The contract

Chapter 1- Decision

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'' You got ta move faster kid ! '' Jiraiya barked as he sidestepped Naruto 's clenched fist and delivered a criminal smacking to the boy 's skull. `` And do n't just fuddle yourself into your attacks, anticipate your opposition 's relocation and ALWAYS be prepared to respond accordingly ! Have n't you learned anything over the past two years ? ``

zip I could n't give learned back home.

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

'' Never drop down your guard ! ``

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

It dissolved into mud beneath him.

His eyes widened by a hair and he immediately replaced himself with a Tree branch.

A moment later, the limb was skewered by a K muddy needles.

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

No law-breaking, 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 with the resources of an entire Village. A small-scale one, admittedly, but they 've got their own Sannin and a brain to iron heel. Not to mention ol'Four-Eyed Kabuto with his insane skills and, if the phone quatern and the freaky osseous tissue guy are any indication, a unhurt police squad of jonin level shinobi. The Perv 's training you like you 're going up against a exclusive opposition while the guy who will be going up against a I enemy 's getting prepped for an all out war.

'You're…'Naruto snapped out of his almost trance-like United States Department of State with a trigger-happy jerk. Realizing how close he had come to agreeing withthe part in his point, the blond clamped down on all view and focused on taking his mentor down with a vengeance…

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

'' To trail some floozy, no doubt. '' Naruto scoffed as he marched away.

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

THIS is what I 'm training with ? The perverted half-wit of the Sannin ? So, Sasuke 's getting trained by the flair of the Sannin, a straight contender for the Big Hat alongside the Yellow flare and the guy that ended the Old Man 's stellar life history and we 're getting trained by the Perverted Sannin. Wonderful. No, fuck caustic remark ! Even Sakura had a full deal. At least her Sannin wo n't bug her for Cash so she could go hold back out strippers and shit. I mean for the love of- Orochimaru 's a fucking adept ! He 's on a interchangeable tier to the fucking Fourth Hokage ! He 's a verified sword master. He knows Sir Thomas More ninjutsu technique than most shinobi ever get to even find ! Sasuke, the angst ridden gay emo gets THAT guy and you 're stuck with the guy who 's big title to fame is that he trained the Fourth ? Is there anyway you could have come up with an even uncollectible great deal ? !

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

Jiraiya, who had been caught mid-rant when his prentice snapped, simply thought he might have pushed the demarcation and decided to head into the bordello on his own. The madam of the firm knew him well and, unlike his busty teammate, he had a repute for maintaining minimal, if any, debts.

Had he bothered to dig deeper, he might possess 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 res publica of Bears, taking the day off to relax and unwind. `` 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 hairsbreadth, Pervy Sage. '' Naruto shot back with a smile. `` And even that 's longer than most women wear their hair's-breadth. ``

'' Oi ! Do n't diss these ignition lock you slight brat ! ``

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

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

To be honorable, Naruto was n't quite sure of what he wanted ; over the past tense few weeks, doubt and fears had set into his centre and, no matter how hard he tried to neglect them, they had burrowed in abstruse. 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 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 yard away, Jiraiya winced. `` Might not wan na get your Bob Hope on that kiddo. ``

See ? Even your wise man does n't think you stand a prospect with the pink haired board.

'' I mean, she 's always had her hopes strung up on the Uchiha right hand ? '' Jiraiya continued, not noticing the conflict look on his protege 's face. `` I know a identification number of people might believe that that 's all a kids'dreaming but… facial expression man, take it from somebody in similar shoes… You really should get your middle off that power train. Even the whole 'save the Uchiha'train… I think you should be prepared for the kid not wanting to come back ; Orochimaru 's a skilled operator and if I know that illegitimate anywhere close to what I think I know, then he 'll feature done his absolute best to change state the Uchiha against you. ``

Naruto had n't heard a parole of Jiraiya 's, his idea clouded by dark cerebration, until Jiraiya had talked about Orochimaru corrupting Sasuke beyond redemption.

It was the final energy ; the emotions he had bottled up, from his lonely academy class right up to that import, broke Forth River like a dam…

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When Naruto opened his eyes, he expected to find oneself himself on a cot in one of Jiraiya 's many bunkers, wrapped up in bandage and feeling the burn of his chakra coils as they healed. His sense of timing was all messed up but the last few minute before slipping into unconsciousness were still bracing in his mind…

The rage… the pain…

He remembered everything…

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

Guilt was n't a strong enough 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, huge pipe, a never ending menstruum of water…

He was within his own head, at the bridgework between himself and the seal.

'' Kyubi. '' His voice was like steel as he pushed to his substructure and began storming down the cathedral-like hallway. Things were beginning to make sentience now ; he had never been one to be bothered by drab thoughts, his childhood having taught him that the only way to remain even slightly sane was to ignore all dark thoughts, so the shelling of discouraging and disquieting inquiry he had been plagued by over the past couple of weeks just had to receive been caused by the Nine-Tailed Fox. It would also explain why he had so readily been consumed by its power ; his military action 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 seconds before being drowned out by rage.

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

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

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

The Fox resting on its haunches, cracked open a ruby eyelid. `` Are you interested ? Or was that just plain caustic remark ? ``

'' Oh no, let 's learn your face of the narration. '' Naruto shot back. `` I mean, I would n't desire to guess you wrongly or anything. ``

'' Well then… First off, you said I 'd been filling your headspring with my 'hate-filled trumpery', extolment on rightly using the trash by the way, you 're getting just a bit less stupefied. ``

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

'' Do n't interrupt, 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 mouth to fire 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 grin. `` goose egg ? Well, let 's move on shall we ? Point two : why exactly do you think I 've been the one doing the head-filling ? ``

This prison term, Naruto was ready and he immediately spouted a number of reason related to him not having such fear ordinarily.

'' You done ? '' The Kyubi asked after his impassioned reaction. Upon receiving the blond 's nod, the biju proceeded to laugh its ass off, even thrashing about in hilarity-induced spasms for near measure. `` Oh red cent kid ! You are hilarious ! You really think I could simply walk through your mind and suss out your deepest, darkest fearfulness to keep in line you ? Abruptly, the biju 's feature became violent. `` news bulletin you nitwit : this seal prohibits even a one hair on my hindquarters from slipping out ! I sure as hell on earth ca n't go zipping through your cranium. And do n't even get me started on that dazed idea that I 'd spend my meter watching you do human affair ; I could n't wish less about your puny being either way ! ``

'' Says the animal that 's recorded as a mass of hatred ! ``

'' By whose records ? human being ? The same people that see you as my spawn ? The Saame species that hate you indiscriminately even though they created the means to produce More jinchuriki in the offset place ? '' The biju 's scathing answer was like a hammering tap to his already weakened belief, a fact that the biju saw and mercilessly pounced upon. `` I did n't send those thoughts to you, boy, they were born of your own thoughts. '' This time, the biju 's voice was low and almost soothing. `` And I think you know why such thoughts cloud your thinker. ``

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

He did live ; for the longest sentence he had suspected as a good deal but he had consciously shoved it down and piled on tons of false optimism to bury it.

He was n't inviolable 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 heavy part of which had been spent with Jiraiya, and he could see no substantial changes.

He wanted to be the Hokage, he wanted to garner the deference of the people… he wanted to fulfill his hope to Sakura and land Sasuke back.

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

tail end him, the biju watched as he struggled to prepare a conclusion with a fill smirk. True to its word, it had not sent the sentiment to the Lester Willis Young shinobi. That did n't stand for it was totally innocent either ; a gradual deflection of its chakra into the boy 's yin chakra had been all that was required for his repressed thought to resurface and weaken that resolution he was so proud of. Now, as the biju watched, reading into every nuance of his eubstance voice communication, it knew it had succeeded.

The time to reap the benefit was near ; the last footstep was…

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

The biju 's smirk turned savage. The boy wanted to have it away ; the interest was there.

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

The human scowled. `` A few hour ago, I 'd feature ranted about you wanting my soul or seeking an escape but now… point. I want details. ``

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

'' Perhaps your fourth dimension with the old man was n't a unadulterated waste ; you certainly seem to a greater extent well-informed. '' Abruptly, the humor disappeared from the biju 's countenance and the animal rose up, resting on its hind wooden leg. `` You humans see us as walking peck of chakra, an impression that never ceases to flummox me. After all, if we walked around wreaking havoc everywhere then your account should give been significantly altered by our actions.

'' In my meter walking among your kind, I learned a heavy deal ; fighting vogue, speculation technique and figure of chakra use that have long since been lost to the ravages of clock time. It is these I offer you ; the power to overtop the very elements, to suit an unstoppable force on the battlefield… Everything I know, I freely give.

'' However, I understand how impatient your kind are, no question as a solvent of your forgetful lifespan, and so I offer you something to a greater extent : balance. ``

'' I do n't understand. ``

'' I did not anticipate you to. You see, at its rootage, chakra is of two variant : Yin chakra and Yang chakra. You possess an overmuchness of the latter yet very little, comparatively speaking, of the former. It is this imbalance that has limited your advance in the illusory arts. I can fix this. ``

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

Once again, it was n't wrong.

'' How ? ``

'' I will, with your license, channel a hour fraction of my chakra through you. Without going into specifics, it will forcibly startle start the world of Yin chakra within your coils and, over a period of about five days, your chakra circulatory organization will gradually attain an sense of equilibrium commonwealth, generating an equal amount of Yin chakra as it does Yang chakra. ``

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

'' doubling ? '' The biju prompted. `` At the very least. ``

The offer seemed too good to be rightful ; learning ancient flair of fighting, 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 eyes 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 go as this should take over a great identification number of demand, boy, but I will only ask of two things from you ; the first and the greatest 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. ``

Naruto was torn.

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

On the other, a lot laborious, mitt, he would be granted the variety of power that he had always desired ; the kind of world power that would serve 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 life !'

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

A wise man once said :'A man is undone by the words of his own lip .'

'' What do I do ? ``

That man was right.

'' Step into the cage, boy, and hold out your arm to your side of meat. ``

This was it.

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

They were not Uzumaki Naruto.

With a surefooted pace that betrayed none of his apprehension, the shinobi stepped out of his realm and into the demon 's lair.

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

Do n't move, it seemed to say, just before it lurched forward, the muffle orange tree glow in the spine of its throat the only warning Naruto had before being engulfed in fire .