Master Gen, who was leisurely fishing, heard what Terumi Mei said but couldn't quite process it at first. Still dazed, he asked uncertainly, "What did you just say? Say it again."
Terumi Mei repeated the words, word for word, with clear irritation: "I said, I'm getting married."
"Married? To whom?" Master Gen asked, puzzled. From his impression, Terumi Mei had always been fully devoted to training and had never interacted with any man her age. When had she even started dating? How had she kept it so secret that even he hadn't found out?
Terumi Mei simply replied with two words: "Oub."
Master Gen racked his brain but couldn't recall anyone in the village named Oub. He couldn't help asking, "Oub? Who is he?"
Terumi Mei cast a slightly shy glance toward a distant hut, and her voice grew hesitant: "The person I rescued two days ago."
As soon as these words came out, Master Gen gave Terumi Mei a look like she'd gone mad and coldly said, "Go on, go play somewhere else. Don't disturb my fishing."
"Come on, I'm serious!" Terumi Mei insisted firmly. "We've already decided—we're getting married very soon."
Realizing Terumi Mei wasn't kidding, Master Gen also turned serious. A sense of foreboding crept into his heart as his expression darkened. He asked gravely, "Do you know where he lives?"
Terumi Mei shook her head.
"What about his family? Do you know anything about them?"
Again, Terumi Mei shook her head.
Master Gen let out a bitter laugh: "So in other words, aside from knowing he's named Oub, you actually know nothing about him. You can't even confirm whether this name is genuine. And yet you still dare marry him? Have you lost your mind?"
"You old folks always dig into everything," Terumi Mei shot back. "You wouldn't understand. That's what they call love."
Riding the urge to curse, Master Gen forced himself to stay calm and continued, "Do you at least know if he's a ninja? Although he was injured and we couldn't tell how much chakra he has, I suspect his chakra reserves may even surpass yours."
"That he's stronger than me isn't unusual," Terumi Mei replied without concern. Besides, he hadn't hidden from her the fact that he was a ninja. She answered confidently, "He told me already—he's a medical ninja."
"A medical ninja? Are you certain?" Master Gen frowned. Originally, he'd assumed the man might be a spy sent from another village, but if he really were a medical ninja, the chance of that possibility would become extremely slim. After all, every village lacked skilled healers and cherished them dearly—no one would spare such a valuable asset for undercover missions. Worse, once exposed, medical ninja had almost zero ability to resist or defend themselves.
Terumi Mei snapped impatiently, "Of course I'm sure! He used Medical Ninjutsu on himself—he can walk now. Go check if you don't believe me!"
Seeing how determined Terumi Mei was to marry this man, Master Gen felt a headache coming on. Making one last attempt, he tried reasoning gently, "Sweetheart, you've only known him less than two days total—and one entire day he spent unconscious. Within such a short time, are you really willing to decide the rest of your life based on this?"
"What if, in the future, you meet someone more suitable for you than him?"
"There won't be anyone else," Terumi Mei said, her eyes shining with deep and blissful affection. "Master Gen, I've made up my mind. This life, it's him and no one else."
Game over. She's completely fallen. What magical charm does that Oub possess? After nurturing this girl all these years, everything turned out for nothing. Master Gen unwillingly continued, "Little girl, have you ever thought about this? A young man possessing both strength and good looks, a man who knows how to talk—surely there must be many admirers around him?"
"It's perfectly normal to have admirers," Terumi Mei replied confidently with a smile. "But not every woman deserves him."
Alright, there was nothing more to say. Since the girl had already decided, further words were useless.
Master Gen didn't even bother packing away his beloved fishing rod before he prepared to leave.
Terumi Mei asked curiously, "Where are you going?"
Without turning back, Master Gen replied, "Naturally, to see that Oub. You don't need to come. I'll talk to him alone."
With concern, Terumi Mei said, "Please don't give him a hard time."
Looking gloomy, Master Gen walked straight into the room, an obvious contrast from his earlier kind demeanor.
Seeing him enter, Anya greeted with a proactive smile, "Master Gen, hello."
Master Gen remained silent. His gaze pierced through Anya like an eagle's stare, sharply scrutinizing him up and down. He finally spoke after a long silence, "Seems like that girl wasn't lying after all. So you really are a medical ninja. Recovered pretty quick too. Guess I underestimated you."
Anya humbly responded, "Not at all. I should thank you for saving my life in the first place; otherwise, I might not have even had the chance to practice medical ninjutsu."
"Ha." Master Gen scoffed coldly. "That's right. I saved your life, and this is how you repay me?"
Anya asked, puzzled, "Why do you say that?"
Firmly locking his sharp gaze on Anya's eyes, Master Gen countered, "I'm asking you—do you genuinely love that girl?"
Meeting Master Gen's gaze fearlessly, Anya replied, "Of course. Everything I've said comes straight from my heart."
Facing Anya's unwavering and fearless look, Master Gen inwardly sighed. Either he was telling the truth, or he was so deeply calculating as to leave no trace of deception visible. Privately, Master Gen inclined toward the latter, which unsettled and even made him regret rescuing Anya.
After sighing, Master Gen suddenly asked, "Which nation are you a ninja from?"
A faint bitter smile appeared on Anya's face, "Originally, I should've been a ninja from the Land of Water. But now, even I'm not entirely sure anymore."
"Oh? Why would you say that?" Curiosity stirred inside Master Gen.
"I have some difficulties I cannot express easily. Must you really know, Master Gen?" Anya appeared visibly troubled.
The more Anya hesitated, the more determined Master Gen became to uncover the truth. So he strongly insisted, "I must know."
"Fine." Anya seemed to make an extremely difficult decision. Sighing, he continued, "Actually, I had an elder sister. We relied on each other since childhood. However, one day, she suddenly awakened her Kekkei Genkai—a Kekkei Genkai of Ice Release. As for what followed... well, I think you, Master Gen, probably understand. I learned Medical Ninjutsu—so I'd be ready when the time came to use it."
Was that really the truth?
A wave of relief washed over Master Gen, though a hint of guilt lingered in his heart. He fully understood Kiri's stance toward Kekkei Genkai users, which was precisely why he had always kept Terumi Mei close—she bore two Kekkei Genkai. If that ever came to light, the consequences would be catastrophic—he might not even be able to save Terumi.
Master Gen asked cautiously, "May I meet your older sister?"
Anya nodded. "Makes sense. We're getting married, so our families should meet first. Just keep in mind, she's afraid to enter Kiri."
Master Gen responded understandingly, "Then I shall go out alone to meet her. Just tell me where."
"Fine." With that settled, Master Gen turned and left immediately after receiving the address.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>