Chapter 28: I Only Follow My Own Will

By the time Mirai had finished clearing the battlefield, Kurenai and Asuma finally arrived.

"Mirai, are you hurt?"

Kurenai asked immediately, concern evident in her eyes.

Mirai just chuckled. "Nope. It was only three Genin—I took care of them easily."

Kurenai and Asuma exchanged a look, speechless at his nonchalance.

Only three Genin? Wasn't he also just a Genin himself?

Asuma frowned. "Mirai, you're being reckless. We're supposed to operate as a team, not run off on our own."

Mirai scoffed at Asuma's scolding. "I don't need you telling me what to do."

"You—" Asuma clenched his fists, clearly annoyed. "So, what, we're just supposed to do whatever we want too?" He reminded Mirai, "Remember what you told us before? War isn't a game—don't make yourself a burden on your comrades."

Mirai glanced at him, his gaze icy. "Rules are made for the weak, Asuma. Until you can defeat me, you're the one who follows orders."

Right and wrong? Morality? Shinobi rules?

Mirai couldn't care less. He only did what he wanted. To think anyone could control him was pure fantasy.

"Bastard!" Asuma's face flushed with anger as he clenched his fists tightly. As the Hokage's son, he was unused to being treated like this. If he thought he could win, he would've knocked some sense into that smug face right now.

In the days that followed, Mirai led Asuma and Kurenai on a relentless assault against the Sunagakure shinobi. Every Sand ninja they encountered—none escaped. Even Chunin-level opponents were no match for Mirai's skill.

In just ten days, he had wiped out ten teams, racking up twenty-five confirmed kills himself. With the rewards he'd gained from daily sparring, his stats had significantly increased.

[Name: Mirai Uchiha]

[Physique: 130]

[Mental Power: 110]

[Chakra: 101]

[Bloodline Limit: Sharingan]

Looking at his attributes—all surpassing the 100 mark—Mirai felt satisfied. Based on these stats, he'd already reached the level of a Jōnin, and with his Three Tomoe Sharingan, most Jōnin would fall short against him. Only elite Jōnin could provide him a true challenge.

With the Eight Gates technique, Flying Thunder God, and Rasengan, he was even confident enough to face a Kage-level opponent.

In just a few months, he had grown from a mere Genin to this level… Truly, breaking the rules was the only correct path forward.

"This guy really knows how to relax," Asuma muttered with a hint of frustration as he looked at Mirai resting calmly on a tree branch.

In every encounter with the Suna shinobi lately, he'd hardly been able to contribute. Mirai was usually able to handle all the enemies on his own, leaving Asuma with nothing but frustration.

In Asuma's view, Mirai was hogging all the glory that should've been his. Even Obito Uchiha next door was starting to mock him. How was he supposed to prove himself to his father at this rate?

"No way—I have to get the jump on him next time and show what I can do," he thought, clenching his fists in determination. He had improved a lot recently, while he might not be as remarkable as Mirai, he certainly wasn't far behind. 

Just then, the faint jingle of bells filled the air, catching Asuma's attention. He looked up to see a dozen shuriken speeding toward them.

"Enemies!"

Asuma whipped out his chakra blade, deflecting the incoming shuriken. But before he could react, a Suna ninja came rushing toward him at full speed.

"Bring it on!" Asuma sneered, charging forward. "Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning!"

A thick plume of ash erupted, engulfing the Suna ninja before detonating in a fiery explosion. Asuma readied himself, eyes locked on the smoke, when—

Ting! Ting! Ting!

Three more shuriken came flying through the smoke, and before he could fully catch his breath, a figure appeared at his side.

Bam!

Asuma barely registered the kick before everything went black, his body sent flying like a kite with its string cut. Too fast! The enemy's speed and strength left him no time to react, it was as if his jutsu had been completely ineffective.

Before he could recover, the Suna ninja loomed over him, scarred from brow to mouth and emanating a deadly aura. Those cold eyes made Asuma's blood run cold. From the start, the Suna ninja hadn't spoken a single word or wasted a single movement, he was seconds from taking Asuma's life.

"A Jōnin! He's definitely a Jōnin!" Asuma's mind screamed, but it was too late. Against this level of power, he couldn't respond.

Just as he prepared for the end, the Suna Jōnin suddenly halted mid-strike, spun back, and formed hand signs.

"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"

(T/N: This tornado-like mass is compressed until it has a very high density before being released. The blast can hit a vast range, inflicting massive damage on both the target and their close surroundings.)

Boom!

The entire area in front of him was shredded to bits by razor-sharp wind, leaving a vacuum in its wake. At that moment, Asuma felt himself being pulled back, retreating several meters in an instant.

When he looked up, Mirai was standing next to him, posture calm and steady. Asuma couldn't suppress the wave of fear that crashed over him. He had almost died. This was the true terror of the battlefield—death was always mere moments away.

"Stay with Kurenai, Asuma," Mirai said, unsheathing his blade.

Asuma snapped out of his daze, shouting a warning. "Mirai, be careful! He's strong!"

Mirai chuckled lightly. "Asuma…"

"Hm?" Asuma looked at him, puzzled.

Mirai's eyes glinted. "Don't judge my opponents by your standards."

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