"Destiny will let me meet the Son of Prophecy?"
After hearing this, Jiraiya showed a strange expression and fell into deep thought.
He had spent years searching for the Son of Prophecy, chasing clues across the entire ninja world like a lovesick fool. And now the Great Toad Sage was telling him that this time, the Son of Prophecy would come to him on his own?
Didn't that imply the child would shake the ninja world even more than he imagined?
Could this Son of Prophecy be someone as legendary as the First Hokage?
Thinking this, Jiraiya couldn't help glancing at the Great Toad Sage, hoping for more details—what would the future look like? What role would Konoha play?
But he hesitated.
If the Great Toad Sage said too much… would that change the future?
Just as Jiraiya was about to ask, the Great Toad Sage closed his eyes and slipped back into a drowsy state, cutting off any further questioning.
"…So you're going to leave me hanging like this?" Jiraiya muttered.
With anticipation in his heart—and mild frustration—Jiraiya left the Toad Temple.
As Fukasaku was about to leave as well, the Great Toad Sage's heavy voice suddenly echoed behind him.
Fukasaku turned around.
The Great Toad Sage no longer looked half-asleep. His eyes were clear and frighteningly sharp.
Fukasaku froze.
Was there something so important that it couldn't be said in front of Jiraiya?
Before Fukasaku could speak, the Great Toad Sage slowly said:
"Fukasaku… this time, I saw far more fragments of the future than before. I saw the sealed Demon God sweeping across the land. I saw a battle between the Son of Prophecy and the wielder of the Rinnegan. I saw… Jiraiya becoming Hokage."
"The sealed Demon God? The Rinnegan? Jiraiya becoming Hokage?!"
The sheer amount of information nearly short-circuited Fukasaku's tiny toad brain.
But what shocked him even more was this—
He felt fear.
Fear… coming from the Great Toad Sage.
The ancestor of Mount Myōboku, who had lived for thousands of years.
A being who had witnessed the era of the Sage of Six Paths.
What kind of future could frighten him?
Fukasaku swallowed.
"Great Sage… can you foresee Mount Myōboku's future?"
The Great Toad Sage shook his head slowly.
"I cannot see my own future. I cannot guarantee Mount Myōboku will exist forever. But I can confirm one thing… a catastrophe will sweep across the ninja world. And in the end, the Son of Prophecy will save it."
"That is all. I am tired."
He yawned.
Moments later, heavy snoring echoed through the temple.
Fukasaku stared at the sleeping Great Sage, then quietly left.
The ancestor could sleep peacefully.
He could not.
After Fukasaku left, the Great Toad Sage sighed and looked toward the distant sky.
The world called him "Great Sage" because he lived for millennia and could see the future.
But before that family…
He was nothing more than a small, powerless toad.
He could only buy a thousand years with minor tricks.
But what must come… would come.
Where the ninja world would ultimately go—
Only the Sage of Six Paths would know.
Meanwhile—
Fukasaku caught up to Jiraiya, who was about to undo the Reverse Summoning Technique.
Under Jiraiya's suspicious gaze, Fukasaku said slowly:
"Little Jiraiya… you must find the Son of Prophecy. And build a strong bond with him. The future of the ninja world—and Mount Myōboku—depends on you."
Jiraiya blinked.
"Isn't the future supposed to depend on the Son of Prophecy?"
But seeing Fukasaku's serious expression, he understood.
There were things he wasn't being told.
Because knowing too much could alter destiny.
Jiraiya grinned confidently.
"Don't worry, Boss Fukasaku. I'll build a great relationship with the Son of Prophecy."
Then he lifted the Reverse Summoning Technique.
After returning to Konoha, Jiraiya headed straight for the Hokage Building.
But something felt… off.
Normally, he would see Uchiha police arguing with villagers in the streets.
Now?
Not a single Uchiha in sight.
Some districts had even been rebuilt. The layout looked different.
Had the village been attacked?
If something that big had happened, the old man should have contacted him.
Judging by the atmosphere, though, Konoha hadn't suffered catastrophic losses.
Soon, Jiraiya knocked on the Hokage's office door.
After receiving permission, he stepped inside and saw the Third Hokage, buried in paperwork. The old man's wrinkles seemed deeper than before.
"Old man, I'm back. Did something big happen in the village?"
The Third Hokage frowned.
"I notified you long ago. I even used the toad you left behind. Didn't you receive anything?"
Jiraiya froze.
He hadn't received a single message.
Then he realized—
The toad he left was… not exactly the brightest amphibian in the swamp.
It might've gotten intercepted. Or distracted. Or eaten.
Next time, he needed a smarter one.
The Third Hokage sighed and explained everything that had happened over the past few months.
When Jiraiya heard that Uchiha Itachi had attacked the clan, and Uchiha Shisui had led the remaining clan members away from Konoha, he frowned.
He knew tensions had been bad.
He just hadn't expected things to escalate into killing.
Still… it was within reason.
The Uchiha had always been treated as a special case.
But when he heard that Naruto had left Konoha—
"What?!"
Jiraiya's voice rose dramatically.
"Old man, Naruto is still in the Academy! How did he run off? Didn't you assign ANBU to protect him? He's a kid—how far could he possibly go?"
The Third Hokage rubbed his forehead.
"Naruto is more talented than Minato ever was. When he left, he already had the strength to defeat Kakashi. During pursuit, ANBU were repeatedly toyed with by his Shadow Clones. And… he seems to have gained the Nine-Tails' recognition."
"Right now, besides me, only you can suppress him."
"The reason I called you back… is to retrieve him. He is Minato's son. And the village's jinchūriki cannot be allowed to wander freely."
Jiraiya fell silent.
In just a few years, Naruto had gone from snot-nosed brat to someone elite jōnin couldn't handle?
Minato's talent… and then some.
But more importantly—
Why had Naruto left?
No ninja defects without reason. Especially not a kid raised by the Hokage.
"…It's because of me," the Third Hokage admitted quietly.
"When rumors about the Nine-Tails spread, I didn't suppress them quickly enough. I failed to understand the psychological impact on Naruto. That negligence drove him away."
"…So that's it."
Jiraiya nodded slowly.
Then he suddenly remembered the prophecy.
A blond-haired boy.
A ninja from Konoha.
Eyes that constantly change.
The Nine-Tails sealed within him.
If that wasn't Naruto, then who the hell was it?
The probability that Naruto was the Son of Prophecy suddenly shot up dramatically.
Seeing Jiraiya's silence, the Third Hokage gave a tired smile.
"Have I failed this badly as Hokage? I couldn't stop the Uchiha tragedy. I alienated the clan. I couldn't even protect a child."
"After you bring Naruto back… I will apologize to him. And I will recommend you as the Fifth Hokage."
"Ah—what?!"
Jiraiya nearly choked.
"Absolutely not. There are better candidates. I can't stand paperwork and rules. Old man, pick someone else. I think Tsunade would be perfect."
The Third Hokage knew Jiraiya would refuse.
But he had to ask.
He was old. Opposition was rising—from the daimyo and even within the village. The only reason those voices were quiet was because there was no suitable successor.
If he died suddenly—
Konoha would descend into chaos.
The great clans would fight for power like starving wolves.
And the other villages would bare their fangs.
He had lived through that once.
He would not allow it again.
Since Jiraiya and Tsunade both refused the hat, he would have to groom someone else.
With a sigh, the Third Hokage pulled out a scroll detailing Naruto's last known whereabouts and handed it to Jiraiya.
"The mission to retrieve Naruto is yours. S-rank. This is the intelligence collected by ANBU."
Jiraiya took the scroll, skimmed it, and left the Hokage Building.
The Son of Prophecy.
His godson.
A runaway jinchūriki.
"Old man," Jiraiya muttered as he stepped into the sunlight, "this kid better not be planning to turn the world upside down before I even find him…"
And somehow—
He had a feeling Naruto absolutely would.
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