221. Siblings Reunited

"Sigh! I was careless, so careless~"

After being briefed by his clansman disguised as an artisan leader, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but pound his chest and stomp his feet in regret. His frustrated wails could be heard clearly from several streets away.

As the saying goes, "Fortune favors the bold!"

In this era of constant warfare, the business of lending money is an incredibly risky venture.

Borrowers might be killed the moment they step outside, or they might refuse to repay their debts, relying on sheer strength to back their defiance. These uncertainties make the industry's standards extraordinarily harsh.

In normal circumstances, secured loans carry an interest rate of 200%. For unsecured loans, relying purely on the borrower's integrity, the interest rate is doubled yet again.

"If only I had done some research, I wouldn't have missed such a golden opportunity to scam that white-haired guy!"

What disappointed Uchiha Gin more than losing a bit of money was missing the chance to take advantage of Tobirama Senju. But since he'd already made his promise and spoken his piece, he could only consider it a contribution to the development of Konoha.

Someday, he could proudly knock on Konoha's gates and say, "I donated this!"

A few days later, when he saw the familiar blonde artisan leading a large group towards the Senju clan's land, Uchiha Gin realized the deal had been finalized.

"Does that make me one of Konoha's creditors now?"


---

"Big brother, do we really have to go?"

As Uchiha Gin wandered the streets, a tall, dark-haired figure was dragging a very reluctant white-haired man towards his current residence.

"I still have so much official work to deal with. How about you go alone?"

Clearly unhappy, Tobirama Senju frowned at his excited older brother and voiced his displeasure.

"That won’t do. Brother Gin helped us out in a critical moment. Both professionally and personally, we must visit him to express our gratitude."

Hashirama Senju, carrying a basket of yellow mysterious fruits in one hand and dragging his unwilling brother with the other, explained patiently, smiling brightly.

"But I was the one who closed the deal!"

Recalling the sour expression of the Wave Country artisan leader and the efforts he made to humble himself during negotiations, Tobirama felt a surge of anger.

"If it weren't for Brother Gin's introduction, how could we have secured such a favorable contract with near-zero interest for the construction?"

Hashirama, growing annoyed with his brother's stubbornness, sighed. Tobirama was great in many ways, but his temper was another story. Unlike their obedient younger siblings, Itama and Kawarama, he was a constant source of worry.

"Sigh~ Just this once, okay?"

Recalling his siblings who died in the war, Hashirama's heart grew heavy. His tone softened as he thought about how Tobirama was now his only surviving brother.

"Fine, since you insist, I’ll go, but only this once."

Facing his brother's concession, Tobirama sighed inwardly. "It’s just thanking a Uchiha, right? I’ll go this time, for the curly-haired guy’s sake."

"Haha, I knew you were the most obedient, Tobirama!"


---

Not long after, following the prearranged directions, the two arrived in front of a grand wooden villa. The ornate structure left the Senju brothers deep in thought.

"Tch, that curly-haired guy really is as wealthy as the rumors say. I wonder if it’s all legitimate," Tobirama thought sourly as he compared the lavish villa to their own comparatively modest home.

"Wait, is this house made using Wood Release techniques?"

Unlike his brother's skepticism, Hashirama was bewildered. As the only known user of Wood Release, he could sense the overflowing Wood Release energy emanating from the villa. Yet, his own skillset didn’t include a "Wood Release: Build House Technique."


---

Knock, knock, knock.

With curiosity and confusion, Hashirama stepped forward and knocked on the intricately decorated door.

"Hey! You curly-haired ape, did you forget your keys again?"

Hearing the knock, a black-haired girl lounging on the sofa muttered with a sigh. Assuming it was Uchiha Gin, who had just left, she grumbled her way to the door.

When she swung it open, she didn’t even glance up as she began scolding. "You always—"

Her words froze as she realized the visitors weren’t who she thought. Panic flashed across her face.

Bam!

Quick as lightning, she slammed the door shut and leaned against it. Her body trembled violently, unsure if from fear or excitement. Her hands, pressed firmly against the door, turned pale as veins popped. Even her black-and-white hair, soaked with sweat, clung to her face.

Inside, only she and Uchiha Hikari were home. But lately, Hikari had been behaving oddly—noisy at night, lethargic during the day. For all intents and purposes, she was alone.



"Brother, who was that rude person?"

"Tobirama, pinch me."

While Senju Tobirama was inwardly grumbling, the seemingly frozen Senju Hashirama suddenly spoke up, catching him off guard.

"Huh? Since when did you have this kind of hobby?"

Although puzzled by his older brother's words, Tobirama complied and pinched a bit of soft flesh on Hashirama's waist.

Watching his brother's face turn red, Tobirama asked, "Huh~ you actually wanted me to pinch you?"

Hashirama carefully touched his waist, seemingly checking if there were any injuries. After a few moments, he furrowed his brows, his face full of suspicion, as he looked at the tightly closed door.

Massaging his creased forehead, he turned to Tobirama and said,

"I might be too tired lately... I think I just saw a dead person."

"Ha? Impossible. This must be Uchiha Gin playing tricks!"

Tobirama, a staunch believer in science, dismissed such a bizarre claim. He immediately concluded that this was just another ploy by Uchiha Gin to mess with them. After all, how could ghosts exist in the world?

Shinigami: You're in for it, kid.

"I'm serious! I saw a woman who looked just like Mother. She—"

Seeing Tobirama's disbelief, Hashirama hastily explained, his expression genuinely surprised and earnest, which made Tobirama feel a bit uneasy. Could ghosts really exist?

Shinigami: Alright, I'll regurgitate her back out!

"You must have seen wrong. Mother has been gone for so many years."

Tobirama ultimately chose to stick to logic, shaking his head as he interrupted his brother's rambling.

"I’m not wrong! It was definitely Mother!"

"Then describe her. What was her age, appearance, and hair color?"

Facing his brother’s insistence, Tobirama reluctantly asked him to describe the woman in detail. This would help him determine whether Hashirama was hallucinating.

"She looked about twenty-something. Her appearance was like she was carved from the same mold as Mother’s. She had a strange mark on her head, short hair, and her hair color... half black, half white. Ahh!!"

Hashirama began describing the woman, focusing on her age and features. When he got to the hair color, he hesitated, trying to recall more clearly. As he described the unique hair color, a realization seemed to hit him, and he let out a sudden scream.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

Meanwhile, Tobirama, who was mentally sketching an image of the woman based on Hashirama's description, suddenly froze. The moment his brother mentioned the hair color, a familiar face appeared in his mind. He let out his own startled cry, matching Hashirama's.

"Stop yelling! Can’t you two shut up already?"

Amidst the brothers’ escalating shrieks, a visibly annoyed Senju Itama yanked open the door. Her sharp gaze, devoid of fear, locked onto the two men—arguably the most prominent figures in Konoha—before she scolded them.

"Understood!" x2

"Come in, but remember to take off your shoes."

Behind the door, Senju Itama felt conflicted. Despite the years that had passed and the Senju Clan’s victory over the Uchiha, she had always been hesitant to return.

Fear played a part, but so did her lingering attachment.

She dreaded the possibility of losing the bond she had shared with Uchiha Gin if she went back. She didn’t want to risk it, nor did she have the courage to.

However, with the two clans now working together in one village, her identity was bound to be exposed sooner or later. So, she decided it was better to address the matter head-on.

"Are you…"

Looking at the commanding woman who resembled their mother, Hashirama, feeling a bit intimidated, cautiously trailed behind her. After a while, he tentatively asked, his curiosity threatening to burst.

"It’s impossible. You should’ve been dead long ago."

Unlike Hashirama’s timidity, Tobirama, ever suspicious, stared intently at the tall woman. Her familiar face and rare hair color deepened his frown as he coldly questioned her.

According to Senju Koji’s sworn testimony, their young sister had been surrounded by several adult Uchiha, leaving no chance for survival.

"No, I didn’t die."

Now that her identity was confirmed, Itama no longer tried to hide it. She sat on the sofa, casually picking up a chibi version of the Three-Tails. Her gaze grew distant as she began recounting events from years ago to her two brothers.

"Back then, it was Uchiha Gin who, despite the pressure, rescued me from the clutches of the Uchiha and kept me safe."

As she recalled the man who had carried her, never letting go despite the dangers, a faint smile unknowingly appeared on Itama’s otherwise cool face.

This smile did not escape Tobirama's sharp eyes. His alarm bells rang, and he suddenly had a bad feeling. Was his precious little sister in trouble?

"...That’s how we ended up living together. But don’t get the wrong idea! He didn’t do anything inappropriate. Quite the opposite—because of our father’s strange choice of name, he thought I was a boy for the longest time. Haha~"