The Great Toad Sage didn't seem to notice Shinichi's brief distraction. His ancient eyes stayed unfocused, still drifting through the remnants of his dream.
"That dream…" he said slowly, his voice low and heavy. "It was too terrifying. So terrifying… that I didn't even tell little Jiraiya."
Shinichi narrowed his eyes, interest flickering within them. "You might as well say it clearly."
The Great Toad Sage slowly drew his wandering gaze back and fixed it on Shinichi. His massive body straightened as he sat upright, his tone turning solemn.
"If…" he began, pausing for a moment. "If the Ōtsutsuki clan can be called a clan of gods…"
His enormous pupils reflected Shinichi's figure.
"Then there is no doubt… Shinichi… in the end, you also became a god."
Shinichi froze where he stood.
His expression didn't change, but his eyes went blank for just a second.
'A god…?'
The word echoed in his mind.
What did it really mean to become a god? Would he become something like the Ōtsutsuki? One question after another surfaced, piling up in his thoughts.
After a long pause, his eyes slowly regained focus.
He looked up at the Great Toad Sage on the high platform. "Since you say I became a god… how did I actually achieve it?"
The Great Toad Sage slowly shook his head, a trace of helplessness in his eyes. "I don't know. My dreams are not all-seeing. They aren't complete or perfectly clear. I only saw scattered fragments...not the full beginning or the end."
He let out a heavy breath. "What I saw was the final scene. You were standing there, giving off the same aura as the Ōtsutsuki. You had the same traits as them. But the process… the path… the method… the dream showed me none of that."
Shinichi fell silent.
He knew the Great Toad Sage wasn't lying. It made sense...prophetic dreams wouldn't show every detail.
His thoughts started turning again.
'To reach the level of an Ōtsutsuki… to surpass the Sage of Six Paths… what methods are even possible?'
There was only one known path...becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.
Another possibility was planting a God Tree. But in the current state of the ninja world, how could that even happen?
'I can't rely on Wood Release alone… can I?'
Yes, Wood Release could absorb Tailed Beast chakra. It could even cause mutations like Magnet Release. But that was its current limit.
Relying on that alone to reach godhood was clearly not enough.
He let out a quiet, self-mocking thought.
'Looks like leaving the village to hunt the Tailed Beasts was the right choice.'
Whether it was to test how Wood Release evolved after absorbing their chakra… or to move one step closer to that final goal.
As his thoughts settled, a clear plan formed in his mind.
'The Akatsuki need the Tailed Beasts… and so do I. Perfect. I can use them to achieve my goals...and keep my true intentions hidden.'
The last trace of hesitation disappeared from his eyes, replaced by calm certainty. He looked at the Great Toad Sage and nodded.
"I understand. Thank you for telling me. This helps a lot."
The Great Toad Sage studied him carefully. A hint of realization flashed through his ancient eyes. "It seems the you of today has already made some… extraordinary plans."
Shinichi didn't deny it.
"It can't be helped," he said calmly. "The ninja world is too small. It's not enough to keep me here. After learning about the Ōtsutsuki clan, my ambitions have already changed."
"They go far beyond Konoha… beyond the Five Great Nations… even beyond this world."
A faint light flickered deep in his eyes.
"My goal… is the sea of stars."
Meanwhile, outside the hall...
Jiraiya stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the thick stalk of a giant mushroom. He tilted his head back, staring blankly into the perpetually misty sky of Mount Myōboku.
"I just don't understand..."
He had brought Shinichi here thinking the Great Toad Sage only wanted to give the kid a warning...maybe about the enemies he would face in the future, or the fate awaiting the Child of Prophecy.
Jiraiya had even kept the details to himself on purpose. He wanted to sit back and enjoy it. For once, he wanted to see this always-calm kid lose his composure. Maybe panic a little. At the very least, show some normal reaction after being told he might have to fight a god-like enemy.
But things didn't go the way he imagined.
The moment Shinichi began speaking with the Great Toad Sage, the atmosphere completely changed. The Sage, who was usually half-asleep, became unusually clear-headed and serious. As for Shinichi—his expression didn't change at all.
It was obvious now. This meeting was anything but simple.
Jiraiya slowly lowered his arms and let out a long breath. A bitter smile spread across his face.
"Seriously…" he muttered. "I just wanted to see what kind of expression the kid would make after hearing all that. And in the end? I didn't even get to stay in the room. Forget seeing him panic—I'm the one getting shocked instead."
He stared at the massive doors, his expression complicated.
'I really don't get it… you've lived in Konoha your whole life. So how do you know things from a thousand years ago?'
It was something Jiraiya simply couldn't figure out. He had spent decades traveling across the shinobi world, gathering information wherever he went. And yet Shinichi...a kid who had barely left the village...somehow knew more than he did.
Hearing him mutter, Fukasaku glanced over but said nothing.
Shima, on the other hand, clicked her tongue with a grin. "Pa, looks like little Jiraiya's plan completely backfired."
The corner of Jiraiya's mouth twitched, his helpless smile growing deeper. This wasn't just a failed plan...it felt like he was the only one left in the dark. He had been piecing things together bit by bit, only to realize the entire board had already been replaced.
For someone who valued information above all else, that kind of uncertainty was unbearable. The curiosity gnawed at him like claws.
"By the way…" Jiraiya said, unable to hold back as he looked at Fukasaku and Shima. "Are there any records in Mount Myōboku about this? Did the Great Toad Sage really have ties with the Sage of Six Paths?"
Fukasaku shook his head. "That was far too long ago. Even by the time we were born, it was already just legend. The Great Toad Sage rarely speaks about those events. What we know are only fragments passed down over generations. The details are long lost."
Shima nodded. "The Great Toad Sage spends most of his time asleep. Being able to meet him like this is already incredibly rare."
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