Chapter 149: The Two Who Are Too Far Apart

As mealtime arrived, customers in the barbecue restaurant began to trickle in, so Uchiha Ako stopped chatting with the two men and stood up to greet the guests.

Watching the Uchiha clansmen laughing and talking, Uchiha Daro couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

"This is a rare period of peace; there are many more customers than usual."

"Indeed. The bunch from the Senju are choosing a new clan head, so the battlefield has stabilized a bit, and everyone can come back to relax."

Uchiha Gin took a sip of the fine wine Uchiha Daro had been treasuring, but frowned after it went down his throat.

"Why does this wine taste wrong? It's as bland as if it were watered down."

"Impossible! It was perfectly fine when I drank it a few days ago."

Hearing Uchiha Gin's skepticism, a flush of embarrassment flashed across Uchiha Daro's honest face. Refusing to believe it, he poured himself a cup, tasted it carefully, and then frowned as well. A flash of thought crossed his eyes, followed by a look of sudden realization.

"Tsk, it must be that brat Erlang. When he gets back, I'm going to break his legs!"

Meanwhile, in the Uchiha clan dungeon:

"Huoke, it wasn't easy coming back from the battlefield, so as your brother, I definitely have to welcome you back properly."

The mature-looking Uchiha Erlang wore a mysterious expression as he carefully pulled a storage scroll from his pack. He performed the release seal, and as the smoke cleared, a jar of fine wine and a small mountain of spell-casting materials appeared on the floor.

"These are all my treasures; go ahead and pick one!"

Uchiha Erlang said, his face twisted in pain as he waved his hands.

Uchiha Huoke:

"Heh, I never expected that thick-browed, big-eyed brat Erlang would also commit the three ninja taboos."

Recalling the boy who worked in the dungeon—who seemed honest but was actually as slick as oil—Uchiha Gin laughed and expressed his support.

"I've made you laugh."

With a dark face, Uchiha Daro put away the fine wine and said with some embarrassment.

"It's fine. Given your current physical condition, drinking strong alcohol isn't good anyway. That brat Erlang was probably just worried about you."

Thinking of Uchiha Daro's current health, Uchiha Gin pondered for a moment and decided to make excuses for his young colleague. After all, he still needed the man to make things convenient for him when he went to the dungeon to grind experience; if the boy got his legs broken and the position changed hands, he would have to start building the relationship all over again.

"Hmph! I hope so."

Uchiha Daro felt a warmth in his heart and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, though he still retorted stubbornly.

Just as Uchiha Gin and his old teammate were chatting away, the scene inside the private room was quite different.

Inside the private room:

Uchiha Ako brought over tea and poured it for the three people in the room one by one. Her eyes swept over the silent group, and she couldn't help but mutter to herself.

"When did that guy Gin attract so many young girls?"

She was quite familiar with Itama Senju and Uchiha Jiri, as the two came to the shop to eat every few days, but she had never seen the black-haired girl sitting alone to the side.

"Sister Ako, remember to bring me a fish!"

Itama Senju, who had been whispering with Uchiha Jiri, immediately made her request upon seeing that it was an acquaintance serving them.

"Alright, little Itama. And you, little Jiri?"

Uchiha Ako agreed with a smile and then turned to ask the purple-haired girl.

"Sister Ako, I'll have an order of chicken wings."

Uchiha Jiri smiled and ordered her favorite chicken wings.

"And this young lady?"

After noting down the others' requests, Uchiha Ako asked Uchiha Hikaru, who had remained silent. Judging by her hairstyle, she was undoubtedly a pure Uchiha clansman.

"Whatever Gin orders, I will eat."

Judging by the behavior of the two people she was with, Gin was very familiar with the people in this shop.

After being sealed for so many years, could she really reintegrate into his life?

"Is Gin very familiar with the people in this shop?"

After Uchiha Ako left, Uchiha Hikaru was the first to break the silence. She couldn't remain in the dark; from now on, she would strive to learn every little detail about Gin.

"The owner of this shop was a former teammate of Mr. Gin's. He opened this barbecue restaurant after retiring due to injury."

Itama Senju, not wanting to talk to Uchiha Hikaru, turned her head away with a huff, pretending not to hear.

Uchiha Jiri, who had sensed that the girl was not someone to be trifled with, spoke softly to explain in order to ease the awkwardness.

"Thank you. May I call you Jiri?"

Temporarily setting aside her misgivings, Uchiha Hikaru, determined to understand Gin, decided to start with this purple-haired Uchiha girl. The other party didn't seem to have any romantic entanglement with Gin, so she could safely befriend her.

"You are too kind, Senior. You can just call me little Jiri."

Although Uchiha Hikaru looked only a few years older than her, one could sense from her aura that her age was certainly not as young as it appeared to the naked eye.

"Alright, little Jiri, I would like to ask..."

Uchiha Hikaru nodded with satisfaction in her heart, having successfully made contact with the purple-haired girl; she had taken the first step toward success.

"Sister Jiri! How could you betray your best friend?"

Watching the two girls chatting happily, Itama Senju felt a deep sense of betrayal. She felt she had been cheated on, and not for the first time.

"Little Jiri is of my own clan; she should naturally be closer to me."

Hearing Itama Senju's words, Uchiha Hikaru turned her head with a smile in the corners of her eyes and "kindly" explained to this defeated rival who had been abandoned by everyone.

"That is not the case. Although Senior Hikaru is of my clan and we share the same bloodline, I have been friends with Itama for many years, and we are already like sisters."

The purple-haired girl balanced the scales perfectly, speaking in a way that offended neither, deeply versed in the way of the golden mean.

"By the way, I've had a question since the beginning that I'd like to ask Senior Hikaru."

Uchiha Jiri, having finished her exchange with Uchiha Hikaru, finally found an opportunity to ask.

??? Uchiha Hikaru wore a questioning face.

"Since Senior Hikaru and Mr. Gin are childhood sweethearts who grew up together, why is it that Mr. Gin is now thirty years old, while Senior Hikaru still looks to be in the bloom of youth?"

Hearing her mouthpiece helpfully ask the question she most wanted the answer to, Itama Senju, who was silently drinking tea, pricked up her ears, terrified of missing anything.

"Um... sorry, that question is classified. Without permission, I cannot reveal it to anyone."

Uchiha Tajima had previously instructed them not to reveal what happened during the mission or Uchiha Hikaru's experiences, so the girl could only refuse to answer Uchiha Jiri's question.

"Oh~~~ since it's classified, I won't ask anymore."

The sensible Uchiha Jiri immediately indicated she would not ask again, while Itama Senju on the side curled her lip.

"Hmph! Pretentious old woman."

Uchiha Hikaru's sharp ears twitched, and her fists tightened. She found the black-haired brat more and more unpleasant the more she looked at her, as if they were natural enemies.

Forcibly suppressing the anger in her heart, Uchiha Hikaru looked up with a smile, just about to continue asking about Gin, when she heard a commotion outside, followed by Uchiha Gin's distinct voice.

"What a coincidence! What a coincidence! Big cousin, little cousin, you're back?"

"Let's go together, let's go together!"

"Swish!"

The private room door was pushed open. The three people inside looked up at the doorway in unison to see, standing outside with Uchiha Gin, two cold and handsome men: the brothers Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha.

"I didn't expect to run into you as soon as I got back."

Madara Uchiha's icy face was currently filled with helplessness. Having just returned from patrolling the front lines, he had been preparing to go out for a good meal with his younger brother Izuna to reward themselves. He hadn't expected that as soon as he entered this famous clan barbecue restaurant, he would be spotted by Uchiha Gin sitting in the main hall.

"Big cousin, are you really going to treat us to a welcome meal?"

Beside him, the young Izuna, whose face had just shed its childishness, was now beaming. Originally, he was the one who had to pay for the meal after losing a spar to his brother, but now, running into his generous big cousin meant he wouldn't have to spend a dime.

"We're all brothers, why be so polite with me? Come in and sit!"

Uchiha Gin laughed and patted Madara Uchiha on the shoulder, pushing the two into the private room. With no other choice, they walked in, half-pushed and half-willing.

Huh?

Upon entering the room, Madara Uchiha instinctively felt a threat. A cold, obscure aura permeated the entire room, making him feel vigilant, and one hand quietly moved toward the sword at his waist.

"The sword is hanging right there. It's inconvenient to wear it while eating, and you might poke someone."

Before he could react, Uchiha Gin's hand had already reached his sword first. Before he could refuse, the man flicked his wrist, took the sword, and hung it on the rack in the room.

Surprise flashed through Madara Uchiha's heart. This technique? This speed?

But before he could continue his train of thought, his own younger brother had already quickly taken a seat.

Izuna's vigilance is too poor; he must practice more in the future to avoid being ambushed on the battlefield.

"Big cousin, who is this girl?"

After Izuna hurriedly sat down, he noticed that besides the familiar Itama Senju and Uchiha Jiri, there was a black-haired girl he had never seen before, staring at him with a thoughtful expression. It made his skin crawl, and the restless little cousin couldn't help but lean in and whisper to Uchiha Gin.

"A friend, a friend I grew up with."

He didn't introduce the girl's identity directly, simply calling her a childhood friend.

"Ah? You two are too far apart, aren't you?"

Comparing the two in his mind, the blunt Izuna Uchiha said with glowing eyes, as if he had discovered a massive bug.

"You could be her father."

"Bang!!!"

"Can you give me some face in public, brother?"

Izuna, having been on the receiving end of Uchiha Gin's "Uchiha Taijutsu Secret Technique: Style Two," clutched the large bump rising on his head and complained to the culprit.

"You talk too much."

Blowing the faint smoke off his fist, Uchiha Gin said with a look of "I'm disappointed in you." After speaking, he secretly glanced at the displeased Uchiha Hikaru. That brat Izuna's mouth was getting less and less of a filter; his cousin was saving him by doing this!

"Gin, are they the younger brothers you mentioned?"

Uchiha Hikaru, her expression having returned to normal, watched the three brothers interacting with a smile on her lips, her tone soft, looking every bit the virtuous and gentle lady.

"That's right, I mentioned it to you before."

Recalling the time spent in the laboratory, Uchiha Gin smiled as he introduced the two to the young girl.

"This slightly hyperactive kid is my younger cousin Izuna, and that one over there who looks like he doesn't want anyone getting close is my older cousin Madara."

"My name is Hikari Uchiha, I am your sister-in-law... I mean, your cousin's childhood friend."

The young girl stopped herself just in time and hurriedly changed the subject, having nearly blurted out her true thoughts again.

Hikari Uchiha?

Hearing the young girl's self-introduction, Uchiha Madara, standing to the side, shifted his gaze slightly; it seemed there was a trace of this name in his childhood memories, but that shouldn't be possible, as this girl looked much younger than him.

I must have gone crazy thinking about that wooden person!

(End of chapter)