Live long enough, and you'll see just about everything.
The Great Toad Sage had lived for over a thousand years, but this was the first time he'd seen a ninja use the Summoning Technique to summon the entire Mount Myoboku clan. Sure, there had been people in history who could do it, like the very first ninja he ever met. But back then, the Mount Myoboku clan consisted of himself and not much else. Not even a single tadpole.
Now, the toad clan was large and thriving.
And at this moment, Naruto Uzumaki's chakra was so abundant that the Gamayudan he summoned just happened to cover the entire residence of the toad clan, yanking every last one of them, old and young, into his world.
The Great Toad Sage, wearing a doctoral cap, squinted his blurry eyes at Jiraiya. He spent most of his time sleeping and had probably just been woken up. Fukasaku was in the middle of a bath in a small basin. He hastily threw on his cloak and leaped onto Gamabunta's head. The other toads, who had been busy with their own things, suddenly found themselves under a new sky, all of them looking completely dumbfounded.
"Hey, Jiraiya, what in the world is going on!"
Gamabunta jumped up and landed in front of Jiraiya and Naruto. He wasn't holding his pipe. With Fukasaku on his head and a small bucket in his hand containing two swimming tadpoles, he looked like a responsible family man. The tadpoles in the bucket were his sons, and the toad on his head was his father. He was literally carrying his father on his head and his sons in a bucket.
Gamabunta lowered his head, and his face filled with displeasure when he saw Naruto. "Hey, Jiraiya, why is this brat here too!"
"Hahahahaha… there was a little problem with the summoning jutsu…" Jiraiya scratched his head in embarrassment and laughed nervously. "I just taught Naruto the summoning jutsu and wanted him to try summoning a partner. I didn't expect the kid's talent to be so high that he summoned all of you directly. It's so lively, hahahaha…"
Gamabunta stared back. "..."
You think this is just about being lively?
Just as Gamabunta was about to press the issue, Fukasaku leaped down and, with a comical size difference, kicked his enormous son away. He landed in front of Jiraiya and looked at Naruto. "Little Jiraiya, this little one… is he the new contractor?"
"Yeah, his name is Naruto Uzumaki." Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's hair and introduced him quietly to Fukasaku. "Naruto is Minato's son, and he has also mastered Sage Mode…"
"..."
Fukasaku's expression shifted, his eyes wide with shock. "Jiraiya, did you teach him? Naruto, you can actually sense and draw in natural energy from the outside world?"
If a ninja could perceive and absorb natural energy on their own, any of the three great sage regions would be desperate to have someone with Naruto's talent.
"It doesn't seem very difficult…" Naruto held out his palm and looked down at the old toad at his feet. "Pervy Sage told me that Mount Myoboku has more training methods for Sage Mode and senjutsu to teach me."
"That's right." Fukasaku was about to jump onto Naruto's shoulder but was instantly repelled by the chakra flowing from Naruto's body. His eyes widened again. "This little one's body has…"
That feeling… it had to be that fellow who was sealed away more than ten years ago.
"The Nine-Tails," Naruto said, spreading his hands. He didn't seem to mind the Nine-Tails' protective action. Instead, he explained, "Well, I give all the natural energy I refine to the Nine-Tails, and it synthesizes the senjutsu chakra. The Nine-Tails can also help me pull natural energy from the earth…"
Fukasaku's body went stiff. His main purpose in life, besides teaching Sage Mode, was to help ninjas gather natural energy and synthesize senjutsu chakra. Now, it seemed Naruto didn't need that service. The old toad suddenly felt a bit useless.
The Nine-Tails could extract natural energy from the great earth of the ninja world. What need was there for a sage from Mount Myoboku to help? This little one was already a fully-formed senjutsu user. Fukasaku was at a loss.
Hearing this, the Great Toad Sage raised his head and spoke slowly, "Oh, in that case, has the little one already been recognized by the Nine-Tails?"
"I guess so…" Naruto couldn't really judge. The fox inside him was acting like a mother hen, constantly looking out for him. That should count as recognition, right?
The Great Toad Sage nodded, unconcerned. "Well, Little Jiraiya, it seems you have found the right person."
The right person. The Child of Prophecy.
Because of the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, Jiraiya had wandered for half his life. Now, he had finally confirmed the child's identity. The white-haired man's hand trembled, his expression growing excited. He grabbed Naruto's shoulder tightly. "Yes," he said in a deep voice, "I will teach Naruto well…"
Between Naruto's identity and his background, Jiraiya had more than enough reason to focus all his attention on him. From now on, he might not need to travel anymore. He could just stay in Konoha and guide Naruto's growth.
The only troublesome part was…
Jiraiya couldn't help but look at Naruto, who was pressing his brow in thought. This student was a bit too powerful. He didn't seem to need a teacher's guidance. So far, Kakashi had frankly admitted that as a jonin instructor, he hadn't really taught Naruto much of anything.
And this kid had already developed the Rasengan to an incredible level, with an endless stream of new versions. Plus, Jiraiya had just taught him the summoning jutsu, and he'd summoned the entire Mount Myoboku clan. How was he supposed to teach him?
Forget it. He should go to the Land of Rivers to hunt down Orochimaru first.
Jiraiya became the busiest person that night. After the entire toad clan vanished as the summoning time ran out, he patted the boy's shoulder. "Let's go, Naruto. Get a good rest tonight."
"Yeah, the third exam is starting soon…" Naruto nodded, clenching his fist. "I have to be in my best condition to face Neji."
Neji Hyuga, the top student of the previous year. That Byakugan user was not an easy opponent.
"Well, it's just the Chunin Exams. You don't have to be too serious," Jiraiya said with a grin, patting his student's shoulder. "Naruto, no matter how you look at it, those kids are no match for you."
Naruto shook his head, disagreeing. "Confidence is a good thing… but you have to stay cautious."
"Fine…" Jiraiya frowned. He was honestly a bit afraid the kid would kill his opponent on the spot.
Anyway, he was going to see Hiruzen tonight to ask for information about Orochimaru. He might as well have the old man add a few rules to the third exam. Like banning Sage Mode or something.
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Bonus:
Toad Summoning Social Media Feed
Naruto Uzumaki shared a link: "Five Ways to Summon Gamabunta, Which One Are You Using?" > Is this reliable?
Tsunade: Is the Mount Myoboku summoning contract public now?
Orochimaru: Hehe, I'll go run some experiments and see if these five methods work…
Jiraiya: Naruto, that's a clickbait article! Orochimaru, don't believe it, it's fake. How could you summon Bunta by bombing Mount Myoboku with a Tailed Beast Bomb?
Gamabunta: Don't believe rumors! Don't spread rumors! The Mount Myoboku Toad Sage Clan reserves the right to sue the owner of this public account: [The Sage of Naka Shrine]. We will find out the operator's identity sooner or later