Forced Pact

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed. As he had sensed, no one had come looking for him, proving that his capture had been well-prepared and that Danzō might not have acted alone.

Nevertheless, the young Uzumaki's daily life had changed somewhat; his days were no longer as bleak as before. Drawing from his newfound motivation to live only for himself, he established a new routine aimed at improving his skills as much as possible.

His days began with a physical training session to build endurance and stay in top shape. Next came meditation, helping him maintain his sanity in this hell. The woman who had helped him used to visit regularly, exchanging a few words, but she hadn't come for some time. In fact, even Danzō had been scarce these past few days.

"Senpō…" he murmured. Suddenly, his irises turned yellow, and his pupils became horizontal slits. He sensed the chakra in the surroundings, making sure no one was nearby. As usual, it was time to train his Senjutsu.

Slowly but surely, Naruto was improving his Sage Mode. He had been lucky enough to pique Fukasaku's curiosity—the very same master who had trained Jiraiya. Fukasaku found the young man's talent so remarkable that he decided to personally teach him Senjutsu.

"Someone's coming!" Naruto sensed a presence and quickly deactivated his Sage Mode. Suddenly, the lock clicked, and the door swung open.

It was impossible to see who it was—not only was the space dark, but the figure was covered in black from head to toe. The fact that they made almost no noise as they approached spoke volumes about their skill.

"Get up…!" the person said in a rough voice. "The master wants to see you immediately."

Naruto stood up and stepped forward without a word.

The man reeked of arrogance for a mere underling, but since his arrival, Naruto had learned one thing—getting angry wasn't worth it; it would only bring him more trouble.

But one thing was certain: when the time came, these guys would pay triple for their excessive arrogance.

The two of them arrived at their destination, the man respectfully opening the door.

"Master Danzō, I've brought him."

"Look at that…" Naruto thought in disgust. "Just a few minutes ago, he was acting all high and mighty, and now he's licking the other's boots…"

Danzō turned his head and simply gestured with his hand.

"Young Uzumaki, come and sit." he said, setting down a teapot on a small table.

Naruto entered without protest and sat across from Danzō, his face as expressionless as ever. This room, however, brought back painful memories, but he had to overcome them.

"I see you've finally resigned yourself to making the right choice," Danzō continued, pouring tea into a cup and handing it to Naruto.

"Man is like water; he takes the shape of what contains him. In storms or calm, he always finds a way, for his ability to adapt is his greatest strength," Naruto replied, accepting the cup of tea. He was holding back a lot to avoid striking the old man to death, but the time had not yet come—or rather, he was too weak.

For a brief moment, Naruto's response unsettled Danzō. Why was this loudmouthed kid suddenly speaking like a sage?

"I see that isolation has made you more sensible," Danzō finally replied, sipping his tea. "…Anyway, let's get to the main point. I called you here to inform you that you are joining the ANBU."

Naruto nearly choked. "What the hell is going on in this old man's head? Join the ANBU? What next?" he muttered before finally speaking.

"Why should I join the ANBU?" he asked, setting his cup down and taking on a serious expression. "I haven't even received any training."

"That is my decision… And as for your training, someone will take care of it," Danzō replied calmly.

It was baffling—Naruto understood nothing anymore. He had been kidnapped, held captive for a month, and now they wanted him to become an ANBU member? Wasn't he too old for this kind of thing?

(Dog, Boar, Cat…)

Suddenly, Danzō set down his cup and began a series of hand signs. As he finished, he placed his hands on Naruto's chest. A wave of warmth flooded his body but disappeared just as quickly.

"What did you do to me?!" he yelled in panic, pulling off his shirt to reveal a black inscription on his skin—a seal.

Danzō did not respond and instead moved toward the door, allowing someone else to enter.

"Now that the seal is in place, let me introduce the one who will be in charge of your training."

Lifting his gaze, Naruto saw a familiar silhouette—the woman from the cell. He had suspected that her existence wasn't so simple, and this only confirmed it.

Who was she?

"It seems you two already know each other. That should make things easier," Danzō said as he left the room. "I'll leave you to talk."