Chapter 80: Summoning Contract

After days of constantly being together, everyone was quite tired of each other's company. Now that they finally had some personal space, they were eager to enjoy it. The first thing Torifū did upon returning home was to check on the two young cranes. As luck would have it, Mamiko seemed to have just finished feeding the chickens and was about to head home.

"Oh my! Isn't that Torifū? Do missions outside take so long?" Mamiko didn't know what kind of mission Torifū was on; she just felt the time was too long. Her husband would usually return in two or three days at most, but Torifū's recent missions had him coming home after nearly half a month.

"Yes, Auntie Mamiko. The village has been busy lately, and as Hokage-sama's disciple, it's my duty to help," Torifū replied.

Mamiko smiled and patted Torifū's shoulder. "Torifū has grown up! He's become a capable ninja. He's definitely stronger than your Uncle Katō now."

Torifū scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. "No, I still have a lot to learn. Uncle Katō is an experienced ninja." Then he asked, "By the way, Auntie Mamiko, how are the two young cranes doing?"

Mamiko remembered and said to Torifū with a conflicted expression, "Good thing you're back. Come with me to see them. I'm a bit unsure if this is normal." Hearing Mamiko say this, Torifū was filled with doubt. Logically, under her careful care, nothing should have gone wrong. Regardless, he'd go see them first.

So, Torifū and Mamiko went together to the room where the old hen and the two young cranes were kept. Pushing open the door, Torifū saw a shocking sight. Only then did he understand what Mamiko meant by "normal or not normal." The old hen was leisurely strolling around the room, occasionally pecking at the feed on the ground, looking quite content. But the two young cranes, who were supposed to be in their nest, were perched on the roof beams! Torifū took a closer look—goodness! They weren't "young cranes" anymore! Their size was nearly as big as his! They had pure white feathers, with only a few black feathers on their wings, which added a touch of ethereal beauty.

"This... this... this!" Torifū was speechless for a moment. When he left, they were fuzzy crane chicks, but in half a month, they had grown into adults? This room was small, meant only for the old hen. But with two cranes nearly Torifū's size perched on the beams, it looked incredibly cramped.

Mamiko sighed, covering her forehead with her hand. "Oh, they grew too fast. I don't know what kind of species they are. I wanted to move them to a different place, but you didn't come back, and I couldn't move them without your permission." She then added, "Now that you're back, quickly find a bigger place for them."

Torifū shook his head, managing to regain his composure. "Okay, Auntie Mamiko, I'll move them now. Thank you for your trouble these past few days."

Mamiko waved her hand. "It's no trouble at all, just a few minutes of my time. But seeing such marvelous creatures has been quite an eye-opener. You're raising them as summoning animals, right? Their talent seems excellent." Hearing Mamiko say this, Torifū remembered that Mamiko was a ninja herself! She just chose to focus on her family after marriage.

Torifū said teasingly, "Yes, I plan to contract them. I really have to thank Auntie Mamiko for feeding them until they're so big. I can contract them directly now."

"Haha, alright, alright. You must be tired after being out for so many days. I won't bother you anymore. Get some good rest," Mamiko said. Torifū quickly escorted Mamiko to the clan territory's entrance, thanking her repeatedly before returning to the old hen's dwelling.

With Mamiko gone, the two cranes, who had been quite reserved, now became lively. Although Mamiko had been feeding them these past few days, they hadn't paid her much attention. Now, seeing Torifū, they actively flapped their wings and flew down from the roof beams. Their posture and appearance were incredibly graceful; they truly lived up to being celestial cranes. Even in such a confined space, they exuded an ethereal presence.

The two cranes acted as if they had long recognized Torifū as their master, showing immense closeness. Despite having met him less than twice, it felt like long-lost friends reuniting. Torifū was naturally delighted by the cranes' attitude. After all, they would be fighting side-by-side in the future. Nurturing their bond from a young age would surely lead to greater synergy.

"I wonder when you'll learn to speak," Torifū mused. He recalled that in Naruto, powerful summoning animals could speak and had high intelligence. These two cranes came from another world, so they should be even more insightful than local ones, right? However, there was no need to rush; strictly speaking, these two young ones were less than a month old.

Torifū looked at the two graceful cranes in front of him and seriously asked, "Do you want to form a contract with me?" The two cranes chirped and then rubbed their heads against Torifū's cheek. Though they didn't speak, Torifū understood their consent. He then took out a summoning scroll from his spatial ring, a very ancient family heirloom. After capturing the Tailed Beast and returning to the village last time, Torifū had stored all of the family's collectibles, books, weapons, and other items in his spatial ring to carry with him.

He unrolled the scroll. Though ancient in appearance, its interior was pristine and unused. Torifū pricked his finger and used his blood to write his name in the first slot of the scroll. The crane then pecked its own leg, letting blood flow onto its claw, and pressed it onto the summoning scroll. The other crane repeated the action. Thus, the summoning contract was formally concluded. From now on, these two cranes were Torifū's summoning animals.

Torifū was ecstatic. He wished he could ride the cranes and fly around in the sky right then. But the two cranes were still small in size and young in age. He decided to wait until they grew a bit more, being responsible for both their well-being. Moreover, Torifū felt as if he could communicate telepathically with the two cranes; his intentions were understood without him speaking. This was a good ability and could be controlled by him, which would be very convenient in battle.

Since the contract was signed, they couldn't stay in the small room anymore. Torifū released them, allowing them to fly freely throughout the entire Kumotsuru clan territory, settling on any rooftop they wished. Perhaps spending these few days with the cranes had imbued the old hen with some spiritual energy, as its gaze seemed to have become sharper. Since they were all part of the family now, Torifū set a few rules for the old hen and the two cranes, such as not relieving themselves wherever they pleased. He wasn't sure if they understood, but after saying it, Torifū let the old hen roam freely within the Kumotsuru clan territory as well.