Sage Shima brought Minato to a clearing about a hundred meters away from where Jiraiya was training. Surrounded by many strange plants unique to Mount Myoboku, the space measured roughly thirty meters in diameter — more than enough room for testing purposes.
"Minato, I'm about to begin."
Before starting, Sage Shima gave Minato a special warning — after all, he looked far too young for this.
Her strength was absolutely no less than Elder Fukasaku's.
Minato nodded, fully aware of her abilities. Even if she held back during the fight, he couldn't afford the slightest carelessness.
Without hesitation, Sage Shima launched forward toward Minato.
She had used only thirty percent of her speed, but for a child his age, it was already incredibly fast.
But this was only according to Sage Shima's perception…
Minato activated the Shifting Body Technique and moved to meet Sage Shima's attack head-on.
He blocked her straight punch with his palm.
Sage Shima was momentarily taken aback — she immediately recognized the body flicker technique Minato had used.
"Good boy, no wonder you're Jiraiya's little student," Sage Shima said with a faint smile. Even at that speed, she doubted most Chunin in the human world could react in time.
But for young Minato, it seemed like no challenge at all.
Minato loosened his grip — it wasn't something to be proud of, since Sage Shima had obviously held back her strength.
"I see," Sage Shima said. She realized she had underestimated this child before her.
The moment Minato released her fist, Sage Shima swept out a kick from her mouth.
She noticed how seriously he was looking — this child was completely focused.
In her eyes, perhaps this was no longer just a test, but a real battle.
Minato had already anticipated it and blocked with his arm, but was still sent skidding backward several meters, his foot scraping a long mark into the ground before finally steadying himself.
Sage Shima attacked again.
Her hands blurred into afterimages. Compared to half a year ago, Minato's hand seal speed had improved dramatically.
[Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!]
His speed clearly caught Sage Shima off guard, but instead of counterattacking with any ninjutsu, she simply retreated.
She planned to use her speed to circle around the Great Fireball.
Sage Shima accelerated further — Minato could no longer track her movements clearly.
However...
[Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!]
A powerful gust of wind erupted, momentarily disrupting Sage Shima's movement. Of course, it barely affected her at all.
[Whoosh!] The flames roared to life.
Thanks to the wind, the fire surged violently, engulfing Sage Shima entirely within its blazing reach.
[Coordinated Ninjutsu Tactics!?" came Sage Shima's startled voice from within the inferno.
...
Smack!
Elder Fukasaku once again struck Jiraiya hard on the head, snapping him out of his frog-state transformation.
Not once did he complain, just kept applying the toad oil and continued his training.
At this moment, Minato and Sage Shima returned.
"Old woman, how is it?" Elder Fukasaku immediately asked.
Even Jiraiya, who had just entered a meditative state, got distracted and turned frog-like again.
Seeing this, Elder Fukasaku smacked him back into shape once more.
Sage Shima's expression hadn't fully calmed yet as she looked at Jiraiya and asked, "Little Jiraiya, this really is your disciple?"
Her skeptical tone rubbed Jiraiya the wrong way—he had been hoping to impress her.
"Big Sis, what exactly are you implying?"
Sage Shima added, "I'm just having a hard time believing that clumsy little Jiraiya could actually train someone like this."
"Honey, what's going on?" Elder Fukasaku, seeing her reaction, immediately asked.
...
[Body Flicker Technique]... [Combined Ninjutsu Tactics]. Are these all things you taught young Minato?" Elder Fukasaku, after hearing Sage Shima's words, also fell into shock.
The former wasn't so bad, but Combined Ninjutsu Tactics required extraordinary talent in ninjutsu plus years of dedicated practice to achieve.
Jiraiya shrugged his shoulders and said, "He figured it out himself. I may be his teacher, but I only taught him some basics and gave him a ninjutsu scroll from The Third."
"Minato learned everything on his own?" Both Elder Fukasaku and Sage Shima were shocked again, their pupils widening.
A child under ten years old learning the Body Flicker Technique, various ninjutsu, and even coordinating them all by himself?
What kind of talent was this?
Instantly, both looked at Minato as though staring at a monster...
Minato awkwardly smiled. Actually, he had indeed mastered the Body Flicker Technique long before, using knowledge from his past life. But studying ninjutsu and mastering coordinated techniques afterward had also benefited greatly from those memories.
Otherwise, even he wouldn't have been able to achieve them so quickly.
"That's why," Jiraiya continued, "I believe he might be the Child of the Prophecy. After all, I can hardly imagine anyone stronger among my future disciples."
This time, even Elder Fukasaku and Sage Shima found themselves agreeing—except for Minato himself, who knew very well he wasn't the prophesied child.
"The day is getting late, and we still don't know when the old man will wake up. Little Jiraiya and Little Minato, come eat at my place; I'll personally cook for you." Sage Shima lifted the basket she'd used earlier to gather ingredients and suggested.
Then, Jiraiya and Minato's faces both dropped at the same time.
...
"Guh...guh..."
Somewhere on Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya squatted behind a tree retching violently, his face turning an actual shade of purple.
Beside him, Minato patted his back trying to help, managing to hold down his own nausea with great effort, although he clearly felt awful too.
Elder Fukasaku's special dish was... something you'd never want to forget—or experience again.
At this moment, Minato recalled Kushina, who currently was isolated for protection, and desperately wished to rush to her side and ask her to prepare a meal for him.
The difference between those two meals was beyond night and day—it was like comparing heaven and hell!
Swish!
At this moment, Elder Fukasaku rushed over. Seeing the two who looked as if poisoned, he exclaimed in surprise, "If the old lady sees you like this, she'll definitely get furious."
"Besides, is her cooking really that bad? I thought it tasted pretty good."
In response, he received two piercing, furious glances...
Elder Fukasaku chuckled awkwardly and said, "The Toad Guards have already arrived. The Great Toad Sage has awakened and seems to have a new prophecy concerning young Master Minato."
Hearing this, the master and apprentice immediately changed expressions.
Minato's heart quivered.
"So it's confirmed... History has indeed changed?"
His suspicion proved true—history had begun to deviate the moment he was reincarnated.
Previously, the Great Toad Sage had never made any prophecies involving him personally.
That was precisely why he chose to conceal his reincarnation from everyone.
The more people who knew, the greater the historical deviation became. If such changes exceeded a certain threshold and slipped beyond his control...
He would no longer be able to foresee the direction history might take.
And those very events he sought to stop might still spiral out of control...
"Minato, let's go. We should meet the Great Toad Sage," Jiraiya said, regaining his composure slightly.
"Yeah," Minato nodded and made his way once again to the Grand Abode of the Great Toad Sage.
...
...(to be continued.)
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