"Naruto, I'm willing to lend you my power, as long as you guarantee I won't be controlled!"
After hearing Madara say that, the Nine-Tailed Fox hiding deep inside Naruto immediately spoke up.
Memories of being controlled by Madara Uchiha haunted the Nine-Tailed Fox once more. Although Madara was now using Itachi's body, the fox could still sense his deep malice toward him.
After all, no matter how Madara disguised himself, his deeply rooted belief that Tailed Beasts were tools would never change.
By contrast, though the Nine-Tailed Fox would never admit it aloud, after living with Naruto for over ten years, he knew Naruto was a child who would not treat him as a tool.
If he had to choose, he would rather willingly give Naruto his power than be controlled. At least with Naruto, he could receive a little respect.
"Even though this stinking fox is always trying to control my body, he's helped me plenty of times too. Turning him into nothing but a puppet would be a little too cruel. Itachi, I want to beat him on my own!"
Seeing how terrified the Nine-Tailed Fox was of Madara, Naruto felt a touch of compassion. Inside him, the Nine-Tailed Fox breathed a great sigh of relief at his words.
"Since you feel that way, I won't insist. Sasuke will help you tame the Nine-Tailed Fox. Until you've completely subdued him, you're not allowed to leave."
Madara nodded indifferently at Naruto's response. Based on what he knew of Naruto from his previous life, he had never expected Naruto to approve of his plan to control the Nine-Tails for him. His main purpose had been to intimidate the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Once the Nine-Tailed Fox realized there was an option worse than helping Naruto, he would naturally behave himself much better.