286. Sentient Puppet

In the end, with the approval of his eldest cousin, Uchiha Izuna left with great joy. Before leaving, he handed a lemon to Uchiha Gin and said,
“Big cousin, as long as Mihoko and I work out, you’ll have an endless supply of lemons in the future!”

Taking the bribe without hesitation, Uchiha Gin frowned at Izuna’s flashy outfit and remarked,
“You’d better change your style. If you keep looking like this, you’ll be single for life.”

Hearing this, Izuna looked down at his shiny loafers in confusion, convinced he looked amazing. With a style that supposedly turned heads wherever he went, he replied,
“Really? I think Mihoko likes this look of mine!”

“I said change it. Stop wasting words!” Gin retorted, smacking Izuna on the head.


“Alright, alright, I’ll change,” Izuna relented, rubbing the sore spot on his head. He knew he had no choice but to submit to Gin’s authority; otherwise, his cousin’s disapproval could ruin his chances with Mihoko.

Watching Izuna leave, Uchiha Madara, who had been brooding, finally relaxed his tense expression. With a cold snort, he muttered,
“Hmph! That brat is only after her body. How shameless!”

“You’re just jealous,” Gin teased, glancing at Madara with an amused expression.

“Jealous? Of him? Don’t be ridiculous!” Madara rolled his eyes, though a faint hint of relief and joy flickered on his usually stern face.

“Sure, sure.” Gin was unbothered by Madara’s denial, used to his cousin’s outwardly stoic yet secretly caring personality.

Gin then instructed, “I’ve already arranged time off for you. For the next few days, stay at home, handle the clan’s affairs, and give Izuna some personal space.”

“But…” Madara hesitated. With the critical competition for the Second Hokage position underway, leaving his post now could give Tobirama an opportunity to gain an advantage, potentially undoing all his hard work.

“If you dare sneak off to work, I’ll expose your secrets to that white-haired rival of yours,” Gin warned, his expression leaving no room for negotiation.

Even Tobirama couldn’t help but perk up at the thought of such a scenario.

“Fine, fine. I understand,” Madara sighed, defeated by Gin’s unshakable resolve and the weight of the potential consequences.

Afterward, Gin waved him off, saying,
“I’m going to take a walk. You go home and rest.” Carrying the lemon, Gin headed toward the village gates with a clear purpose. He wasn’t about to visit anyone empty-handed.


---

Returning to the clan’s main office, Madara pushed open the door to find the room filled with stacks of documents. To his surprise, Izuna was diligently reviewing papers, his earlier carefree demeanor replaced with seriousness.

“Just leave it there. I’ll get to it later,” Izuna said without looking up, mistaking Madara for another clan member delivering paperwork.

Madara didn’t reply, his gaze lingering on the tired lines etched on his brother’s face. Seeing the untouched, now-cold meal on the side table, he realized how overworked Izuna had become.

“Are things this busy?” Madara finally asked, his voice low.

Hearing his brother’s voice, Izuna looked up in shock, quickly standing to greet him.
“Big brother! What brings you here? Shouldn’t you be at the Hokage office?”

Madara cut him off, his face full of guilt. “Stop. Izuna, I’m sorry for the things I said earlier. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I feel terrible.”

Izuna blinked, utterly confused by Madara’s sudden change in attitude.

“Go rest. I’ll handle the rest of the work,” Madara insisted, pulling Izuna back into his seat and taking over the paperwork.

Izuna hesitated. “But what about your work?”

Madara chuckled softly. “Don’t play dumb. I already know. I’ve agreed to it—just don’t cross any lines. Go ahead and chase after that fruit shop girl.”

“What?!” Izuna’s startled reaction caught Madara off guard, his face growing red with suppressed emotion.

Before Madara could understand, the office door was flung open, and another Izuna stumbled in, sweaty and disheveled.
“Finally! Field research is no joke. It’s exhausting!” the new arrival said, oblivious to the tension in the room.

Looking at the two Izunas, Madara’s expression grew perplexed. The Izuna sitting at the desk narrowed his eyes at the newcomer, his voice icy as he asked,
“So, the real one finally returns. Had fun on your ‘fieldwork’?”

The second Izuna, realizing he’d been caught, stammered nervously,
“Uh, no, not at all! You’ve been working so hard. I admire you, truly!”

“Save it,” the seated Izuna snapped. “While I’m here burning the midnight oil, you’ve been out chasing that girl under the pretense of research. Bravo, truly the pride of the Uchiha clan.”

Caught red-handed, the real Izuna dropped to his knees. “I’m sorry! I admit it—I’ve been using a shadow clone to cover for me. Please forgive me!”


Hearing this, Uchiha Madara finally understood the whole story. His gaze toward his kneeling brother turned sharp and unforgiving.

To think I once believed you were dedicated to your duties, only to discover you're nothing but a sly fox, leaving a shadow clone to handle the work while you sneak off to flirt.

Such despicable tactics... Why didn’t I think of this earlier?

Remembering how he had personally slogged through piles of paperwork, Madara felt as if he’d suffered a loss worse than a billion ryo.

“Eat dirt!”

Enraged, the shadow clone leaped toward the kneeling Izuna like a ravenous tiger. Today, he would reclaim justice for all shadow clones!

“Release!”

Prepared for retaliation, Izuna quickly formed a seal to dispel the clone. Mid-air, the clone dissolved into a puff of smoke.

“Ugh…”

Though he avoided the clone’s revenge, the flood of memories from the dispelled clone hit Izuna like a ton of bricks. Clutching his head, he rolled on the floor in agony, breaking into a cold sweat. After groaning for what felt like an eternity, he finally quieted down.

“Phew… I thought I was going to die,” Izuna muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow, looking like he had just escaped death itself.

“You think this is over?”

Madara’s icy voice cut through the air, making Izuna instantly stand at attention.
“Big brother, I was just… um, creatively using ninjutsu,” Izuna stammered, trying to explain.

“You really know how to balance work and flirting, don’t you?” Madara said sarcastically.

“Just trying my best,” Izuna replied sheepishly, scratching his head. A rare compliment from his brother made him momentarily smug.

“You think I’m praising you? Get back to work!” Madara barked, pointing at the clan leader’s chair.

“But… Big Cousin Gin told me to pursue Mihoko just now!” Izuna tried to protest, using Gin as his shield.

Madara wasn’t buying it. His piercing gaze and overwhelming aura made Izuna gulp in fear.

“Fine, I’ll do it! But… what about Meiko?” Izuna whimpered, reluctantly returning to his post.

He had finally made some progress with her—missing this chance could ruin everything.

“Send your shadow clone to handle it. You’ll stay here and work,” Madara ordered coldly.

So this is what it feels like to be a shadow clone…


---

With Izuna firmly put in his place, Madara left the office, heading toward the Naka Shrine.

“Only here can I truly find peace,” he murmured.

Inside the dimly lit shrine, Madara sat cross-legged before the ancient stone tablet. His Sharingan glowed crimson as he focused on the mysterious, cryptic text. Under the enhanced vision of his Mangekyō Sharingan, the symbols transformed into readable content.

“Why can’t I see the final part of the message? My eyes are already at the pinnacle of the Sharingan,” he muttered, frustrated.

Increasing his output of ocular power, Madara pushed his Mangekyō to its limits, but the final section of the tablet remained obscured.

“Could it be… that the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan isn’t the ultimate form of these eyes?”

Closing his eyes, Madara furrowed his brow in thought. Suddenly, he recalled a passage on the tablet, and a flash of inspiration struck him.

“‘All things of creation…’”

The tablet spoke of combining the power of the Senju and Uchiha clans to achieve the force of creation itself. Perhaps this power was the key to uncovering the tablet’s final secrets.

Deep in thought, Madara’s expression turned contemplative, his mind racing through possibilities.

Unbeknownst to him, a shadowy figure was watching from the corner. Black Zetsu, who had been waiting patiently, nodded in satisfaction as he observed Madara’s contemplation.

It seems this reincarnation of Indra has hit a roadblock. Should I add fuel to the fire and steer him toward becoming my ultimate pawn?

The final part of the tablet could only be read with the Rinnegan. It contained details about the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan, including the summoning of the Gedo Statue and the role of the tailed beasts.

“First, I’ll ensure he turns against the reincarnation of Asura. When he’s isolated and desperate, I’ll step in and guide him,” Black Zetsu mused, his small, beady eyes gleaming with cunning.

“Mother, you’ll soon be free from your prison,” he whispered, brimming with determination.


---

Meanwhile, Uchiha Gin had reached the village gates, clutching his lemon. However, he was dismayed to find the cold drink shop closed, with a sign reading “Temporarily Closed.” He recalled the shopkeeper’s wife mentioning where the spare key was kept.

After unlocking the door, Gin boldly walked into the empty shop. Parched, he considered helping himself to a drink but felt too lazy to make one. As a man who delegated well, Gin’s eyes glinted red as he summoned his shadow clone.

“Time to shine, partner,” he said nonchalantly, leaving the task to his clone.




"Spectre!"

Uchiha Gin, who was initially squinting his eyes with a calm demeanor, widened his eyes in surprise upon seeing the dark-skinned girl transported from the Shadow Realm.
"What kind of outfit is that?"

Spectre still had her signature dark-skinned, icy demeanor, but now she sported a pair of rabbit ears atop her white-haired head. They didn’t look like decorations but seemed entirely real.

Moments earlier, in the Shadow Realm, Kaguya had been enjoying an elegant afternoon tea when she suddenly sensed a summoning. She touched the rabbit ears growing on her head and, visibly annoyed, stood up to accept the call.

These rabbit ears had appeared after her last fusion transformation with Uchiha Gin, and even Kaguya herself was baffled.
Though her true form was a rabbit, she had never undergone such a mutation during her time as an Ōtsutsuki!

"Ah, right, you can’t talk."

Realizing Spectre didn’t respond, Gin smacked his forehead and dropped the question.

The summoned Kaguya maintained her icy composure, but her curious gaze wandered around the café, lingering on its cute decorations. For a brief moment, her aloof heart wavered.

Not bad. Once I conquer the world, this will be my palace. I’ll have this descendant guard the gate.

Lost in her fantasies, Kaguya suddenly felt a tingling sensation atop her head and nearly yelped in surprise.

"They’re real rabbit ears! And they’re warm too!"

Gin had somehow crept behind her and was now fondling her rabbit ears with his large hands, marveling at them as he squeezed and kneaded.

"Slap!!!"

Kaguya had never suffered such humiliation before. She immediately smacked Gin’s offending hand away, her icy face showing a hint of disdain.

"Hoo~ Yes, that’s the expression I was waiting for!"

Nursing his red, swollen hand, Gin grinned at Spectre's rare display of emotion.

Gin believed Spectre, a creation of ocular jutsu, wasn’t just a combat puppet. He felt she could evolve into a sentient AI with proper "guidance." Perhaps she might even speak one day.

"Spectre, make me a hand-pressed lemonade. Extra sugar!"

Sizing up the dark-skinned Wangliang, who had returned to her usual demeanor, Gin issued a command. Now was the time to test her progress after the training sessions with the two artificial puppets.

"#"

Kaguya’s cold face darkened, her forehead twitching with anger at Gin’s absurd order.

"Don’t know how? Let me show you!"

Seeing Spectre frozen in place, Gin assumed she didn’t understand, so he scratched his head and stepped behind the counter.

Smack smack smack!

A series of vigorous pounding noises echoed as Gin expertly handled several lemons, extracting their juice with immense strength. He then mixed the tart liquid with generous amounts of honey and sugar syrup, crafting the perfect lemonade.

"Ta-da! Hand-pressed lemonade, complete!"

Gin proudly presented his creation, the epitome of professional skill.

"Want a taste?"

Originally intending to drink it himself, Gin noticed Spectre's subtle expression of interest. Curiously, he extended the glass toward her.

Kaguya was startled, realizing she might expose herself. But seeing Gin’s lack of suspicion, she steeled herself, snatched the glass, and drank deeply.

Gulp gulp gulp!

The refreshing blend of tart lemon, sweet syrup, and rich honey was a perfect summer drink, leaving Kaguya’s eyes wide with delight.

This descendant is worthy of being part of my harem.

As she downed the lemonade, her flat stomach began to swell slightly.

Spread the word: Uchiha Gin made Kaguya’s belly swell!

"Ahhh, refreshing!"

Sighing contentedly, Kaguya accidentally exclaimed out loud, startling Gin, who had been cleaning up. He froze, staring at her flushed face.

"Did you just… talk?"

Still drunk on lemonade, Kaguya didn’t realize her mistake. She instinctively handed Gin the empty glass.
"Another."

Gin’s jaw dropped. Then, tears of joy filled his eyes.

"I did it! I made her evolve!"

Gin was convinced Spectre's speech was the result of his relentless effort.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked, wiping his tears.

"Curly hair?" Kaguya coldly replied, glancing at the curls on his head.

"No! I’m your master!" Gin corrected, crossing his arms in an X.

"Okay, curly hair. Got it, curly hair," Kaguya replied, her face betraying a faint smirk.

"No! Repeat after me: ‘Master.’"

"Master."

Gin was overjoyed. He had successfully "trained" Spectre, his creation, into a responsive AI.

"Good. Now fetch me another drink, Master," Kaguya replied, her tone icy but her eyes sparkling mischievously.

This descendant really isn’t the brightest.