When Mirai Uzumaki arrived at school, the first person he saw was someone he knew.
"Oi! Naori! What are you doing standing at the school gate?"
Standing across from him was a tall girl with long, straight black hair. Who knew what Izumi Uchiha had been eating these past three years? She was now 1.65 meters tall!
A full head taller than Mirai Uzumaki!
It left him rather indignant. Three years ago, they had all been about the same height, hadn't they? Why was he suddenly a head shorter than everyone else?
And if girls developed earlier, then why wasn't Kushina this tall?
Kushina: ...Why the hell are you thanking me?
Naori had no idea that so many thoughts had flashed through Mirai Uzumaki's mind in the time it took him to glance at her.
She handed him a bento box, her voice cool yet pleasant. "My sister asked me to bring you this grilled salted salmon bento. Take it!"
"Well! You're as cold as ever, Naori." Mirai Uzumaki took the bento.
"Shut up! In practical combat class later, I'm challenging you!" Izumi Uchiha clenched her fingers, and a faint, barely noticeable flush of Kurenai flashed by her ears.
Her voice was cool, but it was obvious that her heart was anything but calm.
Having delivered her threat, Izumi Uchiha turned and left. She was afraid that if she stayed with Mirai any longer, she would not be able to stop herself from showing Kurenai on her face.
"Mirai..." Feeling the grip on her hand growing tighter, Mirai Uzumaki could not help turning his head to look at her.
Kushina Uzumaki puffed out her cheeks and looked at him with the same pitiful expression.
"I'm your girlfriend. Don't eat Naori's bento, okay?"
Ever since Kushina had been kissed by Mirai three years ago, she had been a little shy at first. Later, however, she had become addicted to the feeling of kissing.
She immediately began calling herself Mirai Uzumaki's girlfriend and drove off countless little girls who wanted to get close to him.
But Izumi Uchiha was not among them.
Because Naori had never shown any romantic interest, as though she merely regarded Mirai as someone to surpass in her pursuit of strength.
Kushina Uzumaki had no way to deal with her.
But when she saw Izumi Uchiha bringing Mirai a bento, she still could not help feeling a little aggrieved.
"Didn't we bring the eel rice bento Grandma Mito prepared?"
Mirai Uzumaki's lips curled upward. "It's Naori's sister's thoughtfulness, after all. It's fine, I've got a good appetite. I can eat both later."
"Hmph, I'm ignoring you, stupid Mirai!" Kushina pinched him hard before running off.
She had only wanted to stop Mirai from eating it because she was worried about Naori's sister, and because that bad woman named Mikoto Uchiha clearly had ulterior motives. Yet stupid Mirai did not appreciate it and insisted on eating it.
A good appetite? Was this really about eating bento?
Mirai Uzumaki pretended to bare his teeth in pain, as though it had hurt terribly.
But Kushina had not actually pinched him that hard. If he put on a little act now, it would be easier to coax her later.
Mirai Uzumaki looked at the bento in his hand. After graduating, Sister Mikoto, like most of the Uchiha Clan, had joined the Konoha Military Police Force instead of going out on missions!
Still, that was good too. The Police Force had its internal strife, but at least it was safe.
Meanwhile, at the Senju Clan Compound's main house.
Today's atmosphere was a far cry from its usual cold stillness.
Every person standing in the courtyard could make Konoha tremble just by stepping outside alone.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat to one side of the seat of honor. His enormous pipe flickered in and out as smoke curled around his tightly furrowed brow.
The Hokage's advisor, Shimura Danzō, stood by the window leaning on his cane, his lone eye half-closed as no one knew what he was thinking.
Senior advisors Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura sat side by side, both wearing an unusual gravity on their faces.
The current Ino-Shika-Cho Trio—Ino Yamanaka, Shikaku, and Choza Akimichi—stood farther back.
Beside them stood the current Uchiha Clan head, Yamamoto Uchiha, along with the heads of the Hyuga Clan and several other clans.
Among the younger generation, Tsunade leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, her lips pressed so tightly they had turned pale.
For once, Jiraiya had not gone to peep at the women's bathhouse. He stood obediently beside Tsunade, with none of his usual frivolity on his face.
Orochimaru leaned against the doorframe, his expression calm as his snake-like eyes occasionally glanced toward the seat of honor.
At the seat of honor sat the elderly Mito Uzumaki.
She was far thinner than she had been three years ago, and her once-plump cheeks had sunken in.
Yet her eyes remained clear and gentle, as though they held an entire autumn within them.
She slowly swept her gaze over everyone present before speaking.
"I called everyone here today for only one matter."
Her voice was not loud, but the entire room fell silent.
"This old woman's days are nearly at an end.
"I assume you have all seen the medical corps' diagnostic report.
"At most, I can hold on until the end of this month. The Nine-Tails must be transferred to the next Jinchuriki."
Tsunade's fist clenched sharply, her nails nearly digging into her palm.
Jiraiya's expression turned solemn, carrying a faint, intangible sorrow.
Would a fallen leaf ultimately return to its roots?
"Lady Mito..." Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, it became only a sigh.
Torifu Akimichi stood in the corner, his eyes already tinged with Kurenai.
He was a few years younger than both Hiruzen and Danzō. Back when he had studied under the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, Mito had always looked after him.
Hearing those words now, he felt as though he had returned to his youth, his chest so tight it hurt.
"Don't all look so miserable." Mito smiled, and that smile was no different from when she sat beneath the corridor drinking tea.
"Birth, aging, illness, and death are simply part of life. Hashirama has been gone for so many years. For this old woman to have lived this long is already a blessing."
She paused, her gaze falling on Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Hiruzen, the most urgent matter is to decide on the next Jinchuriki.
"We cannot wait until I am about to close my eyes before scrambling to choose one. If something goes wrong then, all of Konoha will suffer."
The Nine-Tails was of immense importance, and this was no longer the era when Hashirama was alive. If the Nine-Tails went out of control, the losses would inevitably be devastating.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and turned his pipe once in his hand. "Lady Mito is right. Then... let us vote now.
"The candidates for Jinchuriki are Mirai Uzumaki and Kushina Uzumaki."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi said nothing more. He simply picked up a pen, wrote down a name on a slip of paper, folded it, and handed it to Ino Yamanaka beside him.
Ino Yamanaka took it, unfolded it for a glance, and read aloud without changing his expression. "Lord Sarutobi's vote—Mirai Uzumaki."
The result came as no surprise to anyone.
The Third Hokage had always favored Mirai. Over the past three years, reports observing Mirai had filled an entire cabinet, and nearly all of them were positive.
The occasional bad review was only because he had not paid attention in class or something similar. As for unity, friendship, and carrying forward the Will of Fire—
Mirai Uzumaki had greatly satisfied Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He was precisely the inheritor of the Will of Fire that Hiruzen Sarutobi had his eye on!
There could be no more suitable vessel for the Nine-Tails.
Before you continue