271. Limit The Sugar

As one dish after another, with a presentation that seemed to embody "manly tears and feminine silence," was brought into the private dining room, the diners at the barbecue restaurant, regardless of gender, exchanged knowing glances and quietly murmured amongst themselves. It was clear: tonight, a hard battle lay ahead.

Inside the private room, two burly, dark-skinned men were devouring their meal with such gusto that it stunned the smaller companions, who were still gnawing on their stick-like skewers.

Swallowing a sizzling, oily piece of dubious meat, the curly-haired man tilted his head back and gulped down a cup of Uchiha Gin's deer antler wine. As the intense burning sensation surged down his throat, he couldn’t help but exclaim,
“This wine with barbecue—what a perfect match!”

Who would’ve thought Konoha had such fine liquor? It was comparable to the prized brews of the Land of Lightning.

Beside him, the bearded man, his mouth stuffed with meat, could only nod fervently in agreement with his companion's sentiment.

Quietly observing the two men, who looked like they had escaped famine in Africa, Uchiha Gin sipped his tea thoughtfully. His mind wandered to the living conditions of the Kinkaku and Ginkaku Brothers. He could only hope his two little jailbirds weren’t suffering from malnutrition and stunted growth due to lack of food.

“Thank you for the wine. My name is A, from the Land of Lightning. May I ask for your esteemed name?”

The first Raikage, feeling warm all over from the alcohol and with a slight heat rising in his lower abdomen, broke into a smile and addressed Uchiha Gin, who was calmly sipping his tea without touching the food.

“I’m Uchiha Gin, an unemployed jailer staying at home for now,” Gin replied, setting down his teacup and flashing a gentle smile.

“A jailer? I didn’t expect you to be a public servant, Gin-san.”

Having witnessed the events on the street earlier, the First Raikage had assumed Uchiha Gin was a high-ranking official in Konoha. He hadn’t expected him to be merely an ordinary jailer.

“And this hearty eater here?”

Feigning seriousness, Uchiha Gin nodded proudly about being a grassroots worker before turning his attention to the bearded man, who was still eating ox testicles. With a puzzled look, he asked,
“Young A-kun?”

“Yes?”

The bearded man instinctively responded,
“Do you need something?”

Though being called “Young A-kun” felt a bit awkward, he was still proud to bear the same name as the First Raikage. He graciously accepted the peculiar nickname.

“Nothing, nothing. If you need more food, just order. This meal’s on me.”

“Thanks, man!”

“That’s too generous, Gin-san,” the First Raikage said, waving his hands in polite refusal, not intending to freeload.

“It’s no problem. A meeting is fate, after all. Speaking of the Land of Lightning, I have two pitiful little jailbirds over there. I just hope they’re getting enough to eat…”

A little money was nothing to Uchiha Gin. Looking at the two earnest men, he sighed deeply and shook his head.

“I didn’t know you had brothers in the Land of Lightning, Gin-san. I hold some sway back home. If your jailbirds face any difficulty, you can count on me,” the First Raikage said, pounding his chest in assurance, his usual boldness on full display.

“Thank you very much.”

Considering that the First Raikage was no small figure, Uchiha Gin thought for a moment and decided to thank him in advance on behalf of the Kinkaku and Ginkaku Brothers. He couldn’t help but wonder whether his two jailbirds had managed to climb into the high society of the Cloud Village.

“What are your brothers’ names? I’ll arrange cushy positions for them as soon as I return.”

On the side, the bearded Second Raikage-to-be, having finished the last piece of barbecue, also assured him of his support.

“That’s very kind of you, Young A-kun. My brothers were once from a noble clan, but after choosing the wrong side and offending the wrong people, their family was destroyed. They were left with no choice but to flee to the Land of Lightning.”

As Uchiha Gin recounted the tragic story of the Kinkaku and Ginkaku Brothers, he couldn’t help but feel emotional. He had been increasingly displeased with that white-haired Senju lately.

He wondered if his jailbirds had honed their military strategies well enough to replicate their great achievements from the original timeline and teach Tobirama Senju a lesson.

Snapping out of his reverie, Uchiha Gin looked at the two dark-skinned men, who were listening attentively, and smiled as he revealed the names of his brothers.

“One is named Kinkaku, who has a condition that makes him age prematurely. The other is Ginkaku, born with an innate melancholic constitution. When they were sent to the Land of Lightning, they were just over ten years old—two little kids forced to leave their home. I hope they haven’t been bullied there.”

“Pffft!!!”

The two burly men, who had been listening intently, spat out their drinks in unison. Fortunately, Uchiha Gin reacted quickly, using a tray to shield himself from their impromptu water-style technique.

“Cough, cough… Gin-san, are you sure you didn’t mix things up?”

The First Raikage coughed violently, his face darkening as he looked incredulously at Uchiha Gin. He couldn’t, for the life of him, connect the formidable warriors under his command to the pitiful orphans described by Gin.

“Of course not. I personally escorted them to the Land of Lightning back then.”

From the earnest look on Uchiha Gin's face, the Second Raikage leaned closer to the First Raikage and whispered,
“Lord A, I recall that Kinkaku and Ginkaku, along with the Hagoromo Clan, were indeed escorted to us by the Uchiha.”

He didn’t need the reminder. As the superior of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, the First Raikage was well aware of their origins.
Nodding discreetly, he turned back to Uchiha Gin, his tone slightly strained.

“Gin-san, if that’s the case, your brothers are doing exceptionally well in the Land of Lightning. One might even say they have boundless prospects.”

The First Raikage wasn’t exaggerating. In his plans, the bearded man beside him was already the designated Second Raikage, while the ambitious Kinkaku was being groomed as the potential Third Raikage. Unless something unexpected happened, the Third Raikage position was practically in Kinkaku's grasp.

“Oh, so you know them! That’s great. Please take good care of my brothers and don’t let them suffer any grievances.”

Seeing that the First Raikage was a reasonable man, Uchiha Gin immediately poured himself a cup of wine, clinked glasses with the two dark-skinned men, and downed it in one go.

“Rest assured!”

The two burly men exchanged glances and nodded vigorously.

After the meal, Uchiha Gin waved goodbye to the two dark-skinned men, taking the small group of kids with him.

“Gin-san, thank you for the meal. Until we meet again!”

“Take care!”

Believing in the adage, “A hundred steps after a meal can add years to your life,” Uchiha Gin, committed to longevity, began strolling the streets with the well-fed kids.

“Gin-san, we’re so hot!”

But before they had walked far, the children began to complain. Looking down at their flushed faces, Uchiha Gin's expression flickered with mischief before he straightened his face and addressed them seriously.



"Hot? If you feel hot, that’s perfect—it’s part of the training. If you can’t endure even this bit of discomfort, how will you become a proper ninja?"

"But we’re really hot, not because of the weather, but from inside our bodies," Sarutobi Hiruzen said while tugging at his collar, his expression one of utter suffering.

"Yeah, exactly!" the others chimed in agreement.

"I want ice cream!" Danzo, the chubbiest of the group, was feeling especially uncomfortable. His entire back was drenched with sweat, and he muttered that even his pants felt sticky.

"Ice cream? That’s not out of the question~" Uchiha Gin wasn’t a complete tyrant. After some thought, he glanced at the sky, which still showed plenty of daylight, and said with a sly smile, "Run fifty laps around Konoha, and I’ll be waiting at the ice cream shop near the village entrance."

"Ugh, no way!"

"I’m not eating it anymore!"

The kids collapsed onto the ground, begging for mercy.

"If you don’t go, you can forget about any further guidance from me."

"Fine, fine, we’ll go!"

Reluctantly, the kids scrambled to their feet and started running with all their might, worried they might lose the chance to eat ice cream if they slacked off.

"Ah, youth!" Watching the little ones dash off, Uchiha Gin sighed in admiration.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, a bald, tattooed man with a menacing appearance walked alongside a petite, cute, purple-haired girl. The girl’s eyes sparkled as she looked around at the array of dazzling items on display, her face full of wonder.

"Teacher, teacher, what’s that?"

"Teacher, teacher, this red bean dessert looks so tasty~"

Her chirpy voice drew curious glances from the villagers, who smiled warmly at the adorable little girl. But when they noticed the intimidating man by her side, their expressions turned wary. Some even began calling the local patrol.

"Officer, there’s a child abductor over here!"

"Chiyo, as a ninja, you need to learn not to overreact," the man, who was called Shāmon, said with a sigh after fending off yet another round of questioning from concerned villagers.

"Ah? Sorry, Teacher," the little girl, who carried an ornate purple staff on her waist, apologized with a guilty expression.

"It’s fine, it’s fine!" Not wanting to see his pupil cry, Shāmon quickly pulled out a stack of money and handed it to her. "Here’s some spending money. Go buy whatever snacks you want. I need to investigate some places where it’s not suitable for you to go."

"Okay, Teacher!" Chiyo immediately brightened up at the sight of the cash, her earlier grievances vanishing without a trace.

"Do you remember where the meeting point is? If there’s any danger, send up a signal."

"I remember, I remember! You go take care of your business."

"And don’t cause any trouble."

"I won’t, I won’t~"

"Hehe, with this money, I can finally get some ice cream!" Chiyo smiled as she tucked the money into her pouch. Being from the Land of Wind, where the climate was harsh, she’d only ever heard about ice cream from traveling merchants. This trip to the Land of Fire was her chance to finally taste it—and maybe even bring some back for her little brother.

"But where do they sell ice cream?" Now that she had the funds, Chiyo faced a new challenge: finding an ice cream shop in Konoha. She was still pondering when a commotion erupted behind her.

"Make way! Make way!"

Turning around, Chiyo saw a group of five boys and one girl her age, all flushed red, running at full speed.

"Excuse me, do you know where I can buy ice cream?" Chiyo hesitated but mustered the courage to ask.

"We’re in the middle of training, please move aside!" Sarutobi Hiruzen, leading the group, barely had the strength to speak as his vision blurred.

"There’s a famous ice cream shop near the village entrance," Uchiha Kagami, who was faring slightly better than the others, managed to reply. Noticing Chiyo looked about their age, he decided to be polite and offer directions.




"Ah, thank you~"

Chiyo looked at the handsome Uchiha Kagami, feeling her heart flutter slightly. In Sunagakure, she had never seen such a charming boy before, and she couldn’t help but stare for a moment.

Following closely behind Kagami was Shimura Danzo. His already flushed face grew even redder as his gaze landed on Chiyo’s cute little face. His heartbeat, which was already fast, suddenly felt like it had been accelerated with liquid nitrogen. It nearly leapt out of his chest, and the heat in his body intensified—it was the feeling of a crush.

"You… you’re not from Konoha, are you?" he stammered.

"None of your business!" Chiyo snapped, furrowing her brows at the sight of the black-haired boy with a fierce expression and a disproportionately large backside.

How dare someone like this try to talk to me?

"Kagami, let’s go. We don’t have time to waste here," Utatane Koharu said, sounding annoyed. She felt a little jealous seeing Kagami being approached by a stranger.

"Alright."

Kagami smiled warmly at Chiyo before quickly catching up with the group. They still had 45 laps to go before they could eat their ice cream.

"What a pity he’s not from Sunagakure," Chiyo muttered regretfully, watching Kagami’s curly hair bounce as he walked away. With a slight pout, she turned and headed in the direction he had pointed.


---

At the Ice Cream Shop

As a regular customer, Uchiha Gin pushed aside the curtain and walked into the shop. Noticing a familiar figure, he greeted them with a smile.

"Haruka, what brings you here to help out today?"

The girl called Haruka froze for a moment before lifting her head. Her face maintained its usual cool expression as she acknowledged Gin with a nod.

"I didn’t have any missions recently, so I thought I’d help out my mother," Haruka replied, though her tone carried a hint of teasing.

"And you, Gin-san? Why aren’t you at home with Hikari-senpai? Sneaking out for sweets again?"

Thinking she was teasing him about his love for desserts, Gin chuckled sheepishly.

"Hehe, Haruka, you’re the best. Hikari would never let me eat something this sweet."

Hearing this, Haruka's lips curved into the faintest of smiles. She skillfully prepared his order and asked, "The usual—honey syrup with strawberry shaved ice?"

"Extra syrup, no shaved ice!" Gin grinned.

Moments later, a bowl of strawberry shaved ice drenched in honey syrup was placed in front of him. Gin eagerly took a big spoonful, savoring the rich sweetness with a satisfied hum.

Haruka sat across from him, watching her teacher’s blissful expression. Unconsciously, she squeezed her legs together as a faint blush spread across her cold, elegant face.

Gin, noticing her reddening cheeks, pushed his bowl of shaved ice toward her with a grin.

"Haruka You can have a bite if you want!"

"No, thank you. I just finished exercising," Haruka replied, glancing at the sticky spoon Gin had been using. Though tempted, she quickly shook her head, keeping her composure.


---

Just then, a timid voice called from the doorway.

"Excuse me, do you have ice cream here?"

Both Gin and Haruka turned to see a small girl hesitating at the entrance.

After wandering through several streets, Chiyo had finally found the ice cream shop Kagami mentioned. But looking at the shop’s adorable decor, she hesitated, feeling self-conscious about her simple and dusty attire.

Can someone like me really step into such a cute shop to eat ice cream?

After an intense internal debate, Chiyo mustered her courage and asked.

Haruka, with her icy demeanor softening into a smile, waved at her. "Come in. We have lots of flavors to choose from."

Gin, on the other hand, observed Chiyo’s unfamiliar attire and the staff hanging at her waist. A look of realization crossed his face.

"Thank you, big sister. I’d like an ice cream, please. Is this enough?"

Chiyo, encouraged by Haruka's smile, stepped inside. Nervously clutching her money, she laid all her bills on the counter, her eyes full of anticipation.

Haruka picked the smallest denomination and returned the rest. "This is more than enough. What flavor would you like?"

"Uh…"

Chiyo froze, unsure. The shop didn’t have a menu, and the walls only displayed a few pictures of desserts.

"I recommend strawberry—it’s addictively good," Gin chimed in, suddenly appearing behind her.

"Ah!" Chiyo jumped, instinctively reaching for her staff. But before she could react, Gin ruffled her hair with a warm smile.

"Strawberry might be too mature for a little one like you. How about vanilla instead?"

Chiyo swatted his hand away, puffing her cheeks indignantly. But his playful demeanor had eased her earlier nervousness.

"Gin-san, don’t bully my customer," Haruka scolded, rolling her eyes at Gin’s antics. She turned to Chiyo and asked, "What flavor do you usually like?"

"Red bean! I want red bean!" Chiyo exclaimed, thinking of the delicious red bean pastries she’d had earlier.

"Coming right up!" Haruka replied with a smile.

"Thank you, big sister!"

Meanwhile, Gin shamelessly held out his empty bowl.

"Haruka, can I have another bowl?"

"Sorry, Gin-san. Hikari-senpai told me you’re only allowed one bowl a month."