Child of Prophecy

"Yahiko, you three practice hard. I'll be right back."

Jiraiya used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished, reappearing behind a stand of trees off to the side.

Together with Xingyue Senju's squad, he watched the three children gather chakra.

Jiraiya said smugly, "Well? Didn't I find three geniuses?"

Xingyue Senju said, "Lord Jiraiya, isn't this a bad idea? If you'd found three children from the Land of Fire, no one would say much. But these three are from the Land of Rain."

"Xingyue, you haven't been with Tsunade long enough to understand me," Jiraiya said.

"The Shinobi World is on the verge of great change. One day, war and death will finally come to an end.

"And all of this depends on a Child of Prophecy who will appear as fate decrees. The Great Toad Sage said I'm destined to guide the Child of Prophecy.

"The Great Toad Sage told me to travel the Shinobi World, so I had a feeling this might happen.

"The Child of Prophecy wouldn't necessarily be waiting for me at the Konoha Ninja Academy. He could appear anywhere in the Shinobi World.

"He's the one who will change the Shinobi World. Konoha is too small compared to the rest of it.

"I believe these three are the Child of Prophecy, and I'm going to train them here for three years! In three years, my guidance will bring fundamental change to the Shinobi World!"

Xingyue Senju thought only about the village, her clan, her squad, and the patients in the Medical Department. The Shinobi World's transformation and the Child of Prophecy were topics far too vast and distant for her.

She looked at Kawadera Uchiha, hoping he would say something to change Jiraiya's absurd idea.

At some point, Xingyue Senju had begun to rely on Kawadera Uchiha. She always felt he would come up with a better solution.

Kawadera Uchiha said, "Lord Jiraiya, you're one of the village's most important fighters.

"The battle against Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure, just ended. The surviving shinobi all say that you, Lady Tsunade, and Lord Orochimaru are the Konoha Sannin.

"If you stay in the Land of Rain for three years, it'll be a huge loss for the village.

"I don't think Lord Hokage, Lord Orochimaru, or Lady Tsunade would want the village's fighting strength to take a massive hit during a critical time in the war because of three children from the Land of Rain."

Kawadera Uchiha wanted to say that Jiraiya was being selfish, but he had little influence, so he could only argue from the standpoint of Konoha's fighting strength.

Jiraiya said, "Sage Fukasaku of Mount Myoboku already considered that. He said that if I encountered the Child of Prophecy outside Konoha, I should discuss it with Teacher Sarutobi.

"Mount Myoboku's teachings can be passed on in Konoha Village to help Konoha, but I have to guide the Child of Prophecy."

Kawadera Uchiha nodded. The Great Toad Sage was senile, Jiraiya had been swept up in fate and prophecy, and Sage Fukasaku was the clever one.

For Konoha, Jiraiya fulfilling Mount Myoboku's prophecy and gaining its teachings in return was a sure win in the long run.

The giant toads of all kinds at Mount Myoboku were weapons of war second only to the Tailed Beasts.

Konoha would probably agree to this exchange.

Kawadera Uchiha said, "Then... please write a Scroll, Lord Jiraiya. We'll give it to Lady Tsunade and the village. Otherwise, I think Lady Tsunade will come back, break your legs, and drag you to Konoha."

Jiraiya's eyes twitched. The kid's words were harsh, but very close to the truth.

If he didn't explain himself properly, Tsunade really would beat him to death.

After Jiraiya finished writing the Scroll, Xingyue Senju's squad left with it.

In the Sea of Consciousness, Tobirama Senju asked, "Are you really going to let those three children from the Land of Rain grow up and destroy Konoha?"

"Madara Uchiha chose those children. Unless Madara Uchiha is dead or your brother comes back to life, who would dare touch those three children? And who could?"

"How can you prove Madara Uchiha is still alive?"

"The Rinnegan is proof. The Rinnegan is the strongest dōjutsu, surpassing the Sharingan. Do you really think an orphan from the Land of Rain could happen to awaken the Rinnegan?

"Those eyes were created by Madara Uchiha.

"He fooled the First, and he fooled you, too. He never died. He's been hiding in the shadows of the Shinobi World, plotting an even more terrifying wave of death.

"Konoha will be crushed to pieces in Madara Uchiha's wave!"

Tobirama Senju fell silent.

He had spent his whole life researching ninjutsu and Forbidden Techniques, created many Forbidden Techniques, and collected dozens of Three-Tomoe Sharingan. This was the first time he had seen the legendary Rinnegan.

Only someone even stronger than him, like Madara Uchiha, could create something like the Rinnegan.

Besides, young Jiraiya was babbling about the Child of Prophecy, leaving Tobirama Senju unable to get a handle on the truth.

"Even if you fear Madara Uchiha, can't you find a way to recall Jiraiya?" Tobirama Senju said.

"Destroy the Scroll Jiraiya wrote and embellish your report to the village with claims that he deserted his unit. Isn't that what you're best at?"

"Jiraiya's going to teach the wielder of the Rinnegan Madara Uchiha created. He'll be too great a threat to the village in the future."

"Second, don't joke around," Kawadera Uchiha said.

"Jiraiya is the type who never gives up. If I meddle and try to fan the flames, I'll only make myself look like a fool.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi won't punish Jiraiya, because Jiraiya won't turn back at a time like this.

"Why should I get involved in their master-and-student business?"

"But those three children will destroy Konoha in the future!"

"Don't worry, Second. I know when they'll destroy Konoha. When the time comes, I'll stay far away.

"As long as I don't die, you won't die. What's there to fear?

"I can see the future. How could I let three people I already know will destroy Konoha kill me?"

Tobirama Senju thought, Who would care whether an evil Uchiha like you lives or dies?

Kawadera Uchiha wasn't tempted by his reward, and Tobirama Senju had no way to force him.

"I have a task for you: tell the village Madara Uchiha is still alive."

"I refuse. I won't say a single word about Madara Uchiha. He has a hundred ways to kill me. A hundred!"

"Then you won't accept the mission to kill Madara Uchiha either?"

"It's not that I won't accept it. I'll accept it later, slowly, and with proper planning and quality."

When Tsunade received Jiraiya's Scroll, she cursed him nonstop, calling him an idiot.

Orochimaru read the Scroll and shook his head, too.

Teacher Hiruzen had once said he was worried Orochimaru might go astray. Well, now Jiraiya had gone astray before him.

Jiraiya had actually deserted the Front Line unit without permission. If any other shinobi had done that, they would have been branded a rogue ninja and eliminated long ago.

Military discipline was even stricter during wartime.

However, Jiraiya had an excuse: to secure Mount Myoboku's teachings for the village, he had to fulfill its prophecy there.

It was a reason that made some sense.

The toads of Mount Myoboku were Jiraiya's Summoning Beasts, not Konoha's.

The snakes of Ryūchi Cave were Orochimaru's Summoning Beasts, and had nothing to do with Konoha.

Tsunade said, "Forget it. Let's stop worrying about that idiot. We still have to show Mount Myoboku some respect."

Orochimaru didn't dwell on it either. He knew Jiraiya was extremely stubborn. He seemed carefree, but deep down he was deeply pessimistic—a fatalist who believed in destiny.

Unlike Jiraiya, Orochimaru believed he could achieve any goal, even if it meant altering his own body.

When they returned to the camp in the Land of Grass, Kawadera Uchiha noticed many more shinobi there.

After Xingyue Senju went to investigate, she came back and said, "The Third has come to the Front Line! After Amegakure joined the war, the village decided the situation had worsened, so the Third personally brought reinforcements to the Land of Grass!"