Su Xiuyu rose early, and Rei, ever attentive, helped him dress. Given that he was wearing something more formal this time, she carefully straightened the edges, ensuring everything was in place.
"Rei, I'll be heading to Uzushio Village for the fireworks festival in the coming days," Su Xiuyu said. "My main reason is to visit the Uzumaki clan. I won't be back for a while, so take care of yourself while I'm away."
Rei bowed slightly. "Understood, sir."
Her wounds had mostly healed by now, and for the first time, Su Xiuyu noticed just how gentle and beautiful her face was. It was no wonder that members of the Uchiha clan often praised him for his taste.
Madara, never one to miss a chance to tease, had once joked, "Look at Xiuyu, already a three-tomoe Sharingan user at such a young age. No wonder he has such a sharp eye. That night, none of you recognized Rei's appearance, but Xiuyu did. You all need to reflect on yourselves."
Damn it! Madara must be jealous of my maid, so he spread these rumors among the Uchiha clan.
With that thought lingering, Su Xiuyu joined the Uchiha clan's procession as they set off toward Uzushio Village in a grand, imposing march.
Meanwhile, at the Senju Clan Compound
Hashirama and Tobirama were making their own preparations. As usual, Tobirama was giving instructions.
"Brother, when we arrive in Uzushio Village, don't act foolishly. Think before you speak. You can't let the Uzumaki see you as an idiot."
Hashirama immediately pouted. "Tobirama, that's too much! Why do you always say that? Even Su Xiuyu called me stupid before!"
Tobirama sighed. Great minds think alike, I suppose. My brother is good in many ways, but he's just too honest. I have no choice but to guide him. Whether or not he succeeds depends on his performance.
The Gates of Uzushio Village
Two reception teams stood waiting at the entrance.
"Masahiko, you're in charge of welcoming the Uchiha clan this time, right?" one of the Uzumaki men asked. "Please, for the love of everything, keep your mouth shut. The Uchiha aren't easy to deal with. Don't say anything that could cause trouble and ruin our fireworks festival."
Beside him stood Uzumaki Hibiki, who was tasked with receiving the Senju clan. He smirked. "I get to welcome our staunch allies, the Senju clan. Brother Masahiko, seems like you've got the tougher job this time."
Masahiko's face twitched in frustration. Damn it, Hibiki, you're still holding a grudge because I accidentally blew up your toilet twenty years ago while practicing sealing techniques? How petty can you be?
His irritation was quickly forgotten when he spotted two groups approaching from a distance.
"Oi, Madara!" Hashirama called out the moment he spotted the Uchiha leader at the front of the procession. His eyes lit up with excitement.
Madara, recognizing him instantly, frowned. "Hashirama? What the hell is your Senju clan doing here?"
Before Hashirama could answer, Tobirama stepped forward. "My brother is here to propose marriage. Madara, are you here to cause trouble again?"
Silence.
Hashirama froze. Wait, what?
"What do you mean, 'propose marriage'?" Hashirama turned to his brother, utterly baffled. "Father told me to visit the Uzumaki clan and attend the festival, but he never mentioned anything about marriage! Tobirama, what the hell are you talking about?"
Tobirama felt his world darken. Father didn't explain it to him properly? Or… did Hashirama just not pay attention?
It was probably the latter.
Madara, meanwhile, was about to congratulate Hashirama—until a sudden realization hit him. Wait… could the girl that Xiuyu likes be the same one Hashirama is here to propose to?
His expression hardened. "Oh? Well, we Uchiha are here to propose marriage, too. Funny coincidence, isn't it? Hashirama, you're not trying to steal from us, are you?"
Hashirama, still struggling to process the situation, saw a way out. "Wait, so if Madara is proposing marriage, then I don't have to? Great! That means I'm free!"
Tobirama, however, wasn't amused. His brother might be a fool, but he was still a Senju. He couldn't let the Uchiha clan take the upper hand so easily.
"Madara, don't forget that the Senju and Uzumaki clans are long-standing allies," Tobirama snapped. "You Uchiha can't just waltz in and take what you want. Our clan's reputation is on the line."
From a distance, it looked as though the Uchiha and Senju were already at each other's throats.
A familiar voice cut through the tension.
"Yo, Hashirama!"
Hashirama turned and spotted Su Xiuyu in the crowd. His face lit up.
"Su Xiuyu! Long time no see!" he called out. "So you're with Madara now, huh? No wonder I couldn't find you for a while!"
Seeing Su Xiuyu again, Hashirama felt an itch to play some poker.
Meanwhile, Tobirama was finally able to put a face to the mysterious "outsider" his brother had mentioned before. So this is the guy responsible for the poker cards?
Tobirama had no illusions—his brother didn't have the creativity to invent such a game on his own. And he's from Uchiha? Damn it, why does my brother always get swayed by Uchiha? Maybe I should have arranged a marriage for him with an Uchiha woman instead…
Su Xiuyu, of course, had no idea what was running through Tobirama's mind. Not that it mattered. He already knew Tobirama was the scheming type—too sharp for his own good, and far too convinced that the Uchiha were inherently dangerous. Not an easy man to deal with.
Finally, the group arrived at the village gates.
Uzumaki Hibiki stepped forward, addressing the Senju. "Welcome, allies of the Senju clan, to Uzushio Village. I am Uzumaki Hibiki, and I will be leading your team during your stay."
Masahiko, meanwhile, was less enthusiastic as he greeted the Uchiha. "Welcome, Uchiha… Uchiha… Uchiha. I'll be your guide."
Madara gave Masahiko a skeptical look, wondering if he was deliberately mocking them—until he saw the man's carefree, almost Hashirama-like smile. Ah. He's just another idiot. Makes sense.
Both the Senju and Uchiha immediately requested to be received together.
Hibiki and Masahiko exchanged glances.
This was unexpected. They had been worried about keeping the two clans from fighting each other—now, they were voluntarily asking to be in the same group?
Neither of them knew whether to be relieved or even more worried.
----
Since entertaining them was too much trouble, the Senju and Uchiha could deal with it themselves. Uzumaki Hibiki and Uzumaki Masahiko simply took the Senju and Uchiha into the Uzumaki Clan's territory.
"Allies of the Senju and guests of the Uchiha, our clan is filled with various sealing techniques. Please do not trespass, or you will bear the consequences. If you have conflicts and wish to spar, you may use the training grounds in the north. Advanced sealing barriers have been set up there, capable of preserving your vitality. Injuries and deaths will be at your own risk."
After hearing Uzumaki Masahiko's so-called "friendly reminder," Su Xiuyu couldn't shake the feeling that he was flaunting the Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques. But in the end, their clan was wiped out precisely because their seals were coveted.
And Konoha—despite being a staunch ally—did absolutely nothing to help. Aside from taking Kushina, they merely watched as the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed.
Yeah, he'd have to be careful when dealing with Hiruzen Sarutobi in the future. That guy might look kind on the surface, but his mind was a tangled web of schemes.
Meanwhile, Hashirama was squeezing his way into the Uchiha ranks, determined to chat with Madara and Su Xiuyu. Tobirama, watching from the side, felt his brother was utterly embarrassing. But he couldn't scold him in front of everyone—dealing with Hashirama was really a thankless task.
"Su Xiuyu, how have things been with Madara lately? Want to visit the Senju? My card skills have improved a lot—how about a few rounds?" Hashirama asked casually after finally wedging himself into the Uchiha crowd, completely ignoring the murderous glares being sent his way.
"Hashirama, you're still playing poker?" Su Xiuyu now fully understood how deep Hashirama's gambling addiction ran. Even in the Warring States period, with constant battles, the guy still found time to gamble.
Oh right, he was the one who got Hashirama hooked in the first place. Well, that explained it.
"Yeah, but I've been busy practicing Earth Release lately, so I haven't had time to play." Su Xiuyu answered honestly.
Hearing that, Hashirama immediately looked dejected. "Really? You don't even have time to play with me anymore…"
Tobirama clenched his jaw. His older brother was a disgrace to their clan.
"Hashirama, I'll play with you. Let's have a few rounds." Madara, upon hearing that Su Xiuyu had also taught Hashirama how to play poker, felt his competitive spirit flare up.
Hashirama's eyes lit up. "Madara, you really understand me! Let's go to the training ground—this tour is boring anyway."
Madara agreed instantly.
"You guys go ahead. I'm just going to wander around." Su Xiuyu had no interest in watching two grown men play poker. He had played enough in his previous life—there was no way poker could be more fun than ninjutsu.
So, oddly enough, the Senju and Uchiha factions merged into one, rushing off to the training grounds. Anyone unaware of the situation would assume they were about to engage in an all-out war.
Meanwhile, Su Xiuyu wandered through Uzushio Village alone.
Using his Earth Release abilities, he quickly confirmed that the Uzumaki had not assigned anyone to monitor him. They must have been confident in their sealing techniques.
At the corner of a street, he spotted a flower shop. He had always liked quiet little flower shops, so he stepped inside, browsing through the various blooms before purchasing a bouquet of roses. He figured they would make excellent rose tea later that evening.
Just as he was about to leave, he ran into Uzumaki Mito.
Seeing a bouquet of roses heading her way, Mito looked up—only to realize it was Su Xiuyu, the very person who had stood her up a few days ago.
So, he did have a conscience after all, bringing her flowers to make amends.
Or so she thought.
Su Xiuyu walked right past her without even noticing her presence.
"Oh, right—I'm still using a transformation technique." Mito suddenly remembered that she had disguised herself before sneaking out for a walk.
She had been hoping to run into that idiot Su Xiuyu.
Seeing that he hadn't recognized her, she quietly followed him.
And followed…
And followed…
Until she realized she had wandered way too far from the village.
Su Xiuyu, of course, had long since noticed the person tailing him. Deciding to put an end to this game, he led his pursuer into a more secluded area. However, they showed remarkable patience, trailing him for quite some time without making a move.
Tired of waiting, Su Xiuyu took the initiative. He tapped his right foot against the ground, activating Earth Release. Hard granite shot up, forming a small cage that instantly trapped his stalker.
"Alright, spill it. Who are you, and why are you following me? Think carefully before answering—otherwise, I'll just bury you here." His voice was cold and commanding.
"Damn it, Su Xiuyu!"
A furious voice erupted from within the stone prison.
"You invited me here, and then you disappeared for days! I finally made it to Uzushio Village, and you didn't even recognize me. And now you're trapping me in Earth Release? What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
The moment he heard the voice, Su Xiuyu knew.
It was Uzumaki Mito.
Quickly dismissing the jutsu, he offered a sincere apology. "My bad. I really didn't realize it was you. I can't keep my perception up at all times in Uzushio Village, you know?"
Mito canceled her transformation, revealing herself as a rather pitiful-looking young girl.
"You finally came to see me? You promised, yet we're only meeting now."
Su Xiuyu had no excuse. Feeling a bit guilty, he extended the roses toward her.
"I broke my promise. These are for you."
Mito hesitated for a moment before taking the bouquet.
At least this idiot had some awareness this time.
"You came to Uzushio Village just to find me?" she asked curiously.
Su Xiuyu felt a little awkward at that question.
On one hand, the Senju had come to propose marriage—most likely to Mito.
On the other hand, the Uchiha had come for the same reason, with Madara acting as his wingman.
And now, here he was, face-to-face with the very person in question.
For once, he was at a loss for words.
"The fireworks festival is tonight," Mito said, sensing his hesitation. "If you don't know what to say, why not come with me to the back mountain? We can find a good spot to watch the fireworks."
With nothing better to do, Su Xiuyu followed her up the hillside behind Uzushio Village, looking for the perfect vantage point.
Mito, however, was dissatisfied with every location.
Su Xiuyu chuckled. "Stop looking. This spot will do."
"But the trees block too much of the sky," she argued.
"Shh."
The first firework had already bloomed in the night sky.
Turning to face Mito, Su Xiuyu gently took her hands.
Then, channeling chakra into his feet, he activated Earth Release.
The ground beneath them rose steadily, lifting them onto an elevated stone platform. With continued chakra input, the platform rose higher and higher.
Mito glanced down at the growing structure with mild amusement.
Not bad. His Earth Release skills were impressive—fluid, controlled, effortless.
"Hey, Mito. The Uchiha came here to propose marriage."
"Yeah?" Mito responded softly.
"The Senju came for the same reason. Just reject that fool Hashirama—he won't mind."
Mito blinked in surprise. "You and Hashirama…?"
"Good friends. I'll decide for him. He won't mind."
Mito smiled sweetly.
"But I haven't agreed to anything yet."
"That's fine. I'll wait. We're still young—we have plenty of time to get to know each other."
"Really?"
The moonlight bathed the stone platform in silver.
Their shadows leaned into each other, blending together beneath the starry sky and the dazzling bursts of fireworks.
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