---
"Who is that?" They turned around and saw a young red-haired woman flanked by three people in jonin vests, a teenage boy, and a young red-haired girl at her side.
At the sight of the red hair, Yuta's grandfather had been ready to scold whoever interrupted him mid-sentence, but something about that hair made him pause. He recognized it. The person standing before him was using a transformation jutsu, but there was no mistaking it. She was an Uzumaki, and the only elder Uzumaki in the village was the wife of the First Hokage. He had no choice but to bow.
"Greetings, ma'am. Please pardon me for not greeting you more properly. My condition does not allow it," the old man said, dipping into a low bow. Beside him, both Mayeri and Hakeru dropped to their knees without hesitation. If their father was bowing at his age to this young woman, she was no ordinary person.
"Please, get up. We were inside eating when the noise out here became too much to ignore. That is why we came out," the lady said.
"Please do not be troubled. We will discipline the children," the old man said quickly. He had seen this woman on the battlefield before and had no intention of letting Yuta end up on her bad side.
"There is no need for that. They are just children doing what children do. But please, can you tell me if that boy over there is your grandson?" the red-haired woman asked.
"Yes, that black-haired troublemaker is my mischievous grandson, ma'am," Yuta's grandfather said. He was sweating so visibly that his two sons had never seen such an expression on their father's face before.
"Grandma, that's the boy who said Grandpa was in love with Madara!" the young boy blurted out.
Oh no.
That was the only thought running through the minds of every Uchiha present.
The red-haired lady simply laughed and ruffled the boy's head.
"You see, Nawaki, what that boy said about your grandfather is actually true," she said.
"What!" Every mouth at the scene fell open.
"Hashirama and Madara from the Uchiha, just as the boy described, were the closest of friends. So close, in fact, that if Madara had been a woman, your foolish grandfather would have married her."
"Grandma, please don't joke about something like that," a blonde girl with a broad build said.
"Tsunade, you should learn to accept the truth about your grandfather every now and then."
The girl could only pout.
"Now then, let us all introduce ourselves."
"I am Jiraiya, the Toad Sage. Greetings."
"I am Orochimaru. Nice to meet you."
"I am Tsunade Senju. Nice to meet you," she said in a cool tone.
"I am Nawaki Senju. Nice to meet you!"
"I am Kushina Uzumaki. Nice to meet you."
Everyone exchanged greetings.
"Mr. Mayeri, do you think your son could win a fight against a genin-ranked shinobi?" Jiraiya asked, glancing toward Yuta since the boy looked more like his father.
"Honestly, I don't think he could, but he will be fine," Mayeri said plainly.
Combat assessment was not his area. That fell to Hakeru, who had been Yuta's instructor in swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat.
"I think you should reconsider that opinion. Am I right, Mr. Hakeru?" Orochimaru said, turning his gaze toward Hakeru.
Perhaps it was some instinct of his, but Orochimaru had already noticed that Hakeru did not seem worried about Yuta at all.
Hakeru gave Orochimaru a cold look but knew he had to respond, especially with his father present.
"The outcome depends on Yuta's mood," he said.
His answer confused the younger ones. Even Tsunade looked irritated by such a vague reply. But Orochimaru and Grandma Mito both understood exactly what Hakeru meant.
Jiraiya leaned close to Orochimaru's ear and whispered, "What does that mean?"
Orochimaru pushed Jiraiya away, clearly uncomfortable with how close he had gotten.
"It means the boy can beat the Hyuga, but how long the fight lasts is entirely up to him."
---
"What are the terms if I agree to fight you? Or are you expecting me to face a senior like you empty-handed with nothing on the line?" Yuta said.
The Hyuga boy was caught off guard but quickly composed himself after a few of the older clan members nearby called out to him.
"The winner gets to demand anything from the loser," the boy said with a smirk.
"And what exactly are you demanding?" Yuta asked.
"You will renounce your name as an Uchiha and become my servant," the Hyuga boy said.
His companions laughed from the side.
"I'll pass," Yuta said.
He turned his back and began walking away.
The Hyuga boys started taunting him, throwing insults one after another. But then one of the older members standing among the crowd spoke up.
"Son of a bitch. Don't worry, I'll marry your sister and brand her with the curse mark."
"Hehehe."
Yuta stopped dead in his tracks. He turned his head slowly toward the direction the voice had come from.
"Say that again. I dare you," Yuta said.
"So you came back," the Hyuga boy said.
"I accept your challenge. Let's do this," Yuta said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
---
When the Hyuga clan member called Yuta that name, if the Senju had not been present, the man would not have walked away unharmed.
"That boy has no manners," Jiraiya said. The words had been far too harsh to throw at a child.
"Hakeru, Mayeri, go and make sure Yuta does not go too far," the grandfather said. The two brothers moved without hesitation, vanishing with a body flicker.
"Can you tell me why you felt the need to send both of them?" Grandma Mito asked.
"Well, you see, Yuta's mother passed away the night he was born. He never had a mother's love growing up. The only female presence in his life has been his older sister. Their relationship is complicated, but that boy will not stand for anyone speaking ill of her. Not for a single second," Yuta's grandfather said.