Hey There Witchdoctor!

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The former gremlin frowned, "Contracts are very delicate things so I understand why things must be genuine, but tell me, what will happen if a contract isn't made in time?"

"I die." The hellhound answered solemnly ...

XXXXXXXXXX

Nagato felt like someone punched him hard in the gut. In fact, all the current residents of the Uzumaki mansion were a bit stunned by what was just announced by the panicked vampires. "Come again?"

"You heard me!" Minato snapped borderline crying. "Naruto has six days to make a contract or he dies!" He exclaimed irritated because he literally just ran in with the others and yelled that exact thing.

Mikoto also felt winded as if she was slugged in the gut by the unexpected news, "H-how can that be?"

Danzo finally came back into the living room with Itachi, Iruka and Shino who were slower than the vampires, "It has to do with his contract. Apparently, in order for a hellhound to make a contract they need to break away from the one they're born into, which weakens them because they can't recover like they could with a contract."

"Naruto, is this true?" Shibi asked and everyone turned to see the blonde Brit back in his human form and fully dressed in the same clothes he was wearing, but with holes where the bullets hit him.

"Yes." Naruto sighed as he sat down, "There's not much I can do about that. I couldn't say anything since you all have to genuinely see value in my being here not worry about my health. It's not really too bad. The werewolves can still be convinced without revealing the cost, but if they don't agree ... I hear it's supposed to be painless."

"Not comforting!" Hiruzen snapped not happy with how casual Naruto acted. "You shouldn't be sitting there so calmly."

The hellhound's blue eyes looked both tired and amused as he chuckled softly, "I knew the risks ... perhaps if I didn't transform in front of Mizuki I would have some more time, but what happened happened. I can't change it."

Shibi adjusted his glasses as he thought of a solution, "You said the contract also requires proof by bonding with people. Could we, in an emergency, have you bond with people before hand if the werewolves appear to be delaying?"

Naruto sighed realizing he had no choice but to explain at this point, "The contract is more a tie to the land, which is what keeps me alive. The bonds with people are to provide proof that I am welcome and to allow me in all the territories. It is also for protection, not for me, but for my pups, which I can't have until a contract is set." He added when he saw the look on Minato's face. The blonde professor clearly meant well. Naruto knew he didn't want to bring a child into a world knowing the father will die. Minato was simply searching for someway to help or connect with the hellhound so he didn't die.

Hashirama pouted, "Why's that?"

"It has to do with my ability to shift without fire. Hellhounds are strongly attached to the element of fire to the point where our very emotions can ignite a flame. Anger, love, lust ... all of those can help create the power to shift and we're quite passionate and strong willed creatures, but that's a huge drawback when not connected to a contract. We are burning away our own life after all and without a contract there's no way to recover and hellhound pups are very lively. They spontaneously transform a number of times right after birth. It's why they're born into a contract because they'd die before they'd learn to control themselves." The blue eyes softened when he caught the guilt ridden eyes of the merman who no doubt felt bad for the Mizuki incident. "It wasn't your fault Iruka. I've seen merpeople who suffer from going through the pearl making process and it's horrifying to think someone would try it at all. Mizuki pissed me off and I opted to scare him the same way he tried to scare me away from you. I'm not an uncontrolled pup. It was ultimately my decision so I'm at fault." He said, but while Iruka seemed to reluctantly forgive himself some of the others still looked guilty since they realized having a relationship would've drained Naruto's life. Of course, Naruto knew it was his fault too. Hellhounds are passionate even when they probably shouldn't be ...