Hooking Up Two Giant Eyeballs
However, Jiraiya was still Jiraiya.
Despondency and despair might seize him for a moment, but the resilience ingrained in him as one of Konoha's legendary Sannin—and his instinct to protect the village and the shinobi world—would never allow him to sink into defeat and simply wait for death.
The Great Toad Sage had already fallen back asleep, and Jiraiya had no way of extracting any further information.
"Jiraiya, take it easy. Don't put too much pressure on yourself," Fukasaku said, shaking his head. "Since it hasn't happened yet, there's still a chance to change it."
The shock and confusion in Jiraiya's eyes gradually faded. Light returned to them, sharp and resolute—though behind that light lay an abyss of worry.
"Lord Fukasaku," Jiraiya said, his voice still hoarse but now edged with unshakable resolve, "you're right. I have to take the Great Toad Sage words seriously."
"But… I absolutely refuse to do nothing and just sit here waiting for the prophesied end to arrive! Even if… even if it turns out to be futile, I'll fight until the very last moment!"
All the chaos in his thoughts coalesced into a single, purer determination—action.
No matter who the enemy was, no matter how slim the hope, he would act. Struggle. Try to change it.
Fukasaku watched as Jiraiya straightened his back once more, fire rekindled in his eyes. A trace of relief appeared on the aged toad's face.
"It's good that you're thinking this way, Jiraiya. Relax—don't shoulder everything alone. A prophecy is a prophecy precisely because it hasn't happened yet."
He raised one webbed hand, pointing upward at the stone ceiling, as though toward the invisible river of time.
"The future is full of variables. What the Great Lord sees is only one 'trajectory' among countless possibilities—simply the one with the highest probability."
"But even the smallest disturbance can alter that trajectory. Like a stone in a river changing the flow of water."
Jiraiya's spirits lifted abruptly.
"You're right! The future… can be changed!" His voice rose with emotion. "Ever since that mysterious sky screen appeared, haven't things already begun to shift?!"
That sky screen—the greatest variable of all—had already thrown the original future into chaos.
If so, why couldn't the catastrophic future foreseen by the Great Toad Sage be altered as well?
Fukasaku nodded in agreement. "Exactly. The sky screen itself is an unprecedented variable."
"It revealed hidden truths and fragments of the future ahead of time. That alone has broken the original chain of cause and effect."
"So, Jiraiya, don't be frightened by prophecy. Prophecy reveals crisis precisely so we have a chance to prevent it."
With Fukasaku's affirmation, much of the gloom in Jiraiya's heart dissipated, replaced by urgency—and a burning need for information.
He needed intelligence. He needed to understand the enemy. He needed to know where to begin.
"Lord Fukasaku," Jiraiya steadied himself and voiced one of his biggest questions, "regarding Asura and Indra… the Great Toad Sage seemed to know something. Do you recognize those names? Or are there any records of them in Mount Myōboku's ancient traditions?"
Fukasaku frowned and pondered for a moment before shaking his head.
"Asura… Indra… Those names are unfamiliar. At least in my memory and in Mount Myōboku's commonly passed-down teachings, there are no records of them."
Seeing Jiraiya's disappointment, he added, "However, the Great Lord has lived for over a thousand years. His knowledge far surpasses ours. Once his condition stabilizes and he regains clarity, I'll try asking him. Perhaps he can provide some clues."
"That would be a great help! Thank you!" Jiraiya said quickly, then thought of another crucial point. "Also… have you or the Great Toad Sage ever heard of titles like 'Demon God' or 'Seven Warlords Under the King'?"
Fukasaku shook his head again, his expression grave.
"No. Jiraiya… those beings may be far more terrifying than we imagine."
"I understand." Jiraiya nodded heavily. "Lord Fukasaku, I'll leave the Great Toad Sage injuries in your and Lady Shima's care. If there's any new information about Asura, Indra, the so-called Demon God, or that 'fisherman,' please inform me immediately."
"I will," Fukasaku promised solemnly.
Jiraiya cast one last look at the unconscious Great Toad Sage, whose brows were still tightly knit in pain. Taking a deep breath, he turned and left the stone chamber.
His steps were firmer than when he had arrived. Though the road ahead was shrouded in mist and fraught with danger, at least he now had a direction.
Investigate. Prepare. Unite every possible force.
To change that dreadful future—fight to the very end.
His experience at Mount Myōboku had not crushed him. Instead, it was like tempering steel in fire, burning away confusion and weakness, leaving behind only the hardest, purest resolve.
Whether the enemy was a Demon God, one of the Seven Warlords, a world-destroying Naruto, or that indescribable being "fishing" by the lake—
He, Jiraiya of the Sannin, guide of the Child of Prophecy, would never retreat.
Inside his personal dimensional space, Yin An stared at the two giant eyeballs floating before him, deep in thought.
He had only cast his fishing line once—so how had he ended up hooking two enormous eyeballs out of the lake? Since when did lakes contain things like this?
"Forget it. No point thinking about it."
With a casual flick of his rod, Yin An sent the two giant eyeballs flying toward a big yellow dog nearby.
They looked plump enough. Might as well feed the dog.
The dog's eyes lit up. It opened its jaws wide and caught them with perfect accuracy. Crunch, crunch. Like chewing two oversized, springy jellybeans, it swallowed the eyeballs whole and let out a satisfied burp.
"Think of it as a supplement. Good for your eyesight," Yin An said offhandedly, putting away the fishing rod.
With the interruption, he lost interest in fishing.
He reached out and began absentmindedly stroking a large tabby cat.
The cat purred contentedly, rolling onto its back to expose its fluffy belly.
With his other hand, Yin An casually traced a line through the air. A phantom book materialized out of nowhere, dense with countless shimmering words, floating before him.
"Let's read a novel to pass the time."
He flipped it open and began reading with relish.
"Not bad, not bad," he muttered, nodding with a pleased smile. "A rare Naruto fanfiction I can actually enjoy."
"Sure, it's completely messed up… but I like it."
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