Marriage Pressure in the Ninja World

Besides, Hiruzen Sarutobi was, after all, the previous Hokage and Tsunade's teacher, so Hiruko did not deliberately turn him away and simply let him in.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi entered the house, he caught a strong whiff of alcohol.

He looked around at the messy living room and the floor covered in spilled liquor, a strange smile appearing on his face.

As far as he knew, Hiruko was an extremely clean and disciplined person.

The young man never touched tobacco or alcohol, believing they damaged the brain, so he had always kept far away from them.

Yet the house was now such a mess. There could only be one explanation: Tsunade had been here.

"Did Tsunade come by?" Though Hiruzen Sarutobi phrased it as a question, his tone carried a trace of certainty.

"Yeah, she just came over. She was quite drunk, spouting nonsense and flailing around. Cleaning up after her was a bit troublesome."

Hiruko answered lightly, as if he were merely an outsider.

He had been quite dutiful toward Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tsunade's teacher.

After all, for a harmless mascot, Hiruzen Sarutobi's presence was very important to him.

Otherwise, Danzo would surely pull some underhanded tricks, and Hiruko had no time to deal with that fellow.

Just then, a burst of snoring drifted over.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded knowingly and took out the pipe he carried with him.

As casually as if he were in his own home, he lit it and said, "The one snoring in there is Tsunade, right?"

Hiruko answered offhandedly, "Tsunade is in my bedroom."

There was nothing that needed hiding about Tsunade staying overnight at Hiruko's home.

Hiruko enjoyed scientific research and exploring the laws of all things, but he was still a normal, healthy man.

He was not like Orochimaru, a man who had renounced all emotion and desire to devote himself entirely to research.

Hiruko's fondness for those girls was no less than anyone else's. They had been his wives in his previous life, so how could he possibly let them go to someone else?

Hiruzen Sarutobi was quite reassured about Hiruko. He then said cheerfully, "When are you two planning to get married?"

"You need to have children soon. You're both getting on in years. Women from other villages are fine to fool around with, but you should still marry one of your own!"

With his pipe between his lips, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag, then exhaled curling rings of smoke. His tone was clear, with a hint of teasing.

"Hm?"

Hiruko was full of question marks.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words had utterly baffled him.

The problem isn't me right now. I think you're the one with a problem.

Why is the Third acting like one of my relatives, trying to set me up with someone? And with Tsunade, no less?

Speaking of Tsunade, Hiruko did have a favorable impression of her. He just did not like how fierce she could be.

Still, Hiruko was very tempted by Tsunade's enormous breasts. They were simply too huge—rare even in an anime world!

Hiruko went to the coffee machine, poured a cup of hot coffee for the Third, and poured one for himself as well.

After taking a light sip, he slowly said, "Even if I want to marry her, it depends on what Tsunade wants.

And on the attitude of the Senju Clan elders.

After all, Nawaki's death hit her far too hard."

After hearing Hiruko's words, the Third took a soft puff of smoke, sighed, and said with feeling, "The battlefield is merciless. Getting ambushed is commonplace."

Hiruko carefully observed Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes and facial expressions, but found not a trace of anything unusual. He could not help muttering inwardly, Could I have guessed wrong?

Hiruko then shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it any longer.

These were matters between Tsunade and Konoha. They had little to do with him, a scientist.

In any case, Tsunade had not left Konoha yet, which meant the situation was not too bad. Most likely, that old fox Danzo was scheming behind the scenes.

"Hehe, speaking of Tsunade, I believe she has quite a favorable impression of you."

"After all, when you were children, you and Orochimaru were the most handsome. She thought you were the most dashing," the Third said with a chuckle.

Back when she had been a child, Tsunade naturally could not see Hiruko's darkness. She had been completely unable to resist a gentle, handsome man.

"Tsunade may have a fiery temper and a little too much strength, but when it comes to her figure, she really is exceptional! Isn't she far better than the woman Danzo gave you?"

The Third immediately wore a look all men understood. His eyes curved into crescents, and his entire face became comically lecherous, making him seem utterly improper.

Hiruko stared speechlessly at the Third's lecherous expression, his face twitching.

Perhaps this Third old man was the one who had been doing something strange behind the scenes.

The Third then walked over with his pipe in his mouth, patted Hiruko on the shoulder, and said earnestly, "Hiruko, you and Tsunade aren't young anymore."

"You are both outstanding ninja, skilled at maintaining yourselves. Beauty treatments and preserving your looks are naturally no challenge for you.

But that does not mean your bodies can truly resist the erosion of time.

Ever since graduating from the Ninja Academy, those dating games that felt like playing house have no longer suited people your age.

It is time to stop this fooling around and face your futures properly."

The Third old man started rambling again.

Yet even he did not know that his words seemed to touch something deep within Hiruko's heart.

Hiruko's heart suddenly tightened.

That's right! I'm not young anymore.

For someone who had seen the vastness of the world, pursuing eternity now was still somewhat of an extravagant hope.

The methods of immortality currently in his grasp were all rather incomplete.

If he truly embarked on that path, he feared he might never again have the chance to reach the pinnacle of all worlds.

Having finally transmigrated into a two-dimensional world, Hiruko had secretly sworn to become a true ultimate life-form.

Fearless in the face of any slaughter, he would live on resolutely until eternity, then find a way back home.

After all, Hiruko was not one of those true orphan transmigrators.

Hiruko remembered that the young Orochimaru had once found a strip of white snakeskin before his parents' graves.

At the time, the Third Hokage looked at the orphaned Orochimaru and gently said, "White snakes symbolize happiness and rebirth. Perhaps your parents have already been reborn somewhere."

Those comforting words from the Third planted a seed of thought in Orochimaru's heart.

If snakes could shed their skins and be reborn, then could humans be reincarnated as well?

Thus, in a sense, Orochimaru's exploration of life had originated from the Third's kind words of comfort before those graves.

Now, the Third old man had once again reminded Hiruko that he and Tsunade were no longer young.

Hiruko suddenly realized that he was already in his thirties, yet there was still a considerable distance between him and his goal of becoming an ultimate life-form.

Compared to the powerhouses of the myriad worlds, he was even further behind.

One had to know...