Chapter 164: Let the Bullets Fly for a While

"May I ask, brother, how old are you this year?"

Uchiha Gin raised his head to look up at the golden-haired youth with a fleshy face before him, carefully scrutinizing his appearance.

After letting his eyes linger for a moment on the six-path markings on the youth's cheeks, he looked straight into the other's arrogant eyes and asked with a sincere tone,

Kinkaku glared at this frail-looking Uchiha before him; he never expected that not only was the other not afraid, but he even dared to ask about his age.

"Hmph! I am twelve this year!"

He immediately snorted through his nose, pointed a thick thumb at himself, and replied in a muffled voice.

Huh? If you hadn't said that, I would have thought you were thirty; you look way too mature for your age!

Uchiha Gin was taken aback. This guy, who looked just like a melon vendor, was actually only twelve years old; one could only call it a freakish talent.

"This is going to be tricky!"

Uchiha Gin supported his forehead, his words carrying a sense of regret.

"You guy, what are you muttering about over there?"

Seeing that Uchiha Gin dared to ignore him and talk to himself as if no one else were around, Kinkaku was instantly filled with rage. In a fit of fury, he stretched out a hand as large as a palm-leaf fan and slapped it toward the curly-haired head that was bowed in thought.

"Kinkaku! Don't!"

Shintaro Hagoromo did not expect Kinkaku to be so bold as to openly attack an ally who had come to help.

He knew Kinkaku's strength very well; if it weren't for the fact that the other was too young, the position of acting clan head would never have fallen to him.

"Bang!!!"

A loud noise rang out, and Shintaro Hagoromo, unable to stop it in time, closed his eyes in pain.

It's over, it's all over. Not only have we offended the Senju clan, but now we've even offended the last straw of hope. Heaven is going to destroy my Hagoromo clan!

"Eh?"

Kinkaku, who had expected his slap to send the frail Uchiha flying, called out in confusion at this moment.

Kinkaku did not feel like he had hit anything. He immediately prepared to pull his hand back to check, but was shocked to discover that his palm was being clamped by someone, and no matter how much force he used, he could not shake it in the slightest.

"Are all children these days so impolite?"

Uchiha Gin's lazy voice rang out. Upon hearing this, Shintaro Hagoromo hurriedly opened his eyes, only to see a scene that left him dumbfounded.

Uchiha Gin, who he had expected to be slapped away, was yawning at this moment. He had raised one hand and used two fingers to lightly pinch Kinkaku's angry palm, appearing extremely relaxed.

"!!!"

Seeing Uchiha Gin clamp his thick palm with just two fingers, Kinkaku was so surprised he couldn't speak.

"Let go of me!"

Using all his might, Kinkaku still couldn't pull his palm from between Uchiha Gin's fingers, and he shouted in anger,

"Ay ay ay ah!!!"

Seeing that this brat still dared to be stubborn, Uchiha Gin immediately applied force to his fingers. His fingers, infused with monstrous strength, clamped onto Kinkaku's palm like a tiger vise. Feeling the intense pain radiating from his palm, Kinkaku couldn't help but start to wail.

"Lord Uchiha Gin, please let him go. He is still just a child!"

Shintaro Hagoromo, who was to the side, trotted over to Uchiha Gin's side and advised him in a strange tone, but looking at his uncontrollable mouth corners, it was clear his heart and words were not in sync.

Huh? I didn't expect this thick-browed and big-eyed Shintaro Hagoromo to be this kind of person.

"You are a child?"

Uchiha Gin laughed teasingly and turned his head to look at the sweating Kinkaku. Being restrained, his face was flushed red, and the arrogant look from before could no longer be seen on his terrified face.

"Yes, yes, yes, I just turned twelve this year~"

When the situation is stronger than the person, even if Kinkaku was stubborn, he knew how to avoid harm, so he immediately gave in and replied.

"Alright."

Uchiha Gin loosened his clamping fingers. Feeling the immense force vanish, Kinkaku hurriedly retreated a few steps. Looking at the two bruised marks on his palm, he changed from his previous docility and said unconvinced,

"You only have the advantage of age. When I reach your age, I will definitely be a hundred times stronger than you."

So this kid's mouth has been this stubborn since he was young; no wonder he was able to gnaw off the Nine-Tails' chakra.

"It seems you are not convinced?"

Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow and said to the indignant Kinkaku.

"Hmph!"

Kinkaku clutched his palm and snorted coldly, signaling that he was right.

"I, Uchiha Gin, like to convince people with virtue the most. Since you think I have the advantage of age, let my disciple have another tense and exciting duel with you!"

Having said that, he pushed out Uchiha Osamu, who was eating melon seeds and watching the fun behind him along with Uchiha Hikari.

"???"

Uchiha Osamu, who was eating melon seeds, held a handful of shells in her hand and looked at the confident Uchiha Gin with a confused expression.

Am I still your dearest disciple?

"Ha? Just her?"

Not expecting the other to push out a little girl, Kinkaku, having recovered his arrogance, mocked.

"Mr. Gin, if you don't want to take me as your disciple, please just say it; there's no need to do this."

Uchiha Osamu secretly threw the melon seed shells behind her and rubbed her fair little hands.

She raised her head, stared at Uchiha Gin with empty eyes that lacked vitality, and said in a cold tone,

"Oh my~ Little Osamu, how can you look at your master like that? Uncle here has a lot of confidence in you!"

Uchiha Gin smiled and patted Uchiha Osamu's little head, his tone filled with inexplicable confidence.

"Master has tested you; this kid is just a paper tiger with no substance. You only need to make a slight move, and that will be his known limit."

"Really?"

Uchiha Osamu was bewildered by Uchiha Gin's words, and the look she gave Kinkaku no longer held the worry from before.

"It's a piece of cake. If you use the weapon I gave you, dealing with him will be like cutting melons and vegetables."

Uchiha Gin patted his chest with a thumping sound.

"Are you two ready?"

Kinkaku, who had been rubbing his palm for a long time, felt his state had recovered enough and began to clamor again.

"Go, Osamu, give that stubborn kid a lesson he'll never forget."

Patting Uchiha Osamu's back, Uchiha Gin encouraged her.

Uchiha Osamu, still feeling a bit suspicious in her heart, drew the weapon Uchiha Gin had gifted her yesterday from her waist.

Holding the electric blade that crackled with arcs of electricity, the girl suddenly felt a bit more certain. Without further hesitation, she walked out with large strides.

"Uchiha Osamu, please advise me."

The girl raised the weapon in her hand and spoke softly to Kinkaku not far away.

"Hmph! To deal with a little girl like you, I don't need ninja tools at all."

Kinkaku snorted and chose not to take out the inheritance their father had left them, turning to fight the girl with his bare hands.

Facing Kinkaku, whose momentum was several times greater than her own, it was impossible for Uchiha Osamu not to be nervous.

The girl, who had awakened her two-tomoe Sharingan at thirteen, could be said to have talent that was top-notch.

Given time, she would definitely become a pillar of the Uchiha clan, but right now, her comprehensive strength was at most that of a Special Jonin.

As for Kinkaku opposite her, due to the blessing of his ancestral bloodline, he already possessed the chakra volume of an elite Jonin at twelve, and his physical development speed far exceeded his peers, bringing his comprehensive strength to at least the Jonin level.

"Heh, little girl, I'll let you have three moves first!"

Kinkaku, with a look of contempt, crossed his arms and generously indicated that he would stand still and let Uchiha Osamu attack first.

Uchiha Gin:???

"I am thirteen this year; you should call me big sister."

Uchiha Osamu, holding the electric blade, suddenly spoke, her eyes filled with a strange meaning.

"Long-winded! We rank by strength here!"

Having his sore spot stepped on, Kinkaku shouted in exasperation. He had been mocked privately by his clansmen more than once because of this face that looked old before its time.

"Brother, stay calm! Don't fall for someone else's provocation."

The silver-haired youth, who had been silent all this time, walked up and began to soothe his somewhat irritable brother.

"Despicable Uchiha, hurry up and make your move!"

Having calmed his mood, Kinkaku gritted his teeth and said to Uchiha Osamu. After her three moves, he would definitely make this sharp-tongued little girl suffer.

"Go! Little Osamu, use the electric blade!"

Uchiha Gin waved his hand, striking a pose like a trainer.

"It's the Sword of the Thunder God, okay~"

Uchiha Osamu curled her lips, protested in a low voice, and rushed toward Kinkaku, who had his arms crossed.

Watching the girl swing her blade at him, Kinkaku smiled disdainfully. Just by relying on this kind of small dagger, she wanted to hurt him? It was simply wishful thinking.

Facing the blade about to cleave down, he did not dodge or hide, but stretched out his thick arm to block.

"Clang!"

Hearing a metallic ringing sound, Uchiha Osamu's blade was easily blocked by Kinkaku. Feeling a slight numbness, Kinkaku didn't take it to heart.

Glancing at Uchiha Osamu, who hadn't even broken his skin, he pulled a cruel smile.

"Two more moves."

Seeing that the first strike failed and that the blade she had swung with all her might hadn't even broken this guy's defense, Uchiha Osamu's heart sank. She furrowed her delicate brows and began to think of a countermeasure.

"Little Osamu! Don't be discouraged. You must land all three hits. Master's electric blade has a special function, you know~"

Seeing Uchiha Osamu's hesitation, Uchiha Gin, who was watching the battle from the side, immediately shouted at her and revealed a big smile, giving the girl a shining thumbs-up.

"It's the Sword of the Thunder God!!!"

The young girl couldn't help but turn her head to retort, but then, feeling the thunderous sound emanating from the weapon in her hand, she chose to believe in it.

Thus, Uchiha Zhili raised the weapon once more and charged toward Kinkaku.

"Hmph! A waste of effort."

Having already tested the depth of Uchiha Zhili's strength, Kinkaku shook his head in disdain, raising his hand to prepare to take two more moves before finishing the girl off with thunderous momentum, venting his anger fiercely.

"Bang!!"

For the second strike, Kinkaku didn't even lift an eyelid, blocking it with ease.

"Bang!!!"

For the third strike, Uchiha Zhili poured all her strength into the blow, attempting to create a miracle.

"Heh, an attack of this level doesn't even have as much force as Ginkaku scrubbing my back."

Kinkaku's mockery continued, even suggesting that Uchiha Zhili's attack was inferior to his younger brother's scrubbing towel.

After the three strikes, Uchiha Zhili retreated a few steps, looking with suspicious eyes at Uchiha Gin, who had started eating melon seeds on the side; wasn't it supposed to have a special effect? She had slashed three times, yet there wasn't a single special effect to be seen.

"Don't be impatient, let the bullets fly for a while."

(End of chapter)