In the Hidden Leaf Village,
At the Hyūga Clan compound.
Mirai Uchiha and Hinata Hyuga had just arrived at the entrance of the Hyūga Clan compound when an older boy ran toward them.
"Hinata, where have you been?"
The boy looked at Hinata with a somewhat angry expression.
Hinata stuck out her tongue playfully. "Neji-niisan, I secretly went out to play for a bit..."
"Can you please not tell Father about this?"
Upon hearing this, Neji Hyuga couldn't help but let out a helpless yet affectionate smile. "The clan leader already knows about this, you know. I can't help you with that."
After saying that, Neji finally turned his gaze toward Mirai Uchiha, who was standing beside Hinata.
As soon as he saw her, Neji was startled.
"Fu-Future Lady?!"
"It's me." Mirai nodded toward Neji. "Neji, it's been a while. How has life in the clan been treating you lately?"
When Mirai asked this question, excitement showed clearly on Neji's face, and he immediately knelt down to bow respectfully. "Thank you for your concern, Future Lady. Life in the clan has been very good for me."
He would never forget the time when his father passed away and he was about to be marked with the Caged Bird Seal.
Even the clan leader, Hiashi Hyūga, had been powerless to stop it.
At the moment when he felt most hopeless about life, Mirai appeared like an angel sent from heaven to save him. During the Hyūga Clan assembly, she decisively abolished the millennia-old Caged Bird Seal system within the Hyūga Clan.
Now, within the Hyūga Clan, there were no longer distinctions between Main House and Branch House. Everyone was treated equally.
He had also stepped out from the shadow of his father's death.
Moreover...
When he demonstrated his talent, Clan Leader Hiashi even said he would groom him to become the next leader of the Hyūga Clan!
One could say everything he now possessed was entirely due to the person standing before him.
Neji never once forgot the deep gratitude he held toward Mirai.
Seeing how moved Neji seemed, with tears welling up in his eyes, Hinata tilted her head in confusion. "Neji-niisan, what's wrong?"
Back when the Hyūga Clan abolished the Caged Bird Seal system, Hinata had still been quite young. Therefore, she didn't truly understand what was going through Neji's mind at that moment.
Feeling Hinata's concerned gaze, Neji wiped his eyes and smiled. "Nothing at all."
"Hinata," Neji continued, "how did you end up with Future Lady?"
Hinata grinned widely. "Hehehe... Neji-niisan, Future Lady helped me scare off some bad guys who were bullying me. Future Lady even treated me to Ichiraku Ramen."
Neji gave Hinata a suspicious look.
Bullied by others?
Who dares to bully the Hyuga Clan's young lady?
Absolutely not—he will make sure they learn their place!
Just as Neji Hyuga was about to ask for more details, a slightly hesitant voice came from inside the clan compound: "Lord Mirai, why are you here?!"
Seeing Hiashi Hyuga walk out, Neji and Hinata instinctively stepped aside.
Noticing Hiashi's flustered look, Mirai Uchiha casually waved a hand. "Hiashi, there's no need to be so nervous."
He summarized how he had encountered Hinata.
Hiashi hurriedly replied, "Forgive me for troubling you so much—it is my failure in raising her correctly."
Mirai said indifferently, "It's fine. I rather enjoyed talking with Hinata."
As soon as he finished speaking, Hiashi's eyes lit up instantly. "Is that so? That's truly wonderful news."
"Hinata also often tells me she admires you most. She keeps insisting she wishes she could become your disciple..."
Although the Hyuga Clan currently seemed prosperous on the surface, he always felt uneasy deep down.
The reason was none other than this:
Mirai Uchiha was simply too ruthless toward ninja clans.
Since taking power, countless clans had been annihilated for various reasons.
Even powerful ones like the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans had vanished overnight—there was certainly no exception for the Hyuga.
Though he firmly supported Mirai during the rebellion against Hiruzen Sarutobi's rule, if they couldn't build a stronger, closer relationship, he would never feel completely secure.
He had struggled over this issue for a long time.
Now, however, an opportunity finally lay before him, and Hiashi was determined not to let it slip away.
As for his subtle intentions, Mirai naturally understood them all along.
He himself had indeed considered taking a disciple before—but not at this moment.
Thinking of this, Mirai calmly said, "Hiashi, Hinata has good talent, but she's still too young right now."
"We'll talk about becoming a disciple after she grows up a bit."
Hiashi immediately nodded in agreement.
Since Mirai hadn't rejected the idea outright, it meant there was hope.
If Hinata became Mirai's disciple, then the future of the Hyuga Clan would be secured!
Delighted, Hiashi said, "Lord Mirai, please wait a moment while I prepare a banquet for you right away."
"No need," Mirai refused with a shake of his head. After a pause, he added, "Hinata eats a little more than ordinary people. Remember to prepare extra food for her in the future."
After all, how else could she grow into the beautiful figure shown in the original story?
The three watched as Mirai walked away until he vanished into the distance, after which Hiashi and the others finally turned their gazes away.
Hiashi stared at Hinata solemnly. "Hinata, from this moment on, you will recount to me word for word everything that happened when you met Lord Mirai."
"I must analyze it carefully. Not a single detail can be overlooked!"
Looking at Hiashi's serious expression, Hinata was slightly puzzled. "Father, I just told you everything about what happened with Lord Mirai. Is it really necessary to be so serious about it?"
"Of course it is necessary!" Hiashi replied earnestly. "This is a matter of life or death for the entire Hyuga Clan!"
Neji also stepped forward, addressing Hinata with equal seriousness. "Hinata, becoming Lord Mirai's disciple is something worth being proud of for your entire life."
"You must work hard! You absolutely cannot keep being so nonchalant about everything like you usually are!"
Seeing even Neji, who had always doted on her, speaking like this, Hinata finally realized how serious the situation truly was.
Perhaps...
Meeting Mirai Uchiha today really was an extraordinary stroke of luck—something countless others would fight tooth and nail to have.
———
After leaving the Hyuga clan compound, Mirai glanced up at the sky.
Snowflakes had begun falling once again.
Mirai puffed out a warm breath, then turned his gaze northward.
He already possessed eight of the nine Tailed Beasts, with only the Four-Tails still unclaimed.
Next, it was time to seize the Four-Tails and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
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