The Bonds of Fate

Since the fragment was already in hand, Zhang Miao naturally wouldn't waste any more effort telling Kakashi about Orochimaru. Instead, he directly patted his stomach and started shouting.

"Ah, I'm so hungry, I want to eat pan-fried river fish, Kakashi Style!"

As if responding to Zhang Miao's shout, his stomach also let out a timely "gurgle."

Hearing this sound, Kakashi immediately gave a slight smile, then affectionately ruffled Zhang Miao's fiery red hair.

"Sorry, wait a moment, I'll go cook right away!"

With that, Kakashi turned and walked into the kitchen, turned on the faucet, and began handling the river fish with swift, efficient movements.

Soon, several plates of pan-fried river fish, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, were set on the table. Zhang Miao, who had been waiting for a while, naturally didn't stand on ceremony. He immediately clapped his hands with a "smack."

"I'm digging in!"

Watching Zhang Miao wolf down his food, Kakashi's face gained a few more smiles, and he also gently pressed his palms together.

"I'm digging in!"

For a time, neither of them spoke. The only sounds at the table were the clinking of chopsticks against bowls and the "munch munch" of eating.

After about a few minutes, Kakashi suddenly set down his bowl and blurted out a question.

"Hey... Ryunosuke, what's my future like? Can you see it?"

"Your future?"

Hearing Kakashi's words, Zhang Miao temporarily spared the poor pan-fried river fish on his plate and looked up at Kakashi.

"Are you sure you want to know your own future?"

"Well..." Kakashi hesitated for a moment, but soon nodded firmly. "I'm sure!"

Clearly, Kakashi, now only thirteen, was far less mature than he would be a few years later. Right now, he still held onto a boy's curiosity.

Thinking this, Zhang Miao immediately broke into a smile, a peculiar glint flashing in his eyes.

"Your future is bright, but the path is winding. And one day, you will meet the owner of your other eye again."

"What?"

Just as Zhang Miao had imagined, upon hearing his words, Kakashi immediately stood up in excitement.

"You mean... Obito isn't dead?"

Seeing Kakashi's excited, slightly stirred expression, the corners of Zhang Miao's mouth curled up again.

"I don't know who Obito is, but if you're talking about the guy who gave you his left eye, then yeah, he's still alive!"

"Obito's alive? That's great!"

The moment Zhang Miao's words fell, Kakashi immediately jumped up in joy, his eyes brimming with delight.

In Kakashi's view, Zhang Miao, who possessed precognitive abilities, couldn't possibly be wrong.

Most importantly, knowing that a cherished comrade was still alive—even if it was just unconfirmed news—was undoubtedly a very happy thing for Kakashi.

Because of this, in his excitement, he didn't notice the flash of ruthlessness in Zhang Miao's eyes!

"That damned Obito Uchiha, I still haven't settled the score with you over the Nine-Tails!"

Zhang Miao didn't care how the original plot went. To him, Obito Uchiha was the one who destroyed everything, the culprit who turned him into an orphan again in this life!

That debt definitely needed to be settled!

Thinking this, Zhang Miao quickly finished off the fish on his plate in a few bites, then clapped his hands.

"I'm full, I'll head out first. Thanks for the meal!"

With that, Zhang Miao jumped down from his chair and walked toward the door.

Kakashi didn't notice anything off about Zhang Miao. Still in his excited state, his mind was full of Obito, so when Zhang Miao pulled open the door to leave, he waved at him.

"Ryunosuke, thank you!"

Hearing Kakashi's voice, Zhang Miao didn't turn around, just raised his right hand and waved.

"No big deal, don't mention it. Remember to pick me up tomorrow!"

With that, Zhang Miao walked out and closed the door behind him.

Not long after leaving Kakashi's house, Zhang Miao was blocked by two Anbu wearing cat face masks.

Looking at these two seemingly displeased Anbu ninjas in front of him, Zhang Miao felt he should make some gesture. So he immediately raised his hand and greeted them with a bright smile.

"Yo!"

"..."

Zhang Miao was hauled back to his residence. This time, the Anbu didn't choose to lock the door from the outside. Instead, they left one person in the room, staring at Zhang Miao with wide eyes.

Faced with this situation, Zhang Miao helplessly shrugged his shoulders, then flipped over and climbed into bed to sleep.

Although Zhang Miao's mental age was no longer young, his physical age was still that of a child under a year old, so his sleep was naturally very sound.

He slept from the afternoon of the first day straight through to noon of the next, without waking up even once in between. This made the several Anbu who took turns watching him feel like they had wasted their efforts.

Where was the promised sneaking off?

They didn't know that Zhang Miao no longer needed to sneak away, because the moment he opened his eyes, Kakashi—one of the Anbu directly under the Hokage—had already arrived at the Hokage's office and made a request to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Third Lord, I have no missions these next few days, so I'd like to take Ryunosuke to stay with me for a while. I hope you'll approve!"

Hearing Kakashi's request, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe, took a puff, and squinted at Kakashi.

"Kakashi, that child is somewhat special. Are you sure you can take good care of him?"

Kakashi had already experienced Zhang Miao's peculiarity firsthand, so when faced with Hiruzen Sarutobi's question, he nodded without hesitation.

"Yes, I'm sure."

Seeing Kakashi's resolute expression, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a long stream of smoke and nodded.

"Very well. You may go pick him up."

"Yes, thank you, Third Lord!"

With Hiruzen Sarutobi's approval, Kakashi gave a cheerful thanks, then withdrew from the Hokage's office to go fetch Zhang Miao.

After Kakashi left, the pipe-smoking Hiruzen Sarutobi allowed a faint smile to cross his face.

"Perhaps this is the bond of fate."

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no idea that Zhang Miao had already revealed his identity to Kakashi. He still believed their rapport was mere coincidence.

Moreover, for Hiruzen Sarutobi, the darkness in Kakashi's heart had always been a concern. Now that Kakashi himself had proposed taking care of Ryunosuke, Hiruzen Sarutobi saw it as a rare opportunity to dispel that darkness.

But Hiruzen hadn't forgotten what Kushina Uzumaki had said before her death—that Zhang Miao harbored darkness in his own heart.

At that thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed once more.

"Can a child like Ryunosuke truly dispel the darkness in Kakashi's heart? Is letting them be together really the right choice?"