Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

Having been promised a few more days' grace, Senju Hisami, in high spirits, accepted the half-eaten jianbing (Chinese crepe) from Uchiha Gin and began to eat it herself.

As she ate, she shared the message she had received the night before with Uchiha Gin, who was traveling with her.
"Nani?"

Upon hearing the news of the full-scale war at the border, Uchiha Gin initially refused to believe it. His cousin had already dealt such a severe blow to Onoki and his two companions; how could they possibly still have the audacity to start a war?

"What a despicable group of invaders! I, Uchiha Gin, wholeheartedly support Konoha in resolutely cracking down on this behavior that disregards the peace agreement."

"Um, that one."

Looking at the indignant Uchiha Gin, Senju Hisima, who had just swallowed the last bite of her jianbing (Chinese crepe), showed a complex expression.

"What, am I wrong?"

The three kingdoms of Lightning, Earth, and Water have brazenly started a war, which is simply disregarding the agreement signed at the first Five Kage Summit. Do they really think that just because Hashirama is no longer in prison, they can renege on their promises?
"As far as I know, we struck first."

"what?"

Jingzai, are you confused? Uncle doesn't remember raising you into such a child.

"It's Danzo."

"Then it's not surprising."

Before they knew it, the two had arrived at the Hokage Building together.

"I have to go to a meeting now; it's about the consultation fees."

"I'll give you a few days' grace period, and I'll give you that many days' grace period. I, Uchiha Gin, have always valued integrity."

Watching Senju Hisami's figure disappear through the gate, Uchiha Gin scratched his head, turned, and headed towards his workplace.
Fighting is fighting, but we still have to go to work.

Konoha Prison

Upon seeing Uchiha Gin arrive at the prison guards on time, a strange look appeared on his face. After hesitating for a moment, he cautiously inquired,
"Lord Yin, what brings you here?"

"Huh? I'm here for work."

Uchiha Gin blinked in confusion. He was the prison's star of perfect attendance, the man with the longest attendance record.

"Mr. Yin is truly dedicated to his job."

Looking at the diligent Uchiha Gin, the guard was deeply moved. He was almost retired, yet he still insisted on clocking in and out every day. If it were anyone else, they would have been waiting at home for their pension to arrive.

"baffling."

Sensing the guard's unusual behavior, Uchiha Gin scratched his head in confusion as he entered the prison, but didn't dwell on it; he hadn't even done his daily tasks yet.

"Master Yin, what brings you to work?"

Along the way, every prison employee who saw Uchiha Gin looked at him with surprise, but the questions they asked were remarkably similar.
Is it strange that I go to work?

Ignoring the strange looks, Uchiha Gin bypassed the prison's central office area and arrived at his private office. He leisurely made himself a cup of tea and then began searching his memories of yesterday.
That's right, his real body was watching a show at the border yesterday; it was his shadow clone who came to work here.

"Is everything alright?"

However, after carefully reviewing the memories transmitted by the shadow clone yesterday, Gin Uchiha found nothing different from usual.
"squeak~"

Just then, Morino Inosuke, with a face full of scars, pushed open the door and entered. When he saw Uchiha Gin sitting at his workstation with a worried expression, his expression changed abruptly, and he asked the same question in surprise.
"Master Yin, what brings you to work?"

"Inosuke, what's going on with you guys? Why is everyone asking me this question?"

"Uh, Master Yin, you left early yesterday and didn't come to the impromptu after-work meeting."

After putting down the documents in his hand, Morino Inosuke spoke with a strange expression.

"After-work meeting?"

Uchiha Gin was taken aback upon hearing this. Since he was the type to leave work right on time, there was indeed a high chance he would miss meetings that encroached on his rest time. So he nodded, indicating to Morino Inosuke that he should prepare a post-shift summary.

“Something came up at home yesterday. Tell me what was discussed in the meeting.”

"Um, I'm a bit busy right now, why don't you ask someone else?"

Upon hearing this, Morino Inosuke's face turned green. He immediately grabbed the documents he had just put down and ran out, afraid that Uchiha Gin would realize what was happening and call him back.
"Really, he's so old, why is he still so rough around the edges?"

Scratching his head, Uchiha Gin didn't dwell on the matter and instead flipped through the recent prisoner list, looking for his target for farming steel today.
"Sigh~ Why are they all old people? Is Konoha really that safe now?"

After searching for a long time, it turned out that the prison was still full of the same old customers. Uchiha Gin sighed helplessly.

Just as he said, after the establishment of the Konoha Police Force, Konoha's security reached unprecedented stability. Even the number of drunkards causing trouble at night decreased by 80%, which is enough to show the efficiency and deterrent power of the Uchiha clan.
There was no other way; the steel still had to be extracted, so Gin Uchiha had no choice but to continue squeezing the remaining value out of those old hands.
However, as he stepped into the area where prisoners were held, the noisy cells instantly fell silent.

The prisoners, who were singing and dancing in celebration just a moment ago, all looked as if they had lost their parents, wilting like eggplants after a frost.
What were you celebrating just now?

Uchiha Gin's curious gaze swept over the group of prisoners he knew all too well.

"You wretched curly-haired devil, why are you at work?"

A prisoner who had long been exploited by Uchiha Gin stood up with tears in his eyes.
"If I don't go to work, who will take care of you every day?"

Unless Konoha Prison also collapses, Uchiha Gin will absolutely not leave this stable and fertile ground for farming steel.
"Thank you so much!"

The prisoners were clearly amused and exasperated by Uchiha Gin's words, and they all expressed their heartfelt gratitude, which warmed his heart and made him itch to punch them.
"Since you guys are so helpful, I'll give you an extra meal at lunch today."

A gentle smile appeared on Uchiha Gin's languid face, sending a chill down the spines of the prisoners.
"squeak~"

With a single hand, he opened the cell door to the prisoner who had spoken first, bent down, and went inside.

"You're an older person, you should know the proper etiquette, right?"

Seeing the prisoner's inexplicably complicated expression, Uchiha Gin spoke directly.
"Wow, I'm really lucky."

Surprisingly, the prisoner didn't resist as usual. Instead, after letting out a long sigh, he showed a relieved expression and began to warm up actively.
This strange behavior immediately piqued Uchiha Gin's curiosity, but before he could ask a question, a familiar electronic voice rang in his mind, forcing him to swallow his words.

"Host detected to be in combat; Heart Steel Chest begins to accumulate."

Since things have come to this, let's eat steel first.
"what!"

For some reason, the prisoner chosen by Uchiha Gin as the target for steel-brushing was unusually diligent this time, unlike his usual perfunctory work. He swung his iron fists with great force.

Vulgar moves like groin kicks and breast grabbing are constantly being used.

"Oh!"

After a brief, evenly matched struggle with his opponent, Uchiha Gin felt that the effects of his morning exercises had been achieved.

"Ah~~~"

So he feigned an opening, took a punch from the prisoner, and flew backward with a scream, crashing heavily into the already dilapidated wall.

"Cough cough cough, not bad moves. I, Uchiha Gin, hereby acknowledge you as the number one prison guard!"

Coughing out a few grains of saliva tinged with scallions, Uchiha Gin, lying on the ground, recited his lines, which he had memorized perfectly, and waited for the system's calculations.
"Host failed. Gained 40 Healing Energy. Heart Steel Treasure Chest reward unlocked. (Current total Healing Energy: 130)"

Another round is done!
As soon as the sound ended, Uchiha Gin nimbly got up, looking completely different from his previous weak state. "Thanks, I'll give you an extra chicken leg for lunch."

For this prisoner who knew he was there to throw the match, yet diligently and earnestly performed his role, Uchiha Gin naturally couldn't let his professionalism down.
"Is that all? How about we have another round?"

But to Gin's surprise, the prisoner looked like he hadn't had enough, clenching his fists and asking expectantly,
"I really can't do anything with you. I'll choose you again tomorrow."

"Huh? You're coming again tomorrow?"

Upon hearing the prisoner's surprised question, Uchiha Gin, who was about to turn and leave, stopped in his tracks, his face filled with confusion.

Why is everyone in the prison acting so strangely today?

"What do you mean by that? Why can't I come tomorrow?"

Uchiha Gin narrowed his eyes and questioned the prisoner in front of him, who clearly knew something.

The prisoner lowered his fist in confusion, recalling the good news that had spread throughout the prison the previous night, and slowly began to speak.

"Stop pretending. Everyone in the prison knows that you, Uchiha Gin, are already on the retirement list. Today is your retirement day."

Lies don't hurt, truth is the knife.

The meeting that Uchiha Gin missed yesterday was to publish the list of retirees, and his name was listed first.

"No, that's impossible. I've asked around. This can't be true."

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Uchiha Gin shook his head shakily, his face filled with disbelief.

In order to avoid retirement, he specifically sought out Hiruzen Sarutobi, the village's top official, who clearly stated that he would take care of the matter.

How come things have changed so much in just a few days?

"The documents signed and approved by the Hokage were posted online this morning. You didn't see them, did you?"

A well-informed prisoner squeezed to the edge of the cell and mercilessly delivered the final blow to Uchiha Gin.

"No wonder. No wonder."

No wonder his colleagues in prison were acting strangely today; it turned out he was the only one kept in the dark. Uchiha Gin grew angrier the more he thought about it. He slammed the cell door shut, locked it, and stormed off.

"Hey~ I've finally gotten rid of this curly-haired devil."

The prisoners looked relieved and continued to celebrate this memorable day, instantly making the atmosphere in the cell lively again.

As Uchiha Gin stepped out of the escort area, he ran into Morino Inosuke walking towards him. Looking at this underling he had personally promoted, his heart was colder than the wind of the Land of Snow.
"Inosuke! Why didn't you tell me about something this important beforehand?"

"I thought you were already on your way."

Inosuke shrank back, replying with a bitter expression.

The retirement list was compiled long ago based on age, and Uchiha Gin couldn't possibly be unaware of it. He believed the other party had connections everywhere and had already secretly arranged everything.
So after learning about the list at yesterday's meeting, he didn't take it to heart. It was just a draft list that the Hokage hadn't even stamped yet; it couldn't possibly determine Gin's fate.

Unexpectedly, this morning, when he came to work, he inadvertently saw the document posted on the office bulletin board, and his face immediately turned green.
The name he had thought would be removed from the list was now prominently displayed. Seeing the Hokage seal at the bottom, Morino Inosuke knew it was too late to change anything.

It seems that Mr. Yin has come to his senses and is preparing to go home and enjoy his retirement.

With this thought in mind, Morino Inosuke didn't even knock before pushing open the door and entering Uchiha Gin's office.
Unexpectedly, Uchiha Gin, who should have been retired, reappeared at his post. Combined with his bewildered expression, he immediately deduced that Gin was unaware of his forced retirement.
Not daring to provoke him, Morino Inosuke's mind raced. Torn between telling the truth and offering a white lie, he ultimately chose to run away.
Anyway, everyone in the prison knows about it, so who can say for sure?

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, I draft the dam!"

Having confirmed once again that he had retired, Uchiha Gin, after a long silence, gritted his teeth and cursed aloud.
This kid's gotten too big for his britches; he even dares to lie to him?

The mere thought of Hiruzen Sarutobi's smug face when he promised him there would be absolutely no problem fueled Gin Uchiha's anger.

At this moment, he wished he could rush straight to the Hokage Building, grab Hiruzen Sarutobi by the collar, and slap him a few times.

"Huhu. Huh."

But thinking of the dire situation Konoha was facing, he abruptly abandoned the idea, turning away with a grim expression.

He'll remember this, little monkey, I'm not done with you yet!
"Lord Yin, where are you going? Your office is over here!"

Having narrowly escaped death, Morino Inosuke looked in the direction Uchiha Gin had gone, puzzled, and shouted a warning.
"I'm already retired!"

Uchiha Gin walked heavily out of the prison. As he left, he turned his head and took one last look at this treasure trove that had provided him with countless points of spiritual energy. The anger that had been building up in his heart gradually dissipated, leaving only a faint sense of reluctance and melancholy.
"Sayonara~"

At this time, people only thought it was a simple personnel adjustment. Little did they know that a demon who had been imprisoned in Konoha Prison for many years had finally seen the light of day again and began to extend his evil claws to every corner of the village.

After saying goodbye to his workplace, which had been his home for many years, a heavy-hearted Uchiha Gin did not choose to go home. Instead, he wandered aimlessly through the streets.

As he passed an open izakaya (Japanese pub), he stopped, lifted the curtain, and went inside.

“Welcome~”

The innkeeper's enthusiastic greeting rang out, and Uchiha Gin casually found a seat. His drooping eyes were filled with despair; he desperately needed to drown his sorrows in alcohol to release the sadness accumulating within him.
What would you like to drink, sir?

"Strawberry milk".

"what?"

The boss's smile froze instantly. Was this guy here to cause trouble?

"There's none?"

"There are some."

"Hiccup~ Boss, another one!"

After an unknown amount of time, the table in front of Uchiha Gin was covered with empty strawberry milk cartons. His eyes glazed over, he shook the empty bottle in his hand and loudly urged the bartender to refill his cup.

"Sorry, we're out of stock. Would you like to try another store?"

The shop owner glanced at the several empty boxes at his feet, shook his head helplessly.

"Seriously, what kind of izakaya are you running if you don't have milk?"

Uchiha Gin slowly rose to his feet, looked at his burly boss, and shook his head indignantly.

"hiss"

Leaving the warm izakaya, the cool breeze from the street instantly sobered up the still-drunk Uchiha Gin. He rubbed his rumbling stomach, deciding to go home and replenish his energy.

"Uncle Yin!"

Just as he turned around, a surprised voice rang in his ear. Turning to look at the purple-haired girl who had somehow appeared behind him, Uchiha Gin smacked his lips.

"Oh, it's Chiyo~ Have you eaten? If not, treat me to a meal."

"Absolutely delighted!" (End of Chapter)