Chapter 257: A Blessed Morning

The winter sun's warm rays streamed through the window, illuminating the room.

Shinho let out a contented sigh.

He opened his eyes.

Snowy peaks flanked him on both sides, though of different heights.

Tsunade lay beside him, her hands resting on her waist, radiating an air of satisfaction.

Shizune, on the other hand, was curled up in his embrace, her face weary.

Although Tsunade had borne most of the "firepower," Shizune's stamina was lacking, so she had surrendered early.

"Shizune-nee," Shinho whispered, turning toward her.

She clung to him like an octopus, her arms tightly wrapped around his torso.

The two were completely pressed together.

"Hmm?"

Shizune's lashes fluttered as she slowly awoke.

"I need to head to the Hokage's office," Shinho said, gently stroking her soft cheek, "You can sleep a little longer."

Shizune nodded and closed her eyes again.

"You need to let go of me first, though," Shinho chuckled helplessly.

Realizing what he meant, Shizune shifted her body and reluctantly loosened her hold, inching backward.

"What about you, Sensei?" Shinho leaned forward and buried his face in Tsunade's embrace.

"Tired. I need more sleep," Tsunade mumbled groggily as she placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "It's all your fault, you brat."

Without her Yin Seal, the "battle" had lasted the entire morning, leaving her too drained to lift even a finger.

Shinho couldn't help but grin.

He licked his lips, then got up and left the room.

Standing by the bed, his smile deepened.

Two beauties, one mature, one delicate, lay there, entirely exposed for his eyes alone.

Life couldn't get any better.

After washing up and changing his clothes, Shinho headed toward the Hokage's office.

…

"Shinho!"

A familiar voice called out, causing Shinho to stop in his tracks.

Jiraiya, wearing a cheerful expression, walked toward him.

"Good morning," Shinho greeted him, catching a faint whiff of alcohol.

"Morning?" Jiraiya shook his head, "Are you drunk? It's already noon."

"Then, good afternoon," Shinho corrected himself with a grin.

Considering how chaotic his "sparring session" with Tsunade and Shizune had been, he'd completely lost track of time.

"What can I do for you, Uncle Jiraiya?" Shinho asked, his mood still pleasant.

"Is war unavoidable?" Jiraiya's expression suddenly became grave.

"The Akatsuki and Kumogakure are pressing us hard. Konoha has no choice but to respond," Shinho replied, shaking his head.

"Peace really does feel like an unreachable dream," Jiraiya sighed.

"It's not entirely out of reach," Shinho countered, "Once Konoha wins, there won't be any more wars."

Jiraiya was momentarily stunned.

He'd spent enough time in the village to notice the sweeping changes taking place.

Everything was progressing beyond his expectations.

For now, at least, things seemed to be improving.

If Konoha triumphs, and the entire Shinobi world undergoes similar reforms, maybe... just maybe... there could be peace.

Could it be that Shinho was truly the prophesied child of destiny?

But if that were the case, wouldn't that conflict with the Great Toad Sage's prophecy?

"Victory won't come easily," Jiraiya murmured.

"It's would definitely be challenging," Shinho admitted, "but there's hope."

"I think I should return to Mount Myoboku and consult with the Great Elder," Jiraiya said after some thought.

"The Great Toad Sage?" Shinho raised an eyebrow, "I've heard he can predict the future."

Shinho had to admit, Jiraiya's dedication to Konoha was admirable.

Still, whether Mount Myoboku or the village ranked first in Jiraiya's heart was debatable.

"That's right," Jiraiya said proudly. "The Great Elder's prophecies have never been wrong."

"Can he predict the outcome of the war?" Shinho asked, his curiosity piqued.

In the original story, the Great Toad Sage's predictions seemed more like passive visions rather than something actively foreseen.

"It should be possible," Jiraiya replied, though he sounded unsure.

"Well then, I'll leave it to you," Shinho said with a smile.

He was genuinely intrigued by what the Great Toad Sage might foresee.

What could it predict about the future?

"It's no trouble at all," Jiraiya said, waving his hand. "After all, I'm a shinobi of Konoha."

"Is there anything else?" Shinho asked.

"Is Tsunade home?" Jiraiya suddenly asked.

"No," Shinho replied, "She left early in the morning. I'd guess she went to the gambling hall."

"Tsunade hasn't changed a bit, huh?" Jiraiya said wistfully, "I'll speak with her another time. For now, I'll head straight to Mount Myoboku."

Biting his thumb, Jiraiya pressed his hand to the ground.

Summoning Technique!

With a puff of smoke, Jiraiya disappeared.

…

At Mount Myoboku, deep within the misty mountains.

"Little Jiraiya," Fukasaku Sage greeted him, "What brings you back here?"

"It's about Konoha," Jiraiya began, recounting the rise of the Anti-Konoha Alliance.

"The Shinobi world is undergoing such drastic changes?" Fukasaku Sage's face was filled with astonishment.

"That's right," Jiraiya sighed, "No one expected this."

The Akatsuki's sudden emergence had already taken him by surprise.

But their meteoric rise was followed by an equally rapid fall, like a shooting star streaking across the sky.

Just when he thought the Akatsuki had met their end, they formed the so-called Anti-Konoha Alliance.

They even roped in the shinobi villages of Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure.

Although their justification was that Konoha had harmed the Fire Daimyo, Jiraiya knew the real reason was that Konoha had grown too strong, causing the other villages to become wary.

In truth, they had long coveted Konoha's power, and with the Akatsuki as their mediator, their alliance came together seamlessly.

"We should see the Great Elder," Fukasaku Sage said solemnly, "This battle will determine the future of the shinobi world. The Great Elder may have foreseen something."

"Agreed." Jiraiya exhaled a breath of relief.

The two made their way down the mountain path to the temple deep within Mount Myoboku.

The Great Toad Sage sat on the high platform as always, his eyes half-closed as though he were napping.

"Great Elder!" Fukasaku Sage shouted.

"Who...?" The Great Toad Sage slowly opened his eyes, "Oh, it's little Jiraiya."

Jiraiya was startled.

The Great Elder didn't play the usual "Who goes there?" routine today?

"You've come at just the right time," the Great Toad Sage said unhurriedly, "There has been a change in the prophecy."

"Is it related to Konoha?" Jiraiya's heart trembled, and he couldn't help but ask.

"No." The Great Toad Sage shook his head. "It concerns the Child of Prophecy."

"The Child of Prophecy?" Jiraiya thought of Shinho and asked, "Has the identity of the Child of Prophecy changed?"

"It hasn't." The Great Toad Sage gazed at him and said, "There is simply an addition: under the leadership of the Child of Prophecy, the shinobi world will usher in peace."

Jiraiya frowned slightly.

Compared to the previous prophecy, the key addition was the word leadership.

If Shinho were his student, Jiraiya could almost confirm that he was the Child of Prophecy.

But without a mentor-student bond, how could there be leadership?

The role of Hokage fit this condition perfectly.

The issue was that Shinho wasn't his disciple.

"Great Elder," Jiraiya hesitated before asking, "Must the Child of Prophecy be my student?"

"Naturally," the Great Toad Sage affirmed.

Jiraiya fell silent.

Since that aspect of the prophecy hadn't changed, it meant that Shinho wasn't the Child of Prophecy.

Could it be Nagato?

Jiraiya's eyes lit up.

After his defeat, Nagato had joined Konoha.

Once his legs were healed, he'd regain full control of the Rinnegan, making him even stronger.

With the impending outbreak of war, perhaps the one to shift the tides wasn't Shinho, but Nagato.

The more Jiraiya pondered, the more plausible it seemed.

"Little Jiraiya," the Great Toad Sage spoke again, "Have you found the Fourth Great Sanctuary?"

"No, not yet..." Jiraiya said apologetically.

"Time is of the essence." The Great Toad Sage remained quiet for a moment before continuing. "I sense the danger is drawing near."

"Understood!" Jiraiya nodded earnestly, "I'll find it, no matter what!"

"Is there anything else?" The Great Toad Sage changed the subject.

"I wanted to know if Konoha will emerge victorious in the upcoming war," Jiraiya explained, describing the current state of the shinobi world.

"This is unexpected," the Great Toad Sage said slowly, "But prophecy comes through dreams. If I do not dream of it, I cannot know the outcome."

"I see..." Jiraiya's heart grew heavier.

Though both Shinho and Nagato were incredibly powerful, the Anti-Konoha Alliance outnumbered them by three or four times.

The outcome of the war was uncertain.

"Do not worry." The Great Toad Sage glanced at him, "Mount Myoboku will do its best to support Konoha."

"Thank you, Great Elder!" Jiraiya said gratefully.

…

Hokage's Office.

Shinho let out a yawn and set down the document he was holding.

Not far away, Ichikishima-hime sat on the couch, her white-stockinged legs swinging back and forth.

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.

Ichikishima-hime leaped to her feet, her bare feet with silk stockings tapping lightly on the floor.

Instead of returning to the tattoo mark on Shinho's arm, she dashed into the lounge behind the bookshelf.

The door opened.

The sound of high heels echoed across the floor.

It wasn't Shizune.

If it were her, the sound would have been softer.

"Hokage-sama."

Konan halted a few steps inside.

"Are you adjusting well to the new job?" Shinho's gaze drifted upward, brushing past her black-stockinged thighs.

Konan nodded expressionlessly.

"Is there something you need?" Shinho didn't mind her cold demeanor.

He liked that icy aura.

If everyone around him was as compliant and devoted as Ichikishima-hime, things would lose their meaning.

"Shizune didn't come to the office today," Konan said, her tone indifferent.

Yesterday, Shizune had only familiarized her with the environment but hadn't gone into much detail about her duties.

They had agreed to go over things today, yet the morning had passed, and Shizune was nowhere to be seen.

Konan even wondered if something had happened to her.

"She'll be here soon," Shinho replied, feeling a bit awkward.

After all, the reason for Shizune's tardiness was entirely his fault.

Hearing this, Knoan nodded an shifted the topic, "Can I ask when Nagato's treatment will begin?"

"Here's the plan," Shinho said after a moment of thought, "Tomorrow, you can take him to Department of Scientific Reasearch."

"Department of Scientific Reasearch?" Konan tilted her head slightly, her voice tinged with doubt.

Shouldn't the treatment for his legs take place at the ninja hospital?