222. Meeting Future Root Leader

As the sun set in the west, Uchiha Gin, with his curly hair tousled by the breeze, aimlessly strolled down the budding streets. His vacant eyes lazily scanned the rows of newly constructed houses lining the road.

Occasionally, a few unfamiliar shinobi passed by, their foreign clan emblems conspicuous against their clothing. With a sigh, he lamented internally, The day when all clans gather under one roof is fast approaching.

“Achoo!”

Suddenly, Uchiha Gin felt a chill run down his spine, followed by an itch in his nose, leading to a loud sneeze. Rubbing his sore nose, he frowned and turned toward the small figure trailing behind him.

“Hey, Kagami, were you bad-mouthing me in your head just now?”

Uchiha Kagami, left behind as a "stay-at-home child" after Uchiha Mizu relocated his family to the Land of Waves, tilted his curly-haired little head in confusion.

Scrunching his nose like a bun, he retorted indignantly, “Uncle Gin, how could you accuse me out of nowhere?”

“Don’t try to deny it! You’re the only one behind me. If it’s not you, then who?”

Gin’s accusing glare made the young, inexperienced Uchiha panic, his small frame trembling as he stammered, “I didn’t—”

“Humph. I’ll let it slide this time!”

Seeing Kagami almost on the verge of tears, Gin chuckled mischievously, deciding not to tease him further. He waved his hand dismissively as though to demonstrate his magnanimity.

“But Uncle Gin, weren’t we supposed to train today?”

Despite his young age, Uchiha Kagami, a prodigy, had already mastered emotional regulation under Gin’s guidance. Shaking off his earlier embarrassment, he tilted his head curiously, looking around at the lively atmosphere.

“Eh, anything I can teach you, others can too. And the things I want to teach, you wouldn’t understand. So I decided not to bother,” Gin replied nonchalantly, hands tucked behind his head as he hummed a tune.

Though his words sounded irresponsible, the truth was he simply couldn’t be bothered to teach. Most of the secret techniques he had mastered were unsuited for the Uchiha clan. Kagami would be better off focusing on Fire Release training.

Watching Kagami puff his cheeks in frustration, Gin awkwardly scratched his head, ready to offer a vague promise.

“Don’t worry. I’ll find you a knowledgeable, talented, and even musically skilled teacher!”

His words trailed off as he noticed two familiar figures approaching from the distance. Grinning, he waved enthusiastically.

“Hashirama, out for a stroll too?”

“Brother Gin!”

The approaching duo turned out to be the Senju brothers. However, Gin was surprised to find that the usually cheerful Hashirama seemed unusually reserved, his expression caught between hesitation and thought. Meanwhile, Tobirama’s sharp gaze scrutinized Gin from head to toe, making him feel inexplicably uneasy.

Did my little money-making schemes get exposed? Gin speculated nervously.

“Never thought there’d be someone decent among the ‘evil’ Uchihas,” Tobirama finally spoke after an unnervingly long silence.

Surprisingly, his tone lacked its usual hostility, carrying an uncharacteristic hint of approval.

“Huh?” Gin was dumbfounded.

Activating his heightened perception, he double-checked that the speaker was indeed the Tobirama Senju, before furrowing his brow in confusion.

“Brother Gin, we can’t thank you enough. The Senju clan will forever be indebted to you,” Hashirama interjected earnestly, gripping Gin’s hand with visible gratitude.

“Oh, you must mean the loan situation! Ha, no biggie, we’re practically brothers!” Gin laughed, recalling his recent efforts to assist the Senju clan in securing funding for Konoha’s infrastructure.

“Eh? No, that’s not—” Hashirama started to explain but was abruptly elbowed by Tobirama.

“Yes, we’re grateful. On behalf of the Senju clan, I offer my thanks. However, I must clarify that your actions are seen as personal and not representative of your clan.”

Returning to his usual composed demeanor, Tobirama nodded at Gin. Surprisingly, his crimson eyes lacked their typical disdain for the Uchiha, and he even extended an offer:

“To express our gratitude, I’ll fulfill one wish of yours—within reason and not related to clan matters.”

“Wow, that’s generous!” Gin’s face lit up with a mischievous grin as he gestured toward Kagami.

“Kagami, come over here! Uncle Gin found you a teacher!”

Caught off guard, the five-year-old Uchiha Kagami froze. His face turned pale as he glanced at Tobirama, the "white-haired devil." Gripping Gin’s leg tightly, he refused adamantly, “No way!”

“What? Teach an Uchiha kid?” Tobirama frowned, his initial hesitation clear.

“Come on, he’s obedient! Just give it a try!” Gin coaxed, practically shoving Kagami forward.

“…Your nephew?” Tobirama asked, narrowing his eyes at Kagami’s curly hair.

“Of course! Look at his premium curls—definitely runs in the family!” Gin beamed, enthusiastically ruffling Kagami’s hair.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

Although hesitant, Tobirama eventually agreed. Kneeling to meet Kagami’s gaze, he softened his tone.

“Uchiha Kagami, right? I warn you—I’m strict. If you disappoint me, you’re out.”

“Yes, teacher! I understand!” Kagami replied resolutely, his fear dissipating as he accepted his fate.

As Tobirama led Kagami away, Gin watched with a smirk. “Kagami, if you can’t beat Sarutobi and Danzo in the future, don’t tell anyone you know me!”

With that, Gin turned away, sucking on a lollipop. But a lingering thought gnawed at him: Why were the Senju brothers acting so strange earlier?

Before he could dwell on it further, he accidentally bumped into a man carrying a child, sending the stranger tumbling to the ground.

“Oops! Sorry about that. Are you alright?” Gin apologized, extending a hand to help the dazed man.

But his hand was slapped away as the man glared at him.

What is this? A scam?!

Unexpectedly, the other party refused to accept his apology. Having encountered many similar situations before, Uchiha Gin instantly became alert. He took a step back to widen the distance between them, his wary gaze fixed on the unfamiliar man on the ground. He asked cautiously,

"Who the hell are you?"

The man sitting on the ground wanted nothing more than to jump up and kick Uchiha Gin. However, his whole body ached as if he'd been run over by a cart, leaving him immobilized. All he could do was sit there and bark back,

"Since you’ve sincerely asked, I'll graciously tell you—I’m just a passerby!"

Gin hadn’t expected such a snarky response accompanied by an existential question. It forced him to respond in kind.

“Enough chatter. Don’t underestimate me! Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!”

As the man on the ground rambled on with his answer, he suddenly cursed, puffed up his cheeks, and began spitting wind-release bullets. The rapid air projectiles, sharp with wind energy, drew astonished glances from nearby onlookers.

“Detected: Host is in combat. Steel Heart Treasure Box accumulation initiated.”

“What the—dude, did you even brush your teeth?”

The system's notification echoed in Gin's mind as he disdainfully raised an eyebrow, dodging the incoming wind bullets. He prepared to sidestep but noticed a blond craftsman hard at work on a construction site nearby. Deciding not to let the projectiles potentially hit an innocent bystander, he deliberately stepped into the attack's path.

“Hmph! You rude curly-haired bastard, taste the might of Shimura Kenichi's punishment!”

Seeing Gin standing his ground, Shimura Kenichi, the attacker, momentarily flashed a vicious grin of triumph. But the next second, his smug expression froze.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With a casual swing of the black wooden sword at his waist—a mere decorative accessory—Gin effortlessly neutralized the oncoming Vacuum Bullets. The impacts dissipated with muffled bursts, as if he were swatting away flies. His movements were so fast that the spectators could only catch blurry afterimages.

“Hmm, you new here? Don’t you know the rules of Konoha?”

After neutralizing the attack, Gin didn’t sheathe his wooden sword. Instead, he tapped it lightly on the ground as he slowly approached the shocked man lying on the ground. The metallic clink of the sword echoed ominously, drawing even more attention from the growing crowd.

“How… how could this be? He deflected my Vacuum Bullets with just physical techniques?”

Shimura Kenichi mumbled in disbelief, his will to fight evaporating.

“Host victorious. Heart Energy +1.”

Sigh. Another easy win. Gin lamented how lazy he’d become due to the recent peace.

“You vile man! Don’t get any closer to Father!”

As Gin loomed over the sweating and stunned Kenichi, a young boy, about the same age as Gin's comrade Kagami, stepped between them. His dark eyes glared defiantly, though his small stature betrayed his youth.

“You planning to take your dad’s punishment?”

Gin wasn’t moved by the boy’s supposed bravery. Instead, he knocked him lightly on the head with the wooden sword and coldly asked,

“Hmph! Don’t underestimate the resolve of the Shimura clan! My father is a real man who owns up to his actions!”

Though the boy initially put on a courageous front, Gin’s subtle pressure caused him to retreat behind his father. Poking his head out, the child tried to sound fierce while trembling, delivering tough words with a shaky voice.

“Wow, kid, you’re the definition of filial piety.”

Losing interest, Gin sheathed his wooden sword and addressed the elder Shimura with a smirk.

“Is that really your kid? He doesn’t look much like you.”

“What? Of course Danzo's mine! My wife bore him after ten months of pregnancy.”

Still sitting on the ground, Kenichi, regaining some strength, protested indignantly.

“Wait... his name’s Danzo?”

Gin had been about to leave, not wanting to get involved with the law enforcement squad. But upon hearing that familiar name, his tired fish-like eyes lit up with uncharacteristic energy. He looked at the small boy hiding behind Kenichi, excitement evident in his voice.

“Uh… is the name Danzo not allowed in Konoha?”

Young Danzo, oblivious to the danger he was in, cautiously peeked out and asked innocently.

“It’s allowed. But not with me.”

Without warning, Gin vanished in a flash. The next thing Danzo felt was a chill below his waist. Looking down, he saw his tightly tied waistband undone, leaving his pale bottom exposed to the cold air. Before he could react, a sharp pain erupted, and he screamed out loud.

“Ahh! Ahh! Ahhh!”

“Stand still!”

Gin beamed with satisfaction, seeing young Danzo’s future potential for villainy. A green, flexible wooden branch appeared in his hand, and he began to mercilessly whip the boy’s bare backside. The boy’s cries echoed loudly as the crowd watched with morbid fascination.

“Stop that at once!”

Kenichi finally recovered from his stupor and tried to shield his son. Despite his pain, he stood firmly, glaring at Gin with the resolve only a father could muster.

“What? You want to take his punishment for him?”

Gin didn’t stop the beating. Instead, he arched an eyebrow and asked coldly.

“Don’t underestimate the resolve of the Shimura clan! Endure it, Danzo! Show him the depth of our strength!”

“Tch, what a loving father-son relationship you Shimuras have…”

Gin finally stopped after a moment, stepping back as he looked at the battered pair, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Law enforcement, make way!”

Just as Gin was about to leave, a loud shout came from the outskirts of the crowd. A team led by a long-haired officer pushed through the throng. Kenichi, rejuvenated by their arrival, immediately pointed at Gin.

“That man attacked me and my son! He’s clearly a spy from another nation—arrest him now!”

The officer froze when he saw who the "spy" was. Gin greeted him with a wide grin.

“Hey, isn’t that my dear old prison buddy? Long time no see!”

The officer groaned inwardly. It was going to be a long day.