"Strange… why would someone be using ninjutsu in a wheat field…" The Great Toad's voice grew fainter, until it was almost imperceptible.
"Why… does that young man have the Rinnegan…"
This last part was unheard by Jiraiya or the two sages. The Great Toad was pondering in its mind, but Jiraiya had no doubt at all.
On the contrary, hearing the Great Toad's words only confirmed that he had indeed found the Child of Prophecy.
Though Yuki Seisui liked to tease him, liked to cause trouble, and could be unpredictable…
He was still a fine young man.
Jiraiya's lips curved into a faint smile.
Seeing this, Fukasaku and Shima exchanged concerned glances. Fukasaku spoke: "Jiraiya don't worry too much. Since this person is in Konoha, you'll find him."
Jiraiya froze for a moment. He realized they misunderstood, and with a smile said, "I know exactly who this person is."
"Yes… don't be too…," Shima began to say, trying to comfort him, but hearing Jiraiya's words, she trailed off and couldn't finish.
"This is my student."
"If that's the case, you must change his thinking. This future… it's terrifying."
Fukasaku spoke, genuinely afraid. A world without ninjas was unimaginable.
Jiraiya shook his head, still smiling. "No. I won't change his mind… I can't change his mind."
"I'll work with him to shape the world as the prophecy foretells!" Jiraiya said, limping on his cane as he moved toward the exit.
"Do you really want all ninjas to vanish?!" Shima and Fukasaku followed, calling out.
"The existence of ninjas is inevitable. And if we try to erase them all, the consequences for the world will be terrible."
"Besides, there are so many ninjas. If they were all eliminated, the entire world would plunge into chaos!"
Fukasaku looked anxious, but Jiraiya didn't look back. "The world of the prophecy is the true world of peace."
"How is that possible?!" Shima protested. "The Great 's prophecies have never been wrong!"
"The path paved with blood… the severing of every village's forehead protector… the extinction of all ninjas… all of that is part of the prophecy!"
Jiraiya stopped in his tracks and turned seriously to the two sages.
"The Great Toad's prophecy isn't wrong. It's entirely correct."
"Then why…" Fukasaku asked, confused, "if the prophecy is correct, why do you call that peace?"
"Shouldn't that be eternal darkness?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "I used to think peace meant someone like the First Hokage would appear again."
"But my student has made me awaken from that illusion."
"His dream… is more real than the peace I've pursued."
"Unifying all nations into one… all people under one state… all cultures under one banner… then there will be no more wars!"
"Elders will be cared for, children will be taught, the poor helped, the suffering assisted, and the disabled and widowed supported and looked after!"
"Isn't that true peace?" Jiraiya asked. "Shouldn't such a world be called a paradise?"
"As for those who die along the way…" Jiraiya's eyes grew resolute.
"They must die!"
"If they don't, such a world is impossible!"
"If they don't, it will only leave endless future consequences!"
"The parasites clinging to people's heads will be cast into the abyss, buried along with this age of ninjas!"
"Moreover, the disappearance of ninjas doesn't mean they truly vanish."
"Ninjutsu will be applied in the fields, in daily life. Everyone will be a ninja, yet no one will be a ninja."
"Ninjas are tools. Once nations are unified, the role of those tools diminishes. Whether they vanish or not makes no difference."
"As long as chakra exists, ninjas will survive in another form."
Jiraiya's words left Fukasaku and Shima speechless. Such a world had never crossed their minds.
"Since you have made your decision, we trust you." Shima leapt toward the door. "Child's father, we should go. The Great Elder wasted enough time—dinner hasn't even been prepared yet."
"Right!" Fukasaku nodded and followed.
Jiraiya likewise followed, step by step.
For the toads of Mount Myoboku, the state of the ninja world mattered little. As long as the world didn't end, they could live freely.
Their earlier concern had only been to comfort Jiraiya. Since he had made his choice, they no longer cared.
After some time, the Great Toad slowly opened its eyes, gazing toward the door with its cloudy old vision.
"Jiraiya hasn't returned yet?"
"No… I think I've told him the prophecy, but it seems there's still more I haven't said."
The Great Toad's voice gradually faded, and it closed its eyes to sleep once more.
In its dream, it seemed to become a young toad, powerless, wandering the world joyfully.
Everything it did was instinctual; memories were vague.
The young toad hopped into a village, where at the center stood a large broadcast tower. Two female voices emerged.
One sounded young, radiant like the sun; the other equally young, but cold and clear.
"Welcome to the Imperial Broadcast. Today is Year 17 I am announcer Namiko Namiwind."
"I am announcer Satsuki Uchiha."
"Yesterday, Director Orochimaru of the Scientific Academy successfully created a manned air—"
The Great Toad's dream remained unknown to anyone outside.
Meanwhile, Yuki Seisui looked helplessly at the "high-tech" equipment before him.
"This is the recent achievement of the hospital," Tsunade proudly explained. She was head of Konoha Hospital, and all these instruments were her doing.
Seisui asked, "Besides testing vision, do these instruments have any other functions?"
"They also allow you to undergo surgery while lying on them," Tsunade said, arms crossed confidently.
Seisui fell silent.
"So this is the purpose of the room?" Seisui asked, gazing at the room filled with devices. He couldn't comprehend why vision-testing and surgical equipment would fill the entire space.
"Of course!" Tsunade replied confidently. "This room is specifically for eye surgeries. Many devices may seem useless, but they're essential."
She grabbed a transparent vial of liquid from a drawer. "This culture solution ensures the eyeball remains undamaged and retains vitality when removed. Very convenient."
Seisui could only hold back a sigh. Remove the eyeball for surgery…?
The door remained open. A young nurse appeared, glanced at Uchiha Haru and Seisui, and spoke to Tsunade:
"Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-sama asked me to inform you that he's going to Mount Myoboku and will be gone for some time."
"Hmm?" Tsunade frowned. "Understood. You may go."
"Yes!" The nurse responded, casting another glance at Seisui, especially at the glasses he wore.
Once she left, Tsunade closed the door and frowned. "What is he doing at Mount Myoboku now?"
"Probably something with the toads," Haru suggested.
"Perhaps," Tsunade shook her head. "Whatever. Forget it."
"Sit on this stool," she directed Seisui toward the center of the room, in front of a magnifying device.
"Just a simple vision test."
"All right." Seisui nodded, removing his glasses. The once-clear world instantly blurred, forcing him to rub his eyes to adjust.
Seeing him, Tsunade frowned. "You don't even need a test—just by feel, your vision is poor."
"It's fine, it's recovering," Seisui said, still rubbing his eyes. "Much better than before."
"Hopefully it recovers quickly," Tsunade sighed, glancing at Haru before continuing.
"Focus on the front." Tsunade skillfully operated the instruments.
Outside, the nurse who had delivered Jiraiya's message was hiding in a corner. Sand at her feet contained encoded messages—she had already sent the intelligence.
She was a spy from Sunagakure embedded in Konoha.
Yesterday, the village ordered her to fully investigate Seisui's eyes. Unbeknownst to her, Jiraiya had provided the perfect opportunity.
In the ninja world, there were many ways to transmit intelligence—one such method being Sunagakure's secret Sand Carving Technique.
=============
100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
100+ Advance Chapters on P@treon(.)com/Veltoria