Chapter 120: I Beg You, Please Stop With the Flashback Kills

"Kid, I'm going out on a mission for a few days, don't go running around."

After finishing breakfast, Uchiha Gin shouldered his pack and instructed Senju Itama, who was still busy eating.

"If you really run into any trouble, go find Izuna; I've already spoken to him."

"Got it. I'm not a little kid anymore. Stop with the nonsense and just go."

Seeing Uchiha Gin's hesitant appearance, Senju Itama looked up while eating, rolled his eyes at him, and urged him on.

"When in doubt, saving your life is the priority. Take this, just in case."

Still feeling somewhat worried, Uchiha Gin fished out a golden, hourglass-shaped pendant from his bag and handed it to Senju Itama, telling him to keep it on his person.

"Alright, alright, you're so long-winded."

Taking the strangely shaped pendant and seeing the golden sand flowing slowly within the hourglass in his hand, Senju Itama felt that this item was very precious and must be worth a lot of money.

"Gold?"

"This thing is for saving your life; don't even think about trading it for money."

For the kid's safety, Uchiha Gin had truly gone to great pains, even handing over his only Zhonya's Hourglass to this guy for protection.

【Zhonya's Hourglass】 Invincible for three minutes when health is below 40% (can be triggered once per day).

Having settled things, Uchiha Gin hurried to the meeting point agreed upon with Uchiha Tajima. Seeing his uncle waiting there from afar, he rushed forward to greet him, having arrived late.

"Uncle, sorry, I was delayed by something."

"No matter, I just arrived as well. You this..."

Hearing Uchiha Gin's voice, Uchiha Tajima, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them and had only said half a sentence before being struck speechless by Uchiha Gin's outfit.

"This look of yours is slightly flamboyant."

Uchiha Tajima evaluated with a somewhat strange look in his eyes.

"Hey, it's not bad, right? I'll get you a set later too."

Patting the Warmog's Armor he was wearing, Uchiha Gin smugly tried to sell the idea to Uchiha Tajima.

"Heh, that really won't be necessary."

Uchiha Tajima declined with great intensity; going out dressed like this would surely lose the Uchiha clan all its face.

"Since you're ready, let's set off!"

Uchiha Tajima led the way, and Uchiha Gin followed closely behind. The two traveled without stopping from day until night. When they passed through a forest, Uchiha Tajima slowed down and signaled to stop.

Choosing a hidden corner in the forest, the two began to rest.

"The place of the seal is still some distance from here; we'll camp here tonight."

Uchiha Tajima, who already knew the route by heart, arranged for Uchiha Gin.

"At this speed, we'll reach our destination tomorrow."

Having said that, he took two pieces of dry rations from his pack, preparing to ease the hunger in his stomach.

"Let's eat first! I prepared quite a few good things."

Uchiha Gin, who rarely got to go out on a mission, was very well prepared. He pulled out various fresh ingredients from his pack one after another, and in the end, even pulled out a large pot.

"You brat, do you think you're here for an outing? Go back and copy the Three Ninja Prohibitions ten thousand times!"

Looking at the high-spirited Uchiha Gin with black lines on his face, Uchiha Tajima said while holding his forehead and gritting his teeth.

"Eh?" Isn't it?

Uchiha Gin kept this sentence stuck in his throat; otherwise, he would be lectured by his uncle again.

"Then I'll put it away. It's a pity, these things were all bought at a high price."

He put away the ingredients on the ground with some disappointment, but when he looked up, he saw Uchiha Tajima looking curiously at the iron pot he had taken out last.

"What is this pot for?"

After studying it for a long time, he couldn't tell what this strangely shaped pot was meant for.

"This? I had it custom-made specifically for hot pot."

Uchiha Gin picked up the custom-made yin-yang pot from the ground and explained it to Uchiha Tajima.

"So this is that hot pot Izuna mentioned."

After hearing the explanation, Uchiha Tajima nodded thoughtfully. He had heard Izuna and Madara mention this thing many times, and every time it was brought up, that brat Izuna would have to wipe the drool from the corner of his mouth.

"How about... trying it?"

Seeing that his uncle was somewhat tempted, Uchiha Gin asked tentatively, and as he spoke, he mysteriously rummaged through his pack and pulled out a dark red object that emitted a strange smell.

"This is the secret extra-spicy beef tallow base I brought this time; it's absolutely potent!"

"Hmph!"

Hearing Uchiha Gin's words, Uchiha Tajima stared at him seriously with sharp eyes; his righteous gaze made a trace of shame rise in his heart.

That's right, how could one be so extravagant while out on a mission? Greed for pleasure is a great taboo for a ninja. His uncle's awareness is truly high; no wonder he is the clan leader.

"The night is a bit cold; it is necessary to eat something spicy to ward off the chill."

Just as Uchiha Gin was about to put the hot pot away, Uchiha Tajima, with a serious expression, nodded earnestly and said.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and prepare it."

No wonder he is the clan leader; his style of doing things is just different.

Happily taking the hot pot, Uchiha Gin began to prepare the wild hot pot feast.

"Phew~ phew~, no wonder Izuna, who is always picky, speaks so highly of this thing. It turns out the flavor is so rich."

Uchiha Tajima, who was eating hot pot for the first time and was slurping from the spice, didn't forget to comment while devouring the food.

"What did you add to this pot?"

Feeling the heat in his mouth, Uchiha Tajima was surprised to find that his chakra was actually showing a trace of agitation.

"Hehe, good stuff."

This time, Uchiha Gin had mixed in the birthday gift his little cousin Izuna had given him—that packet of secret medicine said to be from the Akimichi clan.

It was a potent tonic; one bite and you'd be speechless. It was only because it was Uchiha Tajima that he was willing to take it out; he certainly wouldn't share it with just anyone.

The two were eating with great enthusiasm above, while Moryo below was suffering.

"How are these two guys eating? This smell..."

Lurking underground, Moryo swallowed his saliva. The overbearing, stimulating aroma of the hot pot caused his taste buds, which hadn't been used for over a thousand years, to start secreting liquid. One has to lament that the power of hot pot is truly terrifying.

After the meal, it was time for conversation.

At this moment, Uchiha Gin was holding the empty hot pot with a look of conflict in his eyes, but this scene held a different meaning in Uchiha Tajima's eyes.

Seeing his eyes shift slightly, he looked at Uchiha Gin, who was holding the pot and hesitating to speak, and slowly opened his mouth.

"Gin, is there something you want to tell me?"

No, don't get the wrong idea; I'm just worried about whether you'll be able to get up and travel tomorrow.

Uchiha Tajima was indeed a veteran ninja. Adhering to the principle of not wasting, he had actually finished the entire hot pot broth in one go. Knowing the potency of the hot pot, Uchiha Gin was worried about whether his uncle's various orifices could handle it, but he didn't know how to bring it up to warn him.

"Sigh... since your body has returned to normal, it is time to confess some things to you."

Looking at Uchiha Gin's conflicted expression, Uchiha Tajima, guessing that his memory seal had loosened, sighed.

???

Why make the atmosphere so heavy all of a sudden?

Uchiha Gin looked at his uncle suspiciously. Could it be that the original owner had some earth-shattering secret?

"This all started on that night twelve years ago..."

Stop right there. It's too long and I really don't want to hear it. Can you just tell me the result? Otherwise, given the author's writing style, he could drag this out for ten chapters.

Uchiha Gin looked at Uchiha Tajima, who had fallen into a whirlpool of memories, with a pained expression.

"I beg you, please stop with the flashback kills!"

(End of chapter)