"Today is just a coincidence. Honestly, I'm a little surprised myself, Kiyo," Hyuga Mirai said calmly. He looked at the furious and unwilling expression on the girl's face as she bit her lip, and for some reason, he found the scene in front of him somewhat amusing.
"If Orochimaru had given me a hint, I would've taken the equipment from Konoha Hospital's laboratory before I left," he added casually.
"Mirai, I don't know if Sarutobi-sensei and Jiraiya will come after us. And besides, you don't really need to worry about the cost of that equipment…" Orochimaru, after having his summoned snake swallow Hyuga Nichirin's corpse, smiled lightly as he walked forward. "After all, one develops a bond after using something for so long."
Mirai's expression remained serious as he spoke. It didn't seem like a joke.
"Bonds? Then, Mirai, don't you have any feelings for the future of your team, for Kurenai, or for anything in Konoha?" Kiyo asked, knowing full well that the death of Hyuga Nichirin had confirmed what she suspected — that Mirai had a deep hatred for the Main House. But the last part of her question, she couldn't bring herself to ask.
Her Byakugan was pure, but now, as she gazed at Mirai, she saw the sharp increase in the size of his pupils, as if his betrayal had snapped her emotions, much like a rubber band being pulled too far. She couldn't hold it in anymore.
The one person in the family who trusted her most, the one she confided everything to, even things her grandfather didn't know — now, she was being told it was all a lie.
"Of course, Kiyo. You're the only person in the entire Hyuga clan that I may be truly grateful to," Hyuga Mirai said slowly, releasing Kiyo's hands, not afraid of her suddenly attacking. Even if Kiyo were to have explosive tags on her, they wouldn't be enough to end his life. As long as he remained alert, he wouldn't let his guard down.
"Born into the Main House, You received good education from an early age. You have never held any prejudice against the branch family, even though my training talents were 'poor.' You never abandoned me, Kiyo."
"I used your upright character to make you my shield on this journey of growth. You've blocked numerous troubles from Hyuga Zosuke and the Fourth Elder for me, and for that, I'm still grateful."
"The Hyuga Mirai you see is the best version I imagined — humble and gentle. If you wish, there would be dozens of 'Mirai' in the Hyuga clan."
"Had the ninja world not been plagued by constant war, staying within the Hyuga clan might have been a good choice. Supported by a family with a thousand-year-old legacy, even the branch family enjoys privileges that civilians cannot even dream of."
Hyuga Mirai's face remained calm as he spoke, every word making Kiyo feel like she was seeing him in an entirely new light.
"The Hyuga Mirai I knew... was a lie?" Kiyo asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Hyuga Mirai didn't answer her directly. There was no real question of truth or lies here. Without his system, he would have been the real Hyuga Mirai, and he would have continued to play that role his entire life. Different circumstances led to different developments, which led Hyuga Mirai down a different path. It wasn't something hard to understand.
"Come back with me!" Kiyo's voice suddenly turned firm. Hyuga Mirai turned his head to look at her and saw determination in her Byakugan eyes, even as she formed a hand seal with trembling fingers.
"The Caged Bird? I didn't expect that at such a young age, you've already been taught the Curse Seal by the Fourth Elder."
Hyuga Mirai spoke with slight surprise, acknowledging how rare it was for someone so young to be entrusted with the Fourth Elder's resources.
"I'll say it again, Hyuga Mirai, come back to Konoha with me!" Kiyo emphasized, her words carrying the weight of someone who was prepared to use the Caged Bird seal at any moment. But the tremor in her fingers and her wavering voice lacked the conviction she hoped to convey.
"If… if it were just about Hyuga Nichirin, I can guarantee the clan head will never blame you for this. Please, come back with me."
"Heh."
Hyuga Mirai laughed softly, then reached up to remove his forehead protector. In the stunned gazes of Kiyo and another branch family guard, he revealed his pale forehead.
Then, in an instant, Hyuga Mirai disappeared from their sight. When he reappeared, he was standing right in front of Kiyo.
"Thank you, Kiyo."
Before Kiyo could even react to what those words meant, she felt a heavy strike to her chest.
Boom!
Her Byakugan widened in disbelief as her mouth opened in a gasp, spilling blood. The force sent her flying, and at that velocity, if she crashed into a tree, the damage could be fatal.
But just then, a streak of white hair flew from a distance and caught Kiyo in mid-air, preventing her from crashing into the ground.
"Orochimaru, that Hyuga brat..."
Jiraiya, now showing toad-like features on his face, glanced back at Kiyo, who was nearly unconscious, before turning his furious gaze toward the two culprits.
"Today, you're both staying here for good!"
With the summoning of Mount Myoboku's two sages, Jiraiya successfully entered Sage Mode. With both ninjutsu and taijutsu enhanced by Sage Chakra, his words carried the power to back them up.
'Hoo...'
Seeing Jiraiya approach, Hyuga Mirai exhaled slowly and relaxed, speaking to him casually: "A couple more toads, and you've gained this much confidence, huh?"
"Jiraiya, I advise you not to underestimate Mirai." Orochimaru spoke slowly, his voice carrying the weight of a long-time teammate's final warning. "If you're not careful, it might cost you your life."
Hyuga Mirai turned his head and gave Orochimaru a glance, not at all pleased with his actions. If Orochimaru truly wanted to test his strength, today didn't seem like the right time for it.
Upon seeing the look Mirai gave him, Orochimaru took two steps back and gave a slight chuckle. "Apologies, Mirai. Afterward, I'll provide a satisfactory answer."
"Never mind," Mirai responded casually, "I'm not exactly..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a large short sword suddenly swung down toward the spot where Mirai and Orochimaru stood. The ground shattered, leaving a massive crack over a hundred meters long. The two dodged the attack instantly, but the size of Gamakichi's sword was hard to miss.
"That damn toad, this is the second time," Mirai said coldly as he dodged, his face grim. He then gathered chakra into his fingertip, forming a precise chakra scalpel, and sliced open his finger.
"Summoning Jutsu."
Boom!
A massive cloud of smoke erupted, and within it, a serpent of enormous size appeared, resembling a mountain. Jiraiya, seeing the enormous snake summoned by Mirai, was momentarily stunned. He turned to the two sages on his shoulders and said, "These two sages... is this the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage?"
The snake had twin horns, four limbs, and claws that glistened like obsidian. Its scales shone with a purple hue under the sunlight. Its massive body was coiled on the ground, towering over Fukasaku by at least ten meters. If this purple snake stretched out its body, it could easily swallow the toad whole.
"Look at its back, little Jiraiya," Fukasaku said, noticing the protrusions on the snake's back. They seemed to be growing something more.
"Are those wings?" Fukasaku asked gravely. "It seems so. Even if it's not the purple snake itself, there's a deep connection with the Great Toad Sage's prophecy."
"So, this adds another reason to keep Mirai here," Jiraiya said firmly, determination in his voice. For the future of the ninja world, he was ready to fight to the death to keep these two here.
"Prophecy? What prophecy?" Mirai, having learned some basic conversational skills, couldn't understand the toad's words, but he could read Jiraiya's lips clearly. He thought about the prophecy and figured it must be that mystical toad from Mount Myoboku.
Using beasts to dictate human fate was truly laughable!
Mirai grew even more irritated with the toads and gestured at Gamakichi. "Little Purple, go swallow that toad."
"Thank you, Master Mirai!"
With its growing size, Little Purple's appetite had also grown significantly. It had become harder to get full in Ryuchi Cave, so being summoned now was like being given a feast that would last seven days.
"I'm starting!" Little Purple said as its limbs moved swiftly. It was massive but incredibly fast, and in the blink of an eye, it was right in front of Gamakichi.
"You think your size can defeat me?" Gamakichi sneered, swinging his short sword with incredible speed, trying to slice the purple snake into pieces.
"Don't resist, you're food," Little Purple retorted.
Clang!
The sound of metal striking metal echoed as Gamakichi's sword was swatted away by Little Purple's sharp claws. The tremendous force and solid claws made Gamakichi's arm go numb, causing him to collapse to the ground.
Boom!
Taking advantage of the opening, Little Purple quickly coiled around Gamakichi, opening its mouth to swallow him whole. But in a desperate move, Gamakichi pushed against the snake's mouth with his hands.
"Gamakichi!" Jiraiya yelled, turning to the two sages on his shoulders. "Please, help me!"
"Understood, little Jiraiya!"
The two toads on Jiraiya's shoulders quickly formed hand seals. One released a high-pressure water jutsu strong enough to cut through steel, while the other infused Sage Chakra into its tongue, turning it as sharp as a sword while retaining its flexibility.
"Air Palm!"
A massive wave of chakra shot forward, destroying the water jutsu and the toad's tongue that had been aimed at Little Purple.
"Impossible!" The two sages, Fukasaku and Shima, could hardly believe their eyes. Their Sage Chakra-based jutsus, which were dozens of times stronger than regular techniques, had been broken.
"Jiraiya, your summoning beast is done for today!" Mirai's voice rang out as he jumped to a nearby tree, his Byakugan eyes now glowing with a faint bluish hue. His Sage Mode was active.
"Little Jiraiya, don't be reckless. This Byakugan brat is in Sage Mode too!" Fukasaku noticed the faint aura surrounding Mirai's eyes and recognized the overwhelming presence of Sage Chakra within him. This wasn't someone to take lightly.
"Jiraiya!!!" Gamakichi's anguished voice echoed from a distance. He was holding Little Purple's mouth shut with his hands but had overlooked the fact that Little Purple also had front limbs. With tremendous force, those claws yanked Gamakichi's arms off, leaving him in an even more vulnerable position.
"Gamakichi!" Seeing his companion's limbs torn off, Jiraiya panicked. Without his arms, Gamakichi would be no match for the purple snake.
"Thank you for the meal," Little Purple said as it opened its mouth wide and swallowed the great toad in one gulp.
(End of Chapter)
=========================================================
DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE
SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS
PAT REON . COM / TurdTranslations (Just remove the space).