Mikan?
Upon hearing this name, the first thing that flashed through Kamizuki Hikari's mind was the image of a younger sister belonging to some intergalactic harem protagonist.
That extreme?!
Ah, the shinobi world—never a dull moment.
Then, Hikari remembered someone else—a person who left a deep impression on him.
Mikan, the head nurse of Konoha Hospital.
At thirty years old, while her looks couldn't compare to Tsunade's, she was still one of the most attractive women in the hospital. Unlike the younger girls, Mikan carried the charm of a mature woman mixed with a hint of youthful stubbornness—making her quite the catch.
However, Hikari and Mikan had never gotten along.
Back when he was training at Konoha Hospital, they had been at odds from the start.
Mikan strongly disapproved of Hikari's habit of flirting with the young nurses. She even reported him to the Third Hokage several times. But since Hikari never went beyond playful banter—rarely even holding hands—the old man eventually stopped paying attention to her complaints.
Over time, their mutual dislike became a well-established fact.
[No way, I absolutely can't let Mikan be the one. If she marries Izumo, then I won't be able to flirt with the nurses at the hospital as freely anymore!]
[I have to find a way to refuse. Can't let Tsunade win this one.]
Money wasn't the issue—this was about his brother's marriage, after all, and Kamizuki Hikari wasn't stingy when it came to family.
But Mikan was tied to his future happiness, so there was no way he could agree.
"I think we should just buy a couple of beautiful women from the Daimyō's court. Mikan works so hard at the hospital, and she's always dedicated to the Senju clan. With that level of loyalty, how could we possibly force her?"
'Heh. You little brat, did you really think I couldn't handle you?'
Upon realizing that Hikari and Mikan didn't get along, Tsunade almost wanted to throw her head back and laugh.
Today was a great day—everything was going her way!
'Kamizuki Hikari! You think you can play mind games with me? You're still too young!'
"No. Outsiders could be spies. That'd be putting your brother's life at risk. As the Fifth Hokage, I can't just stand by and let my subordinates walk into danger." Tsunade flatly rejected his suggestion.
As for the issue of buying people, she didn't even mention it.
In this world, human lives had a price. Parents selling their children was, to Tsunade, just the natural order of things.
This was, after all, a feudal society.
Otherwise, how did you think those beautiful young girls ended up in the Daimyō's court?
[I don't believe a word you're saying, you big-chested liar!]
[Who do you think I am? If someone has chakra, I can tell at a glance. A spy hiding under my nose? Dream on!]
'Heh.'
'This kid is delusional.'
'If you were really that sharp, why are there still spies from other villages in Konoha?'
While Tsunade didn't doubt Kamizuki Hikari's strength, she had zero faith in his so-called ability to identify spies with a single glance.
Konoha had Hyūga guards, and yet spies still managed to sneak in. That alone proved how cunning they were.
Hikari's boast was just that—a boast.
Thinking about his abilities, Tsunade recalled how he had gripped her wrist earlier, cutting off her chakra. Instinctively, she tightened her hold on his arm.
"Be honest. How did you stop me from hitting you earlier?"
[Quit squeezing my arm like that—I'll scream for help!]
[This is unbearable!]
Tsunade noticed something interesting—whenever she got physically closer to Hikari, she could hear more of his thoughts. This led her to a realization:
To hear his inner voice, she needed either direct contact or to cause a strong emotional reaction in him.
After all, the human brain was constantly generating thoughts every second. If she could hear all of them, she would have lost her mind by now.
But if she could only hear his strongest, most emotionally charged thoughts, that made perfect sense.
[I need to bluff my way out of this!]
[There's no way I'm telling her that I disrupted her neural signals with my chakra so she couldn't even access her own? Like she'd believe that!]
"Well, you see, Tsunade-sama, I think there's a very scientific explanation for it. I suspect that, in that moment, you subconsciously fell in love with me. So, when I grabbed your wrist, your body produced a special female hormone, making you instinctively obedient in my presence."
Tsunade: ???
'Listen to this nonsense. If I weren't a medical-nin, I might have actually fallen for this load of crap!'
'What do you mean I subconsciously fell in love with you?!'
'Have some shame, will you?!'
'Do you want me to beat you up?'
After a moment's consideration, Tsunade decided that as the Fifth Hokage, she should be magnanimous.
'...And also because I still don't understand how he blocked my chakra. If I try to fight him and end up losing instead, that'd be awkward.'
For her own safety, she decided to let it slide.
"Forget it. I'll just discuss the marriage with Mikan directly. She's getting too old to stay unmarried—it's unacceptable."
[Tsk, tsk. And you have the nerve to talk about others.]
[Look at yourself! How old are you now? Still single! Are you planning to die alone?!]
Tsunade selectively ignored Hikari's thoughts, but she made a mental note of them.
'Year X, Month XX, Day X, Hour XX. Location: XX. Kamizuki Hikari insulted me.'
'This grudge will not be forgotten!'
"I think Izumo really isn't a match for Mikan. If you're worried about spies among the women from the Daimyō's court, I'll return to Konoha and find a nice, unmarried kunoichi in her twenties. I'll put up a marriage mission—someone will come forward."
[I refuse to believe that, with my abilities, I can't find a wife for my brother!]
[Mikan is better left to someone else!]
[Izumo, don't worry. With my financial resources, I won't let you marry someone subpar. The responsibility of continuing the Kamizuki bloodline falls on you!]
[As for me, I'm still young. The world is vast—I have a lot more fun to experience!]
Tsunade smirked, thoroughly pleased.
Watching Hikari's puzzled expression, she felt a surge of victory.
You little brat, I've already heard everything.
You think you can control your brother's life?
Mikan will be your sister-in-law. That's a decree from the Fifth Hokage—who dares oppose it?
As for the dowry? You're definitely paying for it.
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