"Kaguya was too strong," Gamamaru said. "She had almost no weakness to speak of. Even time seemed to lose meaning around her. Her lifespan became so long that waiting for her to weaken was no different from waiting forever."
His gaze lowered slightly.
"Just when I thought there would never be a chance, she divided her own power and created two new lives. When those two children grew up, I knew the opportunity had finally come."
By now, Gamamaru had no reason to deny what he had done.
"My methods were not exactly honorable," he said, "but I did it for this world. After Kaguya was sealed, the Divine Tree fell, and natural energy finally returned to the land. It could never recover to its former height, but at least the summoning beasts could survive again."
His voice was calm, but there was no hesitation in it.
"Everything I did was for this world, and for the survival of the summoning beasts."
Jie did not argue. A thousand years had already passed, and Gamamaru had given himself the cleanest possible reason. Whether it was true or not, debating an ancient war would change nothing now.
"Fine," he said. "Let's say everything you did back then was justified. Then what about now? Why is Mount Myōboku still interfering with the ninja world?"
Gamamaru's mouth curved slightly.
"Ninja world?"
"If not for the Divine Tree and that woman, the world you call the ninja world would still belong to summoning beasts. Humans would never have had a place here."
Gamamaru's voice remained calm.
"I was only protecting my own world."
Jie understood.
To him, Mount Myōboku was interfering in the ninja world. To Gamamaru, humans were the ones occupying a world that had once belonged to summoning beasts. From that position, everything he had done could be called protection.
Jie had no interest in continuing the argument.
To him, Mount Myōboku was interfering in the ninja world. To Gamamaru, humans were occupying a world that had once belonged to summoning beasts. Neither side would convince the other by debating justice.
But Jie had never come here to win an argument.
He had come to cut off Mount Myōboku's hand before it could keep reaching into the ninja world. From now on, the ninja world only needed one will guiding its direction: his own.
If Gamamaru lowered his head, the matter could end here. If he refused, Jie would force him to lower it. And if Mount Myōboku still insisted on standing in his way, then removing it was also an option.
Jiraiya would be affected, but for Jie and for Konoha, the benefits would outweigh the cost.
He was already considering what excuse would make the cleanest opening when Gamamaru spoke again.
"However, after thinking about it, I have realized something."
The old toad's voice remained calm.
"The current ninja world is not as unpleasant as I once thought. After a thousand years, the surviving summoning beasts have already grown used to life in the separate spaces. Even if they were allowed to return to the ninja world, they might be the first ones unable to adapt."
Gamamaru continued, "So let the ninja world develop on its own. The summoning beasts will remain in their spaces and watch the world change from afar, just as we have done for the past thousand years."
This was not how Jie had expected the confrontation to unfold.
He had thought Gamamaru would resist, that the two of them would fight, and that half of Mount Myōboku might be destroyed before the old toad finally lowered his head. Instead, Gamamaru had yielded before the fight even began.
Most likely, he had seen through Jie's intention to start one.
It was a little disappointing. Jie still had not tested how strong Gamamaru truly was. But since the old toad had already stepped back, continuing to push would only make him look petty.
Still, yielding did not mean Mount Myōboku could walk away without paying a price.
After a moment of thought, Jie said, "Mount Myōboku will give up part of its land for Konoha to raise and train its own summoning beasts."
Fukasaku and Shima's faces changed, but Jie continued without looking at them.
"Mount Myōboku's contract scroll will also be placed under Konoha's control. Ninja who have made enough contributions to the village will be allowed to sign it."
His tone cooled slightly.
"But make one thing clear. Those ninja will not become inheritors of Mount Myōboku. After they sign the contract, any toad summoned by a Konoha ninja must obey that ninja's orders."
The meaning was clear. Jie was not helping Mount Myōboku spread its inheritance, gather disciples, or use Konoha's reputation to expand its own influence. He only wanted the toads as combat support.
Fukasaku and Shima could no longer hide their anger. If things were handled the way Jie described, then what Konoha ninja signed would no longer be an ordinary summoning contract. It would be closer to a slave contract.
Mount Myōboku's toads would fight for Konoha ninja without gaining disciples, influence, or the right to guide those contractors as successors of Mount Myōboku.
Jie did not care about their anger. His eyes remained on Gamamaru.
After a short silence, the Great Toad Sage answered without hesitation.
"Mount Myōboku accepts."
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