After leaving the Hokage Building, Uchiha Hikaru couldn't stop thinking about Uchiha Ang's little "favor."
Although his intention was just to set up an engagement with him, the way he went about it had made Hikaru fall flat on his face—something Hikaru was definitely not going to forget anytime soon.
What annoyed him more was that Uchiha Ang had gone to Uzumaki Mito to propose the match, completely ignoring Tsunade's existence like she was irrelevant.
As for his future partner, Hikaru had his own opinions.
He had learned that in this era, while monogamy was acceptable, having multiple wives was also possible.
But to make that happen, he'd have to rely on his own ability.
Besides, he was still very young. This kind of problem could be shelved for now.
He believed that, in time, things would unfold naturally.
Which was why he'd decided to let it all play out on its own.
That said, Uchiha Ang's actions were definitely starting to cross a line.
It was only natural for Hikaru to feel irritated.
Just then, a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes, and he chuckled darkly.
Uchiha Ang, who was chatting and laughing with his granddaughter, suddenly felt a chill crawl down his back—but he brushed it off, continuing his cheerful conversation with Chiri.
After all, it had been a long time since Uchiha Ang had seen Chiri. He really missed her.
…
Several days had passed since Uzumaki Mito returned to Konoha, and the smoke of war had finally begun to clear.
Some of the front-line units had returned to the village, restoring a sense of liveliness to what had recently been a rather quiet Konoha.
During this time, Uchiha Hikaru had silently observed Uchiha Chiri's every move.
Uchiha Chiri was normally a very shy girl.
She always approached everything around her with great caution.
Like a newborn fawn, curious and fearful of the unfamiliar world.
Every time Hikaru looked her way, her large eyes would flicker with shyness and awe.
Hikaru understood that Chiri's shyness largely stemmed from Uchiha Ang.
He was too eager to arrange her future without considering how she felt.
Otherwise, even with Chiri's introverted nature, she wouldn't be so distant—not to the point where even basic interaction was this difficult.
He must've said something to her. That was the only explanation.
As it turned out, Hikaru's guess was spot on.
Because Hikaru had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan at such a young age, Uchiha Ang placed great importance on his bloodline.
He believed that if Hikaru married Chiri, their child would undoubtedly inherit their talents.
And the fact that Hikaru had managed to eliminate Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others—this kind of talent and cunning made him more than worthy to be Chiri's husband.
But Ang truly did care for his granddaughter, which was why he had told her everything about Hikaru.
After learning that Hikaru had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Chiri's opinion of him changed completely.
Before, she had believed that as long as she worked hard, she could eventually catch up to him.
And back then, she only saw him as a classmate. Maybe a friend.
But now, her grandfather had suddenly told her: "Uchiha Hikaru will be your husband."
The change was too sudden. For someone already introverted and shy, it made her want to run.
Of course, Hikaru had already figured that much out, and he wasn't about to just stand by.
He wasn't Naruto. Rather than dither about, he preferred to strike directly.
So, one morning just before class at the Ninja Academy, Hikaru suddenly grabbed Chiri without warning.
He didn't give her a chance to protest and dragged her into his ditch-class squad.
Chiri was still a little dazed as she was pulled away, but when she realized who was holding her hand, she paused, thought of something, and silently chose not to resist.
She lowered her head, cheeks flushed pink, her neck turning as red as an apple.
Tsunade and Nonō Yakushi both watched the scene with odd expressions, but in the end, they simply followed along.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, looked at the four of them with open admiration, thinking to himself, 'That was awesome.'
Unfortunately, he could only stand there and watch them walk away.
Since he didn't know how to use the Clone Transformation techniques, he couldn't slack off like the others and still ace the tests.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru wasn't there today—he had gone with his parents to Konoha Hospital.
To him, his parents were what mattered most right now.
Even though the doctors had already given their diagnosis, as long as there was even a sliver of hope, Orochimaru wasn't going to give up.
Elsewhere, Hikaru brought Chiri to the training grounds and finally let go of her hand.
Taking advantage of the fact that Tsunade and Nonō hadn't arrived yet, he leaned close and whispered in Chiri's ear:
"Chiri-chan, you don't want news of your engagement to me spreading, do you?"
Chiri had still been shy from the earlier hand-holding, but hearing that line made her mind go completely blank.
Some people panic when faced with pressure—but not Uchiha Chiri. After a moment of chaos, she became even more composed.
She shoved Hikaru away and calmly said, "Hikaru-kun, what nonsense are you talking about? I don't know anything about that."
Hikaru was surprised by how quickly she regained her composure.
But that didn't throw off his plan.
He smiled and replied, "You don't need to deny it, Chiri-chan. As long as you help me with one little thing, I promise no one will hear a word about it."
At those words, Chiri's heart jumped.
She had heard about a new method for unlocking the Sharingan that had recently surfaced in the clan—and it was proposed by none other than the person standing in front of her.
It worked, yes—but it was seriously exhausting for the user.
Sensing her concern, Hikaru quickly added:
"Don't worry. Helping me with this won't hurt anyone."
That reassurance wasn't quite enough to convince Chiri.
But looking at the person who might very well become her husband, she blushed again and, almost involuntarily, nodded.
Seeing her face flush once more, Hikaru nodded to himself.
That's the Chiri I know. That calm version of her earlier didn't feel right at all.
He then shared his plan with her—leaving Chiri wide-eyed with shock.
Before long, Tsunade and Nonō Yakushi caught up.
Initially curious about what Hikaru and Chiri were talking about, they got close enough to overhear the plan.
Tsunade immediately got excited and insisted on joining.
And seeing that everyone else had already joined in, Nonō hesitated briefly, then agreed to take part as well.