Chapter 59: Unexpected Change!

Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully looting the reward: Mental Strength +1!

Hearing the notification in his mind, Mirai sheathed his blade, withdrawing it from Kakashi's neck.

Nearby, someone let out a pained groan.

"Still not enough, huh?"

"Kakashi, you idiot, you're a Jōnin now!"

Obito was disappointed. He'd thought that with Kakashi's promotion, maybe, just maybe, he could finally beat Mirai. But no, Kakashi was still no match, barely holding up under Mirai's single-handed assault. Obito couldn't hide his frustration.

"I can't beat him, sure, but how is Kakashi so far behind too?"

"Obito, Mirai's strong enough to take on the Raikage. It's not that surprising Kakashi couldn't handle him," Rin said with a gentle smile.

"Pfft."

"Who cares if he beat the Raikage? Once I'm Hokage, I'll be able to beat any of the Kage out there!" Obito retorted, still unconvinced.

But no sooner had he spoken than everyone burst out laughing.

"Obito, seriously? You're the class dunce—where do you get the nerve to say things like that?"

"Right? You couldn't even pass the Chūnin Exam on your first try. Keep dreaming."

"Alright, alright, let's go grab some food. I'm starving."

The mockery made Obito flare up, and he was ready to snap back, but Rin quickly held him back before he could make a scene. They walked into the yakiniku restaurant and found a secluded table to sit down.

Tonight's gathering was to celebrate Kakashi's promotion to Jōnin and Obito's promotion to Chūnin. Genma, Ebisu, Kurenai, Asuma, Rin, and a few others were all here. Minato Namikaze was on the frontlines fighting Sunagakure's shinobi, so he couldn't make it.

Once everyone was seated, plates of grilled meat soon started arriving. At that moment, Kushina pushed open the door and walked in.

"Am I late?" Kushina smiled, greeting everyone before her gaze fell on a sulking Obito, and she quickly pouted.

"Hey! You guys haven't been picking on Obito again, have you?"

Everyone shook their heads immediately. No one dared to mess with Kushina, except for Mirai.

"Sensei's wife, they just don't believe I can be Hokage one day."

"I'll show them—it's not just talk," Obito declared passionately.

Kushina smiled warmly, ruffling Obito's hair. "I believe in you, Obito. You can do it one day! But… shouldn't you get your feet off the table first, dummy?"

Wham!

She knocked him on the head, making him yelp in pain, though he didn't mind. Besides Rin, Kushina was the only one who genuinely encouraged and believed in him.

"On a serious note, you guys need to be extra careful on your missions."

"The shinobi world's becoming unstable again. I heard there've been sightings of Kirigakure shinobi in the eastern coastal regions of the Land of Fire."

"Although… Mirai, you're the exception here."

Kushina turned her gaze to Mirai, smiling slyly.

"You've been a bit too relaxed lately. I've never seen a shinobi as laid-back as you."

Mirai didn't respond to Kushina's teasing and instead looked over at Ebisu and Genma.

"Where's Guy? Isn't he usually punctual?"

It was already their agreed meeting time, and it wasn't like Guy to be late. An unsettling feeling rose in Mirai's heart.

"Oh… He and Duy left on a mission outside the village."

"What?!"

Mirai slammed a hand on the table, startling everyone.

They'd known Mirai for a while, but it was the first time they'd seen him this agitated.

"Mirai, is something wrong?" Genma asked, taking the senbon needle out of his mouth in confusion.

Ignoring the question, Mirai pressed on. "Aren't you guys in the same team? Why didn't you go together?"

"Duy got a last-minute mission last night. He needed a Genin to assist, so Guy left a note and went with him. They're transporting supplies to the eastern front. We only found out this morning."

Genma explained.

"So that's it."

"What's going on, Mirai?" Kushina and the others looked at him in confusion.

Mirai's usual calmness returned. "It's nothing. I'd arranged for a custom weapon for Guy recently, and I planned to give it to him tonight."

"Haha, then you can just give it to him when he's back."

"That was the plan, but now that Kushina's mentioned it, I can't shake this bad feeling."

"They've only been gone a day and a night. Since they're carrying supplies, they're probably moving slowly. If I leave now, I should be able to catch up."

With an apologetic smile, Mirai addressed the group. "Sorry, I owe you guys. Next time, it's my treat."

As Mirai stood to leave, Kushina's expression turned serious. "Mirai, it's late. Without permission from the Third Hokage, you're not allowed to leave the village."

"Don't worry. The guards can't stop me."

With that, Mirai activated his Body Flicker Technique and vanished.

Kushina sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead in exasperation.

Was she worried about the guards stopping him? No, she was worried this might get him labeled as a rogue ninja!

Even she wouldn't dare pull a stunt like this. Mirai was truly reckless.

"Forget it. Let him be."

"Not a word of this leaves the group. Understood?"

"Understood," everyone echoed, though Kakashi, Ebisu, Asuma, and the others exchanged uneasy glances.

Sneaking out of the village just to bring a new weapon to Guy… Mirai was a true friend.

Even Obito, who usually didn't get along with Mirai, felt a twinge of respect.

Only Kushina sighed, muttering, "Always giving me trouble."

But she figured that, with Mirai's accomplishments and a little convincing of the Third, things shouldn't get too serious. Once he returned, she'd make him cook a few meals to pay her back!

Unbeknownst to Kushina, the consequences Mirai anticipated were far from her mind.

…

Using his Flying Thunder God Technique, Mirai appeared at one of his marked points outside the village, then took off toward the east.

The eastern front—the border between the Land of Fire and the sea, where it faced the Land of Water across a long coastline.

In these turbulent times, the thought of Duy and Guy being sent there made Mirai think of a familiar storyline.

In the original story, Guy's team, while escorting supplies, was ambushed by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure. In a last, heroic stand, Duy opened the Eighth Gate, sacrificing his life to save Guy and the others.

After returning to the village, Mirai had warned Guy to inform him whenever he left for a mission.

Earlier that day, Mirai had planned to give him a special Flying Thunder God kunai after the gathering.

But Guy had left without telling him and was now on a mission with Duy!

With a full day and night's head start, if they really ran into the Seven Ninja Swordsmen… it could spell disaster.

"This is my mistake."

"From now on, I can't afford to rely on past knowledge."

Mirai chided himself.

The shinobi world was already changing beyond recognition with his presence, and the events from the original story could no longer be taken for granted.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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