Chapter 162: Chapter 162
At the end of Konoha's 54th year, Hatake Tatsuya and Senju Tsunade were finally getting married. Surprisingly, the news didn't cause as much of a sensation in Konoha as one might expect at the marriage of their current Hokage. When word spread, many Konoha shinobi reacted almost as if they'd woken from a long dream, patting their heads and exclaiming, "Oh! Wait, the two of them weren't already married?"
As the realization dawned on Choza Akimichi, his face turned pale with horror. "Wait—they're about to get married?!" he shouted, his voice tinged with panic. "And… I'm going to miss the feast?!"
Nara Shikaku, leaning casually against a nearby pillar, watched with an amused smirk. He nudged Inoichi, who stood next to him, and said, "You'd think he just missed a critical battle strategy meeting."
Inoichi chuckled and shook his head. "For Choza, missing a feast is the ultimate tragedy."
Choza, now frantically scanning the area, ignored their laughter and desperately asked, "Wait, why has nobody told me this before?!"
Inoichi, unable to resist the opportunity to tease his friend, grinned and said, "Well, if you hurry, you might just make it. The wedding's happening at the Senju Clan estate —it's the grand hall. You can't miss it."
Choza's eyes lit up as he immediately started heading toward the exit. "Senju Clan's main hall? Perfect! I'll get there just in time for the second course!" He turned back, waving his hand in the air. "Thanks for the tip, guys!"
Shikaku smirked. "Just make sure you don't get too distracted by the food before the ceremony starts."
Choza shot him a look of mock offense. "You think I'd miss the wedding for food?" he said with a grin. "No, no—only the feast." And with that, he hurried off, his stomach already rumbling in anticipation.
Tatsuya's relationships with Rin Nohara, Terumi Mei, and Kurenai were widely acknowledged as an open secret. But his relationship with Tsunade? It was practically public knowledge.
Not just in Konoha, but across the entire ninja world, everyone knew about them. So when news of their upcoming wedding broke, quite a few people were surprised, thinking they'd already been married all along.
Despite the subdued initial reactions, the wedding was a grand affair. Leaders from Konoha, representatives of the various ninja clans, allies, and even dignitaries from allied nations attended. The Daimyo of the Land of Fire himself came to offer a generous gift. In terms of scale, perhaps only Naruto's wedding, when he became a hero of the ninja world, could compare.
It's worth noting that, despite her youthful appearance of around twenty-five, Tsunade was actually over forty. As the day approached, she admitted she was feeling nervous. Tatsuya couldn't resist teasing her, which, naturally, earned him one of Tsunade's trademark iron-fist punches!
...
...
Six months later, on May 21st, in Konoha's 55th year:
On her 22nd birthday, Terumi Mei, the Fifth Mizukage of the Mist Village, married Konoha genin Hatake Tatsuya, officially sealing the alliance between Konoha and the Mist. The event surprised countless civilians, but to many, it seemed inevitable. Leaders like Nara Shikaku and Hyuga Hiashi, looking back, saw it as a natural progression, especially after Tatsuya's marriage to Tsunade just six months prior.
In their private wedding room, Tatsuya looked at Terumi Mei, radiant in her wedding dress, her presence so distinct from Tsunade's, and asked with a smirk, "After getting married, doesn't the wife take the husband's name? Should I call you 'Hatake Mei' now?"
Terumi Mei, snuggling into his arms, planted a few playful kisses on his neck and replied with a grin, "Hatake Mei? It sounds strange—I'll need time to get used to it. Just keep calling me by my name."
She paused before adding, "As for moving here to live with you… once I appoint a successor for the Sixth Mizukage, I'll hand over the village and stay with you full-time."
"Already chosen a successor?" Tatsuya asked, eyebrows raised in surprise. "You've only been Mizukage for half a year—isn't that a bit soon?"
Terumi Mei laughed softly. "There's a young talent named Haku from the Yuki Clan, just like the Third Mizukage, he is very talented. He's still very young, but I plan to start training him as my successor. In five years, he should be ready."
Tatsuya rolled his eyes. "You picked that kid? A little early, don't you think?" He considered it, recalling that Haku was only about two years older than Naruto and his peers. Still, he mused, becoming Mizukage at a young age wasn't entirely impossible.
"Isn't Gaara around the same age?" Tatsuya mused, lifting an eyebrow. "And let's not forget—Shinobi world got plenty of seventeen-year-old world-breakers. Being a village leader in his teens isn't all that strange."
He sighed, then turned to Terumi Mei, scooping her up effortlessly. "Forget it. He's just a kid."
"Hey!" she protested playfully, though she leaned into his hold with a smile, her fingers tracing light circles along his shoulders. She teased, "You're terrible! But… go on. I don't mind."
And then, with a mischievous grin, she added, "But you'd better put on what I like."
...
...
Terumi Mei didn't stay in Konoha for long. Even the marriage-minded woman she was in the original story wasn't planning on a honeymoon with Tatsuya. Just a week after the wedding, she returned to Kirigakure with her entourage.
Her reason? She needed to train Haku to be ready for the Mizukage role within five years. That way, she could eventually settle back into Konoha and enjoy the life of a married woman. By her calculations, five years from now she'd still only be 27—an age she considered perfect.
But what Tatsuya hadn't anticipated was that the other two friends and Tsundae's students would soon grow restless and jealous of only being guests in Tatsuya's two weddings.
...
...
"Rin, we can't just sit around and let this slip by!" Kurenai said with determination, clenching her fist as she watched Terumi Mei and her entourage disappear into the distance from their spot at the Maruko shop near Konoha's entrance.
"Uh…" Rin Nohara hesitated, feeling torn. As the constant mediator between Terumi Mei and Kurenai, she was often stuck between her two friends, who barely got along.
"Come on, don't you feel the same way?" Kurenai pressed, her voice like a whisper of temptation. "You and Mei were born in the same year—so why is it she gets to marry Master Tatsuya, and you can't?"
Rin's face clouded with doubt, but Kurenai continued to prod, her words sharp and persuasive. "Is it just because she's Mizukage? Do you think she'll still see you as a friend once she's back? I'd bet anything she'll treat you more like a servant. Or worse! If she ends up without children, she might even use you to take care of hers!"
"But… Tsunade-sama—" Rin started, struggling with her conscience.
"We'll work on that," Kurenai replied with confidence. "While that woman's away, let's team up. Together, we can convince Lady Tsunade!"
Kurenai knew better than to challenge Tsunade directly. That's why she'd enlisted Rin, who was far less confrontational. It felt a bit manipulative—like she was pushing Rin to act on her behalf.
But for the sake of her happiness, Kurenai decided a little scheming was fair play. After all, wasn't Terumi Mei doing the same in her way? Why should Mei be allowed to swoop in and marry Tatsuya while they were left on the sidelines? If Mei was just a foreign outsider, then why couldn't they fight for their chance?
...
"Huh? Now that was interesting," a voice muttered slyly.
As soon as the duo had left the dumpling shop, a figure emerged from the shadowed corner beneath the eaves. It was a white Zetsu clone, his face only partially visible as he leaned forward, a wicked grin spreading across his features.
"Even if there's no need to interfere with Rin Nohara directly... there might still be some use in this situation," he murmured, clearly plotting ways to exploit what he'd just overheard.
...
A few days later, in another hidden base in the Land of Rice Fields, the Akatsuki convened.
"That's the gist of it. This is intel from the clone assigned to monitor Konoha. While I figured you wouldn't find it too compelling, we decided it was worth mentioning," White Zetsu, now fused with Black Zetsu, reported to Obito, barely suppressing his laughter.
"Rin... marrying Tatsuya?" he muttered, almost to himself. For a moment, the thought seemed to settle, but then his trademark laugh rang out, low and dangerous. "Well, well... It seems everyone has their path, doesn't it?" His tone was layered with sarcasm, the implications clear. "I thought she'd always be the one who needed saving... And now she's married to him? Of all people."
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