Sis, Watanabe's here to ask for your hand!

The Senju Clan Compound was especially lively today. Carriages came and went, clogging the streets in a long line.

As Konoha's Little Princess, Tsunade was the center of attention wherever she went. If nothing unexpected happened, she or Nawaki was all but certain to become the Fourth Hokage one day. There was no way to hold her birthday celebration quietly. Every prominent shinobi clan and member of Konoha's leadership had shown up uninvited to celebrate her birthday.

"Lady Mito, congratulations on little Tsunade growing a year older. Konoha has a bright future ahead!"

A white-haired old man said with a broad smile. Two Hatake Clan members followed respectfully behind him, carrying gift boxes.

"Our Hatake Clan has prepared a few modest gifts. We hope you won't think them too meager, Lady Mito."

Mito looked a little helpless. "Hatake Clan Leader, you really shouldn't have gone to so much trouble."

"It's only right, it's only right. Heh heh heh..."

There was no getting out of this sort of social courtesy between clans. Mito glanced at Tsunade, who dutifully spoke up. "Thank you, Hatake Senior."

A Senju Clan member came forward to take the gift boxes. After briefly recording them, he placed them in a corner of the courtyard, where the boxes were already piled up like a small mountain.

No sooner had they finished dealing with the Hatake Clan Leader than the Nara Clan Leader came over to offer his congratulations.

"Lady Mito, your granddaughter gets cuter every year. She really takes after Lord Hashirama..."

Tsunade's gaze wandered toward the entrance as she half-listened to her grandmother exchange pleasantries with the various clan leaders. Only when Mito prompted her did she offer a few words of thanks.

"Why hasn't that guy shown up yet!"

Tsunade felt inexplicably restless. She didn't like being the center of attention. She thought it would be much nicer to share a huge meal with Watanabe at his place—peaceful and comfortable.

But her identity made it impossible for her to keep a low profile.

Over the next while, the Sarutobi, Hyūga, Inuzuka, Yūhi, and other major clans took turns offering their congratulations. Even the Uchiha Clan, whose relationship with the Senju Clan had always been strained, had come, each bearing a generous gift.

Danzo's arrival made Tsunade pay a little more attention. After all, he had once posed a threat to Watanabe.

Mito had just put Danzo in his place not long ago. She had ordered him to personally apologize to Watanabe, and had even forcibly disbanded Root, the organization under his direct command. Yet now, standing before Mito, Danzo was still utterly deferential. Not the slightest trace of resentment showed on his face.

"He's a bully who picks on the weak. He's obviously a bad person."

Tsunade instinctively disliked Danzo. Even when Mito prompted her, she kept giving him the cold shoulder and refused to say a single word of thanks to him.

That left Mito and Danzo feeling rather awkward. They could only exchange a few more polite remarks before Mito casually sent him on his way.

"Sis." Nawaki suddenly sidled up to Tsunade, looking shifty. "When's my brother-in-law getting here?"

"..."

"He's Watanabe, not your brother-in-law!"

Blushing with embarrassment, Tsunade rapped her silly little brother on the head.

"Oh, right..."

Nawaki clutched his aching forehead, feeling wronged. His sister had never hit him before, but now she was using violence against him for another man. If that didn't make Watanabe her brother-in-law, what did?

He continued, "Why hasn't Watanabe come yet?"

"Why do you care? He can come or not, it's up to him!"

Though she said that, Tsunade was already getting impatient. She felt Watanabe wasn't taking her seriously; otherwise, he would have arrived early.

Nawaki's eyes darted around before he dashed out the door. "I'll go check outside!"

Tsunade was just about to call after her silly little brother when a familiar voice sounded beside her.

"Tsunade, happy birthday."

Tsunade turned around. A blue-haired boy and a white-haired old woman came into view. The boy wore a sunny, handsome smile, but compared to Watanabe, he fell far short.

"Katō Clan Leader, this is your eldest grandson, isn't it?" Mito chatted with the white-haired old woman.

They were about the same age, but there was a world of difference between them in appearance and figure. The Katō Clan Leader was frail as a candle in the wind, while Mito looked as radiant as a young girl.

"That's right." The Katō Clan Leader smiled. "His name is Dan Katō. He's in the same class as Tsunade at the Ninja Academy."

"Tsunade, I picked this gift out especially for you. I hope you like it." Dan Katō held out the gift box, doing his best to make his voice sound gentle.

Tsunade hesitated briefly, then accepted the gift box and murmured her thanks.

Seeing that, Dan Katō's smile grew even sunnier.

He had just looked around the hall and hadn't spotted Watanabe.

"If Tsunade and Watanabe really were becoming a couple, Watanabe wouldn't miss her birthday," Dan Katō thought.

"But Watanabe definitely isn't here. That means I still have a chance with Tsunade..."

"Sis!"

A shriek suddenly rang out from the courtyard. A moment later, Nawaki rushed inside in a panic, gasping for breath as he shouted, "Watanabe—Watanabe's here to ask for your hand!"

"..."

The bustling hall fell instantly silent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, the Uchiha Clan Head, the Hyūga Clan Leader, the Senju elders... Everyone seated there wore a look of astonishment.

Who?

Someone had come to ask for Tsunade's hand?

Tsunade was only thirteen!

This wasn't the Warring States era, when people married and had children young. Was he sure Mito wouldn't hang him up at the village gates with her Adamantine Sealing Chains and give him a beating?!

Dan Katō, who had just thought he had a chance with Tsunade, was especially stunned. His head was buzzing.

The next moment, the clan leaders all turned to look behind Nawaki, eager to see who had such gall.

In the tense atmosphere, which seemed ready to explode at any moment, Watanabe appeared in a wine-red suit Tsunade had bought for him, carrying a giant gift box bigger than his entire body. He silently stepped inside, cursing under his breath.

One minute earlier.

Watanabe had arrived at the Senju Clan Compound only moments ago when he quickly noticed that something was off.

Carriages bearing the crests of the various shinobi clans lined the roadside, completely blocking the already narrow street.

"Why are there so many carriages from other clans at the Senju Clan Compound?"

"Could they have come for Tsunade's birthday too?"

Watanabe guessed.

He knew Tsunade came from a prestigious family, but he hadn't realized she was this important. It was only her birthday, yet nearly every clan in Konoha had come rushing over.

The closer he got to Tsunade's home, the more densely the carriages lined the roadside. His guess was confirmed, and he began to feel a little uneasy.

The cake he'd brought was enormous. It wasn't hard to imagine how the various clans would look at him when he walked into Tsunade's house carrying it... The very thought made his scalp prickle with embarrassment!

Watanabe was trying to figure out how to give Tsunade the cake without drawing attention when he looked up and spotted a familiar little boy at her door.

He breathed a sigh of relief.