What benefits?
Tamayo Nara stared blankly at Senju Wakama. For a long time, she seemed to have only considered what she herself wanted and striven for it, never truly thinking about what Senju Wakama desired.
Even if she briefly considered Senju Wakama's needs, it was only because she wanted to gain something, and to make her desired outcome more likely, she would naturally put herself in Senju Wakama's shoes to achieve her own goals faster.
Seeing Tamayo Nara's silence, Senju Wakama narrowed his eyes slightly.
What benefits could he gain by being with Tamayo Nara?
Besides sleeping with a woman he hadn't slept with before, what did he get?
His younger sister's disdain.
Yuki's tears.
The Nara clan's schemes.
Was it worth it?
A huge loss...
To be honest, sleeping with a girl he didn't particularly like, apart from the instinctive need for release, left him feeling nothing but wronged.
If just any woman could be with him, what made him different from a courtesan in a pleasure district?
Besides, Senju Wakama wasn't "hungry"; Uchiha Yuki had fed him too well.
If he were truly hungry, Senju Wakama wouldn't mind.
But precisely because he had no worldly desires right now, he naturally sought something on a higher level.
Senju Wakama stood shoulder to shoulder with Tamayo Nara, his gaze cast towards the bustling
crowd ahead.
This was the glorious achievement Tsukuyo had spent years establishing for the Senju clan.
And this grand accomplishment was continuously expanding, gradually extending outwards from the perimeter of the Senju clan's old territory.
This was the empire Tsukuyo had built with her own hands.
Senju Wakama was very laid-back; he didn't actively engage in internal competition, wasn't overly diligent, but he absolutely would not be the one to hold them back.
Although the various clans had temporarily ceased their activities due to Tsukuyo's ruthlessness.
They still felt unwilling.
Since external breakthroughs were impossible, they naturally began to consider dismantling the Senju clan from within.
If romancing girls from different ninja clans could make them defect to the Senju clan's side, thereby dismantling other ninja clans from within and allowing the Senju clan to achieve its desires.
Then Senju Wakama would certainly not hesitate to give them a little more love.
But now the situation seemed less clear.
The most important lesson Senju Wakama learned from Tsukuyo was to find every possible way to infiltrate others' lives, to invade these girls' minds.
Without a doubt...
Although this world was still one where men were superior to women.
Girls, from birth to death, were appendages to men.
But in reality, they had their own thoughts.
Especially the kunoichi of various clans.
A woman like Tamayo Nara, who could represent the Nara clan multiple times to negotiate with the Senju clan, was definitely not a simple character.
And such a person's displayed gentleness and virtuousness might merely be her weapon to defeat male enemies.
Seducing others with beauty and character was a mandatory lesson for Senju Wakama under Tsukuyo's tutelage.
In this silent battle.
Would he achieve victory, or would it be the persistently relentless Tamayo Nara?
Senju Wakama saw Tamayo Nara lost in thought, and he leisurely said, "Dating is a matter between two people, very casual. If it feels good, two people can be together."
"But marriage is about 'becoming family,' it's a matter for two families, requiring too many factors to consider."
"A bad wife can bring disaster for three generations, and even lead to the clan's demise. People who casually marry, disregarding everything, are irresponsible to themselves and their clan."
Tamayo Nara turned her face to look at Senju Wakama, her expression serious. "You're right."
Senju Wakama smiled, "You feel that way too, don't you? Many people's biggest problem is that they have no grasp of their own situation."
"Take yourself as an example: when you're walking alone in the bustling Tanzaku Gai, a stranger with missing arms and legs suddenly blocks your path, says he likes you very much, wants to marry you, that he has nothing but love for you – would you marry him or not?"
"Wouldn't you tell the person to look in the mirror first, and ask himself if he's worthy?"
Tamayo Nara's brows furrowed tightly.
Senju Wakama's words were very realistic.
In fact, within the Nara clan, most people married simply because they reached a certain age and needed to contribute to the clan's proliferation, finding a suitable opposite-sex partner in their vicinity, and thus marrying without much thought.
If one's status was more esteemed, perhaps they would bear the heavy responsibility of a political marriage; with whom they would tie the knot would no longer be their own decision.
As long as there wasn't too much sensory repulsion at the time, no one would deeply ponder this issue.
Because life was already so cruel and difficult; only those with too much leisure could afford to think about such things.
Senju Wakama spread his hands, and said quietly, "When various circumstances don't match, yet people still manage to marry, that's truly terrifying."
"Do you know why our Senju clan's recuperation plans are so expensive?
"Think about it: if you had a terminal illness, and I said I could cure you for free, without any cost, on the condition that you listen to me and eat whatever I tell you to eat."
"If you were powerful and influential, would you dare gamble? If something went wrong, it would implicate your entire family. Would you dare trust an unknown person like me?"
"Behind any transaction of unequal value, there are all sorts of unseen costs and traps."
Tamayo Nara's expression was grim; she said nothing.
"Miss Tamayo," Senju Wakama shed his seriousness, his face beaming again, "besides verifying the two individuals, marriage also requires maintaining the stability of relations between two clans."
"No one wishes for their ninja clan to be annihilated because of their own marriage, do they?"
"So, the question is, what conditions are needed to maintain stability?"
"Mutual respect and mutual understanding."
"Do you think your Nara clan and our Senju clan possess such conditions?"
Senju Butsuma once sent a letter to the Nara clan, sincerely requesting the Nara clan and Senju clan to join hands and merge into a ninja village. The Nara clan righteously refused.
Because in this era, who would believe such a thing?
All ninja clans who received Senju Butsuma's invitation letter probably cursed Senju Butsuma behind his back, thinking he had rocks in his head.
Without mutual respect and mutual understanding.
Tamayo Nara's displayed 'love-struck mind' was problematic.
"'Confidence' and 'trust' – the ninja clans behind you and me cannot achieve that with each other, Miss Tamayo," Senju Wakama said with a faint smile, "Our thoughts, our living habits, our values are all different. When looking at the same matter, our perspectives and conclusions are different. It's impossible for us to mutually respect and understand each other, so, stop dreaming..."
Tamayo Nara's pretty face trembled with her emotions, and her breathing became rapid.
Senju Wakama silently shook his head, took a step, and prepared to leave.
But then he heard Tamayo Nara growl, "Wait!"
Senju Wakama slowly turned around.
Tamayo Nara looked at him seriously, "I'll help you. I will do everything I can to achieve your desires. I mean what I say."
Senju Wakama was silent for a few seconds, then smiled, "I look forward to the future you speak of."
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