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

Chapter 244 Madam, why didn't you say so sooner?

That day.

Nine-Tails finally remembered

The fear of being dominated by wooden figures.

And the humiliation of being imprisoned in the wooden cage.

"Ghana!!!"

A crimson beast, its mouth wide open and filled with sharp teeth, emitted a dark orb of light, conveying an aura of destruction. Wherever it pointed, devastation followed.

"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"

The composed-faced, long-haired man clapped his hands, and several ferocious wooden dragons rose from the ground beneath his feet, carrying immense power as they swept towards the already crazed beast.

"Bang!"

The Nine-Tails, focused on preparing its 2:8 feast, could only watch helplessly as the familiar wooden dragon nimbly coiled around it. Left with no other choice, it unleashed its still-uncharged Tailed Beast Ball at the dragon's open mouth, ready to bite.

The deadly move, imbued with immense destructive power, instantly obliterated the wooden dragon's head. The Tailed Beast Ball, which had not yet dissipated, surged towards Hashirama Senju, whose brows were furrowed, with unstoppable force.

"I can't let my big beetle get hurt, otherwise I won't be able to brag to Mada~"

Hashirama Senju glanced at the wooden dummy standing behind him, the handsome beetle still carried on its back.

He then refined his chakra once more, and a wooden dummy of the same size rose from the ground, its mountain-sized hand reaching straight for the incoming Tailed Beast Ball.

"boom!"

A deafening explosion rang out, sending up clouds of dust and a slightly burnt smell. The towering wooden figure remained unmoved under the heavy blow, and the Tailed Beast Ball, carrying terrifying power, was annihilated by the wooden figure with its bare hands.

"I never expected the tailed beasts to come knocking on our door. Is it just a coincidence?"

Leaping atop the wooden dummy, Hashirama Senju gazed at the nine-tailed fox exuding a berserk aura before him, his eyes deep in thought.

According to intelligence, this nine-tailed fox should have been roaming the northeastern part of the Land of Fire for a long time. It is truly unbelievable that it would cross the entire Land of Fire and come to the Land of Waterfall to cause trouble.

"That guy, Chongming."

Seeing her signature move easily neutralized by Hashirama Senju, Kurama, having calmed down somewhat, couldn't help but curse the unconscious Chongming inwardly.

That stupid caterpillar, why didn't it say that the humans here are descendants of Ashura? Just that Wood Release technique alone already shows some of Ashura's skill.

Thus, the Nine-Tailed Fox began to have second thoughts, and a hint of human-like contemplation appeared in its enormous beastly eyes.

As long as the green hills remain, there's always firewood to burn. Those idiots who got caught will just come back to life anyway, so why bother worrying about it? At worst, I'll just stop bragging in the chat room and avoid being criticized by that stinky raccoon.

Without hesitation, Kurama, who had been contemplating retreating, glanced behind her without making a sound to see if there were any obstacles. Then, she resumed her mad appearance, with steam rising from her huge mouth, looking as if she was about to fight Hashirama Senju to the death.

"Are you going to fight to the death?"

Seeing the Nine-Tailed Fox's desperate stance, Hashirama Senju quickly pulled his wandering thoughts back, staring intently at his opponent, and gently clasped his hands together, waiting for the opponent to reveal their trump card.

"roar!!!"

The Nine-Tailed Fox raised its ferocious beast head and exhaled a foul stench at the ready-to-fight Hashirama Senju, making it impossible for anyone to open their eyes. At the same time, a frenzied aura brewed from its gaping maw.

"Wood Release: Ranking Technique".

Thinking that the opponent's killing move was about to arrive, and worried that the beetles behind him would be affected, Hashirama Senju held his breath and used the Rank Rank Technique. Countless wooden branches instantly sprouted from the ground and wove into a huge mask that looked like a demon god, which was placed in front of him in an attempt to block the Nine-Tails' killing move.

"Why isn't anything happening?"

Under the mask, Hashirama Senju, who had been waiting for half a day, scratched his head in confusion. Judging from the Nine-Tails' posture just now, the killing move it used must have been extremely powerful. Why was it all bark and no bite?

As he spoke, he cautiously peeked out from behind the mask, wanting to see what was going on.

"Huh? It got away?"

You wouldn't believe it until you see it! Just moments ago, the Nine-Tailed Fox was all menacing, ready for a fight to the death, but now only its nine tails were swaying wildly on the distant horizon. Judging by its practiced escape, it was definitely a repeat offender.

"Hmph~ If you ask me why the old man chose me, I'd say it's my fault. Without a brain, how could I possibly manage so many tails?"

The nine-tailed fox, utterly shameless, ran wildly across the vast plains, a smug, almost human-like expression of pride on its massive head. Recalling that foolish, clueless human, it couldn't help but laugh.

"Haha, that guy's brain is as stupid as Ashura's. So what if he can fight? You need to use your brain to survive in this world~"

"I didn't hear you clearly, please say it again."

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice broke in. Nine-Tails, still running away and not yet fully processing what was happening, replied casually,

"I said that human looked like an Asura. What?! How did you run so fast?!"

The Nine-Tails, engulfed in its frenzy, stared in astonishment at the wooden figure sprinting beside it. Even carrying the unconscious Chongming, the wooden figure moved with incredible speed.

Its two short legs swung rapidly, pressed tightly against its sides, while the human it had just mocked stood atop the wooden figure's head, glaring at it with resentment.

"Stand still!"

Just as Kurama was taking a look in surprise, Hashirama Senju clapped his hands together, and countless wooden branches grew from the wooden figure, transforming into a giant wooden hand that reached out to grab Kurama.

"They all use the art of the cloth bag!"

Caught off guard, the Nine-Tails was grabbed by this move. It opened its mouth wide, trying to resist, but found itself powerless. It could only watch helplessly as a large hand with the character for "seat" written on it pressed down on its head.

"Kuo'an entered the palace with his hands clasped."

The next moment, Nine-Tailed Fox felt a darkness before its eyes, and its consciousness seemed to fly back to its childhood, when it was innocent and carefree, and a good fox who loved making friends.

"Huff~ Huff~ Huff~"

"Yay, the Nine-Tails has been successfully captured!"

Seeing Kurama (the Nine-Tails) lying on the ground, blowing snot bubbles, Hashirama Senju's expression relaxed, revealing a row of white teeth in a bright smile.

Including the Nine-Tails, he now has three tailed beasts under his control, and the scales of victory have tipped in his favor.

With a grin, Hashirama Senju manipulated the wooden dummy to carry the Nine-Tails, and headed smugly towards Konoha.

Sorry, Mada, I won again this time!

Shortly after Hashirama Senju carried the Nine-Tails away, a disheveled group of people arrived at the battlefield. Looking at the unrecognizable landscape, the leader, a gloomy-faced man, was filled with horror.

"Chief, should we give chase?"

The somber-faced man was the ninja leader of the Land of Waterfall. He was covered in soot and blood seeped from his body. Upon hearing his confidant's words, a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, but he shook his head and gave the order.

"Retreat, go back and treat the wounded first."

"Yes."

At this moment, the ninja base of the Land of Waterfall has become a pile of ruins, with only flames still burning and the painful cries of the wounded filling the air.

Not long ago, after witnessing Hashirama Senju leaving with Jumei in the forbidden area, the leader of the ninjas of the Land of Waterfall immediately led his trusted men back to their base, preparing to gather their forces and reclaim the roots of their Land of Waterfall.

However, before they even reached their base, they heard an explosion in the distance, so they immediately sped up to see what was happening.

"Who dares to attack us!"

The leader's face was gloomy. Although their country of Taki was slightly weaker than the other five great nations, they were not pushovers who could be bullied at will.

"My lord, you're finally back! It's the Calamity Beast! The Calamity Beast has arrived!"

When they arrived at the camp, a terrified ninja approached them, his voice trembling as he told them about the culprit, his eyes filled with fear.

"Nani!"

Upon hearing this, the leader was greatly alarmed. He had heard of the calamity beast before, but how could such an elusive scourge come to their godforsaken place?

"Follow me, I want to see just what this calamity beast is capable of."

Although his heart was pounding, the ninja leader of the Land of Waterfall knew he could not back down. So, he steeled himself and rallied his remaining men, ready to fight the calamity beast.

"Ghana~"

However, before he could even see the appearance of the calamity beast, a dark gray Tailed Beast Ball was slapped in the face. Fortunately, he had drunk quite a bit of Hero's Water beforehand, and in an instant, violent chakra surged through the meridians of his body.

"Earth Escape: Earth Escape Wall,"

The leader's face darkened, and he slammed his hands on the ground. A stone wall suddenly appeared, the thick earthen wall giving him a sense of security.

"Don't be afraid, it's just a larger beast with some chakra, nothing to worry about."

"boom!!!"

Just as he waved his hand, the seemingly reassuring stone wall failed to halt the Tailed Beast Ball's advance. It melted instantly upon contact with the wall, exposing everyone to the lingering heat of the Tailed Beast Ball, the intense burning sensation washing over them.

"No!!!"

"Hiccup~ Is Chongming no longer here?"

The Nine-Tails, indifferent to the lives of humans, casually tossed a few small Tailed Beast Balls at the ninja camp in the Land of Waterfall. Sensing the fading scent of Chongming, it shook its massive head, didn't even glance at the ninjas present, and chased after the direction Hashirama Senju had gone.

Afterwards, the two, one human and one beast, met by chance and engaged in the battle that took place at the beginning of this story.

Leaf.

"Ha~ Hasn't my older cousin come back yet?"

On a bustling street, a handsome but lifeless man with curly hair yawned widely. He then surveyed the lively crowd with his irritatingly deadpan eyes, casually muttering about Uchiha Madara, who had been missing for days.

"Older people really know how to take care of others~"

Having just escaped from Uchiha Eimi's gentle embrace, Uchiha Gin felt refreshed. This experience, so different from that of a naive young girl, left him wanting more. The lingering fragrance on his lips stirred his imagination.

He now only wishes there were seven days in a week, how could he possibly manage all of that?

"Hey~ Curly-haired baboon, what are you doing here?"

Just as Uchiha Gin was savoring the lingering taste on his lips, a crisp voice interrupted his reverie.

Hearing the familiar tone, he subconsciously rolled his eyes, then lazily turned his head to look at Senju Itama, who looked surprised, and Uchiha Osamu beside her, who was deep in thought. He pursed his lips and replied,

"Do you own this street? Why can't I come here?"

That being said, the bustling commercial street that Uchiha Gin is currently in is actually the work of a craftsman from the Land of Waves, and according to property rights, this street belongs to him as his private property.

"Didn't you say you weren't going out during the day today?"

Instead of arguing with Uchiha Gin, Senju Itama frowned slightly, tilted her head, and asked, sensing that the curly-haired dog in front of her was acting suspiciously and hiding something from her.

"Ha~ I had a feeling today would be interesting, could I come out early?"

Feeling a little guilty under the girl's suspicious gaze, Uchiha Gin yawned awkwardly and made up an excuse on the spot.

Just then, Uchiha Rin stepped forward, her cool, beautiful eyes scrutinizing the well-dressed Uchiha Gin from head to toe, finally settling her gaze on the corner of his mouth, and slowly asked,

"Mr. Yin, have you eaten?"

Relying on her keen sense of smell as a ninja, Uchiha Rinko detected a strange scent on Uchiha Gin, a scent she felt she had smelled somewhere before.

"I've eaten, I'm so full!"

Worried that the two women would notice something amiss, Uchiha Gin immediately started laughing, his eyes narrowing as he smacked his lips, as if savoring the delicious food he had just tasted.

"Mr. Silver!"

Just as Uchiha Gin was being questioned by the two women, a surprised voice suddenly came from behind him. Turning around in confusion, he saw a group of debtors, with the man leading them looking at him with delight.

"Isn't that Sasuke? How's Takinosuke-nii-san?"

Seeing someone come to his rescue, Uchiha Gin, fearing he would be exposed, immediately greeted them with a hearty laugh.

"Thanks to you, the teacher is in very good health and even has the energy to instruct Hiruzen recently."

Upon mentioning his mentor, Sarutobi Sasuke's eyes shone with even greater gratitude, and he quickly replied,

"Mr. Gin, I'd like to ask about the recipes in your dungeon. Uncle Shinji hasn't had much of an appetite lately."

Shinji Akimichi, standing behind Sarutobi Sasuke, approached with a beaming smile. After his uncle was redeemed and brought home, he surprisingly showed little appetite for the clan's delicacies, frequently sighing about how poor the dungeon food was. This worried Sarutobi, but also piqued his curiosity.

It should be noted that the Akimichi family is well-versed in the art of gastronomy. For Shinji Akimichi, a great gourmet, to crave such food must mean that the meals in the dungeon must be top-notch.

"Sure, sure. If the dungeon weren't closed, I'd invite you in for a few days to experience it properly~"

Uchiha Gin nodded in surprise, not expecting that there were people who enjoyed prison life.

"The interest will be transferred to you at the end of this month."

Compared to the familiarity with the previous people, Minako Yamamoto seemed somewhat reserved, even a little timid. She kept her head down, appearing somewhat flustered, and nervously squeezed out a sentence through clenched teeth, clearly embarrassed.

"It's alright, it's alright. If you're short on cash, you can apply for an extension for a few more years, and the interest will remain the same."

Compared to the other families, the mountain clan has suffered greatly; they don't know when they'll be able to pay off their debts.

According to the loan shark's contract, Yamanaka Ino, one of the twelve main characters, will likely become his own debtor, completely at his mercy.

"Tsk~"

Suddenly, a very subtle smacking sound rang out amidst the cheerful conversation, sounding extremely jarring. Upon hearing this sound, Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow and looked towards the source of the sound.

"Why are you looking at me? The Shimura clan owes you a debt, and we won't shortchange you by a single penny. Don't try to control us with such despicable means."

For some reason, Kenichi Shimura always felt a strong aversion to the curly-haired man in front of him. Even though he owed him hundreds of millions of yen, he couldn't bring himself to feign flattery.

"Oh~ How's Brother Jin Er doing?"

Uchiha Gin didn't take Shimura Kenichi's childish behavior to heart. The kid was just like his son, all talk and no action. Besides, he had a secret that could keep him in check for life. This Shimura brat was completely at his mercy.

"Hmph~ You'll be disappointed, my second uncle is doing wonderfully!"

"Is your mom happy?"

"Are you happy, you curly-haired girl? What do you mean by asking that?"

How did you end up bringing up your mother? Although your mother was the happiest person after your second uncle was redeemed, what does that have to do with you, curly-haired guy?

"Nothing, just asking~"

It seems that Shinji has rekindled his old flame, and Kenichi Shimura might become the next leader of the Shimura faction!

Uchiha Gin had previously inquired about the details of the ninja clans from the sidelines. The Shimura clan was particularly unique, as the current leader was Shimura Kenichi's adoptive father.

However, he had no intention of making Kenichi Akimura the next leader; instead, he valued his youngest son, whom he had with his concubine, more.

Now that Brother Jin has made a strong comeback, his strength has not only not diminished during his years in the dungeon, but has actually made a significant breakthrough. After returning, he quickly got back together with his old lover, so it's only a foregone conclusion that he will put his son in the position of leader.

"Having a good dad is great!"

Sigh~ No matter what era it is, it's always about who your father is.

Uchiha Gin couldn't help but feel a little envious of Shimura Kenichi, who was about to reap the rewards without lifting a finger. Why wasn't he so lucky? He had to create a good life with his own hands.

"Mr. Yin, you don't seem too worried?"

Seeing that Uchiha's expression was normal, Sarutobi Sasuke couldn't help but ask.

"Huh? What are you worried about?"

Gin Uchiha was a little confused when Sarutobi asked him this question. Had his little secret been exposed? No, he should have! He had always been very good at hiding it!

"The Hokage position, the head of the Uchiha clan, is your younger brother, right?"

"So that's what it was about," Uchiha Gin breathed a sigh of relief, then adopted a thoughtful posture and slowly returned...

"The Hokage position belongs to the capable, and we, the Uchiha clan, also have dreams~"

"So, you're saying that we families who abstained are just spineless losers with no dreams?"

Kenichi Shimura, who was standing nearby, immediately jumped in to cause trouble. In his view, Gin Uchiha was subtly mocking them.

"No, no, no, I personally believe that fortunes change, and your families will definitely have a chance to become Hokage in the future~"

Uchiha Gin simply smiled at Shimura Kenichi's baseless accusations. He spread his hands, revealing a sincere expression, and addressed the members of the Shinobi Alliance before him with words of encouragement.

"Thank you for your kind words, it will definitely happen."

Sarutobi Sasuke felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this. Uchiha Gin was such a kind and benevolent person; if he weren't limited by his strength, he would definitely be able to take on the position of Hokage and lead everyone to prosperity and strength.

If Uchiha Gin could hear Sarutobi Sasuke's inner thoughts, he'd probably pull out his hard, black wooden sword and crack open Sarutobi's skull to see if he was missing a screw.

Who would curse someone to become Hokage?

"However, I've heard that Hashirama Senju has already captured two tailed beasts. The Uchiha clan leader's chances of winning are probably..."

After glancing around to make sure no one was suspicious, Sarutobi Sasuke leaned closer and quietly told Uchiha Gin the inside information he had obtained.

"What?! They've already caught two? Tsk tsk tsk, my little cousin's in danger!"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Gin frowned, his tone tinged with worry, and said...

But in his heart, he rolled his eyes. The commotion from those two tailed beasts was so great that Gin Uchiha could sense it from over ten streets away. He didn't even need to look; he could guess which two tailed beasts Hashirama Senju had captured.

It's filled with steam like a pressure cooker; you can tell without guessing it's the Five-Tailed King Mu.

And the other one that exudes a sour, snotty vibe is definitely that slug, Six-Tailed Rhinoceros.

However, Wood Release truly is a nemesis of Tailed Beasts; it was able to subdue the Five-Tails and Six-Tails so quickly.

Big cousin, you'd better step up your game!

Even if we're not vying for the Hokage position, we still have to prove ourselves. This competition is one of the few opportunities you have to beat Hashirama Senju.

"Mr. Yin, although the Uchiha clan leader may not be able to become Hokage this time, if the Uchiha clan still has aspirations for the next term, our Sarutobi clan will definitely do our best to help them."

Seeing the lingering worry in Uchiha Gin's eyes, Sarutobi Sasuke couldn't help but offer words of comfort. In his opinion, the position of First Hokage of Konoha would most likely be taken by Senju Hashirama.

But there are still generations two, three, four, five, five, six, seven, and eight!

Their ninja alliance is unstable, so they can forget about the second generation's position for now. It would be better to do a favor and help the Uchiha clan take the lead, which would also be a way to establish goodwill in advance.

"ha?"

This was something Uchiha Gin never expected, since he had already offended the entire Ninja Alliance.

You'll be lucky if you don't turn against us then, and you even want to make Uchiha Hokage?

"We, the people of the mountains, are also willing."

Unexpectedly, the second one to follow up was the silent Minako Yamamoto. She forced herself to be alert, her beautiful blue-green eyes meeting Uchiha Gin's directly, and said in a somewhat unnatural tone,

"Hmm?" *2

Senju Itama and Uchiha Osamu, who were watching the drama unfold, suddenly felt alarmed. Their curious gazes turned serious as they stared intently at Yamaminako, whose tone was unnatural. Two completely opposite auras emanated from them, and the threat was obvious.

"I don't mean anything by it! I just want to ask if, if the Uchiha clan becomes Hokage, could the interest on our Yamanaka clan be calculated by a few percentage points less?"

Suddenly locked onto by two gazes, one cold and one hot, fixed on Uchiha Gin, Minako Yamamoto, who was about to speak again, instantly broke out in a cold sweat, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would explode. Never having experienced such pressure before, she hurriedly explained why she had done what she did.

"Phew~"

The next moment, feeling the gaze disappear, Minako Yamamoto breathed a sigh of relief. Then, still shaken, she looked at the two beautiful women standing next to Gin Uchiha, and swallowed hard.

Minako Yamamoto, worried about being targeted by the two women who exuded a terrifying aura, had no choice but to reveal her trump card in an attempt to dispel their concerns.

"I'm a married woman, and my child is old enough to run errands."

"Hey, Mrs. Yamanaka, why didn't you say so sooner? You didn't want to either."

(End of this chapter)