163. A Friend From Faraway

“Pah! I treated you like a real little brother, and you treat me like a distant cousin?”

Uchiha Gin muttered as he watched his younger cousin disappear behind a screen of light. He then tapped to learn the Great Fireball Technique that had just dropped from the encounter.

"Learning Great Fireball Technique… Detected that the host has already mastered this skill. Adapting to Mastery +1 (1 Mastery = 1% increased damage)."

Hearing this system notification, Uchiha Gin’s expression softened.

“Even 1% more damage is something. Every little bit counts.”

Feeling his body restored to its peak condition by the system, Uchiha Gin dusted off his clothes, noticing the backyard was still smoky from his cousin’s fire attacks.

The kid had potential, but his skills lacked finesse.

“Ahh~ What a good day for a nap~”

Humming an odd tune, Uchiha Gin headed home, planning to laze around for the day.

After all, the Warring States period didn’t offer much entertainment.

No TV, no computer, not even interesting comics or novels. So, besides daily tasks, most of his time was spent napping.


Even when his elder cousin was out battling the Senju, Gin stayed unbothered.

He thought about the Blademail and Rugged Armor he’d gifted Uchiha Izuna years ago during his coming-of-age ceremony.

With that set, not even the Flying Thunder God Slash would easily get through.

“It’s a shame my older cousin finds the gear too plain and refuses to wear it,” he sighed, disappointed at his cousin’s lack of taste. “He’ll regret it later.”

Just then, he felt someone’s presence nearby. He squinted and looked towards the forest with a slight frown.

“Rustle, rustle…”

A tall figure emerged slowly from the woods.

“Oh, it’s you again?” Uchiha Gin groaned. She’d visited just last month! Since when was travel this easy?

“What? Is Gin-san not happy to see me?” The woman smiled with a trace of disappointment, her dark eyes misting up.

“It’s not that,” Gin replied, motioning her inside. “But don’t you clan leaders have things to keep you busy?”

“Aren’t you the one who taught me the Shadow Clone technique?” She stepped into his home without hesitation.

Once inside, she kicked off her geta sandals and collapsed onto his couch, sighing in relaxation. Her long, slender legs, pale and smooth, swayed slightly.

“So, what do you need this time?” Gin asked, trying to keep his composure.

“Can’t I visit without a reason, dear human trafficker?” she teased, feigning annoyance.

As she leaned forward, Gin found himself distracted.

“Uh, with the current situation out there, you should take care of yourself,” he stammered, barely holding his gaze steady.

“Aww, are you worried about me, Gin-san?” She flashed a playful smile, her tone sweet and teasing.

“Naturally.” Gin replied with a serious expression. If something happened to her, his investment in her clan would be lost!

“Then, I’m not going back!” she declared, lying back on his sofa with a grin.

“Oh, no! Your clan needs you!”

“Pfft! My brother Hanamichi can handle it,” she huffed.

“Are you serious? That muscle brained guy would bankrupt your clan in no time.”

“Ugh, I just don’t want to work anymore!” she whined, playfully kicking at Gin.

“Come on, you’re a clan leader; you need to set an example.” Gin replied, half-heartedly.

“Such a cold response!” She pouted, looking at him with disappointment.

“I even turned down an alliance with the Senju for you!” she added dramatically.

“Hey, hold on! It was only a marriage proposal, not an alliance!” Gin quickly interjected, catching her playful foot mid-kick.

“That’s the same thing to me!”

Her foot struck towards his face, and for a moment, the two ended up in a playful tussle, the air between them heating up.

“Wait! Someone’s coming!” They both paused, sensing a familiar presence approaching.

“Oh well, we’ll have to continue our ‘discussion’ next time!” She fixed her appearance, gave him a mischievous look, and slipped out through the back door with a wink.

“Sigh… how did I end up with such a troublemaker?”

As he watched her leave, the front door suddenly burst open, and two tall figures entered.

One scanned the room with a Sharingan, while the other checked the rooms.

“Gin, are you alone?” The one with the Sharingan finally asked, her gaze was piercing.

“Haha, of course, only me here!” Gin replied nervously.

“Nothing here,” the other replied, a bit confused. He’d sensed Gin’s erratic chakra earlier, as if he’d been up to something.

“Enough, you little meddler!” Gin muttered under his breath, annoyed by the unexpected intrusion.

Realizing that he wasn’t off the hook, Gin raised a finger in a vow. “I, Uchiha Gin, swear by my ancestors, I wasn’t doing anything inappropriate!”

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Uchiha Madara sneezed abruptly in the middle of a fight, momentarily distracted. His opponent seized the opportunity, grabbing him.

“Madara, this time you’re done for!” Hashirama called out, guiding a branch toward Madara’s Susanoo.

“Whoosh!”

Just before it hit, a bright yellow blade sliced down from the sky, cutting through the branch and freeing Madara.

“Big brother, please, focus!” Izuna called, exasperated. Madara thanked him with a nod, resuming his battle with renewed vigor.

Watching from a safe distance, Izuna took a deep breath, feeling the armor Gin had gifted him.

With a surge of confidence, he shouted, “I can do this all day!”