After Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were resurrected and became Naruto's friends in succession, Hashirama took it upon himself to explain the current world situation to his old rival.
When Madara finished listening, he stood silently and walked toward the ranch's exit.
Hashirama caught up. "Madara, where are you going? The world is finally at peace. Don't cause trouble."
Madara turned back, meeting his gaze with a wry smile. "Do you think there's anything I could do with Naruto around?"
He gestured at the pastoral landscape. "I just want to see this world for myself."
"Then I'm coming too." Hashirama fell into step beside him.
Madara initially intended to refuse, but after a moment's consideration, he simply allowed Hashirama to follow.
With Hashirama and Madara successfully resurrected with no apparent side effects, Naruto and the others felt profound relief.
Nagato couldn't wait to resurrect Yahiko. He'd already planned everything—after revival, he'd take Yahiko to Konan's explosive tag factory and surprise her.
Yahiko's resurrection proceeded smoothly.
After talking with Nagato briefly, Naruto also became friends with Senior Brother Yahiko through the usual process.
Sasuke remained conflicted about resurrecting Itachi.
Naruto offered a suggestion: resurrect the Uchiha clan members first. If they chose to forgive Itachi, Sasuke's worries would resolve themselves.
Sasuke said he'd think about it.
Looking at the sky, Naruto felt the urge to resurrect his parents immediately. But after consideration, he decided to visit the Hyūga household first. He'd resurrect his parents tomorrow.
The system had told him that if he waited until stepping into eternity before resurrecting them, his parents could gain a foundation for eternal life. If resurrected now, Naruto would need to work much harder later to achieve the same result.
If I work harder, I work harder, Naruto decided. I miss them too much.
He didn't know how long reaching eternity would take. Besides, he was sixteen now—the age specified in his marriage contract with Hinata.
A wedding without parents present would be too sad.
With this resolve, Naruto traveled to the Hyūga residence in Kishimoto City. When guards notified Hinata of his arrival, she immediately ran out to greet him.
"Naruto-kun! You're finally here!" Her face glowed with happiness.
Naruto observed her fitted training clothes, noting how the now-grown Hinata had matured considerably. He smiled warmly.
"Hinata, let's get married."
"Ah!" Hinata's hands flew to her mouth. Her eyes widened, tears immediately welling in her large lavender eyes before spilling down her cheeks.
Naruto stepped forward, cupping her face gently with both hands. His thumbs brushed away her tears. "Hinata, I asked you to marry me. Why are you crying? Are you unhappy?"
"I'm... I'm just so happy..." Her voice broke around the words.
Naruto's expression turned mischievous. "Wait here a moment. I'm going to tell your father right now."
"Mm." Hinata nodded obediently, still crying happy tears.
Naruto turned and went to find Hiashi.
Hinata watched his retreating back, infinite sweetness rising in her heart. This day is finally coming.
After meeting Hiashi, the clan head brought Naruto to the tea room. He prepared tea himself, then spoke in an elder's tone. "Didn't you come to see Hinata? Is she not home?"
"I just met Hinata," Naruto replied with a smile. "I came to see you, Uncle."
"Oh? Looking for me?" Hiashi's hand paused while pouring tea. He teased, "Eight out of ten times you visit, it's for Hinata. No wonder I misunderstood. Tell me, what brings you to me specifically?"
"Uncle, I'm sixteen years old." Naruto's voice turned serious.
"Ah, so Naruto is sixteen already. Time flies so fast. One moment I'm not paying attention, and the entire shinobi world is unified." Hiashi sighed dramatically. "We're getting old."
Naruto's eye twitched. He tried again. "Uncle, don't be sentimental. I mean, I'm sixteen years old now."
Hiashi looked at Naruto with confusion. After a long moment, understanding dawned. He slapped his forehead. "I understand! Sixteen, an adult. I did say back then that when you and Hinata were both adults, you could marry."
His face showed subtle loneliness—the expression of a father about to lose his precious daughter.
Though he'd always said Naruto was excellent and Hinata marrying him was ideal, facing the reality created complicated feelings.
"Then tomorrow I'll have my parents come to formally propose marriage," Naruto said.
"Fine!" Hiashi replied, somewhat distracted.
Seeing agreement, Naruto immediately stood and excused himself.
Hiashi remained kneeling on the tatami. Suddenly, he froze.
Just now... Naruto said he'd ask his parents to come propose marriage?
But Minato and Kushina are dead. How could they... unless...
Terrible realization struck. Is Naruto planning to send me to meet Minato and Kushina? In the afterlife?!
Terror gripped him. Yes, the entire shinobi world had become Naruto's friends. Only he, relying on being Hinata's father and Naruto's future father-in-law, had avoided becoming Naruto's friend through the usual process.
Is this revenge?
"Guards!" Hiashi shot to his feet in panic. "Call Naruto back immediately!"
The guard assumed something catastrophic had happened and sprinted to intercept Naruto before he could leave the compound.
After leaving the tea room, Naruto found Hinata sitting on a stone bench beside the garden's flower beds.
"Naruto-kun, did you speak with Father?" Her face flushed crimson as she asked. Then, realizing how eager she sounded, her blush deepened further.
Naruto sat beside her. "I told your uncle that tomorrow I'll bring my parents to formally propose marriage. It'll be more ceremonial that way."
"Mm." Hinata nodded. Then her eyes widened with sudden realization. "But... isn't the Fourth Hokage already..."
"We've solved the drawbacks of the resurrection technique," Naruto explained, telling her about Hashirama and Madara's revival.
"That's wonderful!" Hinata's happiness for him shone through.
"Hinata, we're getting married." Naruto's gaze turned serious, his voice sincere. "I've thought about this day for so long. I visited another world once—a parallel version of ours. In that world, there was another me and another you. They married and had a son and daughter. The son was a bit naughty and rebellious, but that family feeling seemed... very good. Warm."
Listening to his description, Hinata lowered her head and whispered, "Then... I'll give Naruto-kun a son and a daughter too."
Naruto smiled at her tenderly. Then his expression blackened as two heads suddenly appeared between them.
"I want to give Naruto-niisan three children!" Hanabi declared indignantly.
"Then I'll give Naruto-niisan four! Hehehe..." Five-year-old Hiyori mimicked Hanabi's tone.
"Hanabi, Hiyori, stop causing trouble," Naruto said with mock sternness.
"I'm not causing trouble! Why can Sister give birth to Naruto-niisan's children but I can't?" Hanabi spun and stormed away angrily.
Learning her sister was marrying Naruto-niisan created an indescribable feeling in Hanabi's chest. She liked Naruto-niisan very much too...
"Sister, wait for me!" Five-year-old Hiyori chased after Hanabi on short legs.
"Well..." Naruto looked at Hinata apologetically. "Hanabi's young, and Hiyori's just imitating her. Don't take it seriously."
At that moment, the guard arrived panting. "Naruto-sama, the Clan Head requests your presence..."
He'd thought Naruto had already left, but learned from other guards that Naruto-sama remained on the grounds. After searching, he'd finally found him.
"Uncle wants me? We just met." Confused, Naruto returned to the tea room.
"Uncle, I'm here." Naruto smiled.
"Naruto." Hiashi's expression was complex. He looked at Naruto's smiling face. Finally, his survival instinct defeated his internal struggle. He took a deep breath.
"Naruto, you've always wanted to be my friend. Today, I'll fulfill your wish."
The words emerged with the courage of someone facing execution.
"Really?" Naruto asked, genuinely surprised and delighted.
"Really." Hiashi didn't want to meet Namikaze Minato and Kushina in the afterlife. He wanted to live longer. Maybe even have another son.
Next, Naruto and Hiashi became good friends in the practice room.
Afterward, Hiashi lay on the practice room floor, face bruised and swollen. Naruto enthusiastically helped him up, assuring him that despite everything, he'd still regard Hiashi as his beloved father-in-law.
A forced smile stretched across Hiashi's swollen features.
"Naruto, tomorrow... will you still have your parents come to propose marriage?" Hiashi asked what concerned him most.
"Of course, Uncle. Tomorrow my parents will come to the Hyūga clan for the formal proposal." Naruto walked toward the door, turning to smile at Hiashi.
The Hyūga clan head staggered.
"Oh, Hinata's here. I'll head back and prepare. See you tomorrow!" Naruto passed Hinata at the entrance and left with a bright smile.
When Hinata entered the practice room and saw her father's condition, joy filled her. Naruto-kun's dream finally came true!
Minato and Kushina were resurrected through the Outer Path technique.
When the couple saw their tall, handsome son, overwhelming emotion seized them. They pulled him into their arms, holding tight. Afterward, they listened as Naruto recounted everything that had happened over the years.
"As expected of my amazing son!" Kushina said proudly after hearing the full story.
"Naruto, you've surpassed me," Minato added with obvious relief and pride.
"By the way, son," Kushina's eyes suddenly gleamed, "I told you to beat Sarutobi Hiruzen to death. Did you do it?"
"Mom, I hammered him completely," Naruto confirmed.
"Good, good... that's exactly right." Kushina hugged Naruto with fierce satisfaction.
Minato watched his wife and son with fond exasperation.
"Dad, Mom, let's go to the Hyūga household to propose marriage now," Naruto said.
"I can't believe my son is getting married already. It happened so fast." Kushina's voice carried wistfulness, though happiness for Naruto dominated. She'd never gotten to care for him during childhood. When her son gave her grandchildren, she'd lavish all that saved-up affection on them.
The family of three immediately departed for the Hyūga residence.
Hiashi was taking a garden walk when a clan member approached, bowing. "Clan Head, the Fourth Hokage Minato-sama and his wife Kushina-sama have come to visit."
"What did you say?" Shock colored Hiashi's voice.
"Lord Hiashi, long time no see." Minato's voice carried across the garden. Hiashi looked up to see Minato, Kushina, and Naruto approaching.
Oh no. Immediate regret seized him. He'd misunderstood yesterday's conversation entirely. Naruto had meant it literally—his actual parents would come to propose.
Idiot! I worried for nothing!
"Lord Hiashi, what happened to your face?" Kushina asked with obvious concern.
Embarrassment flooded Hiashi. He coughed lightly. "I fell yesterday. Fourth Hokage, you raised an exceptional son."
"He really is!" Kushina looked at Naruto with undisguised pride.
"Lord Hiashi, I assume you know we're here today to propose marriage for Naruto," Minato said formally.
Three Days Later
Kishimoto City
This day marked the wedding of Uzumaki Naruto, Shadow Emperor of the Ninja Confederation, and Hyūga Hinata, eldest daughter of the Hyūga clan.
As Shadow Emperor, Naruto's wedding drew every ninja in the world. The entire population of Kishimoto City swelled until streets overflowed with guests.
Yet despite the massive crowds, no friction occurred. Everyone present was Naruto's friend, gathered to offer blessings.
This became the largest wedding in shinobi world history.
Every Kage from every village in the Confederation attended to offer congratulations to the couple.
The ceremony proceeded with flawless organization.
Precious gifts arrived in endless succession. Ichiraku Ramen fulfilled its long-standing promise, presenting Naruto with a lifetime free meal coupon valid at any Ichiraku location.
With so many guests, entertaining everyone extended past sunset. Even at night, brilliant lights illuminated the celebration. Laughter and blessings echoed everywhere. The entire city transformed into a festival of joy.
Terumi Mei watched the couple on stage, then turned away to lean against a railing overlooking the sea.
"Are you envious, Mizukage-sama?" a voice asked from behind.
She turned to see Ao. Said nothing.
"It truly is an unprecedented wedding," Ao observed. "Mizukage-sama, if you wished it, I believe Naruto-sama would hold an equally grand ceremony for you."
"You don't understand, Ao." She turned back to rejoin the celebration.
Finally, after completing every ceremony and tradition, Naruto approached the bridal chamber. He pushed open the door.
His bride waited inside.
Hyūga Hinata sat on the edge of the bed, resplendent in her wedding attire.
"Hinata-chan." Naruto crossed to her side, voice soft.
"Naruto-kun." She raised her head, lavender eyes reflecting only him.
"Then we..." Naruto leaned down, whispering in her ear.
"Mm." Hinata lowered her head, blushing, and replied in a tiny voice.
Naruto drew the curtains closed.
END