"Practice more if you're weak?"
Kakashi nearly choked on his own breath when he heard Mirai's casual remark. Of all things, this was the last response he'd expected. Shouldn't this be the moment for encouragement, motivation, and rekindling his fighting spirit?
Rin stifled a giggle at Kakashi's bewildered expression. For some reason, being around Mirai always seemed to make her momentarily forget her troubles.
"Rin, that goes for you too," Mirai added.
"Uh…" Rin's smile froze.
He's really got a knack for being equally brutal to everyone!
"Mirai," Rin said hesitantly, "I never got the chance to thank you. If it weren't for that scroll you gave me, Kakashi and I might not have made it out of Iwagakure's ambush alive. And…" She paused, her voice softening. "What you said to me back at the Kirigakure battlefield—it really gave me strength."
Mirai waved dismissively. "Don't mention it. I've already forgotten."
Rin's expression faltered, but she managed a small smile.
"That's okay. It's enough that I'll always remember."
The atmosphere grew a touch awkward. Mirai shot a glare at Kakashi, who stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at them.
"Hey, can you move?" Mirai snapped.
"Why should I?" Kakashi replied, unfazed.
Mirai cracked his knuckles. "If you think you can handle this punch, by all means, stay."
"Hmph." Kakashi scoffed and strode away, his pride intact.
Once Kakashi was gone, Mirai turned his attention back to Rin, who was trying to blink away the moisture in her eyes. He reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a kunai, its golden hue catching the sunlight. The intricate black markings etched into the handle gave it an air of mystery.
"Here. This is for you."
Rin blinked in surprise. "Huh? What… what is this?"
She hesitantly took the kunai, her fingers trembling slightly. Upon closer inspection, she realized the entire weapon was forged from shimmering gold sand. Her face flushed with alarm.
"Mirai, I can't accept this! It's too valuable."
"It's nothing to me." Mirai gestured to the gourd strapped to his waist. "I've got more gold sand than you can imagine."
Rin had almost forgotten—Mirai wielded the power of Magnet Release, capable of controlling gold sand at will.
Carefully cradling the kunai in her hands, Rin's eyes sparkled with awe. There was something irresistible about the craftsmanship, its gleaming surface, and the weight of it in her palm.
"It's beautiful…" she murmured. "But what's this pattern on it?"
"That's the Flying Thunder God seal," Mirai explained. "If you're ever in danger, I can teleport to your side instantly."
"Just like Minato-sensei's technique!" Rin exclaimed.
"Exactly."
Rin's cheeks turned pink as she lowered her head.
"You're giving me something so special… Won't Kurenai be mad?"
Mirai's eye twitched. "Relax. Kurenai got one too."
Rin sighed in relief, pressing a hand to her chest.
"Oh, good! I'll treasure it, I promise. Thanks, Mirai!" She flashed a bright smile before dashing off.
As he watched her leave, Mirai turned toward the Uchiha compound, his expression hardening.
Just as he suspected, Obito had been chosen by Madara. The events of the Third Shinobi War were set in motion. Rin's mention of the tree root that tripped Obito? It was undoubtedly Madara's doing.
If things played out as he predicted, Madara wouldn't hesitate to target Rin to push Obito into the darkness. Rather than prevent the inevitable, Mirai decided to let Madara carry out his plan. After all, with his Mangekyo Sharingan, Rin wouldn't truly be in danger.
Besides, Minato and Kushina had always believed in giving people the chance to choose their path. Mirai would extend the same courtesy to Obito—one last chance. If Obito still chose to descend into madness, then Mirai wouldn't hesitate to deal with him.
Preemptively trying to "save" Obito? That wasn't Mirai's style. It was better to let the fuse burn out and see if the bomb would truly explode. Only then could he decide the best course of action.
On the Streets of Konohagakure
"So this is Konoha… It's so vibrant," Mei Terumi marveled as she wandered through the bustling streets, her gaze flitting from shop to shop. The array of goods displayed was dazzling compared to the modest offerings back in Kirigakure.
"It's no wonder everyone wants a piece of Konoha," she mused aloud.
An elderly man walking beside her, clutching a dragon-headed staff, chuckled darkly. Despite his age and missing teeth, his presence was commanding.
"Now do you understand why our village sought war?" he asked. "Power leads to prosperity. If this war had succeeded, our people wouldn't be starving in the streets."
"But we failed," Mei retorted, her voice sharp. "So many of our shinobi died for nothing. Now we're here, negotiating reparations with Konoha."
The elder interrupted her, his tone firm. "We failed because of Uchiha Mirai. Without him, Konoha would have crumbled, surrounded on all sides."
At the mention of Mirai, Mei swallowed hard.
Though she hated to admit it, the elder was right. Mirai had single-handedly turned the tide of battle. His strength, his precision… and his looks.
Mei felt her cheeks flush as she recalled his face. Why couldn't Kirigakure have shinobi that looked like that?
"Mei, what are you thinking about?" the elder asked, his tone suspicious.
"Nothing!" Mei said quickly. "Can I take a walk around the village?"
The elder nodded. "Don't cause trouble. And remember, this trip is to show you the world outside our village. You're going to help rebuild Kirigakure someday."
"I know, I know," Mei muttered, waving him off. She added under her breath, "And no, I won't go chasing boys, okay?"
But after seeing someone like Uchiha Mirai, her standards had been set a bit higher.
Don't underestimate me!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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