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

Chapter 232 The Hyuga Clan's Bizarre Request

In the dark backstage area, Yamanaka Souichirou, who had been on tenterhooks, was suddenly greeted by a blinding white light. As the door opened, Uchiha Gin walked in carrying a basket of clothes, greeted him warmly, and placed the clothes in front of him.

"Brother Soichiro, the clothes have arrived. Try them on to see if they fit!"

"Thank you!"

Although puzzled as to why the other party had brought a large basket of clothes, they had already been dried and hung out to dry for half a day. Soichiro Yamanaka didn't bother to ask any more questions and immediately picked up a piece of clothing to put on. However, before he could put it on, he noticed the strange style of the clothes in his hand and immediately froze on the spot.

"You must have taken the wrong clothes. These are female prisoners' clothes?"

Soichiro Yamanaka, his face flushed, stared at the bright pink underwear in his hand. He felt a mouthful of blood rise to his throat, almost spitting it out. Trembling, he tightened his grip on the garment, a strange look in his eyes, yet he righteously questioned,

"There's nothing I can do. Your family's younger generation just has terrible luck. They keep drawing the wrong stones. Just make do, bro, and find something that's passable."

Standing beside the basket, Uchiha Gin helplessly spread his hands, giving Yamanaka Souichirou a look of utter resignation.

"What do you mean by 'bad luck'? That's ridiculous!"

Soichiro Yamanaka, whose mind was already fixed on a basket of brightly colored clothes, didn't delve into it further. Instead, he excitedly rummaged through the basket, his aged eyes revealing a brilliance beyond his years.

"Cough cough cough, this outfit will do. It'll barely cover my body."

After carefully selecting for a while, Yamanaka Soichiro, with a calm expression, took a set of fairly normal clothes, walked to a corner alone, and began to change.

"Brother Soichiro, you haven't taken your underwear yet!"

Seeing that the other person only took one set of clothes and did not choose any underwear, Uchiha Gin thought that the other person had dementia and immediately reminded him.

"Enough with the chit-chat! We older generation ninjas advocated thrift. Underwear and such were optional!"

Having dressed at lightning speed, Yamanaka Souichirou emerged from the corner with a serious expression, looking at Uchiha Gin with a pained expression, which left him feeling utterly bewildered.

"Alright, alright, hurry up and get out of here. Your mountain tribe is probably getting impatient."

Uchiha Gin, who always had a sharp eye, caught a glimpse of a striking pink mark on Yamanaka Soichiro's lower back out of the corner of his eye. He was shocked and couldn't help but feel a deep respect for the older generation of ninja clans.

"Wait, where's Ichino?"

Just as Yamanaka Soichiro took a step, he suddenly remembered another member of his clan and quickly asked...

"You mean Brother Yiye? His clothes are still being pulled out, it'll probably be a while. You can go out now!"

Still confused, Yamanaka Soichiro felt that Uchiha Gin wouldn't hurt him, so he didn't ask any more questions and followed him out of the backstage area.

"It's quite lively here!"

Before even stepping out the door, Yamanaka Soichiro heard the deafening shouts outside and couldn't help but sigh.

"Hehe, these are all spectators cheering on your Yamanaka clan. Let's go, Soichiro-nii!"

Uchiha Gin smiled and waved, signaling the other person to follow.

"Hmph, although I have been imprisoned for many years, the legend of Yamanaka Souichirou still lives on in the ninja world!"

The clamor of voices around him gave Yamanaka Soichiro immense confidence. He immediately pulled up his slightly loose trousers and swaggered out.

"Ah! Why are you wearing this? Where did your hot bikini go?"

"I'm furious! Give me back my 36D leopard print!"

"An old man who eats rice?"

The moment Soichiro Yamanaka appeared, the scene below the stage instantly spiraled out of control. Curious audience members craned their necks, eager to see how those avant-garde clothes would look on them, only to be met with a scrawny old man dressed in ordinary clothes. They couldn't help but protest loudly.

"Pay it to me!"

Unexpectedly, his appearance was met with no flowers or applause from the audience. Yamanaka Soichiro, who had prepared for an interview, felt a pang of disappointment. He could only shake his head sheepishly, swallowing his heartfelt words, and began searching for his clansmen. But a sudden, loud shout caught his attention.

"Is that Minako?"

Soichiro Yamanaka hesitated, looking at the beautiful woman who seemed to have gone mad not far away. He could vaguely see a resemblance to an old friend in her lovely face, so he cautiously asked,

"Sell my remaining romantic prospects, the sacrifices of Minako Yamamoto, for the rest of my life!!!"

Before Uchiha Gin could even speak, Yamaminako, already like a trapped beast, gritted her teeth and swore with bloodshot eyes, looking exactly like someone who couldn't draw a card.

"Hahaha, it's outta here!!!"

Just as Uchiha Gin was about to proclaim that fate could not be changed by luck, unexpectedly, a golden light flashed on the card-drawing screen. He hadn't expected to actually receive a response.

"Congratulations on obtaining a plain men's top*1."

"Ten more shots!"

Clearly dissatisfied with the result, Minako Yamamoto waved her hand, indicating that they should continue.

"Stop it, Minako, you already owe over a billion yen!"

Compared to Minako Yamamoto, who was completely enraged, Sasuke Sarutobi, as an observer, was much more level-headed. Looking at his friend who was already intoxicated, he earnestly offered some advice.

"No way! I haven't gotten the Prestige Edition yet, how can I give up!"

Minako Yamamoto, completely obsessed, was now so determined that not even ten oxen could pull her back. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on the smiling girl on the screen, and she wanted nothing more than to slap her face to pieces.

"Minako, what are you doing?!"

Soichiro Yamanaka was initially puzzled as to how his junior, whom he had met in his childhood, had become so insane, but upon hearing that the other party owed a staggering ten billion yen, he was immediately startled and quickly spoke up.

"Don't stop me! I want to be Grandpa Soichiro!"

Suddenly hearing a strange and aged voice, Minako Yamanaka didn't even look up, waving her hand impatiently, preparing to continue smoking. However, after glancing at the speaker, her mind instantly cleared. Looking at the elderly but portly Soichiro Yamanaka, she was speechless with surprise.

"Minako"

Reunited with his clansmen, Yamanaka Soichiro's eyes filled with tears, a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, various sorrows about to spill over, when he saw Yamanaka Minako opposite him, extending her small hand towards him and speaking...

"Grandpa Soichiro, give me the money!"

"puff!!!"

In the end, unable to bear it any longer, Uchiha Gin worried that his older brother Souichirou, who had just been released from prison, would soon pass away. So he stopped Yamanaka Minako from squandering her fortune and returned the prize she had won, along with a bewildered Yamanaka Ichino, to her.

"Since you're the first customer, consider it a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Keep the item you won safe, check it, and see if you're missing anything."

Seeing Yamanaka Souichirou barely breathing, Uchiha Gin finally softened. After all, no Uchiha was more compassionate than him. He immediately waved his hand, ordering his subordinates to bring up the prizes that Yamanaka Minako had drawn, and handed over the prize list as well.

"No need, I have a good memory. I remember exactly what I draw every time."

Having regained her senses, Minako Yamamoto's beautiful blue eyes were filled with deep astonishment. Even now, she couldn't understand why she, who was always known for her composure, had become so engrossed in a mere gacha game.

"Let me look at bikinis, leopard print, school swimsuits, health uniforms, Balenciaga, and bear-patterned underwear."

Squatting on the ground, Minako Yamamoto meticulously counted her spoils of war. After all, she had spent a huge sum of money, and these strange clothes in front of her did indeed look quite valuable. If she sold them to the nobles of the Land of Fire, she should be able to recoup a considerable amount of money.

"Wait! A pair of Hello Kitty pink underwear is missing!"

After carefully counting several times, Minako Yamamoto stood up with a displeased expression, looked at the host, Gin Uchiha, and loudly questioned him.

"No way, absolutely not. Why don't you look again?"

Unexpectedly, something was missing, which left Uchiha Gin somewhat bewildered. He had shipped everything exactly as ordered, with absolutely no mistakes. Even a single sock would not be missing.

"Cough cough cough Minako, it's just a pair of bright pink underwear, maybe it got caught in some clothes. I'm feeling a bit dizzy, please take me back to rest!"

Just as Uchiha Gin and Yamanaka Minako were facing off, Yamanaka Souichirou, who was being supported by someone, suddenly spoke up tremblingly, urging them on.

"Alright, I'll search again carefully when I get back. Quickly, take Elder Soichiro back to rest!"

Seeing that Yamanaka Soichiro looked like he was about to die, Yamanaka Minako stopped worrying about the missing pair of underwear and immediately called her tribesmen to head towards their encampment.

Tsk tsk tsk, Soichiro-kun, I didn't know you had this little quirk~

Watching the Yamanaka clan's departing figures, Uchiha Gin's eyes darted around. The hunched back of Yamanaka Soichiro and the glittery pink mark on his lower back made him sigh inwardly that appearances can be deceiving.

"So, who among you will go and ransom them?"

After seeing off his first customer and making a small profit of one billion, Uchiha Gin smiled and turned his gaze to the tense members of the Ninja Alliance. He grinned and whispered like a devil...

"How about we discuss it? Can we pay the original price?"

Having witnessed the fate of the Yamanaka clan, Sarutobi Sasuke felt a pang of panic, but as the leader of the Shinobi Alliance, he gritted his teeth and stepped forward to discuss the matter with Uchiha Gin.

"Hehe, how can that be? It's agreed to be 2 million, there's no reason to raise the price."

Unexpectedly, the other party backed down. This wouldn't do. How could he not make a fortune off them? He had worked all night to build this gacha machine. So he waved his hand, firmly refusing the other party's unreasonable request.

"Can we choose not to participate in the lottery and just redeem them for 200 million?"

Kenichi Shimura, standing beside Sarutobi Sasuke, frowned upon hearing Gin Uchiha's refusal. After a moment's thought, he asked,

"Of course, we don't force you to make a purchase."

Faced with the questions from the Ninja Clan Alliance, Uchiha Gin immediately shook his head, stating that this was a humane, free-to-play game with absolutely no option for forced spending.

"Okay, I'll pay right now. Release Uncle Jin Er quickly!"

The Uchiha clan's project was clearly a money-grabbing scheme. Shimura Kenichi, who considered himself the reincarnation of the Crouching Dragon, immediately offered 200 million yen to bring Shimura Shinji home. The other members of the Ninja Alliance were also excited, inwardly cursing that damned Minako Yamamoto.

"However, before that, I have some good stuff for you all to see~"

Uchiha Gin didn't even bother to glance at the 200 million yen that Shimura Kenichi had tossed to him. He reached into his bag and pulled out a stack of envelopes bearing the insignia of members of the Shinobi Alliance. He handed these sealed envelopes one by one to the puzzled members of the Shinobi Alliance, his handsome face beaming with an undisguised smile.

"Hmph~ Playing coy. I'll see what kind of tricks you're up to, you wretched curly-haired devil!"

Unexpectedly, his wallet was ignored, and feeling somewhat resentful, Kenichi Shimura immediately tore open the envelope in his hand, muttering under his breath.

"what!"

"Nani!"

"this"

With the same sense of doubt, the other ninja clan members also opened their envelopes. Initially displaying varying degrees of joy and anger, their faces all wore the same expression of utter shock upon seeing the photograph inside.

"Miracle Doctor, isn't this a bit..."

Sasuke Sarutobi, his expression complex, quickly stuffed the photo into his pocket and frowned as he looked at Gin Uchiha, who had a mocking look on his face.

"Do you think that our Uchiha clan is inhumane?"

Instead of answering the other party's question, Uchiha Gin asked the others a question.

"Definitely! You've already exposed Uncle Jin's secrets... Xin Si, why are you covering my mouth?"

Kenichi Shimura, who had been holding back his anger for a long time, was the first to attack, but before he could finish speaking, a large, fan-like hand tightly covered his mouth, almost making him faint.

"Mr. Yin, thank you!"

Compared to the somewhat rude Kenichi Shimura, Shinji Akimichi, the head of the Akimichi clan, unexpectedly thanked him, and his sincere expression seemed genuine.

"Phew~ Shinji, why are you thanking this wretched curly-haired guy?"

"Xianyi, take a closer look at the photos and see how the elders are doing."

Having finally broken free from his friend's grasp, Kenichi Shimura angrily asked, only to be met with a nonsensical remark from Shinji Akimichi.

"Uh, it's nothing, it's perfectly normal."

Since his friend had already spoken, Kenichi Shimura suppressed his embarrassment and carefully examined the photos in his hand, but he couldn't find anything amiss after a long time.

"Normal is the most abnormal thing. Have you ever seen a prisoner who, after being tortured for decades, can still maintain such a healthy state?"

Shinji Akimichi looked at the smiling man in the photo. The Akimichi clan, known for their delicious food, could be smiling so happily in prison, and their flesh was so firm. They must have been treated extremely well.

"Hmm! He does look much more plump now."

After hearing Shinji Akimichi's reminder, everyone present picked up the photo album again and looked at it. It seemed that their elders weren't suffering in prison, but rather enjoying their retirement.

They were all so well-fed that their bellies bulged out, and their skin was so smooth and supple that it was almost unbelievable. They were just as good as the noble lords of the Land of Fire.

"I'm sorry, we misunderstood you."

Having already guessed the general idea, Sarutobi Sasuke spoke to Uchiha Gin with great embarrassment, his apology clearly visible. The ninja alliance members who had initially been somewhat critical now wore expressions of deep gratitude on their faces.

"So, are you still smoking?"

The photos turned out surprisingly well. He had originally planned to use the nude photos to blackmail his brothers, but it seems there was some kind of beautiful misunderstanding. However, as long as it doesn't affect his ability to earn severance pay for his brothers in prison, that's fine.

"I'll go first! Uncle Shinji is big, so he'll have to draw more items!"

Shinji Akimichi was the first to step forward, took out his wallet, and respectfully handed it to Gin Uchiha.

"Alright~ I love a whale like you who's willing to spend money!"

Hefting the heavy money bag in his hand, Uchiha Gin smiled broadly.

"Today is another day full of hope~"

"Tobirama, is making money really that easy?"

Watching the members of the Ninja Alliance spending lavishly on stage, Hashirama Senju's worldview was shattered. His eyes widened, his mouth gaped open, and after a long silence, he finally remembered what to say. He nudged his pensive younger brother beside him and asked, "..."

"Phew~ This guy with curly hair is so rich, yet he still resorts to such methods. Doesn't he ever walk at night?"

Equally shocked, Tobirama Senju exhaled a deep breath, his crimson eyes filled with intense dread. Had Gin Uchiha gone mad? He had offended every ninja clan right after establishing his village.

"What are you guys talking about? Want to go up and play a couple of rounds?"

Uchiha Gin, happily counting his money, strolled over to the Senju brothers. He had originally intended to inquire about the negotiations he had accompanied them with that day, but seeing their "hopeful" looks, he immediately extended an invitation.

"No, no, no, our Senju clan cannot withstand such torment."

Even the thick-skinned Hashirama Senju could see the bottomless trap behind the sweet-smiling girl on the screen, and immediately waved his hand, indicating that he was just looking.

"Tsk! That's a real shame."

Gin Uchiha, disappointed at not being able to earn any extra money, quickly regained his composure and asked Tobirama Senju, who was looking at him strangely, "..."

"I heard from Izuna that there's some kind of meeting I'd like to attend. When is it?"

"The Uchiha clan actually sent you?"

Tobirama Senju looked at Gin Uchiha with a sympathetic expression, seemingly oblivious to the danger. He was just about to warn the curly-haired guy not to walk through alleys at night when he heard his question, and his expression became even stranger.

"I'll just sit here and eat some sunflower seeds. You guys have a good chat."

Sensing the surprise in Tobirama Senju's tone, Gin Uchiha scratched his curly hair. Could it be that he was so disgusted? He was, after all, a highly respected elder of the Uchiha clan.

Do you know who we were talking to today?

"It's fine with anyone, I'll just observe and not say anything."

I guess it's some ninja clan from somewhere wanting to join Konoha. It has nothing to do with me unless they drop gold coins.

"It's the Hyuga clan. They came here specifically to spar with the Uchiha clan."

Seeing Uchiha Gin's nonchalant expression, Tobirama Senju, ultimately softening, spoke up to remind him.

If it weren't for the subdivided flats, I wouldn't care if you lived or died!

"Huh? Those idiots must be bored and have nothing better to do, right?"

This really put Uchiha Gin in a bind. It turns out that agreeing to this task has been quite troublesome!

"They want to verify which family in the Land of Fire truly possesses the most powerful eye techniques."

"Alright, I'll go knock on the shrine door today, drag my cousin out, and show those idiots what a 'dimensional reduction attack' really means."

Uchiha Gin didn't bother with such empty titles; they couldn't put food on the table. He immediately strode forward, preparing to invite Uchiha Madara out so that the Hyuga clan's frogs in a well could see what a Gundam was all about.

"No, no, no, it's just a friendly spar, no need to call for help!"

Upon hearing that Uchiha Gin wanted to ask Madara to come out of seclusion, Senju Hashirama immediately broke out in a cold sweat, grabbing the other's sleeve and explaining repeatedly, his eyes filled with deep worry.

If the motor were to be unleashed, the Hyuga clan might be wiped out of the Land of Fire.

"No, Hashirama, you actually agreed to something so pointless? Don't you know the level of our Uchiha clan?"

Uchiha Gin, who was forcibly detained, frowned deeply, his face filled with confusion. He really couldn't understand why Senju Hashirama would agree to such an outrageous request.

"Oh dear, there are very complicated reasons behind this, and I can't explain them clearly in a short time."

Faced with Uchiha Gin's questioning, Senju Hashirama's gaze became somewhat unfocused, avoiding direct eye contact.

"There's nothing to hide. The Hyuga clan has promised to donate a large sum of money to build Konoha Village after you join. The prerequisite for joining is to have a showdown with the Uchiha clan, which is also a clan that uses eye techniques."

Since his elder brother didn't want to be the bad guy, he, Tobirama Senju, would do it. He then explained the reasons to Gin Uchiha.

"Hashirama, my brother, I never imagined that you would betray your beloved Uchiha clan to the Hyuga for a mere sum of money. It's truly chilling. You must..."

Uchiha Gin, with a heartbroken expression, pointed a trembling finger at Senju Hashirama, who remained silent with his head bowed, his voice filled with deep sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Brother Yin, I'll go and refuse their request right away."

"We have to have half!"

"ha?"

The Senju brothers were completely bewildered, staring at the mocking Uchiha Gin for a long time before they could react.

"Don't you understand? The funds promised by the Hyuga clan must be split 50% among the Uchiha clan."

Uchiha Gin held up five fingers, indicating that this was the lowest price available; if it went any lower, there was no room for negotiation.

"You idiot, don't you even have the most basic sense of honor?"

Feeling suffocated, Tobirama Senju wished he could stab this despicable curly-haired man in front of him.

"I'm fighting for the honor of my clan. No Uchiha has a greater sense of honor than me. If you say another word, I'll have to pay more!"

Uchiha Gin was furious that his sense of honor would be questioned by the white-haired man in front of him. He pounded his chest and spoke with absolute certainty.

"You money-grubbing shrew, where's your sense of honor?"

Tobirama Senju was so angry he almost fainted. If it weren't for Hashirama Senju stopping him, he would have definitely taught this curly-haired guy a lesson about why flowers are red.

"What do you mean by being greedy for money? I'm just happy to help others!"

Faced with unfounded slander, Uchiha Gin immediately filed an appeal.

"Hmph~ What about those ninja clans you tricked?"

With a cold snort and an unhappy expression, Tobirama Senju pointed at the ninja clan members who had finished their lottery draw not far away and questioned them.

"Hey, believe it or not, they'll thank me after they've finished smoking."

Turning to look at the newly freed, elegantly dressed men, Uchiha Gin nodded in satisfaction. Then, raising an eyebrow, he spoke to Tobirama Senju, who was clearly somewhat resentful.

"Heh, they'd love for you to die!"

With his arms crossed, Tobirama Senju's eyes were filled with disbelief. But upon glancing at Sarutobi Sasuke slowly approaching, a smirk immediately appeared on his lips, and he couldn't help but utter a sarcastic remark.

"Mr. Yin, on behalf of the members of the Ninja Clan Alliance, I thank you for your immense kindness!"

(End of this chapter)