I need a Fire Style shinobi

"Lord Xianyu, the clan leader asked us to wait here for you."

The Uchiha Clan Compound.

The same spot as before.

The same two men stood guard at the gate.

The difference was that Kakashi had come along, and the riverside duo showed a little more respect than last time.

"All right. Sorry for the trouble, you two."

Ling Tian smiled warmly. Since they treated him courteously, he naturally had to return the courtesy.

As they stepped through the gates, Kakashi held his second uncle's hand and looked up in confusion. "Second Uncle, why are we coming to Obito's place?"

It was his first visit to the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Hadn't Obito said that the people here didn't welcome outsiders?

And that outsiders couldn't get in?

Ling Tian walked at an unhurried pace as he answered, "Didn't I tell you? I'm taking you to meet your future wife."

"..."

Kakashi said glumly, "Second Uncle, I'm only four."

"It's fine. You'll get to know each other first. I won't let you get married until you're old enough to have children."

"Did Father arrange this?"

"I arranged it. What, do you have a problem with that?"

Ling Tian stopped, his gaze turning somewhat stern.

"..."

"No."

Kakashi obediently shook his head.

Marriage sounds like such a hassle. But how am I supposed to turn it down?

There was no getting anywhere with his second uncle. If he dared talk back, a beating was the only possible outcome.

He Bian Uchiha, who was leading the way, felt a headache coming on. He seemed to have overheard something rather extraordinary.

The clan is arranging a marriage alliance with the Hatake Clan?

Marrying a girl to White Fang's only son?

When they reached the Clan Head's Mansion, Fugaku Uchiha was already there to greet them.

"Xianyu."

As soon as he spoke, Ling Tian smiled. "Brother Fugaku, just call me Ling Tian. We're going to be family, so there's no need to be so formal."

Fugaku: "..."

Kakashi: "..."

He Bian said, "Clan Leader, I'll take my leave."

He Bian left, and the group entered the hall. The moment they stepped inside, Ling Tian said cheerfully, "Kakashi, hurry up and greet your father-in-law. We'll all be family from now on."

"..."

"Xian... Ling Tian, I'm not married yet. I don't have a daughter to marry to your nephew."

Though Fugaku looked slightly awkward, his Uchiha etiquette was good enough to keep him from being struck completely speechless.

"What do you mean?"

Ling Tian frowned. "The girl marrying Kakashi isn't from your family, Brother Fugaku?"

"..."

Fugaku was exasperated.

Weren't you the one who told me to arrange for a girl to join your nephew's class so they could get to know each other first?

And what's wrong with me being unmarried and not having a daughter?

Even if I had a daughter, I wouldn't let her marry out of the clan!

Unless someone from your Hatake Clan married into ours.

"Forget it."

Ling Tian waved a hand. "I didn't realize you weren't married yet, brother. But that's fine. A daughter from one of the elders' families will do too. They're not too far beneath our Hatake Clan."

Now that I've made myself clear, if you still try to arrange for an Uchiha girl without a pure bloodline, I'll leave right now.

Ling Tian hadn't forgotten that Fugaku Uchiha would have two sons in the future. His only purpose in saying all this was to make it impossible for Fugaku to reject the proposal.

"Ling Tian, as for the elders..."

"Brother Fugaku, if she's just a commoner, then even if her name is Uchiha, that won't do. My elder brother has only one son. Everything he has will go to Kakashi in the future, and his marriage must help him along as well. We can't accept anything too casual. I hope you understand."

Ling Tian couldn't quite understand the hesitation. If White Fang became Hokage, wouldn't Kakashi be his heir? What was there to agonize over?

Is the Hokage's only son not good enough for your Uchiha main line?

And if he doesn't become Hokage,

The Uchiha will go down with him, so what's there to agonize over? Sitting to one side, Kakashi's face kept twitching as he listened to their conversation.

I thought Second Uncle was joking, but he's actually serious. Is my marriage really being arranged just like that?

Kakashi grumbled inwardly. He felt rather uneasy, and his eyelid kept twitching, but he didn't dare say a word.

Ugh, I'm only four, and I already have a fiancée. Will Rin still make rice balls for me in the future?

What a headache!

The two men talking had no idea what Kakashi was thinking.

At that moment, Fugaku Uchiha's brows were tightly furrowed. "None of the elders will agree to a girl from the main line marrying out of the clan."

If they could marry out, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't be the only clan in the Shinobi World with the Sharingan.

"Kakashi, let's go. We're going home to wash the dishes."

"..."

"Ling Tian, you should know the Uchiha Clan's rules. This is impossible. Let Kakashi get to know someone himself. If they truly fall for each other, the elders won't oppose it so strongly. If it's someone outside the main line, Kakashi can choose whoever he likes."

"Brother Fugaku, Kakashi is currently the sole heir of our Hatake Clan. Not just my elder brother's-everything I have will be his in the future too. So a commoner is out of the question. You can understand that, can't you?"

Even a Hyuga can marry Naruto, so why does your Uchiha Clan have so much damned baggage?

If I didn't have something else to discuss today, I'd just fucking leave.

"Let's discuss this another time. If we really succeed, those dissenting voices will naturally disappear."

Fugaku put on a smile. "Ling Tian, you didn't come to see me today just for this, did you?"

Who exactly is in trouble right now?

Shouldn't your Hatake Clan be the ones in a hurry?

"Kakashi, go play outside. See if there are any girls you like. Your second uncle has something to discuss with Uncle Fugaku."

"..."

At those words, the corners of Fugaku Uchiha's mouth lifted slightly. He called toward the door, "Daoyu, have someone show Kakashi around. You stay here and keep watch. I have something to discuss with Ling Tian."

As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged shinobi who had visited the Hatake Clan earlier came in, took Kakashi's hand, and led him away.

Once they were gone, Fugaku asked hesitantly, "Ling Tian, didn't you say Orochimaru had already joined us? Why did he make that proposal at the meeting just now?"

Ling Tian raised a brow and said calmly, "Perhaps he hadn't completely lost faith in his teacher yet. They have been master and student for over twenty years, after all. But now, he may have finally made up his mind."

Oh, Third, you really don't understand your own student at all. Play the passive ruler in front of a clever man, and you'll be the one who loses everything.

"Then what do we do now? Orochimaru and I leave for the battlefield tomorrow."

Fugaku Uchiha feigned composure.

"I know. That's precisely what I came to resolve. Let's postpone the plan and put it into motion once the war is over."

Ling Tian remembered that after Dan and Nawaki died in this war, only one heir would remain in the Senju Clan. Tsunade would also leave after losing faith in her teacher.

And Jiraiya would head off on his travels too.

That would be the ideal time.

"Then why did you come today?"

Fugaku was puzzled. Surely he hadn't come just to exchange a few words?

"Two things."

Ling Tian held up two fingers. "First, arrange Kakashi's engagement as soon as possible and let everyone know we've formed an alliance."

"Second, I need a Fire Style shinobi."