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

"Izuna, I'll give you three hours to find out who's behind this. I want to see which blind fool dares to pull such a dirty trick."

Having decisively resolved the Takigakure incident, Madara Uchiha, with a grim expression, gave orders to his younger brother, who was following closely behind him, on his way back to the Hokage Building.

Takigakure, a mere third-rate ninja village, dares to come to Konoha and cause trouble so brazenly. No one, not even a pig, would believe that they weren't being directed by someone behind the scenes.

"yes!"

Upon receiving the order, Uchiha Izuna bowed and changed course, heading towards Konoha Prison. He wanted to pry the answers his elder brother desired from the mouths of those Takigakure ninja.

"It's over, it's over, everyone can go home now."

The onlookers watched the Takigakure ninjas being taken away, their faces showing a sense of lingering dissatisfaction. They had expected to see a good show, but it ended so abruptly, before they had even finished eating their melon seeds.

Uchiha Gin, mingling in the crowd, scratched his head in confusion. With nothing to do, should he go home to catch up on sleep or go to work?

"Go to class."

Between slacking off and slacking off excessively, Uchiha Gin surprisingly chose to slack off a little, but not out of enthusiasm for his work. He just wanted to see what would happen to those Takigakure ninja who tried to scam him.

Meanwhile, the shadow clone, acting as a black slave, had already arrived at Uchiha Gin's office. After looking around, he quickly went to the locked desk.

Using the memories of the original body, the shadow clone quickly opened the drawer's hidden compartment. Looking at the dazzling array of candies and snacks, his mouth practically stretched to his ears in a wide grin.

"Hehehe, serves you right for raising your voice at me!"

Picking up the expensive candy that Uchiha Gin usually wouldn't even dare to taste, the shadow clone ruthlessly tore the fancy packaging to shreds. Looking at the tempting sweetness inside, the shadow clone grinned and licked its lips.

"I'll show you what cruelty truly is!"

"Burp~"

With a swift, sweeping motion, the satisfied shadow clone slumped back in his office chair, patting his sugar-filled belly, a blissful smile on his face.

"Even if I die this time, it will be worth it."

creak-

Just then, the door to Uchiha Gin's office was pushed open from the outside, revealing Uchiha Izuna, who looked pale and sickly.

"Big cousin, can your body handle eating so many sweets so early in the morning?"

Looking at the scattered packaging bags on the ground, Uchiha Izuna's face showed worry.

Although my older cousin looks very young, his real age is obvious.

If he doesn't exercise restraint and take better care of his body now, when he gets older and his chakra supply becomes insufficient, the effect of the Yin Seal will weaken, and all the accumulated hidden ailments will erupt all at once.

For example, conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, bone hyperplasia, rheumatism, glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, and prostatitis.

"It's okay, he'll die soon."

The shadow clone, slumped in his seat, waved his hand nonchalantly. He had finished his last meal and had no regrets about dying.

"ha?"

"Never mind me, what are you doing here instead of being a proper secretary?"

"I just arrested a group of troublemaking Takigakure ninja, and my boss asked me to be in charge of the interrogation, so I stopped by to see you."

"Look at me, did you carry anything?"

"Forehead"

Seeing his younger cousin's troubled expression, the shadow clone curled his lip in disdain.

"You have the nerve to come here without bringing a gift? I didn't raise you to be such an ill-mannered child."

"I'll make it up next time, I'll make it up next time."

Seeing that Uchiha Gin was starting to escalate the situation, Uchiha Izuna secretly regretted coming. He wished he hadn't come.

"Just remember that. Go get to work. I have other tasks to do, so I can't keep you company."

The shadow clone nodded solemnly, then began to dismiss the guests, picking up a mosaic-covered book from the table and studying it intently.

""

That looks like my magazine, doesn't it?

Seeing Uchiha Gin openly slacking off, Uchiha Izuna sighed with a hint of exasperation and turned to continue with his own task.

As a result, not far from the office, Uchiha Izuna unexpectedly ran into Uchiha Gin, whom he had just said goodbye to.

"Big cousin, you..."

"You just went to my office?"

"yes."

Seeing his younger cousin's horrified expression, Uchiha Gin immediately understood and began his performance.

"Sigh~ As you know, prison work is very demanding. One person has to work in two. I usually use shadow clones to assist with my work, just to barely keep the prison running normally."

"That must have been very hard on you."

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Izuna's surprised expression turned strange. It turned out that what he had just stolen was a shadow clone.

"This is what I should do."

"Then I'll go to work first, you continue with your work, cousin."

Uchiha Izuna, barely able to contain his laughter, apologized and left, leaving Uchiha Gin standing there dumbfounded with a look of utter confusion on his face.

"What's that kid secretly so happy about?"

Confused, Uchiha Gin pushed open the door to his office. Upon seeing the scene inside, his lifeless eyes widened, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"You...you actually dare to—no!"

Raising his hand shakily, Uchiha Gin gritted his teeth and questioned,

"How dare you!?"

"Hiccup~ You're here."

The shadow clone inside the room raised its eyelids slightly, showing no fear whatsoever.

"It doesn't matter who eats it or not."

"Ugh! I want you to take my limited edition strawberry lollipop with you!"

Trembling, he picked up the beautifully wrapped candy wrapper at his feet, clutched it tightly, and a tear rolled down Uchiha Gin's cheek.

"No need for you to do anything, farewell~"

Seeing the crazed Uchiha Gin, the shadow clone chuckled with a wicked grin, raised his hand to form a release hand seal, and before leaving, didn't forget to send a message to the Sand Village's Inosuke.

"By the way, the food was delicious, thank you for the treat!"

bang~

"Waaaaah"

As memories flooded his mind, Uchiha Gin, this eagle-like man, cried like a two-hundred-pound child.

However, this incident also indirectly proves that the only person who could trick Uchiha Gin was himself.

"Phew~ Oh well, consider it a lesson learned."

After a while, Uchiha Gin, who had finally recovered, let out a long breath and vowed that he would definitely be wary of himself from now on.

"Huh? My little cousin is going to interrogate Takishinobu?"

While reviewing his memories, the image of the shadow clone interacting with Uchiha Izuna also appeared in Uchiha Gin's mind.

Already curious about the incident, he immediately rallied his spirits, dashed out of the office, and headed to the interrogation department to see what was going on.

Inside the torture chamber of the prison, the leader of the Takigakure ninja, who had just been full of vigor at the gates of Konoha, now looked ashen-faced.

Covered in chains, he was held aloft by two burly men like a chick, while Uchiha Izuna stood leisurely before him.

"Speak, my patience is running out."

Uchiha Izuna, with his legs crossed, accepted the tea offered by Morino Inosuke, took a sip, and spoke calmly.

"This is an abuse of power! I demand to see Hashirama Senju!"

Even now, the leader of the Takigakure ninja is still putting up a last-ditch resistance, clinging to childish fantasies. His face is flushed, and he shouts with his neck stiffened.

"Oh?"

Uchiha Izuna, holding a teacup, didn't even lift his eyelids, but the burly man supporting the old man understood immediately and tied the Takigakure leader face down to a bench.

"Snapped!"

Seeing this, Morino Inosuke immediately raised his whip and lashed the old man's withered buttocks.

"Ah~!"

"Didn't you hear what Izuna-sama asked?"

Morino Inosuke, his face full of scars, tightened his grip on the leather whip, his eyes filled with savagery.

"I want to see Hashirama Senju!"

Snapped!

"I want to see the Thousand Hands."

clap~

I want to see him.

Snap snap snap~

"I want it, I don't want it!"

"Well?"

Morino Inosuke, who was engrossed in smoking, hesitated for a moment upon hearing the word "no."

Snap snap snap snap~

But sometimes, a person's mind can't keep up with their hands.

"Ah! I already said I didn't want it."

The old man, writhing in pain, looked indignantly at his bloodied buttocks, his heart filled with sorrow.

How am I supposed to poop like this?

"Can you tell me now?"

Uchiha Izuna swirled the teacup in his hand and asked again.

"you"

"If you keep being stubborn, I'll let you experience the Morino family's ancestral bondage techniques!"

Seeing the old man's troubled expression, Morino Inosuke grinned and brandished the long whip in his hand.

"Hey, you didn't even say what you wanted to ask me?"

"ha?"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Izuna's expression froze. After coughing a few times, his eyes darted away as he spoke.

"Ahem, those were just a small gift. If you dare to utter a single falsehood afterward, well, you can imagine the consequences."

"Name."

"Yuji."

"What exactly are you here for?"

"I'll seek justice from Hashirama Senju."

"Who sent you?"

"No one else would have resorted to this drastic measure if the village hadn't been so desperate for food."

The leader of Takigakure was still putting on a convincing performance; when questioned by Uchiha Izuna, he insisted that no one was behind him.

"What about the testimonies of the other prisoners?"

Unable to get a clear answer, Uchiha Izuna frowned and turned to ask the members of the interrogation department.

"Reporting to my lord, those ninja from Takigakure only said that they were summoned by their leader, and they know nothing else."

"My lord, I swear to the Sage of Six Paths that everything I have said is true. If there is even a single lie, may my ass be rotten for the rest of my life."

Seeing Uchiha Izuna's furrowed brows, the old man assumed he was helpless against him, and a smug glint appeared in his eyes.

"Alright, you can swear after I've finished asking you all the questions."

"ha?"

Didn't I just ask that?

"That was just a routine procedure from the interrogation department, to leave a record in the file."

Facing the bewildered old man, Uchiha Izuna curled his lip in disdain, his black eyes gradually turning a bloodthirsty crimson.

"Do we Uchiha need to resort to physical violence in our torture?"

The next moment, the old man felt everything go black before his eyes, and his consciousness plunged into endless darkness.

Just before losing consciousness, the old man almost cursed aloud.

So, I took that whipping for nothing?

In reality, the leader of Takigakure's gray eyes were gradually replaced by crimson, and his expression became blank.

"What is the purpose of your trip?"

"Forced Hashirama Senju to show himself."

Hearing this somewhat unusual answer, Uchiha Izuna raised an eyebrow in surprise. These Takigakure ninja were definitely not just here to collect a debt.

Setting aside his doubts for the moment, he continued by asking the question that Madara Uchiha had specifically instructed him to ask.

"Who sent you?"

"It's rock, oh no!"

The moment the old man, controlled by the Sharingan, opened his mouth, a look of pain instantly appeared on his withered face. It was as if an invisible hand was gripping his throat, and he let out a series of screams.

"not good."

Uchiha Izuna's gaze sharpened. Through his Sharingan, he could see the sudden burst of violent chakra emanating from the old man's heart.

"what!"

In the blink of an eye, the old man's life force vanished, leaving only a chilling remains.

Snapped!

"hateful!"

Uchiha Izuna slammed his fist on the table. He had calculated everything, but he hadn't anticipated that the old man's body contained a deadly secret door. Now the clues were gone, and how was he going to explain this to his elder brother?

"Brother, it's my fault for being incompetent."

Looking at the old man's stiff corpse, Uchiha Izuna's face turned ashen. He had even made a mistake in such a simple task. How could he possibly compete for the position of Jonin class leader?

"Little cousin, why are you looking so sad?"

Just as Uchiha Izuna was feeling dejected, Uchiha Gin, with the last of his stash of food dangling from his mouth, slowly appeared.

His half-closed eyes glanced past his bitter-faced younger cousin and landed on the old man whose buttocks were covered in blood. A visible look of disgust appeared on his face.

"Hey! You guys are going too far! How could you lay a hand on such an old codger?"

"Lord Yin, you've misunderstood."

Upon hearing this, Morino Inosuke, who was involved in the incident, immediately stepped forward to clarify and recounted everything that had just happened to Uchiha Gin.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I didn't expect this old guy to have such anal fissures. He'd rather die than betray the person behind him. He's quite a character."

"No, he was probably killed by the spell hidden in his heart because he triggered the forbidden language."

At this moment, the silent Uchiha Izuna spoke up, his face filled with deep self-reproach.

"If I had checked more carefully, I could have avoided this happening."

"Hey, it's not your fault, the enemy is just too cunning."

Seeing Uchiha Izuna begin to wallow in self-pity, Uchiha Gin shook his head and offered words of comfort.

"But it's too late now. The person is dead. We can't expect a dead person to speak, can we?"

Hearing Uchiha Gin's comforting words, Uchiha Izuna was deeply moved, but this could not overshadow his mistake.

"I will go to my elder brother to apologize and let the village decide my fate."

The thought of seeing the gloating look in the white-haired man's eyes made Uchiha Izuna feel like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat. Why was he so useless that he couldn't even get the credit that was handed to him?

"Who says you can't let the dead speak?"

"ha?"

Uchiha Izuna, who was about to leave, was stunned and froze on the spot upon hearing Uchiha Gin's seemingly nonsensical remark.

"You're lucky, kid!"

Uchiha Gin shook his head with a look of relief, swayed to the side of the dead old man, looked him up and down, and then casually pulled out a kunai.

"Pfft~"

With a loud thud, the sharp kunai was plunged into the old man's bleeding buttocks, and with a forceful stab, a large chunk of bloody tissue was cut off.

"I, your cousin, managed to get my hands on an incredibly cunning ninjutsu from a ninja in the underworld. I'll show it to you."