Hyuga Ichiro felt so wronged!!!
Patriarch, didn't you just say it was a small matter?
How come the moment we started talking about Naruto,
your attitude did a complete one-eighty?
Besides, weren't you not very fond of Naruto before?
What a show-off!
Hyuga Ichiro was full of grievances.
But he didn't dare complain to Hyuga Riko.
Was it because subordinates couldn't talk back to their superiors?
Of course not.
That was only part of it.
Hyuga Ichiro lowered his head, his voice apologetic.
"I'm sorry, Patriarch. I didn't think it through..."
"Hey, all right, enough. Take me out there right now. We can't wait until he's gone."
Hyuga Hiashi impatiently waved a hand, cutting him off.
Then the two of them left the courtyard, one after the other.
Outside, the area was already crowded with members of the Hyuga Branch Family.
People had gathered in groups of two and three.
They chatted and laughed among themselves,
pointing and gesturing.
"I told you! Our young lady and Naruto look like a perfect couple!"
"I've had my eye on that boy Naruto since he was little! I hear he's already learned and used the Rasengan!"
"Gasp... The Rasengan? Isn't that the jutsu the Fourth Hokage created himself? I hear it's incredibly difficult to learn—harder than our Eight Trigrams Reversing Heaven Sixty-Four Palms!"
"Damn, so Naruto's a genius!"
"More than that. I heard he taught himself."
Everyone chattered excitedly, looking at Naruto in a whole new light.
They belonged to the Branch Family.
They had only come out for a chat because they'd finished all their work.
Otherwise, they'd still be treated like they weren't human,
ordered to do this and that.
Everyone's purpose was to protect the Hyuga Clan.
But for many years,
the Main Family had lived carefree lives.
Meanwhile, members of the Branch Family had to suffer.
They never got to enjoy the benefits,
but they were never spared the dirty work.
The resentment that had built up over the years
couldn't be dispelled with just a few words!
The conflict between the Main and Branch Families would only grow worse.
The Main Family had used the Caged Bird to control the Branch Family
for more than just a day or two.
If the Branch Family's Patriarch weren't keeping them in check,
some of them would have chosen to go down in flames with the Main Family.
No one wanted to be left standing.
Why should you get to be part of the Main Family just because you were born earlier, even though you're less talented, and get to order us around like dogs?
Those of us born later aren't any weaker!
But the time for that hadn't yet come.
So the members of the Branch Family continued to endure.
Still, everyone hoped someone would come along and break the deadlock that had held firm for so many years!
"If Naruto could marry our young lady, wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"Shh... Are you trying to get yourself killed? You're saying that so loudly, and Main Family members are still nearby."
"Damn, what's there to be afraid of?! I've been sick of them for ages!"
"Exactly. If the young lady really married out of the clan, all those unfair rules would become a thing of the past!"
"Right! As far as I know, no one from the Hyuga Clan has ever married outside the clan... and now the one marrying out is the young lady of the Main Family!"
The Hyuga Clan held a very high standing in Konoha!
The main reason was their Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan!
Although the Byakugan was a little inferior to the Sharingan of the same level,
it was still an extremely valuable resource
in its own way!
During wartime, to keep this resource from falling into enemy hands,
when Hyuga Clan members were on the verge of being killed in battle,
they would destroy their own eyes.
Or they would have their comrades destroy them.
Of course,
that was only in a battlefield situation.
They couldn't be taken away.
If the circumstances allowed them to be brought back,
members of the Hyuga Clan would do everything they could to recover the Byakugan and return it to the clan!
Hinata looked at the crowd that had come out to watch,
and heard some embarrassing things they were saying.
Hinata was always kind to others.
That was why the Branch Family members were happy to accept her,
and felt bold enough to say such things out loud.
With anyone else, even if they had a hundred times the courage,
they wouldn't dare!
In the end, it was because Hinata had won people's hearts.
Anyway, back to how she was feeling right now!
How could a girl her age handle such "outrageous" talk?
This was going way too far!
They were already talking about marriage.
Even if she were willing, it would still depend on whether Naruto agreed.
Hinata had even heard some clan members starting to plan what to name the next generation of family heads.
In other words, the children Naruto and Hinata would have.
That left Hinata, who was already shy,
even more embarrassed.
"Um... Naruto-kun, we've arrived."
"Th-thank you for keeping me company today, chatting with me, taking me shopping, and buying me delicious food.
I'd really like to invite you inside for a glass of water, but my... my father..."
She didn't know how to continue.
At home, Hyuga Hiashi was still the one who called the shots.
This wasn't like the peaceful era after Naruto became Hokage in the future.
Although everyone had temporarily ceased fighting for now,
small skirmishes and battles on the borders of the great villages were still unavoidable.
Since the Five Great Nations had already signed a ceasefire agreement,
they all turned a blind eye to these things to save face.
They could enter a state of readiness for war at any time.
So the major clans in the village
were always on guard,
making sure outsiders didn't enter their clan compounds and wander around.
Naruto grinned and gently reassured her.
"It's all right. You know I don't mind little things like that."
He knew the story, after all.
He understood his future little wife's predicament.
What difference did it make when they had a drink of water?
Why did it have to be right now?
Hearing that, Hinata couldn't help smiling sweetly. She said sincerely,
"Ah, you're so kind, Naruto-kun. You really are such a gentle person. Thank you for understanding..."
Naruto's gaze somehow drifted to her chest.
Uh...
That wasn't enough.
What would he do about all those daughters in the future?
In the future, once he became Hokage, he would definitely put people first.
He'd introduce policies that encouraged having more children and raising them well—good for the country and its people!
Elite shinobi with excellent genes
should have as many children as possible.
Preferably, they should have a damn dozen!
The village would provide money to raise the kids!
Once everyone was living comfortably and the villagers were prosperous,
there'd be no need to fear going to war with other countries.
Putting these plans into practice would be as easy as water flowing downstream.
It would simply be going with the flow.
But even if someone wasn't an elite shinobi and wanted lots of kids,
Naruto would still think that was fine.
By then, Naruto would be Hokage, and he'd hand out rewards as usual.
As for him personally,
someone as excellent and capable as he was
could never have too many children.
The more capable you were, the more you had to do.
But Naruto was a simple man in the way he dealt with people.
He would never force any girl into anything.
It would all be entirely voluntary.
If he didn't want to,
then, heh heh... even if a girl tried to force him,
there was absolutely no chance!
After all, he wasn't a womanizer.
Anyway, he'd just let things take their course.
P.S. That depends on the situation, right?
Tell me who you want to see. There are lots of pretty girls in Naruto.
My memory isn't great, so help me put together a list of names in the comments.
The most popular one gets picked. Heh heh...
Before you continue