201. I Saved His Brother

Above the skies.

High above, beyond the reach of the mortal eye, a blue-green figure darted swiftly through the clouds. In the milky white expanse, it left behind a conspicuous streak.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

Glancing at the birds flying past him, Uchiha Gin, now in Tenseigan Chakra Mode, enjoyed the thrill of flight for the second time. His pale blue eyes gleamed as the chakra cloak enveloping his body shielded him from the rushing wind. With no resistance to slow him down, he accelerated recklessly, leaving a dazzling blue-green trail in his wake.

In the blink of an eye, Uchiha Gin crossed the sandy deserts of the Land of Wind and entered the lush greenery of the Land of Fire. Following the map in his mind, he adjusted his direction and sped toward the Uchiha clan grounds.

"Wait… are those my cousins?"

While soaring through the air, Gin's sharp eyes spotted two towering figures on the ground below.

Recognizing their distinct colors, he quickly identified them as his cousins' Susanoo. Curious, he slowed his speed and silently approached, eager to see what mischief they were up to after such a long time apart.

"Charge!"

As he drew closer, Gin saw two opposing forces battling beneath the Susanoo. One side was instantly recognizable as the Senju clan.

"Brothers, let's wrap this up quickly—the meat's still stewing back at camp!"

At first glance, it seemed like a fierce battle to the death. But with his sharp perception, Gin realized something peculiar: the Uchiha side was clearly holding back.

The leader of the Uchiha warriors, wielding an unsheathed longsword, shouted anxiously to his comrades,
"The clan leader ordered a feast today—there’s wine and meat waiting! Move it! The faster we finish, the sooner we eat!"

"Charge!"

The Uchiha warriors played along enthusiastically, rushing toward the Senju clan with mock determination. But instead of a life-or-death battle, Gin noticed something odd on the Senju side as well.

"Brothers, it’s the clan leader’s wedding today! The feast is about to start—hurry up!"

The leader of the Senju warriors, instead of bracing for a serious fight, also looked impatient, urging his men to finish up quickly so they wouldn’t miss the banquet.

"Clang!"

Two sheathed swords collided with a loud noise, though neither blade nor scabbard suffered a scratch. Neither side even bothered activating their signature abilities; instead, they engaged in a comical display of half-hearted attacks.

What should have been a brutal battlefield had turned into something akin to a square-dance competition, with participants moving and swaying in exaggerated motions, each more theatrical than the last.

"...What is going on?"

For a moment, Gin thought he might have fallen under a genjutsu. Running his chakra through his body to check for anomalies, he found none, leaving him utterly baffled.

In his brief absence, had relations between the Uchiha and Senju clans really improved this much?

Just as Gin was lost in thought, a familiar voice echoed from the battlefield, snapping him back to reality.

Standing atop his Susanoo, Uchiha Madara waved his war fan toward the Senju camp, shouting hoarsely,
"Hashirama! Don’t pretend you’re not there—I know you’re hiding inside!"

Finally, someone acting normal, Gin thought. This was the Madara he knew, ready to confront Hashirama no matter the circumstance.

As soon as Madara’s voice fell, a white-haired figure appeared in a flash of golden light. It was none other than Senju Tobirama, arms crossed, smirking coldly as he taunted Madara from atop the battlefield.

"Hmph. The cries of a sore loser. Can’t you keep it down? My brother is busy with more important matters."

"Shut up, you white-haired pest! This doesn’t concern you. Get Hashirama out here now!"

Madara's younger brother, Uchiha Izuna, jumped down from his Susanoo, pointing his longsword at Tobirama with a frosty glare.
"How dare you insult my brother! I’ll cut you down where you stand!"

Tobirama gave Izuna a dismissive glance, his arms trembling slightly from holding back his frustration.
"You little turtle, don’t think you’re worthy of talking to me! Do you know how many of my swords you’ve dulled?"

Tobirama's fury boiled over as he recalled the countless blades shattered against Izuna in the past. Gritting his teeth, he spat out in anger,
"If you’ve got a problem, go get some armor of your own!"

Izuna, clad in heavy battle armor brimming with life energy, smirked smugly at Tobirama's outburst, patting his chest plate as he retorted,
"Jealous? Too bad for you!"

High above, Gin watched the scene unfold with tears of pride. Finally, Izuna wasn’t just cannon fodder anymore.

"Wait, hold up!"

Just as tensions escalated, a figure riding a giant wooden construct shot out from the Senju camp. It was Hashirama, dressed in simple yet elegant wedding attire, his face filled with urgency. Shielding his brother, he locked eyes with Madara atop the Susanoo, his expression serious.

"Madara, today is my wedding day. Didn’t we agree—no bloodshed today?"

His hair neatly combed and his rugged face stern, Hashirama frowned as he looked up at the two towering Susanoo, their destructive aura crackling ominously.

"Of course, I'll honor our agreement," Uchiha Madara said, his crimson eyes cold and stern as he addressed the man before him. "But you also promised to set a table in the middle of the battlefield and invite us to your wedding. Why hasn’t the banquet started yet?"

Hearing this, Senju Hashirama looked baffled, scratching his head in confusion. "Huh? I told Tobirama to prepare everything. Isn't it ready yet?"

He turned to his younger brother, Senju Tobirama, who stood nearby, looking none too pleased.

"Tobirama, hurry up and finish the preparations. Momoha should be ready soon as well," Hashirama urged.

"Fine, fine," Tobirama muttered, nodding begrudgingly, clearly displeased but unwilling to disobey his older brother.

"Ahaha, it’s just a misunderstanding! Just a misunderstanding!" Hashirama laughed heartily, trying to smooth things over. "Madara, give me a moment, and I’ll personally bring Momoka over to toast you."

Madara huffed, his Sharingan fading back to black as he dismissed his towering Susanoo, landing gracefully on the ground. "Hmph. I’m starving already."

Standing beside him, his younger brother Uchiha Izuna grinned mischievously and added, "Exactly! My big brother hasn’t eaten a bite since yesterday!"

With his Susanoo also dispersed, Izuna stood by Madara, taunting the Senju brothers. "Let’s see if your camp can handle my brother’s appetite!"

"Izuna, don’t speak out of turn," Madara snapped, his expression darkening as he glared at his brother. Izuna froze for a moment, feeling the weight of his brother’s disapproval.

Madara sighed, his thoughts drifting briefly to another family member.

Speaking of which, I heard cousin Gin went to the Land of Wind on a mission. I wonder if he’s doing alright.

Overhead, Uchiha Gin watched the scene unfold, itching with excitement. "This is too good to pass up! I have to join in!" he muttered to himself.

Knowing that this was a historic moment—the wedding of the First Hokage—Gin quickly flew to a secluded spot behind the battlefield, deactivating his Tenseigan Chakra Mode before landing quietly.

As he made his way toward the Uchiha camp, the rich aroma of cooked meat filled the air, signaling a feast in progress.

"Who’s there? Wait… Gin-sama?"

A surprised voice called out from behind him. Turning, Gin saw a man with a ponytail staring at him in shock.

"Well, if it isn’t Matawa! Long time no see," Gin said with a wide grin, his tone playful. "Your hair’s grown longer again, huh?"

"Uh, Gin-sama, why are you here on the frontlines?" Matawa asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Just finished a mission in the Land of Wind," Gin said casually, pointing to the dried lizard hanging from his belt.

Recognizing it as a rare Wind Country ration, Matawa's doubts eased slightly.

"So, what’s going on? Why’s it so lively here?" Gin asked with feigned innocence, though he already knew the answer.

"Well, you’ve come at the right time," Matawa replied. "Today’s a special day—it’s the wedding of the Senju clan leader."

Feigning surprise, Gin slapped his thigh dramatically. "No way! Hashirama’s wedding? How could I miss this? Quick, Matawa, take me there!"

"Wait, you know Senju Hashirama?" Matawa's expression turned skeptical. The idea of Gin, whose reputation was less than stellar, being acquainted with the illustrious Hashirama seemed far-fetched.

"Of course I do," Gin replied with a smirk. "I’m the man who saved his brother. Or something like that."