"Damn that brat!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk after hearing the report from the ANBU operative.
Having ruled for many years, it was rare for anyone to outright challenge his authority. Yet, this Uchiha brat had the audacity to defy his orders publicly and even taunt him with,
"If you're not happy with it, come tell me yourself."
Mirai—this insolent little punk! Did he even acknowledge the Hokage's authority anymore?
"Shall I lead a team to apprehend Uchiha Mirai?" the ANBU operative asked cautiously, noting the Third Hokage's evident fury.
Sarutobi Hiruzen froze for a moment, his teeth gritting audibly before he sighed.
"No. Leave him be. Let him do as he pleases."
The ANBU operative was stunned. He could imagine countless possible responses from the Third Hokage, but never this—backing down. Even in the face of such blatant insubordination, Sarutobi Hiruzen was letting it slide.
Was Uchiha Mirai truly so powerful that even the Hokage had no choice but to relent?
"Understood. I will take my leave, Lord Hokage. I assume this matter remains confidential?"
"Yes. Do not speak of this to anyone."
"Understood."
Once the ANBU operative left, Hiruzen took a long drag on his pipe. The kind and grandfatherly facade that usually adorned his face was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his expression was dark and calculating.
"Uchiha Mirai... keep being arrogant while you can. Once your eyes fail you, I'll make you pay for your defiance."
...
Inside an Apartment Building
Mirai studied the scroll Minato had placed in his hands, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Minato, what's this?"
Minato smiled warmly. "It's a collection of sealing techniques recorded on that scroll. I thought they might be useful to you."
"Sealing techniques? Why give me something like this?"
Before Minato could answer, Uzumaki Kushina emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a cloth.
"You've helped us so much already. We don't have much to offer in return, so we thought this might be a small token of gratitude."
As the undisputed genius of the Uchiha clan, Mirai likely had no shortage of jutsu at his disposal. After much deliberation, Kushina and Minato decided that offering him these long-lost Uzumaki sealing techniques would be most appropriate.
"These are techniques from my clan that have been lost to time," Kushina explained. "I doubt you'd have access to these otherwise."
Minato placed a reassuring hand on Mirai's shoulder.
"You've already done so much for the village. Without you, the war with Sunagakure wouldn't have ended so quickly. Who knows how many more Konoha shinobi would've perished if not for your actions? Consider this a thank-you from us."
Mirai chuckled wryly. If only they knew—most of the techniques on this scroll had already been added to his repertoire through the system's plundering capabilities. Still, he couldn't bring himself to refuse their heartfelt gesture.
"I appreciate it," he said, tucking the scroll away.
"Great! Now, let's eat!" Kushina said with a bright smile.
Over dinner, Kushina looked at Mirai thoughtfully.
"I've heard your story, Mirai. I never expected you to grow into such an accomplished shinobi at your age."
Mirai laughed softly. "It's nothing special. Besides, running around and fighting isn't all it's cracked up to be. I just got back from one mission and now I'm being sent to the battlefield near Kirigakure."
At that, Kushina's eyes lit up. "Is that so?"
She hesitated briefly before continuing, "Mirai, could I ask a favor of you?"
"What is it?"
"Last night, Obito, Kakashi, and Rin were assigned a mission to transport supplies to the Kirigakure frontlines. If you happen to cross paths with them... could you look after those kids for me?"
Kushina sighed, rubbing her temple. "Especially Obito. That boy's heart is in the right place, but his recklessness always has me worried. Honestly, how can two Uchiha be so completely opposite?"
After a moment of thought, Mirai nodded. "If I encounter them, I'll do my best to ensure their safety."
"Thank you."
...
Land of Fire
Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi, Nohara Rin, and two other teams moved steadily along the dirt road, escorting a cart laden with supplies to the eastern frontlines.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Obito groaned, "Ugh, this heat is unbearable!"
"Focus, Obito," Rin said, scanning the surroundings. "Stay alert. We're far from the village, and the enemy could strike at any time."
Obito grinned, leaning closer to her. "Don't worry, Rin. If any Kirigakure ninja show up, I'll protect you!"
Kakashi scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. "Idiot."
"What did you say?!" Obito snapped, glaring at Kakashi.
"Shut up and pay attention. You're disrupting the mission."
"Don't act all high and mighty, Kakashi!"
"Obito!" Rin's stern voice cut through their bickering. "Enough. Both of you."
Reluctantly, Obito fell silent, though his irritation was evident.
One day, I'll become Hokage. Then we'll see who's boss.
As the group pressed on, Rin suddenly noticed the air around them growing thick with mist.
"Strange... when did it start fogging up?"
Kakashi's hand went to his short sword, his stance shifting to one of readiness.
"Stay sharp. This isn't natural. It's Kirigakure shinobi."
The group froze, their eyes darting warily as the mist thickened, muffling all sound. Despite being only a few meters apart, the team members began to lose sight of one another.
Then, a cold, mocking voice echoed from the haze.
"Throat... spine... lungs... liver... carotid artery... kidneys... heart..."
"Hmm, where should I start?" The voice lingered, as if savoring the choices.
After a moment, it spoke again with malicious glee. "Ah, why not try all eight?"
The voice vanished, and then the screams began.
Bloodcurdling and sharp, the cries pierced the silence. Sweat dripped down Kakashi's face as he tightened his grip on his sword.
Hidden in the mist, the enemy ninja moved like a predator stalking its prey, leaving the group frozen, their breaths shallow as they braced for the inevitable attack.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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