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

"What did you and Xiaoguang talk about?"

Uchiha Gin, trailing at the back of the group, looked at Uchiha Hikaru, who seemed somewhat lost and dejected, and asked Hyuga Tsukuyomi, who had just slowed down to walk alongside him, "..."

"I just told her some adult things."

"ha?"

Uchiha Gin scratched his head speechlessly. Even if his sister-in-law was drastically altered to look like the cute and cuddly Hinata, her core was still that aloof queen.

"Are you sure it's okay for you to stay down there for so long?"

As the head of the Otsutsuki clan, my sister-in-law must have a very heavy workload. If she suddenly takes a long leave, things will surely get chaotic.

Are you worried about me?

"Um, don't you Otsutsuki clan members dislike staying on the ground for too long?"

Startled by his sister-in-law's sudden, out-of-place remark, Uchiha Gin paused for a moment, then quickly changed the subject.

"Yes, because I don't like it."

Hyuga Tsukuyomi nodded slightly.

"Then why did you still..."

"Because I suddenly like it again."

"Okay, whatever makes you happy~"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Gin felt the aura around him suddenly turn icy cold. Hyuga Tsukuyomi turned her head away without saying a word, and the atmosphere between the two instantly plummeted to freezing point.

Did I say something wrong?

Indeed, a woman's mind can never be fathomed.

Uchiha Gin scratched his face in confusion. He wasn't exactly a dating expert; dealing with women was his least favorite skill.

"We're almost in the Land of Wind!"

The silence didn't last long before Chiyo and her brother, who were leading the way, suddenly spoke up to inform them...

"Pat~"

As they approached the edge of the forest, Uchiha Gin and his companions stopped, shielding their eyes from the glaring sunlight. Their gazes narrowed slightly.

"Is this the desert?"

Hyuga Tsukuyomi, who hadn't spoken for a long time, finally dropped her cold mask. Looking at the endless expanse of yellow sand before her, her white eyes gleamed with curiosity.

The climate inside the moon is like spring all year round. She had only ever seen such a harsh environment in books.

"Pretty good, right? There are still many fun places to visit down here. I'll take you to hot springs and skiing sometime."

Seeing that his sister-in-law had finally returned to normal, and to prevent her from continuing to sulk for no reason, Uchiha Gin immediately patted his chest and assured her...

"Oh? You're quite adept at that. Who else have you said that to?"

After listening to Uchiha Gin's long and rambling speech, Hyuga Tsukuyomi turned her head, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Oh, this."

Unexpectedly, his sister-in-law had such a peculiar perspective. Gin's gaze unconsciously drifted towards Hikaru Uchiha, who was standing not far in front of him.

"Hmph~"

Hyuga Tsukuyomi snorted coldly, revealing an "I knew it" expression, then turned her head away and began to sulk.

No, sister-in-law, your image has been ruined!

"Uncle Gin, at this rate, we should be able to reach Sunagakure tonight, right?"

After quickly confirming the team's current location, Chiyo, who already considered Uchiha Gin as the team's leader, jogged over to report the situation.

"Let's keep going then, I don't want to sleep in the desert."

Uchiha Gin nodded.

"OK!"

Upon hearing this, Chiyo immediately found her younger brother, who was resting on the spot, and gave him a solid kick to get him up and continue on his way.

So, before the sun set, the five of them sped across the boundless desert, finally arriving at Sunagakure Village just before the sun dipped below the horizon.

"Sunagakure seems so poor~"

After a long period of unease, Uchiha Hikaru finally regained his senses, looked up at the somewhat shabby village before him, and gave a very fair assessment.

"Sigh~"

Although he was mentally prepared, Uchiha Gin still couldn't help but sigh upon seeing the desolate state of Sunagakure.

No wonder the Sand Village in the original story always loved to stir up trouble; they're the kind of people who have nothing to lose!

"Waaaaah, I'm finally back~"

Ebizo, whose legs were almost completely worn out, was now weeping bitterly. The poor young man thought he was one of the strongest in the group, but when he arrived at his hometown, he realized that he was the weakest.

Aside from the older sister Chiyo, the man and two women from Konoha ran around non-stop all day, yet they still had calm and collected expressions, without even breaking a sweat.

"Quickly inform Lord Kazekage that Lady Chiyo has returned!"

Upon seeing Chiyo and her brother, the guards at the entrance to Sunagakure immediately notified the guards inside the village.

"Uncle Yin, please wait a moment. We can go in once we've verified your identity."

Chiyo, who was still waiting outside for inspection, was worried that Uchiha Gin might be displeased, so she spoke cautiously.

"Lady Chiyo, what did you call him?"

The guard, who was conducting a routine check, widened his eyes instantly upon hearing Chiyo's address.

"Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask, hurry up and check."

Don't let Chiyo's docile and gentle demeanor in front of Uchiha Gin fool you. In Sunagakure, she is a ruthless queen feared by all. Her puppetry skills have subdued a group of talented young men, making her the strongest of the new generation in the village.

"It's alright, we're already here, a little longer won't make a difference."

Uchiha Gin didn't mind; he had plenty of time, more than he could ever use.

"Hahaha! Mr. Yin, you've finally arrived!"

Just as Uchiha Gin was idly examining the plaster of the outer wall of Sunagakure, a familiar laugh rang out not far away.

"Forehead"

The speed at the bottom of the Shamen prison was pretty fast, but wasn't this scene a bit too flashy?

A yellow sand wall suddenly rose into the sky from the Hidden Sand Village, and the loud laughter just now came from it. Relying on his bug-level sensory abilities, Uchiha Gin found the bald man walking on the sand in the blink of an eye.

Magnetism.

It seems that the research at the bottom of the Shamen prison was not without results.

"Ah Yin, what kind of technique is that?"

Hikaru Uchiha was also stunned by this magnificent opening. He tugged at Gin Uchiha's sleeve and asked, his black eyes filled with the words "I want it".

Uchiha Gin was about to say something when he felt his other sleeve being gently tugged. Turning around in confusion, he saw his expressionless sister-in-law.

"you?"

With a glance exchanged between her pure white eyes and Uchiha Gin's, Hyuga Tsukuyomi gave a barely perceptible nod. It seemed that her sister-in-law was also very curious about Magnet Release.

"Boom!"

The imposing sand wall loomed overhead, but just before it crashed down, all the sand seemed to freeze in mid-air.

"Mr. Yin is indeed no ordinary person."

Shamon, standing on the sand wall, looked at Uchiha Gin, who remained unfazed, and his admiration only increased. If it were an ordinary person seeing his Sandstorm Burial, they would probably have run away long ago. How could they have such a calm and composed demeanor as Mr. Gin?

"Is this how you Sunagakure people greet each other?"

Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow and called out to Shamon, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Mr. Yin, please don't be offended. I just wanted to show you my secret technique."

Shamon leaped down from the sand wall, causing the sand to collapse. Landing on the ground, his honest face showed a hint of embarrassment as he apologized to Uchiha Gin.

"Teacher! How can you treat a guest like this!"

Before Uchiha Gin could even speak, Chiyo jumped out. Seeing her beloved uncle being wronged, she practically poked Shamon's gleaming head with her slender, jade-like fingers.

"Hehe, Chiyo, my relationship with Mr. Gin is much better than you think~"

Shamon was extremely indulgent and doting on his beloved disciple, so he didn't take Chiyo's rebellion against the Heavenly Gang to heart. Instead, he smiled and pointed at Uchiha Gin, who was rolling his eyes wildly.

"Long time no see, monks in prison."

"Teacher, do you really know Uncle Yin?"

"Uncle? That's right, it's perfectly acceptable for you to call him uncle, after all, he's your father."

Shamon, who was greeting Uchiha Gin, was surprised to hear his disciple call the other man "uncle." After a moment of surprise, he quickly understood why.

"Mr. Yin, I wouldn't have dared to ask if I wasn't forced to."

"You're treating me like an outsider. We're like brothers, there's no need for all this talk. If you have any problems in the future, just ask me on QQ."

Seeing the bald, muscular man awkwardly rubbing his hands, Uchiha Gin feigned annoyance and pouted.

"Isn't it because I was afraid of bothering you?"

"So why are you suddenly looking for trouble?"

"Well, this is a long story. Let's go inside and sit down to talk about it."

Seeing that Uchiha Gin wasn't truly angry, Shamon waved his hand, and the guards immediately opened the gate.

"Who are these two?"

Lost in catching up with Uchiha Gin, Shamon suddenly remembered the two women who were with him.

"Girlfriend, Uchiha Hikari."

"Sister-in-law, Hyuga Tsukuyomi."

The two women exchanged a glance and introduced themselves. But Yueji, didn't you deny being the sister-in-law before? Why are you answering so quickly now?

"Mr. E'yin, your circle is a bit chaotic."

"Thank goodness~"

Following Shamon, Uchiha Gin and his group quickly arrived at the Sunagakure village's reception hall, where food prepared in advance was already laid out on the table.

"You've traveled all day, let's eat first!"

The hungry group didn't hold back and immediately started showing off.

"Wow, this fruit is so sweet!"

Upon tasting a piece of green melon, Uchiha Hikaru's eyes instantly lit up.

"Sweet? Let me try it!"

Although the land of the Wind Country is barren, the large temperature difference between day and night results in exceptionally sweet fruits.

"Those are honeydew melons from Loulan."

The monk smiled and looked at the group, then explained the source of the information.

"Loulan? How's your hometown?"

"Thanks to the First Hokage, Loulan is now the largest oasis in the Land of Wind."

More than a decade ago, Hashirama Senju personally performed the Advent of the Tree World in Loulan, permanently covering the barren soil of the Land of Wind with a touch of green.

As for why it's called semi-permanent...

Trees grown using Wood Release can indeed grow vigorously in a short period of time, but they will eventually wither. The reason why the trees of Loulan can thrive for so long is entirely due to the chakra released from the dragon vein. If the dragon vein disappears, Loulan may return to desolation overnight.

Hopefully the dragon vein is alright~

"Hiccup~ Thanks for the meal!"

Uchiha Gin, having flaunted his belly full of sugary fruit, patted his bulging belly with great satisfaction.

This was practically a state banquet for him!

"I'm glad Mr. Yin is satisfied."

Seeing that Uchiha Gin did not find the food in Sunagakure simple, Shamon was deeply moved. He knew that the food on their table might not even be as plentiful as the dishes in a small restaurant in the Land of Fire.

"Tell me, what exactly happened?"

"Mr. Gin should know about the Tailed Beast Riders, right?"

Getting back to the main point, the monk's smile faded, and he sat up straight with a very serious expression.

"Yes, the knight of Konoha is none other than my younger brother."

Madara Uchiha becoming a Tailed Beast Rider was no secret. In the years following his successful job change, Madara went on to complete a series of high-difficulty missions to boost his K/DA, thus initiating a period known as the Great Inner War.

The knights from the other countries, seeing this, realized they had to roll up their sleeves and increased their efficiency in carrying out their missions.

Of course, this does not include the Land of Wind.

This is one of the reasons why Sunagakure is still so poor. The high-paying missions have all been snatched up by the Tailed Beast Riders, and they, the lowly and insignificant, can only pick up scraps.

The strongest knight, the Extreme Fox.

Shamon smiled bitterly upon hearing this. The Tailed Beast Knight of the Land of Fire was the most renowned figure in the Knight world, known as the Extreme Fox, meaning the strongest, highest, and most extreme fox knight. He once had the impressive feat of taking on three opponents at once.

"Mr. Yin, you are aware of the current situation. If a country does not have knights, it will be looked down upon by other countries."

Because he was subtly mocked by the daimyo of the other major countries during the daimyo gathering, the daimyo of the Land of Wind issued a death order to Sunagakure after returning home: if they could not produce a knight, he would withdraw his funding!

"I understand, I understand. I came here to help you fulfill your dreams~"

Uchiha Gin remembered very clearly that when Senju Hashirama handed Uchiha Madara's name to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, that old man jumped up excitedly and almost appointed his cousin as the Hokage.

After all, the Nine-Tailed Rider's record is verifiable, which makes the Fire Country Daimyo, who is always concerned about his reputation, feel extremely honored and can hold his head high in front of his other brothers.

"Then, I'll leave the matter of Shukaku to you!"

"Don't rush, first tell me where you are in the process?"

Although he learned the general outline of the matter from the letter, Uchiha Gin still wanted to find out more about Shukaku's current situation, since he had come to Sunagakure as a developer (toy manufacturer) to help.

"Phew, if it comes out again, the teapot that seals Shukaku might be ruined."

The monk let out a long sigh, his face showing deep embarrassment.

"ha?"

Uchiha Gin instantly put on dead fish eyes and stared straight at Shamon. How many times have you let the big tanuki escape?

"Don't look at me like that. The research hasn't been without progress. That secret technique I just used was developed when I was researching Shukaku's chakra."

"Amazing! Amazing!"

"Hehe, Magnet Release was a pleasant surprise, but research on transformation items has made no progress."

"Magnetic Release? Is that a bloodline limit?"

As Uchiha Gin posed the question, Uchiha Hikaru and Hyuga Tsukuyomi, who were standing nearby, simultaneously perked up their ears.

"Although it's uncertain, it's probably pretty close to the truth."

As the first person to awaken Magnet Release, Shamon was unsure whether this counted as a bloodline limit. He had previously taught the operation of Magnet Release to several disciples, but none of them could comprehend it. He could only wait until his child was born to verify whether it was a bloodline limit.

After hearing what the monk said, the two women, who had been listening intently, instantly lost interest. Bloodline, like their eyes, was something passed down through bloodlines and could not be forced.

"Congratulations! Other countries have been researching tailed beasts for so long but haven't been able to develop their bloodline limit, and you've managed to do it by accident. If that old guy Ishigawa hears this, he'll be so angry he'll jump out of his coffin."

Back when they were selling tailed beasts, Uchiha Gin used the selling point of developing bloodline limits to inflate prices and rip people off.

As a result, after so many years, the countries that bought the Tailed Beasts back then have stagnated in their development of bloodline limits, while Sunagakure, which did not have Tailed Beast riders, got there first.

"Alas, life is unpredictable. Rather than bloodline, I would rather become a knight."

Transforming into a Tailed Beast Rider has been a source of anxiety for Shamon over the years. Of the group from back then, he is the only one who hasn't become a Rider. Now, even if it's just to prove himself, he wants to fulfill his Rider dream.

"Don't worry, leave it to me!"

Based on his obsession with the Shaman prison, Uchiha Gin is determined to help him fulfill his dream.

"It's getting late, you should all get some rest."

Uchiha Gin and his group had come from afar, and Shamon couldn't bear to let them work overtime, so he arranged several superior rooms for them to rest and recharge before going to Shukaku's place to begin their work the next day.

midnight

Lying on the unfamiliar bed, Uchiha Gin's old habit of being shy relapsed. After tossing and turning for a while, he rummaged in his bag and pulled out his travel bedding.

"Thank goodness I brought it!"

After laying out the sheets, Uchiha Gin suddenly felt thirsty. The dry climate of the Land of Wind caused him to lose water rapidly. He searched the room and found only a pot of seemingly tasteless water with the words "Nongx Mountain Spring" written on it.

Even a dog wouldn't drink it!

Gin Uchiha pursed his lips and decided to ask Hikari. Don't girls who stay at home usually like to drink beverages? So she probably carries a few bottles of sweet drinks with her when she goes out.

Bang bang bang~

"Ah Yin, I knew you'd come looking for me. Don't worry, I can definitely do it!"

Goodnight, sweet dreams, goodbye!

In this situation, escape is the only option.

Having barely escaped, Uchiha Gin had only taken two steps when he saw Hyuga Tsukuyomi sitting by the window in the corridor at the corner. She was looking down at something in her hand, seemingly deep in thought.

"Huh? You're still awake?"

Uchiha Gin's voice interrupted Hyuga Tsukuyomi's thoughts. She looked up, a strange meaning lurking in her white eyes.

"You didn't sleep either."

"Hi~ I'm thirsty, so I came out to find some flavorful, sweet drinks."

"Did you find it?"

Hyuga Tsukuyomi raised an eyebrow, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the secret-recipe iced tea in her hand; a fleeting look of struggle crossed her eyes.

"This is the Land of Wind, where oil is easier to find than water, let alone sweet water. Forget it~"

Seeing Uchiha Gin's disappointed expression, the Byakugan girl, as if possessed, raised the iced tea in her hand, a hint of provocation on her indifferent face.

"I have some here, but are you brave enough to drink it?"

"Just kidding, I'm super strong, okay? I can drink a lot!" (End of Chapter)