Uzumaki Naruto frowned, frustration evident on his face.
"What? I thought I had become super powerful already… but it turns out I'm still not even as good as when I first learned the Summoning Technique! And this old toad—he looks completely useless!"
Jiraiya's face twitched. "Idiot Naruto! That's the Great Toad Sage you're talking about!"
Naruto blinked. "Great Toad Sage? Is he stronger than Toad Boss? He doesn't look that strong…"
Minato chuckled gently. "Naruto, the Great Toad Sage has lived for thousands of years. He possesses the power of prophecy and is deeply respected in Mount Myōboku."
"Oh… so that's how it is," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess I judged him too quickly."
Jiraiya smirked. "Of course you did! Do you think everyone is like you? You can barely summon anything beyond tadpoles. And you dare call yourself a summoner?"
Naruto's cheeks flushed crimson as he recalled the disastrous first time he tried summoning a beast. The result? A wet splash and nothing but a slimy little tadpole wriggling beside him.
He didn't expect Pervy Sage to be this ruthless with his insults—especially while Sakura was still watching in the group!
---
["Jiraiya-chan, we haven't seen each other in so long!"]
The voice came gently from the massive toad seated upon a lush green throne. His aged face was calm and wise, the very air around him exuding ancient presence and quiet power.
It was the Great Toad Sage.
Being summoned wasn't a surprise to him. After all, during his youth, he was frequently called upon—especially by that man. Though he hadn't been summoned for a very long time, this moment felt like reuniting with an old friend after years apart.
To him, this was even more enjoyable than drinking a hundred bottles of Mount Myōboku's finest wine in one go.
---
Naruto pointed a finger at the toad. "Hey, why did he call you 'Little Jiraiya'? Is it because you're short?"
"Shut… shut up!" Jiraiya snapped, sweat forming on his brow. "Didn't I just tell you? The Great Toad Sage has lived thousands of years longer than us. Of course, our human lives are nothing in comparison to him!"
Naruto finally nodded in understanding. "Ohhh, that makes sense now."
Jiraiya exhaled in relief. That was a close one. He almost lost face in front of the entire group chat—again!
---
["The air in the outside world… how nostalgic."]
The Great Toad Sage looked around, his golden eyes scanning the landscape. This world… it was vastly different from Mount Myōboku, yet so very familiar.
This was the same world where he once fought side by side with Yu Yi.
Memories long buried rose to the surface—fleeting images, echoing voices, and past battles played in his mind like a faded dream. Until his eyes rested upon Naruto.
For the first time since his summoning, his ancient expression shifted slightly.
["You are… Hagoromo's… child?"]
He stared at Naruto intently. There was something in this boy… a shadow, a presence that reminded him unmistakably of Hagoromo.
But that shouldn't be possible. Hagoromo's descendants had long since passed from this world.
---
Naruto blinked, confused. "No… I don't know anyone named Hagoromo. My name is Uzumaki Naruto!"
["Uzumaki Naruto…"]
The Great Toad Sage seemed to ponder the name for a moment, then smiled faintly as recognition dawned in his wise old eyes.
["Ah… I remember now. You're that little blond boy… the son of Namikaze Minato!"]
There was warmth in his gaze now—fondness, even.
Both Yu Yi and Minato had left good impressions on him, and Naruto carried a trace of both their spirits. He looked kindly at the boy who, in some ways, felt like a bridge to the past.
---
"G-Great Toad Sage!" Jiraiya stammered.
He hadn't expected the Great Toad Sage to reveal Naruto's parentage so directly. He had never planned to tell Naruto about his lineage—at least not this early.
But to his surprise, Naruto didn't seem too fazed. He remained calm, as if the revelation didn't catch him off guard at all.
---
["I see in you… the future of the ninja world."]
The Great Toad Sage's voice lowered, filled with ancient weight. But then… he hesitated.
Yes, there was no doubt that Naruto would bring earth-shaking change to the world of shinobi. But whether that change would be for better or worse… that was still unclear.
Despite being called a Sage, he was still a toad. His understanding of the human heart was limited.
And yet… through the haze of prophecy, he could still barely make out one thing:
In the coming era, the ninja world would experience a shift—perhaps even an end to all wars.
But whether that peace would be stable… or short-lived… that was the part he could not see.
---
"W-Wait… Great Toad Sage," Jiraiya asked, his voice tense, "do you mean…?"
He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
["Is Naruto… really the Child of Prophecy?"]
The Great Toad Sage simply nodded, his face solemn.
---
["Little Naruto, I look forward to the day when you come to Mount Myōboku to find me."]
With that final message, the Great Toad Sage took one last glance at the world outside.
And then—with a puff of white smoke—he vanished.
The summoning had ended, and he returned to the quiet serenity of Mount Myōboku.
---
"Eh? Why did he just leave like that?" Naruto complained.
He had hoped that the Great Toad Sage might teach him some ancient, powerful ninjutsu. After all, he'd been alive for thousands of years! Surely, he had tricks even the Hokage didn't know about.
But the old toad didn't even say goodbye properly.
---
Seeing Naruto's disappointed expression, Jiraiya sighed heavily.
"Seriously, Naruto. You didn't want to go back to Mount Myōboku with the Great Toad Sage?"
Naruto looked surprised. "Huh? How did you know I was thinking that?"
Jiraiya facepalmed in silence.
This kid… he wasn't even a little bit afraid when meeting such a legendary sage. In fact, he even wanted to tag along back to the land of toads!
This was in stark contrast to Jiraiya's own experience. When he first met the Great Toad Sage, he had been so nervous that he almost fainted!
---
Still, Jiraiya couldn't help but feel more and more uneasy.
The Great Toad Sage had acknowledged Naruto as the Child of Prophecy. It made sense now why Minato had sealed the Nine Tails inside him.
Jiraiya had once believed that Minato himself might be the prophesied one who would bring peace to the ninja world. But in the end, even someone as brilliant as Minato wasn't the one.
---
Now… it was Naruto's turn.
Jiraiya's expression grew serious.
Minato had entrusted him with the key to the Nine Tails' seal—an act that now felt even heavier in meaning.
This moment… this responsibility… it was why Minato had chosen him.
Still… why did he feel so unsettled?
---
Jiraiya turned to Naruto, studying his cheerful, smiling face.
There was nothing wrong with him—at least on the surface. But there was something in Jiraiya's gut that just wouldn't settle.
Maybe it was Naruto's rapid growth.
Maybe it was the sheer scale of the potential resting within him.
But Jiraiya couldn't shake the feeling.
---
"Um… Naruto…" he asked quietly, "what do you think of Konoha?"
Naruto blinked. "Huh? What do you mean, what do I think?"
"I mean," Jiraiya continued, voice low, "you wouldn't ever attack Konoha… right?"
Naruto tilted his head, then grinned innocently. "Of course not!"
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "Swear it."
"…Huh?"
"I said, swear it!"
---
Naruto raised an eyebrow, then placed a hand over his heart.
"I swear on my ninja way—I won't ever attack Konoha! Believe it!"
Only then did Jiraiya allow himself a small smile.
Still… the unease never fully left him.
He knew that the future held great change.
And Naruto… was at the center of it all.
---
To Be Continued...
more chapter available in p@tréøñ(Atoki_29)