Psychic Contract
Looking at Xu Fan, who stood tall with confidence and determination, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally made up his mind to entrust him with the task.
"But promise me—under no circumstances are you to harm Uzumaki Naruto," Hiruzen said, his tone firm as his aging eyes locked with Xu Fan's.
Facing the Third Hokage's intense gaze, Xu Fan replied without hesitation.
"I won't."
With that, he stepped past Hiruzen and disappeared down the corridor.
Though Yugito Nii had sustained serious injuries during her confrontation with the Nine-Tails, her remarkable resilience—being a perfect jinchūriki—allowed her to recover quickly. Thanks to the efforts of the medical-nin, her consciousness returned within hours. She was soon escorted by the ANBU back to her reinforced cell in Konoha's maximum security division.
To prevent another escape attempt, her containment had been upgraded with additional fūinjutsu seals and chakra suppression barriers.
Xu Fan wasted no time. As soon as Yugito was secured, he arrived at the holding area.
"Yugito Nii," Xu Fan called out, prompting her to glance up sharply. He motioned to the ANBU beside him. "Open the cell."
His sudden arrival caused a stir among the guards.
After all, Xu Fan had become something of a legend overnight—having played a crucial role in suppressing the Nine-Tails' berserk state.
The nearby ANBU cast admiring glances in his direction, murmuring in awe.
"I remember now!" one of them suddenly blurted out. At first, he hadn't recognized Xu Fan in the chaos of the earlier battle. But now, seeing him up close...
"What do you remember?" another asked, curious.
"That's Xu Fan," the ninja whispered, his voice filled with a mix of reverence and disbelief. "He became the captain of the ANBU at his age... and he fought Kakashi, Yamato, and others at the same time!"
Most who had heard of that battle didn't expect him to win. But Xu Fan hadn't just won—he'd effortlessly defeated all of them with a genjutsu that left them unconscious for days.
That was why Kakashi, Tenzo (Yamato), and the rest had been absent during the Nine-Tails' rampage.
The tale only added to his growing mystique.
Until now, many ANBU had speculated about his origins—but none had connected the dots.
Now they stared in shock.
"So it really was him...!"
"Here's the craziest part," one of them added. "From what I heard, Xu Fan only attended the Ninja Academy for one day before graduating."
"One day? Even Uchiha Itachi spent a year!"
Itachi had once held the record for the fastest graduation. He was widely considered Konoha's greatest prodigy. But in comparison, even Itachi's brilliance seemed dim.
"You think Xu Fan might become the Fifth Hokage?"
"Who else could? He's stronger than anyone else his age—and he's a direct descendant of the Senju clan."
"Already an ANBU captain—and today, he saved the entire village."
But then, another ninja joined the conversation, his tone half-skeptical, half-serious.
"Captain? Your info's outdated. Xu Fan is the current head of Root. He replaced Lord Danzo."
"What?!"
Gasps echoed around the room.
Root—Konoha's black ops division—had long operated under Danzo Shimura, a man known for his ruthlessness and political power. A legendary figure, Danzo was a fellow disciple of the Second Hokage and one of the village's original leaders.
Yet now... replaced?
And Danzo hadn't even protested?
It was almost unthinkable.
"After seeing Xu Fan, can anyone really call Kakashi or Itachi the pinnacle of genius anymore?" one ANBU muttered. The others said nothing, each caught in their own thoughts.
There was a growing certainty among them: Xu Fan might very well become the youngest Hokage in history.
Meanwhile, Xu Fan ignored the growing crowd. He hadn't come here for praise or awe. He had a purpose.
"Xu Fan..." Yugito's voice was low, but steady. Her injuries were nearly healed.
"I won't ask you how to become a perfect jinchūriki," Xu Fan said. "I already know that much is beyond persuasion."
Yugito's eyes narrowed. "So what? You expect me to just hand over the secrets of Kumogakure?"
"You heard everything, didn't you?" he asked.
"I did," she admitted coldly. "But you won't get a word out of me. Not even under genjutsu."
Perfect jinchūriki like her—those who achieved full control over their Tailed Beast—were exceptionally resistant to illusions. Combined with Matatabi's chakra, her recovery and mental resilience were unmatched.
No genjutsu could truly bend her will.
Xu Fan smiled faintly. "Do you know what the funniest part is?"
Yugito frowned. "What?"
"I'm just here for show. I don't need your secrets. I only needed to say I came, asked a few questions, and then report back to Hiruzen that I got Kumogakure's intel."
Then, without another word, Xu Fan turned and left, leaving Yugito stunned.
Her eyes widened. How does he know that secret?
But before she could make sense of his words, Xu Fan's thoughts turned elsewhere.
That reminds me... If I want to reverse summon myself to Mount Myōboku, I'll need to sign the Toad Summoning Contract.
The scroll was currently in the hands of Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin.
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