Elder Fukasaku studied Fujimoto Tōma for a long moment, the more he looked, the more satisfied he became.
"Boss," Jiraiya said, seizing the moment, "since we're already here, why not let me take the kid to the place he'll be visiting often in the future?"
"That works," Fukasaku nodded. "I'll head back and prepare things. You make sure he's ready."
With that, the old toad vanished in a puff of smoke.
Tōma immediately turned to Jiraiya. "Sensei, what do I need to prepare? And… will I be training over there from now on?"
"Leave the preparation to me," Jiraiya replied. "You just need to get yourself into good condition. Reverse summoning can feel uncomfortable the first time."
"As for the training location, it's not that it has to be there," he continued, "but you can't stay continuously summoned. It's better for you to be called over instead."
Tōma nodded. That made sense.
"What, worried about leaving Konoha?" Jiraiya asked with a grin.
"Not really."
"Haha, even if you were, it wouldn't be a problem," Jiraiya said. "Reverse summoning only needs you there during the day. You can still come back at night. Same way I did back then."
His voice drifted, and for a moment, the mountain felt quiet. Orochimaru hadn't defected yet in those memories.
"Tōma," Jiraiya said suddenly, "we're ready."
"Yes," Tōma answered. He had been ready for a while now.
The next instant, both of them vanished from Konoha's back mountain.
When Tōma opened his eyes again, he froze.
"So… this is Mount Myōboku?"
An endless sea of green stretched in every direction. Towering plants, stone platforms, and everywhere he looked, toads of all shapes and sizes. Some greeted Jiraiya casually. Others ignored them entirely.
"Yes," Elder Fukasaku said, watching Tōma closely. "This is Mount Myōboku."
Seeing that Tōma showed no discomfort at all from the reverse summoning, Fukasaku was mildly surprised, though he didn't dwell on it. Jiraiya wasn't surprised in the slightest. With Tōma's spatial talent, adapting quickly was expected.
"It's beautiful," Tōma said honestly.
Fukasaku stroked his beard in satisfaction. Then he suddenly perked up."Have you eaten yet? My wife should've prepared some excellent food. If you're hungry, we can—"
He licked his lips mid-sentence.
Jiraiya's face changed instantly.
"N-no need!" he blurted out. "We already ate. Really full. Completely full."
"Oh?" Fukasaku looked disappointed. "That's a shame. Then I'll go eat alone. Jiraiya, take the kid around. You know the place well."
Once Fukasaku left, Jiraiya let out a long breath of relief.
Tōma, remembering certain scenes from his past life, swallowed and asked carefully,"Sensei… when he said food… he meant toad food, didn't he?"
Jiraiya raised his thumb. "Sharp."
"…So I'll be eating bugs?"Tōma's face went pale. He was already a picky eater. Bugs were far beyond his limits.
His mind raced. He glanced at the dense forest around them, then suddenly bit his finger and formed seals.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Jiraiya watched curiously, wondering what Tōma was planning.
The chakra cost was surprisingly low. Tōma noted it mentally. Probably because Gamatada… no, Gama-chū was nearby. Maybe Flying Thunder God would show similar behavior once fully mastered.
A familiar figure emerged.
"Tōma?" Gama-chū rumbled, instantly recognizing the different weight compared to Jiraiya. "Did you come to Mount Myōboku?"
"Yes," Tōma said. "I'll be training here most of the time."
"…Do you need me for something?"
"Yes," Tōma said, finally revealing his goal. "I'd like your help finding food."
"Food?" Gama-chū tilted his head. "You mean bugs? There are plenty around here."
"No," Tōma said firmly. "Bugs are your food. I'm human. I eat different things."
"…But I only eat bugs."
"I was hoping you could bring me fruit," Tōma said honestly. "Just enough to fill my stomach."
"Fruit?" Gama-chū considered it. "The stuff that grows on trees? There's plenty. That's easy."
"Thank you," Tōma said with genuine relief. "You've saved me."
"Glad I could help," Gama-chū replied before dispersing.
Tōma exhaled deeply. Getting a gentle, cooperative summon on the first try really was a blessing.
Jiraiya stood there, stunned. He looked at the forest, then smacked his forehead.
With this environment, finding fruit or even wild animals would've been easy.So why had he eaten bugs for so many years?
No. Stop thinking about it.If he thought any further, he was going to throw up.
Tōma, meanwhile, had already made another decision. He needed to learn storage sealing as soon as possible. Prepare food in advance, seal it away, unseal when hungry. Problem solved.
Until then, fruit would do. Anything but bugs.
Then he froze and turned slowly to Jiraiya.
"Sensei," he asked cautiously, "the secret medicines from Mount Myōboku… they're not bugs, right?"
If they were, he'd still eat them for chakra growth. But he really hoped he wouldn't have to.
Jiraiya sighed deeply. Just as Tōma's face grew even paler, he said,"They're pills. Normal-looking pills. Taste too."
Tōma nearly collapsed in relief.
"As long as they look like pills, I don't care what they're made of," he muttered, patting his chest.
Jiraiya laughed. For the first time in days, he'd finally seen Tōma truly flustered.
Now that looked like a seven-year-old from a peaceful era.