Chapter 42: Menma’s Sarcasm, Jiraiya’s Doubts

After Uchiha Obito's explanation, Hatake Kakashi barely grasped the concept of the Imperial Law and Imperial Court.

"No way... you guys actually have something like that here?!" Kakashi was shocked.

Obito raised an eyebrow. "Of course. How else do you handle disputes and governance in your village?"

Kakashi hesitated. "Well... Konoha has its own regulations. As for law enforcement… it's usually handled by the Hokage, right?"

"How exactly does that work?" Obito pressed. "For instance, take your father's situation—the White Fang incident. How did your Hokage deal with it?"

Kakashi fell silent. He had been only seven at the time. How could he possibly understand the politics behind it?

"…Speaking of which," Kakashi said, his voice darkening, "there's something I've always wondered about my father's case."

Obito watched him closely as Kakashi continued, his jaw tightening.

"Shimura Danzō—that old bastard—sent his men to spread rumors about my father, slandering his name throughout the village. But what I want to know is—did the Third Hokage have a hand in it?"

Did Hiruzen Sarutobi, the so-called wise and benevolent leader, play a role in his father's downfall? Did he allow it to happen through negligence, or was he complicit?

"This should have been addressed immediately by the Hokage," Senju Hashirama said, his tone grim. "Even if he wasn't directly involved, he should have at least noticed and taken steps to clear your father's name."

Hashirama turned his gaze toward Konoha, his eyes dark and full of disappointment.

"Don't let me down, little monkey…" he muttered.

Meanwhile, elsewhere—

"You?!" Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the young man before him. A thin layer of white fluid faded from the boy's face, revealing—

Not Naruto.

As the transformation dissipated, the spiky blond hair became sharper, more closely resembling Minato's. The once-round face thinned out, revealing more defined features. Most notably, the signature whisker marks on his cheeks vanished.

Beside him, Kakashi—clad in a White Zetsu disguise—also removed his transformation, revealing an appearance distinctly different from the Kakashi Jiraiya knew.

Jiraiya's heart pounded. "Who the hell are you?"

The resemblance was uncanny, but it was clear now—these weren't the Naruto and Kakashi he knew.

Menma ignored Jiraiya for the moment and turned to the trembling samurai nearby. "Go back to Gato. He'll still take you in."

The samurai, barely able to breathe, nodded frantically.

"If you try to run…" Menma's tone darkened. "Well, you know the consequences."

The man paled and ran off immediately, not daring to look back.

Jiraiya clenched his fists. He had seen it with his own eyes. The kid who looked like Naruto had crushed a bridge with a single step. He was no ordinary shinobi.

Menma finally turned his attention back to Jiraiya.

"Let's talk somewhere private, shall we?" Kakashi said, gesturing toward a secluded area.

Jiraiya hesitated for a moment before nodding. He had no choice but to play along for now.

Once they were alone, Menma smiled.

"Let's introduce ourselves properly. I am Namikaze Menma, and this is Hatake Kakashi. We're from another world—one very different from yours."

Another world?

Jiraiya frowned. A parallel ninja world? A different timeline?

It sounded ridiculous, yet he couldn't deny what he had just witnessed.

"What do you want?" Jiraiya asked, his tone wary. "And more importantly, what have you done to our Naruto and Kakashi?"

Menma smirked. "Oh, they're fine. You don't have to worry about them—for now."

Jiraiya didn't like the sound of that.

Menma continued, "As for our intentions… well, that depends on your world's actions. If things go well, maybe our empire won't invade your ninja world."

Jiraiya's eyes widened. Invade the ninja world?

A cold sweat ran down his back. He had feared as much. These two weren't here for sightseeing.

His body tensed as he prepared himself for a fight, but he knew that wouldn't be the smart move—not yet. He needed to learn more first.

Menma suddenly tilted his head. "Actually, I have a question for you first."

Jiraiya didn't respond, just watched him carefully.

"I'm very interested in Mount Myōboku's prophecy about the 'Child of Prophecy.' Could you tell me exactly what the Great Toad Sage predicted?"

Jiraiya's jaw tightened.

This brat… was he trying to threaten him?

Menma leaned forward, eyes sharp. "I'd suggest you answer honestly. If not, we can always extract the information directly from your mind."

Jiraiya's stomach twisted.

This kid—no, this thing—was dangerous.

Menma might be a version of Naruto from another world, but his attitude, his words… they were nothing like the Naruto Jiraiya knew.

Still, Jiraiya remained composed. If he tried to escape or fight now, he'd lose any chance of gathering intel on these intruders.

So he played along.

"The prophecy…" Jiraiya began.

He repeated everything the Great Toad Sage had once told him.

Long ago, the Great Toad Sage had foretold his arrival. Later, when Jiraiya trained at Mount Myōboku, another prophecy emerged: he would one day take on a student who would either bring great peace to the ninja world or its total destruction.

And at a critical moment, Jiraiya himself would have to make a choice—to guide that student down the right path.

Menma listened in silence, expression unreadable.

Then, suddenly, he raised his wrist and tapped at a strange device.

A green virtual screen appeared beside his head, flickering with numbers.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. Some kind of scanner?

Menma studied the display. "Your combat power is… 3000."

Jiraiya blinked. What?

Menma nodded. "Not bad. And there's still some hidden power in you, right? That Mount Myōboku Sage Mode of yours? If I include that… your combat power should be a bit higher."

He smirked. "But honestly? Compared to something as big as 'saving the ninja world' or 'guiding the Child of Prophecy,' your strength is pretty mediocre."

Jiraiya's hands curled into fists.

"Tell me something, Jiraiya," Menma continued, voice dripping with mockery. "What exactly made you think you were fit to guide the Child of Prophecy? You're just a second-rate fighter, barely scraping by with borrowed power."

Jiraiya felt his heart pound with anger.

This brat…

Who the hell did he think he was?

Before he could respond, Menma turned away, already losing interest. "Well, it doesn't matter. Soon enough, we'll see just how much influence you really have."

Jiraiya gritted his teeth. He had to stay calm. He had to get more information.

But deep down, a seed of doubt was planted.

Had he ever really been strong enough to guide Naruto?

Or had it all been blind luck?

Menma smirked one last time. "You'd better hope your Naruto lives up to that prophecy, old man. Otherwise, your ninja world might not last much longer."

And with that, the conversation ended.

Jiraiya had never felt so uneasy in his life.

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