The Great Toad Sage

The Great Toad Sage, a massive figure nearly a hundred meters tall, sat cross-legged, his head lowered as he emitted a deafening purr. This sight alone would have been enough to shock anyone, but Jiraiya's true terror lay elsewhere.

All around the toad, dozens of yellow-haired figures were busy holding iron chains. These figures appeared to be wrapping the chains around the Great Toad Sage's limbs, shoulders, and head.

Naruto, meanwhile, stood in front of the enormous toad, carrying an iron chain on his shoulders and struggling to drag it forward. To an observer, he might have seemed like an experienced boat tracker. However, the real source of his confusion was the toad itself.

In Naruto's memory, the only toads he was familiar with were the ones wielding machetes on Mount Myōboku. The toad he had summoned was no different in appearance from those Jiraiya had summoned before—except for its colossal size. The Great Toad Sage was now sleeping soundly, and no amount of shouting could wake him.

Seeing the giant toad in front of him, Naruto's curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to see if he could drag the "weight" in front of him.

Jiraiya's frantic shouts were futile. All Naruto could focus on was the snoring of the toad and whether Jiraiya might call him a ghost.

"Naruto—"

"Traitor!!"

"Stop it!"

Jiraiya was sweating profusely as he saw the Great Toad Sage appearing in this situation. He had long wished to summon the Great Toad Sage but had always been told that the Sage was sleeping and would see no one.

He never expected to see the Great Toad Sage in such a condition. Panic gripped him as he dashed over to Naruto.

"Huh?"

"Why are you here, old man?"

Naruto paused and looked at Jiraiya, who was clearly panicked.

"Move quickly!" Jiraiya shouted, snatching the chains from Naruto's hands. "That's the Great Toad Sage from Mount Myōboku!!"

Jiraiya's anger was palpable. The last thing he wanted was for Mount Myōboku to terminate their contract because of Naruto's mishap.

"Ah?" Naruto turned back to the Great Toad Sage, still snoring. The realization that he had summoned the Great Toad Sage instead of a smaller toad was confusing. He had thought the Sage was supposed to stay hidden on Mount Myōboku and only appear to offer prophecies.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Jiraiya was growing increasingly frantic. "Hurry up and remove those chains! If the Great Toad Sage wakes up and finds himself tied up like this, the consequences will be severe!"

Naruto, still confused, continued to look at the giant toad. His misunderstanding was clear: he thought the Great Toad Sage was just another toad and didn't grasp the gravity of the situation.

"Jiraiya-sensei, am I good at psychic skills?" Naruto asked innocently.

Jiraiya was at a loss for words. He was already furious and bewildered. Unlike Minato, who had marveled at his powerful psychic beast and praised his teacher, Naruto had only seen the toad as a weight to drag around.

Jiraiya's frustration reached its peak. He thought of the old medicine cabinet in the Hokage's office and wondered if it might hold some answers.

"This child..." Jiraiya muttered. "What did I get myself into?"

As Naruto continued to treat the Great Toad Sage as a mere burden, Jiraiya's temper flared. He raised his hand to hit the child but stopped when he saw Naruto's quick reflexes, mistaking the gesture for an affectionate pat.

"You... you kid!" Jiraiya was exasperated. "Do you know what you just did?"

"What?" Naruto asked calmly, seemingly unperturbed. "Isn't it just living for a thousand years?"

Jiraiya's face darkened. He felt an intense wave of frustration. "The Great Toad Sage is a being comparable to the Sage of Six Paths! You just treated him like a weight!"

Jiraiya's outburst made Naruto pause, but his response was nonchalant. He understood that being old and not dying made someone a monster, but his respect for the Great Toad Sage had yet to develop.

Jiraiya was seething with anger. "This is beyond ridiculous!"

After a brief pause to regain his composure, Jiraiya continued teaching Naruto. "Alright, Naruto, use the psychic technique again. Control your chakra carefully... don't overdo it."

Jiraiya had come to a conclusion: Naruto must have an enormous amount of chakra, which led to the accidental summoning of the Great Toad Sage.

"Got it," Naruto said, nodding.

Jiraiya watched as Naruto bit his fingers and formed seals again. "Psychic Art!"

Boom—

Before they could even see the toad clearly, a scornful voice filled the air.

"Little Jiraiya, what are you up to this time?"

"Who are you trying to summon now?"

Jiraiya's face fell as he realized they were in for more trouble.