What Is This Place?

Even though Menma had watched scenes of the Summoning Technique many times in the anime, when it actually appeared before his eyes, the enormous toad still left him utterly stunned!

"That's incredible!" Menma exclaimed sincerely.

The giant toad named Toad Zhong stuck out his tongue and handed the scroll to Menma, who hurriedly reached out and took it.

Standing atop Toad Zhong's head with his arms crossed, Jiraiya said to Menma, "Open that scroll and take a look! This is the scroll Mount Myōboku has passed down through generations to form contracts with shinobi!

Use your own blood to write your name, then leave bloodprints from all five fingers."

Menma spread the scroll open on the ground and saw the signatures of those who had come before him. The last one was unmistakably Jiraiya's!

That's not right. I remember Minato being after Jiraiya in the original story. Oh, I get it. Minato in this world isn't very strong, so Jiraiya didn't think highly enough of him to let him form a contract with Mount Myōboku.

Following Jiraiya's instructions, Menma bit his finger, signed his name, and pressed down his handprint.

Jiraiya continued explaining, "Next, just gather chakra in the hand you used to leave the print, form the seals, and you'll be able to use the Summoning Technique.

All right, enough talking. Give it a try!"

At Jiraiya's words, Menma began forming hand seals.

"Boar—Dog—Rooster—Monkey—Ram!

Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"

Black markings spread outward from Menma's palm. With a BANG, a cloud of smoke erupted.

Seeing that the smoke cloud was far from small, Jiraiya secretly rejoiced. Not bad. On his first summoning, he can call forth such a huge toad...?!

There was no toad. Where was Menma???

Jiraiya hurriedly leaped down from Toad Zhong's head and searched all around, but aside from the scroll bearing Menma's name, there was no trace of Menma anywhere.

Jiraiya's head swelled with panic!

Had he been reverse summoned?

Jiraiya immediately told Toad Zhong to dispel the Summoning Technique and return to Mount Myōboku, then used the Reverse Summoning Technique to bring himself back to Mount Myōboku as well.

After returning to Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya asked around, but no toad had seen Menma.

Realizing how serious the situation was, Jiraiya rushed to find the Great Toad Sage and ask how to locate Menma!

On the way, Jiraiya recalled the first time he had used the Summoning Technique. Because he had not formed a contract, the technique's backlash had sent him to another dimension—Mount Myōboku.

Menma's current situation was extremely similar to what had happened then.

But that shouldn't have been possible. Menma had clearly already formed a contract, so how could this still happen?

Jiraiya rushed into the Great Toad Sage's chamber. Before he could wake the Great Toad Sage, Fukasaku stopped him first. "Why are you panicking like that? Have some dignity!"

"Lord Fukasaku, Lady Shima, something happened!" Jiraiya briefly explained Menma's situation.

After hearing him out, Fukasaku pondered for a moment and asked, "You're saying that after your disciple formed a contract with Mount Myōboku, he was reverse summoned?"

"Yes. Every sign points to him having been reverse summoned."

"That shouldn't be possible!" Fukasaku stroked his beard with a frog claw. "Don't worry about the cause for now. The urgent matter is getting your disciple back!

Since he has already formed a contract, we can simply use Mount Myōboku's Reverse Summoning Technique to summon him back!"

Sure enough, the older the frog, the wiser he was. A problem that had left Jiraiya helpless was effortlessly solved by Fukasaku!

"Did you bring the Summoning Contract scroll?" Fukasaku asked Jiraiya.

Jiraiya quickly took out the scroll strapped to his back, unfolded it, and laid it flat on the ground. "I did."

Fukasaku stepped forward, touched the blood Menma had left on the scroll with his frog claw, and pressed his palms together.

"All right, Jiraiya, step aside!

Ninja Art: Reverse Summoning Technique!"

Black markings appeared, and with a BANG, a cloud of smoke rose up.

When the smoke cleared, there was nothing there!

"Lord Fukasaku, what's going on?" Jiraiya quickly asked.

"Hmm..." Fukasaku pondered for a moment. "It failed... When I used the technique just now, I could barely sense my connection to your disciple, and he didn't respond either. That usually means the distance is too great.

But that shouldn't be possible. As long as your disciple is still in the Shinobi World, I could find him even if he were in either of the other two great sacred lands.

Could it be that your disciple is no longer in the Shinobi World?"

Hearing this, Jiraiya panicked. "Lord Fukasaku, could Menma... could he... already be... dead?!!"

Fukasaku rolled his eyes at Jiraiya. "When did I ever say he was dead? I only said I couldn't contact him!

Don't worry. His contract connection may be weak, but it hasn't been severed. At the very least, he should be safe for now!"

Jiraiya let out a long breath of relief, then asked, "Then where exactly is Menma now? How can we find him?"

Fukasaku replied irritably, "How should I know? The Shinobi World is enormous. There may be places capable of blocking the summons of a Summoning Contract!

As for how to get your disciple back, once the old master wakes up, I'll ask him for you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Great Toad Sage sitting on the high platform woke up. Squinting, he spoke slowly, "Oh, little Jiraiya!

I already know why you have come. Don't worry, your disciple is safe!

He'll be back in a few days."

Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "That's good, but Great Toad Sage, do you know where Menma is right now?"

The Great Toad Sage chuckled. "Him? He's in the territory of a group of old acquaintances of mine who wander..."

Jiraiya was completely confused. Before he could ask for clarification, the Great Toad Sage had begun snoring again.

Meanwhile, in another dimension far from the Ninja Continent.

Menma rubbed his head, got to his feet, and surveyed his surroundings.

This was an utterly desolate place. Not a blade of grass grew here, and jagged rocks littered the ground.

In the distance, the horizon joined with the pitch-black sky, which was filled with countless stars.

Besides the stars, a glaring sun also hung in the sky, shining down on Menma.

Menma involuntarily narrowed his eyes, raised a hand to shield them, and looked into the distance. Other than a silver-white wasteland, there was nothing.

Menma turned around, and the sight before him made his eyes widen!

A massive planet filled his vision. However, only the half facing the sun remained intact. The other half looked as though it had been struck by an enormous meteor, its edges glowing with dark-red lava.

Countless fragments of various sizes drifted behind the planet, making it resemble a comet with a tail!

Near the planet was a slightly smaller celestial body. Judging from the craters on its surface, it had to be the moon!

Then could that shattered planet be the Ninja Continent?

Just what kind of place had I come to?! Menma muttered as he stared at the magnificent sight before him.