Chapter 173: The Tardy White-Hair

Stared at by the majestic First Hokage of Wood Release, Mito Uzumaki, inside the golden giant, couldn't help but feel a chill in her heart.

Recalling the "lesson" she had just been taught by the cherry-red Susanoo, the young girl wisely dispelled her secret technique.

The towering golden giant stood frozen in place, and under Mito Uzumaki's control, the chains on its body began to retract rapidly; within a few breaths, the giant that had just been so imposing vanished without a trace.

"Ugh~"

As the last golden chain was absorbed back into her body, Mito Uzumaki couldn't help but let out a groan.

The tingling sensation in her lower back made her legs feel weak; she barely managed to steady herself, looking at the Wood Release First Hokage before her with eyes like water, her pitch-black pupils hiding three parts anticipation and seven parts bashfulness.

Gin Uchiha began to size up this old acquaintance he hadn't seen in a long time.

The Mito Uzumaki before him, though eighteen or nineteen years of age, still wore the same bun hairstyle she had when they parted all those years ago.

Her charming, oval face featured bright eyes and white teeth, and her cherry lips were slightly pursed, as if telling of a young girl's secret feelings; she wore a form-fitting red robe that showcased her age-defying, voluptuous figure to the fullest.

It's been a few years, but hasn't she changed too much?

Suppressing the restlessness in his heart, Gin Uchiha truly couldn't connect the captivating young girl before him to the reckless little bean sprout from six years ago.

"Swish!"

Since it was an acquaintance, Gin Uchiha ended his combat stance, formed hand seals, and dispelled his Wood Human Technique; the massive First Hokage began to collapse and dissipate as the chakra supply was cut off.

Gin Uchiha jumped out from the indicator on his chest and landed in front of the indifferent-looking Mito Uzumaki.

"What do I do? He's coming over. What should I say?"

"Will I lose points looking like this, with a bare face?"

"I wonder if he's married now, or if he has a girlfriend."

As Gin Uchiha approached, the young girl, who appeared calm as an ancient well on the surface, was actually panicking inside; countless thoughts popped into her head, making her feel a wave of dizziness.

With her brain idling, Mito Uzumaki, who had been elegant, dignified, and cool-headed just a second ago, tilted her head the next moment, and her body uncontrollably tipped backward.

"Long time no—"

Gin Uchiha, who was pondering how to greet Mito Uzumaki after their long separation, had just opened his mouth when he saw the charming girl, who had looked perfectly fine a moment ago, falling straight backward.

"Thump~"

Quick-witted, Gin Uchiha used a Body Flicker to catch the falling Mito Uzumaki in his arms; worried that the girl might be injured, he immediately used medical ninjutsu to check her body.

After his chakra had circulated through the girl's warm, jade-like body, Gin Uchiha wore a look of confusion.

Mito Uzumaki's body was perfectly normal; she wasn't lacking chakra, nor was there any sign of exhaustion—the Uzumaki bloodline truly is terrifying.

Why did she faint then?

Gin Uchiha couldn't figure it out no matter how he thought about it.

"Mmm~~~"

Just as Gin Uchiha was preparing to check her carefully from the inside out again, Mito Uzumaki's long eyelashes in his arms trembled, and she let out a soft moan from her crimson lips.

She then slowly opened her eyes, and her deep, pitch-black pupils were like endless black holes, sucking in all of Gin Uchiha's attention.

Upon waking, Mito Uzumaki did not struggle, her beautiful eyes swirling with an intriguing expression.

"Na na na~~"

Hikari Uchiha, having recovered her strength, looked at the two people in front of her whose atmosphere was extremely off, and let out a loser's cry in her helplessness, trying her best to break the thick, ambiguous tension between the two.

"Gin! Who is this indecent woman!"

Unable to accept being relegated to the background, Hikari Uchiha used all her strength to shout at the distracted Gin Uchiha.

"Don't be impatient, I'm checking her body."

Gin Uchiha forcibly tore his gaze away from the girl's charming face, taking the opportunity to find an excuse for himself.

"Long time no see."

Gin Uchiha helped the girl stand straight and reached out to scratch his cheek, appearing somewhat awkward.

He hadn't expected to meet the girl from his past again in such a desolate wilderness.

"Yes, long time no see, Mr. Human Trafficker."

Mito Uzumaki, having regained her senses, tidied her appearance and gave Gin Uchiha a dignified and proper smile; her aristocratic temperament and manners left the disheveled Hikari Uchiha on the side completely crushed.

"Tsk! I told you, I'm not a human trafficker!"

Hearing this title again after many years, Gin Uchiha felt nostalgic while simultaneously unable to stop himself from correcting the girl's incorrect label.

"I didn't know your name, so I could only call you that."

Mito Uzumaki looked up, her black eyes seemingly able to speak, revealing the girl's inner thoughts completely.

"Let's reintroduce ourselves; my name is Gin Uchiha."

After many years, Gin Uchiha finally gave a belated self-introduction to the girl who had been waiting for him for so long.

"Gin?"

Hearing his self-introduction, the girl's lips curled slightly, and her eyes brewed with intoxicating emotions; as she spoke, she extended her fair, delicate hand toward Gin Uchiha.

"Long time no see, Mr. Gin Uchiha."

"Ugh, ugh, ugh~ Gin! Do you really know this woman?"

Hikari Uchiha, who was about to bite her sleeve to shreds, had eyes full of hostility; the monstrous malice made Mito Uzumaki, who was sensitive to emotional perception, glance sideways.

"Mr. Gin, this girl?"

"That's right! I am Gin's—"

Finally her turn to introduce herself, Hikari Uchiha gritted her teeth as she looked at the other woman's tall, voluptuous figure, preparing to reclaim her territory and give this indecent woman a warning.

But before she could finish, a flash of realization crossed Mito Uzumaki's eyes, and she parted her red lips, preemptively replying:

"You must be Mr. Gin's little sister! It's good that you're still young; remember to eat more vegetables and drink more milk in the future so your body can develop healthily~"

The earnest tone didn't seem fake, but the cunning in her eyes couldn't escape Hikari Uchiha's 24K Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

The girl, angered to no end, tried to puff out her own barren hills, preparing to teach this strange woman a lesson about who came first, but she saw the other woman's expression change from charming to tense.

"This isn't the time for this, Mr. Gin. You should leave quickly; the Senju clan's pursuers will arrive soon."

She had been so focused on catching up that she almost forgot about the white-haired one trailing behind; that guy viewed the Uchiha as enemies, and if he found out that the person assisting the Hagaromo remnants in their relocation was the Uchiha clan, he certainly wouldn't give up easily.

"The Senju clan? Who is coming?"

Recalling what the girl had just said, could it really be that white-haired guy leading people in pursuit?

"It's the Senju clan's young clan leader, Tobirama Senju. That kid has many tricks and schemes; you must be very careful!"

Fearing that Gin Uchiha wouldn't take it seriously, the anxious Mito Uzumaki betrayed her teammate's information without mercy.

Tsk! It really is him? That kid shouldn't be staying home doing research; why is he running all the way here to chase the Hagaromo clan?

"It's fine~ don't worry, a mere Senju..."

Although that white-haired guy would have a famous reputation in the future, he should only be about the same age as his little cousin right now; a mere little white-hair was nothing to worry about for him at this moment.

"As expected of the naturally evil Uchiha, release that Uzumaki clan member at once!"

Gin Uchiha reached out, speaking words of comfort, and patted Mito Uzumaki's delicate shoulder, wanting to put the girl at ease.

Unexpectedly, just as his hand touched the girl, a roar filled with anger shattered the pleasant conversation between them.

Countless black figures flashed out from the forest; the leader was none other than Tobirama Senju, whom he hadn't seen in years, and the roar had come from him.

Gin Uchiha looked in surprise at Tobirama Senju, who looked almost identical to his future self; he hadn't expected this kid to be so mature for his age, with his appearance already set even at this time.

White-gray hair, wearing a face guard with the Senju clan crest, his face—no longer childish—had several clear red markings; he wore classic indigo battle armor, and while there were no tomoe in his scarlet eyes, the cold light leaking from them made people shudder.

I knew it, it must be the Uchiha!

Just moments ago, Tobirama Senju, having waited a long time for Mito Uzumaki to return, felt a flash of unease in his heart and ordered his men to search for the girl's tracks, but they found nothing. Just as he was at his wit's end, he suddenly discovered the sonic boom coming from afar.

Then, he saw the golden giant suddenly appear in the sky in the distance.

From those golden chains, he could be certain it was a secret technique of the Uzumaki clan, though he didn't know why it had turned into that kind of giant.

With no time to think, guessing that Mito Uzumaki might have encountered enemies, he immediately gathered his men and rushed to the scene of the battle.

Because they were far from the battlefield, and due to the layers of dust kicked up by the shockwaves, the Senju clan members couldn't effectively observe what was happening; they only knew the battle was extremely intense, with the massive tremors causing the earth to shake for miles around.

"Hurry! That annoying woman cannot be allowed to come to harm!"

So-called impartiality; although he personally disliked Mito Uzumaki, the status of ally forced Tobirama Senju to take it seriously. If anything happened to that woman, how would he answer to his older brother?

Thinking of this, Tobirama Senju pushed off with his feet, a mysterious light flashing in his scarlet eyes, and his body suddenly vanished from the spot, appearing dozens of meters away the next moment.

Tsk! This move is still not practiced enough.

Feeling the tearing sensation in his lower legs, Tobirama Senju gritted his teeth; it seemed it was still too early to use his self-developed secret weapon in actual combat.

He then switched to a normal way of traveling, and when he led the elite Senju forces to the battlefield, the dust that had obscured his vision gradually dissipated. Having regained his sight, Tobirama Senju immediately saw a scene that made his heart ache.

His future sister-in-law was standing in front of a strange man in a weird posture, and her physical state seemed to be very poor.

And that strange man was actually reaching out his dirty hands toward Mito Uzumaki.

The man was followed by a young girl; the sensitive Tobirama Senju saw the familiar scarlet in that girl's eyes at a glance, and that cold, obscure aura made the Uchiha radar in his brain buzz.

"The naturally evil Uchiha, damn it!"

(End of chapter)