That Damn Blond Brat! Hiashi Lost His Cool!

"Ahem, big brother!"

Hizashi hurriedly coughed to remind Hiashi that the man before them was their benefactor.

"Clan Head Hiashi, don't be so tense!"

Yet Shinichi simply slung an arm around Hiashi's shoulders and wheedled with easy familiarity, "Are you saying our Naruto isn't good enough for your daughter? Let the children handle their own affairs. You couldn't stop them even if you wanted to."

Hiashi forcibly suppressed his inexplicable anger, barely resisting the urge to curse aloud.

Where had this blond brat come from, trying to steal away his precious daughter?

Honestly, he felt a powerful urge to grab Shinichi by the neck and shout back, That's right, that blond brat isn't good enough for my daughter! If you want to become my in-law, get lost!

"Wouldn't a future Hokage be good enough to become a son-in-law of the Hyuga Clan?"

As if he had read Hiashi's mind, a strange glint flashed through Shinichi's eyes as he spoke quietly.

"What did you say?"

At those words, not only Hiashi but even Hizashi rose to his feet in shock.

Kakashi couldn't help rolling his eyes. He could have guessed with his backside that his big brother was about to start hoodwinking people again.

"This isn't the place to talk. How about..."

Shinichi deliberately left the suggestion unfinished.

"All right."

Having calmed down, Hiashi nodded. Leaving the children alone, the four of them went to a secluded room.

"Shinichi, what exactly did you mean by that?"

Hiashi's voice was low.

"What else could I mean? Exactly what I said!"

Shinichi dropped his joking expression and said solemnly, "I'm sure you both know Naruto's background. He's the Fourth Hokage's son and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. His credentials are impeccable."

"So what?"

Hiashi frowned slightly and countered, "You know perfectly well how Naruto is treated in the village. Not just anyone can become Hokage. He has to earn everyone's recognition."

"And how can you be sure Naruto won't earn everyone's recognition in the future?"

Shinichi said evenly, "He's still young and has plenty of room to grow. Since we've come this far, I'll lay it out plainly: the Hatake Clan intends to raise Naruto into a Hokage!"

Kakashi was utterly speechless.

His brother hadn't even bothered to ask his opinion!

Still, what could he do? You're the big brother, so whatever you say goes, all right!

"Shinichi, you don't want to become Hokage?"

Hizashi seemed to realize something and asked in surprise, "With your current strength and reputation, if you wanted it, and with the Hyuga Clan's support, becoming the next Hokage shouldn't be difficult."

Indeed, tonight was a chance for the Hatake Clan and the Hyuga Clan to lay their cards on the table.

Hiashi had specifically invited Shinichi over. Thanking him was one reason, of course, but another important aim was to discuss the next Hokage!

The Third Hokage had held the position for far too long. Had the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, not died, and had the Sannin not left Konoha one after another, leaving the village without a suitable candidate, the Third Hokage might not have been able to stay in office.

But now Hatake Shinichi had burst onto the scene, overwhelmingly defeating the Fourth Raikage and saving Konoha from its crisis.

Wasn't he a ready-made candidate for Hokage?

It was no exaggeration to say that, if Shinichi wanted it, the Hatake Clan and the Hyuga Clan could apply pressure together, and the Third Hokage would most likely give him the position. Rather, he would have no choice.

"What's so great about being Hokage? Sitting in an office reading documents all day? That would work me to death!"

Shinichi scoffed.

Those were his honest feelings.

Just look at how exhausted Naruto, the Seventh Hokage, had been in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. He hadn't even had time to go home and share a meal with his family. Why would Shinichi ever want that miserable life of endless drudgery?

"Well..."

Seeing Shinichi dismiss the position of Hokage as utterly worthless left Hiashi and Hizashi dumbfounded.

They had never dreamed someone like him could exist!

What Konoha ninja didn't consider becoming Hokage an honor?

Yet Shinichi was precisely that sort of oddball!

"Naruto has always dreamed of becoming Hokage, so I'll help him reach that position."

Shinichi said calmly, "But he's still a child, so I won't make any rash moves before he comes of age. Your Hyuga Clan doesn't need to rush into choosing a side, either. The future is hard to predict, and Naruto has plenty of obstacles ahead of him. I'll help him clear them away one by one."

"Then what do you want the two of us to do?"

Having finally confirmed Shinichi's stance, Hiashi stopped dwelling on irrelevant possibilities and asked in a low voice.

"Didn't I already tell you? Hurry up and settle Naruto and Hinata's engagement!"

Looking somewhat exasperated, Shinichi said, "I guarantee those two children are a match made in heaven. They'll be happy together! Your Hyuga Clan will gain not only a wonderful son-in-law who'll become Hokage, but also the Hatake Clan as an ally. Isn't that a good enough deal?"

At that, Kakashi and Hizashi both pressed their hands to their foreheads with wry smiles.

Sure enough, Hiashi's freshly settled temper flared right back up. "You guarantee it? What can you possibly guarantee? Don't you know Hinata is only three? My daughter's marriage isn't a bargaining chip, you bastard!"

"So what if she's three?"

Refusing to back down, Shinichi argued shamelessly, "Can't you tell how your own daughter feels? Little Hinata already has her heart set on our Naruto. She's just too shy to say it! They're a perfect match, a talented boy and a lovely girl. Who asked a monster like you to meddle?"

"You're the monster! Your whole family is full of monsters! I'm Hinata's father. How is that meddling?"

Hiashi exploded, unleashing a stream of curses. "Shinichi, you arrogant bastard! Just because we owe you a debt doesn't mean you can do whatever you please! Do you even know whose turf you're on?"

"So what if it's your turf? Your entire Hyuga Clan put together couldn't beat me! Shut up, you daughter-obsessed fool!"

Shinichi was getting angry too.

"You arrogant ass!"

"You shameless daughter-obsessed fool!"

"You dare take me on one-on-one?"

"You think I'm scared? I could beat you to death with one hand..."

An utterly childish shouting match nearly turned into a duel.

No, rather than a duel, it would have been Shinichi delivering a one-sided beating.

Fortunately, Kakashi and Hizashi had been keeping a close watch on them and just barely managed to prevent things from going that far.

And so the supposed family dinner ended on a sour note.

The children were completely bewildered, while Kakashi forcibly dragged the still-fuming Shinichi home.

Someone couldn't even stop cursing on the way back. "What the hell was that? Does he really think I'm desperate to become his in-law? If he didn't have such a wonderful daughter, I'd beat the damn life out of him!"

"Yes, yes! Calm down, big brother!"

Kakashi didn't dare disagree and could only keep humoring him.

"Kakashi, did Shinichi get into an argument with that Hyuga clan head?"

Having read the situation well, Karin asked Kakashi quietly, "Was it about Naruto and Hinata's engagement?"

Kakashi nodded helplessly.

Both the adult and the little girl looked thoroughly speechless. Neither had expected Shinichi, whom everyone regarded as Konoha's hero, to have such a childish side.

Then they glanced at Naruto, the boy at the center of it all, who was utterly oblivious and still picking his nose.

Unable to help themselves, Kakashi and Karin each gave him a "fist of love."

"Why'd you hit me?"

Naruto looked utterly confused.

"Because you deserved it!"

Innocent Naruto was feeling very wronged.

The focus returned to the Hyuga Clan.

"Big brother, why get so angry?"

Looking at the still-fuming Hiashi, Hizashi couldn't help sighing.

In his memory, Hiashi had always been the very embodiment of seriousness and composure. He had never seen his brother act as impulsively as he had today.

"If you had a daughter, you might not be as calm as I am."

Hiashi spoke evenly.

"That still doesn't mean you had to start cursing like that..."

Hizashi muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Hizashi straightened his expression and said, "Personally, I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. Shinichi might be a little frivolous, but from the standpoint of the Hyuga Clan's interests, his words aren't unreasonable."

Seeing Hiashi's expression begin to sour, Hizashi immediately changed tack. "But what matters most is probably Hinata's own opinion. If she truly wants it, we shouldn't stand in her way. Things would develop naturally from there."

"Hinata is only three!"

Hiashi gritted his teeth. "She's still a child. How can she make such an important decision?"

"But as fathers, we still have to ask them ourselves before we can know!"

Hizashi sighed softly.

Children in the shinobi world generally matured early. Although Hinata was only three, anyone could see that she was very fond of Naruto.

Hizashi was sure Hiashi could see it too. His brother simply preferred to fool himself.

"Think it over carefully, big brother!"

Hizashi left.

As for Hiashi, his feelings were a tangled mess. Almost despite himself, he went to Hinata's room. Under her curious, wide-eyed gaze, he couldn't help asking, "Hinata, tell me, do you like that boy Naruto?"

"Huh?"

Hinata's little face went bright red, and she stammered, "I-I don't know... but Naruto is my good friend."

Little did she know, Hiashi's expression had already begun to darken.

Still, he forcibly suppressed his displeasure and continued, "Today, Naruto's big brother Shinichi told me he wanted you to become Naruto's fiancée. Of course, you're both far too young. It was only a harmless joke..."

"Fiancée? Does that mean... m-marrying Naruto?!"

Hinata's mind simply shut down.

Before Hiashi could even finish speaking, he watched his daughter faint from sheer embarrassment. There even seemed to be a happy smile on her face.

No one knew a daughter better than her father.

Hiashi, who had always known his daughter's temperament well, immediately realized that Hizashi's ill-omened prediction had probably been right!

"That damn blond brat!"

In the quiet courtyard, a certain pitiful father's resentful curse suddenly rang out.