Mito Uzumaki's Reminiscence

After the dice hit the table, Tsunade pressed her hands against the edge, a thin layer of sweat breaking out on her forehead.

She closed her eyes, focusing all her energy on listening—crisp, slightly scattered, it had to be small!

"Small! This time it's definitely small! There's no way I'm wrong!"

She shouted with full confidence.

Mirai picked at his ear. "Then I'll take big."

Kushina swallowed hard and carefully lifted the Dice Cup—

Four, four, five. Thirteen.

Big.

The courtyard fell into a dead silence.

Nawaki's mouth hung open, Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, and Mito Uzumaki chuckled from beneath the veranda.

Tsunade sat blankly in her chair, her lips twitching twice as if her soul had been sucked right out of her.

She had lost; she was wrong all three rounds.

"Sister Tsunade?" Kushina poked her shoulder cautiously. "Um... you lost..."

"I—" Tsunade slammed the table and stood up, her blonde hair disheveled and her eyes wide. "How could I guess wrong three times in a row!? That's impossible! Did this brat pull some kind of trick?"

"The dice are from your house, the cup was held by Kushina, and I didn't even touch the edge of the table the whole time." Mirai spread his hands, his smile looking perfectly innocent. "Sister Tsunade, a bet is a bet."

Tsunade pointed at him, her finger trembling. "You... did you secretly use some kind of Dojutsu? Telepathy? Precognition? Tell me the truth!"

"I'm from the Uzumaki Clan, where would I get a Dojutsu?" Mirai tilted his head.

"Besides, Sister Tsunade, you don't actually believe those 'listening for the points' tricks in casinos work, do you? The moment the dice hit the table, the angle, the force, the elasticity of the table, even the humidity of the air can affect the result."

"Relying on your ears? That's just something casinos make up to scam suckers."

Tsunade's face went from green to red to white, and finally, she slumped back into her chair, muttering, "I don't believe it... I don't believe it..."

"Sister, you lost to a seven-year-old kid, hahahaha!" Nawaki laughed so hard he rolled on the ground.

"Nawaki, if you laugh again, I'm going to beat you up—!"

"Master Orochimaru, help!"

Orochimaru stood calmly to the side, his gaze sweeping over Mirai Uzumaki with a thoughtful look.

Regardless... at seven years old, to be able to do this much, it was interesting.

The curve of Orochimaru's lips deepened slightly.

"One month, Sister Tsunade! On call! Massages!" Mirai held up a finger, his smile looking quite punchable. "Starting tonight, okay? I'm booking a shoulder and neck session first."

Tsunade slumped over the table, her voice muffled. "...Fine, fine! So annoying!"

Kushina hopped over to Mito's side, reporting excitedly, "Grandma Mito! Mirai won! Sister Tsunade lost!"

Mito smiled and patted her head, her gaze sweeping gently over the group causing a ruckus in the courtyard—

Tsunade was chasing Nawaki to beat him, Nawaki was running around Orochimaru,

And Mirai was fanning the flames from the side, shouting, "Sister Tsunade, you won't hurt anyone like that, you have to use force! Where's your Heavenly Foot of Pain?"

"Mirai, are we still good brothers?" That was Nawaki's voice.

"It's getting livelier and livelier," she said softly, the steam from her tea blurring her eyes. "Hashirama, do you see this..."

The evening breeze swept through the courtyard, carrying the laughter and arguments of the youths. In the sunset of this autumn day, the Senju Clan Compound seemed to have come alive once more.

After the gambling farce dispersed, Mirai walked up to Orochimaru on his own.

He looked up, staring at this future member of the "Sannin," the rogue ninja, the mad scientist, the snake master.

Right now, he was just a handsome young Jonin, carrying a scholarly air beneath his long, flowing hair, even appearing somewhat gentle.

"Senior Orochimaru, hello." Mirai greeted him properly, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity. "I didn't get a chance to say hello when Brother Nawaki called you earlier, so I'm making up for it."

Orochimaru lowered his head slightly, his snake-like vertical pupils meeting Mirai's gaze for several seconds.

"You know me?"

"I've heard of you." Mirai didn't change his expression. "Sister Tsunade has mentioned you a few times, saying you're one of the most capable people in her cohort."

Orochimaru was silent for a moment, then the corners of his lips lifted, his smile gentler than anything he would show in the future.

"Mirai Uzumaki," he recited the name slowly. "Interesting."

He reached out and patted the top of Mirai's head, his movements light, as if testing a fragile piece of pottery.

"If you have time, you can come find me to talk about Ninjutsu. The Adamantine Sealing Chains... are a very interesting Kekkei Genkai."

Having said that, he withdrew his hand and turned to walk toward Nawaki. "Let's go, Nawaki. We haven't finished today's training."

"Ah—! Master Orochimaru, let me play a little longer!"

"Shut up and keep up."

The two figures gradually disappeared beyond the gates of the Senju Clan Compound.

Mirai stood where he was, rubbing the top of his head—a faint chill seemed to linger where Orochimaru had patted him just moments ago.

"Orochimaru..." he muttered to himself, "at this point in time, he's still a good teacher."

It was a pity that after witnessing Nawaki's accidental death on the battlefield in the original story, he had become obsessed with dead ends and began researching the art of immortality.

Because of that, he had colluded with Danzo and become a fallen snake.

Kushina leaned in, asking curiously, "What are you mumbling about?"

"Nothing, just thinking that someone incredible visited our home today."

"Senior Orochimaru?" Kushina tilted her head. "He seems quite gentle."

Mirai didn't respond, only staring in the direction Orochimaru had left, his eyes rolling slightly.

The gentleness was real, but that thirst for forbidden knowledge was just as real.

I need to find an opportunity to get on good terms with Uncle Snake.

If he ever defected, maybe he could mooch off his tech tree.

And then there was brother Nawaki, a man of the noble Senju bloodline, blown to pieces by Explosive Tags on the battlefield until his very organs were hollowed out.

It was just too absurd.

But this time, Mirai didn't want to see that scene repeat itself; he had to speed up his development.

"Mirai! What do you want for dinner? I'm going to help Grandma cook!" Kushina tugged on his sleeve.

"Whatever, anything you make is fine."

"Really? Then I'll make tomato fried rice! I'll show you the power of the Fried Rice Sage."

"...Pick something else, I'm begging you."

"Why! Didn't you say anything was fine!"

"Tomatoes... I'm practically turning into a tomato, and you still want me to eat them?"

The sound of their bickering echoed through the courtyard of the Senju Clan Compound, and the look of nostalgia and longing in the eyes of Mito Uzumaki grew even heavier.

"Hashirama, wait for me a little longer. Once I pass on the responsibilities on my shoulders, I'll come to find you."

As the current Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, she had to safely pass the Nine-Tails to the next successor before she could close her eyes in peace.

Watching the lively Mirai and Kushina, Mito Uzumaki felt that day was not far off.

Although Hashirama was a big fool, life without him was truly dull.