In Jiraiya's view, the Naruto Uzumaki from the Great Toad Sage's prophecy was likely the only person in Konoha's future who could truly threaten Emiya Shirou.
Naturally, Jiraiya felt that Naruto needed special training. Whether it was because of his status as the Nine-Tails jinchuriki or as the "Child of Prophecy," Jiraiya would have to focus even more of his effort on the boy from now on.
"Naruto…"
Jiraiya called Naruto over, intending to have a serious talk about the future and prepare the kid for what was to come.
But just then, a Konoha ninja appeared.
With the Third Hokage gone and the village leaderless, the ninja approached Jiraiya as if he were already the next Hokage.
"Lord Jiraiya, there's trouble!" the ninja reported breathlessly. "The One-Tail jinchuriki from the Sand Village, Gaara, is causing problems again!"
"Gaara!"
Naruto's ears perked up, and he immediately stepped forward. Remembering what Emiya Shirou had told him, he took the initiative. "Let me go! I can handle it."
Everyone looked at him doubtfully.
But Jiraiya actually agreed. He knew Naruto saw Gaara as a kindred spirit. Still, Jiraiya didn't think it would be that easy, so he planned to go along to help seal the One-Tail and prevent any more chaos.
He never expected that Naruto would resolve the situation all on his own.
To Jiraiya's shock, the blond kid charged straight through Shukaku's attacks and punched the sleeping Gaara awake.
Then, somehow, with just a few words, Naruto managed to make Gaara—a boy whose very presence screamed with killing intent and pushed everyone away—break down in tears.
"That brat…" Jiraiya's mouth twitched. He hadn't expected Naruto to have already made such a significant contribution to Konoha. "How did he do it?"
The next day, Gaara seemed much more clear-headed.
The red-haired boy from the Sand Village no longer radiated killing intent. He hadn't suddenly become warm and friendly, but at least people weren't terrified of him anymore. The only change was the intense way he now looked at Naruto.
Because the two of them were just too similar.
Just as Gaara's mother had died giving birth to him, Naruto's parents had also died to protect their village and their child. They also shared a tragic childhood, both feared and isolated for being jinchuriki.
But there was another reason for Gaara's change.
After defeating him, Naruto had shared his own story, mixing his feelings with the truths he'd learned from Emiya Shirou.
"We're not monsters," Naruto had told him. "Your mother and your uncle loved you. They left us with their hopes, trusting that we'd work harder and live happy lives. We can't just give up on ourselves."
Naturally, Naruto gained another good friend. Gaara never said much, but after returning to his village, he immediately began thinking about how to become the Kazekage.
The One-Tail jinchuriki—a twelve-year-old who had recently gone on a rampage—wanted to become Kazekage?
Was the kid dreaming?
But strangely enough, after surveying their broken and impoverished village, the Sand Village higher-ups quickly decided that Gaara was a solid candidate. They began grooming him to become the Fifth Kazekage.
Yes, after the death of the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, the Sand Village had lost its last Kage-level fighter. The entire village now pinned its hopes on Gaara.
Compared to the Sand Village, things didn't look as bright for Naruto in Konoha. He didn't become the Fifth Hokage, because unlike the Sand, Konoha had no shortage of ninja capable of filling the role.
Even so, the choice for the new Fifth Hokage shocked everyone.
Tsunade.
Konoha's new Fifth Hokage was Tsunade. The very kunoichi whose spirit had been shattered by Emiya Shirou during the Chunin Exams managed to pull herself together with the weight of this new responsibility.
"Aaargh…" Naruto puffed his cheeks out in frustration as he looked up at the Hokage building, where Tsunade was being ceremoniously given the Kage hat. "I'm the one who should be Hokage!"
"You brat," Jiraiya said, giving Naruto a light whack on the head. "Alright, go say goodbye to your friends. It's about time for us to start some serious training."
"Huh?" Naruto didn't understand.
"Sticking around Konoha isn't going to help your training anymore," Jiraiya explained seriously. "Even if you stay on Team 7, you'll just be doing regular missions. That won't make you strong enough to face Emiya Shirou. To really improve, you need to focus all your time on training."
Naruto once again felt the pain of an impending farewell. But Jiraiya's words made sense.
They couldn't ignore the threat Emiya Shirou posed. If Shirou didn't see some potential in him, the twelve-year-old Naruto wouldn't even have the right to stand before him.
"So…" Naruto asked, reluctant to part with Sasuke, "Master Jiraiya, can Sasuke come with us?"
"Sasuke… he has his own path," Jiraiya said, shaking his head. He only had the time and energy to train Naruto.
Besides, he wasn't an expert in making an Uchiha stronger.
In a sense, Jiraiya had already taught Sasuke most of his fire jutsu. He didn't understand the Sharingan or the special ways the Uchiha grew stronger, and he didn't want Sasuke to get hurt.
Perhaps staying in Konoha with Kakashi was for the best.
In fact, Kakashi felt the same way. He had always suspected there was more to the Uchiha massacre. With Hiruzen Sarutobi gone, Kakashi was one of the few left who knew the truth—a truth he felt he needed to tell Sasuke, so the boy would know his brother had his reasons.
Unfortunately, Kakashi wouldn't get the chance.
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At the border of the Land of Fire, Emiya Shirou was resting with Nagato and Konan.
Black Zetsu anxiously reported that he and White Zetsu had found no trace of Danzo Shimura or the missing Rinnegan. He worried that both pairs might have ended up with Orochimaru and Uchiha Obito.
"It's fine," Emiya Shirou said, unconcerned, as if he had anticipated it. "We lost one pair of Rinnegan. We'll just get another."
He said it as casually as one might pour a cup of tea.
His face was covered with a black cloth, making him look like a blind patient, but his instructions were clear. "Go to Konoha and bring back that Uchiha Sasuke kid. He's a genius with the potential to awaken the Rinnegan. Have Itachi Uchiha's team handle this assignment with Kisame."
"My lord, those two are Obito's spies," Black Zetsu whispered, immediately objecting. "If Obito finds out that Sasuke is our candidate for a future Rinnegan, he might have them eliminate him."
"…"
Emiya Shirou was slightly surprised.
Really? Could Itachi actually bring himself to kill Sasuke?
Now that would be a turn of events, even more dramatic than losing a pair of Rinnegan.