Hanabi Hyuga stared at Uchiha Raizen with stars in her eyes, while Hinata stood by, her face flushed a deep crimson. Her heart hamred against her ribs as she wondered: Will Brother Raizen reject ?
Raizen, for his part, was completely floored as he looked at Hiashi Hyuga.
Dowry? He wants to marry Big Hinata to ? Is there so kind of mistake?
For a mont, Raizen couldn't process the situation and stood there in a daze. Seeing his lack of reaction, Hiashi's expression turned awkward. Did I misread the situation? Does this great lord not actually favor my daughter?
Hinata felt a pang of disappointnt as the silence stretched on. When her father had first proposed this marriage to secure the clan's future, she had been confused. In her youth, she had yearned for Naruto Uzumaki, but his complete disappearance during Konoha's hour of greatest need had left her deeply disillusioned.
Hiashi had been insistent; for the prosperity of the Hyuga, she had to marry this powerhouse. Bound by duty, Hinata had tentatively agreed. But now, it seed Brother Raizen wasn't interested.
"Master Raizen... are you perhaps dissatisfied with my daughter?" Hiashi asked tentatively.
"Ah!" Hiashi's voice snapped Raizen back to reality. "No, I'm very satisfied with Hinata. It's just... your sudden arrival with a dowry caught off guard."
"My apologies for being so abrupt, Master Raizen," Hiashi said, looking relieved.
"Hinata is still quite young, isn't a wedding a bit early?" Raizen asked, glancing at the shy girl. In the original story, Hinata loved the "Crown Prince" Naruto. Why was she agreeing to marry him? Was this tiline truly that different?
Hiashi replied quickly, "Master Raizen, Hinata has already co of age. She recently celebrated her eighteenth birthday. By traditional count, she is nineteen—perfectly eligible for marriage."
Is that so? Raizen's eyes widened as he did the math. In Part I, Hinata was thirteen. Naruto was away for three years, making her sixteen upon his return. A lot had happened since Naruto ca back to the village in this tiline. While the manga didn't specify exact dates, it was entirely possible that two years had passed since the start of the Shippuden era.
"So, Master Raizen... is our Hinata acceptable?" Hiashi watched him expectantly. If the Hyuga could cling to a pillar as strong as Raizen, their position in the village would be unshakable.
Raizen looked at Hinata. "If Hinata is willing, then I have no objections."
"Rest assured, she is more than willing!" Hiashi exclaid excitedly.
Hinata felt a surge of secret joy. Like any young woman, she admired a hero. Raizen had saved her life and resurrected her fallen kinsn. Her heart was already full of adoration for him. The fact that he was incredibly handso was a massive bonus. Though her father had "forced" the match, she felt no resistance to marrying a man like him. Her childhood crush on the absent Naruto had finally evaporated into thin air.
"Brother-in-law, you're so handso!" Hanabi chirped, looking at Raizen with pure infatuation.
"Is that so? Hahaha!"
Raizen shook his head. This ti-travel trip was exceeding all expectations. Hinata was now his fiancée, and Hanabi was his sister-in-law. It was surreal.
The Talk of the Town
The next day, news of the engagent between the Hyuga Heiress and the Hero of Konoha spread like wildfire.
In the Tsu Inuzuka Residence: "That old fox Hiashi moved too fast!" Tsu grumbled.
At the Inuzuka Ruins: Kiba: "Mom, what a sha. If we'd moved sooner, Sis might have had a chance." Hana Inuzuka: "What are you two doing? Do you really think I'm that desperate to get married?" Tsu: "Hana, you aren't getting any younger. It's ti to find a good man." Kiba: "Sis, why don't you just beco Master Raizen's concubine? Hinata can be the main wife, and you can be the second!" Hana (pinching Kiba's ear): "You think your sister can't compete with little Hinata?" Kiba (running away): "Sis! Hinata is younger and cuter! You're a tigress—only a hero like Raizen can ta you!" Hana: "Get back here! I'm going to break your legs!"
At the Yamanaka Ruins: Inoichi: "The Hyuga moved so fast! Why didn't I think of it? Master Raizen is a bachelor with the Uchiha bloodline. If I'd given him Ino, the Yamanaka would have surpassed the Hyuga as the second clan of the Leaf!" Ino: "Dad, what are you muttering about? Giving to who? Did you find a new sensei?" Inoichi: "Ino, what do you think of Master Raizen?" Ino: "He's wonderful! Handso, powerful, and he saved the village single-handedly. He even brought the dead back! He's my absolute idol." Inoichi: "Would you want to marry him?" Ino (blushing furiously): "Dad! That's so direct! I haven't even thought about that yet!" Inoichi: "Well, think faster, because the ship is sailing! Hiashi already promised Hinata to him. The news is everywhere!" Ino: "What!? Hinata is marrying Master Raizen!?"
Parting Sorrows
At the temporary Hokage office, Tsunade stared toward the Hokage Rock. In the mont of victory, she had genuinely felt an impulse to marry him. Now, hearing about his marriage to Hinata, she felt a wave of gloom.
So he was just joking after all... and here I was, actually taking it seriously.
"Lady Tsunade, are you alright?" Shizune asked worriedly. Tsunade had been so happy after the village was saved, looking like a girl of eighteen. But since the news of the wedding broke, she had been moody and listless, constantly staring at the house Raizen had built atop the Hokage Rock.
"I'm fine," Tsunade said, her voice hollow.
Thanks to Yamato's tireless work, the village's housing was mostly restored within half a month. Once the reconstruction was stable, Raizen held a grand ceremony to marry the Hinata of this era.
The morning after their wedding night, Raizen held Hinata from behind as she sat at her vanity. "I have to leave, Hinata," he whispered.
"Where are you going, Husband?" Hinata asked, a faint blush on her cheeks as she leaned into his embrace.
"Back to my own world. Hinata... would you be willing to leave this world with ?"
"I have married you, Husband. Wherever you go, Hinata follows," she said, her eyes full of devotion.
"Hinata, I have to be honest with you. In my original tiline... I already have other wives." Raizen confessed everything.
Hinata's eyes widened in disbelief. "In the other world... Kurenai-sensei and Anko-senpai are both your won?"
"Think it over carefully. Do you still want to co with ? I have to go say my goodbyes."
Raizen patted her head and stepped out, giving her space to think. He went straight to the new Hokage building and jumped through the window into Tsunade's office.
"Yo, Sister Tsunade! Busy?"
"Well, well! If it isn't the groom," Tsunade snapped, her eyes full of resentnt. "Only the second day of marriage and you've already left your bride at ho to flirt with other won?"
Raizen knew why she was upset. That "promise" had clearly ant sothing to her. However, Hiashi's sudden move had disrupted his plans to pursue her properly.
"I'm leaving, Sister Tsunade. I ca to say goodbye."
"What? Leaving?" Tsunade froze. She hadn't expected the Great Hero of the Leaf to just walk away.
"Yes. My ti here is up." Raizen's limit for this jump was one month, and tomorrow was the final day.
THUD!
The door burst open, and three figures tumbled inside. Shizune, Ino, and Sakura scrambled to their feet, laughing awkwardly. They had been eavesdropping and leaned too hard on the door.
"When are you going?" Tsunade asked, her voice trembling.
"Tomorrow morning," Raizen smiled.
"Master Raizen, where are you going? Will we ever see you again?" Shizune asked, her eyes teary.
"Perhaps. I don't belong to this space-ti. Tomorrow, I will simply vanish and return to my own world."
Raizen had confird with the System: his body would beco transparent and phase back to his original tiline. As for Hinata, he could bring her through the System Space, though the System warned she might naturally phase back after a month unless a specific anchor was set.
"We don't want you to go!" Sakura cried, her eyes red. Ino and Shizune joined her in weeping. Even Tsunade bit her lip, her eyes misting over.
"Don't be sad. If our hearts are connected, we'll find a way to et again. For now... let's take so photos to rember this by."
They spent the afternoon taking pictures—individual shots and group photos. Each woman took a copy. After a final farewell al, Raizen used a Body Flicker to return ho.
The Anchor
Hinata was waiting for him at the gate.
"I'm back," Raizen smiled.
"Welco ho, Husband."
"Have you decided?"
"I have. Wherever you are, that is my ho," Hinata said firmly.
"You don't mind Kurenai and the others?" Raizen asked. "This is your last chance to change your mind. Once we leave, there may be no coming back."
"I won't regret it," Hinata replied. "I trust Kurenai-sensei's taste in n. I'm actually curious to see her face when she ets ... and how you managed to 'steal' her in that world."
"Hahaha!" Raizen laughed heartily and pulled her into a hug. "I won't let you down, Hinata. I swear I will make you happy."
"Since you're coming, I need to leave a legacy in this world."
Raizen released her and produced a small sapling out of thin air.
"What is this, Husband?"
"This is the Goshinboku (Sacred Tree). It is the key to your stay. With this planted here, you can remain in my world permanently without being pulled back by the laws of space-ti."
They went into the courtyard and planted the sapling together. As soon as it touched the soil, the Goshinboku grew at a visible rate, surging upward until it beca a gargantuan, sky-piercing tree that dwarfed the Hokage Rock.
The entire village watched in awe.
"That's Master Raizen's house!" "What a magnificent tree... it must be a guardian spirit tree he left to protect us!"
Many villagers began to bow toward the tree in reverence.
Departure
The next morning, the Hyuga clan—Hiashi, Neji, and Hanabi—arrived. Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi, Sakura, and Ino were also there.
"Everyone... farewell."
Raizen took Hinata's hand and waved. His body began to glow with a soft light, turning transparent. Hinata's form began to fade as well.
"Hinata, be happy!!!" Hiashi cried out, tears streaming down his face.
"Sister! Brother-in-law! Co back and visit !" Hanabi ran forward, trying to grab Raizen's shimring hand.
"We will. I'll miss you, Hanabi. If you ever miss us, talk to the Goshinboku. It will carry your thoughts to us."
Raizen stroked Hanabi's head one last ti before he and Hinata vanished completely from the world.
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