Chapter 401: The Prophecy
"How did it go, Jiraiya?" Shima Sage asked first.
Jiraiya shook his head, looking downcast. "I failed. Kakashi is stronger than I ever imagined."
"I see…" Fukasaku Sage murmured, his brows deeply furrowed as he turned toward the massive, ancient toad wearing a scholar's cap in the center of the chamber.
This toad, who was known as Great Toad Sage Gamamaru, was the same entity that had influenced the Sage of Six Paths a thousand years ago. Even with the sustenance of natural energy, age had taken its toll, leaving Gamamaru a mere shadow of his former self, appearing half asleep, a withered relic of his past self.
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as Gamamaru sat motionless, lost in an apparent daze. Suddenly, Shima Sage's voice burst through the stillness.
"Great Lord Sage! Wake up!"
"Ah?!" Gamamaru jolted, his large, weary eyes scanning the room before finally landing on the two small toads and Jiraiya.
"Oh, you… who were you again?"
Shima Sage sighed, covering her forehead in exasperation. "Great Lord Sage, this is Jiraiya."
Gamamaru's years had been so long that he was no longer the cunning and confident toad who once advised the Sage of Six Paths. He was now just a confused old toad.
"Oh!" A glimmer of memory seemed to return to Gamamaru's eyes as he slowly recognized the figure before him.
Seeing Jiraiya, the toad's squinted eyes opened slightly wider as he finally recalled his long laid plans. "Little Jiraiya… did you succeed?"
Despite his own frustrations and the sting of his recent failure, Jiraiya remained patient and calm with the Great Toad Sage, shaking his head once again.
Instead of showing any hint of disappointment, Gamamaru looked as if he had expected this outcome all along, remaining as composed as ever.
The silence returned, hanging heavily in the small room, and even Jiraiya began to sense the strangeness of the moment.
Shima Sage's patience ran out once again. "Great Lord Sage! Don't fall asleep again!"
Gamamaru blinked in a daze, scratching his head sheepishly. "Oh… sorry, sorry, my age catches up with me."
This time, Gamamaru seemed to take things a bit more seriously. Turning toward Jiraiya, he spoke gravely, "Jiraiya, I had another dream. This god you call the 'Hanhai God' is, like the goddess Kaguya, a malevolent deity who drains the life from worlds. You must stop him."
Jiraiya, though ever respectful, wasn't a fool. He shook his head slightly.
"Great Lord Sage, you've said that before. Today, I just fought against Kakashi, the ruler of the Hanhai Empire. And I lost, even after using all the power of these eyes. Even with the Rinnegan, I don't see how I could possibly defeat him. Please, tell me, how can I truly protect the world?"
The room fell into silence once again. This time, Jiraiya himself raised his voice, determined to break the old toad's trance.
Gamamaru roused himself again, though this time he showed no confusion, his gaze direct as he spoke a new prophecy.
"Jiraiya, the savior of the world still exists. I have seen the vision of one who will stand as an unstoppable force in this realm. Seek him, Jiraiya. Only he can truly save the world."
These words, familiar as they were, echoed hollowly in Jiraiya's mind. He knew that the entire shinobi world had abandoned the ninja arts to pursue the path of Douqi, the system bestowed by Ye Wen. Sighing, Jiraiya asked:
"Great Lord Sage, even though I still want to find this savior, the age of ninjas has passed. No one else practices chakra anymore. How can a savior emerge in this new era?"
Gamamaru's ancient lips curved into a wise smile as he answered slowly, "Jiraiya, chakra and Douqi are, in essence, the same the life energy of all living beings. Therefore, go forth. The savior destined to be your disciple will heed your teachings. Even if he trains in Douqi, he will learn ninjutsu under your guidance. When he combines these powers, I believe he will become the hope this world needs."
These words rekindled hope within Jiraiya, and with a heart strengthened by years of resolve, he accepted the prophecy as truth. He bowed and departed, setting off on his journey to find the savior.
Meanwhile, the so called "savior" was enduring a decidedly less dignified fate at home, where a furious red haired woman was teaching him a lesson.
"Naruto Uzumaki! How many times have I told you no skipping class, no pranking your classmates! Today, you'll learn what 'Uzumaki discipline' means!"
"Mom, wait! I didn't mean to!" Naruto cried, glancing desperately at his father, Minato, who was reading a newspaper on the couch, pleading with his eyes.
A very nervous Minato merely lifted the paper higher to hide from Naruto's gaze.
"Sorry, Naruto, but this is the last time… Your mom's temper is too much for me," he thought, feeling a pang of guilt.
It had all started when young Naruto, finding his lessons at the academy too basic for his genius, decided to make an extra effort to train himself, even using his shadow clones to trick the teachers and his father. But being under ten years old, he soon collapsed from the intense regime and was found out, landing him in serious trouble with his mother.
Kushina Uzumaki was protective of her son and wanted him to be a good student. Now that peace reigned, she felt it was unnecessary for Naruto to train so intensely she reminded Minato of Goku's wife, Chi Chi, from Dragon Ball. Minato didn't dare intervene, and Naruto, determined to avoid his father's disapproval, resigned himself to facing his mother's wrath alone.
While the Uzumaki family resolved their domestic squabble, a different kind of meeting was taking place among the strongest figures in the Hanhai Empire. All eyes were fixed on Kakashi.
Though the new era brought peace, these warriors felt stifled, their opportunities for glory limited. But now, a new opportunity loomed on the horizon.
"Since there are no objections, Jiraiya of the former Hidden Leaf Village is officially declared the most dangerous fugitive in the Hanhai Empire, with a bounty of five hundred million ryo," Kakashi announced coldly. "Furthermore, the Toad Sages of Mount Myoboku carry a bounty of five hundred million ryo each, with large toads at three hundred million. Smaller toads will be valued according to their size and contribute to military honors."
Kakashi's voice cut through the tense silence, and all present understood that a new mission had begun.
(End of Chapter)
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