232. Unusual Request

In the dim backstage area, Yamanaka Soichiro was on edge when a blinding white light suddenly illuminated the space. As the doors swung open, Uchiha Gin entered, carrying a basket of clothes. He greeted Soichiro enthusiastically before setting the clothes down in front of him.

“Brother Soichiro, here are the clothes I brought for you. Try them on and see if they fit!”

“Thanks!”

Although puzzled by the large basket of clothes, Soichiro, already tired from waiting for hours, didn’t ask questions. He picked up a piece of clothing to put on but froze upon noticing the peculiar design.

“Is this a mistake? These are women’s prison uniforms, aren’t they?”

Soichiro’s face turned bright red as he stared at the bright pink underwear in his hands, nearly choking in embarrassment. Shaking slightly, he clutched the item tightly and asked in a stern tone, “What is this about?”

Uchiha Gin, standing next to the basket, shrugged helplessly. “Well, the younger members of your clan didn’t have the best luck in the draw. This was the best I could bring. Please make do!”

“Horrible luck? Ridiculous!”

Although initially annoyed, Soichiro’s curiosity quickly got the better of him. He rummaged through the colorful pile with a glint of excitement in his aged eyes. After much deliberation, he selected a relatively plain outfit.

“This will do. It’s barely enough to cover me.”

Satisfied with his choice, he walked to a corner to change.

“Brother Soichiro, you forgot the undergarments!” Gin reminded him, noticing the elder hadn’t picked any intimate items.

“Enough of this! We older ninjas believe in frugality. Undergarments are optional!”

Emerging from the corner fully dressed, Soichiro adjusted his ill-fitting pants with a grave expression. Gin couldn’t help but notice a flash of bright pink at Soichiro’s waist but kept his thoughts to himself.

“Alright, let’s head out. Your clan must be eagerly waiting for you!”

Gin motioned for him to follow.

“Even after years of imprisonment, my name still echoes throughout the ninja world!” Soichiro declared confidently, encouraged by the cheering crowd outside.

But as Soichiro stepped onto the stage, the audience erupted in protest.

“Where’s the daring bikini?”
“Bring back the leopard-print set!”

The crowd had been eagerly anticipating bold fashion statements but were disappointed by the elder’s conservative attire.

“Don’t mind them, Brother Soichiro,” Gin reassured him.

Just as Soichiro prepared to address the audience, he was distracted by a commotion nearby. He spotted a familiar face, a woman in a near-manic state.

“Is that… Minako?” he asked hesitantly.

The woman, Yamanaka Minako, was furiously tapping on a screen, muttering curses about bad draws.

“Minako, what’s going on?”

Before he could get answers, Minako raised her voice, demanding another round of draws. Despite her massive debt of ten billion ryo, she refused to stop until she got a rare item.

“Minako!” Soichiro tried to intervene, but she barely noticed him. When she finally did, her eyes widened in shock.

“Grandfather Soichiro?! I need money!”

Soichiro nearly fainted at her shameless plea. Uchiha Gin, concerned for the elder’s health, intervened. He handed Minako her prizes—a bizarre collection of garments—and escorted her away.

As the Yamanaka clan retreated, Gin couldn’t help but smirk. The flash of pink at Soichiro’s waist lingered in his mind.

“Now then, who’s next to redeem their clan members?” Gin asked the nervous ninja alliance members, his smile as sharp as a predator’s.

“Can’t we just pay the base price to redeem them?” Sarutobi Sasuke asked, trying to bargain.

“Of course, but where’s the fun in that?” Gin replied, dismissing the request.

With the audience growing increasingly tense, Gin’s sinister game continued, leaving the alliance to brace for what came next.


"Alright, I’ll pay now! Hurry up and release Uncle Jinji!"

The Uchiha clan's blatant money-grabbing scheme was immediately exploited by Danzo’s self-proclaimed reincarnated genius, Shimura Kenichi, who threw out 2 million Ryo without hesitation to bring Shimura Jinji home. Meanwhile, the other members of the Shinobi Alliance were excited, secretly ridiculing the overly generous Yamanaka Minako.

"But before that, I have something interesting to share with you all," said Uchiha Gin with a sly smile. He completely ignored the money thrown at him, pulling out a stack of sealed envelopes from his bag. Each envelope bore the crest of a Shinobi Alliance member. Gin handed them out to the confused members one by one, his face brimming with amusement.

“Hmph! Playing tricks again. I’d like to see what kind of nonsense you’ve come up with this time!” grumbled Kenichi, irritated that his hefty payment was ignored. He ripped open his envelope, muttering complaints under his breath. However, the moment he saw the contents, his face froze.

“What the—?”

“Impossible!”

Other alliance members, equally curious, opened their envelopes. Upon seeing the photos inside, their expressions shifted from confusion to utter shock.

“Doctor, don’t you think this is a bit—?” muttered Sarutobi Sasuke, quickly tucking his photo away. His face was complex as he addressed Uchiha Gin, whose playful smile revealed no remorse.

“You all think the Uchiha clan is inhumane?” Gin asked, not answering Sasuke’s question directly.

“Absolutely! You even stripped Uncle Jinji—Hey! Stop covering my mouth!” Shimura Kenichi had barely begun his tirade when a large hand smothered his words, nearly making him pass out.

“Mr. Gin, thank you!” To everyone’s surprise, Akimichi Shinji, leader of the Akimichi clan, stepped forward and sincerely expressed his gratitude. His tone was so genuine it left no room for doubt.

“Shinji, why are you thanking this scoundrel?” Kenichi protested once he was free, his anger palpable.

“Kenichi, take a closer look at the photos. Look at the state of the elders,” Shinshi urged. Though still fuming, Kenichi complied and scrutinized the photos. After a long moment, he exclaimed, “Wait, this doesn’t seem right. Aren’t they... thriving?”

“Yes! Thriving!” Shinji explained, pointing at the smiling and well-fed faces in the photos. “Despite decades of imprisonment, they look healthier than ever. That’s not something you’d expect from prisoners being mistreated.”

The other alliance members revisited their photos, confirming that their elders weren’t suffering. Instead, they seemed to be living in comfort, even luxury. Bellies full, skin smooth, and radiating contentment, they looked better than many nobles of the Fire Nation.

“Our apologies, Mr. Gin! We misunderstood you!” Sarutobi Sasuke bowed deeply, his sincerity echoed by the surrounding members, who now gazed at Uchiha Gin with gratitude.

“So, shall we proceed with the draw?” Gin asked, feigning nonchalance. Internally, he was thrilled that his plan had worked so well. He had initially intended to use the photos for coercion but found that the misunderstanding worked even better for his purposes.

“Yes, we’ll draw! I’ll go first!” Akimichi Shinji stepped forward, wallet in hand.

“Uncle Shinji is rich; I’ll need a few extra pieces!”

Gin chuckled at the sight of the hefty pouch. “Ah, I love customers like you—so willing and generous!”

As Gin happily counted the money, Senju Hashirama’s worldview shattered. He nudged his brother, Tobirama, with wide eyes and asked, “Tobirama, is making money really this easy?”

Tobirama sighed deeply, his red eyes gleaming with a mix of awe and apprehension. “This guy has to be insane. He’s already filthy rich, yet he still resorts to such schemes. Does he not fear repercussions?”

Gin, hearing their whispers, approached with a cheerful grin. “What’s the matter, Senju brothers? Care to join the fun?”

“No, no! The Senju clan can’t afford such extravagance,” Hashirama hastily declined, waving his hands. Even someone as carefree as him could see the hidden traps in Gin’s seemingly harmless game.

“Such a pity,” Gin said with exaggerated disappointment. Still, he quickly brightened. “By the way, Tobirama, when’s that meeting I’m supposed to attend?”

“The Uchiha are letting you represent them?” Tobirama asked incredulously.

“Yes. Why, is that strange? I’m quite a senior figure in the clan,” Gin replied with a straight face.

Tobirama hesitated before explaining, “Today’s meeting is with the Hyuga clan. They specifically requested a spar with the Uchiha.”

Gin’s eyes narrowed. “What, are those white-eyed weirdos bored or something?”

“They want to determine which clan is truly the strongest in Land of Fire when it comes to Dojutsu,” Tobirama clarified.

Gin sighed dramatically. “Fine. I’ll go to the shrine and bring out Cousin Madara. That should teach those Hyuga frogs in the well a lesson.”

“Wait, wait, wait! It’s just a friendly match; no need to involve Madara!” Hashirama panicked, grabbing Gin’s sleeve. If Madara got involved, the Hyuga clan might cease to exist altogether.

“Fine, but if we’re doing this, the Hyuga’s funding must be split fifty-fifty with the Uchiha,” Gin declared, holding up five fingers.

“Do you have no sense of honor?” Tobirama snapped.

“Of course I do! I’m fighting for the honor of my clan. You should be paying me extra for that!” Gin retorted smugly.

“You money-grubbing scoundrel!” Tobirama fumed, but Gin merely smirked. “Relax, Tobirama. After they finish drawing, they’ll still thank me.”

True to his word, the alliance members approached Gin one by one, wallets open, thanking him profusely for his “kindness.”