Naruto: Tango with Death

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"Even if others can't make their own Sage Mode, it doesn't mean I can. Since Senjutsu Chakra is nothing more than the fusion of three energies, all I need to do is to find a way to merge them. I intend for that way to be the transformed killing intent."

Jashin scratched his chin and said, "While that could theoretically work, it's practically impossible to pull off."

I questioned, "Why?"

Jashin pointed at my belly and replied, "Your chakra is too strong for that. Despite your young age, your Yin and Yang Chakra are already monstrously strong, and you will only grow stronger. To merge such great quantities of energy, your killing intent would have to be equally as strong. And I don't think even the resentment of the entire world would be enough to create a strong enough energy to forcefully merge the three energies."

I frowned and muttered, "That is a little problematic. What if we modify the killing intent in a way that would allow me to strengthen it, or maybe make the merge of the three other energies easier."

Jashin pondered on the question for a while, and so we both remained silent.

However, after a couple of minutes, Jashin suddenly exclaimed, "I know!"

I looked at him curiously, and he said, "When you normally kill someone, you only absorb their resentment and it forms the killing intent. What if you were to absorb something more? Not only would it transform the killing intent into something else entirely, it would also allow you to strengthen your killing intent much more rapidly."

I nodded, that sounded like a good idea. I added, "It would have to be something physical, so that I wouldn't be absorbing something entirely spiritual. Otherwise, it wouldn't transform into another energy, but only get further absorbed in my spirit."

Jashin nodded and said, "Externalizing a part of it would also help. We can't say whether changing your killing intent into another energy would spare you from the madness inducing effects. Thankfully, I may have a solution for that."

I looked at him wordlessly, so he explained, "My power manifests itself by turning my skin black. Maybe you could do something similar, condensing all of that energy into a mark."

I muttered, "That could do it… but I also have an idea. What if I merge this energy with my blood? This would allow the energy to strengthen my body."

Jashin replied, "Aren't you worried that would form an imbalance in your Yin-Yang?"

Damn, I forgot about that.

After a moment, I said, "Then the mark could do it. Blood Tattoos, that would be a cool name."

Jashin nodded and said, "You could take away their vitality, and a corresponding part of their soul. That would make for a strong energy, mixed with resentment."

I frowned a little and said, "I don't want to destroy the souls of those I kill."

Jashin shook his head and replied, "You wouldn't. When ones passes over, only a small core part of their soul goes to the afterlife. For the rest, it disappears along with the body. You wouldn't be harming them. Well, a little, but nothing in the likes of total extermination."

I nodded, before saying, "Then are we set on the contract? With your help, I steal the energy from those I kill, and use that to condense a Blood Tattoo."

Jashin nodded back and added, "And this Blood Tattoo will not be able to strengthen you in any other way than by merging your Yin and Yang Chakra with Natural Energy. A strong power needs an equally great limit."

I nodded, that was understandable. Still, before accepting the contract, I asked, "What about you? Will your presence only allow for the contract to take place, or will you strengthen me like a Tailed Beast would?"

Jashin shook his head and replied, "Unlike a Tailed Beast, I'm only a spirit. I have no body. I work as a power source for the contract, nothing more. In exchange, I will take your mind as a shelter."

Shelter? That's an interesting word to have chosen. Adding the fact other Sages would come hunting for me, I felt more and more like he hadn't just been chased away from his home. He may actually have fled the place.

It didn't really change much to me though, so after a moment I said, "Alright, I accept the contract."

The moment I did, I felt the connection with Jashin sever, only for another to take place. While Jashin felt like an outsider before, he now felt like he belonged here.

Jashin grinned and spread out his arms as he said, "Let's kill tons of people together!"

I rolled my eyes at him and said, "Sure. But tell me, why don't I feel any changes within me?"

Jashin replied nonchalantly, "Well, as of now your killing intent is still the same. But as soon as you start killing people you will massively absorb vitality, until it equals out with your previously absorbed resentment. Nothing to worry about. Actually, all you have left to do is choose where you want your first Blood Tattoo, and then as you go on killing your killing intent will gather there, merging with your tattoo. Don't worry about the collecting part, I'll be doing it. Just focus on killing people."

I smiled slightly, and with a thought returned to the real world. Opening my eyes, I looked around and asked, "Can you hear me?"

Jashin replied, "Yup. I can see and hear everything. Do you want to take a shower? I mean… in the blood of your enemies! Go, kill them all, woohoo!"

Fuck, did I make a bad decision?

I focused a little to make Jashin shut up, before I sped for our base, which happened to be at the border between the Land of Fire, Fields and Jungles.

To better the geography of the West of the Land of Fire, there were two Great Lands there, the Land of Earth slightly up North, and the Land of Wind further down South. However, neither of those connected directly to Konoha, and as there was the Land of River blocking Suna, and the Lands of Fields and Jungles blocking Iwa. Additionally, there was one last country that had seen its lands ravaged by the Second World War, the Land of Rain.

With the rise of the Akatsuki though, the Land of Rain pretty much became a no go, so Suna attacked from the Land of River.

As for Iwa… it was more complicated.

The Land of Jungles was massively more powerful than the Land of Fields because it was the only village, that wasn't part of the Great Five, that had a Jinchuriki. Moreover, they didn't just have any Tailed Beast, but the Seven Tails one at that, making them a bothersome enemy.

That's why for the Third World War, Iwa attacked through the more treacherous Land of Fields. They used the Kanabi Bridge to transport all of their troops, which was pretty much the only way to move a large army without getting decimated easily by us.

However, thanks to an operation led by Minato, that bridge was destroyed, meaning access to the Land of Fields by an army had become one hell of a bother, while invading the Land of Jungles could easily turn a strong Jinchuriki against Iwa. Moreover, the Waterfall Village, that is the hidden village of the Land of Jungles, had more than just a strong Jinchuriki, they also had more than one strong Shinobi.

So I'm honestly quite curious about how Iwa attacked. I guess I'll have to ask.

The camp was rather well guarded, but I didn't want to bother myself with presenting myself, waiting for the guards to tell their superiors and so on until I could be granted access into the camp, so I simply sneaked in, heading for the main tent, no one in the camp even aware of my presence.