Child of Prophecy

Jiraiya fell silent.

Did he know how much those two events had hurt Tsunade? He did. He knew better than anyone.

Then how could he untie the knot in her heart or help her emerge from the shadows? He knew that, too. Better than anyone.

But why hadn't he done it? Why hadn't he stayed by Tsunade's side? Perhaps only he and the few at Mount Myoboku knew the answer.

After learning the responsibility on his shoulders, he hadn't dared slack off. He had experienced war himself and seen the disasters it brought. It wasn't just ninjas who died; ordinary people also suffered because of the war.

After exchanging letters with Fei Shi, he had traveled to many places. Many had been ravaged by war. Those who hadn't died lived lives worse than death.

The Great Toad Sage's prophecy said that he would be the teacher of the person who brought peace to the Ninja World, and that one of his disciples would bring peace to the world. He had even thought that if his disciple succeeded, he could have him promote the Manifesto of the Worker-Peasant Party and Red Ideology, so everyone in the Ninja World could live without hunger or oppression.

Love was a gentle refuge. He longed for it, but feared having it. He was afraid that if he lost himself in its warmth, he wouldn't complete his mission, and the flames of war would continue to spread across the Ninja World.

When Nawaki died, he had been at Mount Myoboku. He hadn't been there in time to comfort Tsunade.

When Dan Katō died, he hadn't been by her side then, either. At the most important moment, when Tsunade needed him most, he hadn't been there. Did someone like him deserve to have a wonderful woman like Tsunade? Ha, probably not. Heh, hahahaha...

As he thought about it, Jiraiya couldn't help laughing.

"What the hell are you laughing at?! I'm talking to you about something serious, and you're sitting here laughing your ass off! Huh?!"

Jiraiya stopped, his eyes filled with melancholy.

"You think I don't know what you're talking about? That I don't know what Tsunade needs? I know! I know it all! But you don't know the responsibility on my shoulders. You don't know what it means. For the sake of this responsibility, I have to give up my chance at happiness. Unless I succeed, I can't give her the companionship and happiness she needs. Someone like me has no right to make her happy."

"Tch! I thought it was something important. That's it? That's all? I know about that prophecy, too. Hey, don't look so surprised! I know. I know a little more than you do, in fact. What do you think? Want to know? Hahahaha!"

Jiraiya was genuinely surprised. He had never told anyone about the prophecy. Even Tsunade and Orochimaru, the people closest to him, didn't know. This kid knew? What a joke! Jiraiya sobered up, his vision cleared, his head stopped spinning, and his words came out smoothly.

"How do you know?"

Jiraiya's expression was grave. If this kid really knew more about the prophecy than he did, then perhaps his mission could end early, and he might have a chance to pursue his own happiness...

"Ahem. One of my Mangekyo abilities is Scholar. It lets me see the entire past of any inanimate object, along with everything that has happened around it. It lets me know what happened in the past."

"Gasp!"

Jiraiya sucked in a sharp breath. Was it really that incredible? He was stunned.

If that was true, what could there be in the Ninja World that this kid didn't know? Wherever he went, he could learn everything that had happened there. But an ability that powerful had to have limitations. Even so, that didn't change how incredible it was.

"That's a truly astonishing ability. There must be some limitations, though. But what does this have to do with the prophecy?"

Fei Shi stopped keeping him in suspense and explained:

"There are limitations. I can use it once a month, and it lasts for an hour. During that hour, I can learn about anything that happened in the place I'm observing, no matter how long ago it was. After awakening my Mangekyo, I used this ability while traveling around the Ninja World with Tsunade. During one experiment, I saw a person."

Jiraiya was curious. He had a feeling the person Fei Shi was talking about would be a real shock.

"His name was Hagoromo Otsutsuki. People called him... the Sage of Six Paths."

"!!!"

Jiraiya was stunned. He sobered up completely, so startled that he accidentally knocked over the sake beside him.

"Damn it! You owe me a drink!"

"The Sage of Six Paths... I never thought he really existed. Heh, heh heh. If you hadn't told me, I'd have kept thinking he was just a legend, a fictional character. Don't waste time—hurry! Tell me what else you saw!"

"Tch! If he didn't exist, would people still tell stories about him? All right, all right, I'll tell you."

Seeing the murderous look in Jiraiya's eyes, he decided not to waste any more time and continued.

"There was also a toad with him. The Sage of Six Paths called it Gamarumaru. Gamarumaru told the Sage of Six Paths a lot of things. The most important part was that, in the future, there would be a blue-eyed boy who would call the Nine Tailed Beasts by name and play with them. He would bring a miracle to the Ninja World."

"Ah, that's... There are similarities with the prophecy I know, but there are differences, too. Fine, I'll tell you mine as well. The Great Toad Sage told me that one of my disciples would bring peace to the world. That's why I've been traveling around the Ninja World, searching for the Child of Prophecy. But based on what you said, that blue-eyed boy might be my disciple."

"Wait, the Tailed Beasts have names?! How come I didn't know?"

Fei Shi snorted.

"Other people don't know, either. I learned the names of the Nine Tailed Beasts when I saw that conversation."

Jiraiya couldn't help being amazed. The Tailed Beasts had names? If word got out, people would be stunned.

"You know the names of the Nine Tailed Beasts. Could you be the Child of Prophecy?"

Fei Shi was speechless. Had he not heard what he'd said?

"A blue-eyed boy! And he can call the Nine Tailed Beasts by name and play with them. He might be a Jinchūriki. I've looked into the other Jinchūriki, and since the boy has to be young, the only person who fits is your disciple's son, Naruto Uzumaki!"

"!!!"

"I think he'll get along with my Nine-Tails in the future, help him let go of his hatred, and befriend the other Tailed Beasts."

"!!!"

"So stop wandering around. Stay in Konoha and teach Naruto. I'll help you."

After hearing Fei Shi's words, Jiraiya was dazed. The Child of Prophecy had been found just like that. Just like that...

It should have been good news, but Jiraiya couldn't bring himself to feel happy.

The other people he had thought might be the Child of Prophecy had died: Nagato and Minato. If... if I hadn't taken them on as disciples, would things have turned out better for them? I... I...

Fei Shi patted Jiraiya on the shoulder.

"It's all right. Even the dead might be brought back to life. I heard the Second Hokage invented a forbidden technique called Impure World Reincarnation. It can bring the dead back to the world of the living. If a technique like that exists, there must be a way to revive the dead, too."

"Besides, I preserved the Fourth Hokage and his wife's bodies in special Ice Coffins. Kushina isn't completely dead yet. As for Minato, we'll have to find a way."

"Thank you. Thank you."

Jiraiya didn't know what to say. The deaths of his disciple and his disciple's wife had been an unfading pain in his heart. Now there was a glimmer of hope. How could he not be happy?

Tears of joy filled his eyes.

"Don't mention it. We're close. You don't have to thank me."

"Hahaha, all right. Then I won't say anything sentimental. I'll express my gratitude with sake. Let's drink until we drop!"

"Good! Let's drink until we drop!"