Creak—
As the tightly shut door opened, Madara, waiting anxiously outside, felt his heart lurch into his throat. Seeing Uchiha Mizu step out, dressed in a white medical coat and wearing a surgical mask, he carefully asked,
"Mizu-jii, how is Father?"
"Ah... Clan head, I did everything I could. But the old head is aged and the wound struck a vital point. Go see him one last time... and prepare for his funeral."
Letting out a deep sigh, Mizu stepped aside to make way, his tone filled with regret.
"No... no way!"
Even now, Madara couldn't accept that his invincible father had fallen. Stifling his grief, he stepped into the room.
A sharp scent of disinfectant struck his nose. On the room's only bed, "Uchiha Tajima" lay peacefully. The blood had been cleaned from his body, but there was still a faint, metallic scent of blood mixed in the sterile air.
"Cough cough... is that you, Madara?"
The loud footsteps must've stirred the dying "Tajima" from his rest. A weak voice rang out, snapping Madara out of his haze.
"Otō-san, I'm here."
Madara's black eyes brimmed with grief as he rushed to the bedside. The man who had once stood like an unshakable mountain now lay pale and frail. Madara's hands trembled as he reached out, unsure of what to do, hovering helplessly in midair.
"Where's Izuna?"
"He's still on his way. Please hang on, Otō-san. He'll be here soon."
Sensing the rapidly dwindling life force in his father's body, Madara clenched his teeth. His hatred for a certain white-haired Senju was reaching its peak. But just as he was drowning in grief, the man on the bed gasped and rasped,
"Madara... you must understand, my defeat wasn't random."
"Otō-san, don't speak... please."
"No, listen. It all began when I lost the light of my eyes. Otherwise, I would've never been taken down by that brat."
Struggling to sit up, "Tajima" removed his reading glasses, revealing lifeless gray eyes. He fixed a harsh stare on Madara's stunned face.
"Your condition... isn't much better. If this continues, you'll be killed by those Senju brothers too. And when that happens... the Uchiha will vanish from the Land of Fire's history."
"And you'll be remembered as the clan's disgrace."
"Otō-san, I—"
Madara wanted to protest, but the sight of his dying father silenced him. He swallowed his words and listened.
"I'm dying, and I can't accept it."
With trembling hands, "Tajima" gripped Madara's shoulder, forcing out his final plea.
"Madara... I want you to take my eyes. Lead the Uchiha... to stand at the very top of this land."
"Otō-san... you mean...?"
Madara already suspected where this was going, but still asked in shock.
"That's right. Transplant my Mangekyō. Gain eternal vision that will never fade."
His grip tightened on Madara's shoulder, and his voice held no room for argument.
"I—"
Just as Madara tried to refuse, "Tajima" shot him a look that made him stop instantly.
"Madara, the Eternal Mangekyō is our clan's ultimate power. Once you have it, your strength will skyrocket. That brat from the Senju won't stand a chance."
"But…"
Though still hesitant, Madara's resistance visibly softened.
"Cough... I don't have much time left. There's one more thing…"
Suddenly, "Tajima" coughed violently, blood spraying onto the pristine white sheets, staining them crimson—like the Uchiha's own Sharingan. With a trembling hand, he wiped his mouth and looked at Madara with a strange expression.
"Remember to give your cousin a raise. Let him work in the prison until retirement~"
"…I promise, Otō-san."
Madara shut his eyes tightly. When he reopened them, they were slightly red, but determined. He nodded solemnly to his most respected father.
"Good... then I can rest in peace."
Having achieved his goal, Gin, still posing as Tajima, tilted his head and let the hand on Madara's shoulder fall limply. His body went still and silent.
"Otō-san!"
For the second time in his life, Madara lost a close loved one. Tears burst forth, but no sound escaped his lips—his grief had numbed even his voice.
"Old clan head~"
Uchiha Mizu, who had been eavesdropping, entered the room at the perfect moment. The usually stoic elder's eyes were glistening as he looked at "Tajima"'s corpse, his voice quivering.
"Clan head, my condolences. Did the old head leave any final wishes?"
"Elder Mizu... please transplant my father's eyes into me."
The moment Madara heard the question, he emerged from his sorrow and gave a cold, unwavering reply.
"Understood!"
Just what I was waiting for~
Thanks to Madara's cooperation, the Mangekyō transplant was completed swiftly. Once the newly bandaged Madara was wheeled out, Gin finally opened his eyes, stretched out his stiff body, and let a huge grin spread across his face.
"Mizu-jii, the surgery went smoothly. Once the anesthesia wears off, the clan head will be able to use his eyes normally."
Mizu, having just removed his gloves, walked in and reported with satisfaction.
"Phew~ That wasn't easy. But this can only fool Big Cousin for a while."
Gin dismissed his transformation and jumped off the bed, turning to his partner in crime.
"You really think he still won't be a match for Hashirama, even with the Eternal Mangekyō?"
Mizu, the Uchiha's top scientific mind, knew how powerful the eternal eyes were. No recoil from eye techniques, a massive boost to Susanoo—it was the pinnacle of combat potential in the ninja world.
"Wood Release."
Gin shook his head and uttered two simple words.
"That Senju's secret technique? Strong, sure, but I doubt he can beat the clan head."
"No one understands Wood Release better than I do."
As one of the only two Wood Release users in the world, Gin could sense the overwhelming power in Hashirama's body. The man had a natural Sage Body and held back every time they sparred, afraid he'd kill his friend.
"For some reason, Hashirama always pulls his punches. But now that Big Cousin has Eternal Mangekyō, he might finally get serious. You'll see~"
"With that house-building jutsu of yours?"
Mizu had never taken Wood Release seriously—mainly because Gin used it to build houses. How could such a lowbrow technique compare to the Uchiha's noble bloodline abilities?
"Enough about that. What about the thing I asked you to build?"
Gin wasn't offended. He knew Mizu had never seen Wood Release used in battle, so he didn't take the skepticism personally. He changed the subject.
"You mean the steel ships? I've finished the designs. They're being tested now. Should be ready for mass production this year."
Despite still being baffled about why Gin wanted to leave the Land of Fire, Mizu remembered the request clearly. Why go to sea when you're already in such a fertile land?
"Good. Mizu-jii, the future of the Uchiha Clan rests on your shoulders."
Hearing that his plans were progressing well, Gin finally relaxed. Years of preparations were about to bear fruit.
Just as the two were deep in discussion over ship schematics, a familiar voice rang out from outside.
"Aniki! Aniki! What happened to Otō-san?!"
Uchiha Izuna, dusty from the road, stormed into the camp with panic written across his face. Learning of his father's death had shaken him deeply. With red-rimmed eyes and trembling limbs, he sprinted straight for the infirmary.
"Ah, Little Cousin's here~"
Hearing Izuna's voice, Gin quickly formed a hand seal and created a Wood Clone. He had it transform into the lifeless "Tajima" and lay on the bloodstained bed. Gin and Mizu then stood at the bedside, heads bowed in mourning.
"Big Cousin! What's going on with Otō-san?!"
Izuna rushed in and paused when he saw Gin. He started to greet him but immediately fell silent when he noticed Gin's solemn face. Then his eyes landed on the bed—and the body of their father.
Tears gushed out as he dropped to his knees and threw himself onto the corpse, sobbing uncontrollably. Snot and tears ran down his face and smeared onto the Wood Clone. Gin couldn't help but be thankful that he wasn't the one pretending to be the body.
"Cough cough... Little Cousin, stay strong."
Gin finally couldn't take it anymore and gently patted Izuna's back.
"It's all my fault. If only I'd held back that white-haired bastard, Otō-san wouldn't have had to die."
Izuna clenched his fists, veins bulging. Guilt twisted his face as the cause of their father's death became clear.
If only he had managed to stop or kill that damned Tobirama, their father could've enjoyed his retirement in peace.
"Ah… it's not your fault. It's the world that's wrong."
(End of Chapter)
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