Chapter 16: An Unprecedented Wedding

*Note: I've renamed him Natsuhane to better align with the story."

A week had passed.

Early in the morning, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing his kage hat, stood alone at the entrance of the Uchiha clan compound. In his hand was a red wedding invitation. It was from the Uchiha clan.

Invitation:

I, Uchiha Natsuhane, will hold a wedding banquet at the Uchiha clan grounds. We cordially invite the esteemed Third Hokage to witness our joyous family celebration.

Uchiha Natsuhane, et cetera et cetera.

Hiruzen's feelings were complicated.

Envy, jealousy, resentment... and a hint of resignation.

"I never imagined that after the Uchiha massacre, the biggest beneficiary would be you, Uchiha Natsuhane... A wedding of this scale, you've certainly set a precedent," he muttered.

Soon, the prominent ninja clan representatives of Konoha began to arrive. Despite the Uchiha clan's current diminished state, they were still considered a noble family, and the other clans had to show respect.

The clan leaders' expressions mirrored Hiruzen's—mixed emotions.

Nara Shikaku, head of the Nara clan, remarked, "Women are troublesome. Uchiha Natsuhane must have a lot of patience... Reviving the Uchiha clan this way, the price he's paying is high. I wouldn't do it."

Yamanaka Inoichi, head of the Yamanaka clan, added, "Hokage-sama, is this really alright? My daughter Ino keeps saying she wants to marry Sasuke when she grows up. If Sasuke follows in Natsuhane's footsteps, I can't stand to see her suffer..."

Akimichi Choza, head of the Akimichi clan, complained, "I have no issues with his wedding, but why did my favorite barbecue and dango shops move to the Uchiha compound? The shop owners got married, but did they have to take the shops too?"

Hyuga Hiashi, head of the Hyuga clan, said, "Consider yourself lucky. Recently, I found two branch family girls trying to sneak in for the interview to become Natsuhane's wives. I had to drag them back. It would've been disastrous otherwise!"

Danzo Shimura, head of the Shimura clan and Konoha's advisor, interjected, "Uchiha and Hyuga bloodlines merging? Interesting... I wonder what kind of eyes their children would have."

Hiashi's face darkened, "Danzo-sama, your thoughts are dangerous. I won't let that happen!"

Danzo merely snorted, filing away the idea for future contemplation.

Inuzuka Hana, head of the Inuzuka clan, sighed, "Our clan's genius was already taken by Uchiha Natsuhane..."

Hana herself had been tempted by Natsuhane's charisma, but as a clan leader, she prioritized the clan's honor over personal desire.

Aburame Shibi, head of the Aburame clan, stood silently in the corner, hands in his pockets, wondering why no one had any complaints about his clan.

At this moment, the remaining two members of the Uchiha clan, Natsuhane and Sasuke, walked to the gate.

"Lord Hokage, esteemed clan leaders, welcome to my wedding. Your blessings will undoubtedly give me the strength to persevere tonight," Natsuhane greeted them.

"Uh... yes," Hiruzen and the clan leaders coughed awkwardly. Natsuhane's carefree attitude irked them.

The common thought was, "The Uchiha clan has truly fallen with Natsuhane at its helm."

Only Danzo didn't share this view. He had his own plans, thinking, "Go on, waste away, Natsuhane. When your wives have borne enough children, your end will be near..."

"Once you're gone, these new Uchiha will be mine to mold, creating a new army of Sharingan wielders. With them, I'll become the ultimate ninja and lead Konoha to world dominance," Danzo mused to himself.

As Danzo reveled in his thoughts, the wedding began.

The number of brides was astonishing—an entire street was lined with them!

Guests took nearly an hour just to shake hands and congratulate each bride. Exhausted, the clan leaders remarked:

"Attending this wedding is more tiring than a mission..."

"Let's sit down. I need to talk to Sasuke. I need to ensure he hasn't been corrupted by Natsuhane's influence."

"No, let's leave. We've shown our respect by attending. There's no need to stay longer."

"Shikaku, wait. The feast is about to start. After using so much energy, we should eat first."

"Choza, are you sure? If each bride toasts you, you'll be drinking for hours..."

The leaders, realizing the truth in this, quickly made excuses to leave, including the Third Hokage.

"Natsuhane, I'm busy with village matters. I need to return to my office," Hiruzen said.

"I need to play shogi with my son," another added.

"I forgot to water my daughter's flowers..."

"It's my son's birthday. I promised him a barbecue in the neighboring village..."

"Hinata and Hanabi have a sparring match. I need to oversee it..."

Natsuhane smiled, "I understand. Everyone is busy with village and family duties. Thank you for coming. I'll continue my efforts to revive the Uchiha clan!"

The brides chimed in, "Don't worry, Natsuhane. We'll do our best too~"

With the guests gone, the grand wedding concluded by noon. Natsuhane's grueling yet lawful routine began in earnest.

Half a year passed.

One morning, outside the Konoha Hospital's maternity ward, Natsuhane, Sasuke, and several heavily pregnant women waited anxiously.

Today was a momentous day—the first batch of Natsuhane's children were being born.

As the cries of newborns filled the air, Natsuhane heard a familiar sound in his mind.

Ding! Uchiha clan member +1. Potential rating: B. Reward: Chakra doubled.

Ding! Uchiha clan member +1. Potential rating: C. Reward: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

Ding! Uchiha clan member +1. Potential rating: SS. Special reward: Both eyes evolve to Three Tomoe Sharingan!!!

Natsuhane's smile widened as the system notifications continued. The future of the Uchiha clan looked bright indeed.