At the training ground, Jiraiya steadied his breathing and gathered the chakra within his body. His hands moved quickly through the seals—Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Ram.
A burst of white smoke exploded around him.
In the next instant, he vanished.
"…Did it work?"
Uchiha Ren watched closely from the side, a flicker of anticipation crossing his face. After all the time he had spent personally guiding Jiraiya's training, it had finally succeeded.
Normally, a summoning requires a prior contract with a summoning beast. Without one, the results became unpredictable—nothing might happen, or the caster might be sent to a random location, or even be pulled toward a creature capable of sensing the technique.
Ren had prepared safeguards for this. He had ensured that Orochimaru signed a contract with the ninja cats to avoid accidents. But for Jiraiya… this was a gamble.
The world's timeline had already been disrupted beyond recognition. The Senju Clan would not decline under his rule, meaning the cycle of reincarnation tied to Asura's chakra would no longer unfold the same way. Whether Jiraiya would still become what destiny once intended was uncertain.
So Ren chose to bet on one thing—Jiraiya's luck.
A moment later, a figure fell from the sky with a dull thud.
"Ah—! My butt!"
Jiraiya hit the ground hard, clutching himself in pain. Not far away, a toad and a massive snake were locked in a tense standoff. Both paused, startled by his sudden arrival.
The snake's gaze quickly turned greedy.
"Perfect. Lunch just arrived."
It lunged toward Jiraiya without hesitation.
Jiraiya reacted instinctively, rolling aside before grabbing its tail and hurling it away.
"…Did that snake just talk?"
"And you're one to talk."
The toad nearby eyed him curiously. "A human child… and you made it to Mount Myoboku?"
"…Mount Myoboku?"
Jiraiya blinked. The name sounded familiar—Ren had mentioned it before.
"You've finally appeared… the child foretold by prophecy."
An elderly toad appeared seemingly out of nowhere—Fukasaku.
"Prophecy?" Jiraiya crossed his arms, clearly skeptical. Ren had told him before that no one could truly predict the future. If the prophecy sounded good, maybe it was worth hearing. If not, it was probably nonsense.
"Come with me," Fukasaku said simply.
Jiraiya followed, passing through the outer regions of Mount Myoboku. Countless toads filled the surroundings, each capable of speech. It was a bizarre and overwhelming sight.
Soon, they arrived at a vast palace. Inside, a colossal toad lay sprawled across a stone platform, fast asleep—the Great Toad Sage.
"Great Sage! Wake up! The human child has arrived!"
"…That won't work," muttered Shima, pulling out a gong.
A loud clang echoed through the hall.
The Great Toad Sage stirred slightly. "Is it time to eat?"
"No! The child from your prophecy is here!"
"…Which prophecy?"
"…."
Silence fell.
"…Ah. I remember."
The Great Toad Sage's eyes slowly cleared. "The future… has changed."
Jiraiya frowned.
"The Hokage of Konoha has altered the course of fate. The world that once was… no longer exists as it did."
He paused, searching his memory.
"I saw… towering wooden constructs. Giant Asura-like figures clashing in battle. And… something descending from beyond the sky."
"That's it?" Jiraiya said, unimpressed. "And what about me? Wasn't I part of this prophecy?"
"…You?"
The Great Toad Sage squinted at him.
"…Ah."
"Your destiny… has disappeared."
"…What?"
"You will likely become… cannon fodder."
Jiraiya froze.
"…What did you just say?!"
His composure shattered instantly. "I'm not becoming cannon fodder! I'll become a great ninja! I'll win Tsunade's heart—and—"
He paused briefly, then added with less certainty, "…maybe a few other girls too."
Outside the palace, Orochimaru frowned slightly. "Do you think he's alright?"
"He'll be fine," said Tsunade, crossing her arms. "That idiot's tougher than he looks."
"…That's true."
Orochimaru glanced at her fists. Jiraiya had survived plenty of those already.
Ren, meanwhile, remained calm. "Let's wait."
If his gamble had succeeded, Jiraiya would form a contract with Mount Myoboku and begin walking the path toward Sage Mode. If not…
Then it would depend entirely on his luck.
Moments later, a familiar puff of smoke appeared at the training ground.
Ren's eyes sharpened.
Jiraiya stepped out, grinning widely. "Hokage-sama! I'm back!"
Beside him stood Fukasaku and Shima.
Ren immediately recognized them.
Success.
Fukasaku stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Hokage of Konoha, the Great Toad Sage requests your presence. He wishes to meet the one who has changed the future of the ninja world."
Shima added, "You are the new Child of Destiny."
Ren paused for a brief moment, then let out a quiet breath.
So that was how it was.
The future had shifted. The original path—where everything revolved around a predetermined cycle—had been broken.
Now, the course of the ninja world was no longer bound by fate.
And standing at its center—
Was him.
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