Watching the two people suddenly standing together with smiling faces, acting as if everything they did was for the Senju's sake.
Toka couldn't help but sneer inwardly a few times. Just one Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, and it's brought out both of their shameless faces!
Still, having it in only one branch really would be a hidden danger in the future.
But she had agreed. What about Senju Chiharu?
Caught between two difficult choices, Senju Toka set down her teacup and feigned confusion as she interrupted, "You're both so eager. Are you trying to become my elders?"
At Toka's question, the First Elder's expression stiffened.
He really hadn't considered that!
Unable to think of a good answer for the moment, he hurriedly looked toward his ally, waiting to be rescued.
With her petty thoughts exposed by Toka, Mito Uzumaki remained calm as she sat to one side, explaining with a smile, "Toka, you're overthinking it. How could we mean that? It's all for the Senju's sake!"
"If only the Soratate Branch has it, who knows what kind of trouble the Senju will be in a hundred years!"
"Why not have Uka marry one woman from each of the three branches now? Then, the Senju leaders in the future will all be his children. That would both avoid the Wood Release problem and bring the three Senju branches closer together!"
"I've prepared Tsunade's dowry too: Hashirama's Wood Release, the Summoning Scroll, and Tobirama's forbidden techniques and Ninjutsu notes. Uka can come take them whenever he likes!"
"As for us, we'll each handle our own side of things!"
Watching Mito Uzumaki deflect the issue while laying out the pros and cons.
The First Elder hurriedly followed up with a promise. "Exactly, exactly! In a few hundred years, the whole clan will have Wood Release. Uka will count as the Senju's second ancestor!"
"As for Maki's dowry, don't worry. It'll be no worse than Princess Tsunade's!"
After making his promise, he changed tack and tried to persuade her with a hint of sadness. "Toka, your family only has that one child."
"For the family line to continue, he needs to marry several women and have dozens of children. That's the only way to make the family prosper."
"Just look at Fourth Elder. See what he's become over this!"
After saying that, he sighed, his face full of sympathy.
"..."
Their back-and-forth persuasion made Senju Toka furrow her brows as well.
Thinking it over carefully, the Clan Leader's Line could indeed help her nephew avoid plenty of detours.
Never mind the Itayasu Branch; if he married into the Clan Leader's Line, they couldn't possibly leave the Soratate Branch out!
By now, only Senju Uka remained of her father's family line.
Let him marry several women and have more children.
In ten years, she'd be old too. She could stay home and help look after the children!
Agreeing to the marriages between the two families would also mean the clan no longer had to worry about the danger of Wood Release being limited to one branch a century from now.
Uka would get help as he grew up, and her wish to see the family line flourish could come true.
It was a win-win-win... but Chiharu...!
At that thought, Senju Toka found herself in a difficult position.
Beside them, the Second Elder listened to the three of them talking, took a bite of the dessert on the table, and muttered, "Chiharu's still tastes better!"
Hearing the old man's mutter, Mito Uzumaki narrowed her eyes imperceptibly, realizing where the problem lay.
She also understood why Toka had taken that girl as her apprentice a few years ago and brought her home.
Uka's talent had been limited back then, so Toka had found him a capable wife early!
Recalling the few times she'd met that girl, Mito Uzumaki couldn't help praising Toka's judgment.
The girl wasn't just talented; she was clever too. Even rarer, her looks were top-notch!
Aside from family background, Tsunade didn't seem to have any advantage at all?
Thinking of how the girls might get along in the future, she smiled at Toka and said, "I hear your apprentice Chiharu is quite good at swordsmanship?"
"Tobirama left behind a book of swordsmanship notes at home. Have Chiharu come get it sometime and see if it gives her any inspiration!"
"That girl's good too. Tsunade can learn a thing or two from Chiharu about managing a household."
As soon as his ally finished speaking, the First Elder immediately caught on and added, "Mm, exactly. Maki should learn from Chiharu too!"
"For my birthday a few days ago, I received a piece of Chakra Metal. I'll have someone send it to the Land of Iron sometime and have the child a good sword forged."
"At my age, I don't expect to go to battle again. Let the metal be a little gift for the child!"
The Second Elder glanced at her from the side, and Senju Toka understood.
Mito Uzumaki had come up with this plan to protect the clan leader's position because the old man across from her had put her up to it!
Still, Chiharu's place in the household was secured for the future.
She couldn't refuse anymore!
Toka nodded and didn't waste time. She addressed the two people on either side of her directly. "Then it's settled. I'll agree on their behalf!"
Seeing her give way and their goal achieved, Mito Uzumaki's smile grew a little more genuine.
All this scheming was to protect the Clan Leader's Line and its legacy!
If she lost that position, she really didn't know how she could face Hashirama Senju in the underworld.
Although this would mean the clan leaders of the near future would be affected by the Soratate bloodline,
things would return to normal after the third generation!
After making such a huge mistake and still managing to preserve so much, she had to be grateful that the other two branches had no intention of wiping them out completely.
If they were like the Uchiha, the Clan Leader's Line might truly have been destroyed!
Satisfied, she lifted her teacup and took a small sip, then glanced at the First Elder without drawing attention to it.
Seeing Mito lift her teacup,
the delighted First Elder gave a subtle nod in understanding.
Slowly stopping his smile, he pinched the soft flesh on the inside of his thigh with the hand hidden in his sleeve.
His emotions came rushing to the surface. After a long sigh,
he furrowed his brows and looked at Senju Toka with an expression of helplessness, asking tentatively, "Toka, Maki has two close friends she's known since childhood. The three of them have always been very, very close."
"They even... even promised that when they grew up, they'd marry together. How about letting them enter the family together?"
"That would fulfill the friendship between the sisters too!"
Hearing this made-up nonsense, the two people drinking tea beside him nearly choked.
Senju Toka rolled her eyes at the First Elder!
Given her upbringing, she generally wouldn't make such an impolite expression in front of everyone.
But today, the First Elder's shamelessness had pushed her close to breaking point!
She'd just opened the door for him, and he was already trying to rip off the roof.
If she agreed to this, would he try to tear down the house next?
Toka's reaction didn't make the First Elder shut up.
Instead, he threw himself into the act even more and tried to persuade her. "You know the Senju's current situation. Women make up two-thirds of the whole clan. Rather than letting them marry into other clans, why not have those two marry Uka along with Maki?"
"There's strength in numbers. Think about it: how long would it take three women to have dozens of children? At least ten years, right?"
"But nine women would be different. In just three to five years, your family could put together a whole squad."
"Just think how great that would be! Don't worry, Maki and her close friends would definitely be willing!"
"N-nine?"