Hiro had read about Monkey King Enma before. He wasn’t just a summon—he was a special jōnin-level ninja, a being powerful enough to rival the strongest shinobi in the vilge. He had fought alongside the Third Hokage for decades, acting as both his weapon and his ally in some of the most defining battles of Konoha’s history. While other summoning creatures provided support from a distance, Enma had been on the frontlines, cshing with legendary foes.

  What set him apart from other summons was that he was more than just a contracted beast. He was a recognized member of Konoha, a summon with official duties within the vilge. He was not simply called upon for battle—he was Konoha’s overseer of summoning beasts. His role was to track and monitor the summoning contracts active within the vilge, ensuring that all were accounted for. Outside of the legendary Sannin, whose summons were in a league of their own, there were a variety of lesser-known summon users in Konoha—some shinobi contracted to animal cns, others using ninken like the Inuzuka, many of whom were trained and recognized as Konoha ninja.

  And now, Enma was here, looking directly at him.

  Kaya remained bowing, her body tense with deep respect. “Lord Enma, to what do we owe the honor of your presence?”

  Enma’s sharp eyes shifted to her, then he gave a slow, approving nod. Without a word, he pulled out a small bottle of sake, uncorking it with ease, and took a slow sip before settling back casually into the clearing. With a motion of his free hand, he beckoned both Hiro and Kaya to sit with him.

  Hiro hesitated, feeling a heavy presence settle over the area. The monkey king wasn’t doing anything overtly threatening, but the sheer authority radiating from him was enough to make the air feel thick. He swallowed before walking over, his summons still hiding in the bushes, too wary to come out.

  As Hiro sat down, Enma stared at him for a long, uncomfortable moment, his golden, knowing eyes studying him in silence. Hiro shifted under the gaze but held firm. What was he seeing? What was he thinking?

  Finally, the monkey king spoke.

  “Kaya, you may not know this, but I have a duty in this vilge—to track and monitor all summons and their summoners.”

  Kaya looked up, her expression neutral but guarded.

  Enma continued, swirling the sake in his cup. “Outside of the Sannin, there are a fair number of summon users within Konoha. Many, like the Inuzuka’s ninken, undergo specialized training so they can be officially certified as shinobi of this vilge.”

  He took another sip before his eyes nded fully on Kaya. “I have been watching Hiro for some time now. I’ve already pulled all of his files from the Intelligence Division. And yours.”

  Kaya’s expression did not change, but Hiro saw the subtle way her shoulders tensed.

  Enma’s voice remained even. “Why have you kept his summoning ability secret? You even let him enter the Academy without informing anyone.”

  Kaya’s eyes shifted away, her silence stretching too long.

  Enma’s golden gaze narrowed slightly before he asked a question that made Kaya visibly flinch.

  “Is it because of what happened with Kazuma?”

  Hiro saw it—the slight hitch in Kaya’s breath, the way her eyes lowered to the ground as if something long buried had resurfaced. She didn’t answer immediately.

  Enma watched her carefully, then exhaled, nodding to himself. “I see.”

  For a moment, the Monkey King was quiet, thoughtful. Then, his tone softened. “I cannot say I do not understand. If I thought I could not protect someone, I might have done the same.”

  Kaya’s head snapped up in surprise, her lips parting slightly. Then, she closed her eyes, took a slow breath, and bowed her head. “Thank you for your understanding, Lord Enma.”

  She hesitated only a moment longer before asking, “What do you pn to do?”

  Enma chuckled, the deep sound filling the clearing. His eyes glinted with something unreadable as he turned his gaze fully onto Hiro.

  “First, I want to see them.”

  Hiro stiffened. “Them?”

  Enma tapped his long fingers against his chin. “Your summons.”

  Hiro’s head snapped toward the bushes at the edge of the clearing, where Chūta and Yamiha were still hiding, following the protocol Hiro had drilled into them—if an unknown visitor arrived, they were to stay concealed until commanded otherwise.

  Hiro took a deep breath before holding out his hands, channeling his chakra. With a familiar white poof of smoke, Chūta and Yamiha materialized in his palms.

  Both summons remained unnaturally still, their small bodies curled in on themselves as if trying to appear as tiny as possible under Enma’s scrutiny.

  The Monkey King, however, was not looking at Hiro’s hands.

  He was staring ahead, his golden eyes narrowing slightly as he tapped a long finger to his chin. “So, it is what I felt...”

  Kaya, sensing the shift in his tone, asked cautiously, “What do you mean?”

  Enma leaned back in his seat, his expression unreadable, his voice carrying a weight Hiro didn’t yet understand.

  “This might be quite a story.”** He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. “You will be one of only a handful of people who have ever heard it… My story.”

  The clearing fell into heavy silence.