"Too slow."
"If that's all you've got, then don't even bother trying to provoke me. Weaklings should know their place."
Naruto Uzumaki's voice hit Ino Yamanaka like a thunderclap. Her pupils narrowed, stunned by the venom in his tone. A wave of fear surged through her, freezing her in place. She turned swiftly, facing Naruto's cold, mocking smile—and instinctively clenched her fingers.
She had thought that even if Naruto had gotten stronger, she'd at least be able to handle herself against him.
But she hadn't expected this level of speed.
Then why has he always been the dead-last in class? she thought in disbelief.
Before she could retreat or even fully process what was happening, Naruto raised his hand.
"Wait—!"
"There's nothing to wait for," he said calmly. "Just come to my house tonight and wait to apologize."
"Konoha Secret Taijutsu—"
"Casual Strike."
His hand landed swiftly on the back of her neck. A sharp sting spread, and her vision dimmed. The world around her blurred as her body gave out.
Golden hair fluttered in the breeze. Ino's delicate face relaxed into unconsciousness. She collapsed forward like a flower folding into sleep.
Naruto calmly stepped back half a pace just in time to avoid her falling on his foot.
Thud.
He glanced at her still form, then brushed off his sleeves.
That was close. Almost scuffed my shoe. I should be more careful next time.
[Ding! Choice 1 complete. Reward unlocked: "Thirty-Six Bondage Techniques."][Ding! Choice 2 complete. Reward unlocked: 1% Nine-Tails Chakra Control.]
As a set of shockingly intricate and bizarre bondage positions rushed into his memory, Naruto let out a quiet sigh.
Well, rewards are rewards. Who complains about getting too many? I'll take everything I can. You never know when something weird might come in handy.
He gave Ino one last glance—but didn't bother to help her.
Not my problem. That's what ANBU are for.
Sure enough, moments after Naruto walked away, a masked ANBU operative with short purple hair dropped silently from a nearby tree. She knelt beside Ino, gently picked her up, and placed her onto a bench at the side of the road.
She checked her breathing—normal.
Just unconscious. She'll wake up naturally in a bit.
"Geez," the ANBU muttered under her breath. "He even knocks girls out like it's nothing."
As she finished tending to Ino, whispers from nearby villagers started trickling in.
"Wow, that was brutal. Did he really knock her out?""Weren't they just talking about spending the night together?""Ugh, so that's what their relationship is?""That guy's the worst! Hitting his own girlfriend?""Poor Miss Yamanaka…"
The ANBU agent rolled her eyes behind the mask.
People will say anything. What are these civilians even thinking?
But she didn't interfere. Let them gossip—it had nothing to do with her.
Later that afternoon, Naruto went to the Ninja Academy to pick up his registration documents. He stopped by a photo studio for a new ID picture, then brought the paperwork to the Hokage Building.
There, he happened to run into Konohamaru, the Third Hokage's mischievous grandson, who was in the middle of throwing a tantrum and challenging his grandfather.
Seriously? What kind of sitcom timing is this?
Naruto wasn't interested. Whether the whole thing was staged by the Third Hokage or just a coincidence, he had no intention of playing along with the kid. Without saying a word, he brushed past the arguing pair and headed straight home.
There were still a few days of vacation left before the Genin squads would be announced.
Naruto spent his time mastering the… questionable new "bondage" techniques and wandering the streets, hoping the selector would pop up again.
But it didn't.
Is it sulking?
Naruto found himself strangely disappointed. April days passed in a haze. Warm sunlight bathed the village, and the peaceful weather made him feel unusually tired.
On the last day of break, after another long and uneventful stroll around the village, Naruto returned to his small apartment and collapsed onto the couch.
Might as well rest.
[Life Selector System Updating: 1% → 13%...]
Tick.Tick.
When Naruto opened his eyes again, he was standing in front of a massive iron cage.
"Long time no see," Naruto called casually.
Inside the cage, the Nine-Tailed Fox snarled.
"Rrrroar!"
It wanted to let out an earth-shattering roar, but its mouth was muzzled, and its body was contorted in a very undignified "M" position, tightly shackled with glowing restraints.
Even when controlled by Uchiha Madara, the Nine-Tails had never been this humiliated.
I can't even stretch. Why am I like this? Why can't I move?!
The beast writhed with frustration.
"You little insect! Release me immediately! When I get out of here, I'll tear you apart!"
Naruto snorted.
"You? Tear me apart? You can't even break the seal. Try harder, comedy act."
He flashed a mocking grin as he tightened the seals, taunting the fox further.
The Nine-Tails shook with rage. Its massive body trembled as it tried to surge chakra through the chains—only to fail, again.
I used to rule mountains, flatten cities… now I can't even roll over.
"You bugs!" the Nine-Tails growled. "What is this seal?! Get it off me!"
Naruto grinned wider.
"Don't get mad. After all, you were sealed by a 'bug.' You, who have all that power—look at you now. You're below insects."
The fox's eyes flared red with hatred.
"I'll rip you limb from limb!"
Naruto waved him off, already bored. He turned to leave.
But just then—finally—the selector interface reappeared in his vision.
Ah, there it is. About time.
[Ding! Life Selector Upgrade Complete.][Reward system enhanced. Now includes currency, items, and previews of reward functionality to aid better decision-making.]
[Passive Scenario Triggered!][The Nine-Tails is enraged at its humiliation and has sworn vengeance. What will you do?]
Choose Your Response:
Option 1: Be CompassionateFree the Nine-Tails, try to win it over with kindness.Reward: 46% Control of Nine-Tails Chakra
Option 2: Be StrategicNegotiate and force a chakra contract.Reward: [Devil's Contract ×1]
Option 3: Be Reckless"You know… a flaming red fox is kinda hot." Proceed with extreme action.Reward: 100,000 Ryo
Option 4: Be RuthlessKill it off permanently, no mercy.Reward: 50% of Nine-Tails Chakra
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he read the choices.
That Devil's Contract again… that's the second time it's come up. Time to check what this thing really does.
He tapped into the new preview feature.