Fate's Bond

Now that he had the fragment, Zhang Miao naturally would not waste any more effort talking to Kakashi about Orochimaru. Instead, he patted his belly and cried out.

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

As though responding to Zhang Miao's shout, his stomach let out a timely rumble.

Hearing it, Kakashi immediately smiled faintly and affectionately ruffled Zhang Miao's fiery red hair.

"Sorry. Wait a moment, I'll go make food right away!"

With that, Kakashi turned and entered the kitchen. After turning on the tap, he swiftly began preparing the river fish.

Before long, several plates of fragrant, beautifully prepared Pan-fried river fish were placed on the table. Zhang Miao, who had been waiting for quite some time, naturally did not stand on ceremony. He promptly clapped his hands.

"Let's eat!"

Watching Zhang Miao wolf down his food, Kakashi's smile deepened. He then gently pressed his palms together.

"Let's eat!"

For a while, neither of them spoke. The only sounds at the table were chopsticks tapping against bowls and the smacking noises of eating.

A few minutes later, Kakashi suddenly put down his bowl and unexpectedly asked a question.

"Um... Ryunosuke, what does my future look like? Can you see it?"

"My future?"

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

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

"This..." Kakashi hesitated for a moment, but quickly nodded. "I'm sure!"

Clearly, the thirteen-year-old Kakashi was far less mature than he would be years later. At this point, he still possessed a young boy's curiosity.

At that thought, Zhang Miao smiled, a peculiar gleam flashing through his eyes.

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

"What?"

Just as Zhang Miao had expected, Kakashi sprang to his feet in excitement upon hearing that.

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

Seeing the excitement mixed with anticipation on Kakashi's face, Zhang Miao's lips curled up again.

"I don't know who Obito is, but if you mean the person who gave you your left eye, then he really is still alive!"

"Obito is alive? That's wonderful!"

The moment Zhang Miao finished speaking, Kakashi leaped up in joy, his eyes filled with delight.

In Kakashi's eyes, Zhang Miao possessed the ability to foresee the future, so there was no way he could be wrong.

Most importantly, learning that his cherished companion was still alive—even if it was only unconfirmed news—was undoubtedly something worth celebrating for Kakashi.

That was why, caught up in his excitement, he failed to notice the vicious glint that flashed through Zhang Miao's eyes.

"Damn Obito Uchiha. I still haven't properly settled the score with you over the Nine-Tails!"

Zhang Miao did not care how the original story went. To him, Obito Uchiha was the culprit who had destroyed everything he had and turned him into an orphan again in this life!

That debt naturally had to be settled properly!

With that in mind, Zhang Miao quickly finished the fish on his plate and clapped his hands.

"I'm full. I'll be leaving first. Thanks for the meal!"

With that, Zhang Miao jumped down from his chair and headed outside.

Kakashi did not notice anything wrong with Zhang Miao. Still caught up in excitement, his mind was full of Obito. So when Zhang Miao opened the door to leave, he immediately waved at him.

"Ryunosuke, thank you!"

Hearing Kakashi's voice, Zhang Miao did not turn around. He merely raised his right hand and waved.

"It was nothing. No need to be polite. Remember to come pick me up tomorrow!"

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

Not long after leaving Kakashi's home, Zhang Miao was blocked by two Anbu wearing Cat Face Masks.

Looking at the two Anbu ninja before him, who seemed less than pleased, Zhang Miao felt that he should make some sort of gesture. So he immediately raised his hand and greeted them with a bright smile.

"Yo!"

"..."

Zhang Miao was carried back to his residence again. This time, the Anbu did not choose to lock the door from the outside. Instead, they specifically left one person in the room, staring at Zhang Miao with wide eyes.

Faced with this situation, Zhang Miao shrugged helplessly, then rolled onto the bed and went to sleep.

Although Zhang Miao's mental age was no longer young, his physical age was still less than one year old, so naturally, he slept very well.

From the afternoon of the previous day until noon the next day, he slept straight through without waking even once, making the Anbu who took turns watching him feel as though they had worked for nothing.

Where was the promised escape attempt?

What they did not know was that Zhang Miao no longer needed to sneak away. At the same 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 for the next few days, so I hope to bring Ryunosuke to stay with me for a few days. I hope you will agree!"

Hearing Kakashi's request, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe, then narrowed his eyes at Kakashi.

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

Kakashi had long since experienced Zhang Miao's unusual nature, so he nodded without hesitation in response to Hiruzen Sarutobi's question.

"Yes, I'm sure!"

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

"All right. You may go pick him up!"

"Yes, thank you, Third Lord!"

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi had agreed, Kakashi immediately thanked him happily, then left the Hokage's Office to pick up Zhang Miao.

After Kakashi left, Hiruzen Sarutobi, pipe still in his mouth, revealed a faint smile.

"Perhaps this is fate's bond!"

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not know that Zhang Miao had already revealed his identity to Kakashi. He still believed that Kakashi's affinity with Zhang Miao was merely a coincidence.

Furthermore, Kakashi's inner darkness had always been something Hiruzen Sarutobi worried about. Now that Kakashi had actually volunteered to care for Ryunosuke, Hiruzen Sarutobi saw it as a rare opportunity to dispel that darkness.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi had not forgotten that Kushina Uzumaki had said before her death that Zhang Miao harbored darkness in his heart.

Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned again.

"Can a child like Ryunosuke truly dispel the darkness in Kakashi's heart? Is it really right to let the two of them be together?"