Naruto: Manipulation-Chapter 122: The Great Toad Sage’s Question

The Konoha Yakiniku Restaurant.

Even late at night, the place was still open.

When Shigen and his group walked in, the diners at one table showed obvious surprise and nearly stood to greet them. Except for the unfamiliar Shigen, everyone else in the group was a respected figure in Konoha.

"Third Hokage-sama!"

"Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama are back!"

"Gai, Kurenai, Kakashi—you're here too..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled at the young ninjas at the table but then felt a twinge of awkwardness when he spotted a man with a mature appearance sitting among them.

It was his son—Asuma Sarutobi.

Asuma had always been rebellious.

At times, he admired his father, but more often than not, he resented him. They had frequent clashes, and in the end, Asuma had simply left the village, traveling around and eventually becoming one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja serving the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire.

It was... an uncomfortable situation.

Technically, the protection of the Feudal Lord should fall under Konoha's jurisdiction.

Yet, the son of the Hokage had joined an organization that stood in clear opposition to Konoha.

Fortunately...

Just a few days ago, a conflict had broken out among the Guardian Ninja, and Asuma, having realized the truth of things, had chosen to return to Konoha.

Still—

The father and son remained awkward around each other.

"Asuma."

Hiruzen chose not to lecture his son here. Instead, he simply instructed, "Make sure you report to the Hokage's office tomorrow."

"Got it."

Asuma muttered in irritation, biting down on a cigarette.

"Don't give the old man such a hard time, Asuma..."

Jiraiya approached cheerfully, clapping a hand on Asuma's shoulder before slinging an arm around a silver-haired ninja sitting next to him.

"Kakashi, how have you been lately?"

"..."

Kakashi Hatake glanced at Jiraiya weakly.

How was he?

His former teammate, Obito Uchiha, had become a missing-nin, the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails attack years ago—a crime that had cost countless lives.

The entire village despised him.

Kakashi remained silent for a while. Then, his gaze fell on Tsunade, and he greeted her, "Tsunade-sama..."

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"It's been a long time, Kakashi..."

Tsunade gave him a small wave. She had just regained her composure and only exchanged a brief greeting before following Shigen.

She then introduced Kakashi to him, "Kakashi is the son of Sakumo-senpai."

"..."

Kakashi instinctively looked at Shigen's back.

"I've met him before."

Shigen didn't turn around. He simply walked forward and casually remarked, "His mastery of Storm Release is quite impressive."

"We should get going."

Hiruzen quickly caught up with Shigen, adding as if offhandedly, "Everyone, get some rest early."

"I should go too."

Jiraiya gave Kakashi's shoulder a firm pat.

He had deliberately approached him, wanting to offer some comfort.

After all, Jiraiya knew exactly what Kakashi was feeling.

In his own way, Jiraiya felt the same way about Orochimaru's betrayal as Kakashi did about Obito's.

Both of them had lost trusted comrades to darkness.

Once Shigen's group left, the younger shinobi at the table naturally began discussing them.

The dinner had originally been a welcome gathering for Asuma, but their conversation had inevitably drifted to the subject of Obito.

It cast a somber mood over the group—until Shigen and the others arrived, offering them an excuse to change the topic.

"Something big must be happening in the village."

Kurenai Yuhi looked at Jiraiya's retreating back, surprised by the return of both Tsunade and Jiraiya.

"Who was that man? The Third Hokage seemed very respectful toward him..."

"Maybe he's a messenger from the Feudal Lord?"

Might Guy stroked his chin in thought.

"Definitely not."

Asuma, lighting his cigarette, refuted the idea immediately.

He had spent years in the Feudal Lord's service and had never seen Shigen before.

"This isn't something we should be worrying about."

Kakashi shook his head.

As an ANBU operative, he knew that Shigen's identity was highly classified.

Standing up, he grabbed his jacket. "That's enough for tonight. We all have missions tomorrow."

Behind the folding screen, Hiruzen and the others had remained silent the entire time.

They were waiting for the young shinobi outside to disperse.

Hiruzen knew Shigen better than anyone.

They had traveled together for ten years.

And Hiruzen knew that any casual remark from Shigen's lips could reveal earth-shattering secrets.

However—

Tonight was... unusual.

Shigen said nothing.

He simply cooked meat for Tsunade and poured her drinks, like an elder indulging a child.

The only one who couldn't hold back was Jiraiya.

He asked about something that had been on his mind—

"So, Lord Shigen, about your eyes..."

"Don't ask annoying questions!"

Tsunade shot Jiraiya a glare.

"Lord Shigen brought me out for a meal—stop trying to dig for information!"

"..."

Jiraiya was immediately shut down.

"There's nothing I can't say."

Shigen gestured for Tsunade to calm down.

Then, he spoke nonchalantly,

"I once tried to change the shinobi world. I transplanted the Sage of the Six Paths' eyes."

"At one point, my body had the Rinnegan. My current Edo Tensei state happens to be from that period."

"Uh..."

Jiraiya wanted to ask more.

But Tsunade was already glaring daggers at him.

He reluctantly lowered his head and focused on his meal instead.

Fine.

Jiraiya made up his mind.

It seemed he wouldn't be able to ask anything in front of Tsunade.

But in a few days, he could quietly slip away to Mount Myōboku and ask the Great Toad Sage about Shigen instead.

Besides...

Jiraiya was feeling lost lately.

His search for the prophesied child had yielded nothing.

Maybe the Great Toad Sage could offer him some guidance.

However—

When Jiraiya finally left Konoha and traveled to Mount Myōboku—

When he mentioned that Shigen had been resurrected—

He received an unexpected reaction.

At the highest temple in the Land of Toads...

The Great Toad Sage sat on its elevated platform.

With its eyes closed, the ancient creature listened patiently as Jiraiya recounted everything that had happened.

"A Shigen who possesses the Rinnegan..."

The Great Toad Sage, aged beyond measure, remained still as it murmured,

"A being both revered and feared..."

"Feared?"

Jiraiya was startled.

Even knowing Shigen's identity and immense power, he had never felt any fear toward him.

That man—

Beneath his cold and arrogant exterior—

Had boundless patience for others.

Even toward Jiraiya, a relative stranger, he had shown remarkable tolerance.

Even answering his questions without hesitation.

"Indeed."

The Great Toad Sage nodded solemnly.

Its ancient eyes opened slowly, as if gazing into the past.

"Jiraiya..."

"Now that you've seen the man the shinobi world has turned him into—"

"Do you still see in his heart the desire to change the world?"

"Hey, hey, hey! That's way beyond me!"

Jiraiya protested.

He might be a seasoned ninja, well-respected in the shinobi world—

But compared to Shigen, he was nothing.

How could he possibly read that man's thoughts?

"But time is running out."

The Great Toad Sage shook its head, its voice heavy with wisdom.

"Jiraiya..."

"Tell me—"

"If the prophesied child never existed..."

"As a shinobi, do you believe the world still needs to change?"

"Let me think..."

Jiraiya scratched his chin before nodding.

"The world may seem peaceful, but the hidden villages are still locked in conflict."

"Of course it needs to change."

After answering, he thought of the ancient tales of the Shinobi Sect.

His eyes filled with longing.

"It would be best if this era could be like the time of the Shinobi Sect—where people truly understood one another."

"Then the world wouldn't be so full of war."

"..."

The Great Toad Sage fell silent.

Jiraiya frowned, sensing something was off.

Had he said something wrong?

"But even in that era..."

The Great Toad Sage's eyes slowly closed again.

"There were still those who sought to correct the flaws of the age..."

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