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

"Grandpa Yin, aren't you going to eat?"

"I suddenly feel a little full."

Faced with Kushina's question, whose cheeks were bulging like a hamster's, a guilty-looking Gin Uchiha glanced at Setsuna Uchiha, whose face was full of resentment, and subtly took a few steps back, hiding behind the four children, trying to make himself inconspicuous.
Interrupted, Danzo's expression turned cold. He looked up at Uchiha Setsuna, who had landed in a flash, his gaze lingering on Senju Hisami behind her. His brows furrowed slightly.
"Elder Shaka, be careful with your words. With your current status, you will have to take responsibility for saying such things."

He was actually a little guilty. The job posting specified two openings, but he insisted on hiring four, exceeding the quota by 200%. According to regulations, this situation must be reported to Tobirama Senju, the retired emperor of Konoha.

"Elder Danzo, are they all candidates chosen by the Nine-Tails?"

Senju Hisa glanced at the four people remaining in the room with a flickering look in her eyes. Among so many people, only Uchiha Gin, whom she had specifically instructed Kurama to send, was missing. She couldn't help but suspect that someone was sabotaging things.
“Someone in our group has always acted impartially. Miss Hisa is free to verify this herself.”

These four children are all outstanding, according to Kurama's original words. Danzo answered with full confidence, and even if Senju Hisami questioned why there were two extra people, he could refute her with reason and evidence.

"What about him?"

Senju Hisa pointed at the furtive Uchiha Gin, who was hiding behind a dog. She didn't believe that Kurama would forget the person she had specifically asked for.

"he?"

Danzo looked in the direction indicated, a barely perceptible hint of tension flashing across his face.

He didn't mention the Nine-Tails.

Uchiha Gin's promotion spot was bought out for two billion, so of course he wouldn't appear on the final list.
"I do not believe."

Having partnered with Kurama for so many years, Senju Hisana knows this big fox better than 99.99% of people.
Although the Nine-Tails is a tailed beast, it is definitely more trustworthy than humans.

"I think so too. Uchiha Gin has studied tailed beasts for many years and has a wealth of theoretical experience in dealing with them. How could he be eliminated?"

Setsuna Uchiha chimed in, saying that if the Uchiha clan couldn't control the power of the Tailed Beast Riders, even with Tobirama Senju's protection, their future would be fraught with difficulties.
"Theory cannot represent practice. Uchiha Gin may have a lot of experience, but he is too old and there is no room for him to improve his strength. His development prospects are far inferior to these children with great potential."

Danzo was forced into this situation; otherwise, he wouldn't have resorted to personal attacks in his rebuttal.
"Where is Grandpa Silver old?!"

Before those words could even finish, it was Kushina who was the first to stand up for Uchiha Gin. She stood up with her hands on her hips, her greasy face filled with indignation.

"I'm old~ I'm old~"

Behind her, Uchiha Gin, his hair slick with black lines, tugged hard at her sleeve, firmly stating that he was the most accustomed to being old and that such job opportunities should be left to younger people.

"Ok?"

Senju Hisami raised an eyebrow, and a questioning voice, full of both warning and threat, exploded in Uchiha Gin's ears.

"Uh"

Looking at the white-haired man with a dangerous glint in his eyes, Uchiha Gin scratched his head helplessly. He had indeed agreed to Senju Hisama's request to help him collect the Nine-Tails Knight.

But who would have thought that Xiao Tuantuan was so wicked, actually spending 2 billion to bribe him? Which veteran cadre could withstand such a test?

"Well... actually, I had a pretty good chat with Kurama, but Danzo is right. I am indeed an old ninja and can't keep up with the new era. It's really inappropriate for me to be the Nine-Tails Knight."

Seeing that he had become the center of attention and had nowhere to hide, Uchiha Gin had no choice but to stand up, shaking his head and sighing with a look of regret.

"In this new era, there are no belts I can wear anymore."

He lacks the complex mechanics and unique passive abilities of the new generation of ninjas, as well as flashy combo techniques. His only redeeming quality is his pitiful stats, but straightforward damage output is a thing of the past. He is destined to be a remnant abandoned by the times.
"Hakiin, you bastard."

Danzo, overwhelmed with gratitude, looked at Uchiha Gin who had offered to cover his losses, exclaiming that the 2 billion yen was well worth it.

How was I?
After Uchiha Gin finished speaking, he subtly winked at Danzo, who returned the wink with a knowing look.

"Humph!"

No one present knew Uchiha Gin's character better than Senju Hisajin. This curly-haired guy was clearly just trying to avoid trouble. Judging from the way he was exchanging glances with Danzo, he was probably up to something shady behind the scenes. Senju Hisajin immediately let out a cold snort of displeasure.
"Since you, Uchiha Gin, have no intention of taking on the role of a Tailed Beast Rider, we will not force you."

"Miss Hishin! Before we came, the advisor specifically instructed that he must be appointed as the manager of the Knight System!"

Seeing that Senju Hisama was ignoring Tobirama Senju's orders, Uchiha Setsuna immediately stepped forward and whispered a reminder.

"I have my own plans."

Senju Hisa shook her head expressionlessly, her gaze lingering on the four candidate children for a few seconds before a sly smile suddenly appeared on her face.

"but."

"what?"

Uchiha Gin, who had already thought it was none of his business, felt a sense of foreboding upon hearing this turning point.

"The four candidates are still young and need to systematically learn how to become Tailed Beast Riders. Who do you think is suitable to serve as their instructor?"

"Oh, this."

Danzo paused upon hearing this. If anyone was qualified, they were right before his eyes, not far away. Wasn't Senju Hisama, the former Tailed Beast Knight, the most experienced mentor?
But he couldn't say that they had finally managed to force Senju Hishin to hand over the Tailed Beast Rider System, and if they invited him back now, wouldn't that be a pointless act?

"Miss Hisana! Aren't you...?"

Uchiha Setsuna paused for a few seconds, then realized the implications. His eyes lit up, and he quickly spoke up, preparing to suggest that Senju Hisami take on the role of Knight Instructor.
“I propose Uchiha Gin. He has rich theoretical experience and no one understands tailed beasts better than him. He is more than qualified to serve as a knight instructor.”

However, before he could finish speaking, Danzo, with a gloomy expression, pushed forward the bewildered Uchiha Gin.

"Does Elder Danzo really think that way?"

Senju Hisa frowned, feigning confusion.
"Didn't you just say that Uchiha Gin was too old? Why don't I do it myself?"

"Where is Uchiha Gin old? Uchiha Gin is amazing!"

Danzo vehemently denied it, arguing that it was better to entrust the power of the Tailed Beast Riders to a trusted partner than to let Senju Hishima regain control.
"Oh, Elder Setsuna, what do you think of this proposal?"

Nodding with a look of sudden realization, Senju Hisako shifted her gaze to Uchiha Setsuna, who was frowning in thought.

"I think it's okay."

Uchiha Setsuna quickly calculated in his mind; this suggestion seemed to be more advantageous to the Uchiha clan.
The four candidates are still too young; they will need to wait at least ten more years before they can truly master the Nine-Tails' power.

During this period of power vacuum, whoever assumes the role of Knight Instructor will possess authority over the Tailed Beast Knight system and become a highly sought-after figure by various factions.
"Actually, I really want to go back and take care of these children."

Senju Hisami feigned regret, successfully fooling the naturally suspicious Danzo, who shook his head repeatedly in fright.
"Miss Hisa, the teacher can't do without you. I hope you can prioritize the village's interests!"

"Since Elder Danzo has said so, Uchiha Gin, I'll trouble you to train these children well and select the best candidates from among them to fight for the protection of Konoha."

Can I refuse?

Seeing that the blame he had painstakingly shifted back onto him, Uchiha Gintoki's face fell.
To his surprise, someone didn't give him a chance to refuse, stepping forward in a flash. The next second, he felt a weight in his hand.
"No! These are Tailed Beast Cards and Drivers. Familiarize yourself with them for a few days, and report to the Tailed Beast Rider Management Department next week."

Looking down at the briefcase Danzo had shoved into his hands, Uchiha Gin felt a pang of jealousy. Wasn't this the "defection gift" he had given to his younger cousin years ago?
After all this time, how did this driver, which carried his hopes for his older cousin, end up back in his hands?

"Yay! Grandpa Silver is here to teach us again!"

Kushina and Minato were equally satisfied with the result. They had been worried about how to face the unknown future, but now that Gin Uchiha was with them, they were not afraid of anything!

"Is this seemingly unreliable old Deng really okay?"

Kizaru, holding a banana, pursed his lips. At only eight years old, he was unaware of Uchiha Gin's formidable reputation, but since it was his uncle's decision, he could only grumble.
Hyuga Kagami watched everything unfold with a cold gaze, casually stuffing a large meat bun into his mouth and chewing it expressionlessly.

"The weak have no choice."

Born in Hyuga, a place with a rigid class system, he was already accustomed to being dominated.
He never resisted, because he was convinced that a person's destiny was already written at birth and could not be broken no matter how hard they tried.

With a pained expression, Uchiha Gin rubbed the smooth surface of the briefcase. He remembered that there should have been an Uchiha clan crest in this spot, but it had probably been erased by that petty white-haired guy.
"Actually, I'm quite busy usually, and I might not be able to find the time."

"Ten million."

"Uh?"

Ten million?

Gin Uchiha's mouth, which was just about to utter an excuse, froze. He looked at Danzo, who was holding up a single finger, with astonishment in his eyes. Seeing the pained expression on Danzo's face, his questioning look was obvious.
"Annual salary?"

To be honest, ten million a year is not unacceptable. In the current environment, even a Jonin might not earn ten million a year even if he works himself to death. Just consider it as doing an extra part-time job!

"It's a fixed monthly tutoring fee; extra lessons are charged separately."

Fearing that Gin Uchiha might back out, Danzo had no choice but to use his financial power, offering a figure that Gin couldn't refuse.

"Actually, I don't need to start next week. With my level of expertise, I can start today."

Uchiha Gin quickly and carefully packed away the briefcase he had initially considered a hot potato, then nodded solemnly to Danzo, whose face was filled with black lines. The speed of his change of expression made everyone around him roll their eyes.

"Now that the problem has been solved, I will go back to report to my father. I hope you will not let us down."

Senju Hisa gave Uchiha Gin, who was still obsessed with money, a deep look in her eyes. Her gaze swept over his standard combat uniform with a slightly strange expression before she transformed into a streak of blue lightning and vanished from the spot.
"The four of you come with me. There are some rules you need to understand."

Seeing her leave, Danzo finally breathed a sigh of relief. He then invited the four children, who had eaten and drunk their fill, to come back with him to learn the rules and regulations of the Tailed Beast Knight Management Department and to sign some confidentiality agreements.
"Then I'll be going now."

Uchiha Setsuna frowned. Although the outcome was far from what he had imagined, he could still accept it as long as the Nine-Tails' power hadn't been completely controlled by the Shinobi Alliance.
"Elder Setsuna, please wait!"

Just as he turned to leave, Uchiha Gin, his eyes gleaming, darted after him.
"Is there anything else?"

Upon hearing the other party address him by his professional title, which was quite unusual, Uchiha Setsuna was not only shocked but also felt a sense of unease. Unsolicited kindness is always suspicious!

"What about the reward we promised?"

With his palms up, Uchiha Gin smiled and looked at the wary Uchiha Setsuna.
"You didn't meet the agreed-upon conditions, so what kind of reward are you asking for?"

Uchiha Setsuna's face darkened. Sure enough, that title of "elder" wasn't so pleasant to hear.

"Tell me, did I bring the Nine-Tailed Knight System home?"

Patting the silver briefcase containing the complete transformation equipment, Uchiha Gin asked with a serious expression,

I thought that after eating Danzo, the plaintiff, I wouldn't be able to eat Setsuna, the defendant. But now it seems that if he wanted to, he could eat anything.
"Uh, this counts?"

Uchiha Setsuna was momentarily speechless. His agreement with Uchiha Gin was indeed to bring the Nine-Tails Knight System back to the clan, but he hadn't expected it to be done in this way.
"Elder Setsuna, you're not trying to renege on your debt, are you?"

Sensing the threatening look in Uchiha Gin's eyes, Uchiha Setsuna's eye twitched slightly.
This was clearly a trap to exploit him, but for the sake of the bigger picture, he reluctantly nodded and paid out of his own pocket to fulfill his promise.
"Go back to the meat processing plant's finance department to collect your check."

"Thank you so much for your support, boss!"

The trial ended, and everyone dispersed, leaving only Xiao Lanhua leading the team to clean the ground and dismantle the makeshift black hut.

"Today is a good day to make money~~~"

Uchiha Gin, who had unwittingly picked up billions of yen, hummed a little tune as he greeted Mito, who had been waiting for him for a long time, with a smile.

"Hehe, I really struck gold today! I'll treat you to dinner tonight!"

"You, you~"

Looking at the smug Uchiha Gin, Mito Uzumaki shook her head helplessly.
"You're always giving me difficult problems."

Mito didn't actually want his beloved granddaughter to get so deeply involved with Konoha. She only participated in this trial because she couldn't resist Kushina's desire to be with Minato.
"Just consider it a life experience. I will take good care of her."

Uchiha Gin smiled and comforted her.
Unlike Jinchuriki, Tailed Beast Riders can resign painlessly at any time if they don't want to continue, unlike those who serve for life.
"Never mind, I feel relieved with you watching over things."

Since Uchiha Gin had said so, Mito abandoned her plan to find Hiruzen Sarutobi and instead began to think about what to eat that night.
"How about we have hot pot?"

"Hot pot is a good choice, but it doesn't have the right atmosphere when there are only a few people. I'll invite a few more people when I get back."

Uchiha Gin nodded. Now that the weather is getting cooler, it's indeed a good time for hot pot.

"I'll wait for Kushina for now. Just let me know in advance where we're having dinner tonight."

After saying goodbye to Mito, Uchiha Gin, carrying a suitcase, hadn't even reached the village entrance when he was stopped by a figure who had been waiting for him.

Why are you so slow?

With her arms crossed, Senju Hisa looked at the leisurely strolling Uchiha Gin with displeasure. She was practically bursting with anger after waiting for almost half an hour.

"You chatted with the students' parents for a bit, didn't you go back?"

Uchiha Gin blinked in confusion. Could it be that this white-haired guy had discovered his dirty deal with Xiao Tuan Tuan?
Thinking of this, he subconsciously took a half step back, clutching his purse, his face filled with vigilance.
"Hmph! I'm just reminding you not to get too close to Danzo and his gang. Those kids ultimately failed the test of power and have gone astray."

During the period after regaining power, with the help of Uchiha Setsuna, Senju Hisana has uncovered no fewer than a hundred problems, large and small, most of which are related to Danzo and others.

"Uh, can this be considered a passing down of the master-disciple relationship?"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Gin stroked his chin, his strange gaze making Senju Hisami feel uneasy.
"Can those be the same?"

Her embezzlement of public funds was all for the development of the village, which is fundamentally different from the actions of Danzo and others.

"Just focus on what I teach you, and don't get involved in anything else."

The purge of the Ninja Alliance may be delayed, but it will never be absent. To ensure the long-term development of Konoha, she must painfully remove this malignant tumor.

"You have the nerve to say that? I don't want to take this piece of junk for even a minute longer."

Uchiha Gin curled his lip, holding up his briefcase. This knight instructor job wasn't something Senju Hisama had forced on him; if it weren't for the salary, he would have already started complaining.

"I know, that's why I'm waiting for you here."

Seeing Uchiha Gin's impatient expression, Senju Hisa nodded slightly. This kind of work-weary attitude was more in line with Curly's character.
"then."

As she spoke, she took out a scroll she had prepared beforehand from her backpack and tossed it over.

"This is?"

Upon obtaining the heavy storage scroll, and secretly scanning its contents, Uchiha Gin's expression instantly became incredibly interesting.

Inside the storage space sat a gigantic golden pig's head, weighing at least ten or eight pounds.

"This is compensation for you. As long as you teach those children well and train them into qualified knights, there will be more to come."

Having been a leader for so many years, Senju Hisami certainly understood these social niceties; in crucial moments, words alone wouldn't suffice.
"Thank you so much for your support, boss!"

"Hmm, by the way, you're dressed quite properly today."

"what?"

However, a comment Senju Hisana left behind completely baffled the cheerful Uchiha Gin.

Do I not dress like a human being normally?
"I made money! I made money! I don't know how to spend it!"

"Curly-haired baboon, did anyone say you were handsome when you went out today?"

As soon as he got home, before he could even finish humming a song, Uchiha Gin was bombarded with a barrage of questions from Senju Itama.
"Do I need anyone to tell me I'm handsome?"

Seeing the other person's nervous little face, Uchiha Gin casually tossed his suitcase aside and tugged at his collar. Senju Itama could only swallow hard at the sight of his delicate collarbone.
"Just tell me, do you have it or not?!"

"Unfortunately, no."

Uchiha Gin shrugged, plopped down on the sofa, and began to tally up his day's haul.

"This is Little Tuan Tuan, this is Sha Na, this is White Hair."

Are they all blind?

Senju Itama frowned upon hearing this, and she began to seriously doubt the aesthetic sense of the people of Konoha.

"Huh~ Gintoki? You...you..."

Just then, Uchiha Hikaru, yawning, came downstairs. His blurry eyes widened instantly when he saw Uchiha Gin, who was earnestly counting money.
"Xiao Guang, you're up! How about hot pot for dinner?"

Turning to look at Uchiha Hikaru, who was frozen on the stairs, Uchiha Gin, though puzzled, still smiled and asked,
“Ah Yin.”

Uchiha Hikaru was so blinded by his warm smile that he couldn't open his eyes. Who could resist such a gentle smile paired with such an outfit?

"No matter how difficult things are at home, we can't sell it!"

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Gin's smile froze, and he subconsciously glanced at the abundant spoils on the table.

"."

Selling them occasionally wouldn't be a bad idea, would it?
"Hey, you should have said you were going for a job interview! You made me so nervous."

Fortunately, the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up. When Hikaru learned that Uchiha Gin was dressed so formally to participate in the Tailed Beast Rider Trial, her previously distressed face finally broke into a relieved smile.
"Otherwise what? What kind of person do you take me for?"

Having changed back into his usual casual clothes, Uchiha Gin pursed his lips and casually opened the briefcase in front of him.

Now that he had accepted the task of providing guidance, he needed to check whether the teaching materials distributed by his unit were complete.

"Roar!"

As the suitcase lid was flung open, the first thing that struck was a soul-piercing roar. If it were anyone else, they would probably have turned pale with fright by now.

Unfortunately, the three people inside the house were unaffected by the barking, instead watching the nine-tailed fox with great interest.
"Hoo~ Hmm?"

Even the Nine-Tails, who were roaring merrily, sensed something was amiss. Normally, their roars would instill fear in many humans, but today they were completely silent.

So, filled with doubt, they peeked out, only to find that outside weren't the four chosen children they had imagined, but rather a dark force led by Uchiha Gin. Terrified, the two Nine-Tails instantly retreated into their eggs.
Uh... no, I misspoke. The Nine-Tailed Fox doesn't have any eggs to shrink right now.

"Y-you...it's you?"

Yin Jiuwei's trembling voice echoed in the room. Completely oblivious to its preoccupation with showing off its roast chicken in the card space, it was oblivious to its plight of being betrayed by Danzo.
"Unexpected, isn't it? Surprised?"

Looking at the Nine-Tails with its tail tucked between its legs on the card, Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow, then suddenly smiled broadly, a brilliant idea forming in his mind.

"From now on, we'll be great partners. Please take good care of me!"

His bright smile seemed particularly eerie to Kurama. Others might not know Uchiha Gin's true identity, but as tailed beasts, how could they not know?
The two nine-tailed foxes exchanged a glance, then cautiously swallowed.

"We probably can't be of any help to you, can we?"

"Hey! Don't say that, you two are actually quite useful. From now on, the task of guiding new knights will be handed over to the two experienced ones~" (End of this chapter)