Prophecy

"Naruto, I want to confirm this one more time... there are risks involved in training Senjutsu Mode."

Walking down the quiet street, Jiraiya spoke solemnly to the orange-haired boy.

"If it was just a momentary impulse, you still have time to regret it!"

"I understand, Pervy Sage," Naruto Uzumaki replied calmly.

Jiraiya gazed intently at Naruto. In the boy's deep blue eyes, he saw no impetuousness or eagerness for quick success, only the composure and perseverance befitting a ninja.

He's serious, Jiraiya thought to himself.

"Alright, since you've made up your mind, I'll just have to do my best to support you!" The Pervy Sage patted his shoulder, his tone tinged with a hint of relief.

He once searched the world for the child entrusted to him because of a prophecy, wandering around for many years without achieving anything, only to find in the end that the person he was looking for was right beside him.

Naruto Uzumaki, the Child of Prophecy.

Personally guiding him through his growth and watching him slowly mature from a child into a reliable man, Jiraiya undoubtedly felt immense satisfaction.

The Pervy Sage who never married or had children probably felt more than just teacher-student affection for Naruto!

Compared to his father, that dazzling and talented man, the somewhat clumsy Naruto seemed more like a disciple who had inherited everything from Jiraiya...

Even children.

As they walked, the two of them habitually arrived at the usual spot of Team 7.

"Let's do it here."

Jiraiya stopped and summoned the Toad in the open space of the training ground. He was about to use the Reverse Summoning Technique when his expression suddenly changed and he turned his head.

"So you really did come here." Suddenly, someone stepped out from the other side.

The newcomer was a young woman. In the hazy night, her beautiful face, slender figure, and graceful height were vaguely visible. She moved with the grace of a startled swan and the gentleness of a lotus flower. She was draped in a thin, silvery veil, like a goddess under the moon.

It was Sakura Haruno.

"Cherry?"

"Cherry!"

Jiraiya's slightly puzzled tone and Naruto's surprised shout rang out at the same time. The latter ran over in three steps, exclaiming with a mixture of surprise and joy, "Sakura, what brings you here?"

He could clearly distinguish between Sakura Uchiha and the real Sakura.

"Hmph!" The girl punched him playfully, "If I hadn't come, were you planning to just Earth Flow without a sound?"

"Heh heh," Naruto scratched the back of his head and chuckled awkwardly, "I think having Sasuke tell you would be the same."

"Can it be the same?" Sakura Haruno rolled her eyes and couldn't help but flick his forehead hard again. "If I hadn't finished healing a day early, you would have been nowhere to be found when I got back tomorrow!"

She sighed, "Everything else is fine, but this time you're going to cultivate Senjutsu!"

"Didn't you also complete your cultivation of Senjutsu, Sakura?"

"That's why I understand the risks of this kind of training!" Sakura Haruno looked at the boy earnestly.

Cultivating Senjutsu can be life-threatening!

But in Naruto's eyes, the girl showed no sign of backing down. Like Jiraiya, Sakura Haruno saw only unwavering determination in the depths of his eyes.

"Don't worry, I will complete my training smoothly!" Naruto smiled confidently and answered firmly.

While both Naruto and Naruto made bold pronouncements, Naruto now appears much more confident and reliable.

He's starting to look like the Fourth Hokage!

"You..."

Sakura Haruno sighed softly. She had originally planned for Naruto to go to Kumogakure for Perfect Jinchuriki training, so that he would give up this dangerous training, but now she suddenly felt it was unnecessary.

The training to become Perfect Jinchuriki is also risky. Moreover, more important than the increase in strength is this unwavering and brilliant will!

"You have to keep going!" She suddenly stepped forward and hugged Naruto tightly. "We'll wait for you to come back!"

Several seconds passed before Sakura Haruno finally let go.

"Jiraiya- san, good luck to you too!" She waved goodbye to the two of them.

Jiraiya smiled slightly, while Naruto gave her a thumbs up. A Toad beside them croaked like a frog.

"Goodbye!"

The two people and the toad transformed into a wisp of smoke and disappeared into the open space.

Mount Myōboku.

The distance from here to Konoha is more than ten times the distance between Konoha and Sunagakure. Even at the fastest speed, it would take a ninja a month to get there.

Like the Shikkotsu Forest, it is located in a wild and desolate place outside the boundaries of human civilization, with ancient trees standing tall and no human beings in sight.

Countless giant Toad live here, frolicking and playing, practicing their spiritual cultivation.

This is the paradise of Toad, a place where they live and reproduce, and also Naruto's destination, one of the three major sources of Senjutsu.

"You've arrived, Jiraiya and Naruto."

When it landed, an old Toad was already waiting nearby.

"Heh, Sage Fukasaku, I've brought Naruto here to train in Senjutsu." Jiraiya chuckled. "And, by the way, let the Great Toad Sage meet the Child of Prophecy I've chosen!"

"The Child of Prophecy?" Sage Fukasaku looked at the curious boy beside him. "Very good... Come this way, old man is waiting for you!"

Deep in Mount Myōboku.

The Sage Fukasaku led the two through strange trees and exotic plants, and soon a huge building appeared before them.

Upon entering the temple, the interior suddenly opened up, and the Great Toad Sage sat atop the highest throne, smiling as he looked down upon them.

"Jiraiya..." The Great Toad Sage, unusually lucid, recognized the newcomer. "Is the boy beside you the Child of Prophecy you chose?"

Jiraiya bowed slightly and solemnly replied, "That's right, his name is Naruto Uzumaki! I believe he is the ninja who will bring change and peace to the entire ninja world in the future!"

The Child of Prophecy? Bringing change and peace to the ninja world?

Naruto stood by, looking completely bewildered.

Seeing Jiraiya's unusually serious expression, he had no choice but to suppress his doubts and not interrupt their conversation.

However, Naruto wasn't the only one harboring other thoughts in the main hall.

Sitting at the highest point, the Great Toad Sage also had some things he found difficult to say... because he had recently discovered that his prophetic dream had changed!

Yes, a thousand years ago, he prophesied, "A blue-eyed boy, laughing and calling the names of nine wild beasts, will bring peace to a world ravaged by war!"

The Sage of Six Paths also acknowledged Gamamaru's prophecy.

However, as the prophesied day drew near, the Great Toad Sage had yet another different dream...

In my dream, a young woman with divine eyes, a voice like thunder, and an abyss-like, hellish power appeared, as if she were a goddess descended to earth!

The Great Toad Sage only saw her silhouette.

He didn't see her face clearly, nor did he see what happened in the prophecy. The next second, the woman's eyes flickered, and her gaze fell on the Toad Sage in the void!

For the first time in thousands of years, since the death of the Sage of Six Paths, the Great Toad Sage was so shocked!

How could he, an outsider, be seen like this?

Because of that one glance, the immortal's soul trembled slightly, and the scene in his dream instantly crumbled and vanished!

The new prophecy ended abruptly after only two images...

Who is she? What did she do? What happened and changed in the future?

The Toad Sage's first reaction was that he saw Princess Kaguya breaking free from her seal in the future. But deep down, he also clearly sensed that she was not the Sage of Sage of Six Paths' birth mother. Princess Kaguya possessed power but lacked spirit; her eyes were empty, and she could never be as lively and radiant as that woman!

On the other hand, the new prophecy is not gloomy, but rather bright and clear, indicating that the future is developing in a positive direction, and there is no need to worry too much...

But will this prophecy actually come true?

"Hehe..." The Great Toad Sage hesitated for a long time, but still didn't say anything. After all, it would be quite embarrassing to have one's prophecy collapse because of a single glance.

More importantly, he didn't know how to explain it to Jiraiya.

Gamamaru smiled as always and said slowly, "Well done, Jiraiya! I have a feeling you made the right choice, and the future of the Shinobi World will be bright..."

Jiraiya, who had spent half his life working on the Toad Sage's prophecy, left the temple contentedly after receiving a positive reply.

The Sage Fukasaku, stayed behind.

He always felt that his great-grandfather's words today were somewhat strange.

It feels somewhat vague and evasive.

"Grandpa..." Fukasaku hesitated for a moment before asking his question.

"Alas... I am ashamed." The Great Toad Sage sighed deeply and said in a low voice, "About ten years ago, I had another dream, a new prophetic dream—"

Facing the Fukasaku, the Toad Sage revealed the truth.

"So, the future has changed drastically from what you predicted, and the so-called Child of Prophecy is no longer important?" Fukasaku. "Then Jiraiya has been busy and running around for most of his life, hasn't he? Was all his hard work for nothing?"

"That's precisely what I'm ashamed of," the Great Toad Sage murmured, covering his face. "Because of a false prophecy, Jiraiya wasted most of his life. If this comes out, what a blow it will be to him! He trusted me so much, and yet... Alas, I, a dignified Toad Sage, am ashamed to face him!"

Even the Sage Fukasaku was at a loss for what to do.

"Will Naruto still be in those future scenes?" he asked after thinking for a moment.

The Great Toad Sage paused for a moment, then carefully recalled the two images before his eyes lit up, "There really is!"

Fukasaku clapped his hands. "So what role will he play in the future?"

"First of all, he's definitely not the main character," the Great Toad Sage racked his brains to recall, "But he's definitely not an insignificant character either! Besides, he has a deep bond with that woman..."

"That makes sense!" Fukasaku exclaimed excitedly. The Great Toad Sage also realized that the Child of Prophecy was still an important figure in the future, only the one in charge of the future had changed!

The previous prophecies are still partially true!

"In that case, Jiraiya's actions still hold significant meaning, and I breathe a sigh of relief." The Great Toad Sage smiled wryly and said slowly, "Perhaps something happened ten years ago that had a decisive impact on the future..."

"Rest assured, I will find the right time to confess everything to Jiraiya." Sage Fukasaku bowed slightly. "For now, let's arrange the training of the Child of Prophecy!"

After finishing, he slowly walked out of the temple.

Behind him, only the Great Toad Sage let out a deep sigh.