Chapter 070: Will you marry me?

"Yuki, why don't you just fake your own death and come join the Senju clan?" Senju Wakama sat on the edge of the hot spring, casually stirring drinks with his hands resting on the rim.

Uchiha Yuki looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face.

Wakama then added, "You've been pretending to be a man for so long, binding your chest like that. If you keep it up, it'll cause problems down the line."

Hearing this, Yuki instinctively raised a hand to cover her chest, her expression remaining neutral.

The artificial hot spring water wasn't very clear; Wakama had added several medicinal herbs. This was a precaution so that if Yuki returned to Uchiha territory and anyone caught the scent, they'd just assume she'd been injured and treated with ointments, explaining the lingering smell.

Though the herbs had turned the water a brownish hue, it wasn't completely murky. Having grown accustomed to bathing with Wakama, Yuki had long since lost any sense of embarrassment about sharing the hot spring with him. However, when Wakama brought up the chest binding so pointedly, she still felt a twinge of discomfort.

Yuki knew Wakama's concern about her chest was valid and would only worsen over time. In the past few months of their interactions, while they maintained a visually intimate setting, their actions had never crossed any real boundaries. Despite this, Yuki's body was developing quickly. She herself longed to embrace her true identity as a woman, just as Wakama suggested. But given the current precarious state of the Uchiha clan, it was impossible for her to do so – the reasons were complicated.

Wakama, clearly aware of Yuki's predicament, had made the suggestion about faking her death. It seemed he had her best interests at heart, but he wouldn't pressure her. After all, his proposal carried significant risks. Yuki had awakened her Sharingan, and her future children were highly likely to inherit it. With the tense relations between their clans, revealing a Sharingan user within the Senju would be far too dangerous.

Yuki remained silent, lost in thought.

Wakama raised an eyebrow and offered her a drink. "Alright, alright~ I misspoke."

Yuki glanced at the offered drink and calmly lowered her gaze. "It's not like you haven't touched them before. Do you really need to come up with all sorts of excuses just to look at my chest?"

Taking the drink would require her to move her hand. After months with Wakama, Yuki knew his true nature all too well. He appeared gentle, considerate, and reserved, but beneath the surface, he was just an elegant pervert. Rather than getting flustered and giving him the satisfaction of teasing her, she chose to remain composed and subtly turn the tables.

"Ah, ah, ah~ You really don't like me, do you?" Wakama's smile didn't waver as he placed the cup back on the edge of the hot spring.

Yuki shot him a subtle glance. If she truly disliked him, there was no way she'd be sharing a hot spring with him. Wakama was just being his usual mischievous self.

Yuki let out a soft snort.

Unbothered, Wakama chuckled softly and said, "You know, if you're willing, my sister could help you. With her on your side, no one in the Senju clan would dare question your identity."

Hearing this, Yuki frowned slightly.

Since meeting Wakama, the person she'd heard most about was his younger sister, Senju Tsukuyo. Despite being several years younger than Wakama, Tsukuyo had taken control of the Senju clan at a very young age. She possessed unparalleled strength and knowledge that seemed almost supernatural, as if she were a reincarnated deity. Not only that, but even their young clan leader, Madara, would often sneak into the Naka River Forest to meet with her.

The more Yuki interacted with Wakama, the more despair she felt. As long as Tsukuyo existed, the Uchiha clan stood no chance against the Senju. This was a deeply ingrained conviction in Yuki's mind.

Yuki often fell into deep thought, remaining silent and speaking little, like a tightly sealed gourd. When she wasn't speaking, she exuded the same cold arrogance that made most Uchiha seem aloof and self-doubting.

Suddenly, Wakama reached over and casually pulled Yuki's hand away from her chest, placing the prepared drink into her palm.

"Yuki, you always look so burdened by your thoughts. If there's something you want to ask, just say it. No need to overthink things," Wakama said seriously. "If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be able to resist anyway, so why bother worrying about useless things?"

"Your sister…" Yuki stared at the drink in her hand, the bright yellow liquid catching her eye. She spoke softly, "She and Lord Madara…"

Wakama, who knew the inside story, understood his sister's true nature. She wasn't capable of truly loving anyone, yet she consistently spent time with Uchiha Madara. There was only one explanation.

After all these years, Tsukuyo still hadn't managed to extract the Uchiha bloodline from Madara. The more effort she put in, the greater the resentment grew. This was something Tsukuyo had once confided in Wakama. If she couldn't extract it, she would have to keep trying. To continue her efforts, Tsukuyo had to maintain a delicate balance in her relationship with Madara. She couldn't let it become too intimate, lest she attract a powerful and obsessive admirer. Nor could she let it become too strained, as that would make it impossible to continue her pursuit.

As an observer, Wakama knew that Tsukuyo's actions must be causing her pain and frustration. But there was nothing he could do about it. Their elder brother, Tobirama, had warned Wakama not to interfere in Tsukuyo's affairs and to let her handle things on her own. Yet, Wakama couldn't help but wonder if Madara had already fallen into her trap without even realizing it.

Even though their meetings always ended in battles, Madara was no match for Tsukuyo. Humans are naturally drawn to strength, and with their constant push and pull, it was only natural for Madara to be captivated.

However, this was a truth only Wakama understood, and he couldn't openly explain it to Yuki.

"They have a complicated relationship…" Wakama said vaguely.

Hearing this, Yuki couldn't help but glance at Wakama. When the word "love" was mentioned, the "hate" part seemed almost insignificant. If Tsukuyo wanted the two clans to unite, she likely had the power to make it happen. She was simply too strong, in every sense of the word.

"If…" Yuki lowered her head, "if our clans were to become one someday, would you marry me?"

She had finally asked the question that had been weighing on her mind ever since Wakama had mentioned his "girlfriend," a thought that had been driving her slightly mad.

"I would…" Wakama replied without hesitation.

However, he didn't specify that he would only marry Yuki. After all, there was no rule saying he couldn't marry multiple women.

But his answer made Yuki's head snap up. The tension in her brows eased, and she whispered softly, "I believe you…"

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