158. Show Me Respect

“See? Even Tobirama isn't a match for me~”

Sensing things were turning south, Hashirama gripped the dazed Tobirama with both hands, lifting him effortlessly.

With a playful grin, he addressed the nearby members of the Senju clan who had gathered.

“Phew~ Yeah, we were just sparring a bit.”

Floating mid-air, Tobirama managed to regain his composure and spoke in a cool, indifferent tone, “What brings you all here?”

“We heard a loud explosion nearby and came to investigate.”

A tall, elegant woman from the clan respectfully reported, hands clasped before her.

“Haha! Nothing to worry about. Tobirama and I were just wrestling, and we may have gotten a bit carried away. No need to keep searching.”

Hashirama waved at the clan members reassuringly, a broad smile on his face.

“Alright then, we’ll be on our way.”

The woman’s eyes flashed with a hint of suspicion, but as she discreetly scanned the area and found no anomalies, she relaxed. She gestured for her team to depart without further delay.

“Captain Momoka, didn’t the clan head and Tobirama seem... off?”

One of the clan members leaned over and murmured to her.

“Silence. Don’t make careless assumptions about the clan head’s behavior.”

Momoka, who had a composed demeanor, snapped back, though doubt flickered in her eyes before she dismissed it.

“But why were they both blushing, looking disheveled in the woods?”

As she pondered, another clan member chimed in, eyes brimming with curiosity.

“Yeah! Lord Tobirama's shirt was missing. Their ‘battle’ must have been really intense~”

A young girl in the group tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with mischief, her hands clasped together dreamily.

“No wonder the clan head agreed to call off the engagement with the Uzumaki...”

“Hehe...”

The mysterious chuckles echoed among the group, each filled with intrigue.

“You guys are hopeless!”

Momoka sighed, watching her subordinates exchange wild theories.

She shook her head in exasperation, realizing that what they had just witnessed needed to be kept under wraps—any rumors could easily spark a scandal within the clan.

“Listen up. No matter who asks, you’re to say we saw nothing and encountered no one. Understood?”

After much consideration, Momoka ordered her gossiping subordinates, her face stern, hoping to protect the clan head’s dignity.

“Understood, Captain!”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

The group responded with gleeful salutes, swearing up and down that they’d stay silent.

Seeing her team’s cooperative spirit, Momoka felt relieved. She turned, about to leave, only to see two familiar figures emerging from the woods ahead.

“Wait—the clan head and Tobirama?”

Momoka’s heart skipped a beat. Could they be here to silence us?

“Oh! Isn’t that Momoka? Long time no see!”

Dressed in red armor, Hashirama waved to her cheerfully, looking curiously at her gathering.

“Huh?”

Momoka and her team exchanged confused glances. Hadn’t they just seen them moments ago? And yet, the two seemed freshly dressed.

“Did something happen here?”

Tobirama, keenly observant, noticed something amiss among the group. His crimson eyes narrowed, his tone suddenly cold, implying he would get to the bottom of it.

Momoka felt a chill under his gaze and immediately broke into a cold sweat.

Oh no, Lord Tobirama’s testing us!

If we spill anything, we won’t live to see another day.

“No, no, no! We were just patrolling ahead and found nothing suspicious.”

Quick on her wit, Momoka denied everything and made a discreet hand signal to her team.

“Yes, yes, nothing at all!”

“There’s nothing here—not even a rabbit.”

“Well then, carry on.”

Despite sensing their wary looks, Tobirama dismissed it, thinking they were his own kin.

He waved them off.

“Understood!”

Relieved, Momoka hurried her team back to the camp, not daring to look back.

“That was strange. Momoka’s usually so calm and composed.”

Hashirama tilted his head, puzzled as he watched Momoka’s retreating figure.

“Brother, we have more pressing matters—dealing with the Uchiha clan.”

Tobirama turned to his thoughtful brother, frowning as he recalled something that displeased him. “That woman, Mito Uzumaki, actually dared to break off the engagement! Doesn’t Ashina from the Uzumaki clan have any control over his precious daughter?”

“Uh... I’m not really keen on marriage~”

“No, you must marry! Otherwise, your eccentric thoughts will keep running wild.”

Tobirama’s expression darkened.

“Huh? What eccentric thoughts?”

Hashirama blinked in confusion at his brother’s serious tone.

“Fine! If the Uzumaki clan calls off the engagement, we’ll find someone suitable from within our clan.”

Recalling Momoka’s appearance earlier, Tobirama’s eyes gleamed. He clapped his hands in excitement, muttering to himself.

“Huh??”

Elsewhere...

“What do we do now?”

Successfully misleading Momoka and her team, the two were now as nervous.

Tobirama’s previous confidence was now nowhere to be found, and he silently cursed his own bad luck.

“Phew~ There's only one option left...”

After a brief pause, Hashirama straightened up, looking at Tobirama with a serious yet resolute expression.

“What option? Do you have a plan to fix this?”

Tobirama stopped pacing and looked at his brother expectantly.

“Hehe, I’ll leave this mess to my true self!”

Hashirama chuckled slyly, and with that, he dispelled his transformation, leaving only a wisp of smoke.

“Ugh!”

Tobirama clicked his tongue in frustration at the sight of Hashirama disappearing. He hadn’t expected his brother to abandon him like this.

But then it dawned on him—he was only a clone. Let the main body handle the mess. No need to worry.

With newfound resolve, Tobirama dissolved himself, leaving only a trail of white smoke behind.

Meanwhile, in the Uchiha clan’s medical facility...

“Please, help my cousin!”

Uchiha Izuna clung to the silent Uchiha Haru, eyes filled with tears.

“Young master, let go; I need room to examine him.”

The lean Uchiha Haru subtly distanced himself, inwardly cringing as he tried to avoid getting snot on his new robe.

“Izuna, let him go.”

Madara Uchiha spoke sternly. In their entire clan, Haru’s medical skills were unmatched, and time was of the essence.

“Well, if it isn’t Gin Uchiha. Been a while.”

Standing by Gin’s bed, Haru’s gaze softened; his resentment had faded over the years, replaced by a sense of calm.

“Given our lineage, you should be calling me Second Uncle…”

People got nostalgic with age.

While adjusting his instruments, Haru, usually the quiet type, started chatting with Gin, who was only pretending to be unconscious.

Twelve years ago, it was rumored that everyone present was subconsciously influenced to dislike Gin. Maybe that jutsu had finally worn off?

Gin, a reincarnator, held no grudges over trivial incidents, finding it amusing that these past conflicts might have made his life easier.

“Wait… why does he have such an intense life force?”

After examining Gin’s organs and cell activity, Haru’s eyes nearly popped out.

He had studied countless individuals in his career, yet he’d never encountered cells this vigorous.

With a puzzled look, Haru the room to find Uchiha Tajima and the others.

“Clan Leader, what happened to Gin before he fell unconscious?”

His question was met with silence.

“Did he consume something unusual or use a unique jutsu?”

Still determined, Haru pressed further.

Uchiha Tajima simply looked to Madara, as he had arrived after the incident.

“Let’s talk privately.”

Taking Haru aside, Madara explained slowly, “Before he fainted, he had... technically died for a while.”

“Huh?”

Haru’s Sharingan almost popped out. He had guessed Gin might have used a strengthening jutsu, but dying and reviving was a whole other matter.

“You’re insulting my profession!”

Haru’s voice trembled.

Resurrections weren’t realistic.

Izanagi: Am I a joke to you?

“I, Uchiha Haru, am a scientist. I only believe in science!”