Chapter 144: The Wedding Ceremony
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She dared to lay a hand on me!
Uzumaki Ashina was stunned, finally understanding what the phrase "a daughter is no longer a daughter when she grows up" truly means.
It wasn't just him. The people around them, the citizens of the Land of Whirlpools, were equally taken aback.
Yet, Mito remained completely oblivious to the situation, continuing to ramble on about her thoughts.
At last, Uzumaki Ashina, unable to endure any longer, erupted in anger. "I'm telling you, if you choose to leave with them, I will no longer consider you my daughter!"
"Father, must it be this way?" Mito's face grew pale.
"Your father is trying to reason with you," Ashina sighed, pointing at the Uchiha ninjas in front of him. "Have you forgotten how many of our people died at their hands?"
"I remember," Mito nodded, and then, in a voice that nearly made her father's heart stop, she added, "So from now on, there will be no more blood feuds between the Uchiha and the Uzumaki. I will be the bridge to maintain peace between our clans."
With her words, Ashina knew clearly that his daughter had no intention of turning back.
He waved his hand in helpless resignation, almost wanting to sever ties with her there and then.
However, after a brief moment of thought, Ashina decided against it.
First, he truly couldn't bring himself to abandon Mito; if he did, she would become a laughingstock in the Land of Fire.
Secondly, just as he had initially aligned with the Senju, if his daughter was determined to marry into the Uchiha, this now presented an opportunity to ease tensions between the two clans.
In the end, the reason the Land of Whirlpools had participated in the war was to secure it's own protection.
Despite the unexpected outcome, upon reflection, their original goal seemed to have been achieved.
No matter which side, Senju or Uchiha, came out on top, the Land of Whirlpools would benefit. In comparison, his personal pride and preferences seemed less important.
"You're not a child anymore," Ashina said, his voice heavy, as though the weight of the years had suddenly aged him decades. "Some things... you need to decide for yourself."
These words, though spoken with great inner conflict, were his unspoken approval of Mito's marriage to Kyosuke.
The emotional turmoil he felt could be imagined: The firm stance he had shown earlier seemed to dissolve like cold, biting rain, pelting his face with its harshness.
"Father," Mito's eyes welled up with tears. She understood, deep down, that her father loved and cared for her.
She cast a glance at the silent young man beside her, then smiled softly, bowing to the ground and respectfully offering a few kowtows to Uzumaki Ashina.
"Take good care of her."
When Mito, her eyes still clouded with tears, lifted her head, she found that her father was no longer there.
Yet those words continued to echo in her ears, lingering persistently.
"You'll be far better than him," Kyosuke thought to himself, though he refrained from saying it aloud, knowing that doing so would spoil the moment.
He gently helped the sobbing Mito to her feet, tenderly wiping away her tears.
"Let's go home."
"Mm."
By the time Mito turned around, she had already regained her usual composed demeanor.
Just as her father had said, she was no longer a little child.
She was the princess of the Land of Whirlpools and the wife of Uchiha Kyosuke. At home, she had to be a supportive and wise partner, while outside, she would work to maintain peace between the Uchiha and Uzumaki clans.
The road ahead was hard, filled with exhaustion and challenges, but she wasn't afraid, for the man by her side would always be there with her.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, while she was lost in thought, every ninja around them—except Izuna—dropped to one knee in perfect unison and shouted:
"Welcome, Princess Mito, back home!"
At that moment, the people surrounding them wore expressions of disbelief.
Although Uzumaki Ashina had tactically approved of their marriage, it didn't mean that everyone else would easily accept it.
Mito, who should have felt sorrowful, surprisingly found herself unusually calm and composed instead.
"From now on, you mustn't bully me," she said softly.
"Heh, that's not so certain," Kyosuke replied with a playful grin.
Taking Mito's small hand in his, Kyosuke laughed heartily. "Let's go, we're heading home."
---
Half a month later, news of Uchiha Kyosuke's wedding spread throughout the Land of Fire.
All the prominent figures received invitations from the Uchiha clan.
Not attending?
Such an act would be seen as an insult, and next time, a special kunai would be delivered in response.
Everyone knew that Uchiha Kyosuke's space-time ninjutsu was unparalleled. Receiving a kunai from him was akin to receiving an invitation from the God of Death.
If he wished, he could appear at any clan's doorstep and massacre them at will.
Who wouldn't be terrified?
Thus, with the exception of the Senju clan, all other major and minor families attended Kyosuke's wedding.
Even, Uzumaki Ashina sent Mito's personal maidservant with the dowry, having them stay behind to look after his daughter.
On the day of the wedding, Kyosuke insisted on wearing a custom-made black ceremonial yukata, the traditional attire for a groom.
Even Mito, adorned in a phoenix crown and a white bridal kimono, known as an uchikake, left countless women gazing at her in awe.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
The traditional Japanese wedding attire was beyond comparison to the simpler clothing others typically wore.
To ensure authenticity, Kyosuke had poured countless efforts into the preparation, though the actual work was carried out by his shadow clones.
Everything was prepared, and on that day, the couple became the focal point of envious glances from many.
"She's really becoming more and more beautiful." Kyosuke thought to himself, momentarily losing his composure.
The celebration soon began, and the couple smoothly followed the customary rituals, having already discussed the important words countless times, so there was no need for additional emotional speeches.
A wedding of such magnitude was never just a simple celebration.
With so many family representatives present, if they didn't take the opportunity to make something of it, they'd be wasting a rare chance.
After sharing a few drinks with the guests, Kyosuke and Mito changed into their formal attire and attended a meeting organized by Uchiha Madara.
As soon as they entered, the couple was greeted by a chorus of insincere well-wishes.
"Congratulations!"
"Best wishes for your marriage!"
After the customary pleasantries, Kyosuke and Mito took their seats beside Madara.
At this point, most people's attention was on Uzumaki Mito.
Her presence here wasn't just as Kyosuke's wife; in a sense, she represented the attitude of the Uzumaki clan.
The Uchiha, already an incredibly powerful clan, had gained the Hyuga clan from the east as allies, further strengthening their position.
With their marriage alliance to the Uzumaki, their influence expanded even more, making them an even greater force in the Land of Fire.
Just the thought of it sent shivers down the spines of the clan representatives present.
"These guys really aren't planning to unify the Land of Fire, are they?" one of them thought anxiously.
Scanning the room, Madara's voice was low and steady as he spoke, "The reason I've gathered everyone here today is to discuss the future of the Land of Fire."
"Our Uchiha are different from the sneaky and cunning Senju. We won't impose sanctions on other clans without cause."
"At the same time, please rest assured, we have no desire to dominate the Land of Fire. The future of this country must be shaped together by all of us."
His words sounded nice, but everyone present was shrewd enough not to be easily swayed by Madara's speech.
Uchiha don't want to dominate?
Hah, what a cold joke, and it wasn't even funny.
Knowing that mere words wouldn't be enough to persuade everyone, Madara subtly gave Kyosuke a look.
"It's your turn to perform."
..
..
[IMAGE]
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[Chapter End's]
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