253. Tobirama Visit

Early morning, before the sun had risen.

The rooster was just about to wake up for its duties. Still half-asleep, it was startled to see a figure slowly walking along the street.

Someone up earlier than it? Was it an ox or a horse?

"Bang, bang, bang—"

In the midst of a dream featuring an intense showdown with a white-haired lady, Uchiha Gin was rudely awakened by a perfectly timed knock at the door. Annoyed, he hastily put on his half-removed pants and grudgingly woke up from his dream.

"Creak—"

"Whoever you are, if you don't give me a good reason for this, prepare for your entire family to perish!"

With slightly red eyes and wrapped in a bathrobe, a grumpy Uchiha Gin shuffled down the stairs. His tone was laced with menace, as if sentencing the visitor to death already.

Do they not understand how precious sleep is to a man facing a midlife crisis?
"Even the Sage of Six Paths won't save you, I mean it!"

Yanking the door open with a scowl, Uchiha Gin, biting his teeth, glared at the visitor.
"Do people your age even sleep anymore?"

The visitor, however, was completely unfazed by Uchiha Gin's harsh words. Instead, they calmly stared at his bedhead and teased:
"You little—"

Clearly, this person was no ordinary villager.

"Don't you know who runs this village? I'm related to Hashirama Senju—my closest brother-in-arms! Cross me, and I'll send you to meet the Sage of Six Paths in no time."

"Hmph!"

The visitor's cold snort, accompanied by a sharp glint in their scarlet eyes, sent shivers down Uchiha Gin's spine. The chilling aura snapped him out of his grogginess.

Annoyed that someone dared to be this audacious at his doorstep, Uchiha Gin forced his drooping eyelids open to see who it was.

"Ugh... Why is it you, White Hair?"

As his vision cleared and he recognized the visitor, Uchiha Gin rolled his eyes in frustration.

"What do you want? I—"

"Bam!"

Before Tobirama could explain, Uchiha Gin slammed the door shut, intending to return to his dream with the white-haired lady.

"Dangit!"

Fuming from the snub, Tobirama clenched his fists, resisting the urge to blast the door down, and knocked again.

"Bang, bang, bang—"

"Creak—"

This time, the door opened almost immediately. Tobirama, having learned from the first encounter, decided to take the initiative.

"Uchiha Gin, I came this early to—"

To his surprise, the door wasn’t answered by the infuriating bedhead but by a twin-tailed girl rubbing her eyes.

The sudden change threw Tobirama off guard, nearly causing him to bite his tongue.

With her hair tied into neat black-and-white ponytails, Senju Itama clutched a slightly tattered doll.

Yawning adorably, she blinked in confusion before exclaiming:
"Ah~ Second Brother? Why are you here?"

"Cough, cough... Itama, that guy didn't bully you, did he?"

The redness in Tobirama's face faded as he glanced at his neatly dressed younger sister. Relieved, he softened his tone.
"It's fine, Brother. What are you even talking about?"

Hearing her brother's concern, Itama’s pale cheeks flushed, and she shot Tobirama an embarrassed glare. However, her hands nervously wrung her doll out of shape.

"Good, as long as you're fine. I'm here with an order from Elder Brother. There's an important mission for Uchiha Gin. It's a matter of great significance, and I must explain it in person."

Satisfied that his sister was unharmed, Tobirama’s opinion of Uchiha Gin improved slightly. He nodded, revealing his purpose.

"What mission? Is it dangerous?"

Itama frowned, her earlier happiness replaced by concern. If it was dangerous, she’d find Elder Brother and have the task reassigned.

"This mission concerns the tailed beasts. The details are complicated and can’t be explained in a few words. Let me in first."

Noticing his sister’s curiosity, Tobirama obliged her but only hinted at the mission’s content, hoping to be let inside.

"Tailed beasts? Wow! Come in!"

Itama's eyes sparkled with excitement upon hearing the mission involved tailed beasts. She immediately opened the door wider, ushering her brother in enthusiastically.

Puzzled by his sister’s sudden enthusiasm, Tobirama followed her into Uchiha Gin's lavish mansion.

"Tch, so extravagant. That sleepyhead must be loaded."

Though he’d been here before, Tobirama was still amazed by the grandeur of the place. Eyeing the ornate crystal chandelier, he muttered bitterly.

"Second Brother, have a seat. I’ll make you some tea."

Pointing to the leather sofa in the living room, Itama offered politely.

"Can I take a look around?"

Sensing a faintly familiar vibe from the mansion, Tobirama’s curiosity piqued. His eyes gleamed as he asked.

"Well..."

Glancing upstairs, Itama hesitated. Her tone revealed reluctance.

"Not convenient?"

Raising an eyebrow, Tobirama’s curiosity deepened. Uchiha Gin must be hiding something big.

"Besides me and that sleepyhead, there’s someone else here. That person is dangerous. Brother, it’s better if you stay seated."

Itama warned her brother, worried that a certain unpredictable individual upstairs might act out.

"Someone else?"

Tobirama’s first reaction was displeasure.

His sister had humbled herself for this guy, and he had the nerve to house another woman?

No, he had to expose Uchiha Gin as a scumbag and wake his sister up.

"Yes, his childhood friend..."

Itama’s voice grew quieter, clearly uncomfortable. She clenched her fist, frustration evident in her expression.

"Hang in there. You’ve got this!"

Realizing the situation was more complicated than he thought, Tobirama awkwardly patted his sister’s shoulder, offering an odd word of encouragement.

"Ugh! Stop teasing me!"

Embarrassed, Itama stomped her foot. Her immense strength caused the entire mansion to tremble slightly.

The sudden quake made the just-dozing Uchiha Gin grit his teeth in frustration.

"Can’t a man get any sleep around here?!"

Awoken again, Gin rose with murderous intent, vowing to make whoever disturbed him pay.



Dragging his exhausted body, Uchiha Gin leaned over the second-floor railing and looked down. Spotting the white-haired figure he least wanted to see, he felt a surge of irritation.

Watching Senju Tobirama chatting enthusiastically with Senju Itama, Uchiha Gin yelled out.

"Tobirama Senju! How did you get in here? Security! Someone’s trespassing!"



"Don’t bother calling out. This place is so remote even dogs wouldn’t come..." Unfazed, Senju Tobirama raised his head and shot back.


"Then, what are you doing here? Are you the dog?"

Regaining his composure, Uchiha Gin discreetly glanced at the flustered Senju Itama, worried that Tobirama might recognize her.

To change the subject, he asked,
"You're not here without reason, so what do you want this time?"

Catching on to the hint, Itama quickly left the two to their conversation, humming a tune as she happily retreated to the kitchen.

“...”

Seeing their seamless understanding, Tobirama felt a bitter pang in his chest.

His elder brother, Hashirama, was hopelessly enchanted by Uchiha Madara.

His younger sister, Itama, had been practically molded into Uchiha Gin’s image.

It was as if his whole family was doomed to fall under the sway of the Uchihas.

“There’s a mission. One only you can complete,” Tobirama declared, exhaling deeply as he pushed aside his mixed emotions. His expression turned serious as he addressed the disinterested Uchiha Gin.

“A mission? Just me?”

Uchiha Gin was momentarily confused. He had worked hard to maintain a low profile, striving to build a reputation as a lazy, unremarkable individual to avoid unnecessary attention.

How had things escalated to this?

He wracked his brain, confident that no one in his inner circle—his uncle, Hikari, or Haruka—would have betrayed his secret.

“Why would I need a mission tailored specifically for me? My skills are average at best,” Gin said, feigning skepticism while his thoughts raced.

“This isn’t about your strength. The task requires your full cooperation to succeed,” Tobirama replied, crossing his arms with an air of disdain.

Hearing this, Gin relaxed internally. So it wasn’t about his abilities after all. Adopting his usual easygoing attitude, he nonchalantly scratched his nose and teased,


“If it’s a job only I can do, shouldn’t you show me some respect? How about offering me tea first?”

As if on cue, Senju Itama emerged with a tray of fragrant tea and cheerfully offered it to her older brother.
“Tobirama-sama, here’s your tea~”

“...”

Before Gin could react further, a flash of blue light signaled Tobirama’s use of Flying Thunder God.

"Do we really have to make this so tense between us?" Gin asked, feeling the chill of a blade near his neck. He shifted gears to a diplomatic tone, his eyes fixed on where Tobirama had been standing moments ago.

“Hmph. You’re as predictable as ever,” Tobirama muttered. Withdrawing his blade, he stepped back and looked smug.

But just as he began formulating a quip to taunt Gin, he felt a firm pat on his shoulder. Irritated, he muttered,
"Don't pat me. I'm in the middle of proving my point."

Pat. Pat.

"Stop that. Can't you understand words?"

Ready to reprimand the culprit, Tobirama turned his head—only to freeze.

Standing behind him was a black-haired girl with a sickly, twisted smile. Her crimson eyes gleamed with madness, and a pair of ethereal, cherry-red hands hovered ominously around her.

"So, you’re Uchiha Hikari?" Tobirama asked, sweat trickling down his forehead as the oppressive aura pinned him in place.

“Uchiha Hikari?” The girl tilted her head in mock curiosity, her unsettling grin widening.

“Wrong answer,” she said, her phantom hand descending upon Tobirama.


---

Later that day, Gin reflected on his chaotic life while dealing with the aftermath of the confrontation. As he sipped tea, he muttered under his breath,
"Being low-key is getting harder and harder these days."