"By the way, you mentioned once that you had seen me in person. What did you mean by that?" the Fourth Hokage asked.
Hearing this, Shishou's expression tightened. "I knew you'd ask eventually," he thought to himself.
Clearing his throat, Shishou replied, "Fourth Hokage, are you familiar with the art of prophecy?"
"Prophecy?" the Fourth Hokage echoed, then nodded. "I've heard that the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku possesses the ability to foresee the future. Is that what you're referring to?"
"Exactly," Shishou confirmed. "Once, under unusual circumstances, I glimpsed events that would happen in the future. This is why I awakened Wood Release at such a young age and developed the power to suppress tailed beasts."
"For various reasons, I can't elaborate further, but please believe me when I say that everything I'm doing is to prevent certain impending tragedies."
"And to devour the troublesome Otsutsuki clan members who come to Earth, gaining their bloodline limits," Shishou added silently.
"I believe you," Minato said, smiling warmly. He could sense the sincerity in Shishou's words.
"Wow, he really does live up to his nickname as the 'Little Sun,' radiating warmth," Shishou thought, feeling momentarily moved by Minato's aura.
"Fourth Hokage, I need you to stay in this seal for a while," Shishou said, holding up the charm that had just contained Minato.
"What are you planning?" Minato asked, curious.
Shishou grinned. "I'm taking you to see Naruto."
Minato's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Shishou."
Shishou then re-sealed Minato's spirit back into the charm.
...
In Mount Myoboku, one of the three great sage regions, Jiraiya arrived at the Toad Sage's dwelling.
"Jiraiya, it's been a while," greeted Fukasaku and Shima, the two elder toads.
"Hahaha, it's good to see you both again," Jiraiya responded, laughing heartily.
"Go on in, the Great Toad Sage is expecting you," Fukasaku said, gesturing inside.
Jiraiya straightened his appearance before entering the room where the Great Toad Sage awaited.
"Jiraiya, I recently had a dream..." the Great Toad Sage began, recounting his latest prophecy.
After several minutes, Jiraiya exited the room, looking bewildered.
"What did the Great Toad Sage tell you?" Fukasaku and Shima asked in unison, noticing his confusion.
"He said he foresaw someone who could see the future, disrupting all his prophecies. He wants me to find this person, claiming that this individual holds the key to the future of the ninja world," Jiraiya explained, frowning as he tried to make sense of the prophecy.
"Did he give any clues?" Shima inquired.
"None, just that this person is very powerful and I should be cautious," Jiraiya sighed.
The three of them fell silent, pondering the vague prophecy.
...
Back in the sealed room, Shishou re-sealed Minato's spirit into the charm. Once the room's seal was deactivated, he regained his connection to the Flying Thunder God marks.
Teleporting to Konoha, Shishou found Naruto playing with Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru at the Inuzuka residence.
Naruto and Kiba had become best friends due to their similar personalities, and Naruto's relationships with other children were also very good. Living with the Third Hokage had earned him the nickname "Little Prince," and no one dared to bully him anymore.
From a rooftop overlooking the scene, Shishou activated the charm. With a puff of smoke, a small barrier formed, containing Minato's spirit.
"This can only last ten minutes," Shishou informed Minato.
Maintaining the barrier required a vast amount of chakra, and even Shishou, whose chakra levels surpassed most Kage, could only sustain it for a short time. The thirty-minute seal Miroku had set up earlier had drawn on the accumulated power of the shrine.
"Naruto has grown so much," Minato observed, watching his son with a wistful smile. "And he's made good friends."
"Naruto is cheerful and always talks about surpassing the Hokage," Shishou said. "Due to the Akatsuki threat, he's currently living with the Third Hokage, who personally ensures his safety. I've also given him a watch marked with the Flying Thunder God seal, so I can come to his aid instantly if needed."
Pointing out Naruto's friends, Shishou continued, "That's Kiba Inuzuka with his dog Akamaru, who once bit Naruto for taking his meat. The chubby one is Choji Akimichi, and the lazy one is Shikamaru Nara."
Minato listened attentively, his heart warming as he heard about his son's life.
"Do you want to see him?" Shishou asked gently.
Minato considered it but then shook his head. "I'm a spirit of the deceased. Seeing me might bring unnecessary sorrow to Naruto. Knowing that he's happy and well is enough for me."
"Thank you, Shishou. You've kept your promise," Minato said sincerely.
Shishou nodded, focusing on maintaining the barrier.
"Can you take me to see Kakashi?" Minato asked after a few moments. "I've always worried about him."
Nodding, Shishou teleported with Minato's spirit to where Kakashi was. Shishou had anticipated this request and had sent a clone to locate Kakashi earlier.
At the Memorial Stone, Kakashi was sitting in front of his father's grave, polishing his White Fang blade. Feeling a presence, he looked up to see a masked man accompanied by a familiar, ethereal figure.
Kakashi's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching as he recognized the spirit.
"Minato-sensei..." Kakashi whispered, staring at his mentor's spirit.
Smiling brightly, Minato said, "Kakashi, you've grown up."