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

Chapter 552 No more familiar faces in this house.

"Where's the secret technique? I can't understand a single word!"

Upon hearing about the extraordinary skill, Jiraiya examined the unfolded scroll for a long time, but aside from feeling dizzy and lightheaded, he couldn't discern anything about it.

"These incantations seem to be sealing techniques."

Only the learned Orochimaru noticed something amiss, his long eyebrows furrowing slightly. This level of sealing technique was far beyond the comprehension of inexperienced genin like them.

"Grandpa Gin~ Stop keeping me in suspense, just tell me already!"

Seeing that her two incompetent teammates were useless, Tsunade immediately resorted to her charm, grabbing Uchiha Gin's arm and swaying it from side to side, pleading in a sweet and coquettish tone.

Uchiha Gin stretched out his other hand, placed his fingers on Tsunade's smooth forehead, and said lazily,

"Since it's a secret technique, how can I let you learn it so easily?"

"what!"

He flicked Tsunade's forehead with his finger, and she cried out in pain, clutching her swollen wound. Her fair face puffed up like a freshly baked bun.

"Hmph! Fine, I won't tell you then. I'll go home and ask Grandma."

"Asking anyone won't help. The secrets here can only be figured out by yourselves. No one else can help you at all."

In the scroll he gifted, Uchiha Gin sealed away a secret technique he had created specifically for the three of them. The scroll would reveal its contents when they were qualified to learn it.

"Thud~!"

Just as Tsunade and the others were about to press for more information, their faces full of indignation, the classroom door opened again, and a figure shrouded in smoke slowly stepped in.

"Cough cough cough"

The pungent smell of smoke made Jiraiya's eyes and nose sting. Orochimaru and Tsunade, seeing this, immediately pulled out handkerchiefs to cover their mouths and noses, watching the newcomer with wary expressions.

"Hello, I am... Uh? What are you doing here, Gin-san?"

After leaving the principal's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, craving a cigarette, immediately lit one for himself. Following the directions, he found Tsunade and the others' classroom, but upon entering, he wasn't greeted by the three; instead, he saw a familiar figure.

"Stop!"

Uchiha Gin raised his hand to stop Hiruzen Sarutobi from uttering the address he was about to say, leaving the latter completely bewildered.

"How can a mere genin like me be worthy of being addressed as such by the Hokage?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned upon hearing this, but he quickly understood the reason, and a faint look of gratitude appeared on his face.

"What does it matter? What kind of person do you take me for, Hiruzen Sarutobi?"

The reason why Gintoki doesn't allow her to call him "teacher" must be to protect her dignity as Hokage.

If those with ulterior motives were to learn that the Third Hokage's mentor was actually an ordinary genin, it would likely cause gossip.

"A teacher for a day is a father for life. How could I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, be such an ungrateful person?"

"No, no, no, you've misunderstood."

Seeing the excitement written all over Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged face, Gin Uchiha waved his hand slightly, then pointed to the other's prematurely aged face, and then to his own fair and plump face, explaining with a hint of disdain,

"Look at yourself now, you have the nerve to call me but I'm too embarrassed to answer!"

If a young girl knew that he was the teacher of this old man, how could he possibly have a pleasant time with her?

It turns out they thought he was too old.

Boom!

Sensing the disdain in Uchiha Gin's tone, Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly choked on his own cigarette, his fist clenching instantly.

"call"

Struggling to suppress the resentment in his heart, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and raised his head.

"I see."

"Good to know. I'm leaving now. These three little devils are in your care~"

Ignoring the complicated expression on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face, Gin Uchiha waved to the three bewildered kids behind him, turned around and left the classroom. He had already achieved his goal and there was no need to stay and disturb the four of them getting to know each other.

Watching Uchiha Gin's departing figure, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a mix of emotions. How could he not see his mentor's true thoughts? It must be to maintain his authority as Hokage.

Furthermore, he said those harsh words so that he wouldn't feel guilty.

Yin San San, I understand, I understand everything.

I will never let you down.

Deeply moved, Hiruzen Sarutobi secretly resolved that even if he no longer addressed Gin as his teacher, he would still respect Gin Uchiha even more.

"Hello, I am Hiruzen Sarutobi, your future Jonin leader, and part-time Hokage."

Having figured everything out, Hiruzen Sarutobi buried his tenderness deep inside, turned to look at the three uneasy brats, and unconsciously exuded a hint of authority.

"My dream is to lead Konoha to become bigger and stronger."

"Grandpa Gin really didn't lie to me!"

Jiraiya, regaining his senses, jumped for joy, his little face beaming with delight. His heart, which had been pounding in his chest, finally settled.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly. Jiraiya's boisterous behavior was far from the standard he held for a disciple.

Is this the little brat?

It looks messy and sloppy; it doesn't resemble me at all.

"My self-introduction is finished, now it's your turn."

Upon hearing this, Tsunade excitedly raised her hand.

"My name is Tsunade, and my dream is to become the invincible God of Gamblers."

Orochimaru, who was standing to the side, stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment, and then spoke softly.

"I am Orochimaru. I am very interested in human anatomy and my dream is to become a master of human anatomy."

After hearing their self-introductions, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned even more deeply. These two kids' dreams didn't contain even the slightest trace of the Will of Fire.

Especially Tsunade, you are a true descendant of the Hokage, how come you didn't learn any of the good things, but you didn't pick up any of Hachiman's bad habits.

"My name is Jiraiya, and I'm going to become the greatest hero in the ninja world, and incidentally, a bestselling novelist as well."

Finally, it was Jiraiya's turn. He took a few steps back, struck an exaggerated pose, and introduced himself, shaking his head and enunciating each word clearly.

Finally, a normal child arrived.

Hiruzen Sarutobi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Jiraiya, whom he had least faith in, turned out to be the most normal of the three.

"Good, very energetic."

After offering some words of encouragement, Hiruzen Sarutobi was curious as to why the young boy wanted to become a novelist.

Why do you want to be a novelist?

"I didn't want to be a novelist, but a bestselling novelist, and I am a novelist now."

Faced with his future teacher's questioning, Jiraiya waved his hand dismissively.

He signed a lifetime copyright contract for the novel with Uchiha Gin a few days ago, and is now considered a fledgling novelist.

"Oh? Do you have any works?"

Unable to suppress his curiosity, Hiruzen Sarutobi casually asked for it, but to his surprise, Jiraiya actually pulled out a thick stack of papers from his backpack, covered with tiny, fly-sized writing.

"You really are something!?"

Taking the first draft from Jiraiya, Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at it casually, then his eyes widened instantly, his eyeballs swaying rapidly from side to side.

"Ah, this...tsk tsk tsk."

A series of unintelligible exclamations rang out.

"You little rascal, are you some kind of genius?"

With a flushed face, Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his first draft, bowed slightly, and delayed his flight. His gaze towards Jiraiya held a hint of admiration.

He never expected that he would misjudge someone. What was wrong with this kid? This kid is a godsend for him.

"Haha, that's what Grandpa Yin said too."

Indeed, great minds think alike.

"Ahem, it's not bad, but there are some details that need polishing. Luckily, I have a solid literary foundation and have published the famous textbook 'The Will of Fire.' You can submit your manuscripts to me for review in the future; it's my duty as your teacher."

Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed a few times, reluctantly handing the first draft back to Jiraiya, and began to offer his critique, saying he could help him make some corrections.

"Really? But aren't you very busy, Third Hokage?"

Jiraiya's face lit up with joy upon hearing this, but his expression quickly turned sour. Hiruzen Sarutobi was a very busy man; he certainly didn't have time to revise his manuscript.

No matter how busy I am, I can still find time to take off.

"You are all my disciples now, how can I hinder your talents? If there is anything you don't understand in the future, just ask."

These words, falling into the ears of the three present, deeply moved these naive youngsters, who immediately bowed down in reverence.

"Greetings, teacher!" *3

Meanwhile, Akimichi Torifu had also finished getting to know his three disciples. Hatake Sakumo and the others never imagined that their teacher was the renowned Akimichi Torifu, and their hearts were filled with anticipation for their future success.

"Dismissed for now. Meet at Training Ground No. 3 tomorrow morning. Oh, and Duan, you stay behind."

After seeing Hatake Sakumo and Might Guy off, Akimichi Torifu mysteriously closed the classroom door, startling the already uneasy Kato Dan, whose face instantly turned grim.

Looking at Akimichi Torifu's round face, he subconsciously swallowed. He was in Konoha, not the legendary Zero City. His teacher shouldn't be the legendary bear, right?

"Break it!"

Just as Kato Dan was lost in thought, a large, broad hand suddenly slapped him on the shoulder, startling him.

"Teacher, what do you want to do?"

"Don't be nervous, I just want to ask you a personal question."

Akimichi Torifu narrowed his eyes, a strange smile appearing on his face. Kato Dan's vigilance instantly spiked, and he shook his head vigorously.

"I'm not!"

"What did you say? I, your teacher, have long admired your father Kato Taka's unique 'skill,' and I wonder if you..."

"I do have some knowledge of my father's 'craftsmanship,' but..."

Kato Dan gasped. It seemed he had truly stepped into the trap of 0. There was no escaping it. Akimichi Torifu not only had ulterior motives, but also wanted him to use his father's unique "technique" to satisfy his lust.

"But what?"

Upon hearing that there was hope, Akimichi Torifu immediately pressed for details, his chubby face flushed with excitement.

"My father once said that his 'craft' was not applicable to land-based businesses."

"ha?"

After leaving the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Gin did not return to the dungeon to continue slacking off, nor did he sneak home to do nothing. Instead, he set his sights on the direction of the clan's territory.

Because today is an important day.

Uchiha clan territory

"Lord Izuna, are you sure we're just setting up camp elsewhere, and not that our whole family has defected?"

Outside the Uchiha Izuna residence, the clansmen looked at the endless cartloads of luggage before them, then at the simple backpacks behind them, and were filled with deep confusion.

Is it really necessary to empty your pockets just because you're stationed away for a short period of time?

Now, inside the mansion, apart from the immovable foundation, everything else that could be taken away has been packed up by Uchiha Izuna.

"When you're out and about, you can't deprive yourself. Look at the toilet, I can't poop without it."

Pointing earnestly to the conspicuous toilet facilities in his luggage, Uchiha Izuna explained in a serious tone. Just as he finished speaking, he caught sight of a familiar figure slowly approaching in the distance and immediately raised his hand to call out.

"Big cousin, I thought you'd forgotten we were leaving today."

"Oh dear, how could I forget? I just had to take care of something."

As Uchiha Gin approached, he shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the group of clansmen who were fully prepared for battle, finally settling on a familiar face.

"Are you going to the Fire Core Prison too?"

"Yes, Izuna-sama specifically requested that I accompany him."

With a smile, Uchiha Hikaru nodded. He had also received the notification suddenly, and after hurriedly handing over his duties with the security team, he rushed over.

"Now that you're gone, who am I supposed to go drinking with?"

It's likely that Uchiha Hikaru will never return after this departure. Uchiha Taro and his wife are also moving to the Land of Waves soon, citing the need for their personal oversight of the new shop.

In this way, the Uchiha clan members who remained in Konoha had no one to drink and boast with.

Uchiha Ryuzaki is so high on health that he can't even get a date with Little Sweet Water anymore.

"It's not like I won't come back. In a few days it will be Erlang's death anniversary, and I need to rush back to burn some magazines for him."

Although the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire are separated by the sea, it's not difficult for ninjas to travel back and forth. Uchiha Higanbana couldn't understand why Uchiha Gin was acting so dejected.

"Have you bought that magazine yet?"

"I've bought it, it's in my backpack."

The offerings were all selected in advance; how could a meticulous man like Uchiha Kakoo do something like scrambling at the last minute?

"That's good. We should bring some souvenirs."

"ha?"

Upon hearing Uchiha Gin's inexplicable statement, Uchiha Hikaru blinked, completely bewildered.

"Little cousin, where's Fugaku?"

Leaving behind a bewildered Uchiha Hikaru, Uchiha Gin turned to ask Uchiha Izuna, who was checking the luggage.

"Mieko and Fugaku will come with me. When Fugaku reaches school age, I will arrange for someone from the clan to send him back."

Uchiha Izuna pointed to the carriage in the distance. His biggest worry about returning to be the retired emperor was his wife and children, so he decided to bring the whole family along so his father could enjoy some family time.

Who knows, if Dad gets too happy, he might pass the throne to me, and that brat Fuyu will have to wait his turn at the back of the line.

"That's right. Konoha does have Uchiha shares, after all. We can't just let these guys get away with it so easily."

Gin Uchiha wholeheartedly supported sending Fugaku's nephew back, as he had always insisted that one should never put all their eggs in one basket.

Even if Konoha is rotten, the Uchiha clan still has a share in it, so the investments made over the years can't be wasted.

"Big brother, I'm leaving Konoha in your care. I probably won't be coming back until I find you, big brother."

Uchiha Izuna turned around, gazing wistfully at the once-prosperous clan compound, his words tinged with deep sorrow.

However, the perceptive Uchiha Gin detected a hint of smugness hidden in his voice, so he quietly craned his neck and, sure enough, saw the barely suppressed smile on his younger cousin's face, which was turned away from him.

"Stop pretending, kid. Your smirk is practically reaching for the sky."

(End of this chapter)