I Am Uzumaki Shusen

Shusen went home with his older sister and younger brother.

All the way there, he was terribly troubled. He understood that he had been caught up in a political marriage. Once he married Hyuga Rika, the Uzumaki Clan and the Hyuga Clan would form an alliance, just as they had with the Senju Clan.

"But I'm just useless. Why not arrange a marriage with Ashina? Why did it have to fall on me?"

Shusen was deeply frustrated. To keep a low profile, he had worked hard to hide his abilities within the clan. He had never expected trouble to come looking for him anyway.

Shusen had never considered marriage. He was only sixteen; in his previous life, he would not even have graduated high school at this age. What marriage was there to talk about? And to a girl from the Hyuga Clan, no less. No matter what, he had to call off the engagement.

Seeing Shusen so quiet, Mito assumed he was nervous and uneasy about meeting Rika. She let him mull over his thoughts alone, a faint smile curling at her lips.

How wonderful.

The younger brother she had watched grow up was about to get married—before she did, even.

He had grown into a handsome young man.

Once her sister-in-law entered the family, she would have to think about how to get along with her as well.

"Second Brother, that Black Zetsu from earlier showed up. He was so ugly, and so cunning! He even let out a fart and tricked us into thinking it was poison gas..."

Ashina chattered away, complaining nonstop.

By the time Shusen returned home, it was already dark. Ryū was nowhere to be seen, probably still handling official business at the clan leader's building.

"Get a good night's rest tonight. Build up your energy so you can meet Rika tomorrow. Don't be nervous. Just treat her like an ordinary friend when you meet her for the first time," Mito comforted him, teaching her brother how to court a girl.

Shusen sighed. His sister simply did not understand. He was bearing pressures no one his age should have had to bear.

After taking a quick bath, Shusen returned to his room to sleep. But though he called it sleeping, he could not fall asleep at all. He tossed and turned in bed, constantly thinking of ways to deal with the political marriage between himself and Hyuga Rika. He even considered running away from home.

"Dad, Dad... aren't you just making trouble for me? I finally have some free time to do experiments."

Shusen was full of melancholy. In this world, there was nothing he feared—not heaven, not earth—except Ryū. It was the bloodline suppression between father and son, unrelated to strength.

He spent the night in a groggy haze.

Early the next morning, Mito woke Shusen up and picked out his clothes and fixed his hair. Ashina was still too young to understand anything, yet just watching from the side made him excited.

"A first impression is especially important between a man and a woman. You absolutely must not look sloppy..."

"Sis, I already met her yesterday," Shusen interrupted weakly.

Mito asked curiously, "When did you meet?"

"We were patrolling in the woods when they suddenly appeared and startled us. Our two groups even faced off for half an hour..."

"What fate!" Mito's eyes crinkled with joy.

"..."

Shusen did not mention that he had smeared mud all over himself and looked filthy at the time. Hyuga Rika had looked down on everyone with the pride of a white swan, and she had probably not noticed him at all.

Nor did he want her to notice him.

"Since you already met yesterday, there's even less reason to be nervous later. Speak properly with the girl. My little brother is so handsome—there's no way she won't like you!"

After arranging Shusen's hair, Mito became more satisfied the longer she looked, her heart swelling with pride.

It was clearly her brother whose marriage had been arranged, yet she felt as though her own son were getting married. Was that normal?

"Yeah, yeah! Second Brother is the most handsome!" Ashina echoed like a little tagalong.

"How vulgar." Shusen curled his lip.

"Compared to my inner talent, looks are worthless."

He had already figured out how to reject the political marriage last night. In his father's eyes, he was already an incompetent fool. If that was the case, what was wrong with acting even more foolish?

His father would not hang him at the village entrance with Adamantine Sealing Chains and beat him, would he?

Then again... that did seem possible.

After that, the three siblings waited quietly at home. It was nearly lunchtime, yet Ryū still had not returned.

"Father only said yesterday that you two should meet. He never said when or where," Mito muttered to herself.

"Should we go find Father first?"

"Uzumaki Shusen, get out here!"

At that moment, a young girl's sharp shout suddenly came from outside.

"Hyuga Rika is here."

Mito brightened and hurried out to greet her. Ashina eagerly followed behind, while Shusen remained sluggishly where he was, too lazy to move.

Hyuga Rika had come alone. She stood arrogantly in the courtyard, as if she had come to demand an explanation, her pretty face filled with anger.

When she saw Mito and Ashina come outside, she asked bluntly, "Is Uzumaki Shusen in there?!"

This future sister-in-law really did have quite a fierce temper...

Mito began worrying again about whether her brother would suffer domestic abuse.

"He is. He's been waiting for you since early this morning."

"Why would he wait for me? Tell him to get out here!" Hyuga Rika huffed angrily.

Ashina realized that his future sister-in-law was not as wonderful as he had imagined. Frightened, he took two steps back.

Mito sensed that something was wrong and said calmly, "Can't you speak properly?"

"Why should I?" Hyuga Rika raised her brow. "I'm definitely going to teach Uzumaki Shusen a lesson today. If he wants to marry me, he'll have to see whether he can take a beating!"

Ashina sucked in a sharp breath. His future sister-in-law was terrifying!

Inside the house, Shusen's eyes lit up. This woman seemed a little interesting.

"You don't want to marry my brother?" Mito asked.

"Of course I don't!"

Hyuga Rika admitted it openly. "I already asked around. Uzumaki Shusen is considered useless in your clan. At sixteen, he's still only a special jōnin. On the battlefield, he wouldn't even count as cannon fodder."

"Who is Hyuga Rika? If I'm going to marry, I have to marry a peerless hero!"

Even with Mito's gentle temperament, hearing the other party insult her brother made her angry. She said coldly, "Watch your words."

"Did I say anything wrong?" Hyuga Rika was not intimidated. "If Uzumaki Shusen has the guts, let him come out and fight me. If he can beat me, I'll agree to marry him. If he can't, then he should stop dreaming!"

Mito stepped forward, intending to teach her a lesson.

"You..."

"Sis, let's do as she says. I'll fight her."

A voice suddenly came from inside the house.

Hyuga Rika froze slightly. For some reason, the voice sounded warm and pure to her ears.

She looked up and saw a red-haired youth in neat clothes push open the door and walk out. He was tall and slender, with handsome features, sharp brows, and bright eyes that gave him an elegant air. Sunlight fell across him, outlining his body with a ring of golden light.

"Y-you're Uzumaki Shusen?"

For some reason, Hyuga Rika no longer sounded so aggressive.

She had not expected such a good-looking youth to exist in the Uzumaki Clan.

No, more accurately, she had never seen such a good-looking youth before.

Her heart suddenly began racing out of control.

"Yes, I am Uzumaki Shusen."

Shusen walked toward her and said apologetically, "I didn't expect this to cause Miss Rika so much trouble. I'm sorry. Later, I'll tell my father about us and have him cancel the engagement."