Naruto Uzumaki couldn't understand why Hiashi Hyuga was so fixated on whether he wanted to marry Hinata. Shouldn't the focus be on the Caged Bird Seal?
The young man, enduring a searing pain in his mind, didn't answer. Instead, he slowly closed his eyes, taking a moment to remember the woman who had been with him his entire life.
After a long while, when Hiashi could no longer bear the silence, Naruto calmly opened his eyes, which now held a hint of moisture. He hesitated for a moment, trying to express his feelings for his wife, and subconsciously started with a peculiar topic.
"Lord Hiashi," he began, "do you know about Hinata's appetite?"
"..."
Hiashi's face instantly darkened.
What was this newly appointed Hokage trying to say? While Hiashi knew his daughter's appetite could be a bit large, it was the kind of thing everyone knew but didn't mention. For Naruto to bring it up so openly… was he trying to humiliate Hinata?
Even if she was a glutton, she was still his daughter!
"Lord Hiashi." Naruto lowered his head, his blond hair trembling slightly. "No matter how big Hinata's appetite is, I will always make sure she has enough to eat."
"..."
Hiashi suppressed the urge to curse. Perhaps this Hokage was just really bad at saying romantic things.
After a moment of silence, Hiashi said softly, "Perhaps I can teach you a few things about pursuing Hinata. I agree to you and her holding a wedding after she turns eighteen, but it all still depends on Hinata's feelings…"
"Huh?" Naruto looked at him, puzzled. Since when did Hinata need to be pursued?
Ignoring his confusion, Hiashi began sharing his own experience. "Back in the Ninja Academy, I earnestly pursued a girl two years my junior. She had long, black hair and always spoke to everyone with a gentle smile. Many students at the academy liked her…"
"Later, she married a man five years older than her," Naruto interrupted coldly. He knew the end of this story very well. The main characters were quite interesting.
When Hiashi was older, he had sensed that the relationship between Naruto and Hinata was a bit cool, so he had volunteered to teach his son-in-law a thing or two. When Naruto first heard the story, he'd expected a happy ending, not a tale of his father-in-law's unrequited love.
Hiashi's face filled with shock, which quickly turned to anger. "Lord Hokage, do you investigate even this kind of thing?"
"...One must always have a good understanding of their elders," Naruto could only offer as a reason. In any case, the truth of the matter had long been buried by history.
"Since you know the end of the story," Hiashi sighed, "then I hope you will not be like me, thinking that a noble status can make a young girl fall for you..."
Naruto didn't know what expression to make. "..."
Father-in-law, how can you be so clueless?
That girl with long, straight black hair had married into the Uchiha clan, Konoha's most powerful clan at the time. Her husband was the future clan head, and her best friend was Kushina Uzumaki, the wife of the Fourth Hokage and mother of the Fifth Hokage!
Who gave you the delusion that your status as the heir to the Hyuga main family was more prestigious? You must have been spoiled as a child.
That's right. The girl Hiashi had a crush on was named Mikoto. He was just one of the many who had failed to win her over. It was a pity Mikoto's fate was not a happy one; she was ultimately killed by the son she and her husband were so proud of.
Yes, her eldest son was named Itachi Uchiha.
Konoha's circles were just that small.
After a long pause, Naruto nodded faintly. "Let's not talk about this," he said softly. "It seems you have already made a decision on whether to change the Caged Bird rule for the branch family..."
Hiashi glanced at Naruto, his fingers curling into a fist. "I still have a few conditions..."
He was an experienced negotiator. According to his agreement with Naruto, if Konoha's high command broke their promise in the future—either by allowing a Hyuga's Byakugan to be stolen or by sacrificing an innocent ninja for political reasons—Hiashi would immediately terminate their deal.
The condition was harsh. Of course, if nothing went wrong, Hiashi wouldn't dare provoke a powerful Hokage. His family still had to live in Konoha.
In return, the Hyuga main family would no longer arbitrarily inflict the Caged Bird Seal as punishment. For five years, the sealing of branch family children would be suspended. Based on Konoha's actions during that time, they would then decide whether to extend the period.
This was partly due to Hiashi's personal motives. With this change, the first beneficiary would be his own daughter. In five years, Hinata would be eighteen.
In the future, the Hyuga clan would gradually reform, perhaps holding clan meetings similar to the Uchiha's, selecting the best branch family ninjas to help the main family handle clan affairs. Neji Hyuga would obviously be an important figure in these meetings.
Unless Naruto wanted to dismantle the entire Hyuga clan, Hiashi's solution was the most appropriate one. Ever since his younger brother died in his place, the seasoned clan head had thought about changing the clan. His model was the Uchiha clan, where the leader and its members were once very united.
"I agree." After listening, Naruto nodded. This should be the change Neji wanted, right?
Hiashi's face grew solemn. "Then, regarding the Jonin confidence vote for the Hokage's succession, the Hyuga clan is willing to lend its humble strength."
"Good." This was the main reason he had come today.
Now that his goal was achieved, Naruto pressed his temples and forced a nod. He needed to leave. He had to find a place as soon as possible to reorganize his memories and spiritual energy, to see if he could find a way to seal one part of it while releasing another.
"Lord Hokage." Hiashi stopped him, his voice hesitant. "I just observed with my Byakugan that there is a huge amount of spiritual energy in your brain. It's dangerously imbalanced with your physical energy..."
"That's right." Naruto didn't hide it. Under the gaze of the Byakugan, nothing could be hidden, especially since the chakra in his head was causing him a dull, throbbing pain. Even while talking, his temples were twitching.
Hiashi hesitated for a moment before offering his opinion. "A Dōjutsu Kekkei Genkai can absorb spiritual energy to grow. This would allow your spiritual and physical energy to reach a state of balance."
"..."
This was truly unexpected. His memories contained far too much spiritual energy. If he obtained a dōjutsu, he could immediately channel that energy into it. The problem was, he didn't have a dōjutsu. He had never even considered it.
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Bonus:
Hiashi: Back then, my brother and I both liked a girl. Her name was Mikoto...
Naruto: And then?
Hiashi: Then some old scoundrel tricked her away...
Naruto: But one of you would have become the Hyuga clan head. Why would she give that up?
Hiashi: That old scoundrel's surname was Uchiha...
Naruto: I get it. The Uchihas are handsome...
Hiashi: How is our Byakugan any worse than that red-eye disease!
Naruto: Father-in-law, you're drunk...
Hiashi: I'm not drunk! I can still talk. That shameless cradle-robber!
Naruto: ...
The next day, on the Konoha Forums.
Anonymous User: Does anyone know the story of a woman named Mikoto who later married into the Uchiha clan?
Sasuke Uchiha: That's my mother.
Anonymous User: My apologies, my apologies.