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

Gin Uchiha, naturally, wouldn't pass up such an offer of a free meal. After obtaining her consent, he took Chiyo on a tour of the newly opened shopping street, eventually fixing his gaze on a noodle shop that had clearly just been renovated.

"Uncle Yin, do you want to eat this?"

Chiyo, who was following behind him, tilted her head and asked somewhat uncertainly,
Is this kind of shabby little noodle shop really suitable for a date?
"Try it."

Uchiha Gin nodded and was the first to lift the curtain that read "Ichiraku." The shop wasn't large, and a composed man in his early thirties was diligently simmering the soup base.
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, we haven't officially opened for business yet."

Upon hearing someone enter the shop, the man, engrossed in cooking, turned around apologetically.

"Don't you have some ingredients? Let us help you get them."

Uchiha Gin didn't leave; instead, he plopped down in his seat and pointed to the long, thin noodles on the counter.

"Don't worry, we'll pay."

"Well, then I'll leave it to you."

Unable to refuse their hospitality, the man didn't press the matter further and began to carefully prepare the ingredients. After his skillful handling, two steaming bowls of miso ramen were placed in front of Uchiha Gin and his companion.
"Our shop is not officially open yet, and we only have ingredients for miso ramen. Please forgive us."

The owner nervously rubbed his hands together, watching Uchiha Gin pick up his chopsticks, eagerly awaiting the first customer's review.

"Boss, why did you give the shop such a strange name?"

Fiddled with the fish cake of decent thickness in the bowl, Uchiha Gin asked with great interest,
"This shop is named after my son."

Upon hearing this question unrelated to ramen, the owner paused for a moment, but still answered truthfully.

"That's it~"

Gin Uchiha nodded slightly, picked up a piece of slippery noodles, and put it in his mouth. After chewing a few times, his face didn't show any of the ecstatic expressions one might have seen after eating a "flashy dish," and his clothes remained perfectly intact without spontaneously exploding.
"Hurru~ Huru~"

After quickly swallowing the entire bowl of noodles, Uchiha Gin put down his chopsticks, a barely perceptible hint of disappointment in his eyes.

Is this the supreme delicacy that Naruto longed for when he was young?

To be honest, the taste was just average; it was just ordinary miso ramen.

"Uncle Yin, you can have mine too."

Suddenly, a delicate hand pushed a steaming bowl of ramen in front of him.

"Oh?"

Turning his head to look at Chiyo, Uchiha Gin's questioning gaze made the girl's face turn red.

"You're eating so fast, you must be hungry."

It turned out that she had misunderstood.

"No"

Uchiha Gin shook his head, about to refuse, when a noodle strainer descended from the sky, and golden noodles slid smoothly into the large bowl he had just finished eating.

"Please enjoy."

There are so many lures!

Looking at the ramen bowl overflowing once again, Uchiha Gin suddenly realized...
They can even add noodles!
Is this why Naruto, Minato, and other ninjas from less prominent backgrounds in the original work so highly praised Ichiraku Ramen?
"thanks for treatment."

After eating two bowls, Uchiha Gin refused the owner's offer of a third bowl of noodles, and gave it high praise.

"Boss, you put a lot of heart into making ramen, and I hope you can pass on this spirit."

He didn't comment on the taste; a meal that could feed a poor child was undoubtedly delicious.
"Uh, thank you."

Hearing Uchiha Gin's inexplicable evaluation, the bewildered boss scratched his head. "As long as it sounds like a compliment," he thought.
With the approval of the first customer, the boss instantly became highly motivated, his eyes filled with longing for a bright future.

He had originally planned to wait a few more years before opening a shop; his trip to Konoha was merely to broaden his child's horizons.

But soon, he was deeply impressed by the rapid development of Konoha. Coupled with the persuasion of a real estate agent he met on the road, the man unwittingly bought the shop, causing the ramen restaurant, which should have appeared more than ten years later, to open ahead of schedule.
I just hope that when the era of Naruto arrives, the price of ramen won't rise too drastically.

“Welcome next time!”

Having solved their basic needs, Uchiha Gin and Chiyo started working as street vendors.

"Chiyo, isn't your Sunagakure delegation going to leave yet?"

Knowing that his eldest niece was there on official business, he casually asked when she would be leaving. After all, she was the head of a village, and it wasn't appropriate for her to stay in a foreign village, especially during this sensitive time when war had reignited.
Chiyo, who thought she was on a "date" with Uchiha Gin, frowned slightly upon hearing the question. She glanced at the ANBU members monitoring the area not far away, then nodded gently.

"We're setting off today."

Chiyo wanted to stay longer, but after receiving a secret report from Sunagakure yesterday, coupled with the sudden increase in Konoha's Anbu in the surrounding area, she knew it was time for her to leave.
"Have a safe journey, and remember to give my regards to the monks in prison."

"Uncle Yin, do you know that a fight has broken out?"

Looking at Uchiha Gin, who still exuded a relaxed aura, Chiyo frowned hesitantly, but ultimately whispered the hot gossip out of her ear.
"Oh?"

Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow. This battle had caused quite a stir; even Sunagakure knew about it.
"you know?"

Finding that her gossip hadn't piqued Uchiha Gin's interest, Chiyo blinked in confusion.
"I just found out this morning too."

"Then you must be careful. I heard the fight was quite intense, and the Third Mizukage is almost dead."

ha?
Is the wig going to be sold?
"Who told you this news?"

Seeing Chiyo's confident expression, Uchiha Gin curiously inquired about the source of the information.

"It's Shukaku."

Then this news is basically true.

With casualties already so early in the war, it seems this conflict won't last long, or at least the Hidden Mist Village won't be involved for very long.
With Katsura dead, Kirigakure will be thrown into chaos, and will have no mind to wage wars against other countries.

"Where are you from Sunagakure?"

Just then, Uchiha Gin asked a very sensitive question, his eyes subtly glancing at Chiyo behind him, only to find her face full of smiles, as if she had been waiting for this question.

“We’re inseparable allies with Uncle Gin!” After the topic of war ended, Chiyo pestered Gin Uchiha with questions about beauty and skincare, revealing a genuine concern about her advancing age.
Uchiha Gin didn't hold back, patiently explaining the theoretical knowledge of cell activation to his niece, and incidentally pointing out that the dragon vein power she possessed was far more miraculous than medical ninjutsu.

After seeing off the thoughtful Chiyo, Uchiha Gin finally returned home. As soon as he entered, he saw Senju Itama, his face full of worry, staring blankly at the living room sofa.
"Curly-haired baboon, you skipped work again?"

Upon seeing the newcomer, Senju Itama concealed the inexplicable emotion on his face, and his tone returned to normal.

"No, I was laid off."

Uchiha Gin usually jokes, "Whoever wants to be in Class B can be," but once he loses his job, he inevitably feels a little anxious.
Who should we ask to clean the steel tomorrow?
His gaze instinctively fell on the shocked Senju Itama. He frowned in thought for a moment, then decisively shook his head, his face full of melancholy.
This brat is now hitting without restraint; he might just send him to the Six Paths Ancestor with one punch.

"Didn't you always boast that you could keep the prison going until it went bankrupt? It's only been a few years, how come you've been laid off?"

As Senju Itama spoke, she skillfully stepped forward and took Uchiha Gin's coat, but the moment she held it, her small eyebrows furrowed instantly.
The scent of a wild woman!

Who were you with just now?

"Chiyo is leaving, so I asked her to treat me to a meal."

Uchiha Gin didn't hide anything. As he spoke, he plopped down on the sofa, casually picked up a cup of warm tea, and took a sip.
Senju Itama felt a sense of relief upon hearing Chiyo's name. She was a generation younger than Uchiha Gin, not a threat to him.
"So what if I'm laid off? I'll just earn money to support my family from now on."

After carefully folding Uchiha Gin's coat neatly, Senju Itama looked at Uchiha Gin's melancholy face and, as if possessed, said something.
Wow, he's such a filial son!
Uchiha Gin nodded with great satisfaction. It seemed his parenting methods hadn't gone wrong; the saying "spare the rod and spoil the child" truly held true.
"No need, I can just become a freelancer in the future."

Although Senju Itama's offer is tempting, now is not the time to lie down and live off a woman.
"Are you going to accept a mission?"

"What kind of look is that? I'm a ninja, number one at that."

Seeing Senju Itama's utterly bewildered expression, Uchiha Gin rummaged through his clothes for a while, finally pulling out a brand-new genin headband and proudly waving it in front of him.

"Number No. 1, but a genin."

"So what if you're a genin? Just tell me, aren't genin ninjas?"

You little brat who's not even a ninja, do you even understand the value of a genin? The ninja world years from now will be saved by genin working together.

"as long as you are happy."

Seeing Uchiha Gin's indignation, Senju Itama chose to respect his decision. After all, the curly-haired baboon wasn't really short of money, so let him go out and have fun if he wanted to. Consider it a way to pass the time; a D-rank mission wouldn't kill anyone.

"By the way, when I came in you looked worried. Did you run out of your allowance?"

Uchiha Gin, who was adjusting his genin headband against his body, searching for the best fit, suddenly asked a question.
"I haven't finished spending it all!"

The unexpected question left Senju Itama bewildered, but fortunately, she reacted quickly and managed to swindle another sum of pocket money.

Taking the gold brick from Uchiha Gin, she carefully slipped it into her secret stash, then her expression turned serious, and she asked in a solemn tone,
"Curly-haired baboon, do you know there's a war going on outside?"

She ran into another woman at the market early this morning who was also there to buy groceries, and from her, she learned some rumors about the outbreak of war at the front lines.

Not only that, she also learned that the Konoha leadership was very likely to send Senju Hisana to assist in the battle.

That's her beloved eldest niece! If anything were to happen to her, how could she face her second brother in the afterlife?

Is the meeting over?

Otherwise, how could the news have spread so quickly?

"This is not something an ordinary person like you should be concerned about."

Uchiha Gin reached out and patted Senju Itama's serious little head, saying in a calm tone,
"but."

"If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. What you should be most concerned about right now is what to make for dinner tonight."

After sending the hesitant Senju Itama to the kitchen, Uchiha Gin, having calmed down, slumped onto the sofa and began analyzing Konoha's chances of winning.
In terms of sheer numbers, Konoha is certainly no match for the combined forces of the Lightning, Earth, and Water armies; a protracted war would clearly only lead to their demise.
In terms of sheer numbers, Konoha doesn't seem to be a match for the Lightning, Earth, and Water elementals right now. Even if the F6 all went up against them, they might not be a match for Onoki and Nozomi combined.

"This is going to be difficult!"

In the Hokage's office,

The room, bustling with people, was completely silent. Hiruzen Sarutobi, seated on the Hokage's throne, silently smoked, his eyes, gleaming faintly, sweeping over the assembled ninja representatives.
"What are your considerations, delegates?"

The topic of this meeting was very simple: a somewhat hasty wartime mobilization.

Several urgent reports about the dire situation had arrived overnight. If reinforcements from Konoha didn't arrive soon, Hiruzen Sarutobi's three thousand Sarutobi soldiers would likely become nothing more than a series of numbers.
"The Shimura clan is willing to give their lives for Konoha."

Shimura Sarutobi was an ally in life and death, so naturally he responded immediately.

"The Inuzuka Clan."

"The Mountain Clan."

"The Akimichi clan."

With the first to step forward, naturally a second followed. All the clans in the Ninja Alliance readily agreed to contribute manpower and resources, which softened Hiruzen Sarutobi's icy expression somewhat.
Of course, there were also clans present who had not yet expressed their opinions: the Uchiha clan led by Uchiha Ryōzashi, the Hyuga clan represented by Hyuga Hitsugaya, and the Senju clan, which was represented by only one person.
"Our Uchiha clan has been dwindling in recent years, and our daily work is extremely demanding. We simply cannot spare any manpower. We hope that the Hokage will understand."

Sensing Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze, the white-haired and beard-covered Uchiha Ryuzaki gently shook his head, his explanation flawless and impeccable.
In layman's terms, it means that the Uchiha clan is currently short of personnel, with all those who can move around being deployed to maintain order. If they were to be transferred to the battlefield, who would be responsible for the safety of the Konoha residents' lives and property?

"Don't look down on me. I'm the only one left in the Senju clan. If I can go, I will definitely go."

When it was Senju Hisama's turn, this lone figure simply shrugged, indicating that the Senju clan could launch a full-scale attack.
Seeing that the other two major clans had already expressed their opinions, Hyuga Hiten, who had been observing for a while, hesitated for a few seconds before choosing to stand on the side of the majority.

"The Hyuga clan swears to live and die with Konoha."

“Jing would be very happy to see you all so enthusiastic.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with a look of satisfaction, but his gaze subtly drifted towards Uchiha Ryuzaki, who was resting with his eyes closed to the side.
He said this specifically to warn Uchiha Lucha: even Uchiha Kagami is fighting on the front lines, how can you aristocratic scions sit still and remain calm?

However, Uchiha Ryōza seemed deaf, showing no reaction whatsoever to Hiruzen Sarutobi's words.
"Dong Dong Dong~"

Just then, a sudden knock on the door sounded. Hiruzen Sarutobi blinked in confusion. Everyone should be here by now, right?
"Come in."

clatter! clatter! clatter!
A spirited Uchiha Shattrath strode in, and Uchiha Lucha frowned slightly upon seeing him.
"Setsuna, what are you doing here?"

The uninvited Uchiha Setsuna, with a solemn expression, turned around and stood opposite Uchiha Ryōzai, his back to Hiruzen Sarutobi. He spoke with a pained expression.

"Elder, you are narrow-minded. Konoha is the culmination of Lord Madara's efforts. How can you disregard Konoha's great legacy for your own selfish desires?" (End of Chapter)