Chapter 167: The Stone Fountain and the Prophecy

Chapter 167: The Stone Fountain and the Prophecy

Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create.

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

-Author notes-

Chapter 167: The Stone Fountain and the Prophecy

After leaving the Great Elder's cave, Jiraiya guided Naruto to a different part of the Toad Village, one that seemed to be covered in stone statues.

The towering carvings of toads, some weathered by time, loomed over them as they walked. The atmosphere felt heavier here, as if the statues themselves were silently watching.

During the walk, Naruto noticed Jiraiya glancing his way, his expression pensive. It was clear the older man had something on his mind.

"Go ahead," Naruto said, breaking the silence. "Say whatever's bothering you."

It wasn't surprising. Their bizarre encounter with the Great Sage had undoubtedly left Jiraiya with questions. Naruto had his own, though he didn't expect answers any time soon.

The ancient toad had somehow perceived that Naruto carried memories of past lives, or so it seemed. Even Naruto wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.

Was he a foreign soul that had inhabited the boy's body during a moment of weakness? Or... had his soul reincarnated naturally, with the memories of his past life sealed until recently?.

There was only one way to know for sure. If he could ascend to the 'Spirit Transformation Stage', he would regain all the memories his soul had accumulated across lifetimes.

But that meant surpassing his previous self...going past his failures and progressing further than ever before, so he had a very long and difficult path ahead of him before he could obtain all the answers he wanted.

Jiraiya suddenly stopped in his tracks, pulling Naruto from his thoughts.

"Naruto..." Jiraiya began, his tone unusually serious.

"Yes?" Naruto prompted, curious.

"There's something you should know."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That's odd. I assumed you wanted to ask me something, not tell me something I don't already know."

They arrived at their destination, and Naruto's eyes settled on an unusual structure, a small waterfall cascading into a fountain adorned with a toad statue.

"That's the fountain?" Naruto asked, puzzled.

The liquid flowing from the waterfall shimmered faintly, radiating an energy that was anything but ordinary.

'That feeling from before... this must be the source,' Naruto thought, stepping closer to examine it.

"Careful!" Jiraiya warned sharply. "Don't touch it."

Naruto paused, turning to him.

"That's the Toads' special oil," Jiraiya explained. "It's extremely dangerous."

Naruto frowned. "Dangerous? It feels... powerful. What is it?"

"It's natural energy," Jiraiya said. "The energy you'll need to master if you want to become a Sage."

"Natural energy..." Naruto murmured. So he was right...this was a source of power separate from the Yin and Yang that made up chakra.

"It's a type of energy that flows throughout the world, but it's usually imperceptible," Jiraiya continued. He didn't mention how unusual it was for Naruto to sense it so keenly before even beginning his training.

Naruto studied the oil carefully, reaching out with his senses to grasp the flow of natural energy around it. There was something faintly familiar about it, though he couldn't quite place why.

"Eager to start, huh?" a voice interrupted.

Naruto turned to see Elder Fukasaku leaping from the top of the waterfall to land on the fountain's edge.

"I am," Naruto said without hesitation, his eyes blazing with determination.

The elder blinked in surprise, taken aback by the intensity of Naruto's resolve.

Though Naruto was typically laid-back when something captured his interest, his focus and drive became unstoppable.

"Good," Fukasaku said with a nod. "Then let's begin."

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