"In the current situation, my appearance would only make things worse."
In the darkness, a lean figure slowly stepped out. It was Uchiha Tajima, resurrected from death. His weathered face carried a trace of comfort, and his dark eyes shone with rare tenderness as he watched the backs of the departing Madara and Izuna. After a sigh, he spoke:
"Planning to leave without saying goodbye?"
Gin raised an eyebrow at his uncle's serene expression. First, the guy wanted to see his cousins, now he didn't. He really couldn't understand the logic here. It's just a farewell, not a permanent separation.
"Madara has made a choice he believes is right. If I show up now, it'll only disturb his resolve."
Tajima shook his head. No one knew Madara better than he did. His son was deeply emotional—any small event could sway his judgment. If Madara found out his father was alive, there was no telling what impact it might have. Tajima had to avoid creating complications.
"Alright then~ Let's get going!"
Gin gave up trying to figure out their thinking and stretched with a yawn. Then he turned to his uncle and said cheerfully:
"It's too far to the coast. No need for you to walk. I'll go meet Elder Miao myself."
But Tajima shook his head. He didn't want Gin to vanish suddenly and cause unnecessary trouble, considering his prominence within the Uchiha clan. He planned to leave alone.
"I've got that covered, Uncle."
With a grin, Gin placed a hand on Tajima's shoulder. In the next instant, with a flash of light, the two living men vanished from the secluded hut without a trace.
Meanwhile, Senju Tobirama, dressed in the clan's formal garb, narrowed his scarlet eyes. He was observing several Uchiha girls on the opposite side, their chakra signatures odd and unfamiliar. One tall, black-haired woman caught his attention—her chakra seemed familiar, but he just couldn't place it.
"Is that the Flying Thunder God's signature? No, not quite…"
As he pondered this, a spatial fluctuation made his senses tingle.
"Tobirama! Why are you staring at the Uchiha girls like that? Don't tell me you're—"
Senju Hashirama suddenly appeared behind him, clapping his brother's shoulder with a hearty laugh. Though his voice was cheerful, there was a hint of awkwardness.
"Hmph! Not everyone's like you!"
Tobirama snapped back, annoyed that his thoughts had been interrupted. He elbowed his brother and brushed off his teasing, already forgetting about the chakra anomaly.
—
At the coastal border of the Land of Fire, a massive black ironclad ship lay hidden beneath towering cliffs and reefs. On its deck, an elderly man barked orders as heavy crates were loaded aboard.
With a sudden golden flash, two figures appeared on deck.
"Urghhh~"
Before Elder Miao could even greet them, Uchiha Tajima, now pale as a sheet, staggered to the edge of the ship and vomited. Gin, unfazed, walked up and patted his uncle's back.
"Everyone's first time is like this. You'll get used to it~"
"That… was that the technique of that white-haired Senju?"
Tajima gasped, wiping his mouth, looking at Gin with confusion. The technique reminded him of Tobirama's infamous spatial jutsu, which was notoriously hard to defend against.
"Nah, it's different. Mine's better~"
Gin shook his head proudly. This was the Minato version of Flying Thunder God, far superior to Tobirama's version in his opinion.
"You're a genius, kid."
Tajima gave his nephew a deep look. Ever since Gin narrowly escaped death at the hands of the Senju all those years ago, he had changed drastically—becoming mysterious, powerful, and unreadable, even to his uncle.
"Damn right I am!"
"Old Patriarch, have you said your farewells to the clan leader?"
Elder Miao stepped forward to check on Tajima, who, still trembling from his earlier nausea, shook his head.
"I'll say goodbye later. Business comes first."
"Whoa~ You really built this thing, huh?"
Gin took the opportunity to tour the steel warship, a product of his sudden inspiration. He had sketched out the basic design and handed it off to Elder Miao for refinement. When Miao confirmed it was doable, Gin slapped down ten gold bricks and told him to rush the job.
The ship resembled a modern destroyer—no masts, powered entirely by chakra, equipped with multiple turrets on deck designed for launching ninjutsu.
"Ayin, where exactly are we going?"
After the elders finished speaking, they turned to Gin, who stood at the prow, eyes set on the distant horizon.
"Even though the Uchiha and Senju are at peace, you should never put all your eggs in one basket."
He pointed ahead and added, "That direction leads to a place called the Land of Waves. It's a small island forgotten by nobles."
"The Land of Waves? Near the Land of Whirlpools?"
Elder Miao recalled the place. He looked puzzled.
"Exactly."
"What are we doing there?"
Tajima frowned. He was once a major power in the Land of Fire, now being sent to some backwater island? That didn't sit right with him.
"You're going to be the daimyō."
"Hmph—like I'd want to—wait, what did you say?"
Tajima was grumbling when Gin's words hit him like a lightning bolt. His protest froze mid-sentence.
"I said you'll be the daimyō of the Land of Waves."
Unlike the major countries with established nobles, the Land of Waves had no daimyō. Sandwiched between Fire and Water, and bordering Whirlpool, the territory was lawless and ignored. Tajima was the perfect candidate to fill the void.
"The Land of Waves is a key trade port, but they have no local ninja, only drifters and pirates. That's why nobles never invested there."
Elder Miao pointed out the obvious flaw. In the five great nations, nobles held power through their hired shinobi. Without ninja, there was no power structure.
"You think I brought all these people just for fun?"
Gin rolled his eyes and gestured at the Uchiha clan members working hard on deck.
"These are your ninja now. Remember to pay them."
"Pay them? With what money?"
Tajima pulled a long face. He was broke—where was he supposed to find money for wages?
"Take a look at what they're loading."
Gin smirked.
Tajima and Miao walked over to the crates. As they opened one, they were immediately blinded by a golden glow. Tajima, still adjusting to his new eyes, teared up instantly.
"Ayin… where did you get so much gold?"
Even the worldly Tajima was shaken by the treasure trove before him.
"I made a little stop in the Land of Wind. Found a ruin with a lot of gold. Cleaned it out~"
Gin spun his lie so smoothly that neither elder could find a flaw.
"We've got people and money, but the Land of Waves borders the Land of Whirlpools. The Uzumaki are tough neighbors."
Tajima's fighting spirit was reignited—until he remembered their powerful neighbor. His Mangekyō was now with Madara, and his replacement Sharingan was ordinary. A direct confrontation with the Uzumaki would be risky.
"Come on, like I told you—multiple allies, multiple paths. I've got a route through the sea. Trust me. Go to the Land of Waves, play daimyō, build the economy, grow strong. When the time is right, you'll have your moment."
Tajima's concerns were valid. The Uzumaki clan was infamous across the seas, especially after hammering the Water Country's top ninja clans into the dirt.
"Is that… an enemy?"
As they spoke, a small boat rapidly approached their massive ship from the sea. Tajima's voice grew serious.
"No. That's our guide. You two better get along with them."
Gin didn't explain further, simply watching the boat approach with a knowing smile.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]