While the meeting of the Hokage and the other elite ninjas of Konoha was taking place, Shanks was led to the Uchiha clan compound by Mikoto. She guided him through the quiet, stone-paved paths until they reached her house — a traditional Uchiha residence surrounded by the stillness of well-tended gardens.
Inside, Shanks was introduced to Mikoto's parents and her grandfather. The old man, seated on a tatami mat with his hands resting on his cane, studied Shanks for a long moment before speaking.
"I am quite pleased that you were able to fulfill your promise," he said, his voice carrying the calm authority of age. "One month ago, you swore that you would come to Konoha to ask for my granddaughter's hand in marriage. And today, you have kept your word. That is very good of you."
Shanks listened silently, then nodded with a faint smile. "This is how it should be," he replied. "If not for the things that had held me back, Mikoto and I would have been married long ago. The moment I've been waiting for has finally arrived."
Turning toward Mikoto's parents, Shanks bowed slightly and said, "With all of your blessings, I would like to marry Mikoto."
For a moment, the room fell quiet — the soft rustle of the garden leaves outside the only sound. It feels right, Shanks thought, as if everything I've walked through until now has led me to this moment.
After hearing Shanks's words, Mikoto's parents exchanged a glance — the kind of look that held both relief and quiet pride. They were genuinely pleased and happy with him now.
In truth, when they had first learned that their daughter had fallen in love with someone other than the future Uchiha clan head — Uchiha Fugaku, who now held that very position — they had been quite displeased. The idea that their daughter would turn away from such a match had seemed reckless, even rebellious. But Mikoto's determination had been unshakable. She had stood before them, eyes unwavering, and declared that she would only marry Shanks Uzumaki — no one else.
Her conviction left them with little choice but to respect her decision. That girl… once she decides something, no one can move her, her father had thought even then. And in time, their resistance softened. As they heard tale after tale of Shanks Uzumaki's feats — his strength, his wisdom, his influence — they found themselves not just accepting him, but admiring him. The man their daughter had chosen was no ordinary shinobi.
The atmosphere in the room grew lighter as they continued to talk. Tea was poured, polite laughter was exchanged, and discussions of the wedding soon followed. As for gifts and offerings — those were brushed aside with mutual understanding. Both families were powerful and wealthy in their own right; material exchanges mattered little compared to the bond being formed.
After a while, Shanks straightened in his seat and said, "It would be best if we are married here in Konoha. After the ceremony, I'll take Mikoto with me to the Uzumaki clan — to our village." His tone carried quiet certainty. "If I'm by her side, I can keep her safe. But I don't trust the others in the Uchiha clan that much."
The words hung in the air. Mikoto's father's expression hardened for a moment, while her mother's hand froze halfway to her teacup.
After hearing Shanks's words, no one in the room raised an objection. In fact, they silently agreed. Everyone present knew that in Konoha, not only did the village higher-ups disapprove of Shanks marrying Mikoto, but many within the Uchiha clan itself were openly against it. The weight of politics and clan pride hung over the matter like an invisible storm cloud. That was why Shanks's words — blunt as they were — felt entirely reasonable to them.
Just then, a sharp knock echoed from the front door. The sound broke the calm atmosphere, drawing everyone's attention. Mikoto stood up and went to open it. Standing outside was Yashiro, one of the Uchiha clansmen, his expression tense and formal.
"The clan head has returned," Yashiro announced quickly. "He has convened a meeting — a clan meeting — and has requested your presence, as well as that of the Uzumaki clan members."
Mikoto's eyes narrowed slightly in surprise, but she nodded. "Understood," she said softly. "I'll inform the others right away."
She turned and hurried back inside, her steps echoing faintly on the wooden floor. "Grandfather, Father," she said, her tone composed yet urgent. "Clan Head Fugaku has called for a meeting and requested our presence. We should go immediately."
Her grandfather gave a single nod. "So it begins," he murmured, rising slowly to his feet. With a calm dignity, he gestured for the Uzumaki guests to follow. Together, they stepped out of the house and began making their way toward the Uchiha meeting hall.
When they arrived, the large wooden doors of the hall stood open, revealing rows of seated Uchiha members. The moment Shanks entered, accompanied by Guy, Benimaru, and Mereoleona, the air grew heavy. Countless eyes turned toward them — sharp, cold, and filled with hostility. Malicious whispers stirred like a faint hiss across the room.
Shanks ignored them completely. His posture was relaxed, yet there was an unmistakable aura around him — the kind that made even seasoned shinobi hesitate to meet his gaze. Mikoto's grandfather led them to their seats. The Uzumaki clan head was given a place of honour equal to that of Uchiha Fugaku himself — a rare acknowledgment of his status and power.
As the guests settled, the murmur in the hall faded. The tension was palpable, almost audible, like the moment before a storm breaks. Then, finally, Uchiha Fugaku — expression calm but eyes sharp as blades — rose from his seat and began to speak.
"Today," Fugaku began, his deep voice cutting through the murmuring crowd, "I welcome the Uzumaki clan head, Shanks Uzumaki, to be present here among us."
His gaze swept across the room, firm and composed, commanding silence. "Most of you already know why the head of the Uzumaki clan is here. However, before any of you speak your minds, I will recount what has transpired so far—so that no one may speak out of ignorance."
The Uchiha gathered in the hall leaned forward slightly, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and wariness. The faint rustle of robes and the crackle of burning oil lamps filled the brief silence before Fugaku continued.
"First," he said, "Shanks Uzumaki has come to Konoha to finalize his marriage with Mikoto." His tone remained neutral, though a faint tension flickered in his eyes. "Secondly, as many of you may have already heard, after his arrival today, certain… incidents occurred. Shanks directly clashed with the Hokage himself—an exchange that caused considerable destruction to the Hokage Building and the surrounding compound. Furthermore, his companions—his clan brothers and sisters—eliminated several ninjas of the Root and Anbu divisions."
A heavy silence followed, thick and suffocating. The flickering lantern light seemed to dim, casting long shadows over the gathered faces. Then, as the weight of those words sank in, the hall erupted into uneasy murmurs.
"He fought the Hokage?" someone whispered harshly.
Another man, older and dressed in the formal garb of an Uchiha elder, stood up abruptly. "Clan Head," he said, his voice tight with alarm, "this is… unacceptable. Even if I personally have no objection to the marriage, such an act will bring us nothing but trouble. If we support this union, the high council of Konoha will surely mark us as traitors or, at the very least, turn their suspicion upon us!"
Several heads nodded in agreement. The air grew restless, voices rising one after another.
"He's right!" someone else called out. "We will be targeted by the village if we allow this! Think of the consequences—of our children!"
And then, from the left side of the hall, another voice rang out, sharper, fueled by pride and old resentment. "How can this marriage even be considered? We are the Uchiha clan! The strongest clan of Konoha! Are we to stoop so low as to give one of our own to the Uzumaki—those who once stood against us in the past?"
The words struck like flint against dry tinder. Angry murmurs and bitter mutters rippled through the hall. Shanks remained silent, seated upright beside Fugaku, his expression calm and unbothered despite the growing hostility. Typical, he thought. The Uchiha pride burns hotter than reason.
Mikoto's hands tightened slightly on her lap, but she said nothing, her eyes locked on Fugaku, waiting to see how her clan head would respond.
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