After treating Rin and the others' injuries briefly, Mirai decided to accompany them on their journey.
Otherwise...
In their current state, another ambush by Kirigakure shinobi would likely end in disaster.
"Mirai, are you sure it's okay for you to travel with us?" Rin asked, her tone tinged with concern.
Supporting the frontlines was always considered an urgent mission for a shinobi—one with no room for delays. Escorting these supplies could potentially slow Mirai down and jeopardize his task.
Mirai simply waved off her concerns. "Don't worry. Kumogakure can't do anything to me."
"Um..." Rin hesitated, feeling something was slightly off in his phrasing. Shouldn't it be, 'They won't dare to do anything to me'?
Watching his crush chatting warmly with another man, Obito couldn't help but interject, his tone sour.
"Mirai, if you've got an urgent mission, you should just go ahead. I've awakened my Sharingan now, so the next time those Kirigakure shinobi show up, I'll defeat them all!"
Mirai snorted. "Obito, I don't expect gratitude, but you could at least drop the attitude when speaking to your savior."
Obito clenched his fists, defiant. "Who asked you to save me?!"
Mirai gave him a sideways glance. "Fine, then. You didn't need my help—but what about Rin? Because of your incompetence, she nearly got killed."
At that, Obito fell silent, his defiance crumbling under the weight of guilt.
Sensing the awkward tension, Rin stepped in to diffuse the situation.
"Mirai, Obito's just like that. Deep down, he's a kind, grateful person."
Mirai chuckled softly.
Kind? Grateful? This is the same Obito who conspired with Itachi to wipe out the Uchiha Clan? The same man who planted explosive tags on an infant and forcibly extracted the Nine-Tails from Kushina's body?
Still, when he thought of Kushina, Mirai couldn't help but add, "I'm protecting you all because Kushina personally asked me to. She might not be here, but she cares deeply about your safety—especially yours, Obito."
Obito muttered under his breath, "I'm not that useless…"
Mirai smirked but decided not to press further.
Whatever happens to you, Obito, depends entirely on the choices you make from now on.
...
Eastern Border
In the dense forest near the coastline, a thick mist blanketed the area. The ground was littered with corpses, evidence of a brutal skirmish that had just taken place.
A group of Konoha shinobi wearing Uchiha insignias stood back-to-back, warily scanning their surroundings.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Flames erupted in unison, clearing the surrounding mist for a brief moment. Seizing the opportunity, the remaining Uchiha warriors began their retreat.
But their reprieve was short-lived. The mist quickly swallowed the forest again, shrouding everything in an oppressive haze.
Gritting his teeth, one of the Uchiha shinobi turned to his leader.
"Fugaku-sama, you need to get out of here. We'll hold them off!"
Fugaku shook his head resolutely. "No, we escape together, or not at all!"
"Fugaku-sama, you're the next head of the Uchiha Clan! You can't die here!"
"That's right! If you stay, none of us will make it out alive."
"Fugaku-sama, now's not the time to hesitate. We'll sacrifice ourselves to stop the Kirigakure shinobi."
Fugaku hesitated, torn by their determination. An older Uchiha stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding.
"Inaho, Tetsuka, Hachida—you three are responsible for ensuring Fugaku makes it back alive."
"Understood!" the three younger shinobi replied, positioning themselves protectively around Fugaku.
"The rest of you, form a line. No one gets through!"
"Yes!"
As the mist thinned again, Fugaku could no longer remember the exact sequence of events that led to their escape. The only thing that lingered in his mind was the sound of his clansmen's dying screams.
Nearly thirty elite Uchiha had joined the mission. Only four survived.
Regret and guilt gnawed at Fugaku's soul. His overconfidence had led them into a trap, and now the clan had paid a devastating price.
A powerful surge of emotion coursed through him, and his Sharingan began to spin wildly. The three tomoe merged, forming a complex and mysterious new pattern.
The Mangekyō Sharingan.
The immense strain of awakening this new power overwhelmed him, and Fugaku collapsed into unconsciousness.
When he opened his eyes again, Fugaku found himself back at the Konoha camp.
"My eyes…"
Recalling the events before he fainted, Fugaku grabbed a nearby mirror. Sure enough, his Sharingan had transformed, now bearing the distinct design of the Mangekyō.
"So this is the true power of the Uchiha Clan…"
Feeling the immense strength within his eyes, Fugaku murmured to himself. He finally understood why the Hokage and others feared the Uchiha so deeply.
But he also knew that this power would make them even more of a target.
"I have to keep this a secret," Fugaku resolved. "If the Third Hokage finds out, it'll only make things worse."
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Fugaku-sama, are you awake?"
"Come in," he called.
Hachida entered, bowing respectfully. "Fugaku-sama, the others are fine. Inaho and Tetsuka only suffered minor injuries."
Hachida's expression darkened. "But… those who stayed behind to hold the line… none of them made it back."
Fugaku clenched his fists tightly. "The Kirigakure shinobi will pay for this."
Hachida hesitated before speaking again. "Fugaku-sama, there's one more thing."
"What is it?" Fugaku asked, his tone sharp.
"While you were unconscious… Uchiha Mirai arrived at the camp."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed.
Uchiha Mirai… If it weren't for him, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't be in this state.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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