273. Black Zetsu Lurking

The ninja who came to deliver a message swiftly departed after finishing his task. Uchiha, feeling somewhat puzzled, rubbed his chin in confusion.

At this point in time, instead of preparing for the upcoming meeting, why was Senju Hashirama looking for a laid-back person like him?

"Haruka, put these kids' expenses on my tab. I have to leave for something urgent."

The little ones who thought Uchiha Gin might abandon them immediately felt reassured by his comforting words, as though hearing heavenly music. They resumed their work with renewed vigor.

"Got it, go take care of your business."

Propping his head on his hand at the counter, Uchiha Haruka nodded, her cold and elegant eyes thoughtful. Since it was a summons from the Hokage, it must be something of great importance.

"Ding-ling~"

Pulling aside the curtain as he left, Uchiha Gin glanced at the not-so-early sky, smacked his lips, and leisurely headed toward the Hokage’s office building.

If he walked slower, he might even get a free meal at Hashirama’s house.

"Sigh, I wonder if this building’s title deed belongs to the Uchiha..."

Strolling up to the grand and ornate Hokage building, Uchiha Gin looked up at the magnificent structure in front of him. Thinking about how his cousin took out a loan to build this, his heart ached.

"Knock, knock, knock~"

"Come in."

Hearing Senju Hashirama’s voice from inside, Uchiha Gin scratched his head and pushed the door open. To his surprise, the office was quite lively.

"Well, well~ isn’t this my dear cousin? How come you look so worn out after just a few days?"

Uchiha Gin smiled as he looked at Uchiha Madara, who was having a staring contest with Senju Tobirama. Unexpectedly, this guy still had some sense, showing up at a critical moment. Otherwise, he’d have no chance of competing for the Second Hokage position.

"Cousin, long time no see."

Giving up the staring match with Tobirama, Uchiha Madara greeted Gin with a complicated expression.

"Is it because the Senju clan is bullying you, cousin? Don’t worry, I’ll go call for reinforcements right now!"

Seeing Madara’s expression, Uchiha Gin assumed his cousin was being mistreated. He immediately rolled up his sleeves, ready to rush out and call for help.

"Brother Gin! Don’t misunderstand, nothing of the sort happened. I care about Madara too much to ever bully him!"

Senju Hashirama quickly stood up to explain, afraid that Uchiha Gin might get the wrong idea.

"It better be so. I don’t want to hear any rumors about Tobirama bullying the Uchiha. Otherwise, we won’t even exchange greetings during festivals."

Stopping in his tracks, Uchiha Gin cast a glance at Tobirama, who inexplicably seemed upset, making a veiled threat.

"I guarantee that as long as I’m Hokage, no one will lay a finger on the Uchiha clan!"

Concerned about his son’s New Year money, Senju Hashirama immediately made a solemn promise.

"Alright, alright, stop making lofty claims, Hashirama. Just tell me what you need."

Gin, initially amused by Hashirama’s assurance, quickly grew serious as he realized time was short.

"Brother Gin, it’s like this: I’m planning to host the Five Kage Summit tomorrow, but we’ve encountered a small disagreement over the participants."

Hashirama straightened up, adopting a serious posture. After glancing at Tobirama and Madara, his gaze finally landed on Gin.

"A disagreement?"

Hearing that it was about the Five Kage Summit, Gin instantly understood. No wonder his cousin and Tobirama were "eyeing" each other earlier—they were vying for a spot at the summit.

Anyone participating in the first Five Kage Summit was guaranteed to be the village leader’s successor and the future Hokage.

"What’s that got to do with me? Don’t tell me you want me to play mediator?"

Assuming that Hashirama had summoned him to persuade Madara to forgo his spot, Gin immediately objected. Making him play the bad guy? That was outrageous!

"No, no, you’ve misunderstood."

Noticing Gin’s dissatisfaction, Hashirama waved his hands in denial.

"Hmph, big brother is asking you to attend the Five Kage Summit."

Unable to bear it any longer, Tobirama snorted and revealed the true reason Gin was summoned.

"Huh? Me? Attend the Five Kage Summit?"

Gin had imagined countless scenarios but hadn’t anticipated this. How could he possibly qualify for such a high-profile event?

"Exactly, brother Gin. You’re the most suitable representative for Konoha, bar none."

Hashirama’s eyes sparkled as he stared at Gin, making him uncomfortable.

"But with my abilities, wouldn’t I embarrass Konoha?"

Realizing they weren’t joking, Gin immediately used his lack of strength as an excuse.

"Don’t underestimate yourself, big brother Gin. Even with your old injuries, your strength is at least that of a... jōnin, right?"

Hashirama looked at Tobirama for confirmation. After receiving a nod, he confidently said "jōnin."

"Jōnin?"

Hearing the familiar yet foreign term, Gin froze. When did Konoha start using such classifications?

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, brother Gin. We were planning to announce it after the summit. From now on, Konoha’s ninja will be ranked as genin, chūnin, and jōnin based on strength."

Realizing his oversight, Hashirama explained the new classification system with a sheepish smile.

Jōnin? Whoever wanted that title could have it. Gin wanted nothing to do with dangerous missions or babysitting students.

"No, no, no. I’m not qualified to be a jōnin. People will think you’re playing favorites, Hashirama!"

Gin vehemently rejected the idea.

"But… your number has already been assigned. You’re officially Konoha’s Ninja No. 1."

Hashirama explained that they had unanimously agreed to give Gin this honor, intending to announce it at the summit as a surprise.

"Change it! Change it now!"

Gin was furious. After staying under the radar for so long, these guys almost blew it for him.

"Uh..."

The three others were baffled. Most people would be overjoyed with such an honor, but Gin acted like it was a plague.

"But..."

"No buts! If I’m made a jōnin, I’ll pack up and leave tonight!"

"Alright, alright. If you agree to attend the summit, I’ll change it."

Left with no choice, Hashirama relented.

"Good! As long as I’m ranked as a chūnin or genin, I’ll attend tomorrow’s summit even if it means risking my life. If I flinch, may Madara remain single for life!"

Relieved, Gin was overjoyed. Avoiding the jōnin title was worth any price—even his cousin’s future.

"Huh? What does this have to do with me?"

Madara straightened up, dumbfounded.

"Fine, I promise. Once the summit ends, I’ll personally designate you as Ninja No. 1—genin!"

Finally persuading Uchiha Gin to take on the task, Senju Hashirama patted his chest and assured him,
"You can count on me!"

"Since that's the case, let me give you a complete rundown of tomorrow’s meeting and its agenda."

With a glance from Hashirama, Senju Tobirama immediately understood and handed a pre-prepared meeting agenda to Uchiha Gin.

"Let me see... mediating the war, signing peace agreements—good idea, I support it. Allocating the Tailed Beasts? Selling them, huh?"

Flipping through the document, Uchiha Gin had already guessed most of its contents. However, when he saw the plan to sell the Tailed Beasts, he suddenly understood.

"Ah, now I see why you came to me!"

Hmph, Senju Hashirama, you’re not as short-sighted as you seem. You knew to find the most suitable person for the job. The reputation of Konoha’s top salesman continues to rise!

"Snap!"

Closing the folder, Uchiha Gin’s sharp gaze locked onto Hashirama, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"How much are you planning to sell them for?"

"Uh..."

Caught off guard by how quickly Gin got into character, the Senju brothers exchanged glances. After a brief silent exchange, Hashirama hesitantly raised one finger, a hint of uncertainty on his face.

"One tail for this much."

One Hundred billion per tail shouldn’t be unreasonable, right?

"Tsk! Are you sure about that?"

Seeing Hashirama’s expression, Uchiha Gin frowned deeply. Charging 100 billion per tail was quite the audacious move.

"This is already a friendly price. If they buy in bulk, we can even offer a discount."

Seeing Gin’s conflicted look, Hashirama shrank back slightly and chose to compromise.

"No need. Tailed Beasts are rare and unique in this world. Selling them at this price isn’t unreasonable."

Shaking his head, Uchiha Gin agreed to do his best.

"Then we’ll be counting on you tomorrow, brother Gin. Konoha’s future depends on you!"

"But... you haven’t mentioned my commission yet."

Noticing Hashirama’s excitement, Uchiha Gin smirked. A deal this big deserved a cut, didn’t it?

"You’re already rich. Why are you still obsessed with money?"

Unable to bear Gin’s attitude any longer, Tobirama pointed at him and snapped.

"It’s different. Sure, I have money, but that doesn’t stop me from earning more! Besides, you still haven’t paid us for the previous mission involving the Tailed Beasts. Now you want a freebie?"

Gin spread his hands, completely unfazed by Tobirama’s complaints as he demanded his due rewards.

"Enough, Tobirama. Big brother Gin has a point. How about this: I’ll allocate 30% of the Tailed Beast sale revenue as your reward."

Being family, there was no need to be so particular. Hashirama pressed down his irritable brother and made the promise.

"I trust your integrity, Hashirama."

As long as he wasn’t working for free, Gin smiled and nodded.

"Then, see you tomorrow."

With the matter settled, Uchiha Gin left the Hokage building alongside Uchiha Madara, realizing they wouldn’t be able to snag dinner now.

"Cousin, did you gain any insights from today’s discussion?"

Walking through the streets, the two brothers hadn’t talked in a while. Gin broke the silence with a casual question.

"Insights? A little, but not much."

Caught off guard by the question, Madara’s expression stiffened slightly.

"Is it a problem you can’t solve on your own?"

Sensing that Madara was hiding something, Uchiha Gin turned to him with an unusually serious expression in his otherwise dull, dead-fish-like eyes.

"If there is, you can tell me. Maybe I can give you some advice."


It seems the "dutiful son" has finally surfaced, but unfortunately, their concealment skills are so remarkable that even heightened sensory abilities can't detect them.

“...”

With divine light flickering in his eyes, Uchiha Madara finally broke his silence after some time,
"Cousin, do you think eternal peace is truly achievable? The kind where everyone gets what they desire, where no loved ones die in war, and where past friends never raise swords against each other."

As expected, cousin had read through the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan.

Hearing Madara's words, Uchiha Gin's heart stirred slightly, but he showed no reaction outwardly, unsure if "the dutiful son" was lurking nearby. Gin first put on a puzzled expression before replacing it with a teasing smile. Looking at Madara's serious face, he said,
"Looks like you're quite the peace advocate yourself! It's a nice thought, but probably hard to achieve~"

"So that's how it is…"

Madara’s mood visibly sank, disappointment clouding his face.

"Cousin, you have to understand—wherever people exist, conflict follows."

Gin patted Madara's shoulder, gesturing for him not to feel discouraged.
"Take you and that white-haired Tobirama as an example. Even though Konoha is peaceful now, with Senju and Uchiha being one big family, don't you still feel a little itch in your fists whenever you see him?"

"Uh… well, that's true."

Caught off guard by the question, Madara thought of Tobirama’s punchable face and felt his fists tingling slightly.

"But that's just a minor squabble."

Madara still tried to argue.

"You admit it's a minor conflict, huh? Even minor disagreements stem from differing beliefs. That so-called eternal peace will forever be unattainable. But..."

"But what?"

Lowering his head, Madara glanced up in surprise.

"Eternal peace is difficult, but relative peace is much simpler to achieve."

Noticing the eager look in Madara’s eyes, Gin paused briefly before continuing,
"Take Hashirama's plan, for example. I can guarantee that as long as he's alive, there won't be any large-scale wars in the Shinobi World. Everyone will coexist peacefully and develop together."

"But… what if Hashirama isn’t around anymore?"

Though his heart felt heavy, Madara couldn’t help but ask.

"Huh? If Hashirama’s gone, you’ll likely be gone too. If you're both dead, why care about what happens afterward? Let them fight if they want to. You can’t jump out of the Pure Land to dance with them, can you?"

Gin rolled his eyes, looking at Madara like he was a fool.

"Ah… this…"

Madara, less philosophically detached than Gin, was momentarily speechless. Looking at his cousin’s carefree demeanor, he felt a rare warmth in his heart.

In this world, perhaps only his cousin would take the time to guide him with such patience.

"Don’t overthink it. I haven’t eaten lunch, so let’s go grab something. What do you want to eat?"

Gin, who hadn’t touched the over-the-top lunch spread from earlier, suggested they grab food, partly to show he wasn’t frail.

"Barbecue."

"Alright, let me order the dishes!"

Following Gin, Madara’s eyes glimmered slightly. His cousin’s words had temporarily allowed him to set aside the contents he had read on the Uchiha stone tablet.

Besides, Madara hadn’t yet deciphered the final section, which contained detailed instructions on implementing the Infinite Tsukuyomi. He figured he would revisit it later out of curiosity, once he fully understood the meaning of "the opposing forces uniting to create all things."

After a hearty meal, the two brothers left the barbecue restaurant, the moon already hanging quietly in the sky.

"Cousin, listen. If I ever become Hokage, I’ll appoint you as Konoha’s prison warden. You can interrogate whoever you want. If anyone dares to complain, I’ll throw them in jail and let you handle them!"

Drunk and slurring his words, Madara’s heartfelt drunken confession made Gin smile, glad he hadn’t spoiled his cousin for nothing.

"Thanks for the thought, cousin. That’s enough for me."

Supporting the swaying Madara, Gin pulled a small, sky-blue potion from his bag, unscrewing the cap and handing it over.
"Here, drink this to clear your head. You’ve got a mission tomorrow."

"Gulp, gulp, gulp…"

"Ah, this is good stuff! Way stronger than that deer-antler wine. Why didn’t you give me this earlier, cousin?"

As Madara downed the entire potion, his Sharingan activated involuntarily, glowing red as a surge of mental clarity and energy filled him.

"There’s not much of it—use it sparingly."

Seeing how much Madara liked it, Gin reluctantly pulled out two more bottles and handed them over.

"I’ll save these to share with Hashirama," Madara said, putting the potions into his bag after a moment of hesitation.

"Next time you get more, make sure to send me some."

Gin was already used to Madara’s antics, considering he was bold enough to raid the Hokage’s office, let alone take a couple of potions.

"Cousin, if anyone gives you trouble at tomorrow’s meeting, let me know. I’ll avenge you."

"You’ve got my back!"

The next morning, Gin ditched his usual casual attire for a formal high-collared clan robe he hadn’t worn in a while.

"Why does it feel tighter than before?"

Frowning, Gin tugged at the collar, puzzled at how it had shrunk in just a year since Konoha's founding.

"Hmph, it’s because you eat too many sweets!"

Senju Itama, helping Gin tie his sash, popped her head out from behind, her delicate face full of disdain. Despite her grumbling, her hands worked swiftly, pulling the sash tight.

"Snap!"

"Ow, my waist!"

A crisp sound echoed as Gin twisted unnaturally, rolling on the floor in pain and crying out pitifully.

"Don’t worry, I’ll fix it right away," Itama said apologetically, grabbing him firmly and twisting him back into place.

"Snap!"

Gin groaned, lamenting how her strength was growing. By the time he hobbled out to the street, still clutching his aching waist, he overheard whispers from passersby:
"Look, it’s that guy from the barbecue place yesterday. No wonder he looks like that."

"And he’s still walking? Truly an inspiration!"

Ignoring the crowd’s wild gossip, Gin sighed and continued toward the Hokage building, only to spot two similarly hunched figures in the distance. Recognizing the First Raikage, he quickened his pace.

"Yo, Brother A!"

"Ah, Gin! What happened to you?"

Before Gin could explain, the Raikage chuckled knowingly,
"We didn’t see you last night. Did you steal the attention of that technician from the Land of Wind?"