Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

In the shinobi world, there are three legendary, mysterious lands: Mount Myōboku, the home of the toads; Ryūchi Cave, where the snakes reside; and Shikkotsu Forest, the domain of the slugs. When Jiraiya was young, he was unremarkable in talent, impulsive and lacking skill thus often considered one of the "bottom rung" of his generation.

One day, he attempted a unique summoning technique and accidentally found himself in Mount Myōboku, a place inaccessible by ordinary means. This fortuitous accident changed his life, giving him a chance to grow stronger.

After meeting the Great Toad Sage, young Jiraiya began his training in Mount Myōboku, where he worked tirelessly to improve, ultimately transforming from a "dead last" into one of the legendary Sannin of the Leaf. His connection to this opportunity was profound.

In a fateful meeting with the Great Toad Sage, he received a prophecy and believed Minato to be the "Child of Prophecy."

As he watched Minato grow and eventually become his ideal vision of a Hokage, Jiraiya was both proud and eager to see Minato fulfill his potential.

Naturally, he brought Minato to Mount Myōboku, wanting him to gain access to a higher level of power—the foundation upon which all other strengths rely.

Mount Myōboku's entrance is at a place known as Maze Mountain, about a month's walk from the Leaf Village. Without specific techniques, no one can enter. Here, far from human conflicts, nature thrives peacefully, forming a balanced ecosystem.

On large lily pads, numerous toads relaxed, basking in the orange-tinged light of the sky and lake, untouched by the scars of war. Life flourished here, making it seem like an idyllic paradise.

In front of a low waterfall, the constant rumbling of water filled the air. The water flowed down, forming layers of golden ripples. It wasn't ordinary water but rather toad oil, a secret of Mount Myōboku, used to assist in senjutsu training.

On the bank lay many large toad statues. These were not carved sculptures but former inhabitants of Mount Myōboku who had failed in senjutsu training and turned to stone, left here as a warning to those who would follow the same path.

Jiraiya had brought Minato to Mount Myōboku so he could learn senjutsu.

For the toads of Mount Myōboku, the senjutsu system has been refined over generations, eliminating the high risk of turning to stone that existed in the past.

This safety relies on a black rod, which can expel excess natural energy, minimizing the risk.

Slap!

Sitting cross-legged in meditation near the waterfall, Minato rubbed his head and sighed. "I failed again…"

Jiraiya, arms crossed and twirling a rod, looked at Minato with a mischievous grin. "Don't rush it. Senjutsu isn't something you can master so easily. It took me ages just to get the basics down."

He relished the role of using the rod to knock excess natural energy out of Minato, a task usually handled by Fukasaku. But Jiraiya wanted the satisfaction for himself, remembering all the times Fukasaku had knocked him around during his training.

"Little Jiraiya did indeed take a long time to learn senjutsu. Knocking out his natural energy nearly dislocated my arm," said Fukasaku, the small toad sage, sipping tea nearby.

"Haha, is that so?" Minato chuckled, glancing at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya's face darkened slightly; having his past brought up, especially in front of his student, wasn't ideal. He laughed awkwardly and said, "Alright, let's continue. Don't mind little things like that."

Minato re-focused, adjusting his posture to continue meditating. Balancing physical and spiritual energy to form chakra was simple enough for ninjutsu. However, maintaining the balance between these energies along with natural energy to produce senjutsu chakra was challenging.

If the natural energy was too low, it couldn't create senjutsu chakra. Too much, and he'd start transforming into a toad—and earn a smack from Jiraiya.

With his eyes closed, Minato concentrated on balancing the three energies. But, despite his efforts, the natural energy still exceeded the other two.

Pop.

A faint sound marked the swelling of Minato's handsome face, a clear sign of toad transformation.

Slap!

Without hesitation, Jiraiya struck Minato on the head with the rod.

"Failed again," Minato sighed, rubbing his head in frustration. For the first time, he felt his talent was falling short.

"Keep going," Jiraiya encouraged.

Minato adjusted his posture, sitting cross-legged, hands clasped, and closed his eyes to sense the natural energy around him.

Nearby, Fukasaku set down his teacup and smiled as he watched.

"Fukasaku-sama, the Great Toad Sage wants to see Jiraiya and Minato," announced a small green toad, bouncing over cheerfully.

Fukasaku was taken aback. The elder summoning them now… Could it be that he had another prophecy?

"Little Jiraiya, Little Minato, stop your training. Come with me to see the elder," Fukasaku said, rising and addressing the two.

Jiraiya said nothing, waiting until Minato's transformation faded with another whack before he turned to Fukasaku.

"The Great Toad Sage… Another prophecy?"

Minato looked puzzled, unfamiliar with the Great Toad Sage. Jiraiya hadn't mentioned this figure before.

"Possibly," Fukasaku nodded, looking at Minato. "Pause your training and follow me."

He then hopped off the platform and started down the steps.

"Let's go, Minato," Jiraiya said, following.

Walking alongside Jiraiya, Minato asked, "Who is the Great Toad Sage?"

Jiraiya tilted his head, thinking about how to answer. To him, the Great Toad Sage was… an ancient toad sage?

"What's wrong, Jiraiya-sensei?" Minato asked curiously.

"Hmm…" Jiraiya pondered before saying, "The Great Toad Sage is like the First Hokage of Mount Myōboku."

The comparison was simple enough. In essence, the Great Toad Sage was Mount Myōboku's revered elder.

However, this wasn't entirely accurate. Jiraiya's understanding of the Great Toad Sage was limited, so his description wasn't quite right.

"I see," Minato nodded, understanding.

Jiraiya chuckled, masking his slight embarrassment.

The two of them followed Fukasaku down the verdant path toward Mount Myōboku's sacred hall.

"Could the Great Toad Sage have a new prophecy? If he specifically summoned Minato, could it be related to him?" Jiraiya mused, frowning slightly as he looked around the lush road.

As the guide to the Child of Prophecy, Jiraiya believed his disciple would be the prophesied one, destined to bring great change to the shinobi world.

In his mind, Minato was that Child of Prophecy.

In a world rife with conflict, where worth was determined by the way one died, Jiraiya dreamed of changing it all, though he knew it was a lofty ambition.

Thus, he had placed this hope in Minato.

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