In the sacred realms of Mount Myōboku, the natural world pulsed with an ancient rhythm—one older than shinobi, older than even the bijuu. It was this rhythm that Beiyuan had accidentally tapped into. And now… it was biting back.
"Don't rush to take in energy, especially high-calorie energy. If you exercise less, it's easy to gain weight," Fukasaku said solemnly.
But it was far too late.
Beiyuan's body swelled at an alarming rate, feathers fluffing up like a balloon caught in a heat wave. Natural energy poured into him unchecked, colliding violently with the yin–yang chakra already nestled in his core. Within moments, the noble crow had become… a rotund, trembling orb of feathers and flesh.
Itachi, watching helplessly, extended a hesitant hand to stroke the now-gargantuan bird.
The familiar texture of soft feathers met his fingers—but underneath was… squish.
"…Beiyuan?" the boy whispered in alarm. His hand sank deeper into the puffy mass. "What's happening…?"
The two elder toads stared in shock.
"This… This looks festive," Jiraiya muttered, suppressing a laugh.
The young Uchiha's voice rose in panic. "Come and look! He's… he's turning into a meatball!"
Shima folded her arms, her eyes narrowing as she offered a theory. "It might not be the excess natural energy—it might be the opposite. The yin–yang chakra in him is integrating too well with nature energy. His body didn't take in enough natural energy to balance it. That could have caused a massive rebound effect..."
"…That sounds worse," Jiraiya muttered. "If that's true, he's overclocking without a stabilizer..."
"Gah…" Beiyuan wheezed.
Then—without warning—his mouth opened.
And a concentrated tailed beast bomb, formed entirely of nature energy and compressed yin–yang chakra, launched into the sky.
BOOM.
In the distance, the Land of Wind trembled. A mushroom cloud of golden chakra rose high, churning sand and sky into a storm of elemental fury. Wind roared, earth cracked, and silence fell after a heartbeat of thunder.
All from one little crow.
The impact created a towering plume of yellow sand—an artificial sunrise over a broken desert. And amid the echoing stillness, Beiyuan's round body shrank, chakra stabilized, and his usual form returned like nothing had happened.
"…Effective," Jiraiya muttered, blinking sand from his eyes.
"It's a crude method… but elegant in its simplicity," Fukasaku began. Then he noticed the crow's eyes—glowing red with faint, residual chakra. "…No, I mean—yes! Very smart. Quick thinking! Perfect solution!"
He swallowed hard. Natural energy wasn't something to play with. Most creatures who misused it mutated into stone or monsters. And yet… this crow had simply vented it like steam and reset.
Shima whispered, "It shouldn't be possible… to harmonize with natural energy so easily. This is something even we sages couldn't do at first…"
"Gah…"
Beiyuan blinked innocently.
The two elder toads exchanged a meaningful glance. They had come to confirm the prophecy—to test the so-called Fourth Great Sage. But now, the prophecy felt more like understatement.
"He doesn't need us," Fukasaku said softly, sensing the controlled immortal chakra pulsing within Beiyuan now. "He's already walking that path."
With a deep bow, the two elders dismissed their own summoning contracts and vanished in puffs of smoke.
"…Gah?" Beiyuan tilted his head, confused. Wait—he had questions. Many questions.
Uchiha Itachi looked at the dissipating smoke and turned toward Jiraiya, brow furrowed. "Sensei… those were your summons?"
"Eh? Well… not exactly," Jiraiya replied, scratching his head. "I mean, technically yes? But really, they serve the Great Toad Sage and… yeah, let's just say they're part of something bigger."
He looked up at the still-settling dust clouds in the desert sky and let out a long breath. "They belong to Mount Myōboku—the Land of Sages."
"The Land of Sages?" Itachi echoed.
"That's right." Jiraiya smiled. "It's one of the three great immortal regions in the ninja world."
He eyed Beiyuan carefully. "Honestly, I was planning to take you there someday… see if you could learn Sage Mode, maybe sign a contract…"
He paused.
"But now I'm not so sure you need that."
He gave Itachi a rueful grin. "You've already got a sage on your shoulder."
Itachi looked to Beiyuan, who was now glowing faintly, processing chakra in rhythmic pulses. It was a scene far removed from their usual bickering. This was discipline. Cultivation. Power.
For once, Beiyuan wasn't pecking at Sasuke, or lazing around, or stuffing himself with snacks.
This… was training.
Jiraiya turned and motioned for them to rest.
"Come. Sit. Let me tell you about the Sages and the lands they live in. It's a long story…"
He closed his eyes and began, "A long, long time ago—"
"You're not even forty, sensei," Itachi interrupted quietly.
"…Fine. Not so long ago."
He tried again. "When I was about eighteen—"
"…You said you were my father's senior."
"…Shut up and listen."
Grumbling, Jiraiya launched into his explanation. "There are three immortal domains: Mount Myōboku, where toads live; Ryūchi Cave, the home of snakes; and Shikkotsu Forest, domain of slugs. Each has its own Great Sage… and a way to teach humans to enter Sage Mode."
Itachi's eyes lit with realization. "That giant snake Orochimaru summoned—was that from Ryūchi Cave?"
"Exactly. Manda."
"Orochimaru must've signed a blood pact, like you with the toads?"
"Right again. And Tsunade… well, she had contact with the slugs from Shikkotsu Forest, especially through Hashirama—the First Hokage."
At that, Itachi gasped. "The First Hokage… he cultivated Sage Mode too?"
Jiraiya nodded. "He was the first recorded human to do so."
"Gah!" Beiyuan suddenly barked.
Itachi translated calmly, "Beiyuan says that's not true."
"What?! Who, then?"
Beiyuan paused.
The real first sage… might be someone far older. A shadow watching from behind the scenes. The Six Paths Sage himself.
But Beiyuan wasn't foolish enough to drop that name lightly.
So he simply gave a quiet "Gah," as if to say, Don't worry about it.
Jiraiya frowned. "You saying there's another? Who—"
"Teacher," Itachi cut in, "Beiyuan suggests… we don't ask. Especially not anyone named Toadmaru."
"…Toadmaru?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. "Don't worry. That name sounds like someone junior from Mount Myōboku. If I ever meet him, I'll ask!"
Beiyuan shivered on Itachi's shoulder.
The past was stirring.
The future—uncertain.
But one thing was now undeniable: the Fourth Great Sage was here.
And he was a crow.