Chapter 392: The Toad Kingdom
"Ah, Tonbo-ojisan, you're finished already!" Seeing Tobitake Tonbo, Naruto treated him like a way out of an awkward situation and rushed forward. He didn't want to eat those giant bugs.
Gamakichi was truly something else; had it been so long since Naruto visited Mount Myoboku that the toad forgot he was a human? Hinata felt the same. She was afraid of those giant insects as well, so she walked quietly behind Naruto, clutching the corner of his cloak.
Observing this, Gamakichi looked at the big bugs in his hand, and suddenly they didn't seem so appetizing anymore. In all these years, he still hadn't found a partner.
"Come on, I'll show you around the Toad Kingdom. I'm telling you, our kingdom is huge, and we have many things the Shinobi world doesn't—like these delicious bugs." Gamakichi waved the insects in his hand boastfully. The food in the Shinobi world was worlds apart from that of the Toad Kingdom.
"Thanks, Gamakichi. Next time, I'll treat you to some 'giant bugs,' all right? They might not be as nutritious as yours, but they'll definitely taste better," Tonbo said to Gamakichi with a smile.
His family ran a catering business, and he could certainly develop restaurants that specialized in food for summoned beasts to attract them to Konoha. He wanted to see if he could find any "destined" ninja to form contracts with them.
"Really?" Gamakichi looked at Tonbo. But then he shook his head; humans were such tiny things. Even if the food was delicious, the portions would be so small they'd be dissolved by his saliva before he could even taste them. He wasn't a little toad anymore. With his current majestic and massive build, he wasn't suited for human-sized food. Perhaps Gamakichi would be a better fit; he was a slow grower.
"Haven't you heard of the World Ninja Association back in the Toad Kingdom? Inside, there are Gourmet Ninja who specifically collect ingredients and develop delicacies. As long as you have a request, it can be custom-made. And as it happens, I currently employ many One-Star Gourmet Ninja to guarantee the quality of my catering chain. So, rest easy," Tonbo said.
When it came to this, Tonbo was exceptionally confident. Being "close to the water gives you the first view of the moon"—since he was the one who proposed the idea, he naturally had mature plans. When people started taking the exam for One-Star Gourmet Ninja, he had already set his sights on that group to expand his catering empire.
Although he could use ninjutsu to develop top-tier seasonings or pairing methods himself, it would consume too much energy. Thus, he paid a lot of money to hire people. A lot of money. After all, by improving cuisine slowly, he could make more money over time. If progress was too rapid, there would be nowhere left to go, and once people got bored, the food wouldn't sell. It was like mobile phones in his previous life; even a tiny improvement in appearance was enough to keep the manufacturers fed. So, he wasn't in a hurry.
In a way, Ichiraku Catering had already become a giant corporation in the Land of Fire and beyond. Many people sought them out for cooperation. Developing the summoned beast market now was a perfectly viable move.
"Is that so? It's been a long time since I've been to the Shinobi world. When you have time, Naruto, summon me so I can see the changes," Gamakichi said, tilting his head, finding the idea quite interesting. Having been away for so long, he was feeling a bit tempted.
"But for now, let's keep touring the Toad Kingdom." Temptation aside, Gamakichi still had to show them around. This was his nation and his home.
Tonbo and the others followed behind Gamakichi, taking in the scenery of Mount Myoboku. Every now and then, a giant insect would pop out, only to be snapped up by Gamakichi. Occasionally, they saw other wild beasts—creatures with power comparable to Chunin or even Jonin, each with unique abilities. They were like the flying beast Tonbo had encountered when he took Neji's team out for training; they all possessed specialized powers.
"It's been a while. Mount Myoboku hasn't changed much, has it?" Naruto, holding Hinata, leaped across giant leaves. He looked at the surroundings with a smile on his face. Years of constant studying had exhausted him; it was only since this honeymoon month started that he'd been able to relax.
Hinata, meanwhile, clung to Naruto, her eyes fixed solely on him. She didn't even glance at the scenery. To her, Naruto was the most beautiful view.
"If this place were developed, it would be a tourist paradise!" Tonbo thought as he looked at the environment. If this were his previous world, ticket sales would be explosive.
"Of course, but we won't open it up. This is the sacred land of toads and cannot be desecrated by too many people. Ninja are sometimes too despicable," Gamakichi remarked.
"Haha, true enough. The inherent flaws of humanity... Huh? What's that?"
Suddenly, Tonbo saw a massive mountain peak erupting with flows of lava. Black smoke billowed out periodically. Glowing red lava flowed down the mountainside, and there were many similar peaks. It was a cluster of volcanoes. Why did the Toad Kingdom have such an environment?
Gamakichi explained: "You mean the Flaming Mountains? That's where the Flame Toads live. They carry out their own training there. Every type of toad has its own way of training, so the environments differ."
"The Flaming Mountains?" Tonbo thought of his Hurricane Phenomenon. His inspiration back then had come from the summoning technique that could kill an Otsutsuki parasite. So, it was here. No wonder he hadn't seen it in all these years. It made sense that Kashin Koji could summon the flames of Mount Myoboku's Flaming Mountains.
"Yeah, the Flaming Mountains are very powerful. Even among the specialized toads, only one Flame Toad can survive in the very center. The others use the natural energy flowing out from the mountains for their training," Gamakichi explained in detail.
"I see. Seems like a tough life."
Seeing the Flaming Mountains gave Tonbo inspiration for training the younger generation. As a member of a collective society, he couldn't shoulder everything alone—the same applied to the threat of the Otsutsuki clan. Perhaps he could train some even more powerful ninja.
Regarding such extreme environments, he recalled something he had taught during an ethics class at the Ninja Academy: the boy who was learning the Eight Extremities.
Perhaps he could cooperate with the Toad Kingdom. By utilizing their natural environments and the extreme conditions within Kaguya's dimensions, he could develop a "Super Training System" for Taijutsu. Tucking this inspiration away in his mind, he continued to wander with Gamakichi.
"This is the training ground for the Scroll Toads. The sealing jutsus and rituals of the Toad Kingdom are all done by them."
They reached an area where many small toads, whose bodies were shaped like scrolls, were learning from a larger Scroll Toad. They were drawing runic formulas on the scrolls that were part of their bodies.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After walking a bit longer, the sound of rumbling came from a distance. Looking toward the sound, they saw many toads attacking a pitch-black mountain face. Their hands were covered in armor. By the looks of it, they had been at it for more than just a day or two.
"This is the training ground for the Iron Arm Toads. That mountain is composed of a massive amount of minerals; it's very resilient."
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