Talking to Asuma had taken up some time.
By the time the evening glow on the horizon was being swallowed by the night, Jiraiya's figure had already surged onto the roof of the Hokage's office. The tiles beneath his feet groaned under the weight, and the villagers along the way felt only a gust of wind, unable to even catch a glimpse of a shadow.
'Minato! Minato!'
That was the only name left in Jiraiya's mind. Jiang Chen's words had stripped away all his composure and boisterousness, leaving behind only agitation and an indescribable dread.
Bang!
He burst through the door of the Hokage's office.
Inside, there was only silence and dim light. The office was empty. On the desk Minato usually used, documents were stacked neatly, and the robe embroidered with "Fourth Hokage" hung quietly on a rack. Sunlight filtered through the window, highlighting dust motes dancing in the beams of light.
Jiraiya gasped for air, leaning against the doorframe. Due to his anxiety, the chakra within his body was slightly turbulent. He was a step too late. Minato wasn't in the office.
"Calm down, Jiraiya."
Atop his head, Jiang Chen patted his scalp with a claw, his voice becoming serious. "Now isn't the time to panic. Minato should have gone home."
Jiraiya took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing his inner turmoil. Jiang Chen was right. He turned and left, his figure quickly vanishing into the night.
Minato Namikaze's home was located in a quiet corner of the village—a cozy-looking small building. An orange light glowed through the window, appearing warm against the darkness. Jiraiya stood at the door, staring at that light. His raised hand hung in mid-air, hesitant to knock.
Finally, he bit his lip and hammered on the door.
"Coming!"
Minato's clear voice echoed from inside, followed by the sound of light footsteps.
The door opened. Standing there was indeed the Yellow Flash, the Fourth Hokage. Minato was dressed in casual home clothes, his golden hair appearing incredibly soft under the lamp light. Seeing Jiraiya, his face lit up with genuine surprise.
"Sensei! You're finally back! I thought you..."
Looking at his student's sun-like smile, Jiraiya's heart sank. He felt a wave of guilt toward his disciple. He had actually failed to be present during the most important moments of his student's life.
He opened his mouth and forced out a smile that looked more painful than crying. His voice was hoarse and dry. "...Congratulations, Minato. Though this blessing... is far too late."
Minato's smile slowly faded as he took in Jiraiya's appearance. The man before him was covered in the dust of travel, his forehead beaded with sweat, and his eyes bloodshot. That face, which usually wore an irreverent grin, was now heavy with solemnity.
"Sensei?" Minato's voice dropped instinctively. "Did something happen?"
"Master Jiraiya!"
Another equally surprised voice came from behind Minato. After not seeing her for a long time, Kushina Uzumaki's belly was now visibly protruding. She walked over quickly, her face filled with irrepressible joy. "You're here! Come in, quickly! Dinner isn't ready yet, so take a seat first!"
But she only took two steps before stopping, her smile faltering slightly. She keenly sensed the frozen atmosphere between her husband and her teacher. She looked at Jiraiya, then at Minato, a flicker of realization crossing her eyes.
She forced a relaxed laugh. "Sensei, you chat with Minato first. I'll go prepare dinner. You must be starving!"
Kushina's warmth made Jiraiya's chest tighten. Looking at her happy face and her subconscious gesture of protecting her belly, Jiang Chen's words echoed in his mind again. Kushina's unborn child was the key to breaking the deadlock.
The moment Kushina turned toward the kitchen, Jiraiya stepped into the house and slammed the door shut behind him. Immediately, his hands moved in a blur of hand seals.
"Barrier!"
With a low shout, a ripple of chakra spread from him, enveloping the entire living room. An isolation barrier, designed to block sound and prying eyes, was instantly completed.
Minato's expression shifted. He was a master of sealing techniques himself, so he naturally understood the strength of Jiraiya's barrier. The gravity of the situation likely exceeded his imagination.
"Sensei, what exactly..."
"Minato." Jiraiya interrupted him. He reached up, grabbed Jiang Chen from his head, and placed him gently on the coffee table. This action left Minato even more confused.
Jiraiya took another breath, as if using every ounce of his strength to finally speak. "I heard a prophecy." He stared at his most prized disciple, his eyes filled with pain. "A prophecy... regarding your death."
The room became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. Every trace of expression vanished from Minato's face. A second of pure shock flashed through his blue eyes, followed by an instinctive glance toward the kitchen.
In just a second, he looked back at Jiraiya, his shock replaced by calm. Minato instinctively began to analyze.
'Did the Great Toad Sage prophesy my death? Who could kill me? I have the Flying Thunder God technique; as long as I want to leave, no one in the shinobi world can keep me here. Unless... I can't leave. Or rather, there is a reason I cannot leave.'
His gaze swept toward the kitchen again. The slight clatter of dishes came from within—warm and real.
Seeing the way Minato's gaze instantly sharpened, Jiraiya felt both pride and a stinging ache. This was his disciple; he could always maintain the clearest head at the most dangerous moments.
"The enemy is a masked man calling himself Uchiha Madara," Jiraiya said, revealing everything he had heard from Jiang Chen without reservation. "He possesses space-time ninjutsu. The timing of his move will be on the day Kushina gives birth."
"Space-time ninjutsu..." Minato repeated in a low voice, his eyes beneath his blonde hair as sharp as blades. "The target is... the Nine-Tails inside Kushina."
The two men looked up and met each other's eyes. Both had deduced the enemy's objective. Everything lined up. The seal is at its weakest during a Jinchuriki's childbirth—that was a secret known to no outsiders. An enemy who also possessed space-time ninjutsu could instantly bypass Konoha's defenses and strike at the most critical point.
This was not good.
Should he pursue the enemy who stole the Nine-Tails to protect the village? Or should he stay by his wife, who would be at her weakest after giving birth, and protect their newborn child? No matter the choice, it was a path to death.
This was a checkmate designed specifically for Minato Namikaze.
A distinct chill crawled up his spine. He finally understood why the expression on his teacher's face was so heavy.
The living room fell into total silence. Jiraiya and Minato, teacher and student, both had terrifyingly dark expressions. A conspiracy involving the future of Konoha and even their family had already been set in motion.
After a long while, Minato slowly raised his head, his focus shifting to the coffee table. Since a moment ago, his teacher's gaze had frequently lingered on this summoned beast...
After a brief thought, he perhaps understood where Jiraiya's prophecy had come from. Now, both of their gazes fell upon the coffee table.
The purple toad was crouching there quietly. Its eyes darted around, seemingly deep in thought.
Jiraiya asked anxiously, "Jiang Chen, stop keeping us in suspense! Hurry up and tell us everything you know!"