I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

The Son of Prophecy

"Destiny will allow me to meet the Child of Prophecy?"

After hearing this, Jiraiya's expression stiffened as he fell into deep thought.

He had spent years searching for the Child of Prophecy, the one destined to either bring salvation or destruction to the ninja world. But this time, the Great Toad Sage had told him that the Child of Prophecy would come to him instead. Didn't this mean that the child had already begun to shape the world in ways beyond his expectations?

Could it be that the Child of Prophecy would be as great a figure as the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju?

Jiraiya glanced at the Great Toad Sage, hoping for more details—perhaps a clearer vision of the future, or at least hints about Konoha's fate. However, a trace of hesitation lingered in his heart. If the Great Toad Sage answered his questions too directly, would it alter the future?

Just as Jiraiya was about to speak, the Great Toad Sage closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, drifting into a drowsy state. Any hope Jiraiya had of learning more vanished.

"It seems the Great Toad Sage doesn't want to reveal too much… Maybe the truth is meant to be unveiled at the right moment."

With that thought, Jiraiya left the Toad Temple, anticipation stirring in his heart.

---

A Whispered Warning

As Fukasaku prepared to leave, a deep, rumbling voice called from behind.

Fukasaku turned to see the Great Toad Sage—fully awake, his usually tired gaze now eerily sharp. A rare sight. Fukasaku hesitated.

"Why did he wait until Jiraiya left to say something important?"

Before he could ask, the Great Toad Sage opened his ancient eyes once more and spoke in a solemn tone:

"Fukasaku… This time, I saw more fragments of the future than ever before. I saw the sealed demon sweeping across the earth. I saw the battle between the Child of Prophecy and the wielder of the Rinnegan. And… I saw Jiraiya becoming Hokage."

"The sealed demon? The Rinnegan? Jiraiya as Hokage?"

Fukasaku's mind reeled at the sheer weight of those words. Even more unsettling was the rare trace of fear in the Great Toad Sage's voice.

The Great Toad Sage—ancestor of Mount Myoboku, who had lived for over a thousand years—had once guided even the Sage of Six Paths. What kind of future could be so terrifying that it unsettled a being of his wisdom?

Swallowing hard, Fukasaku asked cautiously, "Great Sage, what about the future of Mount Myoboku?"

The Great Toad Sage shook his head. "I cannot see my own future, nor can I guarantee that Mount Myoboku will survive. But one thing is certain… A great catastrophe is coming to the ninja world. And only the Child of Prophecy can save it in the end."

He let out a heavy sigh. "That is all. I am tired now… I need to sleep."

Yawning, the Great Toad Sage soon drifted off into slumber, his deep snores echoing through the chamber.

Fukasaku watched for a moment before leaping out of the temple.

"The Great Sage may not concern himself with worldly affairs, but I cannot allow Mount Myoboku to fall into crisis."

---

Jiraiya's New Mission

Outside, Fukasaku caught up to Jiraiya just as he was preparing to reverse summon himself back to the human world. Jiraiya raised a brow at the elder toad's sudden urgency.

"Little Jiraiya," Fukasaku said slowly, "you must find the Child of Prophecy… and establish a strong bond with him. The future of both the ninja world and Mount Myoboku depends on you."

Jiraiya frowned. "Doesn't the prophecy decide the future?"

Even so, he had long dreamed of witnessing peace in the ninja world.

But there was something about Fukasaku's tone… He knew more than he was letting on. He wouldn't say too much—because revealing too much could change the course of fate.

Jiraiya chuckled, masking his unease with a grin. "Don't worry, Boss Fukasaku. I'll make sure to get along with the Child of Prophecy."

With that, he activated the reverse summoning technique.

---

A Changing Konoha

Upon returning to Konoha, Jiraiya made his way toward the Hokage's office.

As he strolled through the village streets, something felt… off. In the past, he would often see Uchiha security forces patrolling, sometimes even arguing with villagers. But now, not a single Uchiha could be seen among the guards.

Additionally, some districts appeared to have been reconstructed. Certain areas looked entirely different from how he remembered them.

"Did something happen while I was away?"

Had the village been attacked by enemy spies? If that were the case, the Third Hokage should have sent word via a summoned toad. But since Konoha seemed to be operating normally, the damage must not have been too severe.

Before long, Jiraiya arrived at the Hokage's office.

---

A Shocking Revelation

After receiving permission to enter, Jiraiya stepped inside to see Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, buried in paperwork. His graying hair and deep wrinkles only served as reminders of the passage of time.

"Old man, I'm back. Anything major happen while I was gone?"

At his words, the Third Hokage's brows furrowed. "I sent for you long ago, using the summoning toad you left behind. Did you not receive my message?"

Jiraiya blinked. "No, I didn't. I came back on my own."

That was odd. Perhaps the toad had been intercepted. He made a mental note to use a more reliable toad for future communications.

With a weary sigh, the Third Hokage recounted everything that had transpired.

Jiraiya listened intently—until he heard the most shocking news of all.

"Naruto left the village?!"

His voice was filled with disbelief. "Old man, if I remember correctly, Naruto is still in the Academy. How could a kid like him sneak out? Didn't you assign ANBU to watch over him?"

The Third Hokage let out another sigh. "Naruto is no ordinary child. By the time he left the village, he was already strong enough to defeat Kakashi. Our ANBU squads struggled to even track him. He seems to have been acknowledged by the Nine-Tails as well."

"Now, aside from myself, you are the only shinobi in the village who can bring him back."

Jiraiya was speechless. He had always known Naruto was Minato's son, but he never expected the boy to possess such raw talent so early. However, more than Naruto's abilities, he was curious about why he had left. No ninja defects without reason—especially not Minato's son.

"It's my fault."

The Third Hokage's voice was heavy with regret. "When rumors of the demon fox spread, I failed to stop them in time. I underestimated the damage they did to Naruto's heart. In the end, that pain drove him away."

Jiraiya fell silent, lost in thought.

The Great Toad Sage's prophecy spoke of a blond boy, a ninja who would leave Konoha.

"Could Naruto be… the Child of Prophecy?"

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.

The Third Hokage spoke again. "Once you bring Naruto back, I plan to retire. I will recommend you as the next Hokage."

Jiraiya blinked, then scoffed. "No thanks. I'd rather leave the politics to someone else. How about Tsunade?"

The Third Hokage sighed, clearly expecting that answer. Still, he had to prepare for the future.

Sliding a scroll across the desk, he said, "Naruto's retrieval is an S-rank mission. This contains all the intelligence ANBU gathered."

Jiraiya took the scroll, gave it a quick glance, then turned and walked out of the office.

It was time to find Naruto.

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