Chapter 103: Cousin, Don't Misunderstand, I Really Only Wanted to Save You

The father and son, fully equipped, led a bewildered Uchiha Gin as they sprinted through the forest outside the clan grounds.

It was the first time Uchiha Gin had seen Uchiha Izuna wearing gear for the battlefield: simple chest armor and a katana nearly as tall as he was.

"My brother usually hangs out with that bowl-cut kid at the Nanhechuanhe!"

Izuna led the way in front, speaking in a resentful tone.

"Actually, I suspect that child belongs to the Senju clan."

Uchiha Tajima, standing beside Uchiha Gin, whispered to him, his eyes radiating an aura of slaughter.

"Madara already sensed my and Izuna's intentions yesterday, which is why he left so early. I hope this brat isn't being deceived by someone from an outside clan."

No wonder Uchiha Madara had been missing since so early; it turned out he had gone to tip off his Hashirama.

"If he truly is a descendant of the Senju clan, the other side will surely have set an ambush. Be careful, Gin."

Relying on his strategist's mind, Uchiha Tajima deduced that the Senju clan might also be nearby, and he warned the "frail" Uchiha Gin in advance.

"No problem."

Uchiha Gin nodded immediately.

"Look! My brother is there."

The group flashed into the forest, moving quietly until they reached a large tree near the river, where they could see Uchiha Madara standing across from a young boy.

By the river, young Madara threw a stone he had been holding for a long time toward the opposite bank, and the bowl-cut boy on the other side threw a similar stone back; both stones skimmed the water's surface and landed steadily in the other's hand.

Young Madara, who had a faint smile on his face, saw a few characters on the stone in his hand and his expression darkened; the bowl-cut boy on the other side had the exact same reaction.

"Hashirama, sorry, we can't play together today."

Seeing the large characters on the stone, young Madara immediately declared that it was over for the day, turned around, and waved.

"I suddenly remembered I have something to take care of."

"Is that so? Then I'll head back for today."

The bowl-cut boy, who had also seen the words on his stone, looked conflicted but still raised his hand to wave goodbye.

Both boys turned their heads, pushed off with their feet, and sprinted away in opposite directions.

"So fast! Are they trying to run? That guy Hashirama actually leaked the intel."

The person hiding behind the bowl-cut boy saw the target turning to leave and grew anxious, turning to a small white figure beside him.

"Let's go, Tobirama."

"Yes!" The white-haired brat nodded and followed.

"Not good, they're going to escape!"

Uchiha Tajima saw the bowl-cut boy on the other side retreating rapidly after just one look and immediately guessed that the other side knew about the ambush, so he waved his hand to command.

"Gin, Izuna, chase them!"

With that, he was the first to leap into pursuit.

"Yes!" "Yes!"

A motivated Izuna and Uchiha Gin leaped to follow.

The people rushing out from both sides saw the other's aggressive momentum and paused, relying on the ninja skill of walking on water to stop right on the river, both sides glaring at each other like tigers.

"Splash!"

The tense atmosphere was broken by the sound of someone falling into the water.

"Sorry, sorry, I haven't done this in a while, so I'm a bit rusty."

Uchiha Gin, who had barely managed to stabilize his soaked feet on the water's surface, said apologetically to those present.

The silence that filled the scene was deafening.

"It seems our thoughts are the same."

With his scarlet Sharingan activated and the corners of his eyes twitching, Uchiha Tajima took a deep breath, gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist, and looked at the old acquaintance opposite him with a cold expression.

"Senju Butsuma."

"And Tobirama!"

Uchiha Izuna, standing to the side with a look of disdain, tried to salvage the Uchiha clan's reputation, provocatively challenging the white-haired brat opposite him with an air of maturity beyond his years.

"Indeed, Uchiha Tajima."

The middle-aged man with a mature face, wearing armor identical to the First Hokage's, was the current head of the Senju clan, Senju Butsuma. Holding a kunai in defense, he replied with a cold expression.

"And Izuna."

Unable to tolerate the provocation from the evil Uchiha brat, the white-haired Tobirama, carrying a giant katana larger than himself on his back, responded with a fighting spirit.

"Hey, hey, little cousin, how do you know that white-haired guy with the sour face across from us?"

Uchiha Gin, who had become a background character, couldn't help but whisper to Izuna, who was brimming with fighting spirit.

"I've clashed with the Senju clan many times following my father. That conspicuous white-haired guy is often active on the battlefield, and we've fought many times. He is Senju Butsuma's child, named Senju Tobirama."

Even with the tension so high, Uchiha Izuna still took the time to explain in response to his dear cousin's question.

"It's time!"

As a leaf fell from the sky, both sides moved in perfect sync.

Big against big, small against small.

Uchiha Tajima engaged Senju Butsuma; a duel between two clan heads.

Izuna faced Tobirama, their long weapons colliding and kicking up a spray of water.

"What about me?"

Uchiha Gin looked on in confusion as everyone else had found their opponents, leaving him alone to watch the show.

Scanning the battlefield and feeling that slacking off wasn't quite right, he locked his gaze on the still-dazed bowl-cut boy, an inexplicable light shining in his eyes as he became eager to jump into the fray.

That was the future God of Shinobi; Uchiha Gin really didn't want to miss the chance to give the First Hokage a flick on the forehead.

Spotting an opportunity, he rushed toward the distracted Senju Hashirama, shouting as he did so.

"Senju brat, dare you fight me, Uchiha Gin!"

"Huh?"

Senju Hashirama, who had been busy thinking about how to avoid escalating the conflict with his Madara, looked up in surprise. Seeing a curly-haired Uchiha with a lecherous expression running over from across the river, he subconsciously raised his classic starting stance, preparing to fight.

"Host detected in combat, Heartsteel chest accumulation started..."

The system prompt sounded simultaneously.

"Eat my punch!"

Uchiha Gin, having built up his strength in the air, prepared to give this future God of Shinobi a little taste of "super strength." One punch like this, and even the God of Shinobi would be bedridden for days.

Just as Uchiha Gin's fist was about to reach Senju Hashirama, a figure rushed over and kicked the defensive Senju Hashirama away.

"Cousin, you don't need to intervene; I'll be his opponent."

The one who arrived was young Madara, who had been watching his father and brother fight with indifference.

"Alright, then I'll leave it to you, cousin."

Uchiha Gin, having dissipated his force in mid-air, realized he had been intercepted by his older cousin. Knowing he couldn't participate, he shrugged and gave up his position.

Well, that was that; everyone was fighting their own battles, and he was left out again.

Uchiha Gin, once again relegated to a background character, had no choice but to step aside and watch everyone's brilliant performance.

"Izuna, don't waste your strength against the Senju clan. You could just spit in his face and he'd die."

The bystander sees more than the player; Uchiha Gin, standing to the side, offered tactical advice to Uchiha Izuna, who was still in a standoff.

"Despicable Uchiha!"

Hearing such a vicious scheme, the white-haired, red-eyed brat was instantly enraged. To think there was another Uchiha as devious as him—this one could not be left alive.

Izuna, who was at a disadvantage in the struggle, naturally had no energy to speak, but his mind was racing as he considered the move his cousin had suggested.

Just as the two boys were locked in a stalemate, both clan heads leaped high into the air, throwing their weapons at the two brats, determined to take their lives.

"Not good!"

Young Madara and young Hashirama, who were still "throwing" the fight, saw their fathers attacking their younger brothers and stopped their sparring in tacit agreement, preparing to rescue them, but they were ultimately too far away.

"Izuna!"

"Tobirama!"

The two, feeling helpless, shouted simultaneously, trying to get their brothers to dodge.

But both brats had developed a strange sense of competitiveness and were waiting for the other to retreat first. Both were as stubborn as mules, and they remained deadlocked.

"Clang! Clang! Splash~~~"

Just as the kunai and short blade were about to land on the two brothers' heads, a flying katana intercepted the path of the two hidden weapons. With a metallic ringing sound, all three weapons fell into the water.

Everyone present searched for the owner of the katana, and finally, all eyes locked onto Uchiha Gin, who was standing on the bank.

"If I said my hand slipped, would you believe me?"

(End of chapter)