284. Izuma Comitting A Crime

In the grand chambers of Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime,

Two tall, white-haired women stood with their arms crossed, glaring down at the man before them with righteous fury.

Uchiha Gin, kneeling on the ground, had his handsome face turned into an unrecognizable mess, swollen like a pig's head. His dead-fish eyes were bruised purple, and bloodied tissue stuffed his nostrils. Through his swollen lips, he mumbled indistinctly,
“I was wrong~”

Gin felt more wronged than a wrongly accused man in court.

The real culprit was Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime, who had recklessly pushed herself too far, falling victim to the negative effects of the Shadow Realm's buff.

To be fair, the Shadow Realm’s effects were almost like a curse bag.

Despite using all his strength to drag Tsukihime back to the real world, Gin was rewarded with merciless punishment. It didn’t help that the compromising position they ended up in left no room for explanation. All he could do now was grit his teeth and accept his fate.

After enduring an hour-long beating from the furious Tsukihime, her energy finally waned. What hurt more was that even Ōtsutsuki Akemi, who usually sided with him, joined Tsukihime in condemning him without hearing his side of the story.

“Tsukihime, Gin has already admitted his mistake. Perhaps you can forgive him this time,” Akemi said gently.

Still piecing together her hazy memories, Tsukihime’s face flushed as the embarrassing position she’d been in flashed through her mind. Her cold gaze fixed on Gin, a mix of emotions swirling within her.

“What exactly did you do to me?”

Gin winced under her glare, hesitating. He couldn’t possibly tell her the truth—that she’d essentially succumbed to primal instincts and acted like a submissive pet.

“You entered my genjutsu realm and got hypnotized by mistake,” he finally blurted out, grasping at straws.

“And you didn’t do anything to me?” Tsukihime pressed, her expression darkening.

“I swear! If I so much as touched a strand of your hair, may my brother tie a knot in my fate!” Gin swore, holding up three fingers.

“You… beast! How dare you do nothing!”

“What?” Gin was dumbfounded as Tsukihime stormed off, leaving him behind in utter confusion.

“Ah, Gin. Sometimes you’re sharp, but at other times, you’re utterly clueless.”

Akemi sighed, helping him up. Her hand lingered on his face as she gazed at him with a hint of longing. She whispered, “Tsukihime is your sworn sister. Think about that.”

Gin dusted off his knees, his face quickly healing under his body’s regenerative abilities. Within moments, his casual, indifferent expression returned.

“Exactly. Because we’re family, I couldn’t possibly…”

Before he could finish, Akemi's warm breath brushed against him as she leaned in closer.

“You know I’m not like that,” she murmured, her voice low and sultry.

Gin froze. The heat of her body, the glint in her eyes—he knew all too well where this was heading.

“Which kind of person are you, then?” he asked, his voice trembling.

With a coy smile, Akemi's lips brushed against his ear as she whispered, “Turn off the lights, and I’ll show you.”

Carrying Akemi in his arms, Gin’s figure disappeared in a flash of golden light, leaving only silence in the chamber.

Moments later, the door to Tsukihime’s chamber creaked open. The flustered young woman peeked inside, her pale eyes scanning the empty room. Her cheeks flushed a deeper red as she clenched her fists.

“So… he just left, huh?”

The memories of their time in the Shadow Realm played on repeat in her mind. She buried her face in her hands, her heart racing as a mix of shame and frustration overwhelmed her.

“Am I really that unattractive?”


---

Late at night, Konoha Village.

A golden flash illuminated a dark alley as Gin reappeared, his legs trembling and his hand on his waist.

“Whew. I barely made it out alive.”

Gin had never felt so drained. If not for the system enhancing his body, Akemi's intensity might have left him a hollowed-out husk.

“And I didn’t even eat dinner… I wonder if there’s any food left at home.”

Pushing the door open quietly, Gin attempted to sneak inside, only to be met with two pairs of piercing eyes in the living room.

“You still know how to come home?”

On the couch lay Uchiha Hikari, her lazy gaze filled with disapproval. Gin froze on the spot.

“I had a drink with Taro…” he lied seamlessly.

“Oh? Funny, because while I was eating barbecue with Haruka, we didn’t see you anywhere,” Senju Itama chimed in from the single-seater couch, her sharp eyes narrowing at him.

“Well, maybe you left before I got there,” Gin stammered, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Strange, since we stayed until closing time,” Itama continued, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Caught off guard, Gin’s expression began to crack.

“Ah, this scent… You’d better confess what you’ve been up to,” Hikari said, walking over and sniffing the air around him. Her expression darkened.

Gin gulped. Hikari had picked up on a faint, familiar scent—the scent of Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime.



"Confess and you'll be treated leniently, resist and you'll face severe consequences!"

Senju Itama, unwilling to be left out, ran over with her small but intimidating fists clenched, adding to the pressure.

"Wait, since when did you two form an alliance?" Gin asked, stunned.

"We deal with external threats first, and once everything's settled, we address internal issues," Uchiha Hikari replied with convincing logic.

"Fine, fine. I’ll come clean."

Realizing he couldn’t hide the truth, Gin spilled the story. He explained how Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime had dragged him up to the moon for a sparring match, which ended with him losing and getting beaten up.

"That woman’s gotten stronger," Hikari muttered, frowning as she recalled her previous defeat at Tsukihime's hands during their encounter.

"Next time, I’ll settle the score for you!" she declared, determined to avenge him and teach the white-haired woman a lesson.

"Me too!" Senju Itama chimed in, her resolve unshaken even though she had never fought Tsukihime.

"You? No thanks," Gin dismissed her outright.

"What, are you looking down on me?" Itama retorted, raising her glowing blue fist as if ready to prove her strength.

"Stop! I’m still injured!" Gin exclaimed, quickly backing away. It was clear that Itama had too much energy lately—maybe she needed a new task to occupy her time.

"Enough. It’s late, and everyone should get some rest," Hikari interjected, stepping in to stop the argument. Her calm yet slightly sinister smile sent a chill down Gin’s spine.

"Hmph!" Itama reluctantly lowered her fist but still glared at Gin.

"Hikari is always so understanding," Gin said awkwardly, sensing something off.

With his nerves frayed, Gin finally retreated to his room. After checking for any hidden threats, he slipped into his bed, sighing in relief—only to freeze.

Something warm was already inside.

"W-What’s going on?" Gin stammered, lifting the covers to find a figure curled up beneath.

"You think I can’t tell where you’ve been?"

Two glowing crimson eyes appeared in the darkness, staring at him with an unsettling mix of charm and menace.

It wasn’t Hikari—it was Uchiha Kuroko, and she clearly knew what Gin had been up to.

"Heh, heh, you wouldn’t want your little secret from the moon to get out, would you?" she whispered, her tone dripping with mischief.


---

The following days in Konoha saw steady progress on a new round of village expansion. Despite occasional rumors about funding shortages, they were quickly silenced by a certain white-haired figure behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, having caught wind of some internal developments, Gin once again knocked on the Hokage's office door.

Inside, Senju Tobirama greeted him with a scroll in hand, while a pale-faced Uchiha Kagami sat nearby.

"Here’s your payment. Count it if you want," Tobirama said confidently, tossing the scroll to Gin.

"No need. I trust you," Gin replied casually, waving off the offer.

Tobirama frowned at his nonchalance. "So, Kagami learned this bad habit of blind trust from you, huh? Even with close allies, you should always stay cautious."

"Wait, what happened with Kagami?" Gin asked, confused.



Unexpectedly, the topic shifted to Uchiha Kagami, someone Gin hadn’t seen in a long time, leaving him puzzled.

“He’s just like you—trusting others so easily. He’s practically being scammed by a bunch of little brats,” Tobirama grumbled, rolling his eyes. Of all his disciples, only Kagami didn’t give him constant headaches.

As soon as class was over, the kids would bow to Kagami, calling him "godfather," and then swindle money from his wallet to buy expensive snacks. It all started because a certain curly-haired individual had tricked the kids out of their allowance, leaving them broke and desperate.

“Oh, it’s just that? Not a big deal,” Gin replied nonchalantly.

After all, it wasn’t a loss. Spending a little money to become the honorary father of future Hokages seemed like a great deal. Years later, Kagami might even laugh himself awake over it.

“You…” Tobirama sighed at Gin’s indifference but decided not to press the matter. His evaluation of the "curly-haired trait" rose slightly, and his gaze softened.

“Has Hashirama still not returned? It’s been days—could he have fallen for someone else?” Gin asked, glancing at Hashirama’s untouched desk.

“!!!”

Hearing this, Madara immediately looked up, his eyes sharp and his mind spiraling into wild thoughts.

“He’ll be back today,” Tobirama said confidently. He had sensed the tracking mark he left on Hashirama enter the Land of Fire, and knowing his brother’s speed, he would return to Konoha before long.

“Good. Look at my little cousin here—he’s so overworked, he’s practically a ghost of himself.” Gin dramatically patted Madara’s pale, haggard face like a concerned older brother.

“When Hashirama returns, give him some time off to rest,” Gin suggested.

“I don’t need it! I’m fine!” Madara protested, moved by Gin’s concern but staunchly refusing the idea of taking a break.

“Look at yourself! You don’t even resemble the leader of a clan anymore!” Gin scolded, his tone stern.

“But—”

“No buts! The Hokage can’t look like some frail, overworked guy!” Gin snapped, knowing Madara was pushing himself to leave a good impression and secure the position of Hokage. However, overworking to the point of collapse would do more harm than good.

“Alright,” Madara finally relented. Gin was the only one who could talk to him this way, after all.


---

Before anyone could respond further, the door burst open, and in came Hashirama, bringing with him a gust of wind and sand. Without a word, he grabbed an unattended cup of tea and drank it all in one go.

“Ahh, I’m alive again! The Land of Wind is no place for humans!”

Hashirama looked worn, his face weathered, his long hair dry and slightly yellowed, and his clothes covered in sand. Most noticeably, his shirt had several clean cuts on the back, clearly not from natural wear and tear.

“Brother, were you attacked?” Tobirama asked, concern evident in his voice.

“Attacked? Let me think… Oh, yeah, some stranger threw a kunai at me from a distance, but the quality was so poor it only ripped my shirt. Didn’t even scratch me,” Hashirama said, distressed at the damage to his shirt, which had been hand-made by his wife.

“And what happened to the attacker?” Gin asked, suddenly interested.

“I didn’t see him. I was in a rush, so I tossed a Wood Dragon in his direction. He probably ran off,” Hashirama replied casually.

Meanwhile, near the border of the Land of Fire, a bloodied man staggered toward Takigakure, each step a struggle. The Wood Dragon’s near-miss had punctured his lung, but the thought of retrieving his confiscated wealth kept him moving forward.

Unbeknownst to him, betrayal awaited him, not the riches he so desperately sought.

“Tsk, so it was all just bragging, huh?” Gin muttered, realizing Kakuzu’s infamous reputation had been greatly exaggerated to impress the Akatsuki.

“What are you talking about?” Hashirama asked, confused.

“Nothing important. Now that you’re back, Madara can finally take a break, right?” Gin said, quickly changing the subject.

Dragging a reluctant Madara out of the office, Gin ignored his cousin’s protests and led him into the streets.


---

“This isn’t the way to the clan grounds,” Madara said, narrowing his eyes as Gin turned into a less familiar commercial street.

“Follow me. There’s something you need to see,” Gin replied, leading him to a small, unassuming fruit shop.

“What are we doing here? I don’t even like fruit,” Madara complained, frowning at the shop’s Uchiha fan logo.

“Quiet.” Gin gestured for silence and pulled Madara into a discreet corner to observe.

A moment later, a slender girl with twin braids emerged from the shop. Her apron looked a size too large for her petite frame, and while not stunningly beautiful, her soft features and fresh demeanor exuded a quiet charm.

“Cousin, this is illegal!” Madara hissed, pulling away from Gin with suspicion. The girl appeared no older than fourteen or fifteen—hardly someone Gin should be staring at.

“Shush.” Gin rolled his eyes, signaling for Madara to calm down before pointing to a figure approaching the shop.

Madara turned to look and froze, his eyes widening in disbelief.

“Is that… Izuna?”

Striding confidently toward the girl was a young man resembling Uchiha Izuna. Dressed in a tight black shirt, cropped pants, and polished shoes, he walked with a swagger and carried a small black bag under his arm.

“Yes, and it’s not me who’s committing a crime,” Gin whispered with a smirk.