255. A Jar

Staring at the mission scroll in front of him, Uchiha Gin rubbed his temples in frustration. When Tobirama Senju pulled out a scroll earlier, Gin had assumed it was for his appointment to a dungeon post.

But as he eagerly opened it, the contents immediately made his vision go black, his hands and feet icy cold.

“Are you sure you didn’t grab the wrong one?”

This mission was utterly absurd! Sending a rookie like him on such a high-risk task—wasn’t this just gambling with his life?

“No mistake. This is the task.”

Tobirama sipped his ludicrously expensive tea, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction. Watching Gin flip the scroll over and over in disbelief, a rare smile appeared on Tobirama’s face.

“Wait, did Hashirama lose his mind? Do I look like someone who can ride a wooden golem or pilot a Gundam to handle tailed beasts?” Gin exclaimed, throwing the crumpled scroll aside and slumping into a leather sofa, despair etched on his face.

“Am I even qualified?”

“You’re not.”

Gin wasn’t even annoyed at Tobirama’s blunt evaluation. As long as he could maintain his relaxed lifestyle, he didn’t care what the prematurely gray-haired man said. His thick skin could take it.

“Well then, find someone else. How about my dear cousin? He’s meticulous and reliable, the perfect candidate for this job,” Gin suggested, grinning.

“Oh, you mean Uchiha Madara?” Tobirama raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with mockery.

“As the saying goes, promote talent without avoiding nepotism.”

“True, that’s a good saying. Never thought you’d have such wisdom in you,” Tobirama nodded approvingly, though his expression soon turned strange, making Gin uneasy.

“What’s the problem?” Gin asked, frowning.

“Well, funny thing—the person who recommended you for this mission was none other than Uchiha Madara himself,” Tobirama revealed, his face full of schadenfreude.

“What?!”

Madara, my dear cousin? After all I’ve done for you, raising you like my own, this is how you repay me?

Fuming, Gin mentally cursed Madara for being an ungrateful scoundrel. He needed to escape this mess. Thankfully, he had a backup plan—a route to the sea and an uncle he could rely on.

“Don’t panic yet. This mission includes two teammates for you, and it’s thanks to them that you’re even the team leader,” Tobirama said, watching Gin’s comically changing expressions.

“No thanks. I’d rather pass on this ‘honor,’” Gin muttered, shaking his head.

His mind already suspected who his teammates were. One of them would definitely be Uchiha Hikari, and the other… probably Uchiha Haruka.

“Are you sure? The rewards for this mission are quite substantial. You’re really not tempted?” Tobirama prodded, seeing Gin’s face return to its usual slacker expression.

“Do I look like someone who needs money?” Gin scoffed, flashing a disdainful smile.

Money? The least valuable thing in his eyes.

“Then why do you keep scamming the Shinobi Alliance out of funds?” Tobirama shot back, rolling his eyes.

“Eh, different story. I don’t like money; I just enjoy scamming it,” Gin said shamelessly, shrugging.

“Unbelievable. Do you even hear yourself?”

“It’s all voluntary, anyway. Call it microtransactions, not scams,” Gin retorted, unbothered.

“You’re shameless!” Tobirama twitched, recalling recent complaints from the Shinobi Alliance about Gin’s rigged lottery system. They’d spent fortunes hoping for high-value prizes, only to end up with underwear or green military coats.

“Our system is fair. The low odds are just their bad luck,” Gin claimed, scratching his head innocently.

“Fine. Handle this mission well, and we’ll overlook those complaints,” Tobirama said, his gaze sharp.

“So, my job is to supervise Hikari and Haruka, and manage the tailed beasts?” Gin clarified, resigned.

“That’s right. With my brother busy, we’re entrusting this to the Uchiha clan,” Tobirama affirmed.

If anyone could suppress tailed beasts, it was either Hashirama or the Uchiha clan. And unlike in the original timeline, Hashirama couldn’t rely on his wife’s Uzumaki sealing techniques this time.

Gin sighed. This was going to be a headache.

Now that the Uzumaki Clan is gone, the only person Senju Hashirama can rely on is Uchiha Madara.

Hmm... thinking about it, there’s not much difference from the original timeline—still relying on his "wife."

Spread the word: The God of Shinobi lives off his wife!

“I knew it! When Hashirama gave that speech the other day, those dark circles under his eyes weren’t from indulgence—they were because of the tailed beasts!”

Uchiha Gin stroked his chin, recalling Hashirama's heavy eye bags during the Hokage inauguration speech he watched with his cousin atop the Hokage Rock. Back then, he had thought it was from too many nights of pleasure and had scolded (envied) him thoroughly.

“Alright, if there’s no further objection, the mission starts today.”

Seeing that Uchiha Gin had stopped resisting, Senju Tobirama crossed his arms, giving him an encouraging look.

“Hold on!”

“What now?”

Tobirama frowned, staring directly at Uchiha Gin.

“Why insist on Mangekyo Sharingan? Can't three-tomoe Sharingan handle tailed beasts too?”

Uchiha Gin couldn't fathom why his cousin would expose the Uchiha clan's secret weapon just for this mission. Even during critical battles, his uncle never let certain members reveal themselves; otherwise, Konoha could’ve been renamed Uchiha Village, and the Hokage might’ve been called the "Wood Shadow."

“Three-tomoe works to a degree, but Mangekyo is far more efficient,” Tobirama explained patiently.

As someone deeply knowledgeable about the Sharingan, Tobirama understood that while three-tomoe could control a tailed beast temporarily, it lacked the precision and duration of the Mangekyo Sharingan.

“Fine, but we have many three-tomoe users. Why not rotate shifts?”

“No need. Too many people involved increases the chances of failure,” Tobirama replied firmly.

Although his explanation seemed airtight, Gin sensed there was more to it.

Before he could question further, Tobirama's eyes flickered as he glanced at Gin's curly hair. Internally, Tobirama sighed in relief. Entrusting tailed beasts to regular Uchiha was akin to letting a fox guard a henhouse. Gin, on the other hand, was at least somewhat trustworthy.

“What do you think, Hikari?”

Although the mission was assigned to Gin, Tobirama sought his teammate’s opinion.

“If you’re not interested, I’ll decline,” Gin said.

“No need. I’ve hit a bottleneck in training anyway. A few durable sparring partners will be useful,” Hikari said with a faint smile.

Gin glanced at the shadowy aura around Hikari and silently pitied the tailed beasts.

“As for Haruka, she shouldn’t have any objections either,” Gin mused, remembering how his disciple had been fascinated with tailed beasts after their last encounter.

“Alright, I’ll take the mission!” Gin said, steeling himself as he grabbed the scroll.

“Great. Let me know when you’re ready to begin.”

Tobirama’s reaction was unsurprising—he’d anticipated Gin’s decision. Compared to other Uchiha, Gin was far more reliable in his eyes.

As Tobirama left, carrying a large box of tea leaves he’d "acquired," Gin sighed and sprawled on the couch, staring at the mission scroll.

“How can I make the most of this tailed beast mission?”

Gin muttered, pondering how to maximize the situation. Based on the timeline, this task wouldn’t last long. Once the First Five Kage Summit concluded, Konoha would likely sell the tailed beasts to other nations to maintain balance and peace.

Tailed beasts were valuable for their chakra, but extracting it was no easy feat. Turning himself into a Jinchuriki was out of the question—why would he sacrifice his nightlife for the tailed beasts?

“How do I store it, though?” Gin muttered, tapping the scroll against his head.

“Store what? If it’s something small, just toss it in a jar,” Senju Itama chimed in casually while cleaning up.

Gin’s eyes lit up. “A jar? You’re a genius!”

Itama looked up, bewildered, as Gin darted to the center of the hall.

“What’s he up to now?” Itama muttered.

Gin stopped before a dusty, clay jar—the Amber Purifying Pot.

He patted the jar affectionately, recalling its history. This unassuming relic was capable of sealing anyone who responded to its wielder's call. In the future, it would seal Ginkaku's brother Kinkaku, even in his tailed-beast-enhanced state.

“With a jar this big, I should be able to store a decent amount of tailed beast chakra!”