I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

The Son of Prophecy Is Naruto

"Destiny will let me meet the Son of Prophecy?"

Upon hearing this, Jiraiya's expression turned solemn, and he fell into deep thought.

He had searched for the Son of Prophecy for years, yet now the Great Toad Sage foretold that the chosen one would seek him out. Did this mean the Son of Prophecy had already begun to reshape the ninja world beyond his expectations?

Could it be that this time, the Son of Prophecy would rival the legacy of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju?

With this thought, Jiraiya turned to the Great Toad Sage, hoping for more insight—perhaps about the future of the shinobi world and Konoha's role in it.

Yet, a hesitation lingered in his mind. If the Great Toad Sage revealed too much, would it alter destiny itself?

Before Jiraiya could voice his questions, the Great Toad Sage closed his ancient eyes and drifted into a deep slumber, cutting off any further inquiry.

"So the Great Sage refuses to disclose more… I suppose the truth will unveil itself at the right moment."

With the weight of prophecy on his shoulders, Jiraiya departed from Mount Myōboku.

As Fukasaku prepared to leave as well, a deep, resonant voice called to him from behind.

Turning back, Fukasaku saw that the Great Toad Sage was now fully alert, his former drowsiness completely gone. This stark contrast puzzled Fukasaku—was there something of great significance that Jiraiya wasn't meant to hear?

Before he could ask, the Great Toad Sage's eyes glowed with a prophetic light as he spoke:

"Fukasaku, this time, I have seen more fragments of the future than ever before. I saw the sealed Demon Fox shaking the land, the Son of Prophecy clashing with the wielder of the Rinnegan, and a moment where Jiraiya stands as Hokage…"

"The Kyuubi… the Rinnegan… and Jiraiya as Hokage?"

The weight of these revelations left Fukasaku momentarily speechless, yet what unsettled him even more was the rare emotion he sensed from the Great Sage—fear.

The Great Toad Sage had lived since the era of the Sage of Six Paths, shaping the ninja world for over a thousand years.

For a being of such wisdom and longevity to express fear… what catastrophe lay ahead for the shinobi world?

Swallowing his unease, Fukasaku cautiously asked, "Great Sage, what of Mount Myōboku's fate?"

The Great Toad Sage sighed. "I cannot foresee my own fate, nor can I guarantee Mount Myōboku's survival. But I am certain—the ninja world faces an unprecedented crisis, and only the Son of Prophecy will be able to save it."

With that, the Great Toad Sage yawned, his energy seemingly drained, and soon his rhythmic snores filled the chamber.

Fukasaku lingered for a moment before leaping away, his resolve strengthening. Though the Great Sage could slumber without worry, he could not allow Mount Myōboku to be endangered.

Once Fukasaku left, the Great Toad Sage sighed once more, gazing into the distant horizon.

To the world, he was the Great Sage—ancient and wise, able to peer into the future. But before that clan, he was nothing more than a powerless toad.

He had only managed to buy the ninja world another thousand years.

But fate could not be avoided forever.

The shinobi world's future… only the Sage of Six Paths would truly know.

---

Meanwhile, Fukasaku caught up with Jiraiya, who was about to undo his Reverse Summoning Technique. Under Jiraiya's questioning gaze, the elder toad solemnly said:

"Jiraiya-chan, you must find the Son of Prophecy and forge a strong bond with him. The future of the shinobi world—and Mount Myōboku—depends on you."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "I thought the future rested on the Son of Prophecy?"

And yet, as he studied Fukasaku's eyes, he could tell his old teacher knew more than he was letting on. But perhaps, knowing too much would alter fate.

With a confident grin, Jiraiya declared, "Don't worry, Fukasaku-sama. I'll make sure to establish a good relationship with him."

Then, under Fukasaku's watchful eyes, he undid the summoning technique.

---

Upon returning to Konohagakure, Jiraiya immediately made his way to the Hokage's office.

As he walked through the village streets, something felt off. The Uchiha Police Force, who were often at odds with the villagers, were nowhere to be seen. Some districts bore signs of recent reconstruction, their layouts noticeably different.

Had the village been attacked? If so, why hadn't the Hokage contacted him through his summoning toads?

Despite the subtle changes, the village didn't appear to have suffered any major losses.

Jiraiya knocked on the Hokage's door.

Upon receiving permission, he stepped inside to see Hiruzen Sarutobi immersed in paperwork. The deep wrinkles on his face and his graying hair reminded Jiraiya of time's relentless march.

"Old man, I'm back. Did something big happen while I was gone?"

The Third Hokage frowned. "I summoned you long ago, even using the summoning toad you left behind. Have you received nothing?"

Jiraiya blinked. "Nothing at all."

Perhaps his toad messenger had been intercepted. He'd need to assign a more reliable toad for future communications.

With a weary sigh, Hiruzen recounted the events of the past few months.

The revelation that Uchiha Itachi had slaughtered his clan, while Uchiha Shisui led the surviving members into exile, made Jiraiya's expression darken. The Uchiha had long been at odds with Konoha, but he hadn't expected things to escalate to such an extreme.

Still, it was within the realm of politics and power struggles—something Jiraiya could reluctantly accept.

But when he heard that Naruto Uzumaki had left the village, his eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, wait, wait—Naruto?! The kid's still in the Academy! How the hell did he escape? Weren't there Anbu watching him? And he's just a kid, how far could he have possibly run?"

Hiruzen let out a heavy sigh. "Naruto is more gifted than even his father. When he left, he had already surpassed Kakashi. Anbu were consistently outmaneuvered by his Shadow Clones. What's more… the Kyuubi has acknowledged him."

Jiraiya was stunned. "So you're telling me that, besides you, I'm the only ninja in the village who can bring him back?"

"That's precisely why I called you back," Hiruzen admitted. "Naruto is Minato's son, and as the village's Jinchūriki, we cannot allow him to continue running wild."

Jiraiya fell silent.

A blond-haired boy, a runaway ninja, and the Kyuubi's Jinchūriki…

The pieces of the prophecy clicked together.

Could Naruto be the Son of Prophecy?

The Third Hokage misinterpreted Jiraiya's silence as discontent and offered a tired smile.

"I've failed as Hokage. I failed to control the Uchiha situation, and I failed to guide Naruto. Once you retrieve him, I'll step down and appoint you as the Fifth Hokage."

Jiraiya blinked, then quickly waved a hand. "Nah, forget it. Hokage isn't my thing. There are better candidates—Tsunade, for instance."

He didn't want to argue about the position. He never had any desire to be Hokage, nor did Tsunade. If they had, they would've contested for the seat long ago.

The Third Hokage sighed, knowing Jiraiya's stubbornness.

Realizing there was no convincing him, Hiruzen instead handed Jiraiya a scroll. "This is an S-rank mission—retrieve Naruto. These are Anbu's latest intelligence reports."

Jiraiya took the scroll, glanced over it, and without another word, left the office.

This mission was more than just retrieving a wayward student.

It was about finding the future of the ninja world.

And if Naruto truly was the Son of Prophecy…

Then Jiraiya had to be the teacher who guided him toward his destiny.

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