"Huh? Who's talking?" Raizen muttered, staring at the empty pool.
"Hey, kid, it's the old man talking!"
Raizen's confusion deepened as a small toad hopped toward him, a bamboo basket strapped to its back. It came to his feet and glared at him with an unmistakable air of irritation.
"Wait… toads can talk?" Raizen blinked. The legends of Summoning beasts flashed in his mind—creatures of wisdom and power capable of speech.
The toad looked him over, corners of its mouth twitching. Raizen felt an instant wave of disdain radiating from the little amphibian. Curiosity pushed him forward.
"Are you a Summoning beast? In the ninja world, aside from the Tailed Beasts, only Summoning beasts can speak."
"By your human terms… yes," the old toad replied with a nod.
Raizen's eyes lit up. If this toad really came from Mount Myōboku, then it could teach Sage Mode—the very power he'd been dreaming of.
"I'm Amamiya Raizen, a ninja of the Amamiya clan. Can I sign a Summoning contract with you?"
The old toad blinked. Normally, Mount Myōboku toads didn't give contracts lightly. Raizen's hopeful gaze made him hesitate.
"Boy… why do you want a contract with the toad family?"
"I don't have a Summoning beast, and you appeared just now," Raizen replied casually, hiding his real intent—Sage Mode.
The old toad's eyes widened. This kid has no clue what he's asking for. Still, he swallowed his refusal.
"The toad family doesn't hand out contracts just like that. Forget it, kid," the toad said firmly.
Raizen's stomach sank. Flat rejection. No chance to argue.
Then a female toad leapt from the pool, landing beside the old toad.
"Old man! Toad Sage wants this boy to come with us!"
"What?" The old toad stammered.
The female toad spat a scroll from her mouth and placed it before Raizen. "Write your name and follow me to Mount Myōboku."
Raizen's pulse raced. This was his chance. He bit his thumb and signed the scroll. A tingle ran through him the moment his blood touched the paper.
"What is she doing?" the old toad murmured, puzzled.
"Big Toad Sage just woke. He says you are a boy destined to change fate. I am to bring you to him," the female toad explained.
"The boy who changes fate?" The old toad's eyes widened. When Toad Sage dreams, it's prophecy. If he had marked Raizen, destiny itself would bend.
"Very well, boy. Since Toad Sage has chosen you, come with me." She introduced herself and her husband: "I am Shima, and this is Gamakichi. From now on, call us Shima-sama and Gamakichi-sama."
With that, the two toads dove into the pool, leaving Raizen exhilarated.
He quickly used his Summoning technique, and in an instant, he arrived beneath a cascading waterfall at the heart of Mount Myōboku.
"You're the one who changed Toad Sage's fate, right?"
A young toad appeared, a sword strapped to his back. Raizen froze.
"I… I'm just a warrior toad from Mount Myōboku," the toad said, a faint blush on his amphibian cheeks.
"Just a warrior?" Raizen tilted his head. Nothing about this hill-sized toad looked ordinary.
"Come. Toad Sage has been waiting. If we delay, he'll fall asleep again," the young toad said.
Following him, Raizen's excitement surged. This wasn't any ordinary Summoning beast. Having a companion like this could tip the scales in countless battles to come.
"Can I fight alongside you?" Raizen asked, hope in his voice.
"Toad Sage allows it. If you don't mind my being a little weak, of course," the toad replied with a grin.
Raizen studied him carefully. This Summoning beast would be a major asset in all his future battles.
...
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