Chapter 34: Return to the Village, The Boy with the Garlic Nose!

Dawn.

The Border of the Land of Fire.

From afar, Mirai sped across the horizon, standing atop golden sand. As he reached the Konoha base camp, he scattered the sand beneath his feet, allowing himself to fall from the sky.

"Flying Thunder God!"

With a whispered command, his figure vanished, reappearing instantly inside a room. Dismissing his Shadow Clone with a wave, he reviewed the clone's memories and confirmed nothing unusual. Only then did Mirai release the barrier he'd set around the room.

"Looks like I've gathered enough gold sand for now. I can take a break from collecting it."

He slipped the storage scroll containing the sealed sand into his jacket, a satisfied smile crossing his face. Much of the Land of Wind was desert, with rich reserves of gold sand everywhere. In just two months, Mirai had amassed enough to handle even a tailed beast.

The Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai was truly convenient—it provided formidable defense, devastating area attacks, and the ability to sustain flight at high altitudes. Flight was rare in the shinobi world, most ninjas had no way to counter flying opponents. In the original timeline, Deidara could single-handedly defeat Gaara in Sunagakure, mainly due to his flight advantage—leaving other Sand shinobi powerless.

Thanks to his aerial perspective, Mirai had repeatedly evaded Sunagakure's traps. Each night, he scouted from above, spotting their ambushes long before engaging.

Knock, knock, knock!

A sudden knock sounded at the door. After tidying his clothes, Mirai opened it to see Kurenai's chubby, cheerful face.

"Kurenai, what's got you so excited?"

She beamed up at him. "Mirai, we got a message from the village. We can finally head back today!"

"Back home?"

"Yep! Shikaku-san said that front-line shinobi get a break every two months."

Here on the front lines, each day was a battle for survival. Without a break, even the strongest shinobi could lose their sanity over time.

"I see. Let's go, then."

Even though Mirai earned rewards by taking down enemies, the intense stretch had started to wear on him. A change of scenery sounded refreshing.

As the two reached the main tent, Minato, Shinku, Obito, Asuma, and others were already gathered. Shikaku Nara looked up with a smile as they entered.

"Everyone, you've all worked hard. I'll make sure your contributions are reported accurately to Lord Hokage," he said, then turned to Mirai. "Especially you, Mirai. You've made significant contributions."

Beyond his numerous enemy takedowns, Mirai had led hundreds of Sand shinobi into a Konoha ambush, resulting in a major victory.

As Shikaku praised him, Asuma, Obito, Kurenai, and the others exchanged glances, struggling to believe it. Mirai, a comrade who graduated alongside them, had now grown into a formidable shinobi capable of standing on his own.

They, on the other hand... best not to mention it.

...

Back in Konoha.

The bustling streets and grand buildings of Konoha filled Mirai and his teammates with relief. Compared to the front lines, this place was paradise. At last, they could unwind their battle-worn minds.

"Mirai, you go on ahead. Let's all meet up for dinner tonight," Shinku called.

As their team's leader, he needed to report the mission details to the Third Hokage.

"See you tonight, Mirai!" Kurenai waved as she hurried off, eager to finally freshen up after weeks on the battlefield.

Asuma gave Mirai a quick nod and headed out as well. Alone now, Mirai wandered the streets of Konoha, feeling a bit aimless. To him, Konoha looked like nothing more than a slightly larger town compared to what he'd seen in his past life.

Stopping at a dango shop, he ordered a few skewers of three-colored dango. Just as he sat down, a boy wearing Uchiha clan attire entered the shop.

The boy had a large garlic-shaped nose and big eyes. Though he didn't have the handsome features typical of an Uchiha, there was a certain charm in his honesty.

"Two skewers of dango, please."

"Thank you!"

Politely taking the dango from the server, the boy scanned the shop for a seat, eventually choosing a table with other customers. However, as soon as he sat down, the villagers at the table stood up and left with their food, leaving him alone.

Undeterred, he tried again—only for the same thing to happen three more times.

"Sigh..."

The boy let out a quiet sigh and finally sat down at an empty table, resigned. He'd long since lost count of how many times he'd been shunned. No matter how friendly he tried to be, the villagers kept their distance.

A plate appeared before him. Startled, the boy looked up, only to see another person wearing Uchiha clothing. His expression dimmed, disappointment flickering across his face.

"What's your name?" Mirai asked, a sense of recognition stirring in him as he looked at the boy.

The boy replied timidly, "Uchiha Shisui."

Mirai's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected to meet Uchiha Shisui here—Shisui, known for awakening the powerful Susano'o with just one eye, possessing the legendary Kotoamatsukami, the most potent genjutsu. A prodigy who rivaled even Itachi in talent, Shisui would eventually meet a tragic end after being ambushed by Danzo.

"And who are you?" Shisui asked, puzzled by the older boy's intense stare but sensing he wasn't here to cause trouble.

"Uchiha Mirai."

"Eh? You're Mirai?" Shisui's jaw dropped in astonishment. As a member of the Uchiha clan, he knew all about Mirai's feats on the front lines. But while others focused on Mirai's strength and talent, Shisui admired him for something deeper—his selflessness, his willingness to put himself in danger to protect his comrades. To Shisui, that was the essence of the "Will of Fire."

"Mirai-senpai, it's an honor!" Shisui stood up and bowed respectfully.

Watching him, Mirai felt a spark of inspiration. Shisui was still young, his ideals not yet fully formed. Perhaps, with the right guidance, he could become a valuable ally. A slight smile curved on Mirai's lips.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Shisui. Let's look out for each other."

----------------

For every review, I'll add +1 more chapter. Once this story gets 10 reviews, I'll start posting 2 chapters per day!

Read 10 chapters ahead for free on my patreon, read pinned message!

+70 chapters on patreon.com/Jixo