---
In the Senju Clan's territory, inside the wedding chamber, Senju Takuya approached Ayame, who wore traditional red makeup, walking toward her slowly.
"Ayame..."
Ayame glanced at Takuya before lowering her head in nervousness.
"Ayame, from this day forward, you'll be the wife of the Hokage. It's time you called me 'husband,'" Takuya reminded her with a gentle smile.
"..."
Ayame was stunned by his words.
Is she really the wife of the Hokage?
Even though she had experienced every moment leading to this, the drastic shift in her identity made her feel as if she were dreaming.
"It's getting late," Takuya said softly, gazing at the young and lively Ayame.
"I... I'll help you to bed now," Ayame stammered as she rose and prepared to help undress Takuya.
"No need to trouble yourself. We can help each other," Takuya said calmly.
His words seemed to carry a calming power. Upon hearing them, Ayame felt her nervousness slowly fade away.
Soon, they lay together on the large wedding bed.
Ding!
[Married Ayame, received reward: Divine Tree R&D Technology!]
Ding!
[Shared intimacy with Ayame, received reward: Constitution +0.5!]
System notifications flashed in Takuya's mind.
Divine Tree R&D technology?!
Hearing this reward, Takuya became excited, quickly scanning the new information in his mind.
A smile crept across his face.
Divine Tree R&D technology... Just as the name suggested, it was the technology to create a Divine Tree. The tree could absorb planetary energy and convert it into Chakra fruit. Consuming this fruit would grant immense power.
The Ōtsutsuki clan used this very technology to steal the life force of planets across the universe. Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself planted a Divine Tree in the ninja world, ate its Chakra fruit, and attained the level of a Bloodline Successor Snare. Such was the power of the Divine Tree!
Even better, the Divine Tree technology rewarded by the system had no drawbacks. Unlike the Ōtsutsuki's version, which required sacrificing an Ōtsutsuki, this tree could autonomously absorb planetary energy and produce Chakra fruit.
"This technology is incredible," Takuya thought, amazed. With it, he could mass-produce Divine Trees. Soon, everyone around him would gain immense power.
Without this technology, even using Orochimaru's methods to distribute abilities like Wood Style or the Rinnegan wouldn't elevate anyone past Kage-level strength. Reaching the Six Paths level required vast amounts of Chakra, which had always been a major hurdle for Takuya.
Now, with Divine Tree R&D, that problem was solved. There were countless planets to harvest energy from—there was no need to worry about supply.
Takuya hadn't expected such a massive reward today. As for the +0.5 constitution boost from his intimacy with Ayame, it barely crossed his mind.
"Husband, is something wrong?" Ayame asked, noticing his change in demeanor and looking at him curiously.
Takuya chuckled, "Ayame, you're truly my lucky star."
He leaned closer to her, and the room fell into darkness once more.
---
At Ichiraku Ramen, Teuchi wiped the sweat from his brow, looking a bit worn out. Ever since Ayame married Senju Takuya, business at his shop had boomed. No matter the time, the shop was always packed.
On the one hand, Teuchi was proud and thrilled to see so many people enjoying his food. But on the other hand, the overwhelming number of customers was exhausting. He worked from dawn until late into the night, barely resting.
"One more miso chashu ramen, please!"
"Coming right up!" Teuchi called back, sighing as he continued making ramen. "Ayame? Ayame?!"
He called her name twice but got no response. "Where has that girl gone?" Teuchi shook his head with a chuckle before getting back to work.
In a private room at Ichiraku, Takuya slurped his ramen while Ayame knelt beside him.
"Husband, you're terrible! You always know how to tease me," Ayame muttered softly.
"Hahahahaha… I told you, you're the best seasoning for ramen," Takuya laughed heartily.
Ayame rolled her eyes but smiled. Receiving such praise from her husband filled her with contentment. She was already thinking about giving him a child soon.
"By the way, husband, am I really going to keep working at the shop?" Ayame asked.
"Of course. You're my wife, and you can do whatever makes you happy. I won't interfere," Takuya replied calmly.
"Hehe, husband, you're too kind," Ayame said with a warm smile. Being treated with respect and love by Takuya made her feel she had made the right choice in marrying him.
"Alright, let's finish eating," Takuya said, smiling.
---
In Konoha, Takuya organized the information about the Divine Tree in his mind before heading straight to Orochimaru's lab. The base had expanded multiple times, becoming a massive underground network of caverns, with an unassuming exterior hiding its complexities.
As Takuya entered the lab, he saw Kimimaro approaching him.
Kimimaro had matured into a strong adult. His once frail body was now well-built, and his sharp eyes exuded power. Takuya could sense that Kimimaro had reached Kage-level strength.
"Lord Hokage," Kimimaro greeted respectfully, bowing. A look of admiration gleamed in his eyes. Without Takuya bringing him to Konoha, he would have likely succumbed to his illness in some dark corner of the world.
"Kimimaro, it's been a while. How have you been under Orochimaru's guidance?" Takuya asked with a smile.
"Lord Hokage, it is my honor to serve. I will do everything in my power to protect this place," Kimimaro said eagerly, his voice filled with gratitude.
"Is Orochimaru in?" Takuya asked.
"Yes, I'll take you to him," Kimimaro replied immediately.
Takuya nodded, following Kimimaro deeper into the base.
"Hokage-sama, Orochimaru-sama rarely leaves the lab now, except to bask in the sun briefly. Recently, he's been facing difficulties in his research," Kimimaro reported as they walked.
Although Takuya hadn't asked, Kimimaro's sense of duty compelled him to provide updates. He saw himself as both a protector and an informant for Takuya.
They continued down the long corridors until they reached the core of the base.
"Stop!" Several masked guards with pale skin appeared, brandishing long knives and barring their path.
"Inform Orochimaru-sama that Hokage-sama is here," Kimimaro said calmly.
One of the masked guards immediately left to deliver the message. Soon after, Orochimaru and Beiruhu arrived, walking side by side.
(A/N: Beiruhu image)
"Lord Hokage." "Takuya-kun," they greeted, bowing respectfully.
"Orochimaru, who are these guards?" Takuya asked, curious why they had stopped him.
"Takuya-kun, these are new androids I've created using Zetsu cells. They are bionic humans, capable of being transplanted with various bloodline limits. But they're still in the prototype phase," Orochimaru explained.
Takuya was intrigued. He hadn't expected Orochimaru to have developed such advanced technology already.
"Thanks to you for sending Beiruhu to me. He may not be the strongest, but he's certainly gifted in research," Orochimaru said with a sly smile.
"Snort!" Beiruhu huffed, clearly displeased.
Takuya raised an eyebrow. "What's going on between you two? It seems like there's a disagreement."
Orochimaru explained, "We've had some disputes over the Chakra generation device we've been working on."
He sighed. "Takuya-kun, creating Chakra out of thin air is proving extremely difficult. We've been stuck for quite some time now."
Takuya recalled asking Orochimaru to develop a device capable of generating Chakra. His plan was to empower those around him with abilities like Wood Style or the Rinnegan. But for anyone to reach the Six Paths level, they would need an immense source of Chakra.
Seeing Takuya deep in thought, Orochimaru continued, "Even with androids absorbing Chakra daily, storage is an issue, and the creation process is complex."
Listening to Orochimaru's detailed explanation, Takuya grew increasingly indifferent. "Well, let's stop this project," he said casually.
With the Divine Tree technology, there was no longer any need to pursue a chakra-generating device.
"Stop?!" Orochimaru and Beiruhu were stunned. They had invested so much in this project, and now Takuya was dismissing it without a second thought. This was hard for them to swallow.
"Lord Hokage, give us more time. We'll overcome these obstacles," Beiruhu pleaded earnestly.
"There's no need," Takuya replied. "I have a better solution now."
---