"It's not that I'm being picky, but Gai's summoning creature is completely useless. I'd be afraid of accidentally crushing it if I used it as a stepping stool."
Hikari couldn't help but complain to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Two years ago, Might Gai had indeed tried to gift her his ninja tortoise as a summon. But that tortoise knew no jutsu, moved at a glacial pace, and had zero combat ability. The only thing it had going for it was slightly higher intelligence than a normal beast (thanks to its ability to harness chakra) and a somewhat sturdy shell—which Gai often used as a footstool.
Gai, thinking she was just a kid, tried to sell her on the idea that "tortoises live long and have great potential—wait a few hundred or thousand years, and it might even evolve into the Turtle Sage!"
What absolute nonsense.
Even if it could evolve into the Turtle Sage—or even Sun Wukong—she wouldn't want it. With that kind of time, she might as well plant a Divine Tree and wait for it to bear fruit. Who'd bother with summoning creatures?
"But the Monkey Clan is different!" Hiruzen stroked his beard, chuckling as he listened to his disciple's rant.
His family's ancestor had been born before the Warring States era, back when he was just an ordinary civilian ninja—barely more than a commoner with chakra. The only two jutsu he knew were the Chakra Extraction Technique, which he'd stumbled upon on a battlefield, and a C-rank technique found alongside it—the Summoning Jutsu.
In his quest for power, the ancestor—much like Jiraiya—used the Reverse Summoning Jutsu to traverse space, where he encountered the then-ruler of the Monkey Clan: Enma, the Monkey King.
Saved by Enma, the ancestor trained under him, mastering the Monkey Clan's Adamantine Staff Techniques and formidable fire-style jutsu. Their bond was one of mentor and friend.
Out of gratitude—and to honor their deep friendship—the ancestor, who had no surname, took Enma's name as his own, founding the Sarutobi Clan.
One could say the Sarutobi Clan's survival during the Warring States period—and their current status as one of Konoha's most powerful clans—was entirely thanks to the Monkey Clan's legacy. Because of this, the Monkey Clan held an exalted position within the Sarutobi Clan.
There was even an unspoken rule:
Only a Sarutobi who earned the recognition of the current Monkey King and fought alongside them as a partner could inherit the clan's leadership.
Because of this tradition, every generation's Monkey King and Sarutobi leader were sworn brothers. The two clans had maintained this unbreakable bond for over a century, with not a single rift between them.
This summoning scroll was one of Hiruzen's most prized possessions. He had once hoped Jiraiya would sign the Monkey Clan's contract, but Enma hadn't taken a liking to him, and the pact failed.
Later, his three disciples each found their own paths, inheriting the legacies of the Three Great Sage Lands. Yet his own strongest summoning contract—the Monkey Clan—had no heir, leaving him deeply regretful.
But now, fate had gifted him a prodigious final disciple.
Hikari, with mastery over all seven chakra natures and the bloodline abilities of both the Hyūga and Kaguya clans, was the perfect successor to all his skills. There could be no one more suited in the entire world.
Hiruzan ran his fingers over the century-old summoning scroll—proof of his ancestor's bond with Enma.
"Come, Hikari! Swear in blood, sign the contract, and you shall summon the mightiest of the Monkey Clan to fight by your side!"
"Yes!"
Hikari steadied herself, eyes gleaming.
Even without senjutsu or natural energy, the Monkey Clan's ability to transform into the Adamantine Staff alone made their contract impossible to refuse.
As she looked at the densely inscribed scroll spread across the desk, she stepped forward, raising her right hand. Her pale fingertip glowed with a piercing crimson light.
Drip. Drip.
Scalding blood, heated to nearly 80 degrees and steaming, fell onto the paper—but instead of soaking in, it rolled like liquid mercury across the surface.
Hiruzan had been about to remind her to write her name in blood when he saw the silvery droplets move on their own, flowing to the bottom of the list of names. There, they twisted and formed four delicate characters.
Once Hikari pressed her fingerprint onto the scroll, the blood seeped in, moisture evaporating instantly. In less than half a second, the blood contract was complete.
As she lifted her hand, Hikari could sense a mysterious connection forming between herself and the scroll. Now, with just a summoning jutsu, she could reach across space and call forth the Monkey Clan.
"Sensei, is it done?"
"Ah… yes."
Hiruzan stared in astonishment at Hikari's hand.
Despite having just signed a blood contract, there was no wound—not even a trace of blood. Her fingertip remained pristine, as if untouched.
He had always known his disciple was extraordinary, but the sheer number of anomalies she displayed was impossible to ignore.
Her hair, which needed no tie to stay perfectly in place. Her ability to cast jutsu without hand seals. And now, this power to manipulate blood even after it left her body.
None of these were earth-shattering abilities—certainly nothing compared to some of the more bizarre kekkei genkai.
Yet they all pointed to one undeniable truth:
She was not entirely human.
It was awe-inspiring… and faintly unsettling.
"So, can I summon Enma now?"
Unaware of Hiruzen's thoughts, Hikari was too excited to care. She focused on that distant space, eager to summon the Adamantine Staff and see if the legendary weapon suited her.
Or maybe she could ask for a set of golden chainmail, a phoenix-feather crown, and cloud-walking boots while she was at it?
"Not yet. Before you summon Enma, there are things you must understand."
Hiruzan's expression turned serious.
"The Monkey Clan is not like ordinary summoning beasts. Their bond with the Sarutobi is not one of master and servant—they are treasured allies, comrades-in-arms."
"They are proud by nature. You must never treat them as subordinates, nor refer to yourself as their master. If you anger the Monkey King, the contract will be voided on the spot—and no Monkey Clan member will ever answer your summons again."
Hikari nodded. From Hiruzen's tone alone, she could tell the relationship between the Sarutobi and the Monkey Clan was anything but ordinary.
Put nicely, the contract would be voided. Put bluntly? The Sarutobi would likely cut ties with her immediately—and her bond with Hiruzen might end right then and there.
Seeing her understanding, Hiruzen held up two fingers.
"Second, though the Monkey Clan is proud, they value loyalty above all else."
"Each monkey chooses only one human partner in their lifetime. They fight and die together—never abandoning their comrade. Even if their partner dies, they will never answer another's summons."
"Enma has been my partner since we were young. If you're in danger, he might help you out of respect for me—but you cannot summon him freely as I do. You must find your own partner."
So that's why Enma disappeared after Hiruzen's death!
Hikari mused inwardly.
These monkeys really do have strong principles.
Enma only acknowledged Hiruzen—so summoning him for battle wouldn't be easy.
"Finally, the most important point." Hiruzen raised a third finger.
"Even though you've signed the contract, you don't yet have a sworn monkey partner. If you use the Summoning Jutsu now, no monkey will answer."
"To summon them, you must first earn Enma's approval. Then, he will find a suitable monkey for you. Only after you and your partner acknowledge each other can you summon them freely!"
This complicated?!
Hikari frowned.
The Monkey Clan was nothing like the Three Great Sage Lands.
With those summons, signing the contract meant you could summon them immediately—even if they didn't always obey (and sometimes even turned on you). But at least they responded.
And with the Monkey Clan, your partner was fixed. Unlike the Three Great Sage Lands, where you could summon different creatures depending on the situation, here, you were stuck with whoever you bonded with. No substitutions allowed.
But thinking about it, this system had its pros and cons.
The Monkey Clan members were both summons and weapons. To maximize their potential, you needed deep synergy with your partner. Their strict contract culture made sense—and their loyalty and strength justified the hassle.
Proud. Loyal. Unyielding.
The Monkey Clan was like the Adamantine Staff itself—unbending in both character and power.
"So I still have to pass Enma's test."
Hikari wracked her memory. In the original story, Hiruzen had introduced Enma to Jiraiya, but the two didn't get along, and the contract fell through.
But she couldn't quite remember why Enma had rejected Jiraiya.
"Don't worry. If it's you, I'm certain you'll earn his approval!" Hiruzen's expression was oddly confident, though his tone left no room for doubt.
Do I just have really good compatibility with the Monkey Clan?
Hikari felt a flicker of excitement. Toads and snakes had never appealed to her—but a humanoid monkey? Way cooler.
Once Hiruzen finished explaining, he didn't hesitate. Forming hand seals, he bit his thumb and smeared blood across his palm before slamming it down.
BOOM!
A massive cloud of smoke erupted in the Hokage's office—only to be swiftly blown out the window by a gust of wind from Hikari.
Standing beside Hiruzen was a towering, white-furred ape, arms crossed imposingly.
Over two meters tall, clad in dark ninja attire, with a golden headband, sharp fangs, and piercing golden eyes that radiated authority.
This was the current Monkey King—Enma!
"Hiruzen. What is it?"
Enma glanced down at Hikari, assessing her briefly before deciding she didn't look like an enemy. He turned back to his old partner.
"This is Hikari, my youngest disciple. She just graduated from the Academy and lacks a summoning partner. I wanted her to form a contract with the Monkey Clan."
Hiruzen played mediator. Whether Hikari succeeded depended entirely on Enma's impression—he couldn't force the matter.
"Hello, Enma!"
Hikari smiled warmly, carefully suppressing her aura to avoid any misunderstandings.
"Hm. Hello."
To her surprise, the seemingly aloof Enma responded immediately. His golden eyes scrutinized her before he gave a firm nod.
"She's acceptable."
…Huh? That's it?!
Hikari, who had been gathering chakra to showcase her strength, was stunned. She distinctly remembered Enma being much harder on Jiraiya. Why was he so agreeable now?
Her gaze flicked to the emotion aura above Enma's head—despite his stern expression, the light shimmering there was unmistakably positive.
"If you approve, then please arrange a suitable partner for her." Hiruzen wasn't surprised in the least.
He knew his old friend too well.
For all his cold, imposing demeanor, Enma was secretly a huge sucker for pretty faces. Back in the day, he'd put on that act to attract female monkeys.
When he'd introduced Jiraiya, he'd thought their personalities would mesh well. But then Jiraiya had declared his dream was to "gather all the beautiful women in the world," and Enma had immediately nixed the contract.
"Of course. But first, we should test her taijutsu. That way, I can match her with a partner of suitable strength."
Enma agreed readily, his sharp golden eyes lingering on Hikari's delicate features.
She looks so gentle and refined… None of the rowdy young monkeys would suit her. Maybe one of the females? Though they'd be weaker…
Ah, but her taijutsu probably isn't strong anyway. A gentler partner might be best.
Unaware of Enma's thoughts—or that this regal Monkey King was just as much of a "certain type of man" as Hiruzen and Jiraiya—Hikari assumed his quick agreement meant he'd sensed her power.
His perception is that sharp?!
She was impressed. Despite her layered barriers (which even the Byakugan couldn't pierce) and her chakra-sealing flesh seals, Enma had still seen through her.
No wonder they're called the strongest summoning clan!
Her gaze grew more respectful as her Rinnegan's power analyzed Enma's famed "indestructible" body.
"Little Hikari, are you ready?"
Enma loomed over her, his massive frame blocking the light.
"Yes."
Hikari nodded solemnly.
Knowing this was a taijutsu test, muscles long dormant began to coil beneath her skin, twisting like steel cables with eerie creaks.
Her delicate fist clenched, the air around it seeming to solidify.
"Use your full strength. No need to hold back!" Enma reassured the seemingly nervous girl.
Hiruzen licked his lips, about to warn his old friend not to underestimate her—
But then he remembered Enma's Adamantine body… and the fact that Hikari hadn't trained in taijutsu for five years.
After half a second of deliberation, he changed his advice:
"Hikari, this test determines your future partner's strength. You must go all out—show Enma your limits!"
"Understood!"
As she raised her fist, Hikari's gentle smile vanished. Scorching steam billowed from her nostrils with each breath.
Seeing this, Enma grinned confidently, thumping his chest with a fist like a sledgehammer.
"Come! Strike here!"