Mount Myōboku.
Watching the Great Toad Sage, Jiraiya plopped down on the ground, looking like he was about to cry.
"Great Toad Sage, what is this supposed to mean? You had me searching for the Child of Prophecy for decades, and now you're telling me to stop? Then what was all that wasted time for?"
Decades of his life.
He had spent almost every day searching for the Child of Prophecy.
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For that, he had given up searching for Orochimaru, given up following Tsunade, given up the Third Ninja World War, and given up countless possibilities in life.
And now he was being told there was no need to search anymore?
Then what was he supposed to do?
"Little Jiraiya, it isn't that I won't let you search. It's that... the Child of Prophecy has vanished from the prophecy. The light of the 'guide' upon you has naturally disappeared as well. Even if you keep searching, you will never find the Child of Prophecy."
The Great Toad Sage's voice was slow and deep.
"Give up... Jiraiya."
Images emerged before his eyes, four different figures appearing within them.
When all the mist had cleared.
He already knew who the Child of Prophecy was.
"How could this be?!"
Jiraiya could not believe it. Throwing back his head, he demanded, "How could the Child of Prophecy vanish for no reason? Great Toad Sage, you must know something, don't you? What exactly happened?!"
He had vaguely formed a certain suspicion, and his hands could not stop trembling.
"Yes, Great Toad Sage, just... tell Jiraiya. He has already missed far too much for the sake of the Child of Prophecy."
Shima's face was filled with pity.
"Sigh."
The Great Toad Sage let out a sigh. "Fate cannot be defied. Little Jiraiya, you...