Natsume was slightly surprised.
But it wasn't the idea that surprised him—it was the timing.
Marrying Hinata Hyuga had always been a matter of when, not if.
He'd told Hiashi Hyuga this long ago.
More importantly, Tsunade had agreed to it as well.
What caught Natsume off guard, though, was Hinata's eagerness—she seemed even more excited than he was.
Upon reflection, however, it made sense.
Back in his past life, getting married at eighteen would've seemed young.
But here in the ninja world, it was perfectly normal.
Ninjas matured early due to chakra development, sometimes going into battle even before they were ten.
Take Itachi Uchiha, for example.
Back in his previous life, a child that age wouldn't even have full mental capacity, let alone physical strength.
But ninja were practically superhuman.
Besides, in the original story, Hinata had gotten married when she was nineteen—about this same age.
In other words, marrying at this age in the ninja world was completely acceptable.
"Have you thought this through?"
Natsume looked down at her.
Her face flushed with nervousness—sweat beaded on her forehead, sliding gently along her fair skin before vanishing into the soft warmth under her chin.
He reached out and gently brushed them away.
Her face felt soft and warm, as though she had a slight fever.
"Yes."
Hinata's white eyes shone with determination. "I've already decided long ago."
"Okay then."
Seeing her so adorable and tempting, Natsume couldn't help but grin.
Hinata didn't immediately respond—perhaps she couldn't believe it.
Instinctively, she lifted her head to look at him.
The movement caused Natsume to feel the surprising elasticity of her body.
It was no less impressive than Tsunade or Samui's.
But Hinata was different.
Especially with her gentle and tender personality.
It was like… she was completely malleable in his hands.
"What? Not willing?"
Natsume pinched her cheek playfully and asked.
"Willing!"
Hinata answered immediately.
But once the words left her mouth, her face flushed even redder.
Eventually, dazed and flustered, she drifted off to sleep in Natsume's arms.
He couldn't help but laugh inwardly.
Over these past six years, their closeness had stopped her from fainting so easily.
Who would've guessed she'd relapse today?
Still, he could understand.
Natsume picked up Hinata and carefully laid her on the bed.
He ran his hand through her hair gently before standing and leaving.
If they were really getting married, there was plenty of work ahead.
After all, he was the Hokage of Konoha Village.
And Hinata was the heir to the Hyuga Clan.
This wedding couldn't be small.
Even if Natsume wanted a quiet affair, word of the marriage would inevitably reach the other villages—and they'd attend regardless.
Such was the influence that power commanded.
Plus, the Hyuga Clan wouldn't allow such a union to go unnoticed either.
Ever since the decline of the Uchiha Clan, the Hyugas had become the true top ninja clan in Konoha.
Although Hiashi Hyuga had a gentle demeanor, as Konoha expanded, many interests needed protection.
Thus, they had made quite a few enemies.
A simple teacher-student or sibling relationship just wasn't enough.
Marriage would forge the strongest bond—the unity of two families.
The Hyuga Clan could advance significantly by utilizing Hinata Hyuga's position.
This wedding must be publicly announced to everyone.
Natsume didn't even need to speak with Hiashi Hyuga to already tell what he was thinking.
If that was the case, then he might as well hold a grand ceremony.
When he returned home, Natsume saw Tsunade sitting on the sofa with her eyes closed, seemingly resting.
But her bracelet revealed otherwise.
She wasn't asleep—her mind had entered the Heavenly Network to play games.
Redesigned by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and the God Tree, the Heavenly Network had evolved into a second world.
Not only Konoha, but also Sunagakure, Kiri, and Kumogakure—all major ninja villages—were immersed in it, indulging endlessly.
Even the farsighted Kages tried in vain to resist it.
Because the network was simply too convenient—
And not just any ordinary network—it was an upgraded version, one that countless people in Natsume's past life couldn't resist.
Let alone these inexperienced ninjas.
In their dangerous lives, constantly surviving on the edge of a blade, who could possibly resist such an escape?
Natsume did not hastily wake up Tsunade.
He sat beside her and entered the Heavenly Network himself.
His vision blurred for a moment before he appeared in a dreamlike room.
As an administrator, he had elevated privileges compared to regular users.
After a few operations, he located Tsunade's screen.
As expected, she was gambling at a casino.
Shockingly, even in an online casino, she still lost badly every time.
Within the Heavenly Network, Natsume had set up two recharge systems for in-game currency:
One converted chakra,
The other used real-world currency.
The reason for this dual system was that nowadays, aside from ninjas, many ordinary citizens from different nations also used the Heavenly Network.
Since Tsunade had abundant chakra reserves, she opted for the first method.
Each time, she lost everything—even resorting to using the Yin Seal at times.
Thankfully, Natsume had long since used destiny value to preserve her youth and extend her lifespan.
Otherwise, she would truly be literally gambling with her life.
Natsume waited for half an hour before finally sending her a notification.
Both exited the Heavenly Network.
"So soon?"
Tsunade lazily stretched, her outfit drawing too much attention.
"There's nothing happening in Konoha."
Natsume moved closer, extending both hands to loosen the tension in her outfit.
"So you came back just to bother me?"
Hmph!
Tsunade shot him a glare, clenched her fist, and said, "If you've got nothing better to do, go play somewhere else."
When it came to gambling and drinking, Natsume ranked third.
The second spot naturally went to Senka.
"There is one thing,"
Natsume hesitated for a few seconds before carefully saying, "about Hinata's wedding."
Upon hearing this, Tsunade's expression slightly stiffened.
Although she had agreed long ago, when the day finally arrived, she still felt reluctant.
"You're in such a hurry?"
Tsunade flicked his forehead hard, expressing her displeasure.
"It's not me."
Thanks to Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's constant modifications, Natsume had already attained the Otsutsuki Clan's physical constitution.
A minor strike like this meant absolutely nothing to him.
"It was Hinata's suggestion."
Natsume explained, "She wants to have the wedding on her birthday."
"Like this?"
Tsunade exhaled and said, "Then let's get married."
"But Sister, you really don't want to have a wedding with me?"
Natsume wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close against his body.
Tsunade waved her hand dismissively as she replied, "What's the point of getting married? It's just a waste of time anyway."
Natsume didn't know what to say, so he just held her tighter.
Given their situation, there was no way they could make their marriage official. And if it were just a private ceremony, then yes, it truly wasn't necessary. As long as they were together, that should be enough for them.
"Will Hinata mind after we get married?"
Tsunade thought of another issue.
"I don't think she will," Natsume replied uncertainly.
Hinata Hyuga was the kind of wife who always put her husband first. Even if she noticed something odd, she would silently endure it.
Of course, saying that made him sound like quite the player.
But Natsume couldn't help it — he could only promise himself to treat her better in the future.
"Alright then."
Tsunade pushed him away and said, "You go prepare for your wedding. I'll head back to the casino."
Before Natsume could reply, she had already entered the Heavenly Network. Clearly, she was still angry and needed to gamble to vent.
Natsume made his way back to the Hokage Building.
The wedding date had already been set.
Now, all that remained was inviting the guests.
Suddenly, he thought of Mei Terumī, and immediately felt a headache coming.
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