The sun sank in the west, and the clouds on the horizon had already been scorched crimson by its rays.
Deep in the woods, a giant toad, its body a vivid green and two long swords strapped to its back, hurried toward Konoha. Each leap carried it hundreds of meters with ease. Up close, a ragged beggar, covered in blood, could be seen sprawled across its head.
Days of nonstop travel and fierce battles had drained much of Uzumaki Kuming's Chakra. Chiyo's poison and Karura's Wind Style, which had finally broken through his defenses, had only made things worse.
As time passed, Chiyo's poison took an ever-greater toll on Kuming. By dusk, he could no longer stay conscious. After using the Messenger Toad to notify Jiraiya, Kuming summoned Gamahiro and then, exhausted, drifted off to sleep on the toad's back.
His last order to Gamahiro before falling unconscious was to return to Konoha.
In a dense forest in the Land of Rivers, Minato Namikaze was leading a team of three ninjas toward the site where they had discovered the Gold Dust pyramid. Halfway there, a puff of white smoke appeared on Minato's shoulder, and a bright red toad materialized.
"Minato, Uzumaki Kuming is in danger. Jiraiya wants you to find a way to save him."
The instant it appeared, the red toad shouted into Minato's ear. Minato and the other Konoha Ninjas jolted in alarm and tumbled from the trees to the ground.
"What did you say? Uzumaki Kuming?"
"Didn't Jiraiya-sensei say he was at Mount Myoboku? How could he be in danger there?"
After a brief moment of confusion, Minato focused on what the Messenger Toad had said and asked in surprise.
"Uzumaki Kuming left Mount Myoboku early this morning and returned to the Land of Rivers, where