"Achoo!"
Mirai rubbed his slightly itchy nose, his brows furrowing involuntarily.
"Strange... Who's talking about me behind my back?"
Muttering to himself, he shrugged it off and walked straight to the Hokage's office.
Inside, Kurenai Yuhi, Rin Nohara, and Yūgao Uzuki were already busy handling documents.
Seeing the scene before him, a satisfied smile appeared on Mirai's face.
Creating the Hokage Secretary Team back then was undoubtedly one of his wisest decisions. Without it, there was no way he could enjoy such leisurely days.
Over time, Kurenai, Rin, and Yūgao had become adept at managing the village's affairs with great efficiency.
"Good morning, Kurenai, Rin, Yūgao!" Mirai greeted warmly.
The trio rolled their eyes in unison.
"Mirai, it's already afternoon," Kurenai replied with a sigh.
"Is it?" Mirai scratched his head, puzzled.
It seemed he had spent too much time dealing with Tsunade. He made a mental note to keep better track of time in the future.
Seeing his bewildered expression, Kurenai teased,
"You sure know how to enjoy life, Mirai. You leave all the work to us while you stroll around carefree."
Hearing this, Mirai's smile faded slightly.
"Kurenai, the reason I let you handle these tasks is to train you. How else will you gain experience if you don't work hard now?"
"Do you really think a life of waking up naturally, doing whatever you want, eating whatever you like, avoiding housework, and lounging around all day feels good?"
"Uh... Doesn't it?" Rin asked hesitantly.
"Of course not!" Mirai declared, his tone serious. "Living like that wouldn't even let you sleep peacefully."
The three women exchanged confused glances.
"Why wouldn't we sleep peacefully?" Yūgao asked curiously.
Mirai straightened up, his expression deadpan.
"Because you'd be waking up from your dreams laughing!"
Realizing they had been played, the trio pounced on Mirai, their small fists raining down on him playfully.
"Alright, alright," Mirai chuckled, letting them vent. "How about this? Tonight, dinner's on me—grilled meat, my treat."
Hearing this, the trio's annoyance melted away, replaced with excitement as they began chatting animatedly with Mirai.
"Mirai," Rin said, "I've improved a lot in medical ninjutsu. Even Lady Tsunade praises me often! She even mentioned teaching me the Yin Seal, but it seems my body isn't quite suited for it..."
"Mirai," Kurenai chimed in, "when are you coming to my house for dinner? My father's been asking about you."
"Sensei," Yūgao added, "can you guide me in swordsmanship again sometime?"
The three women chattered away, and Mirai patiently listened until they finally returned to their work.
Time flew by.
Kurenai and Rin had shed their youthful immaturity, gradually revealing the charm of grown women. Mirai estimated it wouldn't be long before they were "ready to eat."
Sitting in the Hokage's office for a while, watching them work diligently, Mirai couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
He had indeed left too much work to them.
After some thought, Mirai decided to leave before the guilt weighed on him any further.
Wandering aimlessly through the streets, he stopped in front of a dessert shop.
Aside from Ichiraku Ramen, this shop was one of his frequent haunts. Its three-color dango was particularly good.
But today, that wasn't the reason he stopped.
Through the window, he spotted some familiar faces.
"Kakashi-senpai, you were in the same class as the Fourth Hokage, right? You must know him really well!"
"Can you tell us what the Fourth was like back when he was in the Academy?"
The speaker was a girl with long black hair. Her delicate features were already stunning despite her young age. A teardrop mole under her right eye added a touch of grace to her charm.
Beside her sat a boy with deep tear troughs, his long hair tied into a ponytail. His face was lit with curiosity, clearly intrigued by the topic.
Across from them sat a masked, white-haired ninja—Hatake Kakashi.
Stroking his chin, Kakashi replied, "Izumi, Itachi, since you're curious, I'll tell you."
His voice took on a nostalgic tone as he began.
"Mirai was incredibly popular in the Academy—handsome, talented, and admired by all the girls."
"Kind of like me," Kakashi added with a smirk.
"Academically, he was unmatched—perfect scores in theory and mastery of countless jutsu. Whatever he attempted, he excelled at."
"Again, much like me."
"But I graduated before him because I'm better."
Kakashi's tone shifted as he continued. "That guy had a terrible personality—sharp-tongued, introverted, and completely lacking in flair. He had zero cool factor."
"In short, we're complete opposites."
Uchiha Izumi and Uchiha Itachi stared at him in disbelief.
"Kakashi-senpai, are you serious?"
"Absolutely," Kakashi replied with a straight face.
"Oh, there's more," he continued eagerly. "Like the time Mirai and I sparred—"
Before Kakashi could finish, a playful voice interrupted him.
"Oh? Kakashi-san, having fun reminiscing?"
A cold sweat broke out on Kakashi's forehead as he turned stiffly.
Mirai's smiling face filled his vision.
"Haha... Mirai, long time no see!" Kakashi said nervously.
Mirai took a seat beside him, grinning. "Kakashi, I think I overheard you talking about me just now?"
"Did you? You must've misheard," Kakashi said, feigning ignorance.
Seeing him play dumb, Mirai didn't press further. Instead, he pointed to the two young Uchiha.
"And who are these?"
"This is Uchiha Itachi—you probably already know him. Next to him is Uchiha Izumi, another exceptionally talented ninja.
"Both were recruited into the ANBU for their outstanding performance at the Academy. Originally, they were under Shisui's team, but with Shisui busy handling matters outside the village, they were transferred to my unit."
Mirai studied the girl closely.
So, this was Uchiha Izumi.
Not bad.
"Uh, Mirai, I just remembered there's a lost black cat at the crossroads that needs my help. If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."
Mirai smirked and patted Kakashi on the shoulder. "Sure, but not before I 'train' you a bit first."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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