Since then, Gamakon had spent every day in constant fear, worried that these toads would discover his secret.
However, one day passed, then two, then a whole month...
Nothing happened.
The Great Toad Sage remained in his deep slumber, and the other toads of Mount Myoboku simply treated him as a kin with a slightly peculiar color.
His fear gradually receded, replaced by the relief of surviving a disaster and a sense of confusion about the future.
What should he do?
Even though he had traveled to this world, he didn't have a Shinobi Cheat. Was he really destined to be a toad for the rest of his life, eating bugs every day and waiting for the day some ninja summoned him to serve as cannon fodder?
Just as he was fretting over this, a familiar figure appeared.
Spiky white hair, a forehead protector with the crimson character for "Oil," a massive scroll on his back, and an expression that shifted between heroic and lecherous—Jiraiya!
A bolt of lightning seemed to flash through Gamakon's mind.
He might not have a Shinobi Cheat, but he possessed the most powerful weapon in this world: information!
Perhaps it was due to the transmigration, but his mind had become increasingly sharp. He found himself slowly recalling the entire plot of Naruto.
One had to remember that he had been a Dull Laborer for years; the Naruto series he watched in his youth should have been mostly forgotten by now.
Yet the man before him was the key figure who bridged the early and middle parts of the story—the guide for Naruto and the teacher of the Child of Prophecy!
As long as he could latch onto this "thigh" or become his partner, he could not only escape his fate as cannon fodder but perhaps even change those tragedies he once so deeply regretted.
He only had one chance.
He had to present a "sincerity" sufficient to shock even a battle-hardened ninja like Jiraiya.
When Jiraiya visited Mount Myoboku again, Gamakon summoned every ounce of his courage and intercepted him in a secluded corner.
"Yo, Master Jiraiya, hard work on your research."
That was his opening line.
Jiraiya froze for a moment. He looked down at the little toad who dared to tease him, finding it quite novel.
"Little guy, you know me?"
"Of course," Gamakon tried his best to look profound. "I also know that you are searching for a Child of Prophecy who can bring change to the world. I even know that among your three former disciples from the Rain Village, one possesses the legendary Rinnegan."
Jiraiya's expression didn't change, but interest piqued within his heart.
The matter of the Rinnegan was known only to the two Great Sages, the Great Toad Sage, and a few high-ranking officials in Konoha. He had never seen this little toad before; how could it know?
However, he didn't lash out like he would against an enemy. After all, this was Mount Myoboku.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing the little purple toad before him as his tone turned serious. "Did the Great Sovereign send you to tell me this?"
Other than the Great Toad Sage who could see the future, Jiraiya couldn't imagine anyone else who would know these details so clearly.
Gamakon's heart tightened.
He had originally intended to use the Great Toad Sage's name to bluff, but now that he was being asked directly, he hesitated.
If he lied and said the Sage told him, he would be exposed the moment Jiraiya went to verify it.
That split second of hesitation was keenly captured by Jiraiya, a top-tier ninja.
"No..."
Jiraiya's brow furrowed. Though there was no killing intent, he radiated a pressure that made it hard to breathe. "If it were a prophecy from the Great Sovereign, it would usually be conveyed by Lord Fukasaku or Lady Shima—or at the very least, one of the messenger toads. You... your face is too unfamiliar."
He suddenly reached out, grabbing Gamakon and lifting him to eye level for a closer look.
"Your chakra is very weak, and you don't look like an attendant of the Great Sovereign. Little guy, who exactly are you? How do you know these things?"
Cold sweat poured down Gamakon's back as he was held in that grip.
He realized he had underestimated the insight of one of the Sannin.
"You can call me Gamakon, but I'd prefer if you called me Jiang Chen."
"As for how I know..."
"I have my own channels..." Gamakon said, bracing himself. "But that isn't important. What matters is that I know the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, and your choices will determine the future of the world. And I can help you make the right choice."
"Your channels?" Jiraiya snorted, clearly unconvinced. "In Mount Myoboku, there are no channels that can bypass Lords Fukasaku and Shima. Since you refuse to tell the truth, I'll take you to see them and see if they recognize a little toad like you."
Without waiting for Gamakon to struggle, Jiraiya used a Body Flicker and vanished instantly.
A moment later, deep within Mount Myoboku.
Fukasaku and Shima stared at the little toad in Jiraiya's hand, looking at each other in confusion.
"Little Jiraiya, this is indeed a toad of our Mount Myoboku, but this child usually does nothing but daze off or eat bugs. We haven't heard of him having any special abilities," Fukasaku said doubtfully.
"That's strange." Jiraiya stared at Gamakon, his gaze deepening. "He knows about the Rinnegan and details about the Child of Prophecy. If the Great Sovereign didn't tell him, then he probably hides a secret we don't know about."
At this moment, Gamakon's heart was practically in his throat.
Even though Jiraiya still showed no killing intent, this feeling of having his secrets stripped bare was more terrifying than bloodlust.
If he were judged an anomaly or a spy, his life as a toad would likely be spent being fried, deep-fried, braised, or boiled.
"In that case," Fukasaku pondered for a moment, "we can only go consult the Great Sovereign. It just so happens he has recently awakened."
Gamakon was in despair.
To see that old toad who had lived for a thousand years?
Wasn't that just walking into a trap?
In front of a being of that level, he couldn't guarantee his soul as a transmigrator wouldn't be seen through!
However, things had reached a point where he had no room for resistance.
With a heart as heavy as if he were heading to an execution, Gamakon was brought to the hall of the Great Toad Sage.
To Gamakon's surprise, the Great Toad Sage merely opened his drowsy eyes, his cloudy gaze passing over Jiraiya and landing on Gamakon.
In that instant, Gamakon felt as though he were standing naked in a frozen wasteland; all his secrets were laid bare.
'It's over...'
Just as Gamakon closed his eyes to wait for death, the Great Toad Sage spoke to Jiraiya in a slow, ancient voice. "Jiraiya... this little fellow can see the finer branches of the future that I cannot... Trust him. He will help you find that child and guide him onto the right path."
Gamakon snapped his eyes open, momentarily dazed.
He was clearly bullshitting Jiraiya, so why did the Great Toad Sage personally step in to endorse him?
Could it be...
That this thousand-year-old Sage really saw through everything and permitted his existence?
Whatever the truth, the Great Toad Sage's words became Gamakon's most solid protective charm.
The suspicion in Jiraiya's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by gravity.
Since the Great Sovereign said so, then this little toad was a partner worthy of trust.
He officially signed a summoning contract with Gamakon—and it was of the highest priority level.
From then on, Gamakon became Jiraiya's Portable Strategist.
...
Pulling his thoughts back from the memory, Gamakon looked at the still-grim Jiraiya and spoke in a relaxed tone. "What did the Great Toad Sage say back then? To trust me, and that I would help you find the Child of Prophecy. Right now, I'm just helping you avoid some unnecessary casualties. Asuma is the Third Hokage's son and a pillar of Konoha's future. It would be a pity to let him die so pointlessly."
"Die?"
Jiraiya keenly caught the word. "You mean, he was supposed to die?"
"Yes, and his death was quite pathetic."
Gamakon didn't elaborate. He knew that the more he said, the greater the future variables would become.
It was enough to provide the result and a warning.
Jiraiya took a deep breath, recalling the intelligence Gamakon had provided in the past.
For example, intel that a small country might be hiding a cult organization, which saved him from a fruitless trip; or that a certain mission hid a deeper conspiracy, allowing him to prepare in advance.
Every time, Gamakon's "premonitions" had come true.
"That necklace..." Jiraiya asked in a low voice.
"I stored a portion of my Sage Chakra inside that jade stone," Gamakon explained. "The amount isn't large, but it's enough to form a powerful defense at a critical moment or sustain his life in a crisis. As long as he keeps wearing it, he can survive a fatal blow."
This was Gamakon's confidence.
Though his combat power was effectively zero, as a toad of Mount Myoboku, his affinity for Sage Chakra was innate.
Having stayed by Jiraiya's side all these years, between what he observed and his own practice, storing a bit of life-saving Sage Chakra was quite easy.
Jiraiya nodded, his expression softening slightly.
With Sage Chakra protecting him, Asuma's safety margin would undoubtedly increase.
"Alright, stop worrying about Asuma."
Gamakon hopped back onto Jiraiya's head and patted his white hair. "The charm has been given; the rest depends on his own fate. Now, go do what you need to do."
"What I need to do..."
Jiraiya murmured to himself. The gravity on his face didn't dissipate; instead, it gained a hint of bitterness. "The celebration is already over. Going now... would just be a late congratulation."
"A late congratulation is better than none, isn't it?" Gamakon said helplessly.
"True enough."
Jiraiya took a deep breath, forcing down the surging regret, and returned to his usual irreverent self.
He set off again toward the Hokage's office. "It's time to see that brat. And while I'm at it... I'll give him my new manuscript as a late gift."
Seeing Jiraiya's regretful look, Gamakon shook his head helplessly.
However, deep in his heart, an even stronger sense of urgency arose.
Minato has already succeeded as Hokage. The Nine-Tails Incident is less than a year away...