Everlasting Imperial Palace.
Yuzuru stood overlooking the ninja world below, his dark eyes impossibly deep.
Ever since he had inherited the position of Emperor and begun living in the Everlasting Imperial Palace, Yuzuru had felt a sense of detachment from the mortal world.
Compared to Kaguya Otsutsuki and the Sage of Six Paths back then...
The current him seemed even more like a true god. A feeling of being able to control everything welled up within him naturally.
"Yuzuru!"
Mikoto's gentle voice came from behind him.
Yuzuru immediately turned around, a soft smile appearing on his face.
Compared to the woman who had left Konoha with him many years ago, Mikoto's appearance had not changed, but the aura around her had already undergone a world-shaking transformation.
Every movement she made carried a heart-stirring allure.
Yuzuru pulled Mikoto into his arms, carefully savoring the comfort brought by that astonishing softness.
Mikoto shot him a reproachful glance and said softly, "So improper. What are you trying to do in broad daylight?"
Yuzuru took a deep, intoxicated breath and smiled. "This place is in the sky. Only we can look down at others. No one else can see us."
"Still improper." Mikoto struggled out of Yuzuru's arms. "Jiraiya came to see you. He said he has something to discuss with you."
Hearing that, Yuzuru immediately understood.
Unless he had guessed wrong, it should be about Shizuka.
Inside the reception hall.
Jiraiya sat somewhat stiffly, drinking tea while his eyes darted around the room.
Even someone with a personality like his could not help feeling a little ashamed of his own inferiority after seeing the luxury of the Everlasting Imperial Palace.
Seeing Jiraiya's expression, Tsunade took the initiative to ask, "Jiraiya, what did you come to see Yuzuru for?"
Looking at the woman he had once admired, Jiraiya finally pulled his attention away from the furnishings of the room.
He coughed and said, "I want Yuzuru to do me a favor."
"What favor?"
"Tsunade, this is a matter between men. Don't go digging to the bottom of it."
After hearing Jiraiya's words, Tsunade gave a light snort.
Although she did not continue asking, she clearly had no intention of leaving either.
Seeing this, Jiraiya could not help feeling rather embarrassed.
The agreement between him and Yuzuru involved women and marriage.
And Tsunade was Yuzuru's wife. If she found out about this, she would probably explode on the spot.
While Jiraiya's thoughts were running wild, Yuzuru strode into the room.
"Jiraiya, go on. Tell me."
Hearing that, Jiraiya glanced at Tsunade and reminded him, "Yuzuru, are you sure you want me to say it now?"
Yuzuru waved his hand boldly. "Just say it. It's nothing serious."
After saying that, he knocked on the table with his finger in dissatisfaction. "Aren't you going to pour tea?"
The moment those words came out, Jiraiya was startled so badly that his body almost instinctively stood up, ready to flee.
Based on his understanding of Tsunade, Yuzuru saying something like that was practically courting death.
But to Jiraiya's surprise, Tsunade merely rolled her eyes, then obediently walked over to Yuzuru's side and poured him a cup of tea.
"T-This... this... this..."
The scene before him directly made Jiraiya stammer.
Since when had Tsunade, that humanoid tyrannosaurus, become so obedient?
Yuzuru said with a rather narcissistic air, "Jiraiya, there's no need to make such a fuss."
"A woman's attitude is closely tied to a man's strength."
Seeing his smug expression, Jiraiya could not help feeling envy, jealousy, and resentment all at once.
His unattainable white moonlight, the goddess he wanted but could never have, was acting so gentle and submissive in front of another man...
Jiraiya felt as if ten thousand ants were crawling through his heart.
Thinking of this, he no longer felt like helping Yuzuru cover anything up. Instead, he spoke with a hint of revenge in his voice. "Yuzuru, that woman's disciple has already arrived in Konoha. When do you have time to fight her?"
Sure enough, after hearing Jiraiya's words, Tsunade raised her brow curiously and asked, "Jiraiya, what do you mean by that?"
"What woman is this, and why does Yuzuru have to personally fight her?"
Jiraiya smiled and looked at Yuzuru. "Yuzuru, I'm really going to say it. If Tsunade gets angry, don't blame me."
Yuzuru found it somewhat amusing. "Go ahead."
Only then did Jiraiya clear his throat and begin. "Back then, when I was traveling through the ninja world, I passed through Nadeshiko Village and fought the village chief at the time."
"After defeating her, I found out that Nadeshiko Village was a village made up entirely of women. If you defeated them, you could marry them as your wife."
"But you know me. I'm a man who has lived a free and unrestrained life, loving freedom above all else. Naturally, I wasn't going to get married to a woman just like that."
"So I made an agreement with the chief of Nadeshiko Village. Once our respective disciples came of age, they would have a match."
"If the woman won, the man would have to follow her back to Village and live there."
"If the man won, the woman would marry him and settle down wherever the man lived."
"And after Yuzuru heard about it, he took the initiative to help me solve this problem."
Tsunade nodded thoughtfully. "So that's what happened."
"Exactly."
After Jiraiya finished speaking, he waited for a long while, but saw no reaction from Tsunade.
He could not help asking, "Tsunade, did you actually understand what I just said?"
"No matter whether Yuzuru wins or loses, he has to marry that female disciple of the Village chief!"
Tsunade shrugged. "I'm not an idiot. Of course I understood."
"Then why don't you have any reaction at all?"
"What reaction am I supposed to have?"
Jiraiya looked utterly confused. "As Yuzuru's wife, shouldn't you be angry?"
Hearing this, Tsunade could not help letting out a few charming laughs. "Jiraiya, Yuzuru shoulders the heavy responsibility of restoring the Uchiha clan. He has to set an example for all the Uchiha."
"Marrying a few more wives is only natural."
"Not only will I not get angry, I'll raise both hands in support."
"Our Yuzuru has such excellent genes. Of course he should marry more wives and have more children."
Tsunade's words left Jiraiya frozen in place.
No matter how he thought about it, he had never expected Tsunade to say something like that.
"If I'd known it was something like this, I wouldn't have specially stayed behind to listen."
"I'll go tell the other sisters about this first so everyone can prepare a welcoming banquet."
After Tsunade finished speaking, she refilled Yuzuru's tea, then quickly left the room.
Yuzuru smiled. "Jiraiya, I told you... a woman's attitude toward a man is closely tied to that man's strength."
"Don't use Tsunade's attitude toward you to guess Tsunade's attitude toward me."
"There's no comparing the two of us."
After hearing Yuzuru's words, Jiraiya felt as though he almost failed to catch his breath.
For some reason, he really wanted to beat this bastard to death!!!