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"Manji! So—what've those two aliens been up to lately?"
A toad with striking white eyebrows came bouncing over to Manji with an easy, familiar energy.
White-Brow Toad.
The current de facto ruler of Mount Myōboku.
At this point in history, the Great Toad Sage from the original series hadn't even been born yet.
White-Brow was also Manji's personal summoning beast.
"They have been busy, actually. From what I've gathered, the two aliens seem to be turning on each other. I want to capitalize on this opportunity—see if I can take them both out."
Manji's voice was steady and deliberate.
White-Brow was family. No reason to hold anything back.
"Is that so…? But Manji, those two aliens are extraordinarily powerful. And that creature under their control—the Ten-Tails—possesses a terrifying level of strength."
"Eliminating them won't be easy."
White-Brow's expression turned grave at the news.
Ever since those two extraterrestrial beings descended upon the world, the toads—with their exceptional sensory abilities—had already sensed that nothing good would come of their arrival.
"One of them—the one called Kaguya—found me. She wants to team up and eliminate the other one, a being called Isshiki."
"The full explanation is… complicated. But White-Brow, you just need to trust me on this."
Manji spoke calmly from his seat in the Grand Toad Hall.
He knew the explanation would be a nightmare to untangle. He couldn't exactly tell them he was a transmigrator who knew the entire plot, could he?
"Manji—I trust you. You're the first human Mount Myōboku has ever truly put its faith in. You've been one of us for a long time now."
White-Brow's voice was warm and sincere.
"Right. White-Brow—the reason I'm here is because I need to borrow a few things. Think you can help me out?"
Manji got straight to the point.
White-Brow responded immediately. "Don't be so formal! You're practically family. Coming to Mount Myōboku should feel like coming home—take whatever you need!"
"Take it! All of it!"
"Well… that's almost too generous…"
Manji chuckled.
He was currently the only human on Mount Myōboku—and the very first to ever sign a contract with them.
So in a sense, Manji was half-toad himself.
"Alright—I need a few Toad Sage Talismans, some toads capable of using Sonic Genjutsu, and also… does Mount Myōboku happen to have any kind of artifact that can conceal the user's presence?"
Manji laid out his request.
"Toad Sage Talismans and sound-type toads—easy!"
White-Brow produced several Toad Sage Talismans directly from his mouth and handed them to Manji. "These things are incredibly rare, though. The entire mountain can only produce a few dozen per year, and right now, I'm the only one on Mount Myōboku who knows how to make them."
"Much appreciated!"
Manji accepted the talismans with a grin spreading across his face.
Oh, he remembered these very well.
In the original story, the Sage of Six Paths had literally impaled his own brother—then used a Toad Sage Talisman to revive the mortally wounded Hamura from the brink of death.
Essentially a resurrection totem.
And the most absurd part? After Hamura woke up, he immediately jumped back into the fight alongside the Sage of Six Paths to beat down Kaguya. The sheer amount of Sage energy packed into these talismans was staggering.
After receiving them, Manji quickly tucked the talismans safely into his coat.
"As for what you mentioned about an artifact or Sage technique that can hide your presence… I honestly have no idea…"
White-Brow paused, brow furrowed in thought. Then—"Let me check the scrolls!"
With that, White-Brow leaped onto the massive bookshelf.
He pulled out a scroll even larger than Manji himself.
And began carefully flipping through it.
After a long while, White-Brow let out a gasp of astonishment.
"Whoa! There actually is something! The ancient texts don't lie!"
"The wisdom of our toad ancestors is truly… profoundly deep!"
White-Brow bounced excitedly back over to Manji.
Manji was genuinely surprised. He'd only asked on a whim—he hadn't expected them to actually have something.
But then again, it made sense.
Mount Myōboku's heritage stretched back countless millennia.
And as an indigenous power of the planet itself, how could it not have a few hidden tricks up its sleeve?
"According to the ancient texts, by using flax fibers grown here on Mount Myōboku, combined with toad oil and Sage Jutsu, it's possible to create a garment capable of masking the wearer's presence entirely—blending them seamlessly into their surroundings so they become virtually undetectable."
"However—and this is important—the garment doesn't make you fully invisible. It only conceals your aura and chakra signature. Think of it like a chameleon from the human world. If your opponent has a special dōjutsu, or if you walk right up to their face, they'll still be able to see you."
White-Brow delivered this caveat with utmost seriousness.
Manji considered it briefly. Isshiki Ōtsutsuki probably wouldn't keep his Byakugan active at all times… right?
"That's fine. Good enough. How long would it take you to make one?"
Manji nodded, figuring something was better than nothing.
"I'll start working on it right now—I'll do my best to have it ready for you."
White-Brow replied.
"Then I appreciate it. I'll swing by later to pick it up."
Manji gave a brief nod, then used the Summoning Technique to leave Mount Myōboku.
.....
When he reappeared, Manji found himself at the entrance of a water cavern.
In one hand, he carried several jugs of fine liquor—brought from the human world.
This was the dwelling place of the Monkey King Clan.
In a later era, Hiruzen Sarutobi's Monkey King Enma would sign his contract right here.
A massive white-furred ape materialized in an instant!
"Well, well—if it isn't Manji!"
"Aren't you usually all buddy-buddy with those toads on Mount Myōboku? What brings you to my neck of the woods?"
The White Monkey King's tone was dripping with sarcasm.
"Hahaha…"
Manji gave an awkward laugh.
The White Monkey King's attitude wasn't without reason.
Originally, Manji had been given the choice between inheriting the legacy of Mount Myōboku or the legacy of the Monkey King Clan.
He'd chosen the prestigious Mount Myōboku—one of the Three Great Sage Regions.
And the White Monkey King had never quite let it go.
"White Monkey King! It's been too long, my friend! How's business been treating you?"
Manji flashed his most diplomatic grin and stepped forward, holding out the jugs of fine liquor from the human world.
The White Monkey King's eyes lit up the instant he spotted the alcohol. He snatched the jugs without a second of hesitation.
Then he crossed his arms and let out a sharp huff. "Hmph. I tell you things and you never visit. You always prefer hanging around that toad swamp."
"Water under the bridge, my friend. Water under the bridge. The reason I'm here today is because I need your help with something…"
Manji clapped the White Monkey King on the shoulder with an easy smile.
Isshiki's abilities were tailor-made to counter ninjutsu-based attacks. If Manji wanted to actually land effective hits on Isshiki, he'd need to rely on taijutsu.
And the Monkey King Clan specialized in physical combat.
That was exactly why Manji came here.
The two of them settled onto the stone seats and began talking.
"Mmm—good stuff~"
.....
After knocking back a couple of cups, the White Monkey King eyed Manji over the rim.
"Oh?"
"You suddenly remembered I exist? You're thinking of me now?"
The White Monkey King raised an eyebrow.
Manji: "Yes!"
White Monkey King: "Too late!"
Despite his words, the White Monkey King was loyal to his core—and he agreed to help Manji anyway.
"Alright then—tell me. Who are we killing?"
The White Monkey King took another swig of liquor and spoke with bold, unapologetic swagger.
Manji let a sly grin creep across his face. "What if I told you… I'm planning to take on those two aliens out there. You brave enough to join me?"
"HAA! Brave enough?? Why the hell wouldn't I be??"
"As long as it's alive—I'll slay a god for you if I have to!"
The White Monkey King's face flushed red with drink and laughter.
Manji raised an eyebrow. "Those aliens aren't your average opponents. You know that."
"Ha! Funny you mention it—I've actually fought that male alien before!"
The White Monkey King swirled his cup with smug satisfaction.
"WHAT?? YOU'VE FOUGHT ISSHIKI ŌTSUTSUKI??"
Manji's jaw nearly hit the floor. He whipped around to stare at the White Monkey King.
Seeing Manji's stunned expression only fed the old ape's ego further.
"Mm-hmm. Not only that—I went toe-to-toe with that bastard for three days and three nights straight. Eventually, I couldn't keep up anymore, so I retreated back to the Summoning Realm."
"That guy? Honestly—nothing special. Needs more practice!"
With that, the White Monkey King downed another cup.
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