The Great Toad Sage had fallen asleep again.
Shinju figured that the old toad had already said everything that needed to be said, so he didn't want to waste more time with him. Together with Fukasaku, he headed back home...
Not long after the two of them left the temple, the half-dreaming Great Toad Sage suddenly opened his eyes, clarity returning to his gaze as he looked around blankly.
"Huh? Where did everyone go? I had a very important dream to tell little Shinju about…"
A few minutes later, Shinju was enthusiastically brought back home by Fukasaku.
By that time, night had already fallen. A crescent moon hung brightly in the dark sky.
Shima came out the door and gave Fukasaku a mildly scolding look.
"You just went to see the Great Toad Sage, didn't you? How could you take so long? The food I made's already gone cold! (′д｀σ)σ"
Fukasaku spread his webbed hands helplessly.
"You don't know. The Great Toad Sage's gotten even more forgetful lately…"
Shima sighed—she knew full well about the old sage's condition. She didn't say more, just pushed the door open warmly and gestured for Shinju to come inside.
"He's old now, what can you do~"
Then, to make sure Shinju enjoyed the meal, she reheated the cold dishes and even added two new ones.
Shinju looked at the table full of insect dishes and swallowed hard.
"Really… this is enough already, you don't have to make any more! (༎ຶ-༎ຶ)"
Shima smiled as she set down a fresh plate of salt-and-pepper dung beetles.
"Little Shinju, you haven't eaten your granny's cooking for a whole year! Treat this place like your own home, don't be shy! ( ´▽` )"
Tears welled up in Shinju's eyes.
"Thank you! ค(TㅅT)ค"
...
That night, retching sounds could be heard from the Fukasaku household's bathroom.
To be fair, Shima's insect dishes weren't actually bad. If you ate them often enough, you'd even get used to them.
But if you hadn't eaten them in a long time, then suddenly stuffed yourself with a whole table full like Shinju just did… the result was obvious: he was now hunched over the toilet, fingers down his throat.
Fukasaku listened from outside, his heart aching.
"If you can't handle it, you shouldn't have forced yourself."
Shinju groaned.
"You saw how enthusiastic she was! I couldn't just turn her down... T^T"
...
The next day, after spending a night at Mount Myōboku, Shinju left with a food box packed full of insects that Shima had specially prepared.
Before he left, she reminded him warmly,
"Little Shinju, I'm so happy you like my cooking! Just heat it up a bit before you eat, okay? ʘᴗʘ"
"And don't eat it all by yourself—make sure you share some with little Naruto."
Shinju smiled gratefully.
"Alright, alright. Thank you. (--0027▿--0027)"
Fukasaku added, "The situation on the battlefield changes every moment. Even though you've got the power to protect yourself, you still need to stay cautious. If anything happens, don't hesitate to summon the toads from Mount Myōboku, alright? ´◡`"
Shinju bowed deeply.
"Understood."
A gentle breeze passed through, and Shinju's figure vanished.
After he left, Shima moved closer to her husband, worry thick in her eyes.
"Dear, I can't shake this uneasy feeling…"
Fukasaku comforted her softly.
"Don't worry. The boy's not only mastered Mount Myōboku's Sage Art but also Ryūchi Cave's Sage Art. His power's unmatched. He'll be fine, you'll see..."
...
Konoha Village — Naruto's home.
The entire village had been preparing for war recently. Naruto had trained late into the night yesterday and was now sprawled on his bed, fast asleep.
Suddenly, a pungent smell drifted into his nose. He jerked awake, alert, scanning his surroundings.
"Who's there?!! ＜(｀^´)＞"
Beside him stood Shinju, holding a food box, giving Naruto an exasperated look.
"It's me. Relax. Get up and eat—you'll never guess what I brought you. (๑ت๑)"
Naruto lowered his guard and sat up, curious.
"Oh, Shinju! Where'd you go last night? You didn't come back!"
As Shinju opened the food box and started taking out the various insect dishes, he replied casually,
"Went to Mount Myōboku. The Great Toad Sage had a new prophecy."
Naruto's eyes widened.
"A prophecy? Did it mention me? Is it about how I'll shine in the Fourth Great Ninja War, gain Sage power, and save the world?! ୧⍢⃝୨"
Shinju shook his head.
"I'm not sure exactly what it was about. The old toad hasn't been too clear-headed lately... Anyway, come eat. (o´Д`o)ノ"
Naruto got out of bed, looked at the contents of the food box, and instantly shivered.
"That's bug food, isn't it?! Why'd you bring that here?! I'm not eating that—no way! (≖╻≖;)"
Shinju sighed.
"Hey, it's her heartfelt gift... so you'll eat it."
In the end, to avoid wasting Shima's kindness, Naruto, under Shinju's "persuasion," ended up eating everything.
...
The next few days were peaceful.
After staying in the village for two more days, Shinju suddenly received a message from Tsunade—it was time to head to the Land of Lightning.
At the village gates, Shinju and Naruto, both carrying packs, said their farewells to their friends.
Tsunade said seriously, "Be careful. Even though your identities are hidden, Akatsuki's information network is vast. It's not impossible for them to find you."
Shinju nodded.
"Don't worry. I'll protect Naruto."
"Though, Tsunade-sensei, the battlefield's dangerous. Please make sure you protect yourself too."
Tsunade nodded back with a confident smile.
"Relax. Your teacher here has been through more ninja wars than you've eaten meals… ❛‿˂̵✧"
Standing beside her, Jiraiya added, "That's right, that's right! And besides, I'll be watching her back."
Still uneasy, Shinju gestured for Tsunade to extend her hand.
After a few moments of complex hand seals, a strange mark appeared on Tsunade's palm.
Tsunade frowned in confusion.
"What's this? Your Flying Thunder God mark doesn't look like this. (￢‸￢)?"
Shinju explained, "This is a new space-time technique I've been developing. It's useful when your chakra runs out."
"But it's still experimental—it's got limitations. The person marked has to maintain it with their own chakra, which means they need precise control and a large chakra reserve."
"Perfect for testing on you, sensei. ⸜(๑--0027ᵕ--0027๑)⸝⋆"
Tsunade chuckled.
"Well, that's certainly a curious invention."
Jiraiya extended his hand eagerly.
"Put one on me too! When it comes to chakra control, your Jiraiya-sensei's even better than her! Ծ ̮ Ծ"
Shinju sighed.
"Didn't I already place a Flying Thunder God mark on you? ┐(´-｀)┌"
Jiraiya pouted.
"That's not the same! (◔◡◔)"
Seeing he wouldn't let it go, Shinju marked him as well.
After inscribing both seals, Shinju's face turned a little pale...