Chapter 392: The Prophecy of Yotsuki Dana
The Great Toad Sage spoke slowly. "The blue-eyed boy... regarding that specific prophecy, I haven't dreamed of anything that directly contradicts it yet. You see, prophecy doesn't work by some entity telling me an old vision has failed. Instead, I see new images. When they conflict with the past, I know that the future has shifted..."
The Great Toad Sage reached behind his massive throne and fished out a bottle of sake, then produced a cup from seemingly nowhere.
He filled the cup with a premium brew unique to Mount Myoboku and placed it before the ethereal phantom of the Sage of Six Paths.
"I cannot drink it," Hagoromo noted.
"I know. But only by doing this can I drink it in peace..."
As expected, Shima-sennin barked from the side, "Great Toad Sage! You shouldn't be drinking anymore!"
"Forgive me, Little Shima, but an old friend has come to visit."
Shima-sennin huffed but held her tongue.
The Great Toad Sage took a large gulp directly from the massive bottle. He smacked his lips, savoring the liquid, before his deep, ancient voice filled the hall again.
"In truth, over the last thousand years, I have received many prophecies. Many were linked to the one we just discussed."
The night at Mount Myoboku was noisier than most places, filled with the incessant chirping of insects and the deep croaking of toads.
"After your death, I dreamed of the battle between Ashura and Indra. The vision was fleeting, but the battle was horrific. The ninja world was turned upside down. It was then I realized that the era of the blue-eyed boy was still far off—and peace even further."
"Later, I dreamed of a world plunged into centuries of warring states. Shinobi slaughtered one another in an endless cycle of hatred and revenge. Again, I confirmed: the era of the boy and his peace remained a distant dream."
"Seventy years ago, I dreamed that the Warring States period would end at the hands of two destined rivals. I later learned they were the transmigrators of Ashura and Indra (Hashirama and Madara). Sadly, though the era ended, the wars did not. In fact, they grew larger. The era of the blue-eyed boy had still not arrived."
"Thirty years ago, I dreamed of a white-haired man who would become the mentor to the Child of Prophecy. I began to suspect that this 'Child' was the blue-eyed boy. To avoid interfering with destiny, I never told the white-haired man about the boy specifically; I only told him that the Savior would be among his disciples..."
Hagoromo recalled the memories within Jiraiya's soul and nodded. "I see... but the mentor of the Child of Prophecy is dead. Is this 'resurrection' of his body also part of the prophecy?"
The Great Toad Sage shook his head. "No... Based on the dreams I've had since then, I don't believe so."
The Sage's massive eyes drifted toward the night sky, lost in thought.
"About twenty years ago... I dreamed of a unique existence being born into this world. He possessed innate wisdom and carried the power of lightning within him. He was destined to change the world long before the Child of Prophecy could even draw breath. It was this vision that made me wonder if the original prophecy had been voided... but I couldn't be sure. I didn't even know if this being had been born yet or was still to come."
"Ten years later, the visions returned. I saw him as a majestic man. The entire ninja world lay prostrate at his feet. Countless people surrounded him, worshipping him... Gigantic creations filled the skies above, and beneath his feet stood a city of unmatched splendor..."
Hagoromo interjected, "According to the memories of Ashura and Indra, everything you just described—save perhaps for the flying creations—has become reality. The ninja world is unified, governed by a man named Yotsuki Dana."
"I am aware," the Great Toad Sage murmured. "I have even met him. He is undeniably the man from the vision. Since our meeting, almost every prophecy I receive concerns him... while the images of the Child of Prophecy and the blue-eyed boy are fading, becoming rarer by the day."
Hagoromo's expression darkened. The blue-eyed boy was a prophecy he had pinned his hopes on for a millennium. He had always trusted Gamamaru's sight, believing that true peace would manifest through that boy.
If that prophecy was broken, did it mean the future of the ninja world was devoid of peace?
"What else have you seen regarding him? This Yotsuki Dana..."
The Great Toad Sage narrowed his eyes, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "It was... a very strange dream. The first of its kind. I felt as though the dream itself was blurred... as if it could be shattered at any moment. It was nothing like my previous visions."
The Sage paused for a moment before recounting the prophecy:
"I saw a massive blue giant. Atop its head, countless streaks of golden light flowed like a river. Purple storm clouds blotted out the sun, and silhouettes peered down through cracks in the very fabric of the sky. The majestic figure was bound by golden energy, and the voices of his enemies were muffled... I could only make out a few words: 'Know,' 'Name,' 'All.'"
Gamamaru continued, "I used a ruse to lure him to Mount Myoboku. I wanted to see the man who changed the world with my own eyes. He is... an existence with a singular, iron will. He reshapes the world according to his own desires and cares nothing for my prophecies. But there are many ways to guide destiny... meeting him was necessary to confirm certain things. And since that meeting, I have seen more."
"I dreamed of a mountain peak floating in the sky, topped with a towering palace. A monk arrived there to speak with the majestic figure. Afterward, a fierce battle erupted—and from that day on, a second moon appeared in the sky..."
"And... there is the revelation I received just before you arrived..."
"I saw the majestic figure in the depths of frustration. He could find no answers, no path forward. Out of desperation, he chose to gamble, embracing a terrifying unknown. And the entire ninja world was dragged along in his wake... Under his lead, the world will face a transformation far more significant than 'peace' or 'war.' It is a path toward ultimate glory... or total extinction."
Hagoromo fell into a deep silence. Every word carried a staggering weight of information.
"The blue giant... was it a Susanoo?"
The Great Toad Sage shook his head. "I am not sure. The images were too distorted. Prophecies regarding Yotsuki Dana are fragile and hazy. Perhaps it is because he, like me, is a favorite of Natural Energy."
Hagoromo could only think of Susanoo when hearing of a "blue giant."
But the other parts—the monk and the second moon—troubled him even more. Clearly, some powerful entity was going to be sealed, much like his mother... but who? If there was to be a second moon, it implied the seal on his mother (Kaguya) remained intact. But a monk?
"Gamamaru, was there nothing in the prophecy regarding my mother?"
"No... Hagoromo. Prophecy does not show you whatever you wish to see. I know your fears, but the Rabbit Goddess did not appear in my dreams—though that does not guarantee she will remain sealed."
"What I am trying to tell you is that you are missing the critical point. That man is, like me, a child of Natural Energy. That means he likely possesses a lifespan of a thousand years, just as I do."
"It took him only twenty years to gather the entire world behind him. His influence will only grow more absolute. If no one stops him, the ninja world will eventually become his plaything. The safety of the world is tied to his voice alone. In the prophecy, he will make a reckless choice, dragging the world into a vortex of life and death. At that point, it won't be a question of war or peace—it will be a question of whether the world exists at all."
The Great Toad Sage knew Hagoromo understood the implication.
If the fate of the world rested solely upon one man—no matter how benevolent or wise—it was a recipe for catastrophe.
He believed the Sage of Six Paths shared his concern.