"Naruto?"
Jiraiya saw Naruto suddenly daze off and couldn't help but ask, "What are you thinking about?"
"Ah, this…"
Naruto snapped back to reality, looking a bit embarrassed at Jiraiya, and said, "Um… sorry, Toad Boss, I can't sign this contract."
Jiraiya was slightly surprised to hear that and asked in confusion, "Why can't you sign it?"
"Because…"
Naruto hesitated, then pointed to his stomach and said, "There's a Big Fox in here, and it won't let me sign a contract with the toads of Mount Myōboku."
"Big Fox… the Nine-Tailed?!"
Jiraiya immediately reacted to Naruto's words and asked seriously, "You can communicate with the Nine-Tailed now?"
"Mhm." Naruto nodded, thought for a moment, then added, "The Big Fox is actually quite easy to get along with."
Although the Nine-Tailed had been fierce at first, after Naruto bumped fists with it and felt its 'warm' chakra, he realized it wasn't bad at all. It would even quietly listen to his stories.
"Easy to get along with…"
Jiraiya's mouth twitched slightly. The Nine-Tailed, a tailed beast known as a "natural disaster," had somehow become an easygoing Big Fox in Naruto's eyes.
"Naruto, when did you start being able to communicate with the Nine-Tailed?" Jiraiya asked seriously. "And why won't it let you sign a summoning contract with the toads of Mount Myōboku?"
Originally, Jiraiya had been wondering whether it was too early to teach Naruto how to control the Nine-Tailed's chakra. He hadn't expected Naruto to already be able to communicate with it—and judging by Naruto's words, their relationship seemed unusually harmonious.
"When?"
Naruto pondered for a moment and replied, "It seems that ever since I came back from that world, I've been able to talk to the Big Fox… As for why it won't let me sign the contract, it said it hates toads."
Hates toads… what a powerful reason.
Still, since the Nine-Tailed didn't want Naruto to sign a summoning contract with Mount Myōboku—and Naruto himself seemed inclined to follow its wishes—Jiraiya decided not to push the matter.
More importantly, Jiraiya was worried that going against the Nine-Tailed's will might interfere with Naruto's growth, which would be troublesome.
As for the summoning contract, if it wasn't signed, then so be it.
Jiraiya put the scroll away and asked, "Can you tell me how you and the Nine-Tailed get along?"
Naruto consulted the Nine-Tailed in his mind. After receiving its consent, he nodded and told Jiraiya about their interactions, how they communicated, and how the Nine-Tailed had agreed to lend him chakra when he was in danger.
In return, the Nine-Tailed had asked Naruto not to mention the existence of the "other world" to anyone.
"The Nine-Tailed actually agreed to lend you chakra?!"
Jiraiya was visibly shaken, especially by that part.
It was common knowledge that most jinchūriki and tailed beasts were hostile toward one another. Using a tailed beast's chakra usually came with the risk of having one's consciousness eroded.
However, there were rare cases—unique jinchūriki who earned their tailed beast's recognition and lived in mutual understanding with it, allowing them to fully control its power.
These individuals were known as Perfect Jinchūriki, and since the concept of jinchūriki had existed, their number could be counted on one hand.
From Naruto's relationship with the Nine-Tailed, Jiraiya felt that he might possess the potential to become one.
Did Minato sense this potential at birth… and that's why he sealed the Nine-Tails into his own child?
With that thought, Jiraiya made a decision. He would take Naruto with him and teach him properly.
---
Outside Konoha Village, at a Root outpost.
Danzo sat quietly in a dark underground room, as if waiting for something. Suddenly, a wrist-thick snake emerged from the ground. After surveying its surroundings, it opened its mouth—and an arm thicker than its body extended out, followed by a head, then the rest of a figure.
In moments, a man stood there, his vertical, snake-like pupils fixed on Danzo.
It was Orochimaru, one of the Three Sannin.
"Long time no see, Lord Danzo," Orochimaru said with a sinister chuckle.
"Orochimaru, I have something I need you to do," Danzo replied bluntly.
"Oh? And what would that be?" Orochimaru asked, his smile unchanged.
"Assassinate the Hokage."
Danzo's eyes flickered as he spoke righteously, "Hiruzen is too weak. He is no longer fit to sit in the Hokage's seat. Only I can make Konoha stronger."
"You want me to assassinate my teacher?" Orochimaru laughed softly. "Heh heh… Lord Danzo, my teacher is known as the 'Strongest Hokage.' Killing him won't be easy."
"I will provide sufficient assistance," Danzo said immediately. "If you successfully eliminate Hiruzen Sarutobi, I will revoke your bounty after becoming Hokage—and even bring you back to the Village to take my current position."
"Hee hee hee… Those are tempting conditions," Orochimaru said, eyes glinting. Still, he didn't agree right away. "However, I heard Jiraiya has returned to the Village. With him around, I'm not confident I can eliminate Teacher Sarutobi—and I don't wish to tangle with him either."
The implication was clear.
"Orochimaru… you want Jiraiya gone," Danzo said after a moment of thought. "Very well. I'll find a way to make him leave the Village. You prepare for the assassination."
"No problem."
Orochimaru nodded, then added casually, "I'll also need some funding—and some tissue from the previous Hokage. Assassinating the Hokage is no small matter, after all."
Danzo considered briefly, then nodded. "Very well. I'll have them delivered shortly. Don't make further demands—you've already asked for enough."
"Hee hee hee…"
Orochimaru laughed softly. "Lord Danzo, compared to the Hokage's seat, these demands are nothing more than trivial costs, aren't they?"
---
Happy Reading. Be sure to leave a review. Thank you!!!
Check out my other novel: Dark Lord at Hogwarts.
---
Visit my Patreon for early access to 20+ chapters!!!
P@treon: mrfanfiction140