Of course, nma had never intended for the situation to beco so rigid.
From the very beginning, his purpose here had been clear to subdue and claim the loyalty of this summoning beast, not to defeat it outright, much less to kill it.
If heaven itself were his witness, nma truly only wanted to display his strength early on, establish absolute pressure, and then forcefully but cleanly bring the lizard into submission. However, the present outco had clearly exceeded his expectations. In the end, it could only be attributed to one thing.
A lack of experience.
I shouldn't have used that technique…
nma silently reflected on his mistake.
The Rasengan variant infused with the Nine-Tails' chakra was far too destructive. Against a creature whose purpose was endurance and defense, he should have relied on taijutsu, overwhelming physical force, and controlled bursts of Kyūbi chakra thods sufficient to suppress without crippling.
Instead, he had chosen brute destruction.
Now, the consequences were clear.
This summoning beast the Suzaku Lizard had been loyal to its forr master for decades, faithfully guarding this desolate land under the final command of Suzaku Gosaku, a shinobi long since lost to history. That unwavering loyalty, combined with the grievous injuries nma had just inflicted, made reconciliation nearly impossible.
If the Suzaku Lizard were still willing to negotiate under such circumstances, that would have been truly absurd.
"I acted too rashly just now."
nma exhaled slowly, lifting his gaze toward the massive, wounded form before him.
"I apologize to you… Suzaku Lizard."
His voice was sincere, calm, and stripped of arrogance.
"I ca here without hostile intent. I did not seek to humiliate you, nor to break your will. I only hoped to form a summoning contract with you as my partner. I hope you can lend your strength."
Even as the words left his mouth, nma knew how hollow they must sound.
After violently beating a proud summoning beast into submission, then asking it to cooperate no matter how one frad it, the request bordered on the ridiculous.
Yet nma had little choice.
From the very beginning, the Suzaku Lizard had refused all communication, forcing nma to escalate. The mistake lay not in his resolve, but in his failure to control the intensity of his power.
That failure was his alone.
As expected, nma's words were t with silence.
The Suzaku Lizard did not even bother to open its eyes.
It understood perfectly that it could not defeat nma but so what?
A summoning contract?
Absolutely impossible.
The Suzaku Lizard was stubborn to the core. It acknowledged only the master it had chosen, and it would remain loyal to that decision until the end of its existence. A re brat who had disturbed its rest, violated its territory, and damaged its body had no right to inherit that bond.
If death ca, so be it.
This naked rejection was unmistakable.
nma had briefly considered stepping forward to use the Mystical Palm Technique, which he had only recently mastered, to treat the lizard's injuries. But the violent chakra fluctuations and instinctive resistance he sensed made it clear the Suzaku Lizard would reject even healing from him.
A will as hard as iron.
nma's expression shifted into one of equal parts frustration and admiration.
After all, what shinobi wouldn't desire a summoning partner of such loyalty?
The difference between summoning beasts was clear in the ninja world. Manda, the great serpent contracted by Orochimaru, was powerful but treacherous, willing to abandon its summoner without hesitation. In contrast, Gamabunta of Mount Myōboku, though foul-mouthed and prideful, would stand and fight alongside Jiraiya to the very end.
Such loyalty was priceless.
And this Suzaku Lizard was clearly cut from the sa cloth.
For decades, it had remained here, honoring a single command, guarding a land long forgotten, refusing every opportunity to abandon its post.
That alone earned nma's respect.
"I understand your loyalty to Suzaku Gosaku," nma said slowly. "But decades have passed. Your duty was fulfilled long ago. There is no reason for you to remain bound here forever."
He paused, then continued with asured conviction.
"Follow . Suzaku Lizard. I can give you a broader future. You are a battle-type summoning beast do you truly wish to remain alone in this wasteland until the end of ti? Your loyalty has already been proven. Even your forr master… would not want you to waste your existence like this."
This ti, his words reached deeper.
The Suzaku Lizard was not a mindless beast. It possessed true intelligence, emotions, and will. To say that decades of solitude had left no trace on its heart would be a lie.
It longed for battle.
For purpose.
For a future beyond endless waiting.
Yet none of those desires could surpass the weight of its master's final order.
Suzaku Gosaku's command was absolute.
Otherwise, the lizard could have left long ago. Countless shinobi had passed through this region over the years any one of them might have beco a new contractor.
But it never chose one.
Because it could not.
nma's words stirred only a faint ripple before fading once more into silence.
The Suzaku Lizard remained unmoved.
nma scratched the back of his head, exhaling helplessly.
It was like dealing with a hedgehog unyielding, unreachable.
Only now did nma fully grasp his earlier naivety.
This isn't a low-intelligence beast… this is a thinking being. I can't treat it like a weapon.
Just as nma began to consider abandoning the attempt altogether
A sudden thought flashed through his mind.
His lips curved slightly.
"If you are willing to sign a summoning contract with ," nma said quietly, "then I swear this."
"In my lifeti, I will avenge the fall of the First Kingdom. I will repay those who destroyed it with equal consequence. And I will do everything within my power to search for the descendants of Suzaku Gosaku… and protect them."
He lifted his gaze.
"Are those terms acceptable to you… Suzaku Lizard?"
If loyalty was the key
Then he would speak directly to the source of that loyalty.
If even this failed, nma knew there would be no choice but to walk away.
After all, there was no hatred between them.
And so wills… could not be forced.
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