During this rare gathering, aside from Kushina and Mikoto, who were pregnant and abstained from alcohol, every other man was completely drunk. Even Anya was slightly tipsy, leaning against a chair and reeking of alcohol.
Minato, with a flushed face, approached and asked, "Anya, when are you planning to get married?"
Anya snorted, saying, "Me? I've already gotten married."
"When? How come I don't know about this?" Minato looked genuinely surprised.
"You just weren't around," Anya recalled his time in the Mist Village. He proudly added, "My wedding was much grander than yours. The entire Mist Village ninja attended—there must've been at least a hundred banquet tables. Fireworks lit the skies above. Unlike you, such a small gathering like this hardly befits the status of the Hokage."
"Minato, don't listen to this white-haired brat—he's definitely drunk. I've never seen anyone in Konoha having such an extravagant wedding."
Kushina, dressed today in a white wedding gown, exuded graceful ladylike charm. Unfortunately, as soon as she opened her mouth, her true personality showed.
Even Mikoto beside her didn't believe him. She subtly hinted, "Why have I never seen you bring your wife around for us to meet?"
Anya could shrug off Little Pepper, but not Mikoto. Smiling, he replied, "She's just average looking, nowhere near as beautiful as you, Mikoto. That's why I haven't introduced her yet."
Mikoto immediately thought he was lying. She rapped him on the forehead and said, "You're just making things up again."
Anya glanced outside the window and said, "It's getting late. I'll take you home and leave some time for these newlyweds."
Mikoto nodded, saying, "That's fine."
"Kushina, Minato, my best wishes to you both."
"Thank you, Mikoto."
Seeing the two leave, the other men struggled to get up unsteadily and one by one extended their congratulations before staggering off.
On the way, Mikoto kept advising Anya, "See, Minato who's around your age has already gotten married. Why aren't you even a bit concerned? There are many eligible girls among your people. How about..."
"No thanks," Anya declined. "Mikoto, you don't need to worry about this. I already have someone in my heart."
Seeing that nothing she said got through to him, Mikoto sighed helplessly and fell silent.
They arrived at the Uchiha compound where Fugaku waited for Mikoto. Upon seeing Anya, his eyes flickered with a sharp gleam.
Fugaku stepped forward and said, "Mikoto, you go home first. I need to discuss something with Anya."
Mikoto glanced at the two of them and agreed, "Okay."
The two walked along a small path inside the compound until stopping in front of an old, run-down house.
Fugaku spoke first, "Anya, I heard from Shisui that you've already visited here. I assume it was about the stone tablet passed down through generations of the Uchiha clan."
Anya admitted calmly, "That's right."
"Then you should already understand the true legacy of our clan," Fugaku said excitedly. "We and the Senju clan are both descendants of the Sage of Six Paths. Konoha was built together by these two clans. Tell me, do you think Konoha treats the Uchiha clan fairly now?"
"It seems you still bear the bitterness over not becoming Hokage," Anya understood Fugaku's feelings but didn't agree with them. Judging purely from the perspective of the village, Minato was indeed more suitable than him.
Fugaku coldly snorted, "It's not only me who's dissatisfied. Many clan members share this sentiment. Our clan has made countless sacrifices for the village, but what do we get in return? You've been away from the family for so long, so it's normal you wouldn't feel it. Anya, I now sincerely invite you to return to our clan, and I'll officially designate you as the next leader of the Uchiha Clan."
Facing Fugaku's invitation, Anya remained calm. "I suppose you must have thought about this for quite some time before making this decision."
"Yes," Fugaku said confidently. "As long as you come back, I'll give you my fullest support." He was certain Anya would accept.
However, Anya's words dashed his expectations.
"Fugaku, your vision has always been too narrow, confined only within the clan. That's one reason why you've never managed to become Hokage. Of course, the Hokage isn't much different either—their heart only has space for Konoha. But I'm different. My heart is even narrower—it only contains myself. Therefore, I refuse."
"You disappoint me greatly," Fugaku snapped furiously. "You're unworthy of the Uchiha blood in your veins."
"Ahh, you still don't understand," Anya sighed. "Back then, when Madara Uchiha left Konoha, not a single Uchiha followed him. Do you think it was him who abandoned the clan, or the clan that abandoned him?"
"Bloodline, clan leader, Hokage—these are all superficial. Only real power matters," Anya gave his final warning. "Rather than wallowing in complaints, work harder to improve your strength. I've said all I wanted to."
After speaking, Anya didn't care whether Fugaku took his words to heart and vanished with a [Shunshin], leaving behind a furious Fugaku.
Arriving at the entrance of Root, a figure stood there like a piece of wood, almost merging into the darkness.
Anya instantly recognized her. "Yugao, what are you doing here?"
Seeing Anya, Yugao showed dissatisfaction on her face. "Have you been deliberately avoiding me?"
"No," Anya flatly denied, having completely forgotten about it.
Yugao pulled out a scroll and tore it in front of Anya, her tone resolute. "I won't leave Anbu."
"Why? The Third Battle has ended. You can finally hang up the sword and properly enjoy this hard-earned peace."
"If I leave Anbu, I don't know where else to go." Yugao's voice was laced with loneliness and quiet despair. Though she wore a mask, one could imagine her face beneath it was filled with confusion.
Anya let out a bitter chuckle. "How could you not know? Surely such a vast Konoha village can find a place for you?"
"I'm all alone now." Her voice carried a deep sense of solitude.
This loneliness shook Anya's heart. After a moment's silence, he flicked a flame that burned the torn scroll and said, "Alright then. Stay in Anbu. Practice your sword techniques diligently and never slack off. Anbu missions are always dangerous."
Yugao happily replied, "Okay, I will."
"Now, follow me. Let's go to our usual place."
The two arrived at the training field where they first met, and Yugao began demonstrating [Basic Sword Techniques] to Anya.
During the Third Battle, Yugao's strength improved faster than anyone else in the squad, and her sword techniques advanced greatly. Thanks to Anya's guidance, she practically had no bottlenecks. Her only shortcomings were her young age, undeveloped physique, and undeveloped chakra reserves, which made prolonged battles impossible.
After finishing her demonstration, Yugao looked at Anya with expectation.
Anya didn't hesitate to praise her. "Looks like you've been sticking with it. Your training's coming along nicely. Next, I will demonstrate to you my Eight Great Sword Techniques. How much you can learn from them depends on your comprehension."
"Zing…"
The Blade of Indifference slid sharply from its sheath.
Starting with the [Sword Art: Draw Technique], the entire training field was blanketed in blade auras. The dense Sword Light seemed like countless blades cascading from a mountain peak, sharp enough to create air pressure that cracked the ground beneath.
The final move was the [Sword Manipulation Art]. Accompanied by a loud "Boom!", the stone mountain at the front of the training ground instantly exploded, sending earth and rocks flying in all directions. The debris pierced nearby trees, leaving holes of various sizes, showing terrifying destructive power.
After watching the entire display, Yugao released a long breath. Her eyes held nothing but sheer disbelief.
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