Of course, Menma had never intended for the situation to become 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, Menma 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 outcome 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…
Menma 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 methods 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 former 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 Menma 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."
Menma 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 came 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 me your strength."
Even as the words left his mouth, Menma knew how hollow they must sound.
After violently beating a proud summoning beast into submission, then asking it to cooperate no matter how one framed it, the request bordered on the ridiculous.
Yet Menma had little choice.
From the very beginning, the Suzaku Lizard had refused all communication, forcing Menma 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, Menma's words were met with silence.
The Suzaku Lizard did not even bother to open its eyes.
It understood perfectly that it could not defeat Menma 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 mere brat who had disturbed its rest, violated its territory, and damaged its body had no right to inherit that bond.
If death came, so be it.
This naked rejection was unmistakable.
Menma 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.
Menma'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 same 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 Menma's respect.
"I understand your loyalty to Suzaku Gosaku," Menma 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 measured conviction.
"Follow me. 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 time? Your loyalty has already been proven. Even your former master… would not want you to waste your existence like this."
This time, 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 become a new contractor.
But it never chose one.
Because it could not.
Menma's words stirred only a faint ripple before fading once more into silence.
The Suzaku Lizard remained unmoved.
Menma scratched the back of his head, exhaling helplessly.
It was like dealing with a hedgehog unyielding, unreachable.
Only now did Menma 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 Menma 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 me," Menma said quietly, "then I swear this."
"In my lifetime, 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, Menma knew there would be no choice but to walk away.
After all, there was no hatred between them.
And some wills… could not be forced.