"You just go ahead and do it. Your cousin here still has a bit of authority."
Seeing Gin's face gleaming with the radiance of a great man, Izuna felt deeply moved. His older cousin always prioritized the interests of the clan above all else. Such loyalty was truly a blessing for the Uchiha.
"Alrighty then~"
With the acting clan head's approval, Gin's smile stretched from ear to ear. Inwardly, he was already plotting how to give those newly arrived ninja clans in Konoha a proper lesson—one that would show them exactly who held up half the sky in this village!
"Wait. Big bro, today Hashirama sent someone over, asking if we could send a respected clan member to join him for a negotiation."
Just as Gin turned to leave, full of scheming, Izuna stopped him and shared the notice he had received earlier that morning.
"Hah?"
Respected? Which part of me fits that description?
"Everyone else is too busy. So I'm counting on you, big bro. Please, please~"
The entire Uchiha clan was running at full tilt right now; no one had time for some boring meeting. Izuna had been worrying about it until Gin showed up—essentially walking into a trap of his own making.
"Ugh, fine. When is it?"
Gin sighed, knowing he couldn't escape the fate of being a tool. Seeing his little cousin so exhausted softened his heart, so he accepted and asked for the meeting time. As for the content? He couldn't care less—he was just there to be a warm body and zone out.
"Tomorrow afternoon."
"Got it. You tell Hashirama-kun I'll be there right on time~"
Though the schedule was tight, Gin figured he could always make it work.
After leaving the clan compound, Gin made his way to the dungeon where he had worked for years. Looking at the gate, now showing signs of wear, he couldn't help but feel sentimental. This place had been his second home for years, and now, it was about to be shut down for good.
"Lord Gin, what brings you here?"
Just as Gin was lost in emotion, a familiar voice came from within. It was his old friend, Uchiha Tiedan.
"Tiedan-kun, you on shift today?"
Ever since the Uchiha joined Konoha, only a few clan members remained at the old compound, handling security duties. Tiedan, once the guardian of the clan gate, now occasionally acted as a dungeon guard.
"Yes, Lord Gin. But this is my last shift. Tomorrow, the prisoners will be transferred to Konoha's temporary holding center to wait for their clans to claim them."
Now pushing fifty, Tiedan looked somewhat weary but also emotional. He had spent many years working here and felt attached to the place.
"Tomorrow, huh..."
Gin nodded in understanding. Good thing he'd come today—any later and it would've been too late.
"Don't be sad, Tiedan-kun. I'll try to get some severance pay for our dungeon bros."
Smiling, Gin gave him a nod and disappeared into the dark corridor, leaving Tiedan puzzled.
"Sigh~ We really wronged Lord Gin back then. Wonder which bastard started those rumors..."
Watching him go, Tiedan felt regret. He had once seen Gin as a monster, but now couldn't help cursing the one who had slandered him.
Walking over the uneven floor, the dim candlelight on the walls cast flickering shadows. The damp air was thick, but Gin went straight to Cell Block One, which held the dangerous ninja criminals.
With the clan moving, Cell Blocks Two and Three had already been cleared out. Most prisoners had paid a ransom and been released. Only the truly dangerous ones remained in Block One.
"Ha! I'll be free soon! That bastard's gonna pay!"
"Heh, go die if you want. I never want to see that guy again!"
"Did you hear? Once we're out, this place is shutting down. So that guy will be..."
"Stop! Be quiet! I surrender!"
Even before Gin entered the room, he could hear the noisy conversations of his old "friends"—they were all eagerly fantasizing about their futures.
"Hey hey hey~ my dear friends, miss me?"
Pushing the door open, Gin stood in the candlelight, smiling warmly at the excited prisoners.
"Snore... snore... snore..."
Instantly, the once lively cell fell silent. Every prisoner threw a blanket over their head and pretended to sleep. Fake snoring echoed through the room as if the prior chatter had been just a dream.
"Tch~ We've known each other for so long, and now you're gonna act like this right before parting?"
Rolling his eyes, Gin looked at them with exaggerated sorrow.
"You bastard, you just want to mess with us one last time?"
A grizzled man with streaked white and brown hair peeked from his blanket suspiciously. He wasn't buying Gin's sudden "visit."
"Come on, Zongichirō-san. Have I ever mistreated you?"
This was Yamanaka Zongichirō, whom Gin had fought when he first joined the dungeon staff. Back then, Zongichirō had been in his prime. Now, though aged, he still looked quite healthy.
"Uh..."
Ready to argue, Zongichirō stopped as he met Gin's sincere gaze. As a ninja skilled in mental techniques, his memory was still sharp despite his age.
He remembered the day he nearly died from an old injury, only to wake up to Gin's confused face and glowing green hands. From that moment, he had started seeing the "annoying curly-haired guy" in a new light.
"Hmph~ Fine. Once I'm out, drinks are on me."
Zongichirō's aged but lively face softened slightly. He snorted and made the offer.
"Of course~"
Gin beamed and inwardly calculated how many buns Zongichirō was worth.
After chatting with Zongichirō, Gin moved down the line, offering greetings and small talk. Many of the prisoners, often scammed by Gin, now found his friendly demeanor suspicious.
"You damn fleece blanket demon—just spit it out already!"
Before Gin could speak in the last cell, a black-haired middle-aged man opened his eyes and demanded answers.
"Jinji-san~ I recall you have a nephew named Kenichi, right?"
Gin smiled at the sharp-eyed man, one of his biggest "clients," and asked.
"What did you do to Kenichi?!"
Zhimura Jinji's face turned fierce. Hearing Kenichi's name sent him into a panic, and he rushed to the bars, eyes blazing.
"Whoa, Jinji-san, I'm the most caring ninja around. I just happened to run into your 'nephew' the other day—him and his son look just like you~"
Years ago, during an interrogation, Gin had accidentally uncovered Jinji's secret affair with his sister-in-law, which resulted in a hidden son named Zhimura Kenichi.
"Kenichi has a son? I'm going to be a..."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Jinji began pacing in his cell, murmuring with joy.
"Look, just say what you came to say. If it's not too much, we'll cooperate."
Now calmer, Jinji's expression softened. He just wanted to get out and reunite with his "nephew."
"You've always been strange, but not heartless. Just say it already—no need to be all secretive."
A chubby man with tiny squinting eyes also stepped up, showing no malice. He was from the Akimichi clan, and thanks to Gin's gourmet-level meals, he'd actually gotten fatter in prison.
"Yeah, yeah~"
"Don't be shy now!"
Seeing everyone so supportive, Gin felt moved. Truly, good people do get rewarded.
"Alrighty then~ Just do your best at tomorrow's show. Our dungeon bros have families waiting for rice back home!"
The next day, Gin led a team of Uchiha to escort the prisoners out of Cell Block One. When a clan member stepped forward with shackles, Gin stopped him.
"No need for those. They're all bros. This is just for show~"
"Lord Gin, are you sure?"
"You don't get it—mental shackles work better than real ones~"
"HAHAHA! Freedom at last!"
Zongichirō grinned under the sun, breathing in the fresh air.
"Elder Zongichirō, what did that curly-haired guy mean yesterday?"
A younger Yamanaka with brownish hair asked, glancing at Gin.
"I don't know. But just follow his lead—he's never really harmed us."
Zongichirō, though unsure, trusted Gin. If he'd meant harm, he had years of chances.
"Hang in there, bros—freedom is near!"
Satisfied with the calm crowd, Gin rallied the group and waved his hand.
"Let's go!"
Meanwhile, back in Konoha—
"Brother, one of our men got injured by a prisoner this morning. He's still being treated."
Tobirama, face dark, reported the incident to Hashirama.
"Didn't we already tell them they'd be freed soon?"
"Must've been a personal grudge. The injured man used to be a dungeon guard."
"How's the prisoner?"
"Alive. But his ninja career's over."
Apparently, after the attack, the prisoner was swiftly crippled.
"Handle it, Tobirama. Just don't let it disrupt the ceremony."
"Got it."
Hashirama had selected the village square for the handover ceremony to emphasize Konoha's sincerity. Senju prisoners were placed prominently, while Uchiha ones were tucked away in a corner—Tobirama's doing.
"Lu-cha, I heard Senju had an incident this morning—some drama."
Erō, once a dungeon worker, now stationed at the Uchiha side, shared the gossip.
"A prisoner attacked a Senju guard. Got crushed and crippled."
"Did he die?"
"No, but he's brain-damaged now."
"What about Gin's banner order?"
"Done. I worked all night to finish it."
"Good. Let's hang it now. No one steals our Uchiha thunder!"
Time for the Uchiha to show off~
At the Senju side, Sarutobi Sasuke and the alliance waited eagerly to reclaim their clansmen.
"Why are we even here? My uncle's in the Uchiha camp!"
Zhimura Kenichi complained to Sasuke.
"Tobirama told us to wait here. Hashirama will make a speech. Then we'll handle the Uchiha handoff privately."
Sasuke wasn't happy either—his old mentor, Sarutobi Takinosuke, had suffered under Uchiha.
"Sarutobi-dono, our elder Zongichirō is gravely ill. Can we fetch him first?"
A brown-haired Yamanaka woman with blue-green eyes pleaded.
The alliance all looked to Sasuke for support.
"Sorry, this was part of Konoha's terms. We have to follow it."
Sasuke, remembering the black-haired man from the negotiation, felt helpless.
"Hey! When is this starting? We've waited all morning!"
A civilian shouted.
"When Lord Tobirama arrives."
The Senju guard replied coldly—his friend had been the injured guard.
"Hmph. Who's he glaring at?"
The civilian mumbled under his breath.
By noon, under the hot sun, everyone grew restless. Just then, Tobirama finally arrived.
"Apologies. A sudden issue delayed me."
Wearing loose robes, he stood before the crowd and said:
"Konoha stands for peace. Today, as a gesture of sincerity, the Senju will release imprisoned ninja clansmen. We hope they will not only be grateful—but contribute to Konoha's future!"
Clap clap clap...
Sparse applause followed. Most civilians were just here for the show. The ninja, on the other hand, didn't appreciate the tone of "generosity" from Tobirama.
"Let's begin."
Seeing the poor reception, Tobirama gave the signal to start.
"Sarutobi clan—Sarutobi ***!"
A pale man was dragged out, shackled and slumped. Though uninjured, his chakra was clearly in disarray.
"Go, help him."
Sasuke recognized immediately—this man was crippled but alive.
"Zhimura clan—Zhimura ***!"
One by one, prisoners were released. Whispers of Senju's "kindness" spread.
Just as Tobirama began to relax...
"What happened to my brother?! You said he was just weak! Why does he look like this?!"
(End of Chapter)
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