Chapter 37 – The Honored Guest of Mount Myōboku
Deep within an ancient temple hidden in the heart of Mount Myōboku, a large, wrinkled old toad slowly opened his eyes. His heavy eyelids parted to reveal a gaze worn by time, yet filled with a familiar sense of awe.
Gamamaru—known across the shinobi world as the Great Toad Sage—had awakened from his long slumber once again.
"…So the future really is going to shift that drastically? White hair… lightning in his eyes… and that strange mark on his forehead... Such an overwhelming presence that doesn't belong to this world. Hatake Kyūjō... just what are you?"
His voice, ancient and low, trembled with gravity.
"Will you bring this world to its ruin... or will you guide it to a new beginning?"
After a moment of silent contemplation, the Great Toad Sage opened his eyes once more and called out.
"Fukasaku. That little Jiraiya will arrive soon. He's not alone this time—there are two others with him. Among them is a boy with white hair and thunder in his blue eyes. Treat him with the utmost respect. Make sure that Mount Myōboku does not disgrace itself before its most honored guest."
From a distance, the old sage toad Fukasaku stirred from his nap. Though still half-asleep, the moment he registered the voice echoing in his mind, he shot up in shock.
He blinked rapidly to clear his thoughts, then nudged his sleeping wife, Shima.
"Oi, Shima! Wake up, woman! We've got important guests comin'!"
And just like that, the two sage toads rushed toward the entrance of Mount Myōboku.
— — —
At the same time, inside Gamabunta's belly, Hatake Kyūjō felt something shift.
He sensed it—the moment their surroundings changed, he was enveloped in a thick, almost syrupy flow of Natural Energy. It was unlike anything he'd experienced in the shinobi world.
It was as though they were floating in a vast ocean of life force.
No doubt about it—they had arrived at one of the Three Great Sage Realms: Mount Myōboku.
A moment later, Gamabunta opened his massive jaws and released all three of them from his mouth with a low, rumbling grunt.
"Thanks for the ride, Gamabunta!" Jiraiya gave the great red toad a quick bow as he landed.
Still holding his pipe in one claw, Gamabunta let out a thick stream of smoke before replying.
"Don't make a big deal out of it, Jiraiya. But if it's not a war emergency, try not to summon me next time, yeah?"
Jiraiya laughed nervously.
"R-Right, right. I'll keep that in mind."
The truth was, he just wanted to look cool in front of his students.
Summoning Gamabunta had more flair than calling a smaller toad. He wasn't going to admit that out loud, though.
While he was busy making excuses in his head, a pair of smaller toads arrived—Fukasaku and Shima, the Two Great Sage Toads.
"Welcome, honored guest of Mount Myōboku," Fukasaku said, bowing deeply.
"On behalf of the Great Toad Sage, we offer you our warmest greetings," added Shima, also bowing.
Both of them stood before Hatake Kyūjō—not Jiraiya—and their voices were filled with reverence.
Kyūjō blinked in surprise. Then, calmly, he nodded in return.
So... the Great Toad Sage had seen his arrival in a vision?
Did that mean the timeline was already diverging?
He wondered, quietly, just how far his presence would ripple through this world.
Without changing his composed tone, Kyūjō returned their bow slightly.
"I'd like to meet the Great Toad Sage. There are questions I need answered."
"Of course," said Fukasaku, his voice sincere. "The Great Toad Sage has been waiting for you."
Minato, who stood silently at Kyūjō's side, glanced between the toads and his friend, clearly lost in thought.
Jiraiya, however, was not so quiet. In fact, he looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown.
What… what the hell is going on here?
Did these two geezers forget who he was?
He was Jiraiya the Gallant! One of the legendary Sannin! He had trained under the Third Hokage himself!
Sure, he and Kyūjō both had white hair. But were they seriously mistaking him for someone else?
These two old frogs must be losing their minds.
While Jiraiya silently cursed the sages in his head, Fukasaku suddenly turned toward him and Minato.
"Jiraiya. Blond boy. You two are coming too. The Great Toad Sage wants to see you as well."
Before Jiraiya could reply, the two toads had already turned and leapt away, motioning for Kyūjō to follow.
Jiraiya just stood there, mouth agape.
What… the… hell?
Even when he first came here, he never got treated like that!
But now, his student—who'd never even been to Mount Myōboku before—was already being hailed as some kind of chosen one?
Who exactly was Hatake Kyūjō?
Only after they'd walked quite a distance, and Minato politely called out to him from up ahead, did Jiraiya finally break out of his daze and chase after them, mumbling to himself the whole way.
Gamabunta, still standing behind, scratched his head in confusion.
— — —
"I get it now!" Jiraiya suddenly shouted from behind the group. "Kyūjō... he must be the Child of the Prophecy!"
That was the only explanation.
There was no other reason the Great Toad Sage would call someone that important unless they were the one destined to change the world.
His thoughts drifted back to the old prophecy he'd once been told.
A student of Jiraiya's would one day bring either great peace… or unimaginable destruction.
And in the vision, the Great Toad Sage had described the boy with a single vivid image:
"A young man with blue eyes who laughs as he speaks the names of the Nine Tailed Beasts…"
Jiraiya never really understood the laughter part—or the part about the Tailed Beasts.
But the "blue eyes" part… yeah, he remembered that.
He once thought it referred to Nagato, because of the Rinnegan's eerie glow.
But maybe… maybe he was wrong?
After all, Kyūjō's eyes were blue—kind of. More than that, his presence… his sheer aura…
Could it really be him?
Had he been wrong this whole time?
Back in Amegakure, Jiraiya had been convinced Nagato was the one.
But now… now he wasn't so sure anymore.
Doubt began to bloom in his chest, slow and creeping, as the truth he'd held onto for years began to waver.
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