"Hahaha, those details aren't important. What's important is that we're having fun," Kageyama Kogetsu laughed heartily.
"You've got a point. So, want to do something more exciting later?" Jiraiya said with a wink and a mischievous grin.
"Sure, I'll follow your lead. It's Master Jiraiya's treat, anyway," Kageyama Kogetsu said without hesitation.
"Hey, hey, have some consideration for an old man. It can't always be my treat. My expenses for traveling the ninja world are huge," Jiraiya cried out, feigning heartache.
"Fine, I'll treat then."
"Uh... let's just forget it. Business is more important."
"Heh heh..."
Jiraiya had the guts for drinking, flirting with girls, and peeping at hot springs—and plenty of it.
But when it came to actually getting down and dirty, Jiraiya, unsurprisingly, chickened out.
"Why is your laugh so annoying? It feels like you're mocking me," Jiraiya said, looking constipated.
"No, absolutely not. I'm expressing my approval," Kageyama Kogetsu said lazily, without a hint of sincerity.
"You... forget it. Let's not talk about this."
"How's the old man doing?" Jiraiya picked up a cup of sake for himself.
"Lord Hokage has aged a lot, but other than that, he's fine." Kageyama Kogetsu stood up and clinked his cup against Jiraiya's.
"Sigh... The position of Hokage may seem glorious and honorable, but in reality, the responsibility is immense, and the work is exhausting. In my opinion, the old man should retire and take a rest."
"But the old man is a bit stubborn and doesn't think anyone in the younger generation is ready for the responsibility, so he refuses to step down."
Kageyama Kogetsu smiled. "Then Master Jiraiya should return to the village and take on the responsibility. Master Tsunade could do it too."
"Count me out. I don't want that kind of hardship, and besides, it's not freeing at all."
"Tsunade is unlikely either. She has her own demons."
"In that case, I'll just have to do it in a few years," Kageyama Kogetsu said with a confident smile.
"Well... if you really learn that, then you certainly could. I'll support you."
"You also left a good impression on Tsunade. She would probably support you too."
"The village's high-ranking officials and core members all have a good impression of you. As long as the old man is willing to step down, it shouldn't be a problem."
Kageyama Kogetsu smiled and nodded slightly. When he truly wanted to become Hokage, who could stop him?
It was all a matter of when he wanted it.
Jiraiya could hold his liquor, but not a lot. When they had had enough, the two left the izakaya.
The four hostesses reluctantly saw Kageyama Kogetsu to the door, chattering and inviting him to come back and play again next time.
After leaving the capital of the Land of Rice Fields, Jiraiya used the Summoning Jutsu to call forth a large toad. The toad put the two of them in its mouth, and then the jutsu was dispelled.
Mount Myoboku, on a platform halfway up the mountain, Kageyama Kogetsu and Jiraiya jumped out of the toad's mouth.
"The natural energy here is so dense, at least three times that of the outside world," Kageyama Kogetsu said, somewhat surprised.
"Huh? You can sense natural energy?" Jiraiya's eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost.
"Of course. Is sensing natural energy difficult?"
"It's everywhere—in the air, in the earth, in the water," Kageyama Kogetsu said, feigning ignorance.
"I..."
Jiraiya was dumbfounded, feeling as if his understanding of the world was shattering. Back then, it had taken him a lot of time and hardship just to sense natural energy.
Is it really okay for you to be so matter-of-fact about it?
"Maybe your constitution is special, and you're naturally attuned to natural energy. That's a good thing."
"Let's not talk about it. I'll take you to see Lord Fukasaku and Lord Shima."
"The Great Toad Sage is often asleep, so we might not be able to see him."
Kageyama Kogetsu nodded slightly. "I'll follow Master Jiraiya's arrangements."
In terms of age, the three toads of Mount Myoboku could indeed be called sages. The young couple, Fukasaku and Shima, were over eight hundred years old.
The Great Toad Sage was even more exaggerated.
In the anime, the plot concerning the Sage of Six Paths was an original creation by the animation team. In the manga, the Great Toad Sage was already several thousand years old.
His exact age was unclear, but he was already quite old when Kaguya descended to Earth.
The two of them walked up the steps to the mountaintop platform, where Fukasaku and Shima had already emerged from a temple-like building.
"Little Jiraiya," the two small frogs greeted warmly.
Compared to the other toads on Mount Myoboku, these two were tiny.
It was a mystery how they trained. Other toads grew larger with training, but they remained small.
"Lord Fukasaku, Lord Shima, it's been a long time," Jiraiya said with a broad smile, raising his hand in greeting.
Jiraiya's affection for Mount Myoboku was likely no less than his affection for Konoha. Without Mount Myoboku's help, Jiraiya would never have grown to his current level.
"We have a guest, Jiraiya. Who is this?" Fukasaku asked, sizing up Kageyama Kogetsu.
"Oh, him? He's a ninja from our village, the most outstanding of the younger generation. He has about seven or eight-tenths of Minato's flair."
"He wanted to learn Senjutsu, so the old man sent him to me."
"I was planning to return to Mount Myoboku to continue my own Senjutsu training, so I brought him along," Jiraiya said with a smile, stepping aside and gesturing to introduce him.
"Greetings, Lord Fukasaku, Lord Shima. My name is Kageyama Kogetsu," Kageyama Kogetsu said with a slight, respectful bow, neither servile nor overbearing.
"Hello, young man," Shima said with a smile.
Although the aesthetics of frogs and humans were different, there were some similarities, just as humans might find some cats cute or handsome.
"His physique is surprisingly good, and his chakra levels are up to par. He can learn Senjutsu," Fukasaku said with a satisfied nod.
"This guy is a natural-born sage. Just now, he said that the natural energy on Mount Myoboku is at least three times denser than in the outside world."
Fukasaku and Shima were very surprised to hear this because the natural energy concentration at the front of the mountain was indeed just a little over three times that of the outside world.
After their surprise came great joy. This was a genius for learning Senjutsu!
The more powerful the human sages that came from Mount Myoboku, the stronger their suppressive effect on Ryuchi Cave, and the stronger Mount Myoboku would become.
"Honey, you entertain Little Jiraiya and Little Kogetsu. I'll go make a feast," Shima said with a smile.
As long as you have sufficient value, you'll be welcomed warmly anywhere.
Value is still value. There's no need to be resistant to it; mutual use is all that matters.
"Alright, you two, come this way," Fukasaku nodded and then started hopping.
"Don't worry, once you get used to eating bugs, they're actually quite delicious," Jiraiya said comfortingly as they walked.
"Huh?"
"The first time is one thing, but Master Jiraiya, haven't you prepared your own food suitable for humans after that?" Kageyama Kogetsu asked, a bit dumbfounded.
No, I can't understand. What kind of logic is this?
This is just too bizarre!
Jiraiya froze for a moment, then said with a mournful expression, "I got used to it."
That's right, I should have thought of that sooner. I'm so... stupid!
"Don't worry, I've prepared a lot of food. I'll share some with you later."
"I'll also share some with the two sages. I don't know if you're used to human food..."
Fukasaku turned his head and smiled. "That's very thoughtful. We're used to most human foods."
"What about spicy snake jerky, salt and pepper snake jerky, and garlic snake jerky?" Kageyama Kogetsu asked with interest.
Fukasaku's eyes lit up. He waved his right arm excitedly and said, "Even if we're not used to it, we must get used to it! And they all sound delicious."
He wasn't the Child of the Prophecy, nor Minato's son, nor Jiraiya's student. To get Mount Myoboku to give its all, he needed to use some strategy.
"Hahaha, then Lord Fukasaku must eat a lot later."
Fukasaku beamed, nodding repeatedly. "Definitely, definitely. Little Kogetsu, you're a really good person."
"Little Jiraiya rarely brings gifts when he comes, let alone snake jerky."
Jiraiya: "???"
Seriously, how did I get dragged into this while just standing here?
<><><><><><>
Read Advanced Chapters on : patreon.com/Kaizo247
~ Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]