Bride Training

At the dinner table, Nawaki pleaded with Mito once again.

"Grandma, please believe me just this once more."

"There's no chance anymore. Luckily, Eiji was here this time, otherwise you wouldn't have made it back. If you died, the Senju Ancestral Home would be broken!"

"Uh, what about my older sister?"

Mito looked at Tsunade with disdain. "Your sister is very lazy, and she didn't pass the Bride Training. She's an unqualified bride, and I'm afraid we can't count on her."

While Eiji was enjoying the meal Tsunade had carefully prepared and watching the commotion, her name was suddenly called, and her face immediately fell.

"Grandma, that kind of thing, Bride Training, isn't suitable for me. Besides, I'm still young."

Tsunade scratched her head impatiently.

"If you were from an ordinary family, I certainly wouldn't say anything, but your background dictates that you must pass the test."

"During your training, you actually physically assaulted other children of the same age. As a result, not only did you fail to pass, but all the children you beat also lost their eligibility."

"Why is even Grandma saying that? It's because they laughed at me, so I taught them a lesson!"

"Regardless, your failure in cultivation is a fact, and because of this, not a single person has dared to propose marriage. If this continues, you probably won't find a suitable partner by the time I go to see Hashirama."

Mito pinched the bridge of her nose, her expression suggesting that Tsunade would never get married.

Tsunade was speechless. She shoveled rice into her dish with her spoon, glancing sideways at Eiji as she muttered in a voice only she could hear, "Who said I'm unwanted... I'm trying my best, aren't I?"

"Grandma, what is Bride Training?" Kushina asked with great interest.

"The so-called 'Bride Training' refers to the education a woman needs to receive before marriage; only women who pass the test can be considered qualified brides."

"Eh? Did Tsunade already have a fiancé before?" Kushina looked at Tsunade.

"No, it's just a rule of the Great Families." Tsunade said nonchalantly, setting her chopsticks aside.

"Children from Great Families undergo Bride Training much earlier, typically starting around eight or nine years old. This is especially true for those related to the Daimyo. Of course, they also undergo an even more rigorous test before their formal marriage."

"That sounds amazing... Grandma, can I take the test too?"

Hearing Kushina say this, Mito also began to sized Kushina up. "Indeed, given your past status and position, it's time for you to undergo Bride Training. However, are you prepared to pass the test? If you fail, you'll be seen as lacking in feminine virtues by those in the community, making it difficult for you to get married. Your sister Tsunade is a prime example of this failure."

I'm so sorry I failed.

Tsunade looked to the side and grumbled.

"Don't worry, Grandma, I'll definitely pass the test!"

Kushina clenched her little fists, looking determined.

"Haha, I can almost picture Kushina slamming those noble girls into the wall."

While happily showing off his food, Nawaki teased someone, then his toes were stomped on hard, causing him to howl in pain, which made Eiji next to him cover his face.

"Don't worry, Kushina, you'll definitely pass. As long as you mention Eiji's name, who would dare to bully you? In an instant, a lot of people will come to flatter you, and even the examiners will give you the green light all the way."

Tsunade said dismissively.

Eiji is now a very famous figure in the Shinobi World. As long as others don't mess with her, everything will be fine. Who would dare to make things difficult for her?

"No way! I'll pass the test on my own merits!"

Kushina looked indignant. Using Eiji's name would certainly be easy, but wouldn't that defeat the purpose?

"Alright, since you put it that way, I'll write a letter to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire now. It just so happens that it's the Land of Fire's turn to conduct bride training this year, so you can go with Sayuri to take the bride test."

"Huh? Does Sayuri also have to undergo a test?"

"Although it may seem cruel, for daughters born out of wedlock, the most important moment in their lives is when they marry into another family, so training them in advance is extremely important."

Mito said with a serious expression.

Grandma Mito's words saddened Kushina, after all, she could be with Eiji, while Sayuri could only passively marry a complete stranger.

"No matter what, I am still a princess of the Uzumaki Clan, even though the Land of Whirlpools is gone... Anyway, I will pass the test and I will definitely not let Eiji down!"

Seeing Kushina's determined look, Eiji began to ponder.

Once you get there, it'll be a world of noble ladies, but Kushina's status isn't actually that bad.

Although the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools is a fact, and Kushina's status as princess is now merely nominal, Grandma Mito is still alive. Under these circumstances, surely no one would be foolish enough to cause trouble for Kushina?

Even setting aside her status, Kushina was probably the richest woman in the Shinobi World. Although those noble ladies also lived in luxury, they were still far inferior to Kushina, who inherited an entire country. There was simply no comparison.

Besides, Kushina Ninja. Eiji doesn't think anyone can bully Kushina under these circumstances. As Nawaki said, it would be good enough if she wasn't hammered into a wall and pried out.

If things escalate, I might have to travel from the battlefield to the Daimyo's Palace to help pry the person out, and I'd also have to apologize for Kushina's rudeness.

Hmm... thinking about it this way, doesn't Kushina give off a bit of a Shinobi World version of an overpowered protagonist?

◇

Konoha High Command Conference Room

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was sitting at the front of the conference hall, facing the Ninja of Great Families and some elite Ninjas from commoner backgrounds. Their lowest rank was Chunin. To his left and right were Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

Although these two were stripped of their positions as Hokage Advisors by Hiruzen Sarutobi, their status as Konoha elders, coupled with their thick skin, allowed them to remain in those positions.

Having heard that Konoha had suffered repeated defeats on the battlefield in the Land of Rain, and that the Sand Village ninjas had tormented them with deadly poison, they began to discuss the matter amongst themselves.

"I heard Konoha has run into a tough opponent this time. Do we have any solutions to deal with the Poison Gas?"

"If it could be solved, it would have been solved long ago. I heard that Sunagakure has deployed Chiyo. It seems she mixed her own poison with the poison from the Ibuse, creating a very difficult-to-deal-with Poison Gas Bomb. This is troublesome."

Just then, the conference room door was pushed open.

Everyone looked toward the gate behind them, and Tsunade appeared, accompanied by Ryuuzaki Eiji.

Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured to Tsunade and Eiji with his eyes to sit in the front row, so Tsunade led Eiji past everyone's gaze to the front row.

Most of those seated here were heads of Great Families. Leaders of Great Families, such as Uchiha Somei and Hyuga Soichiro, exchanged glances with Eiji and then nodded to him.