Chapter 38: Summoning Contract with a Crow!

Konohagakure. Uchiha District.

Two young men strolled through the streets, surrounded by murmurs and curious stares. Many villagers wore expressions of thinly veiled glee, clearly relishing some bit of scandal.

The younger of the two boys spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Mirai-senpai, something strange happened in the village last night."

Raising a brow slightly, Mirai replied calmly, "Shisui, I went to bed early yesterday. What happened?"

Leaning in, Shisui lowered his voice. "I heard that someone attacked one of the Root's bases, taking down several Root shinobi."

"Is that so?"

Shisui nodded. "Yes, but it's even more complicated than that. Rumor has it that the Nara and Akimichi clans were involved."

"Any proof?"

"A heavily injured Root shinobi escaped and reportedly saw techniques unique to the Nara and Akimichi clans."

Shisui sighed. "They're all supposed to be loyal to the Hokage faction. Who would've thought they'd be fighting amongst themselves?"

Having adopted Mirai's perspectives, Shisui's view of the village had grown sharper. Hearing this news only solidified his belief in Mirai's vision of change. With internal conflicts like this, it was clear to him that the village's leaders had been tainted by darkness.

"How did you hear so much about this?" Mirai asked with genuine curiosity.

"Danzo himself stormed into the Nara and Akimichi districts with Root agents this morning. Everyone's talking about it," Shisui replied. "Mirai-senpai, you really didn't know?"

Mirai shook his head, feigning ignorance. He, of course, knew exactly what had happened—he had orchestrated it himself. After acquiring the Nara and Akimichi clans' secret techniques from a Root shinobi who attacked him, he raided a Foundation outpost, eliminating a few guards. That severely injured Root shinobi? He'd let him escape on purpose.

Mirai's power still wasn't enough to openly oppose Danzo, so he figured he'd keep Danzo distracted and out of his way for a while. Evidence of the stolen clan techniques would ensure Danzo wouldn't let this incident rest anytime soon.

They walked in silence until they reached Uchiha Tajima's home.

"Clan Head!"

"Ah, there you are! Come in and sit," Tajima greeted them with a warm smile. "Mirai, I've heard about your accomplishments lately. You've done well, bringing no shame to the Uchiha name."

He pushed a small stack of money and a few scrolls toward Mirai.

"Here's a bit of support from the clan."

Mirai smiled, gratefully pocketing the gifts. Money and jutsu scrolls were always welcome.

"If you have any other requests, let me know. The clan will do its best to provide for you," Tajima offered.

After a moment's thought, an idea sparked in Mirai's mind.

"Clan Head Tajima, I'd like to form a contract with a summoning beast."

Tajima chuckled heartily. "That's a simple request. Most of our clan members make contracts with the ninja cats. They're not particularly strong in battle, but they're excellent for delivering messages and gathering intelligence."

"If you'd like, I can arrange a contract for you right now."

To his surprise, Mirai shook his head. "Are there any other options besides the ninja cats?"

"Hmm…" Tajima paused, pondering. "Aside from the cats, there is one other option—the crows."

Mirai's eyes lit up. "That's perfect."

He'd already decided on a crow summoning contract. Not for any practical reason—he simply found them striking.

With the crow contract settled, Tajima turned his attention to Shisui.

"You're here too, Shisui. Would you like to form a summoning contract as well?"

"I'd like to choose the crows too," Shisui said enthusiastically.

"Very well." Tajima didn't hesitate to grant Shisui's request, handing him a few additional scrolls as well. "If there's anything else you two need, don't hesitate to ask. The clan is here to support you both."

Mirai and Shisui nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Clan Head Tajima."

After some casual conversation, Tajima summoned an attendant to lead Mirai and Shisui to sign the summoning scroll with the crows. Once they'd left, Tajima's face flushed. He coughed heavily, his hand coming away stained with blood.

His time was running out, and he knew it. All he could do now was provide these young men with the resources they needed to protect the clan. Tajima could only hope that one day Mirai and Shisui would grow strong enough to change the clan's fate.

Leaving Tajima's residence, Mirai and Shisui made their way into a secluded forest grove on the outskirts of the Uchiha compound. While Mirai trained, he gave Shisui a few pointers, passing along some of the insights he'd learned from Fugaku and Minato.

In just a few brief instructions, Shisui was already learning a lot.

"Mirai-senpai, thank you so much! Do you mind if I come to you for guidance in the future?"

Seeing Shisui's hopeful expression, Mirai nodded. "Of course."

Then his tone shifted. "Shisui, you know the life of a shinobi is dangerous, don't you?"

"Eh? Mirai-senpai, what do you mean?"

"Your abilities aren't fully developed yet, but you already know a lot of… sensitive information."

Shisui understood immediately, looking at Mirai with resolute eyes. "Mirai-senpai, if you need me to do something, just say the word."

"Then I'll be direct." Mirai's voice was firm. "To prevent any unintentional leaks, I need to place a sealing jutsu on you."

Though Mirai trusted Shisui, he preferred to take precautions. Conveniently, during his raid on Root, he'd picked up the 'Tongue-Cursing Root Seal,' a technique that would paralyze anyone who tried to speak about forbidden subjects, silencing them entirely.

After Mirai briefly explained the seal's effect, Shisui's face lit up with admiration.

"As expected of you, Mirai-senpai—you really think of everything. Please go ahead!"

Shisui had no objections to the seal. After all, the secrets he knew could determine the future of both the Uchiha and the entire village. If this seal could prevent any accidental disclosure, he welcomed it fully.

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