In the scorching summer heat, Kakashi officially assumed the position of Rokudaime Hokage. And for once, he's not wearing his usual dead-fish-eyed expression.
As the villagers of Konoha all looked up at him, Kakashi put on the most serious and resolute expression he had ever shown in his life, announcing that from this day forward, he would serve as the Rokudaime Hokage.
"From today onward, I am the Rokudaime Hokage of Konoha."
A group of fresh graduates from the Academy stood below, gazing up at Kakashi with admiration in their eyes. Every Hokage had their own unique aura and legendary stories, and they were practically the face of the village.
Given Kakashi's well-known reputation, as Konoha's most famous social butterfly, he had more stories attached to him than any previous Hokage, and also the fewest secrets. Almost all the children in the Academy have had already heard tales of his exploits and they all admired him immensely.
"It's the real Rokudaime!"
"Yeah, wasn't Rokudaime's sensei the Yondaime? What an incredible journey!"
In the crowd, Naruto stood under the sunlight with bored expression, watching Kakashi struggle to maintain his posture on stage.
Once the ceremony was over, Kakashi quickly reverted to his usual dead-fish-eyed expression, slumped his shoulders, and descended from the platform.
Seeing this, Naruto chuckled. He could even guess what Kakashi would say the moment he turned his back to the crowd.
Kakashi (Naruto): "What a hassle…"
"This is the first time that Kakashi-sensei is wearing such formal attire. It's kind of hard to get used to." Choji said with excitement, nudging Naruto.
Choji had just snuck out from his wife's side. Seeing Naruto standing there alone, he felt a little guilty and decided to chat with him for a while.
Having said that, Choji really just wanted to hang out with Naruto. After getting married, he had realized that married life wasn't as simple or relaxing as he had imagined. And it was much easier to unwind with friends.
"Hey Choji, your wife and Shikamaru's wife are standing together." Naruto reminded.
"So what? They've always been good friends." Choji said nonchalantly, still tiptoeing to look in Kakashi's direction.
"Has Kakashi-sensei worn that outfit before? It looks kind of familiar, don't you think, Naruto?"
"Choji, Choji!" Naruto nudged the still smiling Choji, suddenly sounding nervous, "They're coming over! Your wife and the others are heading this way!"
"What!!!" Choji was startled, his already short neck shrinking as his head nearly tucked into his shoulders.
"I'm outta here! You... good luck." Naruto quickly turned around and slipped away, not caring about the panickingChoji standing beside him.
"Choji! What are you doing here?"
"Well, Naruto, he…"
On the other side, Naruto had already made a swift getaway. He had spotted Hinata standing with the members of the Hyuga Clan, and his sharp eyes also caught a glimpse of Hanabi.
It didn't take much effort to bribe Hanabi and get her to call Hinata over.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata happily brushed her hair aside as she jogged over, "You're here too! I was just looking for you but couldn't see you anywhere."
"I was standing with Choji. Maybe he blocked your view."
Hinata: "…"
"Do you have some time now?" Naruto glanced around and asked, "I've been trying to get in touch with you the past few days, but you seem busy. Did something happen?"
Now that Naruto thought about it, Hinata's behavior had been a bit unusual lately. Being busy was one thing, but it wasn't like she had no time at all.
Though the two of them often communicated through communication devices, there were some things that couldn't be clearly conveyed that way.
Moreover, Naruto hadn't been spending all his time thinking about Hinata. He had been resting, occasionally hanging out with Choji.
The two of them had been meeting up so frequently that even Choji's wife started getting annoyed, and she finally dragged Choji back home, ending his easy days.
Marriage is like a fortress. People on the outside want to get in, but once inside, the joy is short-lived, and people soon want to escape from there.
Naruto, however, didn't feel much about it. He wasn't married yet, nor had he clearly defined his relationship with anyone, largely because he was always traveling, never staying in one place for long.
The infatuation of a passionate romance and the commitment of marriage are two entirely different concepts.
"I..." Hinata hesitated, lowering her head, her entire demeanor filled with uncertainty. After a long moment, she looked up and finally spoke, "I have some time. Actually, I... also have something to talk about."
Naruto was taken aback. He had planned to take his time and carefully probe Hinata about her situation. After all, she was easy to persuade, and if he pushed a little, she would tell him anything.
But to his surprise, Hinata brought it up on her own, leaving him no room for his usual roundabout tactics.
"Okay." He agreed.
In the past, due to the traditional nature of the Hyuga Clan, Naruto and Hinata's interactions were always squeezed out of whatever small opportunities they could find. Although Hiashi never said anything, he always kept a close eye on them.
The Hyuga Clan's compound did not allow outsiders, and Hinata, being the eldest daughter, rarely left home. When she did, it was usually for missions or training, but after growing up, she had fewer and fewer missions.
In large clans, Kunoichi were often married off unless they were exceptionally outstanding. And in the Hyuga Clan, inter-clan marriages were common to preserve the purity of the bloodline.
Constantly refining their bloodline and maintaining the Byakugan was a way to safeguard against future risks. Both the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans, as Otsutsuki's descendants, were highly insular.
Shisui, Sasuke, Itachi… these super geniuses are all products of continuous bloodline refinement The closer one gets to the Otsutsuki's lineage, the more intense the madness and the stronger the power.
The Hyuga Clan operates similarly, often favoring intermarriage within the clan. However, the Hyuga Clan they have the added complexity of the main family and branch family, which in a way, has slowed down the bloodline refinement process.
For example, the main family will only marry other members of the main family. It is very rare for a main family to marry a member of a branch family. Such an act would be considered outrageous and practically a rebellion against tradition.
There were not many main family's members to begin with, and after the hierarchy was established, the chances of the intermarriage between branch families to refine the bloodline are extremely low.
In addition, the clans deliberately controlled their resources, making the branch families increasingly weak.
However, just because the odds are slim doesn't mean it's impossible. Neji was that rare exception, a lucky member of the branch family who emerged as a prodigy from a lesser branch of the main family's bloodline.
The diluted branch family's bloodline met with the pure main family's bloodline in Hiashi's brother, Hizashi, sparking a remarkable and rare outcome.
Ultimately, it all comes down to whether Hiashi can defy convention and allow Hinata to marry outside the clan. In the past, there was the obstacle of the main family's Byakugan being forbidden from leaving the clan, but that is no longer an issue.
After all, the Hyuga Clan no longer has a division between the main family and branch family, a reform accelerated by Naruto's leadership and the victory of his ideals. Now, Hinata is simply a member of the Hyuga Clan.
Whether she can marry outside the clan depends entirely on whether Hiashi gives his approval.