The Great Toad Sage had never clearly seen the true appearance of the Giant of Light from his dream.
Even so, he was certain that the giant was Kizaru.
The reason was surprisingly simple.
Whenever the Giant of Light fought, it would occasionally mutter the same unsettling remarks.
"Oooh... how frightening."
"What a terrifying monster."
Like Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Great Toad Sage possessed a technique that allowed him to observe distant places. He had watched over Jiraiya for many years, and during the war, he had witnessed Kizaru's actions on the battlefield in the Land of Rain.
Those two phrases were among Kizaru's favorite remarks.
They were also the exact words spoken by the Giant of Light in his prophetic dream.
Once the Great Toad Sage noticed that similarity and considered everything Kizaru had accomplished since becoming a shinobi, there was only one possible conclusion.
At the age of six, Kizaru had already mastered the Light Release kekkei genkai.
At seven, he defeated an Uchiha jōnin.
By the age of ten, he had defeated both the Third Raikage and the Two-Tails' jinchūriki. He had also overcome Hanzō of the Salamander, killed the Third Kazekage, and annihilated thousands of elite Sunagakure shinobi.
Such unbelievable achievements convinced the Great Toad Sage that Kizaru was undoubtedly the future Giant of Light.
After reaching that conclusion, the Great Toad Sage did not feel alarmed.
Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief.
At the very least, the most powerful man of this era was someone born entirely within this world. There was no trace of blood originating beyond the planet anywhere in Kizaru's ancestry.
Thousands of years ago, when the Great Toad Sage had still been known as Gamamaru, he had witnessed the God Tree planted by the Ōtsutsuki clan steadily drain the life from the planet.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya consumed the Chakra Fruit produced by the God Tree and gained power resembling that of a god. No living being in the world could stand against her as she continued harvesting the planet's life to nourish the tree.
To save the world—and to protect Mount Myōboku and its future—Gamamaru risked his life and secretly approached the place where Kaguya and her family lived.
There, he noticed the growing conflict between Kaguya and her two sons.
Gamamaru seized upon that division.
He guided Hagoromo and Hamura into opposing their mother, eventually helping the two brothers defeat and seal Kaguya, saving the planet from destruction.
During that struggle, Gamamaru also formed a close friendship with Hagoromo, who would later become known as the Sage of Six Paths.
The Great Toad Sage trusted his old friend.
What he did not trust was the bloodline that had come from beyond their world.
He had long possessed a vague premonition that the descendants of those otherworldly beings would one day endanger the planet again.
Compared to entrusting the world's future to the descendants of the Ōtsutsuki, the Great Toad Sage hoped that someone born of this world would eventually become strong enough to protect it.
In his eyes, Kizaru was exactly that kind of person.
The Giant of Light from his dream had defeated the God Tree and brought changes to the world unlike anything that had come before.
And Kizaru possessed no Ōtsutsuki blood whatsoever.
That was a good thing.
It was also the future the Great Toad Sage sincerely hoped would come to pass.
Before that future arrived, however, the Great Toad Sage intended to make another wager on behalf of Mount Myōboku.
Before staking the sage region's future on Kizaru, he wanted to speak with him personally and understand his beliefs, ambitions, and character.
He had no intention of supporting another cruel ruler like Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
With those expectations in mind, the Great Toad Sage watched as Kizaru followed the three toads into the palace.
Fukasaku and Shima leaped onto the raised platforms positioned on either side of the Great Toad Sage.
"Great Lord Elder," Fukasaku said quietly, "Kizaru has arrived."
After escorting his parents inside, Gamabunta did not remain in the palace.
Instead, he grabbed Jiraiya, who had clearly intended to stay and listen, and carried him outside.
The order had been delivered by Fukasaku and Shima at the Great Toad Sage's request before Kizaru and Jiraiya had arrived at Mount Myōboku.
Despite being brought to the sage region without any prior warning, Kizaru showed no signs of nervousness or fear.
He calmly sat down cross-legged before the Great Toad Sage as though he had visited the palace many times before.
Leaning forward slightly with both hands resting on his thighs, Kizaru casually raised his head.
"Sooo... what did you want to talk about?"
His overly relaxed attitude immediately displeased Fukasaku and Shima.
The two Sage Toads exchanged a glance before Fukasaku spoke sharply.
"Kizaru, the Great Lord Elder is the founder of Mount Myōboku. You should show him the proper respect."
"Fukasaku. Shima."
The Great Toad Sage interrupted before either of them could continue.
"You may leave us."
There were certain matters he did not want the other toads to know just yet.
"Yes, Great Lord Elder."
Neither Fukasaku nor Shima questioned the order.
They obediently jumped down from the platforms and made their way out of the palace.
Once the two Sage Toads had left, the Great Toad Sage turned his attention back to Kizaru.
"You are the light that will bring change to this world," he said. "You have already guessed that the giant from my dream was you."
Since the Great Toad Sage had revealed it so directly, Kizaru saw no reason to hide anything.
He nodded.
"That giant is part of a ninjutsu... or perhaps a senjutsu. I'm still working out the details."
After admitting it, Kizaru studied the enormous elderly toad before him.
"Did you actually see me in your dream?"
"I only saw the light," the Great Toad Sage answered. "The giant's true appearance remained hidden from me."
"Then how did you know it was me?"
A faintly mischievous gleam appeared in the Great Toad Sage's eyes.
He straightened slightly and imitated Kizaru's slow, drawn-out manner of speaking.
"Oooh... how frightening."
Kizaru blinked.
Then he raised a hand to his head and laughed.
"Ohohoho! What a memorable little phrase. How scary."
"Hehehe."
The Great Toad Sage began laughing as well.
Their laughter echoed throughout the vast palace, easing the tension that had lingered in the chamber.
The meeting had gotten off to a surprisingly good start.
Once the laughter faded, Kizaru continued.
"I'm curious. What else did you see in that dream?"
"I have already told Jiraiya almost everything," the Great Toad Sage replied. "The only detail I withheld was that the shinobi of Konoha were always fighting at your side."
Kizaru rubbed the side of his head, looking genuinely troubled.
"What an unexpected future. I was planning to live comfortably from nine to five... less work, more pay."
"You achieved that."
The Great Toad Sage's answer came without hesitation.
"By the end of my dream, you had made it possible for most people to live that way."
"Hahaha!"
This time, Kizaru laughed with genuine delight.
"It seems I accomplished something pretty impressive."
"You are the light that will bring change to this world," the Great Toad Sage repeated.
This time, his voice was completely serious.
Kizaru's smile gradually disappeared.
His expression became more attentive as he realized that the casual conversation had ended.
Now they were about to discuss the real reason he had been summoned.
"And what about you?" Kizaru asked. "What do you—and Mount Myōboku—want from me?"
"There is a story I wish to tell you."
After hearing those words, Kizaru could already guess what the Great Toad Sage intended to discuss.
Just as he expected, the Great Toad Sage began recounting the history of the God Tree, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, and her two sons in detail.
Kizaru had already seen that story in an anime during his previous life.
Even so, hearing it directly from someone who had lived through it felt completely different.
As he listened to the tale of Hagoromo and Hamura turning against their own mother and sealing her away, a single sarcastic thought crossed Kizaru's mind.
What devoted sons.
After finishing the story, the Great Toad Sage continued speaking with Kizaru for a long time.
No one outside that chamber—human or toad—ever learned everything they discussed.
Jiraiya, Gamabunta, Fukasaku, and Shima could only wait outside the palace.
When the doors finally opened, they saw Kizaru walking out with both hands in his pockets and a satisfied smile on his face.
After that private conversation, Kizaru was no longer merely someone whose name had been written on Mount Myōboku's summoning contract.
He had become a summoner formally acknowledged by the sage region.
More importantly, he had become one of Mount Myōboku's collaborators.
The Great Toad Sage was already extremely old and preferred peace and quiet, so he entrusted Fukasaku and Shima with Kizaru's training.
The two Sage Toads were ordered to guide him wholeheartedly in learning Mount Myōboku's senjutsu.
"Kizaru, what in the world did you discuss with the Great Lord Elder?"
Jiraiya leaned closer and lowered his voice.
He had noticed that Fukasaku and Shima were now treating Kizaru even more favorably than they treated him.
He could not understand what had happened inside the palace.
Kizaru turned toward him with an amused smile.
"Oh, you know... world domination."
"Tch. Fine. Don't tell me."
Jiraiya folded both hands behind his head and walked away.
He knew the Great Toad Sage well enough to understand that the founder of Mount Myōboku would never seriously discuss something like world domination with Kizaru.
Kizaru watched Jiraiya's retreating back before smiling and shaking his head.
Apparently, no one believed the truth these days.
Inside the palace, Kizaru and the Great Toad Sage had indeed spoken about war, unification, reform, and the future.
The most important issue had been the position Mount Myōboku would take in the coming era.
After hearing Kizaru's beliefs and understanding the future he wanted to create, the Great Toad Sage decided to make his wager.
Mount Myōboku would stand beside Kizaru and Konoha.
Of course, throughout the discussion, Kizaru repeatedly insisted that he had no interest in unifying the world.
Every time he said it, the Great Toad Sage merely smiled and nodded with an expression that made it clear he did not believe a word.
No matter how often Kizaru claimed that he was simply a lazy man with no great ambitions, the Great Toad Sage remained convinced that he would eventually unite the world.
The Great Toad Sage possessed complete faith in his prophecy.
He did not believe it would be wrong.
Kizaru felt helpless in the face of that confidence.
Talking to the enormous toad reminded him of dealing with a second Danzō.
Both of them could look at him once and invent an entire destiny on his behalf.
In the end, Kizaru accepted Mount Myōboku's offer of an alliance.
After all, the arrangement offered him considerable benefits.
The greatest obstacle that had halted the early stages of his senjutsu research had suddenly disappeared.
Not only had Kizaru gained access to Mount Myōboku's complete senjutsu training method, but the Great Toad Sage had also revealed the location of Ryūchi Cave.
Two major problems had been solved at once.
Kizaru could hardly complain about that.
However, mastering senjutsu required a considerable amount of time.
Rather than remaining at Mount Myōboku and beginning his training immediately, Kizaru first returned to Konoha with Jiraiya.
He informed his uncle, Danzō, his girlfriend, Tsunade, his teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Orochimaru, who had trained under Hiruzen before him, that he would be learning senjutsu at Mount Myōboku.
When they heard that Mount Myōboku had formally acknowledged Kizaru and agreed to teach him senjutsu, all four were both surprised and delighted.
None of them objected.
Instead, they gave him their full support.
They all understood what it would mean if Kizaru successfully mastered senjutsu.
His strength was already beyond that of nearly every shinobi alive.
Once senjutsu further enhanced that power, Kizaru might truly have no rival anywhere in the shinobi world.
When that time came, Konoha would regain the overwhelming supremacy it had possessed during the era of the First Hokage.
No other hidden village would dare provoke it.
The other villages and their shinobi would have little choice but to submit before Kizaru and Konoha.
After returning to the village, Kizaru also told Danzō and Orochimaru the location of Ryūchi Cave.
He then asked his uncle to have Root cooperate with Orochimaru's research into senjutsu.
Danzō naturally had no objection to Kizaru's request.
He immediately promised that Root would provide Orochimaru with its full support.
Orochimaru's reaction was even more enthusiastic.
The moment he learned Ryūchi Cave's location, he could barely restrain himself from leaving immediately.
His curiosity toward the unfamiliar system of senjutsu had been growing for a long time.
Now that he finally had the opportunity to investigate one of the three great sage regions, he was eager to begin.
Once everyone had been informed, Kizaru returned to Mount Myōboku with Jiraiya.
There was still a month and a half remaining before the Ninja Academy reopened.
Kizaru intended to use that time to master Mount Myōboku's senjutsu.
"Senjutsu begins with sensing and controlling natural energy."
Fukasaku stood before Kizaru with a special staff in one hand. The staff could forcibly disperse natural energy when it began overwhelming a practitioner.
Behind him was a stone fountain from which a continuous stream of toad oil poured like a small waterfall.
Fukasaku pointed toward it as he continued his explanation.
"To master senjutsu, you must first learn to sense the natural energy that exists throughout heaven and earth."
The toad oil was one of Mount Myōboku's treasures.
When applied to a practitioner's body, it attracted natural energy and allowed the practitioner to sense it far more easily.
"To feel natural energy, you must first quiet your mind," Fukasaku continued. "Only when both your body and heart are completely still will you have any chance of recognizing its presence."
Fukasaku looked Kizaru up and down.
"Kizaru, remove your clothes and trousers."
There were only toads around them.
Jiraiya had gone elsewhere to continue his own training, leaving Kizaru as the only human in the area.
There was nothing for him to feel embarrassed about.
Kizaru calmly removed his clothes and trousers until he was standing in his underwear.
He then placed both hands on the waistband.
"Ahem!"
Fukasaku immediately coughed.
"You can leave that on."
"All riiight..."
Kizaru sounded strangely disappointed.
Fukasaku stared at him.
Is this man some kind of pervert?
He kept the thought to himself and turned toward the fountain.
"This is toad oil," Fukasaku explained, pointing at the liquid flowing into the stone basin behind him. "When applied to your body, it attracts natural energy and draws it inside. That will help you recognize what natural energy feels like."
Once he finished explaining, Fukasaku waved for Kizaru to approach.
Whenever the subject was training or research, Kizaru took the matter seriously.
He did not make any further jokes.
He calmly walked over and stopped beside Fukasaku.
"We'll begin with a small test," Fukasaku said. "Crouch down."
Kizaru did as instructed.
Fukasaku dipped one of his paws into the toad oil and rubbed a small amount across Kizaru's left arm.
The oil immediately took effect.
With his highly developed Observation Haki, Kizaru sensed a faint, invisible current entering through his skin and flowing into his left hand.
A moment later, his hand began changing.
His fingers became thicker and rounder.
Thin webbing started forming between them, making the hand resemble that of a toad.
Fukasaku immediately swung the staff and struck Kizaru's arm.
The accumulated natural energy was knocked out of his body, and his hand returned to normal.
"Natural energy is extremely powerful," Fukasaku warned. "But it is also dangerous."
He held up the staff as he continued.
"Once natural energy enters your body, you must maintain a perfect balance between it, your physical energy, and your spiritual energy."
"If you absorb too much natural energy and disrupt that balance, your body will begin transforming into a toad."
Fukasaku's expression became grave.
"If the process continues, you will eventually become completely petrified."
Kizaru examined his restored hand.
"Why does it turn someone into a toad?"
"Because you are sensing natural energy through toad oil," Fukasaku explained. "The method used to balance those three energies also belongs to Mount Myōboku's senjutsu."
Under the Great Toad Sage's instructions, Fukasaku had no intention of concealing anything from Kizaru.
A faint gleam of curiosity and excitement appeared in Kizaru's eyes.
"Oooh... now that's interesting."
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