Chapter 156: For the Sake of the Clan, I Can Go for a Political Marriage

The two of them walked into the clan leader's residence and encountered Uchiha Madara, who was heading toward them while carrying a wooden sword. His handsome face was dark; he grabbed Izuna by the neck and, ignoring his resistance, dragged him away by force.

"Father is waiting for you."

Leaving behind these words, Uchiha Madara resumed his daily routine of interacting with his younger brother. Uchiha Gin and his companion looked at their hopeful little cousin with deep sympathy, but could only offer him a look that said they were powerless to help.

Uchiha Gin and Uchiha Hikari walked side by side along the wooden corridor. It was the height of summer, and the chirping of cicadas in the courtyard was incessant.

Under the scorching sun, the petite girl wore a heavy cloak; beads of sweat began to seep from her forehead, and her breathing became somewhat ragged.

"If it's too hot, take off the cloak. As long as you aren't fighting, the dark personality won't reawaken."

Noticing that the girl was struggling—it was indeed too stifling to wear such a thick cloak during the hottest days of summer—he figured that since she was by his side now, nothing should go wrong, and the cloak could be removed.

"Besides, you just bought so many new clothes; it's a pity to hide them under that cloak."

"Mm, let me get used to it a little longer."

Recalling the dark personality she had communicated with last night, the girl tightened her cloak and replied slowly after a moment of thought.

"It's fine, I will help you find a way to completely eliminate that dark personality."

Ever since he returned, Uchiha Gin had been thinking about how to completely excise the dark personality from his uncle and Hikari.

Although there was no way to do it now, there was no guarantee that the system wouldn't roll out some useful skill in the future that could solve this difficult problem.

"Thank you, Gin~"

The girl looked up, her beautiful eyes shimmering. However, the difference in their builds was quite stark; from Uchiha Gin's perspective, Uchiha Hikari looked more like a little sister from next door acting spoiled.

"Why be so polite with me? We are family."

He patted the girl's head. He felt that ever since she was rescued, the thing she said to him most often was "thank you."

It was far too distant. That brat Itama Senju was actually more like family to him; there were no taboos at all, and he would peck him on the lips at the drop of a hat.

The two chatted idly, and before long, they arrived at Uchiha Tajima's study. Uchiha Gin stepped forward and pounded on the door with a loud *thud-thud-thud*. As the door shook violently, dust from the rafters rained down.

"Come in!"

Uchiha Tajima's helpless voice came from inside. Uchiha Gin smiled and pushed the door open, bringing Uchiha Hikari inside with him.

"Gin, how many times have I told you to knock gently? Do you not know how much strength you have?"

Uchiha Tajima, sitting behind his desk, looked at his study door with a pained expression. He had spent a fortune having it crafted by a famous master from the Land of Fire; it had not been cheap.

"So stingy. Can't you show the stature of a clan leader?"

Uchiha Gin rolled his eyes and habitually wiped the fresh booger he had just picked onto the study's pillar. Uchiha Tajima's fist, still gripping his brush, tightened until it turned white.

"Hoo~~"

Forcing himself to recall a scene where this eldest nephew had been filial, Uchiha Tajima let out a long, turbid breath. His gaze shifted, and with a serious expression, he stared at Uchiha Gin and Uchiha Hikari, then spoke slowly.

"I called you here today because there is actually serious business."

Long before unsealing Uchiha Hikari, Uchiha Tajima had a task on his hands that required someone with a sharp mind, outstanding strength, and, most importantly, someone reliable to handle it.

"?"

Wasn't I supposed to be slacking off in the dungeon until the founding of the Hidden Leaf Village? What is this, asking me to work overtime?

Uchiha Gin was a bit confused. The clan was full of talent; his eldest cousin Uchiha Madara was wise and brave, and his younger cousin Izuna was... well, he was alright, wasn't he?

There were also talents in their prime like Uchiha Ryuei and Uchiha Fuka. Why would they need a slacker like him? He didn't even have any special skills.

Just as he was wondering what shining quality of his had caught Uchiha Tajima's eye, Uchiha Gin's body suddenly stiffened as a possibility flashed through his mind.

Could it be...

Uchiha Gin's expression shifted abruptly, his furrowed brows tight enough to crush a fly. He took a deep breath and looked at his dear uncle with a piercing gaze, his expression a mix of three parts resistance, six parts secret delight, and one part smugness as he said to Uchiha Tajima:

"Has it finally come?"

"Huh? You guessed it?"

Uchiha Tajima, who was just about to speak, heard his eldest nephew's tone filled with emotion and asked strangely. Was this kid so well-informed?

"Sigh, who told me to be born with such natural beauty? Uncle, just tell me which clan's princess it is. For the sake of the clan, I can sacrifice my good looks."

Uchiha Gin leaned against the wall, looking dejected. He lifted his head and brushed aside the few curls blocking his eyes, revealing a smile he thought was devastatingly handsome. The gleam of his teeth blinded the other two people in the room.

"Pfft!!!"

Uchiha Tajima, who had just taken a sip of tea, immediately sprayed it all out, as if he had performed a Water Style ninjutsu.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Hikari, who was standing to the side, fell into a state of bewilderment. Her mouth hung open, unable to close, and the pattern in her eyes shifted into a bewitching Mangekyo Sharingan without her realizing it.

"Cough, cough, cough! What are you thinking about, you little brat!"

Uchiha Tajima roared and threw his teacup. Uchiha Gin, with sharp eyes, dodged to the side. The flying teacup hit the carved door his uncle had just been agonizing over with a *thwack*, embedding itself deep into the wood.

As expected of the Uchiha clan leader, his shuriken technique was truly masterful.

"Isn't it asking me to go for a political marriage?"

Uchiha Gin looked at his furious uncle strangely and touched his curls. A great doubt arose in his heart: was it not coveting his heaven-defying, god-weeping beauty?

"When did I ever say anything about a political marriage! You should know that our Uchiha clan never marries outsiders!"

Uchiha Tajima held his head, soothing the veins throbbing on his forehead. After finally catching his breath, he gritted his teeth and said to Uchiha Gin.

"!!!"

Uchiha Hikari, who had been on the verge of turning dark again, suddenly brightened upon hearing Uchiha Tajima's words, and the dark aura between her brows slowly dissipated.

That's right! The Uchiha clan forbids marriage with outsiders! Gin and that detestable brat won't have a future! Gin is only playing around with that fellow; in the end, he will return to her embrace.

Thinking of this, the girl, who had been feeling somewhat stifled, suddenly felt relieved. A look of realization replaced the worry on her face. From now on, her position would be impregnable!

"You should have said so earlier, making me worry for nothing!"

Uchiha Gin showed a look of regret, but his tone carried a hint of relief, as if he were saying he had escaped a disaster.

"When did I ever say that!!!"

Uchiha Tajima's fist tightened. Why was this kid becoming more and more punchable? His hands were itching; he would go train Izuna later.

In the backyard, Izuna, who was currently being beaten by his own brother, suddenly felt a chill at his waist. He turned around in a panic to check, but found nothing.

"Izuna! How can you be distracted during a fight!"

Uchiha Madara's great sword fell as promised, landing squarely on the brat's forehead and making him yelp in pain.

"The Hagoromo clan, do you still have an impression of them?"

Having finally calmed his inner agitation, Uchiha Tajima raised his head and said to Uchiha Gin.

"The Hagoromo clan?"

Uchiha Gin's dead memories began to attack his brain. After a moment of thought, Uchiha Gin stroked his chin and replied with a complex emotion in his tone:

"Is that the clan that once cooperated with us? I haven't heard any news about them in these past few years."

The Hagoromo clan—wasn't that the clan he encountered during his second playthrough that had a cooperative relationship with the Uchiha?

It was said they had some substance, but they were later beaten into submission by the Senju clan, and it seemed their backers were about to abandon them.

"That's right. The Hagoromo clan was once considered a major clan in the Land of Fire, but unfortunately, they were dealt with by the Senju clan several times and are now on the verge of extinction."

There was no help for it; the world was a place where the strong preyed on the weak. Only the strong could survive, while the weak would only disappear into the vortex of time.

"Why bring them up?"

Uchiha Gin then recalled that he had been tricked by a guy from the Hagoromo clan, though thanks to him, he was able to start his second playthrough and return to this world.

"Some time ago, the leader of the Hagoromo clan died in battle, and the able-bodied members of the clan were basically slaughtered. The remaining old, weak, sick, and young can no longer support the operation of a major clan."

After all, they had cooperated before. Even if he looked down on them, their current plight made Uchiha Tajima feel a bit of melancholy. A flash of hesitation crossed his eyes, and then he spoke calmly.

"Now, the remaining members of the Hagoromo clan have entrusted a mission to our Uchiha clan."

"A mission?"

Uchiha Gin was surprised to hear this word. Everyone who could fight was dead; did they want to hire them for revenge?

"It's not quite right to call it a mission; it's more of a request."

Recalling the humble posture of the Hagoromo clan's representative when they came to the door, Uchiha Tajima sighed slightly.

"What is the reward?"

Compared to the content of the mission, Uchiha Gin was more curious about what a clan that had been beaten to nothing could possibly offer to entice the Uchiha clan.

"Aren't you going to ask about the content of the mission?"

Uchiha Tajima raised an eyebrow. This kid didn't play by the rules. He then looked at Uchiha Gin with a deep gaze, making him feel a chill.

"You are the clan leader; you make the decisions."

Uchiha Gin immediately conceded. You're older, you say whatever you want.

"The Hagoromo clan has entrusted us to escort their old and young to the Land of Lightning."

Uchiha Tajima nodded in satisfaction, spread out a map, and tossed it to Uchiha Gin.

The Land of Lightning? That country full of black guys?

Uchiha caught the map and began to carefully examine the full picture of the current ninja world. The Land of Fire was located in the center, and the destination of the mission was the Land of Lightning, located in the northeast corner of the Land of Fire.

It was said that the place was covered with mountains that reached into the clouds, filled with mist year-round, and the sky echoed with deafening thunder from time to time.

"Why go to such a remote country?"

Even if the Hagoromo clan was withered, they didn't have to go to such a godforsaken place. The Land of Fire had fertile land and a pleasant climate.

They could have laid low, bided their time for a dozen years, and then snuck in when the Hidden Leaf Village was founded, turning a bicycle into a motorcycle.

"The Land of Fire no longer has a place for them."

Uchiha Tajima saw Uchiha Gin's confusion, shook his head, and did not hide anything from his eldest nephew.

"Do you know how Butsuma Senju actually died?"

(End of chapter)