After wrapping up all necessary matters, Mirai prepared to leave the laboratory.
Just as he was about to step out, Orochimaru's voice called out, "Mirai-kun, wait a moment."
Mirai turned back, puzzled. "Orochimaru, is there something else?"
"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the snake stew."
Orochimaru chuckled, shaking his head. "Mirai-kun, I've prepared a little gift for you."
"A gift?"
Mirai's interest was piqued immediately. He recalled the "gifts" Orochimaru had given him in the past—Anko Mitarashi, Guren… Each one had been a delightful surprise.
Who will it be this time?
Seeing the anticipation on Mirai's face, Orochimaru spoke again.
"Mirai-kun, wait here for a moment."
With that, he turned and left the lab, disappearing into the shadows.
A strange sense of excitement bubbled up in Mirai's chest—it felt like opening a mystery box. He found himself looking forward to it.
Before long, footsteps echoed in the corridor.
A petite girl with bright red hair, carrying a flute, followed closely behind Orochimaru.
The moment Mirai saw her cute yet fierce-looking face, he instantly recognized her.
Tayuya.
"Mirai-kun, her name is Tayuya. She's a fine child. I'm giving her to you."
Orochimaru's words had barely left his lips when Tayuya stepped forward excitedly, dropping to one knee.
"Mirai-sama, I'll be in your care from now on."
Mirai acknowledged her with a simple nod before turning his gaze back to Orochimaru.
"You didn't give her a curse mark, did you?"
In the original timeline, Tayuya had left quite an impression on Mirai with her striking appearance. However, her transformation under the curse mark… left much to be desired.
Orochimaru chuckled. "I originally planned to, but after thinking it over, I decided against it."
"Rest assured, Mirai-kun. I wouldn't give you anything defective."
Mirai wanted to roll his eyes at Orochimaru's choice of words, but he had to admit—Orochimaru's success was no fluke.
When it came to gift-giving, no one in the shinobi world could top him.
Still…
"Orochimaru, don't make decisions like this on your own. Spend your time focusing on research instead."
"This better not happen again."
Orochimaru simply smiled and nodded. "Of course."
Satisfied, Mirai turned to Tayuya. "Get up. From now on, you'll follow me."
Tayuya immediately responded, "Yes, Mirai-sama!"
For someone like her—who had spent her life in the shadows—being given the chance to serve Uchiha Mirai was the greatest fortune imaginable.
No matter what, she would prove her worth to him.
Winter had arrived, and the first snowfall of the year blanketed Konohagakure.
The snow fell heavily, covering the entire village in a pristine layer of white.
...
Inside Uchiha Mirai's estate, a group had gathered.
Tsunade, Kurenai Yuhi, Nohara Rin, Uchiha Mikoto, Konan, Shizune, Uzuki Yugao, Guren, Anko Mitarashi—all of them were sitting around a brazier in the courtyard, sipping warm tea and nibbling on fruit.
They admired the serene beauty of the falling snow, enjoying the peaceful moment together.
Meanwhile, Fuu, Hotaru, and Tayuya were engaged in an intense snowball fight nearby, their laughter echoing through the estate.
Looking at the stunning women gathered around him, Mirai couldn't help but feel that this wasn't winter—it was spring in full bloom.
But after sitting for a while, he started to feel overwhelmed.
Any man with enough charm knew—when too many women gathered in one place, the noise level was unbearable.
Especially when he was the center of their attention.
Within minutes, his head was buzzing.
Making up a random excuse, Mirai got up and slipped away.
If he stayed any longer, he feared he'd develop a migraine.
Wandering aimlessly through the streets of Konoha, Mirai gradually felt at peace again.
But as he passed a small alleyway, the sound of a heated argument caught his attention.
Curious, he moved closer to watch the commotion.
...
Inside a small shogi parlor, two men were locked in a fierce dispute, their faces flushed with anger.
"You bastard! Just because I forgot to place my captured pieces in the box, you're declaring me the loser?!"
The burly, bearded man roared in frustration.
"The outcome of a shogi match should be determined by the battle on the board! Your ridiculous rules are an insult to the game!"
The other man, slim and effeminate, smirked coldly. "That's just how we do things here."
"Bullshit!" The bearded man slammed a hand on the table. "The last time I played here, there was no such rule!"
The effeminate man remained unfazed. "That rule was implemented recently. If you didn't know, that's your problem."
Taking a deep breath, the bearded man tried to stay calm.
"Fine. But explain this—why is it that every time it's your turn, you pause the game? That gives you extra time to think. It's completely unfair!"
The slim man sneered. "If you don't like it, you can forfeit."
"You're shameless!!"
As the two continued to argue, Mirai quickly grasped the situation.
In the shinobi world, shogi was a popular game.
Each player took turns moving pieces, with the goal of capturing the opponent's king. To prevent games from dragging on too long, a timer was usually placed beside each player, counting down their allotted time.
If a player's timer ran out before the match concluded, they were automatically declared the loser.
However, the timer stopped whenever the match was paused.
Clearly, the slim man was abusing this rule, pausing the game to buy himself extra thinking time. The bearded man was right to be furious, but he seemed at a loss for how to deal with the situation.
At that moment, Mirai stepped forward.
"If you're unhappy with the outcome of the match," he said with a casual smirk, "I have a solution."
The bearded man immediately turned to him. "What solution?"
Still smiling, Mirai picked up the shogi board—and without hesitation, slammed it onto the slim man's head.
BANG!
With a muffled thud, the man collapsed onto the floor, twitching violently. Blood gushed from his nose as his body convulsed, a wet stain spreading underneath him.
"For scumbags like this," Mirai said, brushing off his hands, "you apply the oldest rule in human history."
"Using nonsense rules to determine a shogi match? That's absurd."
"People like him don't deserve respect. And games like that aren't worth playing."
With those parting words, Mirai turned and walked away.
"Of course," he added with a smirk, "I was only talking about shogi."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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