Jiraiya froze when he heard Ryosuke's words.
Not the real Child of Prophecy?
His brows furrowed, and his heart clenched with unease.
Wasn't this essentially saying his whole life's mission was wrong?
For years, Jiraiya had believed beyond doubt that Nagato was the Child of Prophecy—the one who would transform the shinobi world. And as Nagato's master, he had sworn to guide him to the right path. This belief wasn't just a duty—it was the very purpose of his life.
If Nagato wasn't the true one… then what had all his choices meant?
"Impossible," Jiraiya muttered, half to himself. "Nagato bears the Rinnegan—the eyes of legend, spoken of only in myths as belonging to the Sage of Six Paths himself. How could he not be the Child of Prophecy?"
He recalled the Great Toad Sage's prophecy from Mount Myōboku:
The Child of Prophecy will bring about great change to the shinobi world. Their path will lead to either destruction or peace—and it will depend on you, Jiraiya.
Nagato had always seemed to fit that vision. His dream had been pure—peace for a blood-soaked world. He was bright, compassionate, and gifted beyond measure.
Yet Ryosuke's words dug into Jiraiya's heart like kunai.
If even Nagato would one day turn his back on me, kill his own teacher… does that mean he represents destruction?
Jiraiya shuddered at the thought. The gentle boy who once dreamed of sunlight in the Rain Village—how could he fall so far?
"Then… who is it?" Jiraiya demanded, his tone sharper now. "If Nagato isn't the Child of Prophecy, then who is?"
Ryosuke didn't hesitate. He already knew the truth. Nagato could have been the Child of Prophecy—his ideals were grand, his heart once noble. Beeut he had already gone astray, blackened by tragedy, twisted into another "great filial son" of destruction like Obito.
The true one was much closer.
"The Child of Prophecy you're looking for…" Ryosuke's gaze sharpened, his voice steady. "…is in the village."
Jiraiya blinked, stunned. "What? In the village?"
He had wandered far from Konoha for years, both to avoid the suffocating politics of the village and to broaden his horizons for the sake of guiding the prophesied one. To think that the very person he was searching for might have been under his nose all along—it shook him.
Suspicion flared. "Why should I believe you?" Jiraiya pressed. "Do you have proof?"
Ryosuke smirked slightly. "I have no reason to lie to you. Beeut if you want to meet him, you'll have to serve out your sentence first—one month in prison."
Jiraiya's face darkened. Now, when he finally received the most important revelation of his life, Ryosuke had the audacity to make him wait? His temper flared—but then he caught himself.
No. If this was true… then he was closer to his destiny than ever.
His expression turned grim. "If you truly know who the Child of Prophecy is, then you understand how important this is. I'm fated to become his teacher, to guide him to the right path. I can't waste time sitting in a cell."
Ryosuke's response was blunt: "Not happening. Take him away."
The Uchiha Guard moved in, restraining Jiraiya.
Jiraiya sighed heavily, exasperation etched across his face. This Ryosuke was immovable, hard as stone. "Fine. Beeut when I'm released, you must tell me who it is."
Though reluctant, Jiraiya knew Ryosuke had no reason to deceive him. If this lead was true, then he had gained something priceless.
Dragged off toward the cells, Jiraiya still held onto that faint hope.
Once Jiraiya was gone, Tsunade—who had overheard everything—stood frozen, her mind racing.
Child of Prophecy…?
Jiraiya had bragged to her about that before, claiming he was destined to guide some savior of the shinobi world. She'd dismissed it as his usual nonsense—after all, this was the same lecher who peeked at women's baths and wasted his time writing trashy novels.
Beeut now… Ryosuke confirmed it.
And Jiraiya's mastery of Sage Mode proved he was far more formidable than she had once thought.
Her gaze snapped toward Ryosuke. "The Rain Village… what happened there? Does it have to do with this Ten-Tails you mentioned before?"
Ryosuke gave her a look, half exasperated, half amused. She really was like a curious child sometimes.
"It's complicated," he said with a sigh. "Even I only know part of it."
Tsunade's face darkened. That evasiveness wasn't just carelessness—it was deliberate. He was keeping her out.
"You won't even tell me?" she pressed, voice low and dangerous. She was his lover, the woman carrying his child, and yet he was treating her like an outsider.
Ryosuke groaned inwardly. Tsunade always knew where to strike—especially when she grabbed his weakness so casually, making it impossible to stay cold.
He caved with a reluctant sigh. "Fine. Listen carefully, then. Jiraiya's three students in the Rain—Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan—they're no longer the same. Yahiko was killed by Hanzō and Danzō's schemes. Nagato… has awakened the Rinnegan. Together with Konan, they've turned into dangerous zealots. Even if Jiraiya went to them, they would not hesitate to kill him."
Tsunade's eyes widened. "Nagato… with the Rinnegan?!"
Ryosuke's voice was flat, but the truth was heavy. "Yes. And even Jiraiya's Sage Mode won't be enough against that."
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