Uchiha Hikaru chatted casually with them as the food on the table slowly dwindled and the once-full jar of wine was reduced to half its original volume.
The first to fall was Omoi, who rarely drank. Despite having a ninja's body, he couldn't last more than three cups—he became the textbook definition of someone who "falls sick after three drinks."
Killer B used one of his octopus-like limbs to toss Omoi onto the nearby sofa. His feet hooked over the backrest, his back slouched into the cushion, his head tilted back, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish blowing bubbles in a tank.
During their idle conversation, Uchiha Hikaru learned all sorts of amusing things.
For instance—Ai was already married. His wife was a dark-skinned, muscular woman from the Yotsuki clan. According to them, she was as strong as Ella?
Uchiha Hikaru paused and gave it some thought.
Well… respect to Big Brother Ai's preferences. Everyone's got their thing… And this guy's thing is definitely muscles.
As for Killer B, apparently, he had a rap teacher back in the village—his obsession with freestyle came from there.
Mabui, on the other hand, confessed that she was secretly anxious about finding a partner in the future. Most men in the Hidden Cloud Village were musclebound, single-minded brutes—not quite her type. So instead of bothering with romance, she buried herself in work to stay numb.
But tonight, with a bit of rest and wine, that anxious side started creeping out again—and under the influence of alcohol, she even started boldly flirting with Uchiha Hikaru.
This sudden shift gave Hikaru a strong taste of the Hidden Cloud Village's… direct culture.
Wow. So everyone here just says what they want, huh? Very... straightforward.
But the most outrageous, jaw-dropping moment?
Samui, in her effort to maintain her trademark cool demeanor, had insisted on keeping pace with Hikaru, Killer B, and Ai in their drinking.
Now she was completely wasted—basically a puddle of mud.
Her hands were resting on Hikaru's shoulders, her head drooped forward. Her short, side-swept blonde hair swayed across his collar, occasionally brushing the tip of his nose.
Suddenly, in a tired voice, she mumbled:
"My shoulders are so heavy… so sore…"
Too drunk to lift her arms, she barely managed to raise her chin. Her eyes narrowed, her breath warm, and she looked at him blearily.
"Can you rub them for me? They really hurt... I feel awful…"
Killer B, sitting nearby, flashed Hikaru a huge grin and gave him a silent thumbs-up.
You got this, brother Hikaru!
Ai, pretending not to notice, lifted his wine cup and turned to his younger brother.
"Yo, B, how's this wine? Good, right?"
"It's fire!"
"Then bottoms up! For eternal brotherhood!"
"Cheers to my best boss!"
"And cheers to my dear jailbird brother!"
Gulp, gulp. The two men tilted their heads back in sync, chugging the rest of their wine, deliberately avoiding looking in Uchiha Hikaru's direction.
At the same time, Ai was already scheming internally.
That woman Terumi Mei dared to seduce Brother Hikaru using a beauty trap? Hmph! Think the Hidden Mist is the only one with women? We've got plenty! And I've got two right here!
Our relationship with Hikaru has to be stronger than his bond with Kirigakure. No competition!
By now, even if Hikaru were an idiot, he would have realized what Ai was doing.
It was the classic honey trap—the kind used by cunning rulers throughout history.
And it wasn't like Hikaru was unfamiliar with this kind of temptation. He just wasn't... immune.
But he gritted his teeth and forced himself to push back the rising desire in his heart.
Focus. You came here for alliance talks, not to fall for a setup.
But just then, he felt his left hand being gently pulled forward. He wasn't sure what it brushed against—soft, warm.
Reflexively, his fingers squeezed.
Samui bit back a gasp.
That one squeeze shocked her completely sober. She immediately let go of his wrist, and Hikaru yanked his hand back just as quickly. The two of them, without a word, mutually agreed to pretend like it never happened.
Killer B and Ai both turned their heads, trying to analyze the deep blush spreading across Samui's cheeks.
But with all the alcohol she'd already had, her face was flushed anyway. She played it off with a deadpan expression and perfect posture, showing no visible reaction.
As for Uchiha Hikaru, he sat there like nothing happened.
What squeeze? I don't remember squeezing anything. I'm as calm as a stone.
Ai shook his head slowly.
Tch. The honey trap failed. Damn. I underestimated how composed this guy is.
But Mabui, standing off to the side, had seen everything. She opened her mouth, then closed it. After all, Samui had made the first move…
They kept drinking until Samui and Mabui both collapsed onto the table. Killer B, thoroughly drunk, was swaying and waving his arms, singing some random song he'd heard in the plaza:
🎵 "The most beautiful dish in my lightning heart~"
🎵 "Why are you hiding from my beat?"
Only then did Uchiha Hikaru quietly lean toward the Raikage.
"Brother Ai, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. But I'm not sure if I should…"
Ai, who had been half-dozing in his chair, perked up instantly.
Wait—is this it? Is Brother Hikaru finally gonna take the bait? LET'S GO!
"If you've got something to say, just spit it out, Brother," Ai said, barely containing his excitement.
Hikaru sighed, tossed back the rest of his drink, and gave Ai an apologetic look.
"It's about your Daimyo's son. He caused trouble in Konoha."
"He publicly insulted our Minister of Commerce—Kurenai Yuhi—in front of the entire department."
"He's currently being held in a detention cell at the Police Division. What do you think we should do?"
"If we don't release him, it'll damage relations between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud. But if we do… well, you know Kurenai. Even as the Hokage's assistant, I can't just make her let it go. Not when that bastard was clearly in the wrong…"
Hikaru's conflicted expression gave Ai a serious headache.
Their village still depended on the Lightning Daimyo for annual funding. This… this was a political nightmare. And he already knew that his Daimyo's son was a useless idiot.
If this wasn't handled right, it could mess up his entire alliance with Hikaru.
But then again—if the Ninja World Association succeeded, Hidden Cloud would finally become financially independent.
No more begging for budget approvals.
No more getting strangled by aristocrats.
Suna was a prime example—stuck under their Daimyo's thumb, short on funds, and barely surviving.
And now the guy sitting in Konoha's cell was the Daimyo's most beloved son. The likely heir.
Ai's eyes hardened. He clenched his fist.
"Brother Hikaru, how could I ever make things hard for you?"
"Do what you think is right. Even if you destroy him—I'll handle the fallout."
"If the Daimyo has a problem, he can go have another kid. What good is a spoiled son who can't shut his damn mouth?"
Uchiha Hikaru smiled, then filled Ai's cup and poured one for himself.
"Now those are the words I wanted to hear."
"I was worried this would strain our bond. But you're still the best, Brother Ai."
"Don't worry—when the Ninja World Association becomes reality, you'll understand why I asked for this."
They exchanged glances—then broke into laughter.
"Brother, I get it! HAHAHA!"
"Drink!"
Years later, no one would know that the leader of the Land of Lightning first entertained thoughts of overthrowing the Daimyo during a drunken dinner party.
No one would guess that the man who unified the ninja world, bringing peace and prosperity to countless civilians, won over his first true ally at a table soaked in wine.
…
…
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