Chapter 217: Even Hashirama Once Bowed His Head

Hokage Tower. Hokage's Office.

Uchiha Mirai sat leisurely on the Hokage's desk, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Nearby, Kurenai Yuhi, who had been observing him closely, couldn't hold back her curiosity.

"Mirai, you seem to be in an especially good mood today. What's the occasion?"

Mirai nodded slightly. "I dealt with the Hyūga clan's issue. From now on, there will be no more Caged Bird Seals."

"Really?"

Kurenai and Rin Nohara exchanged shocked glances, unable to hide their surprise. They were well aware of the Caged Bird Seal's oppressive control over the Hyūga branch family. To them, it had always seemed like a hopeless injustice—one that no one could challenge.

But now, Mirai had abolished it?

"Mirai, you're amazing!" Rin exclaimed, rushing over to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Not to be outdone, Kurenai quickly followed suit, kissing his other cheek with a teasing grin.

Mirai, unbothered by their affection, spoke in his usual calm tone.

"No need to praise me. It was just a spur-of-the-moment decision."

At his words, Kurenai blushed slightly.

There it was again—that familiar, confident charm.

A decision made on a whim, yet it altered the fate of an entire clan. The Hyūga would likely be floored when they heard about this.

"Rin, what have you been up to lately? I haven't seen much of you," Mirai asked, turning his attention to her.

Before Rin could respond, Kurenai chimed in.

"Rin's got a real talent for medical ninjutsu. Lady Tsunade has taken her on as a disciple."

Mirai raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"Tsunade? That lazy gambler actually took on a student?" he said, his tone half-joking.

Rin smiled and explained, "Since the unification of Sunagakure and Konohagakure, there's been a lot of collaboration between the villages' medical ninja. Lady Tsunade's been so busy she decided to take on a few disciples to lighten her workload."

Mirai stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Now that you mention it, Tsunade hasn't come to borrow money from me in a while. That's not good. If she doesn't gamble, she won't lose money. If she doesn't lose money, she won't need to borrow from me. And if she doesn't borrow, how am I supposed to profit?"

His words left Rin and Kurenai speechless for a moment before they burst into laughter.

"Well then," Mirai continued with a grin, "make sure you all don't give Tsunade too much work. As one of the Sannin and the granddaughter of the First and Second Hokage, she deserves to enjoy life a little more."

Rin and Kurenai exchanged amused looks and nodded in agreement.

After giving a few more instructions, the Hokage's inner circle dispersed to attend to their respective duties.

...

Later...

Not long after, an ANBU member wearing a mask entered the office.

"Hokage-sama, we've received intel. It seems the Land of Lightning, Land of Earth, and Land of Water plan to hold a Three Kage Summit in the Land of Iron."

Mirai took the scroll from the ANBU and skimmed through it, a cold smirk forming on his lips.

"A Three Kage Summit, huh? No doubt they're plotting to unite against me."

He placed the scroll down and stood.

"In that case, I'll join the meeting myself. It'll be the perfect opportunity to spark a war under legitimate pretenses."

...

Land of Iron.

A fortress surrounded by towering mountains stood as a bastion of neutrality and strength. The six-story central tower was heavily fortified, with rows of narrow windows and multiple layers of thick walls.

Hundreds of samurai clad in shining silver armor stood guard at every entrance, their katana glinting in the cold air.

Inside the highest level of the tower, a large round table dominated the room. Around it hung banners bearing the kanji for "Earth," "Lightning," "Water," and "Iron."

Seated beneath the banners were four figures: Tsuchikage Ōnoki, Raikage A, Mizukage Yagura, and Mifune, the leader of the samurai. Behind each Kage stood two trusted guards.

Ōnoki's aides, Kitsuchi and Akatsuchi, stood vigilant.

Samui and Darui flanked A.

Mei Terumī and Ao guarded Yagura.

Behind Mifune were two heavily armored samurai, their faces obscured by helmets.

After a moment of silence, Mifune, stroking his long beard, spoke first.

"Now that everyone is here, let's speak candidly about our intentions."

Before anyone else could respond, A slammed his fist on the table.

"What's there to discuss? We unite and launch a full-scale assault on Konoha. Not even Uchiha Mirai can withstand the combined might of our forces!"

Ōnoki shook his head. "That's unwise. Our goal is to pressure him into relinquishing control over Konoha and Sunagakure. Starting a war will only erode our leverage."

A scoffed. "Relinquish control? Do you really think someone like Mirai would hand over his power willingly?"

Turning to Yagura, he demanded, "What's your take?"

Yagura's voice was calm but firm. "I agree with Raikage-sama. War is inevitable. Only by eliminating Uchiha Mirai can we restore true peace to the ninja world."

Mifune nodded solemnly. "I concur. Mirai's actions have violated the balance of power. As a samurai, I cannot condone his killing of daimyōs. For the sake of stability, he must be stopped."

Ōnoki sighed, his expression heavy.

"You're underestimating him. Uchiha Mirai isn't an ordinary opponent. Engaging him could result in catastrophic losses."

Mifune chuckled dryly. "You worry too much, Tsuchikage-dono. Once Mirai hears that we're united, he'll likely surrender without a fight. After all, even Hashirama Senju once bowed to the combined might of the other Kage. Do you think Mirai surpasses him?"

Yagura and A nodded in agreement, confidence evident on their faces.

But before their plans could progress further, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room.

Weapons were drawn as the guards stepped protectively in front of their Kage.

A lone figure stood in the room's center, his black hair flowing and his eyes sharp as obsidian. Arms crossed, he looked down on them with quiet authority.

"Since you all seem so interested in me, allow me to introduce myself," he said, his voice calm but commanding.

"I am Uchiha Mirai, ruler of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind. And I believe it's time we had a proper discussion about the future of the ninja world…"

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