Afterward, he hugged him tightly and refused to let go. In the end, both of them collapsed to the ground, and he once again drifted back into sleep.
This time, no matter what method anyone used, they couldn't pull Shigeo out of Jiraiya's arms. Helpless, everyone could only wait.
Just like that, Jiraiya slept for three days. Of course, two hours later he naturally released his hold on Shigeo.
The long wait was torturous. Though the fruits of Mount Myōboku were delicious, the way the frogs constantly peeked at him out of curiosity really made Shigeo feel like a panda in a zoo.
"Is it him? The one who trained Senjutsu (Sage Techniques) by himself?"
"Seems like it's him. Even Lord Fukasaku treats him with utmost respect."
"He's still just a child, and yet he managed to train on his own—that's truly remarkable!"
"Have you heard? His Senjutsu is different from the Three Great Holy Lands'!" Gamabunta spoke up: "I heard from my father that when he enters Sage Mode, the markings around his eyes are seven-colored."
"What? Seven-colored? We've never seen markings like that before, it must look so cool!" another frog asked curiously.
"Of course. Didn't you see how polite Lord Fukasaku is with him?"
Shigeo sat cross-legged on the floor, glancing back at the still-sleeping Jiraiya, his heart torn. He knew Jiraiya brought him here for his sake, but what exactly was he planning?
Finally, after three days, Jiraiya awoke!
He rubbed his eyes and looked around. Then his gaze fell on Shigeo, who was sitting nearby with eyes closed. "Wow, I really did bring you here! Great! Come on, let's go see the Great Toad Elder!"
Saying that, Jiraiya grabbed Shigeo's hand and led him toward the sacred cave at the back mountain.
Inside the sacred cave of Mount Myōboku, an ancient toad sat in the main seat. A scholar's cap rested on his head, a round ball inscribed with the kanji for "oil" hung from his neck, and his eyes were half-closed as he looked down. "Jiraiya, who is this you've brought? He's much cuter than you."
Remarkably, today the Great Toad Sage wasn't muddleheaded!
"This is Shigeo. Great Elder, can you help me see this child's fate?" Jiraiya asked, his eyes filled with hope.
"Ohh, so it's this child!"
The old toad narrowed his eyes at the boy below. Suddenly, his eyes widened, which made Jiraiya tense up in turn. Then he nodded, shook his head again, and let out a deep sigh.
"Great Elder, what do you see? Please say something!" Jiraiya pleaded impatiently.
"I cannot see his future, nor calculate it. But his past I can read clearly. He was born with a mutated bloodline. Once he opens his eyes, they will connect to the Six Realms. He is an extraordinary prodigy—everything he witnesses, he can learn. However, at the same time, there is a primordial power inside his body. I fear this will not benefit him. So be cautious in everything."
Hearing this, Jiraiya's emotions were a mix he couldn't put into words. No wonder this child had such an overwhelming ability to learn ninjutsu—it was directly tied to his bloodline.
The Great Toad Sage closed his eyes again. Just as Shigeo and Jiraiya were about to leave, he suddenly opened them once more and beckoned. "Little Jiraiya, come here."
Jiraiya quickly stepped forward. "Do you have more to say, Elder?"
"This child is strong. I can feel it." The sage took a deep breath and closed his eyes again.
"Then… what of his future?" Jiraiya pressed on. He had always been searching for the Child of Prophecy. He desperately hoped Shigeo might be the one.
"His success could decide all… his failure could ruin all. It depends on fate itself."
"So is he the Child of Prophecy?"
The Great Toad Sage shook his head. "He is not the Child of Prophecy. He stands above the Child of Prophecy…"
"What does that mean? And what exactly is this primordial power? Can't you explain more clearly?" Jiraiya asked again, but the elder had fallen silent.
Jiraiya turned toward Shigeo, but the boy remained calm, as if the sage's words had nothing to do with him. Jiraiya led him out of the cave and recounted everything to Fukasaku.
Fukasaku furrowed his brow at the mention of "primordial power." This was something dangerous to Shigeo.
Indeed, when one is strong enough, they can either rise to greatness or bring about disaster. Ninjutsu, no matter how powerful, must be wielded by people. People themselves decide the fate of the world. For someone to succeed, they must walk the right path. But for someone to fall, many factors could intervene.
The primordial power inside Shigeo could not be taken lightly.
After thinking for a while, Fukasaku's eyes lit up. "I have a way to uncover what this is. Come with me!"
The three of them went to a valley where a massive stone stood. Strange symbols were inscribed upon it. Fukasaku pointed to it. "Shigeo, sit here and enter Sage Mode."
Trusting them, Shigeo sat down and began absorbing natural chakra.
As his body slowly transformed, the markings of Sage Mode appeared on his face. Many toads gathered to watch.
"That's the seven-colored markings!"
"Wow, beautiful!"
Shima carefully observed both the markings and the changing runes on the stone. Slowly her eyes widened. She glanced at Jiraiya and whispered, "I know what the primordial power is… he carries bijū chakra within him!"
Jiraiya froze in shock. He turned his gaze back to Shigeo. "How can that be?"
From the moment they returned from Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya had been frowning deeply. Sometimes he stroked Shigeo's hair, other times he shook his head and sighed.
"Shigeo…" Finally, after much thought, he spoke. "That handwritten scroll I gave you from Hashirama Senju—how's your training with it going?"
"I've mastered all of it," Shigeo answered honestly.
"Good, very good. Shigeo, are you aware that there's a bijū's power within your body? A violent, strange force?"
"I didn't know. But I feel fine."
"That's good. But listen—if anything ever feels wrong, steady yourself. And remember, Myojinmon (Gate of the Great God) can help you suppress it." Jiraiya paused, then thought carefully again…
(End of Chapter)
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