Natsu's Ambition

Hyuga Natsu didn't hear what Hyuga Genko was babbling about, she even found him noisy.

She just tilted her head up slightly with anticipation, looking ahead, as if searching for something, or perhaps hoping for something.

Until Hyuga Genko, with a hint of fear and unease, repeated what he had just said even louder:

"Natsu, when we get back to the village, let's get married!"

"Eh?" This time, Hyuga Natsu heard clearly.

She looked at Hyuga Genko in surprise, finding it utterly absurd.

Hyuga Genko, however, looked at her seriously and said:

"Become my wife, and you can become part of the Main Family. Although the Caged Bird curse cannot be removed, from now on, no one will see you as part of the Branch Family."

"You will enjoy all the privileges of the Main Family, you won't have to go out on dangerous missions anymore, and you won't have to defer to other Main Family members..."

Hyuga Natsu interrupted him: "Young Master Genko, I am Hyuga Yu's fiancée."

"I know, that strange Branch Family Genin, right?"

Hyuga Genko frowned, snorted, and chuckled:

"You asked me once before not to let him participate in this mission."

Hyuga Natsu shook her head: "Then you should understand--"

Hyuga Genko interrupted her, staring at her with deep eyes:

"Are you two close? But what does being close even mean? Marriages for the Branch Family are arranged by the Main Family. Canceling this engagement is just a matter of my command."

"If you ask me, you should think more about yourself--"

"You work very hard, and ever since you became a ninja, you've been taking missions to save money. But what is the purpose of saving money? Isn't it for a better life?"

"Becoming my wife is equivalent to becoming the wife of a Main Family member. Everything you desire will be realized once you accept my proposal!"

"Moreover, as a marriage prospect, I should be much stronger than that Hyuga Yu, shouldn't I?"

"A cowardly Genin who needs to rely on you and Elder Chōkō to pull strings to get to me. Having a man like that, don't you feel pathetic?"

Hyuga Natsu suddenly smiled.

When people are speechless to the extreme, they truly do laugh.

Regarding Hyuga Yu, she no longer wanted to argue with him.

She blinked her beautiful eyes, looked at Hyuga Genko, and feigned hesitation, asking:

"But, Young Master Genko, why are you suddenly proposing to me? What kind of person do you think I am?"

Hyuga Genko spoke nonsense without blushing or skipping a beat: "Because I've always been watching you, and I fell in love with you a long time ago."

"I've seen your loyalty, reliability, and your hard work and progress, and... you're really cute!"

Hyuga Natsu nodded, as if she were a young girl blinded by sweet talk, "What else, what else?"

Seeing that Hyuga Natsu had taken the bait, Hyuga Genko's eyes lit up. He showered Hyuga Natsu with compliments, sparing no expense with his pretty words.

"In the entire Hyuga Clan, only when I see you do I feel something special. This feeling is very strange, like..."

However...

What about Hyuga Natsu?

Amidst these words of love that could move any young girl, her thoughts drifted to the past.

She had asked someone the same question once before. It was the year she graduated from the Ninja Academy, the first time she learned that her fiancé was Hyuga Yu. She had asked Hyuga Yu:

"Hyuga Yu, what kind of person do you think I am?"

He had a straight face and was silent for a moment before truthfully saying:

"You are very hypocritical."

Hyuga Natsu was a little angry: "Who says things like that about girls?"

Hyuga Yu seemed a bit uneasy, scratching his head and saying, "Then maybe I'm mistaken. As you can see, I'm not a very good marriage prospect. I'll go find Elder Chōkō right now and have him cancel the engagement."

"No."

This time, Hyuga Yu was stunned. "Why?"

Hyuga Natsu smiled and asked back, "Didn't you say you wanted to become Hokage when you talked back to Lord Hiashi earlier?"

Hyuga Yu lowered his head. "I'm truly sorry to have made a fool of myself."

Hyuga Natsu suddenly spoke: "I believe you."

"Huh?"

She stared intently at Hyuga Yu with an unusually serious, fiery gaze, "Also, I'm going to be the Hokage's wife!"

What does it take for a Hyuga Branch Family member to become Hokage?

The first requirement is to shed the identity of a Hyuga Branch Family member.

Hyuga Natsu didn't know how to shed this identity. Once the Caged Bird curse mark was applied, it was permanent, and even the Main Family couldn't remove it.

However, according to the theories Hyuga Yu had taught her, every jutsu had a flaw that could be exploited.

The Caged Bird curse mark was no different.

Hyuga Yu had a thick notebook filled with content written in characters Hyuga Natsu couldn't understand.

But as someone close to him, through subtle probing and gradually deciphering the translation of the 26 letters, Hyuga Natsu quickly grasped the concept and deciphered most of the notebook by transliterating Chinese characters.

The notebook's title was Speculations on the Caged Bird.

It listed four methods, partially verified, that might effectively remove or suppress the Caged Bird:

First: Introduce other curse marks. By disrupting the order of their activation, the Caged Bird's manifestation time could be suppressed. Curse mark acquisition methods: Root, Uzumaki...

Second: Eye transplantation. Eye transplantation is merely a means to an end. The goal is to revert to ancestral roots at a genetic level, tracing back the Otsutsuki bloodline. Based on The Last, the branch family of the Otsutsuki clan could directly attack or even annihilate the main family. This implies that in the past, the Caged Bird's purpose might not have been a tool for ruling and oppression like it is within the Hyuga Clan today. Attempting to transplant the eyes of other clan members, preferably those from the Main Family, requires mastery of the Curse Removal Technique...

Third: Extract the genes of the Kaguya clan, who possess the Shikotsumyaku, and the Hyuga's distant relatives, the Taketori clan, and attempt gene fusion. Gene fusion projects are not highly regarded at Konoha Hospital and require Orochimaru's expertise...

Fourth: Obtain the scroll of the Caged Bird curse mark. By studying the jutsu's principles, other methods of removal can be devised. The problem is, the scroll is in the hands of Hyuga Hiashi, the head of the Main House...

After deciphering the notebook, And seeing Hyuga Yu becoming increasingly dejected due to his failure in the Chunin Exam, Hyuga Natsu formulated a bold plan.

"So, Natsu, will you be my wife?"

In the silent, nameless forest, Hyuga Genko suddenly stopped, turned around, and blocked Hyuga Natsu's path, asking anxiously.

Hyuga Natsu's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. She snapped back to reality, But she quickly adjusted her expression, "Yes."

"Rather, it is my honor. After all, I am very happy to receive your confession, Young Master Genko."

Hyuga Natsu smiled sweetly at Hyuga Genko, her gaze fixed on his Byakugan. Within her narrowed, pure white pupils, a cold killing intent flashed, and she said with a smile, "As long as you can return to Konoha alive."

"Hoo..."

Hyuga Genko finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of security only after Hyuga Natsu agreed.

However, At this very moment—

An untimely, indifferent cold laugh suddenly echoed from in front of them.

Ao of the Mist, along with a sensory Jonin from his squad, leaped from a nearby tree trunk, blocking Hyuga Genko and Hyuga Natsu's path, "You two, this... is hardly a place for sweet talk!"