Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

Chapter 222 An Encounter with Tender Roots

As the sun set, Uchiha Gin, sporting a head of curly hair, wandered aimlessly along the streets that were beginning to take shape, his lifeless eyes scanning the brand-new houses on both sides of the street.

Occasionally, a few unfamiliar ninjas would pass by. Glancing at the conspicuous, unfamiliar clan emblem on their bodies, they would sigh and say that the day when all nations would pay tribute was just around the corner.

"Achoo!"

Suddenly, Uchiha Gin felt a chill run down his spine, followed by an itchy nose. He sneezed loudly, rubbed his sore nose, and frowned. He turned to look at his little tail behind him and asked,

"Jingzai, are you making things up about me in your mind?"

Because Uchiha Miao led his family to the Land of Waves, leaving him as a left-behind child, Uchiha Kagami raised his curly-haired head in confusion, wrinkled his little chubby nose, and retorted.

"Uncle Yin, how dare you slander someone's innocence out of thin air?"

"Stop making excuses. You're the only one behind me. Who else could it be but you?"

Uchiha Gin's extremely suspicious gaze made the naive Uchiha brat instantly jump up and down in panic, looking helplessly at the man in front of him, stammering and unable to utter a word.

"I didn't."

"Hmph~ This won't happen again!"

Seeing that Jingzi was about to turn red, Uchiha Gin smiled sarcastically and stopped teasing him. He waved his hand dismissively, indicating that he was always magnanimous and would not stoop to the level of a brat like him.

"Uncle Yin, didn't we agree to cultivate today?"

Uchiha Kagami truly lived up to his reputation as a genius. At such a young age, under Uchiha Gin's tutelage, he had already mastered the ability to regulate his body temperature. After quickly neutralizing the redness, he tilted his head, looked around at the bustling atmosphere, and asked curiously,

"Hey, what I can teach you, others can also teach. And what I want to teach you, you can't learn anyway, so I choose not to teach you."

With his hands behind his head, Uchiha Gin hummed a little tune, glanced at Uchiha Kagami's conflicted expression, and casually replied, "..."

Although this sounds irresponsible, the truth is, he's just too lazy to teach.

The various secret techniques that Uchiha Gin currently possesses are not applicable to the Uchiha clan, so Uchiha Kagami, that brat, should just stick to practicing Fire Release.

Looking at Uchiha Kagami's puffed-up cheeks, Uchiha Gin scratched his head awkwardly, just about to offer the kid a pie in the sky.

"But don't worry, I'll definitely arrange a very knowledgeable and talented teacher for you, someone who can sing and dance!"

Unwittingly, he saw two figures slowly walking towards him in the distance, and his face immediately lit up with joy. Then he made a solemn promise.

"I'm not a three-year-old anymore, don't try to fool me with that excuse!"

Five-year-old Uchiha Kagami stood with his hands on his hips, looking like a little adult, which made Uchiha Gin chuckle. He ignored the brat and instead waved familiarly to the two people in the distance, calling out with a smile.

"Hashirama, you're wandering around too?"

"Brother Yin"

The two approaching figures were none other than the Senju brothers, whom they hadn't seen for several days. However, to Uchiha Gin's surprise, the usually cheerful Senju Hashirama appeared somewhat reserved, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Meanwhile, Tobirama Senju, standing beside him, didn't even greet him, but instead scrutinized him from head to toe with a critical gaze, leaving Gin Uchiha bewildered and wondering if his secret of swindling money had been exposed.

"I never expected that among the evil Uchiha clan, there would be such a rare kind-hearted person."

He stared at Uchiha Gin for a long time, making the somewhat guilty curly-haired man feel uneasy. Just as he was about to slip away, Tobirama Senju slowly spoke, his tone unusually devoid of coldness, even containing a hint of admiration.

"ha?"

This sentence confused Uchiha Gin. He activated his super-sensory perception and scanned the area from all angles. After confirming that it was Tobirama Senju Honma, he frowned. His brows were so furrowed that they could crush a bull. What was this white-haired guy up to now?

"Brother Yin, we are so grateful to you for this. Our Thousand Hands Clan will forever remember your great kindness."

Hashirama Senju, unable to contain his excitement any longer, stepped forward and grasped Gin Uchiha's hand tightly. His gratitude was palpable, and he sincerely expressed his thanks.

"Uh, you mean the loan, right? Haha, buddy, don't be so polite!"

After carefully recalling the good deeds he had recently done, Uchiha Gin slapped his forehead. It must be because he had helped the Senju clan make connections and settle the subsequent infrastructure matters of Konoha Village that Hashirama Senju was so grateful to him. Thinking of this, he waved his hand generously and said that since they were already on good terms, there was no need to say thank you.

"Huh? No... Ah, Tobirama, what are you doing?"

Upon hearing this, Hashirama Senju looked puzzled and was about to explain when he was suddenly interrupted by an elbow strike.

"That's right. On behalf of the Senju clan, we thank you, Uchiha Gin. Let me state upfront that your personal actions will not be attributed to the clan."

With a composed expression, Tobirama Senju withdrew his arm, nodded to Gin Uchiha, and spoke, his crimson eyes showing none of the rejection he usually displayed towards other Uchiha.

"To express my gratitude, and without involving family matters, I can grant you one wish within my personal capabilities."

"People of Konoha don't lie to people of Konoha~"

"Fine, don't take it!"

"Hey, buddy, come out here! Uncle's found you a tutor!"

It was like a godsend; he was just worrying about finding a teacher worthy of Uchiha Kagami, and Tobirama Senju had stumbled upon this perfect opportunity. So he quickly beckoned to the curly-haired boy hiding behind him, pushed him in front of the white-haired man standing with his arms crossed, and said with a smile,

"My eldest nephew has been exceptionally talented since childhood. If he stays with me, his talents will be wasted. Why don't you take him under your wing?"

"Huh? No way~"

Uchiha Kagami, who was pushed to the center in a daze, looked at the white-haired demon in front of him and his face turned ashen with fear. He turned around and grabbed Uchiha Gin's thigh, refusing to agree no matter what.

"Let me teach this brat, or rather, the Uchiha clan?"

Unexpectedly, when faced with his gratitude gift, Uchiha Gin pushed a trembling black-haired brat in front of him without hesitation. Sensing the faint, cold power emanating from the brat, Tobirama Senju's expression tightened. He had never been a teacher before, let alone a teacher of the Uchiha clan, something he had never even considered.

"Is that not possible? Jingzai is very obedient. Why don't you take him back and try him out first?"

Seeing the displeasure on Tobirama Senju's face, Gin Uchiha assumed that the other party was unwilling to agree. So, he grabbed Kagami Uchiha by the back of the neck, waved him in front of the other party, and began to vigorously promote his nephew.

"Huh? Your own nephew?"

Just as Tobirama Senju was about to refuse, he glanced at the brat dangling in front of him and, after seeing the boy's fluffy curly hair, asked in surprise,

"Guaranteed! Look at this high-quality curly hair, fluffy yet soft, it's absolutely as cute as a kiss~"

Sensing a glimmer of hope, Uchiha Gin vigorously ruffled Uchiha Kagami's curly hair, and like an enthusiastic salesman, began to introduce the product to Senju Tobirama.

"Tobirama, I think this kid is pretty good. If you took an Uchiha as your disciple, Madara would be very happy~"

Just as Tobirama Senju hesitated, Hashirama Senju stepped forward, patted his younger brother on the shoulder, and said with a smile,

"But Konoha has just been established, and everything needs to be rebuilt."

Thinking of the mountain of documents piled up in his office, Tobirama Senju felt a wave of dizziness. He desperately needed a ninjutsu that could support him in multitasking so he could quickly complete his official duties.

"It's okay. When you're busy, I can help you look after the kids. They're just kids, I can teach them."

Hashirama Senju patted his chest and promised.

"Sigh~ Alright then, your name is Uchiha Kagami?"

With a slight sigh, Tobirama Senju finally agreed. He then knelt down, looked at the slightly fearful little curly-haired girl before him, and adjusted his tone, asking in a gentler voice, "..."

"Yes, teacher, I am Uchiha Kagami. Please take care of me."

The precocious Uchiha Kagami had already roughly understood his fate from the conversation of the group. It was inevitable that he would become an apprentice, so he could no longer show any resistance, lest he disappoint Uncle Gin's good intentions.

"You're so overly familiar! I'm very strict. If you do anything that doesn't satisfy me, you can go back to where you were!"

Unexpectedly, Uchiha Kagami's previous fear had vanished, replaced by a calm and composed demeanor, which surprised Senju Tobirama. Tobirama began to think more highly of this curly-haired brat. However, as the Uchiha's number one hater, he wasn't someone who could be easily defeated by mere curly hair. He coldly warned him...

"Okay, teacher, I understand!"

"Jingzai, don't say your uncle didn't help you. Now that you're enrolling early, if you still can't beat Monkey and Little Tuantuan later, don't say you know me~"

Watching Uchiha Kagami follow Tobirama Senju, Uchiha Gin's eyes flickered slightly, and he thought to himself, "..."

"However, the way the Senju brothers looked at me just now felt a bit strange. I hope I'm just imagining things."

Uchiha Gin, having popped a lollipop into his mouth, felt a surge of energy from the sugar. His lazy eyes held a thoughtful expression as he recalled the strange behavior of Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama when they first met. His doubts grew, but he hadn't provoked the Senju clan recently, so it must be because of the loan.

Just as Uchiha Gin was pondering this matter, he accidentally bumped into a stranger carrying a child coming from the opposite direction. Using his superior physique, he knocked the man to the ground.

"Oops~ I'm sorry, I spaced out. Are you alright?"

Interrupted by this unexpected turn of events, Uchiha Gin immediately stepped forward, embarrassed, to help the bewildered man sitting on the ground. He offered a perfunctory apology, but to his surprise, his outstretched hand was ruthlessly shoved away.

"Are you trying to scam me?"

Unexpectedly, the other party did not accept his apology. Having witnessed many such cases before, Uchiha Gin instantly became alert. He took a step back to create distance, then looked warily at the stranger on the ground and asked in an uncertain tone,

"Damn it, who are you?"

The man sitting on the ground wasn't unwilling to jump up and kick Uchiha Gin, but he was sore all over, feeling as if he had been run over by a cart, unable to move, and could only sit on the ground barking helplessly.

"Since you've asked so sincerely, I'll mercifully tell you that I'm just passing by."

Unexpectedly, the stranger in front of me not only had a terrible attitude, but also asked me some existential questions, which left me no choice but to respond.

"Enough with the rambling. Don't underestimate me! Wind Release: Vacuum Ball!"

Just as he was giving his eloquent and truthful answer, the man on the ground cursed angrily, then pouted and began spitting at Uchiha Gin. Waves of wind-style energy, carrying a sharp gust of wind, caused passersby to turn their heads in surprise.

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

"Holy crap, did you brush your teeth?"

Unexpectedly, the other party not only allegedly staged an accident but also attempted to cause injury. Uchiha Gin, hearing the system notification in his mind, raised an eyebrow in disdain as he watched the several wind-style light beams hurtling towards him.

Just as he was about to dodge to the side, he caught a glimpse of a blond craftsman working hard on the construction site behind him. He immediately stopped and entered the attack range of the Vacuum Jade.

"Hmph! You rude curly-haired brat, accept my punishment, Kenichi Shimura!"

Seeing that Uchiha Gin, who had offended him, did not dodge, a ruthless glint flashed in Shimura Ken's eyes, and a smile of vindication involuntarily appeared on his lips. But the next second, that smile froze on his face.

"Bang! Bang! Bang~"

Uchiha Gin drew his decorative black wooden sword from his waist, facing the menacing Vacuum Ball with a helpless expression. Just as the wind chakra was about to hit him, he casually swung the wooden sword a few times. With a few muffled thuds, he annihilated the clumps of wind chakra as if swatting flies. The speed was so fast that the onlookers only saw a blur.

"Hmph~ You're new here? Don't you know the rules of Konoha?"

Having resolved the crisis, Uchiha Gin didn't sheath his wooden sword. Instead, with his deadpan eyes narrowed, he slowly walked towards the man lying on the ground, frozen in shock. As he walked, he tapped the ground with the wooden sword, the clanging of metal making those around him widen their eyes, eager to see what would happen next.

"How is this possible? He actually blocked my Vacuum Jade attack using only physical techniques."

The man, stunned, instantly lost his will to fight, and stood there muttering to himself in a daze.

"Host has won, gaining 1 Chi Point. Proceed to the next step."

Sigh~ Today is another day of winning streak. I've become complacent lately because of the peace.

"You wretched creature, stay away from Father!"

Just as Uchiha Gin was looking down at the unfamiliar man on the ground, drenched in cold sweat, a childish voice rang out. A black-haired kid, about the same age as Kagami, reached out to block the man.

"Are you prepared to make your father suffer?"

Looking at the resentful brat in front of him, Uchiha Gin didn't let his compassion get the better of him. Instead, he picked up his wooden sword, tapped the seemingly annoying kid on the head, and asked coldly in a completely emotionless voice,

"Hmph! Don't underestimate the resolve of the Shimura family. My father was a true man of his word!"

Faced with the slight pressure that Uchiha Gin deliberately revealed, the brat who had just been looking brave and fearless instantly flashed behind the man, poked his little head out, and said the most cowardly words in the most arrogant tone.

"Tsk! Kid, you're such a filial son~"

Having witnessed the situation unfold, Uchiha Gin was losing interest. Looking at the unfamiliar father and son before him, he sheathed his wooden sword, first praising the "filial" brat, then looking at the man on the ground and asking,

"Is your son your biological son? He doesn't look much like you."

"Huh? Danzo was born from my wife's pregnancy, how could he not be my biological son?"

Having regained some strength sitting on the ground, Kenichi Shimura struggled to his feet, warily eyeing the curly-haired man before him, but obediently replied,

"Danzo? You call yourself Danzo?"

Originally, after teaching this unruly outsider a lesson, Uchiha Gin was planning to slip away, otherwise the arrival of the security team would waste a lot of time. However, unexpectedly, a familiar name that came out of the other party's mouth instantly made him tremble. His lifeless eyes were filled with unprecedented vitality, and he looked excitedly at the black-haired kid behind the man, excitedly confirming it.

"Um, does that mean calling him Danzo doesn't conform to Konoha's rules?"

Hide timidly behind his father, five-year-old Shimura Danzo faced the first and greatest crisis of his life. When the curly-haired man who had blocked his father's signature ninjutsu with just a broken wooden sword eagerly asked for his name, the naive and inexperienced Danzo of the ninja world cautiously poked his head out and asked...

"It works, but it doesn't work for me."

Upon hearing the question, Uchiha Gin's eyes lit up. He vanished in a flash, and the next moment, the future Dark One of the Shinobi World felt a chill run down his spine.

Looking down, he saw that his tightly knotted belt had been undone, exposing his pale, white bottom to the cold air. Shimura Danzo was startled. Just as he was about to pull it up, a sharp pain shot through him, causing him to cry out.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Huh? Stand still, be a good boy~"

Looking at the still-childish Shimura Danzo, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but beam with joy. This was the perfect opportunity to fulfill his dream. Suddenly, a resilient, emerald-green wooden branch appeared out of thin air in his hand. He swung it around in the air with great force, mercilessly whipping the little brat's clean bottom, making the bewildered kid howl in pain.

"Huh? Stop right there!"

Because the incident happened so suddenly, it wasn't until his son's buttocks were swollen like a monkey's that Kenichi Shimura came to his senses. Even though he might not be a match for Gin Uchiha, he still bravely stepped forward and stood in front of his son, his eyes filled with the unique determination of a father.

"Ah! You even smoke me?"

Kenichi Shimura never expected that, despite his thought that Uchiha Gin would stop because of his intervention, he was completely disregarded. The supple wooden branch lashed at him, and the hidden force tormented him, causing him unbearable pain.

"You want to take the blame for your son?"

His subordinates continued working without pause. Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow and asked Shimura Kenichi, who had suddenly barged in, with a puzzled look.

"Hmph! Don't underestimate the resolve of the Shimura family. Go for it, Danzo! Show him the resilience that runs deep within you!"

"Tsk, is filial piety and parental love a thing of the past in your Shimura clan?"

Gin Uchiha glanced at Kenichi Shimura, who was hiding to the side with his hands behind his back and his eyes darting around, then stopped whipping him and asked in a strange tone,

"Isn't it obvious enough?"

"."

"The security team is here! Get out of the way!"

Just as Uchiha Gin and Shimura were having an in-depth discussion about the traditional virtues of the Shimura clan, a loud shout rang out from outside the crowd that had packed the area.

"Hmph! Wait till the security team gets here, I'll make you pay!"

Upon hearing that the visitors were members of the police force, a glimmer of hope appeared in the eyes of the dejected Kenichi Shimura. Now emboldened, he regained his arrogance and shouted at Gin Uchiha.

"Drop your weapons on the ground and put your hands behind your heads!"

A group of people, led by a long-haired man, squeezed through the crowd. After stumbling awkwardly, the long-haired man, without even looking up, routinely recited his professional script.

"I am a member of the Shimura clan's delegation. This guy openly attacked me in the street; he must be a spy sent by another country. Seize him immediately!"

Upon seeing the security team arrive at the scene, Kenichi Shimura immediately identified himself, then pointed to Gin Uchiha, who was holding a wooden branch and looking bored, and said loudly,

"A spy? Let me see... um... why is it you?"

Unexpectedly, his routine patrol led him to encounter a major incident involving spies. Uchiha Kakashi was thrilled. He then tossed his ponytail behind his head, his face full of excitement. Following the direction pointed by Shimura Kenichi, he saw a curly-haired man that he knew all too well, and his mouth choked with emotion.

"Hey! This is Firecore Prison Bro, long time no see~"

Gin Uchiha tossed aside the wooden branch he had created using Wood Release, then greeted the sullen and pained Uchiha Kaiko with a familiar, beaming smile.

"Lord Yin, what can I say about you?!"

With just a glance at the scene, seeing the kid lying on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, Uchiha Higanbana guessed the whole story with pretty much the accuracy of what had happened. This man, who had just become the captain of the security team, thought to himself that this was really too much for him.

"He's just a child."

"Firecore, are you asking for trouble?"

"I was just inspecting the construction of Konoha when this curly-haired guy..."

Unexpectedly, the despicable curly-haired man before him knew the security team. However, Shimura Kenichi believed that with his status as a member of the envoy group, he could certainly punish this despicable fellow severely. He then began to voice his accusation, but was interrupted halfway through by Uchiha Gin.

"I noticed that these two visitors seemed a bit lost on the way, so I took it upon myself to talk to them and try to help them out of their predicament."

"Hmph~ Nonsense! Look what he did to my son Danzo! Even a baboon's ass isn't this bad!"

Another month has passed, thank you so much for your support, readers!!!

(End of this chapter)