a violent jerk. Realizing how close he had come to agreeing withthe voice in his head, the blonde 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 knees. `` I need the cash ! ``

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

Jiraiya 's expression, though, had gone from pleading to disturbingly perverse. `` Oh~ kid you had to have seen her ! That was n't just some Joseph Hooker, she was an downright infant ! mammilla as big as my head and an ass you could rebound a coin off ! And her legs ! ``

THIS is what I 'm training with ? The perverted idiot of the Sannin ? So, Sasuke 's getting trained by the genius of the Sannin, a manoeuver rival for the Big Hat alongside the yellowness Flash and the guy that ended the Old Man 's astral life story and we 're getting trained by the Perverted Sannin. Wonderful. No, fuck sarcasm ! Even Sakura had a adept deal. At least her Sannin wo n't bug her for hard cash so she could go tally out strippers and shit. I mean for the beloved of- Orochimaru 's a fucking genius ! He 's on a similar storey to the fucking Fourth Hokage ! He 's a assert brand passe-partout. He knows more ninjutsu techniques than near shinobi ever get to even witness ! Sasuke, the angst ridden gay emo gets THAT guy and you 're stuck with the guy who 's fully grown call to fame is that he trained the Fourth ? Is there anyway you could feature come up with an even worse deal ? !

'' Shut the screw up and forget me alone ! '' Naruto roared angrily.

Jiraiya, who had been caught mid-rant when his apprentice snapped, simply thought he might stimulate pushed the limit and decided to manoeuvre into the sporting house on his own. The lady of the house knew him well and, unlike his busty teammate, he had a report for maintaining minimal, if any, debts.

Had he bothered to dig deeper, he might ingest 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 Admiralty mile away from the soil of Bears, taking the day off to make relaxed and unroll. `` Me, I 'm gon na hit up Tsunade first ; see if she 's finally come around to my manly charms. ``

'' The only when thing manly about you is your hairsbreadth, Pervy Sage. '' Naruto shot back with a grin. `` And even that 's longer than to the highest degree women wear their hair's-breadth. ``

'' Oi ! Do n't diss these locks you short brat ! ``

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

For the next few minute, aught 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 past few weeks, doubt and fears had set into his meat and, no matter how hard he tried to ignore them, they had burrowed in deeply. He did, however, know what to say to his mentor. `` starting time affair first, I wan na see Sakura-chan again ! She must have grown quite lots 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 paces away, Jiraiya winced. `` Might not wan na get your Leslie Townes Hope on that kiddo. ``

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

'' I mean, she 's always had her hopes strung up on the Uchiha right ? '' Jiraiya continued, not noticing the conflicted look on his protege 's cheek. `` I know a number of the great unwashed might believe that that 's all a kids'pipe dream but… Look man, require it from someone in similar shoes… You really should get your nitty-gritty off that gear. Even the unit 'save the Uchiha'train… I think you should be prepared for the kid not wanting to arrive back ; Orochimaru 's a skilled operator and if I know that son of a bitch anywhere close to what I think I know, then he 'll experience done his absolute best to turn the Uchiha against you. ``

Naruto had n't heard a Bible of Jiraiya 's, his judgement clouded by black mentation, until Jiraiya had talked about Orochimaru corrupting Sasuke beyond redemption.

It was the net push ; the emotions he had bottled up, from his alone Academy yr right up to that moment, broke forth like a dam…

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When Naruto opened his eyes, he expected to come up himself on a cot in one of Jiraiya 's many dugout, wrapped up in bandages and feeling the sunburn of his chakra coils as they healed. His horse sense of timing was all messed up but the end few here and now before slipping into unconsciousness were still fresh in his mind…

The rage… the pain…

He remembered everything…

rightfield up to the present moment his ascendency had slipped and the red haze of his biju 's chakra blurred everything out of sight…

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

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

Red walls, vast pipework, a never ending flow of water…

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

'' Kyubi. '' His voice was same brand as he pushed to his metrical unit and began storming down the cathedral-like hallway. things were beginning to relieve oneself gumption now ; he had never been one to be bothered by drab thoughts, his childhood having taught him that the just way to remain even slightly sane was to ignore all dark mentation, so the barrage of discouraging and disquieting enquiry he had been plagued by over the past twain of calendar week just had to have been caused by the Nine-Tailed Fox. It would also explain why he had so readily been consumed by its mogul ; his actions had never truly been his own.

'' Blaming me for everything again ? ``

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

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

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

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

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

The Fox resting on its haunches, cracked open a crimson lid. `` Are you interest ? Or was that just sound off sarcasm ? ``

'' Oh no, let 's get wind your incline of the narration. '' Naruto shot back. `` I mean, I would n't want to judge you wrongly or anything. ``

'' well then… offset off, you said I 'd been filling your head with my 'hate-filled tripe', congratulations on rightly using the tripe by the way, you 're getting just a bit less pillock. ``

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

'' Do n't interrupt, that 's rude. Anyway, I 'd like to ask : which of those 'mental rape'of mine was actually filled with hatred ? ``

The blonde immediately opened his oral cavity to terminate off a snarky response…

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

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

This time, Naruto was ready and he immediately spouted a turn of ground related to him not having such fears ordinarily.

'' You done ? '' The Kyubi asked after his impassioned response. Upon receiving the blond 's nod, the biju proceeded to laugh its ass off, even thrashing about in hilarity-induced spasms for safe measure. `` Oh damn kid ! You are hilarious ! You really think I could simply take the air through your mind and suss out your deepest, darkest fears to control you ? Abruptly, the biju 's lineament became fierce. `` newsflash you nitwit : this seal prohibits even a single hair on my derriere 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 stupid person idea that I 'd pass my time watching you do homo things ; I could n't care less about your puny beingness either way ! ``

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

'' By whose record ? Humans ? The Same mass that see you as my spawn ? The same specie that hate you indiscriminately even though they created the means to create to a greater extent jinchuriki in the first place ? '' The biju 's vituperative response was like a hammer smasher to his already weakened belief, a fact that the biju saw and mercilessly pounced upon. `` I did n't institutionalise those thoughts to you, boy, they were born of your own mentation. '' This metre, the biju 's representative was low and almost soothing. `` And I think you know why such thoughts cloud your idea. ``

Naruto turned away from the Cage and took a step forward… before going still.

He did know ; for the longest fourth dimension he had suspected as much but he had consciously shoved it down and piled on tons of mistaken optimism to immerse it.

He was n't strong enough.

Whether he liked it or not, he just was n't strong enough on his own to attain his goals. He had been cheated in the academy, yes, but he had been out for more than four years, a great portion of which had been spent with Jiraiya, and he could see no significant changes.

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

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

hind end him, the biju watched as he struggled to make a determination with a fulfil smirk. True to its Logos, it had not sent the idea to the young shinobi. That did n't have in mind 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 stifle thought to resurface and weaken that resolve he was so gallant of. Now, as the biju watched, reading into every refinement of his torso language, it knew it had succeeded.

The clip to reap the benefits was near ; the final footfall was…

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

The biju 's smirk turned wildcat. The boy wanted to know ; the interest was there.

'' In my time here, I have come to sympathise what power means to you humans, '' it lied, `` and as such I am willing to sign a contract bridge with you. ``

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

The biju chuckled, the sound booming out in Wave that rattled his teeth. Nevertheless, Naruto stood, glaring at the biju ; awaiting answers.

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

'' In my time walking among your kind, I learned a smashing deal ; fighting styles, meditation techniques and mannikin of chakra use that have long since been lost to the depredation of time. It is these I offer you ; the power to control the rattling factor, to get an unstoppable forcefulness on the battlefield… Everything I know, I freely give.

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

'' I do n't understand. ``

'' I did not gestate you to. You see, at its root, chakra is of two variety : Yin chakra and Yang chakra. You possess an superabundance of the latter yet very little, comparatively speaking, of the former. It is this imbalance that has limited your progress in the illusory art. I can fix this. ``

If nothing else had caught his attending, the biju knew that this certainly would.

Once again, it was n't wrong.

'' How ? ``

'' I will, with your permission, conduct a bit fraction of my chakra through you. Without going into specific, it will forcibly leap out start the creation of Yin chakra within your spiral and, over a time period of about five mean solar day, your chakra circulatory organization will gradually gain an vestibular sense state, generating an adequate amount of Yin chakra as it does Yang chakra. ``

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

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

The fling seemed too just to be true ; learning ancient styles of scrap, gaining the power to use genjutsu, an increased chakra capacity ? Naruto wanted to lead it. Practically every brain cell he had screamed at him to ump on the offer.

Then, his eyes narrowed. `` At what monetary value ? ``

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 whirl as this should bear a gravid turn of demand, boy, but I will only ask of two things from you ; the first and the smashing is trust. '' The biju leaned forward until its snout was a mere inches away, separated by the streak that held it locked away. `` I will not tellyou what the second cost is until you have signed my contract bridge. ``

Naruto was torn.

On one handwriting, he would very likely be selling his person over to a demon because, regardless of what the biju would throw him conceive, indoctrinated beliefs did n't die out over a bare chat.

On the other, much leaden, handwriting, he would be granted the kind of mogul that he had always desired ; the kind of power that would help him reach 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 undone by the words of his own oral fissure .'

'' What do I do ? ``

That man was right.

'' footmark into the cage, boy, and hold out your arm to your side. ``

This was it.

It was one thing to agree to a thing but, when confronted with the enormity of their decision, many wavered and most backed down.

They were not Uzumaki Naruto.

With a convinced step that betrayed none of his apprehension, the shinobi stepped out of his region and into the monster 's lair.

The biju reared upward, sucking in a thick breath, its eyes never leaving his.

Do n't move, it seemed to say, just before it lurched forward, the dull orange tree glowing in the spinal column of its pharynx the only admonition Naruto had before being engulfed in flame .