Jiraiya was nearly fifty, and he'd seen enough of the world to understand things without being told directly. The abbot's meaning was clear—if they kept a good relationship with Shigeo, it would be good not only for him but also for Konoha, for the balance of the shinobi world itself.
"Yes, yes, don't worry, Master Abbot. I'll take good care of Shigeo!"
The abbot nodded slowly.
Before long, the little novice returned carrying the Water of Purity, placing the porcelain basin between them.
"Huineng, go outside and close the doors of the hall."
"Yes, Master!"
Once the novice left, only Shigeo, the abbot, and Jiraiya remained in the main hall.
The old abbot muttered an incantation, forming a seal with both hands and pressing them over his eyes. When he finally opened them again, his drooping lids lifted, and his clouded eyes flashed open. He said quietly:
"Child, look into the water. Tell me what you see."
Shigeo tilted his head and glanced down at the clear surface. All he saw was his own reflection. His lips curved into a small smile.
"Master, there's nothing there."
The abbot bent down, and so did Jiraiya. The three of them peered into the porcelain basin, but aside from their reflections, there was nothing.
"Use your chakra," the abbot said, face turning pale. "Let your body release its power."
Thinking the abbot had seen nothing, Shigeo cooperated. He let his chakra surge through every vein and pore, releasing a powerful wave as though his body itself became a gale.
"Ah!"
The abbot suddenly cried out in horror, clutching his chest as he stared in every direction, then back at Shigeo. His wrinkled face drained of all color.
"You… you… you must know what's inside you, don't you?"
Before, when Shigeo had been calm, the abbot had glimpsed the shadow of the Nine-Tails in the water. But when the chakra flared, he could hardly believe what he was seeing.
"What is it, Master? What did you see?" Jiraiya asked urgently. He had stared so hard he hadn't even blinked, but still saw nothing.
The abbot seized Jiraiya's fingers, trembling. His mouth opened but then shut again. He looked at Shigeo—standing with eyes closed, a faint smile on his lips as if he already knew everything.
He knows… he knows it all.
"He… he…" The abbot shut his eyes tight, then waved his hands. "Go. Leave this place. Jiraiya, remember what I told you before. Don't ask me anything more. Just go!"
"Master Abbot, what beast does he hold within?" Jiraiya pressed. He had already guessed—Shigeo wasn't carrying scraps of chakra but a whole beast, maybe even more.
"Go!" the old man barked, rising to his feet and staggering toward the side door. But before leaving, he turned one last time.
There stood Shigeo, eyes gently closed, looking for all the world like a harmless boy. But the abbot knew the truth. Within that small body dwelled five tailed beasts.
Impossible. Impossible! How could such a person exist in this world? He was terrified. If Shigeo ever lost control, if he went berserk… he could destroy everything.
Outside, Jiraiya sent Shigeo down the mountain toward the town, while he himself returned to confront the abbot.
He barged into the abbot's quarters, only to find the old monk packing as though ready to flee.
Jiraiya seized his arm. "Master Tenyuan, tell me—what did you see?"
The abbot looked around in panic, making sure no one else was listening. At last, he leaned close and whispered:
"Your disciple… is a monster. A monster!"
Jiraiya froze. "What nonsense are you saying?"
"I speak no nonsense! Even a normal Jinchūriki, I could understand. But he… he holds five beasts inside him—Three-Tails, Four-Tails, Five-Tails, Six-Tails, and Nine-Tails. What else could such a being be but a monster? If he loses control, he will bring calamity to the entire shinobi world!"
The abbot shook his head, voice trembling. "When I read his bones, I sensed a destiny that defies heaven itself. Now I see it's true. He cannot be killed—you'll never succeed. A monster, a monster!"
Jiraiya's skin prickled, every hair standing on end. Back at Mount Myōboku, the Great Toad Sage had not said this—only that Shigeo carried the power of a beast. But five? How could that be?
He didn't even remember how he walked down the mountain or returned to the inn. That night, he watched Shigeo without sleeping once.
Could this boy truly be so terrifying?
Shigeo, of course, already guessed. He didn't mind. The abbot would tell Jiraiya, and Jiraiya would tell the Third Hokage. Whether Konoha chose to see him as friend or foe—he didn't care.
As long as he had the power to protect himself, he could sleep peacefully.
The next morning, he awoke to Jiraiya's forced grin.
"You're up. Come on, I'll take you to get something delicious."
He dragged Shigeo up and began dressing him.
"I can do it myself," Shigeo muttered, puzzled. Even his normally unfocused eyes carried a trace of curiosity.
(End of Chapter)
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