Hiruzen persuaded me to die

Inside Konoha's hidden base.

Hyuga Naraku, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Hatake Kakashi walked out of a dimly lit room.

This base stored the corpses of certain special individuals.

After some people died, it became inconvenient to bury their bodies due to various unique reasons.

For example:

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

And also, Danzo Shimura.

The bodies of these two individuals were still preserved.

But now, their reputations were utterly tarnished.

No cemetery would accept them.

Moreover, there was practical value in preserving their corpses.

At the very least, they could serve as material for Impure World Reincarnation.

Just now, Tsunade had gone to see Hiruzen Sarutobi one final time.

Her return to the village wasn't just a courtesy—it was closure.

Before the end of Konoha Year 51, war broke out between Konoha and the Cloud Village.

Tsunade didn't concern herself and chose not to return.

Later, when the war ended and Hyuga Naraku ascended as Fifth Hokage, declaring Hiruzen Sarutobi a traitor—

She still didn't care.

Not until the war with the Mist Village ended, and the death of Hiruzen Sarutobi was officially announced—

Did she finally return.

But truthfully—

Tsunade had no sympathy for Hiruzen's fate.

This visit wasn't about mourning.

It was about saying goodbye.

After all, he had once been her teacher.

A final meeting, a final farewell.

That was all.

The accompanying Kakashi remained expressionless throughout.

Hiruzen Sarutobi—the man responsible for his father's death—had fallen so far.

He had to restrain himself from laughing outright.

Jiraiya's expression, however, was a bit complicated.

Still, there wasn't much to say.

The old man had only reaped what he sowed.

Not to mention…

He even tried to sell off Minato's son as a bargaining chip.

Jiraiya had been furious over that alone.

"I've finished the visit. I wonder what Senpai Tsunade plans to do now?"Hyuga Naraku asked calmly.

There was some emotion in his tone.

It hadn't been easy to get Tsunade back to the village.

Such a valuable talent shouldn't be wasted.

"Well, I'll probably stay in Konoha for a while."

Tsunade replied frankly, without hesitation.

She didn't try to hide anything.

She had finally said goodbye to Hiruzen Sarutobi and ended that chapter.

Hyuga Naraku and Jiraiya exchanged subtle glances.

This likely meant…

Tsunade had run out of money again.

At least, not enough to gamble on the road.

So she had no choice but to stay in the village obediently.

Hyuga Naraku nodded slightly.

"I have a request for you, Tsunade-senpai."

"I hope to travel to the Shikkotsu Forest to study Sage Mode."

He had already encountered Black Zetsu once.

To him, the threat from Black Zetsu was far greater than that of Uchiha Obito.

By using White Zetsu bodies and the Mayfly Technique to launch undetectable sneak attacks—

Only when disconnected from the ground, trees, or nature would the user's chakra become visible.

Neither Byakugan nor even Tenseigan could track White Zetsu's chakra during this stealth state.

Perhaps only Sage Mode's sensory perception could detect it.

"Sage Mode?"

Everyone froze for a moment.

Especially Jiraiya and Kakashi.

"You want to learn Sage Mode?"

Jiraiya asked, surprised.

"Why not choose Mount Myōboku's Sage Art? Kakashi's planning to go there as well."

Tsunade looked surprised too.

"Kakashi? He can learn Sage Mode?"

"Doesn't Sage Mode require massive chakra reserves?"

In her memory, Kakashi's chakra pool was always quite shallow.

Kakashi looked a bit embarrassed and gave a slight cough.

"Without the burden of the Sharingan, my chakra levels have returned to normal."

In the past, he had to plan every fight precisely.

Even using Raikiri once had to be done cautiously.

Now, not only could he fight more freely—

He could spam Raikiri all day if he wanted to.

Jiraiya nodded.

"I've tested him—Kakashi has enough chakra now to train in Sage Mode."

However, a complex look surfaced on Jiraiya's face.

Back then, Minato Namikaze hadn't completed Sage training and died during the Nine-Tails attack caused by Obito.

Ironically, Kakashi could now learn Sage Mode because Obito stole his Sharingan.

Shaking his head, Jiraiya said to Hyuga Naraku:

"I'm being serious—have you considered training at Mount Myōboku?"

Mount Myōboku had strong ties to Konoha.

They wouldn't refuse a contract with the Hokage.

Plus—

"Sage training is extremely difficult and carries significant risk. I myself haven't fully mastered it."

"If you go to Mount Myōboku, under Fukasaku's guidance, the risk would be much lower."

"And I could even help guide you through it."

Hyuga Naraku listened to Jiraiya's kind explanation.

"Thank you, Jiraiya-senpai."

"But... I can't bring myself to accept Mount Myōboku's 'Child of Prophecy' ideology."

Naraku spoke as tactfully as he could.

After all, Jiraiya meant well.

But he just couldn't agree with the Toads' doctrine.

"Exactly!"

Tsunade nodded firmly.

"That whole 'Child of Prophecy' nonsense? Utter garbage!"

"Sounds like the Great Toad Sage was probably senile when he said it."

Back then, Jiraiya had told her and Orochimaru about Mount Myōboku's prophecy.

That one of Jiraiya's disciples would change the ninja world.

And Jiraiya himself would guide this figure.

Frankly?

Even Orochimaru laughed at the idea.

And the reality?

The three disciples Jiraiya trained in the Land of Rain all died in the war.

Minato—dead at the hands of one of his own students.

Leading the world to peace?

They were lucky to survive at all!

"…."

Jiraiya's face turned red and green.

"I still believe Naruto is the Child of Prophecy."

After a long silence, Jiraiya finally said this with conviction.

This was a child who endured more suffering than most adults could handle.

Yet still remained kind-hearted.

To Jiraiya, Naruto had what it took to change the world.

"A blue-eyed youth, who tames the Nine-Tails by calling its true name…"

Hyuga Naraku said softly.

Jiraiya had shared that part of the prophecy before.

But in fact—

This prophecy had first been told to the Sage of Six Paths over a thousand years ago by Gamamaru, the Great Toad Sage!

How ridiculous!

Hyuga Naraku scoffed internally.

If the child of prophecy truly was Naruto—

Then what would happen if he killed Naruto right now?

Wait for the next blue-eyed child?

Would the world need to suffer another thousand years before peace could come?

If so, then what about everyone who came before?

Were they all just sacrifices along the path?

How absurd!

Naraku acknowledged that the Toad Sage had an ability to foresee the future—

But the prophecy itself was disgusting.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the Child of Prophecy, will bring peace to the world."

This wasn't about bloodlines—it was fatalism.

To an extent, Hyuga Naraku believed in bloodline theory.

Stronger parents tended to produce stronger offspring.

Naruto inherited Minato's battle instincts.

The Sage of Six Paths and his brother inherited Kaguya's divine blood.

Hence why they could ascend to that level.

Senju and Uchiha dominated the world for a thousand years—

Because they were descendants of Asura and Indra.

So yes—bloodline superiority was an objective truth.

But fatalism?

To place the fate of the world in the hands of a child predicted a thousand years ago?

To treat the endless war and suffering as stepping stones for a chosen one's rise?

That was a mockery of the dead.

"If Naruto is the Child of Prophecy… then the Fourth Hokage is truly pitiful."

Hyuga Naraku said softly.

"Because then, all he and Kushina Uzumaki ever were…"

"…were tools to bring that prophecy child into the world."

Shaking his head, Hyuga Naraku concluded:

"I really can't accept what the Great Toad Sage said."