Chapter 8: The Sage's Concern

The Great Toad Sage, Gamamaru, sat in deep contemplation atop his ancient stone throne within the sacred halls of Mount Myōboku. The chamber was dimly lit, the glow of bioluminescent moss casting eerie greenish hues upon the massive carvings of past prophecies.

His heavy-lidded eyes, clouded yet all-seeing, stared into the swirling water of a scrying pool before him.

Something was changing.

For years, he had felt a presence—an anomaly in the natural order. At first, it was faint, like the ripples of a tadpole disturbing a still pond. But as time passed, it grew stronger.

Now, it had become impossible to ignore.

Someone—or something—was learning to wield Natural Energy.

And yet…

It was no ordinary being.

A low rumbling croak echoed through the chamber as Gamamaru called forth his most trusted messenger.

The toad attendant bowed deeply. "Jiraiya of the Sannin has arrived, Great Sage."

The massive doors creaked open, revealing the white-haired shinobi, his red haori slightly dusted from travel.

Jiraiya grinned. "Heh, you don't usually call for me unless it's important. What's the matter, old frog?"

Gamamaru exhaled deeply, his breath like the shifting wind before a storm. "Jiraiya… I have seen something troubling."

The Sannin raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. "Troubling? You mean about the Child of Prophecy?"

Gamamaru nodded slowly. "Yes… and no. I have felt another presence. A being born into this world that is neither man nor beast, yet holds great potential. It is learning the ways of nature, unknowingly walking the path of Sagehood."

Jiraiya frowned. "Another Sage?"

"No." Gamamaru's voice was grave. "It is not trained. It does not know what it is doing. And yet… it absorbs the Natural Energy around it instinctively. I have never seen such a thing."

Jiraiya crossed his arms. "So, you think this could be a problem?"

Gamamaru's eyes narrowed. "It may be a force that aids the Child of Prophecy… or it may be an enemy that opposes them."

Silence hung between them, heavy and uncertain.

After a long pause, Jiraiya sighed. "Alright, old frog, what do you want me to do?"

"You will find this anomaly," Gamamaru commanded. "If it is an ally, we must guide it. If it is an enemy, we must understand it."

Jiraiya smirked. "And where exactly am I supposed to look? The world is a big place."

Gamamaru raised a single, ancient finger. "I have seen only glimpses, but I can tell you this—it is young. A creature newly born into the world. It knows nothing of humans, and yet, it has already begun to surpass them in its ability to wield Nature Energy."

Jiraiya's smirk faded.

That was not normal.

Even for gifted shinobi, Sage Mode took years of disciplined training. To instinctively absorb Nature Energy without training? That shouldn't be possible.

The fact that this being was doing it without even realizing it…

Jiraiya rubbed his chin. "Alright. You've got my attention."

Gamamaru's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "Good. Because you must find it before someone else does."

Jiraiya's expression darkened. "You think someone might already be looking for it?"

The Great Toad Sage did not answer immediately. He merely closed his eyes, as if listening to something distant and unseen.

And then, in a low voice, he murmured:

"The winds of fate are shifting. The presence I feel is hidden, isolated… but for how long? A power like this cannot remain unnoticed forever."

Jiraiya felt a shiver crawl down his spine.

Whatever this thing was—whoever it was—it was important.

And if the wrong people found it first…

It could change everything.

Jiraiya adjusted the forehead protector on his head as he stepped out of Mount Myōboku, the scent of damp moss and ancient stone fading as he re-entered the mortal world. The Sannin let out a deep breath, cracking his neck before setting off at a steady pace.

This mission was unlike any other.

He had searched for dangerous shinobi, rogue ninjas, and even prophecies before, but this?

He wasn't even sure what he was looking for.

A creature that wasn't quite human, wasn't quite beast, but could instinctively wield Natural Energy? That sounded like something out of an old legend, not reality.

But Gamamaru's words weren't to be taken lightly. If the Great Toad Sage was concerned, then so was he.

Jiraiya's first stop was the Hidden Leaf Village.

If anything strange had been reported—sightings of a mysterious animal, unexplained natural phenomena, or any rumors involving Nature Energy—this was the best place to start.

But after two days of discreetly gathering information, all he got was nothing.

No rumors of strange beasts. No reports of anomalies in chakra flow. No odd disappearances of ninja.

Just the usual village business.

This thing wasn't in Konoha.

That meant widening the search.

And so, Jiraiya moved through the ninja world, visiting hidden villages, listening to the whispers of informants, and scouring the wilderness for any clue.

In the Hidden Mist, he overheard fishermen telling tales of a "ghostly presence" in the deep forests, but when he investigated, it turned out to be nothing but wild animals.

In the Hidden Cloud, he asked the Raikage if any reports of powerful chakra signatures had surfaced in remote areas. Nothing unusual.

In the Hidden Sand, he met a caravan leader who claimed to have seen "an invisible hunter" near an oasis—but that was just a well-camouflaged desert predator.

The weeks stretched on, and frustration started to creep in.

Whatever this anomaly was, it was either exceptionally well-hidden, or it wasn't in human territory at all.

And that…

That was concerning.

If it wasn't near any villages, if no one had found it yet, then it was growing stronger in isolation.

And Jiraiya had no idea what it was growing into.

Letting out a sigh, he adjusted his pack and turned his attention to the final option—

The untamed wilderness.

If the being he was searching for wasn't in the villages or among people, then that only left the deep forests, the mountain ranges, and the unexplored lands that few shinobi dared to venture into.

And that meant…

Jiraiya's work was just beginning.