Jiraiya was left speechless by Ryōsuke's words. It wasn't just a matter of avoiding death; Nagato was the Child of Prophecy, the one destined to bring revolution to the shinobi world. He could not simply let something happen to him. As the teacher of the one meant to change the world, Jiraiya felt he had a sacred duty to guide him toward the right path. He had always believed in this noble mission; it was his life's purpose.
Perhaps something truly terrible had occurred in the Rain Village. He felt he had to go and see them.
Seeing the grave expression on Jiraiya's face, Ryōsuke realized that the man was not one to listen to advice. Revealing the danger had only strengthened his resolve to go. Currently, Nagato had likely mastered the Rinnegan. If Jiraiya went there recklessly, he truly might meet his end.
This was not an outcome Ryōsuke wanted. If his good intentions ended up accelerating Jiraiya's death, it would be quite a headache. He needed a different way to dissuade him.
"In truth, that disciple you are concerned about is not the true Child of Prophecy," Ryōsuke stated calmly.
Jiraiya looked at him in disbelief. This man even knew about the Child of Prophecy? Had Tsunade mentioned it to him? He felt a slight pang of jealousy—they really were a pair of lovers who shared everything.
However, Jiraiya was absolutely certain of Nagato's status. Nagato possessed the Rinnegan, the legendary eyes said to belong only to the Sage of Six Paths. How could he not be the Child of Prophecy? If not him, then who?
The Great Toad Sage had once prophesied that the Child of Prophecy would bring one of two outcomes to the shinobi world, depending on Jiraiya's choices: total destruction or true peace. If Nagato was willing to kill his own master, then he represented destruction. This thought terrified Jiraiya. What kind of horrors had taken place in the Rain Village to turn the sunny youth he once knew into such a monster? During their time together, Nagato had been a boy who dreamed of bringing peace to a chaotic land.
Now, Ryōsuke was telling him Nagato wasn't the one.
"Then do you know who the true Child of Prophecy is?" Jiraiya asked.
Ryōsuke knew exactly who the true Child of Prophecy was. Nagato could have been a legitimate candidate; his original ambition was grand. But now he had completely darkened, becoming an irredeemable "filial disciple" much like Obito. As for Naruto's identity, there was no reason to keep it a secret.
"The Child of Prophecy you seek is right here in the village," Ryōsuke revealed.
Jiraiya was stunned. He had spent his time traveling to avoid the village's internal conflicts and to broaden his horizons so he could better guide the prophesied one. He found it hard to believe.
"On what basis do you claim the Child of Prophecy is in the village?" Jiraiya asked suspiciously.
"I have no reason to lie to you," Ryōsuke replied. "Of course, if you want to meet him, you'll have to finish your month in jail first."
Jiraiya grew agitated. Now that he had such vital information, he had no interest in sitting in a cell. However, he saw a glimmer of hope.
"Since you know about the Child of Prophecy, you must understand their importance," Jiraiya said with a serious face. "I am destined to be their teacher and guide them to the right path. I carry a heavy responsibility. There is no need for me to go to prison, right?"
Ryōsuke refused immediately. "Impossible. Take him away."
He had said enough. If Jiraiya still insisted on seeking death in the Rain Village, it would be his own doing.
Jiraiya sighed, seeing that the man was as unyielding as a stone. "Fine. But once I am out, you must tell me exactly who the Child of Prophecy is."
Jiraiya knew Ryōsuke had no motive to deceive him. Gaining news of the true Child of Prophecy was a significant reward in its own right. The Uchiha Military Police Force members then led Jiraiya away to the prison and locked him up.
After they left, Tsunade stood there in a daze, still trying to process the conversation. She had heard Jiraiya boast about being the teacher of the Child of Prophecy before, but she had never believed him, thinking he was just exaggerating as usual. Jiraiya was a wandering, lecherous man; she thought it was lucky enough if he didn't lead people astray.
But now that Jiraiya had mastered Sage Mode, her opinion had changed. Connecting Ryōsuke's warnings to the Rain Village, she remembered the orphans Jiraiya had trained after the Second Great Ninja War—Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan. Did Jiraiya believe one of them was the one? She hadn't noticed anything special about them back then.
She turned to Ryōsuke. "What exactly is happening in the Rain Village? Does it have something to do with that Ten-Tails you mentioned?"
Ryōsuke looked at the curious Tsunade. "The situation there is complicated. Even I only know the broad strokes."
Tsunade looked annoyed, sensing he was keeping secrets. She didn't mind him being tight-lipped with Jiraiya, but what about their relationship?
"You can't even tell me?" she asked, her voice sinking.
"There's no need for you to worry about it," Ryōsuke said helplessly. "Even if you knew, you couldn't resolve it. Trust me, I will handle everything."
In the original timeline, Tsunade was in the village when the Six Paths of Pain attacked, yet she couldn't stop them. There was no point in her worrying about a problem she couldn't solve.
Tsunade believed in his ability, but she hated the feeling of being excluded. She was a member of the Senju clan and the Fifth Hokage, after all. In a fit of pique, she reached out and grabbed Ryōsuke's "weak point," knowing exactly how to get his attention.
"Are you really not going to tell me?"
Ryōsuke was taken aback by her boldness. If she weren't pregnant, he would have shown her exactly what happened to those who provoked him.
"Fine, since you want to know," he sighed. "One of the three disciples Jiraiya took, Yahiko, was murdered through a scheme by Hanzō the Demi-God and Shimura Danzō. Because of that, the other two have turned into ruthless 'filial disciples.' One of them possesses the Rinnegan. Even if Jiraiya goes there, they will kill him. With his current abilities, facing a Rinnegan user is extremely dangerous."