Suddenly, a lightning-like realization flashed through Uchiha Tajima's mind—he recalled the kunai Hayato Ren had just thrown at him.
That kunai seemed slightly different from ordinary ones, and it appeared to have some carvings on it.
Could it be... that the ninjutsu Hayato Ren just used was the long-lost Flying Thunder God Technique?
Impossible. How could Hayato Ren, at his age, possibly master such a profound technique like the Flying Thunder God?
As the clan most afflicted by the Flying Thunder God Technique, the Uchiha understood it even more deeply than the Senju clan.
After all, Uchiha Madara's dear younger brother, Uchiha Izuna, had died at the hands of Senju Tobirama's Flying Thunder God.
The more he understood it, the more Uchiha Tajima realized the difficulty of the Flying Thunder God.
It was a Space-Time Ninjutsu. Without innate talent for space-time, an ordinary person could spend their entire life without glimpsing even a fraction of it.
This was precisely why Uchiha Tajima was so astonished.
Hayato Ren, of course, had no idea about the thoughts racing through Uchiha Tajima's mind in that brief moment. He simply said in a calm tone:
"I've won this round, right?"
His demeanor was as casual and relaxed as if he had just stepped out to buy a bottle of cola.
To be honest, if it weren't for considering Mikoto's dignity, Hayato Ren could have had Haunter take down Uchiha Tajima instantly.
As a Pokémon lurking in the shadows, Haunter's ability to secure first-strike kills was nearly perfect.
Even a Quasi-Kage level ninja would have a high probability of falling victim to it.
After all, ninjas were a profession characterized by high offense and low defense.
No matter how much he refused to believe it, Uchiha Tajima lowered his proud head.
"I lost this match. But winning against an old man like me isn't exactly something to be proud of."
It had to be said that Uchiha Tajima's verbal skills were no less impressive than his combat abilities.
Before the fight, he was arrogant and acted like he was second only to heaven itself.
After losing, it became "winning against an old man isn't honorable."
This shameless display made Mikoto, standing nearby, cover her face with her hand in embarrassment.
She didn't even want to admit that such a shameless person was her father.
The corner of Hayato Ren's mouth twitched a few times before he smoothly spun his sword and sheathed it.
"In that case, can you properly listen to what Mikoto has to say?"
Uchiha Tajima instead posed another question.
"Was that technique you just used the Flying Thunder God?"
Hayato Ren nodded calmly. His mastery of the Flying Thunder God wasn't some secret worth hiding.
After all, such a distinctive ninjutsu would be recognized by anyone who saw it once.
Unless he killed everyone who witnessed the Flying Thunder God every time.
But that was obviously highly impractical.
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, Uchiha Tajima couldn't help but feel a sense of wistful amazement upon receiving Hayato Ren's confirmation.
"Why does heaven refuse to favor the Uchiha? All the geniuses come from other clans—it's truly baffling."
The last renowned powerhouse from the Uchiha clan was Uchiha Kagami, who was active during the Third Hokage's era.
Since Uchiha Kagami, the Uchiha clan has declined with each generation.
After lamenting this, Uchiha Tajima turned his gaze to Mikoto and let out a heavy sigh.
"I won't oppose your relationship with Mikoto anymore, but any children you have must carry the Uchiha surname."
Tajima's decision wasn't particularly shocking. Aside from the Hyuga, who excessively emphasize bloodline purity, other major clans in the Shinobi World have intermarried with outsiders. Of course, marriages between sworn enemies like the Uchiha and Senju remain rare.
Hayato Ren possesses sufficient talent and decent strength, plus he has Tsunade as his teacher. He can truly be called promising for the future—he might even run for Hokage someday. Mikoto marrying him wouldn't be beneath her station.
Before Ren could respond to this, Mikoto immediately protested: "Father! You're making assumptions again! Ren and I aren't in that kind of relationship. Besides, he's Kushina's boyfriend—how could I possibly steal another woman's man?"
Hearing this, Tajima curled his lips and retorted irritably: "You claim there's nothing between you two, yet he was willing to challenge me for your sake. And you gave him my treasured sword while warning him during our duel, afraid I might harm even a hair on his head."
Mikoto could only lower her head in embarrassment at these words.
Meanwhile, Ren felt a strange sensation—this old man was actually more agreeable than he'd imagined.
As for whether he desired Mikoto? Of course he did. With Mikoto joining them, their team would literally become a "lifelong" squad. Moreover, Mikoto's attributes—jet-black long hair and Yamato Nadeshiko demeanor—were exceptionally rare in the Shinobi World.
However, due to Kushina's existence, Ren couldn't openly agree. Otherwise, he'd face Kushina's righteous punishment when he got home.
"This matter is settled," Tajima declared. "He's not married to the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki, so what are you afraid of? Even if they were married, you could still join them—Leaf laws don't restrict men to one wife. If you really can't stand him, you can always discuss matters with Fugaku Uchiha."
Ren's eyes immediately lit up at this revelation. He'd always assumed Leaf laws enforced monogamy—he never knew there were no such restrictions. This was... delightfully corrupt!
As a proper ninja of the new era, Ren decided he must thoroughly critique this regulation in the future. He'd reform it so that all ninja except Hayato Ren would be limited to one wife.
"My words stand here," Tajima concluded. "The choice is yours. Remember to come home for dinner tonight—you're too old for these dramatic runaway stunts." He looked at Mikoto with disappointed exasperation.
"That's only because you kept forcing me to marry! Would our family go bankrupt feeding one more mouth?"
Hearing this, Mikoto retorted without holding back.
"Hmph, even with a hundred extra mouths to feed, I wouldn't become poor. But haven't you considered how old you are already? Do you plan to become a leftover woman in the future? I think you and this brat are quite well-matched. Is it too much to ask for you to let me hold my grandchild sooner and enjoy the joys of family life?"
Under Uchiha Tajima's rapid-fire onslaught, Mikoto directly chose to escape.
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