In the end, Uzumaki Tomoki agreed to Haku's request and became the instructor for the three-man squad. Shiraishi, who had watched the entire exchange, remained silent until they were alone.
"That Arakawa Haku... his mind is far more complex than a typical Genin," Maki remarked. She rarely intervened in village affairs, but her intuition was sharp.
"Letting him become Tomoki's subordinate—is that wise? There's a coldness in his eyes that reminds me of some unpleasant memories."
Shiraishi shrugged. "A child with a complex mind isn't necessarily a bad thing. People like him are often more meticulous and thorough."
The three lineages of the Sand Style were once powerful factions. In today's climate, even if the Arakawa clan rose again, they couldn't change the fundamental structure Shiraishi had built.
As for Haku's ambition, Shiraishi had sensed it long ago. Ambition was a tool; if managed, it could serve the village.
If it ever spiraled out of control, Haku would simply serve as an excellent "sharpening stone" for Tomoko and the other children.
Maki sighed, letting the matter drop. To her, Shiraishi was the most powerful existence in the shinobi world; there was no one he couldn't handle.
"Lately, Fat Orange's appetite hasn't been great," Maki added, changing the subject. "Something seems wrong with his body."
"He's fine," Shiraishi chuckled. "He's just finally starting to work hard."
The Slumbering Beast
Ever since Shirohebi-hime (the White Snake Sage) arrived in the village, the fat orange cat in Shiraishi's home had been agitated.
As ancient creatures of the same era, the former was a renowned Sage of a Great Holy Land, while the latter was merely a "cute pet" in the Kazekage's house. The contrast finally pricked the cat's pride.
For the past few years, Fat Orange had been consolidating the pure natural energy he had devoured over a millennium, preparing for a total metamorphosis. This was why he appeared to have lost his appetite.
In truth, Shirohebi-hime was wary of the cat. She never set foot in Shiraishi's home—not just because Maki disliked her, but because she sensed a peer.
Fat Orange's true form was a tiger, but centuries of domestic life had made him prefer the shape of a lazy cat.
In terms of raw power and foundation, he was on the same level as the Sages of Ryuchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest, and Mount Myoboku.
Back at home, Fat Orange was snoring loudly. Using his specialized ocular powers, Shiraishi could see the natural energy within the cat integrating into a core, much like the "Dragon Ball" within the White Snake Sage.
If this cat actually puts in the effort, Shiraishi thought, the Three Great Holy Lands are in for a shock.
In the White Snake Abode, Shirohebi-hime sensed the rising ripples of energy and frowned. She had followed Shiraishi back because she sensed the cat's aura on him.
Over the years, she had considered killing the "fat cat" before it finished its evolution, but Shiraishi's protection made that impossible.
She knew that if the cat completed its metamorphosis, it would be a thorn in her side forever.
Furthermore, the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku also hated this cat. Centuries ago, the "Fat Orange" had hunted and devoured countless toads from Myoboku, leaving a trail of blood between their lineages.
With a grimace, Shirohebi-hime began drafting a secret letter to Mount Myoboku.
A Vision of the End
At Mount Myoboku, the Great Toad Sage, Gamamaru, let out a long snore in his slumber. As the High Priest of the toads, he had influenced the shinobi world since the era of the Sage of the Six Paths.
His "Dream Prophecies" were unlike any other; his vision could pierce through time and space to see fragments of the future. His predictions had never been wrong.
Until now.
Jiraiya currently stood before the Great Toad Sage, expressing his confusion. "Minato Namikaze is dead. The 'Child of Prophecy' has been disrupted. Even though Naruto Uzumaki was born, the future feels... wrong."
"Because a Calamity Star has appeared," the Sage puffed a bubble of air. "It has shattered the design of destiny and guided the world toward the unknown. I saw a very strange vision in my dreams."
In an instant, Jiraiya was pulled into a vivid genjutsu vision.
The world was ending. The very earth was fracturing into millions of pieces, being sucked into a massive, mysterious black hole in the sky. Beneath the cracking crust stood unique silver pyramids, burning with intense Teal Flames.
Teal flames? That's the Kazekage's signature, Jiraiya thought in horror. Is he doing this? Is he destroying the world?
The vision shifted. He saw an older Aoki Shiraishi standing inside a pyramid, surrounded by a legion of Sand ninja maintaining a massive barrier.
"Kazekage-sama, the corridor has stabilized," a ninja reported.
"Then let it begin," Shiraishi replied coldly.
As he spoke, the massive continent began to float toward the sky, physically tearing itself away from the rest of the shinobi world. Shiraishi was opening a space-time barrier, causing the world to literally fall apart.
Before Jiraiya could see more, a red-haired girl among the Sand ninja slowly looked up. Her eyes met Jiraiya's across the vision, and her forehead split open to reveal a silver, mysterious eye. It radiated a killing intent so fierce it felt as if it could swallow the world.
The vision dissolved. Jiraiya, drenched in cold sweat, looked up at the Great Toad Sage. "Does this mean..."
"The Calamity Star possesses a mutated Tenseigan," the Sage whispered. "And she has already been born in the Hidden Sand."
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