Chapter 107: A Reunion with Kurenai: Kazuya’s Mastery in Action!
But since Kazuya had arrived, everything had changed.
It was… tragic, to say the least.
The toads hadn't taken such a collective beating in hundreds of years. Kazuya wasn't like the respectful trainees they were used to; he was more of a one-man wrecking crew, taking on anyone and everyone until he became the stuff of nightmares for the residents of Myoboku.
And the strangest part? Over time, a good number of toads had grown to admire him. Though they'd scuttle away in fear, they would also bow respectfully when he passed by, and the relationships between them had improved. It was an oddly harmonious yet terrifying arrangement.
"Ha…" Kazuya chuckled inwardly. These toads have no idea that the secret to creating the best alliances is maintaining absolute dominance with a touch of leniency.
Kazuya had no plans of becoming "best friends" with these toads like Naruto or Jiraiya. That type of relationship was well and good for wanderers, but not for someone like Kazuya, whose ambitions reached far beyond companionship.
Eventually, Kazuya reached the heart of Myoboku, where the Great Toad Sage awaited him. The tension between them was palpable as they stood opposite each other, the silent weight of their energy causing fissures to spread through the ground. The pressure from both was immense, each silently gauging the other's strength.
"Impressive," Kazuya thought as he observed the Great Sage. This old toad is no pushover.
The elder toads, Fukasaku and Shima, shared a wide-eyed look. Kazuya's aura was nearly a match for the Great Sages, and they couldn't help but feel a pang of fear. This young human—was he truly a match for their ancient leader?
"Young one…" After a moment of silent scrutiny, the Great Toad Sage's energy receded, and his voice took on its usual measured calm. "It is time to conclude this training."
"I know you may not fully understand, but I have seen the future, and this is the perfect moment for you to step back."
The Great Toad Sage took a breath, his ancient gaze steady. "And as a parting gift, when your strength reaches its peak, I will reveal the location of Ryuchi Cave to you."
Kazuya's eyes brightened. Ryuchi Cave—the legendary domain of the snakes, rival to Myoboku and the Shikkotsu Forest.
The compensation was indeed impressive!
And... it was only to be given when he reached sufficient strength?
Kazuya furrowed his brow slightly.
As expected, the sages of these three great sanctuaries were anything but ordinary.
Beyond Kage level... no, definitely beyond even Super Kage level.
If he recalled correctly, the Great Toad Sage had once fought alongside the Sage of Six Paths against Kaguya Otsutsuki. This meant his minimum power level was beyond Super Kage, easily rivaling the level of a "quasi-Six Paths" being. At his peak, this ancient toad sage might well have rivaled Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.
"Very well," Kazuya replied with a warm smile. "Thank you, Great Sage."
"Wait, what?" Fukasaku and Shima blinked, their eyes wide with shock and confusion.
Compensation?
The Great Sage was giving Kazuya a parting gift because his training had been cut short.
Unbelievable! For weeks now, the only ones getting beaten around here were Myoboku's poor toads. If there was any compensation to give, surely it should have gone to them!
System Notifications:
You have gained 1,500 Chakra Points
You have gained 1,000 Chakra Points
You have gained 1,000 Sage Energy
You have gained 8,000 Sage Energy
You have gained 50 Sage Skill Points
You have gained 50 Sage Skill Points
Golden light burst forth in waves from the Great Toad Sage, with powerful energy radiating into Kazuya's form. Impressive as it was, it wasn't quite the same intensity as their initial encounter. The more often they met, the less potent the rewards became.
"It's time to leave Myoboku," Kazuya concluded, making a mental note to return when enough time had passed to gather more high-quality rewards.
With a casual flick of his sleeve, Kazuya straightened and—without drawing attention to himself—pocketed Myoboku's treasured Sage Charm.
And, well… could it be considered stealing if he just "borrowed" it for the foreseeable future?
A true reading scholar's work is never theft, after all.
The Sage Charm was remarkably valuable. Its restorative powers were nearly on par with the Senzu Beans in the Dragon Ball universe.
And even better, this charm was endlessly reusable. To leave something so precious behind in Myoboku would be an unforgivable waste.
Poof!
With a swirl of white smoke, Kazuya vanished from Myoboku.
It was only then that Shima blinked in realization, glancing up at the Great Sage with a look of dawning horror. "Great Sage, that kid—did he just walk off with Myoboku's Sage Charm?"
"Wait—what?!" Fukasaku froze, utterly taken aback. The Sage Charm was one of Myoboku's rarest treasures, capable of restoring vitality and even bringing someone back from the brink of death.
As they exchanged a look of despair, the Great Toad Sage, however, remained unperturbed.
"Let him be," he said serenely. "Remember, this young man will one day become the hope of Myoboku."
The Sage Charm? The Great Sage's calm tone dismissed it as a mere object.
To the Great Toad Sage, who had seen countless millennia, it was clear that a small gift now could build a lasting connection. And true loyalty was earned in times of need, not in moments of prosperity.
"Yes, Great Sage," Fukasaku and Shima replied, though their expressions were full of bewilderment and disbelief. They could not shake the sense that the Great Sage was showing Kazuya a very special kind of treatment.
There was even a hint of reverence in the Sage's manner, something that was almost… deference?
"Maybe I'm just imagining things," Fukasaku muttered to himself as they left.
Poof!
With a flash of light, Kazuya reappeared in his room, filled with kunai engraved with the Flying Thunder God seal—one of his safe transport locations.
He had tested it before. At level 3, the Flying Thunder God could reach a range of around fifty kilometers, a truly formidable distance.
Put simply, if Kazuya didn't want to lose, then even the combined might of all nine Tailed Beasts would struggle to keep up with him.
This was the true power of the Flying Thunder God.
If he could win, he could eliminate his target instantly. And if things got dicey, he could simply teleport away to safety.
It was no wonder that Kishimoto had conveniently "retired" Minato early in the series. After all, who could rest easy in a world where a teleporting assassin reigned supreme?
And now, Kazuya had taken the Flying Thunder God technique to its ultimate form.
Brute strength, instantaneous strikes, and an undefeatable edge.
"Kazuya?"
A soft, surprised voice called from behind him.
Kurenai stood in the room, cleaning rag in hand, gazing at Kazuya with wide eyes. She had a spare key to his place and often came over to tidy up in his absence.
"I missed you," he murmured with a warm smile, his gaze intensifying as he took a step closer.
Kurenai felt her heartbeat quicken.
"Kazuya..." she said shyly, "It's... that time of the month."
He chuckled a glint of mischief in his eye. "Not a problem. We can get creative, can't we?"
Kurenai blinked, surprised by his unabashed confidence.
"Well… uh… I don't exactly have mouth sores or anything…?"
"Perfect," he replied with a reassuring grin.
For a moment, Kurenai was left wondering how he could be so… practiced.