The Trip Was Fine, but There Was No Way Back?!

"..." Great Tengu said nothing. He waved the other yokai away, then looked at Menma with a strange expression.

"What is it? Is there some problem, Lord Tengu?" Menma did not understand why Tengu looked like that.

Tengu hesitantly asked, "...Don't tell me you have no way of getting back either?"

Menma also sensed that something was wrong. "...Don't tell me you don't have a way to return to the Ninja Continent either..."

One human and one yokai stared at each other, big face to small face, wide eyes locked together. Neither spoke; they merely looked at one another.

Somewhere in the distance, crows seemed to be cawing noisily.

After a while, Tengu was the first to break the silence. "If there were a way in or out, do you think we would have stayed in the High Plain of Heaven all this time?"

Menma's expression darkened.

Tengu continued, "So in other words, your proposal to form an alliance with us was also a spur-of-the-moment decision?"

Menma felt a little awkward. "The alliance may have been a sudden idea, but I meant it sincerely.

After hearing you mention the calamity from a thousand years ago, I realized that ninja and yokai shared a common enemy.

There is a saying in the Shinobi World: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. That was why I thought of forming an alliance with all of you."

Tengu let out a long sigh. "I really bought your crap!

I thought you were a powerhouse who had crossed the cosmos in the flesh, but it turned out you had merely ended up here by accident.

I thought I had found the yokai an unprecedented patron, but who would have thought? I had hunted geese all my life, only to be pecked in the eye by one."

Menma had not expected Tengu's misunderstanding to run so deep. Feeling somewhat uneasy as well, he asked, "Then what about the alliance?"

Tengu raised his head and looked toward the dark universe. "What else can we do? We'll just have to make the best of it. If those old geezers hear about this, who knows how badly they'll mock me!

Besides, you are the first person I have seen at such a young age who could speak so confidently and logically before me without showing the slightest fear!

It seems you are no ordinary person either!"

Menma grimaced speechlessly.

Tengu asked, "Then what do we do now? If you cannot return, our alliance will be meaningless!"

"There is a way," Menma said. "My master must be thinking of one too!

Unless something unexpected has happened, he should be at Mount Myōboku right now, seeking help from the Great Toad Sage—ah, Gamamaru. I believe we will find a way back before long."

Tengu nodded. "That is all we can do for now. But how exactly did you get here? Can you tell us in detail? We can help you think of a solution too. After all, yokai have endured for a thousand years for good reason!"

At that, Menma carefully explained how he had used the Summoning Technique, including the hand seals and the contract scroll.

After thinking for a long time, Tengu suddenly asked, "According to your information, have those Ōtsutsuki Clan fellows ever used the Summoning Technique?"

Menma found the question strange, but he still thought back carefully. "No. There are no records of them using the Summoning Technique or summoning beasts."

Tengu stroked his chin, seeming to have realized something.

Menma hurriedly asked, "What is it? Did you remember something?"

Tengu gave a grunt and explained, "After hearing your description of the Summoning Technique and the blood-contract scroll, it sounds familiar somehow, but I cannot remember where I have seen it...

How about this? I'll call the others over and ask them too!"

Tengu then gathered the yokai again, told them about the matter, and asked what they thought.

At that moment, the red-faced, fanged yokai with a demonic appearance suddenly said, "Why does this Summoning Technique sound so much like the Shikigami Seal?"

Tengu became interested and gestured for the yokai to continue.

The yokai said, "Long ago, I was defeated by a powerful onmyoji. But instead of killing me, that onmyoji treated my wounds.

I found it strange and asked why he had done so. He said he hoped that, in consideration of this favor, I would serve as his family's guardian and protect his descendants.

After I agreed, he signed a contract with me, using blood as the medium, allowing him to summon me to fight whenever he needed me.

That contract was the onmyoji's Shikigami Seal!

Look, both involve signing a contract, both use blood as the medium, and both summon a helper. Don't you think the Summoning Technique and the Shikigami Seal are far too similar?"

Tengu suddenly understood. He clenched his right hand into a fist and struck his left palm. "That's it! No wonder those Ōtsutsuki Clan fellows do not know this technique. It turns out this is our own ability!"

Menma understood a little as well and quickly asked, "Then does the High Plain of Heaven have any Shikigami Seal scrolls?"

The yokai who had once been a Shikigami shook his head. "That scroll was kept by that onmyoji's family. More than a thousand years have passed. It should have vanished into the river of history long ago."

At that moment, Menma suddenly felt something tugging at him, though the force was very faint. He suddenly understood something.

"Everyone, I have an idea!" Menma said to the yokai. "In a moment, I will summon a toad. Please each give it a little of your blood to bring back. I will ask the toads of Mount Myōboku to make another Summoning Contract scroll.

That way, after I return to the Shinobi World, I can bring all of you back through summoning as well!"

When the yokai heard this, they were all moved and urged Menma to get started quickly.

Menma gathered the Chakra within his body, bit his finger, formed hand seals, and slapped the ground!

With a bang, smoke rose. When Menma removed his hand, he saw a tadpole hopping about on the ground. Before long, the tadpole turned into smoke and vanished.

Unlike the speechless yokai, Menma was greatly encouraged. This proved that his line of thinking was correct!

The Summoning Technique could still be used, and summoning a tadpole was the best proof!

As for why he had only summoned a tadpole, it was nothing more than the distance being too great and his Chakra being insufficient!

Since there was not enough Chakra, he only needed to increase the output!

Menma lifted his undershirt, exposing his belly, and undid the Double Four Symbols Seal on his dantian!

In an instant, an enormous amount of Chakra flooded Menma's entire body. Enduring the stabbing pain in his chakra pathways, Menma activated the Summoning Technique!

Another bang rang out. As the smoke cleared, a small toad appeared.

Menma took one look and realized it was an old acquaintance—though only an acquaintance from the anime.

The toad was orange-red all over and wore a short blue jacket. Lying on the ground, it grumbled, "Who summoned me? I was eating!"

Then it saw Menma surrounded by the yokai and immediately understood its situation. Its attitude instantly became friendly. "So it was you!"

Menma was very curious. "You know me?"