"Captain Kōji!"
The Senju clansmen quickly helped him up, each one now looking at Gin with fear.
The Uchiha clan's Genjutsu… terrifying as always. Even their powerful Captain Kōji was taken down in a single exchange.
Wait a minute — are the Senju playing victim now too?
"Let me go, I'm fine!"
Struggling to stand, Senju Kōji wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Staring at Gin, who was now deep in thought, he spoke hoarsely:
"I remember you, brat. You were that weakling who used to tag along behind Uchiha Fūka."
How many times was this now? Why does everyone who sees me say I'm a weakling? I don't even have a bowl cut.
"Tell me where Uchiha Fūka is hiding, and I'll let you live."
Having quickly recovered thanks to his Senju physique, Kōji locked his gaze onto Gin, slowly stating his true purpose.
"Sorry, haven't paid Captain Fūka a visit in a while. But if I had to guess, he's probably drinking."
…
Inside the Uchiha Clan Compound
"Achoo!~~"
Fūka, having just downed a cup of sake, sneezed hard. Rubbing his nose, he turned to the person beside him and grumbled,
"Tarō, your sake's getting weaker!"
"Must be that brat Jirō again!"
…
"So Fūka didn't come?"
When he heard from Gin that his long-obsessed target hadn't shown up, Kōji traced the scar on his face and spoke with icy calm,
"Then I'll just send you to him first. Don't worry — Uchiha Fūka will follow you soon."
"I don't even really know him that well. Maybe ask someone else?"
Hearing this Senju speak stirred a memory. Gin finally recalled — this guy was the one who protected Itama during that old purge operation.
Back then, he'd put up a good fight with Captain Fūka but was ultimately defeated. Gin thought Fūka had sent him off to meet the Sage of Six Paths… who knew he'd survived?
"Heh… these six years… do you know how I lived through them? No, you don't!"
Nope, and I don't care either. You're not some blonde, blue-eyed loli.
"Every day I endured the pain of these burns. That searing agony carved itself into my bones — keeping me awake, reminding me every moment…"
"Uchiha Fūka, I want you dead!"
"Achoo!!! Tarō, can you shut the window? It's a bit chilly."
…
Seeing the dark aura rising off Kōji's body, Gin turned his head slightly.
Good thing this guy was a Senju. If he were an Uchiha, he'd probably awaken a Mangekyō (Kaleidoscope) on the spot.
"Got any last words?"
After venting, Kōji lowered his head, staring coldly at Gin.
"Uh, yeah. I was wondering — how are you guys tracking the Hagoromo clan?"
Gin scratched his cheek and asked the question that had been nagging at him.
"That's your final request?"
"Let's say it is. I heard the Senju clan is honest and trustworthy. You wouldn't—"
"Hmph! Since you're dying anyway, I suppose it won't hurt to tell you."
Feeling confident in his numbers, Kōji crossed his arms and explained:
"The reason we've been able to keep up with the Hagoromo clan is thanks to help from the Uzumaki clan."
Gin finally got it. Each Senju purge squad had an Uzumaki sensory-type ninja helping them track the survivors.
Truly… ninja world's best hound dogs.
"Not bad~ So where's your sensory lead now?"
Seeing how proud Kōji was of himself, Gin couldn't help but ask more.
"Captain Kōji, isn't this guy just stalling?"
A sharper Senju clansman leaned over and whispered his suspicion.
"Wait a minute… You little bastard! You dared mock us!"
Finally catching on, Kōji slapped his own shiny head and roared at the innocent-faced Gin.
No no no, we always knew something was off!
The rest of the 18 Senju warriors all stepped back together, separating themselves from their enraged captain.
"Sigh, if only you'd answered earlier. Would've saved yourself some pain."
Seeing that the bluff was over, Gin shook his head in exaggerated disappointment.
"Uchiha scum, DIE!!"
Furious, Kōji attacked. His massive fist swung with devastating force at what appeared to be Gin's frail body.
BOOM!
A loud explosion shook the ground. Dust filled the air. The surrounding Senju rushed forward to see what had happened to the irritating Uchiha.
Then — a scream.
"AAAH! AAAHH!!..." (cue beast-face screech~)
"That Uchiha… didn't die?"
One Senju said in confusion.
"Maybe Captain Kōji held back? He's not been mentally stable these years. Finally catching an Uchiha — venting a bit is understandable."
Another answered with a sigh.
"Wait, why does that scream… sound familiar?"
A veteran clansman who had followed Kōji for years suddenly froze. That scream… wasn't that too wild?
"Oh no! Quick—!"
"Quick what?"
A lazy voice echoed behind them. The Senju instantly clustered up, one of them using Fūton (Wind Release) to blow away the dust cloud.
As it cleared, what they saw made their eyes go bloodshot with rage.
Their supposedly unbeatable Captain Kōji… was dangling in Gin's hand like a limp chick. His eyes were blank, clearly under Genjutsu, and the arm that had punched before now bent at an unnatural angle.
"Yeah, keeping one alive is enough. You guys… not so much."
Looking at Kōji, Gin shrugged casually.
"You may go now~"
He scratched his head and waved dismissively — don't say I didn't give you a chance.
"Everyone together! He's alone!"
One Senju shouted, sword raised. The rest followed — all 18 charged at once.
"Sigh, all you know is fighting. No wonder your clan ends up extinct."
Says the guy from the most cursed clan in history?
Gin didn't bother being polite. You want to die, that's your choice.
He didn't even lift his eyes. Just stomped the ground — and countless tree branches erupted upward like tentacles.
The charging Senju all froze — more shocked than when Kōji was taken down.
"That's… the clan head's technique?!"
Someone shouted in disbelief.
Huh? Hashirama's already clan head? Dear cousin, you better get cracking — next time we meet, at least have a Mangekyō. Without a mech, you're no match for the Buddha.
Before they could react, the branches had already ensnared them, binding all 18 tightly.
"Mmphhh!!"
Screams rose and fell, then faded as the Mokuton tendrils rapidly drained their chakra.
THUD!
Once the 18 life forces disappeared, Gin dispersed the wood. Their dried corpses hit the ground with a heavy thud.
"Tch. Guess it's not that disgusting after all."
Gin wasn't a bloodthirsty guy. Aside from that first kill after transmigrating — Hagiya Josuke — he'd never actively killed anyone. Even in the dungeon, he held back in every spar.
Well… first playthrough deaths don't count~
That version of him is long gone.
"In the end… I've truly become part of this world."
Gin let out a long sigh, bidding farewell to his former self. He was ready now — to face this chaotic world with new resolve.
"Time to wake up."
Channeling chakra, he dispelled the Genjutsu controlling Senju Kōji.
At this point, handling regular ninja didn't even require his Sharingan. Basic illusion techniques were more than enough.
"Where is your leader?"
Gin asked, watching Kōji's blank eyes.
"Lord Tobirama is encamped in the southeastern canyon."
Kōji answered without resistance.
"How many from the Uzumaki clan came?"
"Twenty Uzumaki, led by Lady Mito."
…Huh?
Hearing that name again gave Gin a splitting headache.
He'd thought he wouldn't see her again before Konoha was founded. Yet here it was — the bun-haired menace returned.
Wonder if her samurai dream ever came true?
He remembered that first real crisis after arriving in this world. If it hadn't been for Uzumaki Mito's help back then, he might've died and reincarnated into another world already.
"Well, nothing else I want to know. Go kill yourself."
Gin gave his final order and turned to rejoin the Hagoromo convoy.
Pfft!
With one clean strike to his own neck, Kōji ended his life. In his final moments of lucidity, he looked at Gin's back in disbelief.
How… how had the weakest one from six years ago ended up like this?
As darkness took him, he died full of confusion.
Back in the convoy, the Mokuton clone suddenly slowed down, sensing something. The real Gin took its place, while the clone crumbled into dry bark.
"Gin, you're back?"
Hikari, ever perceptive, noticed right away and asked after observing his subtle change.
"Yeah. Handled."
Gin kept it brief. His mind was elsewhere — fixated on a red-haired figure.
"Are you thinking about a woman?"
Hikari's female sixth sense was tingling. Something was off about Gin.
"Huh? Was it that obvious?"
(End of Chapter)
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