Barely managing to fool the two girls, Gin pulled up his pants, glanced at the mess in the hot spring, and completely lost any desire to stay there.
That terrifying Bōgang troop had nearly robbed him of his innocence—forcing his Mangekyō Sharingan to awaken after all these years of being motherborn solo.
He tossed a gold brick at the stunned innkeeper as compensation, grabbed the two girls, and fled the Land of Hot Springs.
On the way back to the Uchiha clan compound—
"Hey Hikari, is there something on my face?"
Gin asked while running. Ever since they left the hot springs, she hadn't stopped staring at him, with a look like she wanted to say something but held back.
"Gin, are you hiding something from me?"
The perceptive girl had sensed a strange new energy in Gin. Unable to make sense of it, she finally asked.
"Huh? No way~"
Gin's heart skipped a beat as he instinctively denied it.
Did she find out about the mixed bath incident?
"Then why are my eyes stirring?"
Hikari tilted her little head, clearly confused.
"It hasn't happened in years… the last time was when we awakened our Mangekyō. But this time, it's even stronger."
What???
Do Mangekyō users attract each other now?
Gin raised an eyebrow. Even with his eyes changed, his Mangekyō was still resonating with Hikari's?
"Maybe your body's still growing? You were sealed so long, maybe you're just… catching up!"
Gin's eyes darted as he came up with a very reasonable-sounding excuse. He glanced over her body and feigned surprise:
"Hikari, haven't you noticed you've gotten taller? Your figure's even more—"
"Uruseee!!!"
Before he could finish, a red-faced Hikari landed a shy but furious elbow strike into his ribs.
Crack!
The sound of bone breaking rang clear through the silent forest.
"Uhhh~~~"
Gin clenched his teeth, cold sweat on his brow, and gave her a thumbs-up while trembling.
With his other hand, he channeled some healing chakra into his ribs and mumbled:
"S-see? So full of energy… Hikari-chan will definitely… g-grow tall and healthy~"
Uchiha Chiri, who had been silently watching the two flirt and tease each other, glanced at Hikari's cutting-board body with cold eyes and gave a subtle, mocking smile.
Gin-sama is just too kind.
Then she looked down at her own budding figure and felt deeply reassured.
She had compared herself to Hikari while in the hot spring and realized she hadn't lost—if anything, she was even starting to pull ahead.
She thought of her unreliable mother and suddenly felt grateful.
"Thank you, Mama-chan… maybe you're not completely useless after all."
"Achoo!"
Back home, the purple-haired MILF dropped what she was doing and quickly steadied her ample assets. After regaining balance, she touched her delicate face with a dreamy expression.
"Ara ara~ could it be Gin-san is thinking of me again~?"
The three reached the Uchiha compound before long.
"Halt! Who are you?"
Just as they reached the familiar gates, they were stopped by the guards. Judging by the awkward posture, the guy was new.
"You don't recognize me?"
Gin looked at the rookie with disbelief. There was actually someone in the Uchiha clan who hadn't been tricked by him before?
"Why should I recognize you? Is your grandpa an elder or is the clan leader your uncle?"
This rookie was seriously rude.
Gin was left speechless—not because the guy was wrong, but because he was completely right. He really had no comeback.
"I—"
Gin stammered, which made him look guilty in the rookie's eyes, who puffed up even more.
"This is a special period. Outsiders are forbidden. Say one more word and you're going in the dungeon."
Oh, well in that case, great! The dungeon feels like home. Everyone there is so talented and fun to talk to. Gin totally loved it.
This guard was actually a long-term frontliner who had just returned to the clan.
He had recently received amazing news: his wife—whom he hadn't seen in three years—had just given birth to a big, healthy son. He got so excited, his Sharingan evolved to three tomoe, and he immediately requested a transfer home.
But he was barely back before being put on gate duty.
"We're returning from a mission. Here's our ID."
Gin didn't care about some cliché drama moment. This wasn't a cheap mid-tier novel. He calmly handed over the proof given by Tajima.
"…It's legit. You may enter."
The guard still felt sour, but a job's a job—he had milk money to earn.
"You've worked hard."
Gin held no grudge over being stopped. After all, every clansman now looked like a field of green onions to him.
Speaking of green…
Just as they passed through the gate, Gin turned to the rookie and said:
"Hey bro, that hat's really something~"
"Hehe, my wife made it for me. Isn't it nice?"
The guard's gloomy face instantly brightened into a look of bliss. He adjusted his green hat proudly.
"Ah… your wife must love you very much."
"Haha, of course!"
Waving goodbye, the trio continued deeper into the clan grounds.
But something felt off—the usually bustling marketplace was unusually quiet. Only a few shops were open, no traveling merchants, and way more patrols than normal.
Confused, they made their way to the clan leader's building, where the guards recognized Gin and let them in immediately.
"Strange… why is it so deserted?" Hikari whispered, tugging on Gin's sleeve.
"Probably something happened on the frontlines."
Gin recalled the unfamiliar faces among the patrols. Many of them looked like veterans returning from long postings.
Summoning so many people at once could only mean one thing—war was coming again.
He sighed internally. The fighting had just died down after Senju Butsuma's unexpected death, and now things were escalating once more.
Knock knock knock~
Gin casually knocked on Tajima's office door.
"Come in."
That familiar voice responded, though it sounded tired instead of energetic.
"Uncle, we're back!"
Gin swaggered into the office with the two girls, plopped into a chair like he'd just survived a battlefield, and moaned:
"This mission was brutal. You almost lost your favorite nephew!"
"Really?"
Tajima didn't even look up. He knew Gin too well. This kid could turn a chicken hunt into a dragon-slaying tale.
"Tch… can't you have a little faith?"
Gin looked hurt. This really was a dangerous mission! If he told the full story, he'd be applying for early retirement.
"You get her out safely?"
Tajima finally finished his paperwork and looked up. His pale face and bloodshot eyes showed he hadn't rested well in days.
Without the cloak Gin gave him, he wouldn't even be able to sleep.
"All safe."
Gin pulled out two scrolls and tossed them over.
"What are these?"
"Mission report and reward. Take a look."
One was the edited mission report. The other—sealed—contained the Amber Purifying Bottle taken from Kin and Gin.
"Hmm… you ran into Tobirama? How'd you get out of that?"
Tajima raised an eyebrow at the mention of Tobirama. That kid was strong, crafty, and had given both Madara and Izuna a hard time.
Even as enemies, Tajima had to admit Tobirama was a rare genius.
"Heh, lucky break. We caught a Uzumaki scout helping them. Seemed like a big deal, so Tobirama backed off."
He left out the Mito details, only reporting that the prisoner was an important Uzumaki.
"Well done. Calm under pressure. Just like your father."
Tajima nodded in praise after finishing the report.
My boy… you've grown strong.
"Hehe, it was nothing~"
Gin smiled, happy to receive the praise he rightfully earned.
"You can keep this."
Tajima tossed the reward scroll back to him.
"Eh? But this is a legendary artifact, used by the Sage of Six Paths!"
Gin sat up straight, surprised.
"You don't want to study it?"
"Nothing worth studying. I've handled plenty of Sage clan toys before. Flashy, but impractical."
Tajima waved it off.
"…Wait, uncle, you were close with the Sage clan leader's wife or something? Wasn't she called the Iron Fan Princess or whatever?"
(End of Chapter)
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