157. We're Wrestling

"On this solemn day of eternal pine and shared sorrow, we bid a heart-wrenching farewell to a beloved family member, a revered elder brother, a young and talented clan elite," Uchiha Tajima, with tears glistening in his tiger-like eyes, used trembling hands to smooth out the creases on Uchiha Gin’s "corpse."

His voice choked, appearing utterly heartbroken on the outside, though his true feelings were something entirely different.

"Hey, Gin, how long are you planning to keep up this act? Even your uncle is running out of lines!"

Uchiha Tajima, who had just been dragged into this dramatic charade, barely contained his curiosity before scolding Uchiha Gin’s spiritual form with a barrage of reprimands.

"Wait, just a bit longer!" Gin thought to himself, rolling his eyes.

The fact that someone with so little eloquence could be clan leader—was the Uchiha clan really in decline?

As Gin suppressed his eye-roll, his long-dormant chakra began to stir, his expression now resolute.

"Father, please, stay strong. Our cousin’s spirit would not want you to suffer so." Uchiha Madara, discreetly wiping his tears, approached, placing a comforting hand on Tajima's shoulder and softly offering condolences.

He, too, grieved for Gin’s sacrifice. Despite having awakened the legendary Mangekyo Sharingan, Madara felt no joy at this moment.

Eyes lowered, his dark pupils filled with suppressed sorrow, Madara’s thoughts formed a closed loop of regret. If he hadn’t encouraged his cousin to organize intense training sessions, they wouldn’t have gone to the Naka River.

If they hadn’t gone to the river, Gin wouldn’t have…

In that instant, Madara’s mind reached a heartbreaking conclusion: "This is all my fault. If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t have died!"

With this thought, Madara fell into the same despair as Tajima, his warm tears slowly streaming down his face.

"I’m the one who killed him…"

He sank to his knees, overwhelmed with guilt, unable to pull himself from the spiral of grief.

"Cousin…"

And then there was Izuna, muttering Gin's name over and over, as tears poured down like a dam broken by a Water Release technique.

"Ahem…"

Only Uchiha Haruka, standing dazed nearby, looked out of place. She half-closed her pretty eyes, wondering if she should join in or risk looking too detached from this mournful scene.

"Ah, Gin~~"

Tajima wailed in a shrill voice that sent chills down the girl's spine.

Alright, that was too much.

Her acting wasn't great, but the clan leader's was downright painful. Better to quietly slip away.

"Hurry up, Gin-san, I can’t hold on much longer," Haruka thought, folding her hands in silent prayer.

"Little Haruka, don’t be too sad. Big brother, he…wait, what? What? WHAT?!" Izuna, tear-stained, tried to console her in his brother’s tone.

But as he glanced down at Gin’s “body,” he froze, his jaw dropping in astonishment.

"Izuna, this is a solemn moment; don’t make weird noises."

Madara, regaining a bit of composure, scolded Izuna for the outburst.

"No, no, no! Look! Big brother’s forehead—there’s something glowing!"

After finally closing his mouth, Izuna shakily pointed at Gin’s forehead, shock written all over his face.

"What about the tattoo…?"

Madara frowned, recalling the odd, dark red mark on Gin’s forehead. He hadn’t paid it much attention—after all, tattoos weren’t uncommon. He himself might get one someday.

But as he looked closer, Madara gasped just like Izuna.

The others followed their gazes, staring at the motionless Gin on the ground.

On Gin’s peaceful, sleep-like face, his black tattoo started glowing red, tendrils extending from it, spreading like roots over his fair skin.

Intricate black and red patterns crawled across Gin’s face, drawing a strange yet enchanting design.

With this eerie transformation, an immense surge of life energy suddenly erupted from his body, leaving everyone stunned.

“What’s that?”

Uchiha Izuna, always impulsive, was the first to speak. With his Sharingan activated, he could see chakra brimming with powerful life force surging from Gin’s forehead, coursing into his cousin’s still body.

“This… energy?”

Madara’s shock was apparent. He saw the chakra flowing into Gin and, even more shockingly, saw the once-lifeless body beginning to revive.

Wounds on Gin’s body healed rapidly, including a nasty gash on his chest that vanished in a puff of white smoke, leaving no trace on his flawless skin.

"Thump!"

A faint heartbeat echoed in their ears. Being skilled shinobi with sharp senses, they all held their breath, focusing on the sound.

"Thump! Thump!"

Hearing the steady rhythm, they let out a collective sigh of relief. Gin’s once-pale lips were now red with life.

Izuna leaned closer, pressing his ear against Gin’s chest, feeling a slight rise and fall beneath him. Raising his head in joy, his voice trembled with excitement.

“He’s…he’s alive!”

Tajima, moving in a flash, placed his hand on Gin’s head, pretending to examine him while thinking, “Gin, that act looked quite convincing!”

“What do you mean, ‘convincing?’” Gin retorted in his mind. “This is top-tier medical ninjutsu! Ever heard of Strength of Hundred Seals? I could be split in half and still heal!”

"Oh, sure, very impressive," Tajima replied sarcastically.

“Alright, let’s get me out of here before anyone notices.” Gin, unable to bear the humiliation, urged Tajima to leave quickly before the noise attracted the Senju clan.

“Father, how’s he doing?”

Seeing Tajima’s relieved expression, Madara asked anxiously.

“Gin’s soul is intact, and his body’s regained life, but he’s in a coma. We’ll need our medical team to examine him thoroughly.”

Tajima’s tense expression softened, giving everyone some peace of mind.

“Then let’s go!”

Izuna enthusiastically hoisted Gin onto his back, joy filling his heart as he felt the warmth of Gin’s breath.

Hey, cousin didn’t die—my New Year’s money is safe!

"Careful, Izuna."

Madara frowned, watching Izuna’s rough handling. He joined to help carry Gin, the two brothers heading back toward the village, with Tajima and Haruka in tow.

Haruka, deep in thought, watched Gin’s tattoos, her mind racing.

Meanwhile, two figures emerged in the opposite direction.

Shirtless, Tobirama threw the beaten Hashirama to the ground, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Finally done. That was exhausting.”

“Hey, I’m still injured here, you knucklehead brother,” Hashirama retorted, rolling his eyes and breaking his serious facade.

“Oh, enough with the act!”

“Isn’t it time to drop our disguises? We shouldn’t let anyone from the clan see us like this,” Hashirama said, looking slightly worried.

"Hah! No one’s going to see us here; we’ve only got one shot at this, so let’s have some fun.”

Hashirama, in character even as a chakra clone, frowned, grabbing Tobirama’s arm to stop him.

“Ah! Clan leader? Deputy leader? You’re…”

A surprised voice echoed nearby. Both brothers froze.

Uh-oh, 'of all times!'

From the bushes emerged a team of kunoichi, led by a tall woman with a stern expression and piercing eyes filled with suspicion.

“Uh, well…we were just wrestling! Right, Tobirama?”