"Go in there and reflect properly."
After locking Hyuga Mio into the confinement room, Kiyo Hyuga closed the door and left.
Hyuga Mio had been confined again for fighting outside, so she was locked in the room for reflection. During this time she was not allowed to go out, had to complete her daily schoolwork, and aside from designated paper books, there were no electronic devices in the room.
"That damn mom. It was clearly their fault, and Yuto hit someone too. Why am I the only one being locked up!"
Hyuga Mio's small face twisted with anger. She kicked the door a few times to vent, but it was useless. The room's soundproofing was so good that even detonating ten kilograms of explosives inside wouldn't let a sound escape.
This wasn't her first time being locked in. Starting a year ago, whenever she made a mistake outside, she would be confined here. Before it was only a few hours; this time it was a full two days.
There was nothing in the room besides study books. Out of boredom, Hyuga Mio did some homework for a while, then began cultivating.
She started learning chakra refinement at five years old. After two years of training, she could already perform Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms.
At lunchtime, the door to the confinement room opened. Two people walked in. When Hyuga Mio looked toward the door, her anger flared and she rushed toward Hyuga Yuto.
"You little traitor, get over here! You hit someone too, so why am I the only one locked up?"
Before Hyuga Mio could even get close to Hyuga Yuto, she was grabbed by the back of her collar and lifted up by No. 18 beside him. Even while being held, Hyuga Mio protested stubbornly, "Auntie No. 18, let go of me. I won't fight with Yuto."
After Hyuga Mio was lifted up, Hyuga Yuto poked his head out from behind No. 18, smacked his lips, and shook his head. "Sis, I used genjutsu, and it was a confusion-type genjutsu. You used the Eight Trigrams Palm. The consequences are completely different. And you even called the wrong person."
"Called the wrong person?"
Hyuga Mio froze, not understanding what Yuto meant.
"What Yuto means is that you didn't even recognize me. Looks like you really need to stay in the confinement room for two days."
After saying that, Hyuga Mirai dispelled the nano-disguise on his body and returned to his original appearance.
"Dad?"
Hyuga Mio froze. Then those deep blue Tenseigan eyes identical to Hyuga Mirai's immediately filled with grievance. Hugging Hyuga Mirai, she complained, "Dad, you have to deal with Mom. She's getting more and more unreasonable. Before it was at most half a day. This time it's two whole days."
Nearby, Hyuga Yuto clutched his stomach and laughed. "Haha, Sis, begging Dad is worse than begging Aunt Ayaka. Aunt Ayaka's words are more effective than Dad's."
Ayaka Uzumaki had just been confirmed pregnant last month, and her status in the household was basically on par with Kiyo. As for Hyuga Mirai, he could only barely manage the two kids. Sometimes even Mio wouldn't listen to him, since he often stayed in the laboratory.
"You're coming into confinement too. We share blessings and hardships. You'll stay here with us for these two days. Endure it."
After putting down lunch, just as Hyuga Yuto tried to run away upon hearing that, Hyuga Mirai directly dragged him back. Based on his understanding of the two kids, this fight was probably another case of Hyuga Yuto pushing his sister to the front while he stayed behind to watch.
The two kids were practically replicas of their mother. Yuto probably learned from Kurenai Yuhi from a young age how to deal with Kiyo's temper, and after mastering it, used it on his sister Mio.
Still, Mio really needed to reflect this time. Using Eight Trigrams Palm outside school to beat a classmate straight into the hospital—if her parents weren't Hyuga Mirai and Kiyo Hyuga, she would probably have been taken away by the security force or school authorities.
"Don't look so miserable, you two. It's only two days. Let's play some games first, using your allowance as the stakes. Mio, after you get out, remember to do a serious self-reflection. If you do it again, I won't be able to speak up for you."
Hyuga Mio muttered, "When have you ever spoken up for me in front of Mom?"
Hyuga Mirai snorted inwardly. It had taken him great effort to get Kiyo to agree to all kinds of outfits. If he upset her over disciplining the kids, the one suffering would be himself. Besides, he knew he had little free time and found it hard to get angry at Mio and Yuto, so playing the bad cop was better left to Kiyo.
He then took out a game console, instantly making Mio and Yuto's eyes light up. Both eagerly sat in front of it. But Hyuga Mirai had already decided to teach them a lesson, so he made them take out all their saved allowance first. No money, no playing.
Once Hyuga Yuto and Hyuga Mio handed over all their allowance, they planned to win a big sum from Hyuga Mirai. Otherwise, their allowance was never enough. Kiyo strictly controlled their finances, and their allowance was only average among school kids. Even when they wanted premium snacks, Mio usually tricked Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha into paying.
She even threatened Yuto to open his Sharingan and go ask Sasuke Uchiha, which greatly increased the success rate.
The three played in the confinement room until midnight. In the end, Hyuga Mirai left contentedly with IOUs signed by Mio and Yuto. He had originally wanted to gamble a few more rounds, but a newly alert Yuto kicked him out. If their dad stayed any longer, even next year's allowance would be gone.
Six years passed. The Federation's territorial area hadn't changed much, but domestic infrastructure had doubled. Now even the railway from the commercial capital to the farthest town of the former Land of Earth had opened. In theory, Federation citizens could reach any town by rail.
They didn't expand outward because the Federation hadn't yet entered a population boom, and there was still plenty of unused land. Moreover, there was only one regime on the planet—the Federation—so in theory the planet was already unified.
The Federation's leader was still Pakura, but she wouldn't hold the position much longer.
Over these six years, Pakura proposed stepping down three times, but each time Hyuga Mirai secretly manipulated public opinion and Federation officials to reject it. The last time even led to a public petition asking Pakura to continue for a while longer.
Recently, however, Pakura had sought out Hyuga Mirai several times. She had noticed something was off, though she couldn't find proof that Hyuga Mirai was behind it. Clever as she was, she hinted both openly and subtly that if no one took over next time she resigned, she would run away.
Hyuga Mirai had no desire to take over. He had already resigned from the positions of Ninja Academy principal and Minister of Education. With rapid development of computer networks, No. 18 handled 60 percent of the Federation's administrative work. Hyuga Mirai would rather spend the remaining time doing experiments or his family.
Three years ago, Hyuga Mirai became an unemployed free man. Kiyo, however, took over the position of Minister of Education. She couldn't stay idle, and even dragged Kurenai Yuhi along as her assistant to the Ministry of Education.
If nothing unexpected happened, the next Federation leader would be Senju Tobirama.
Among the Federation's twenty-seven states, only Senju Tobirama was truly suitable. Others—whether Kakashi Hatake, Maki, Nara Shikaku, or Terumi Mei—fell a bit short compared to Tobirama, either in ability or temperament.
As time went on, Hyuga Mirai grew increasingly uninterested in that position. With No. 18 helping manage the Federation's administration and economy, calling him the leader behind the scenes wouldn't be wrong. There was no need to sit in that seat personally.
Hyuga Mirai preferred turning the technological concepts in his mind into reality.
Anti-gravity hover cars, holographic cinemas and arcades, a global satellite network, a lunar space station, interstellar travel ships, household assistant robots, and most importantly, the spacetime jump device—some had already been realized and promoted across the Federation, while others were displayed in the exhibition hall of the Federation Advanced University in Roran.
They weren't suitable for large-scale promotion yet, but could be researched and innovated upon by others.
Hyuga Mirai focused on the few projects at hand: the God Tree, interstellar travel ships, and the spacetime jump device. The first was the best path for life-level evolution, and the latter was essential for spacetime travel.
Over these six years, the only thing outside Hyuga Mirai's control was related to No. 18 five years ago.
No. 18's change back then was something Hyuga Mirai hadn't anticipated. Years ago, he had Tsunade used the Six Paths Chibaku Tensei. After Otsutsuki Kaguya's consciousness was unsealed, instead of entering the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path as Hyuga Mirai expected, it entered No. 18's body.
This was the first thing Hyuga Mirai hadn't controlled. Later, however, No. 18's explanation seemed fine, and by then it was already inconvenient for Hyuga Mirai to examine her further.
"Otsutsuki Kaguya is now my second personality, sir. You don't need to worry. No matter which personality, neither will violate the principles you set when you created me."
No. 18 controlled herself to transform into Otsutsuki Kaguya's appearance. Compared to the ascetic goddess Hyuga Mirai had seen, No. 18's Kaguya form wore an expression full of coy allure.
"Sir, if you don't believe me, you can… personally check…"
As she said this, No. 18, still in Otsutsuki Kaguya's form, deliberately lifted her clothes to reveal her lower abdomen, where her star core was located.
At that time, Tsunade didn't know the details. Seeing this scene, she simply felt anger, thinking Hyuga Mirai dared to flirt with another woman in front of her. She stepped forward and locked Hyuga Mirai's neck with her jade-like arm.
"You're getting bolder and bolder. Doing this right in front of me. Come with me."
"Tsunade, watch the child."
In the end, Tsunade was persuaded by Hyuga Mirai, since she also cared deeply about Senju Yoko.
This was the name Tsunade gave her daughter. Although Yoko didn't carry the Senju surname, Tsunade hoped that starting with Yoko, the Senju clan would flourish again. However, not long after settling on the name, one remark from Hyuga Mirai made Tsunade struggle for a long time.
"Senju? Tsunade, aren't you afraid Yoko will be full-blood Byakugan?"
In the end, Hyuga Mirai promised that Yoko would definitely awaken Wood Release, and moreover, God Tree Wood Release. Only then was Tsunade satisfied.
Speaking of gains, aside from Tsunade and Senju Yoko, Hyuga Mirai's greatest harvest was probably hooking three Otsutsuki.
After Tsunade deciphered all of Otsutsuki Isshiki's life information, she used Otsutsuki clan communication signals to summon three Otsutsuki from a nearby star system to Earth. Hyuga Mirai then beat them to death. Urashiki's abilities were more troublesome, but only slightly. As someone who also possessed Yomotsu Hirasaka, Urashiki only lived a bit longer than Momoshiki and Kinshiki.
With two God Tree saplings and three Otsutsuki corpses obtained, Hyuga Mirai copied the genetic information of Momoshiki, Kinshiki, and Urashiki. After Tsunade used electromagnetic abilities to copy all their life information, the three corpses were handed to Sasori and Orochimaru for research.
Since three couldn't be split into two, and cutting the corpses destroyed their value, Sasori reluctantly worked with Orochimaru in the same experimental base, despite his dislike, for the sake of the three Otsutsuki bodies. Otherwise, shuttling between two locations would have been too troublesome.
Sasori made major breakthroughs in materials. Hyuga Mirai's spaceship used an alloy Sasori developed, doubling previous measurements in strength, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and more.
It was precisely because the spaceship materials improved so much that Hyuga Mirai conceived the idea of traveling through spacetime to other universes, sightseeing while planting God Trees.
Although Hyuga Mirai's improved God Tree could grow by absorbing stellar energy, he didn't want to miss planting on life-bearing planets. He wanted to observe the entire process of primitive God Tree saplings slowly growing after absorbing the energy of a living planet.
He also wanted to see if he could deduce the God Tree mother tree.
As for going to the Otsutsuki home planet, Hyuga Mirai had no such plans for now. According to memories in Isshiki's life information, there was a statue left by an Otsutsuki god on the home planet, containing an overwhelming power that made Isshiki unable to even think of resisting.
After comparing, Hyuga Mirai felt it would be very dangerous to go to the Otsutsuki home planet now. He couldn't be sure how powerful that statue was. If something went wrong, it would be disastrous.
With the nearby star system's Otsutsuki all dealt with, the planet where the Federation resided could develop peacefully for at least a thousand years.
That evening, after Hyuga Mirai finished cooking and set the dishes on the table, Ayaka Uzumaki sat there lazily, while Kiyo Hyuga and Kurenai Yuhi arrived right on time.
Before dinner, Hyuga Mirai also went to the confinement room to deliver dinner to Mio and Yuto. Locking Yuto in had been his idea; otherwise, Mio alone wouldn't adapt to two days inside. With Yuto there, he could keep her company and serve as a punching bag, saving Mio from being constantly schemed against by her brother.
After eating, Kiyo Hyuga didn't rest as usual. Instead, she moved close to Hyuga Mirai, stared at him for a while, and asked, "Do you have something to say?"
"Still can't hide it from you, Kiyo." Hyuga Mirai said his thoughts and said, "The spacetime jump device is fully charged. In theory, I can try going somewhere else to take a look. The Federation's development is on track, nothing to worry about, and there are no nearby enemies."
Simply put, it had reached the end. Hyuga Mirai's Scientific Template System hadn't drawn any good templates for ten years—mostly ordinary scientists, which brought him no new insights at all.
"You've been so devoted to family lately. You must feel guilty." Kiyo snorted lightly and continued, "Who's going with you?"
"Because of the unknown, I originally planned to go alone, but Tsunade wants to come along."
Before Hyuga Mirai could finish, Kiyo lightly kicked him. With an unhappy expression, she said, "You hid this for so long. Then what about Senju Yoko?"
"Kiyo, you already know?"
"I'm the Minister of Education. How could I not know about students across the Federation?"
Kiyo Hyuga shot Hyuga Mirai a look. The Senju surname, combined with outstanding performance in the preschool program, had already drawn her attention to Senju Yoko's records half a year ago.
"Leave her to me. You'll probably be gone for a while. Yoko will eventually attend the Federation First School. I'll also make more time."
"You're the best, Kiyo. I knew you'd support me."
Kiyo Hyuga was suddenly lifted up. She let out a light cry and patted him. "Idiot, put me down first. I'm not done talking."
"It's the same wherever we talk."
The next day, after Mio and Yuto were released, Hyuga Mirai told everyone about it. Mio and Yuto immediately slapped the table, clamoring to go with him. They didn't last three seconds before being suppressed by a single glance from Kiyo Hyuga.
Ayaka Uzumaki wanted to go as well, but her physical condition didn't allow it, so she gave up. Kurenai Yuhi's red eyes kept turning, and before long, she seemed to make up her mind.
Hyuga Mirai had already prepared everything. He transferred all Federation authority to Kiyo Hyuga, including command authority over Ryūchi Cave, launch control of the thirty-six orbital weapons, and control over all Federation weapons and androids.
Two days before departure, Kurenai Yuhi clung to Hyuga Mirai, insisting on going too. She had already convinced Kiyo and agreed to several conditions.
A few days later.
Night fell, and a rare full moon appeared. This was the closest the moon came to Roran's spacetime jump device all year, and also the best time for energy transmission between the lunar energy transfer system and Roran's spacetime jump device.
Above the spacetime jump device, thirty-six energy transmission pillars lit up with blue light. Hyuga Mirai piloted the spaceship, hovering at the center of the pillars. Sasori had also gone to the moon to help with equipment calibration.
"All ready, Sasori. Start."
Once prepared, Hyuga Mirai had Sasori initiate energy transmission while activating his side simultaneously.
As the light on the pillars grew stronger, violent spacetime fluctuations were triggered. Hyuga Mirai didn't let Kiyo come see him off because approaching within twenty kilometers could be affected.
The next second, as the blue energy beams reached their peak brilliance, Hyuga Mirai's spaceship vanished instantly. In the following moment, all the energy pillars went dark, even producing an overloaded smoking scene.
Sasori said through the headset to Kiyo Hyuga, "Success. It's basically no different from the calculations. Now we just wait for his message."
At Kamar-Taj, the Ancient One, who was instructing her disciples in cultivation, suddenly sensed a brief overlap in spacetime. It was only a small-scale disturbance, and before she could react, spacetime had already returned to normal.
"…"
Seeing the Ancient One suddenly stop, the disciples beside her didn't know what had happened.
"It's nothing. Continue your practice."
After saying this, the Ancient One left the training grounds and used the sanctum's portal to arrive at the New York Sanctum.
She planned to take a look at the sudden "guests" who had arrived in this universe.
Just now, through the Eye of Agamotto, the Ancient One had seen those people and discerned their background. Precisely because of that, she was curious how someone with a mutated body and a few ordinary people could pass through chaotic spacetime into this universe. Had something major happened in their universe?
(End of Chapter)
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