Chapter 174: Hostage-taking: The First Time is Awkward, the Second Time is a Breeze

"Oh my, isn't this Tobirama Senju? It's been so many years, how have you become so pathetic?"

Uchiha Gin looked at the late-arriving acquaintance, raised an eyebrow, and greeted him without a hint of politeness.

"How is that bowl-cut big brother of yours doing?"

"Who are you?"

Tobirama Senju, who had been drawn by the aura of Uchiha Hikari, suddenly heard someone greeting him. He turned his gaze slightly to look at the strange man who had spoken.

"You actually didn't die?"

Originally, he hadn't recognized the identity of the speaker, but when his gaze rested on the other person's distinctive curly hair, Tobirama Senju's dead memories were suddenly awakened.

This curly-haired guy who looked so punchable—wasn't he that Uchiha who had been killed by a single punch from his old man?

"Impossible! With just you, how could you possibly survive a full-power punch from my old man?"

Seeing Uchiha Gin, who had come back from the dead, for the second time, Tobirama Senju's first reaction was that he had fallen under a genjutsu. He couldn't help but circulate his chakra to dispel it, but finding it had no effect, he couldn't help but frown.

"You little white-hair, can't you wish me something good?"

Uchiha Gin heard the other person actually thinking he should be dead, and couldn't help but protest.

"Hmph! You barely managed to save your life; you shouldn't have appeared before me again."

Finally confirming that Uchiha Gin had indeed somehow survived, Tobirama Senju crossed his arms and looked at the people present with an arrogant gaze. His condescending attitude made people's hands itch.

"Ah! I can't take it! Gin, can I beat that poser to death?"

Uchiha Hikari, who had been almost amused by Tobirama Senju's words, couldn't help but speak up. This white-hair in front of them was truly too punchable.

"Uh, I want to too."

Uchiha Gin silently +1.

Although Uchiha Gin and his companion appeared calm and composed, Mito Uzumaki, who was caught in the middle, was somewhat anxious.

Tobirama Senju behind her had led hundreds of elites; such a lineup could easily wipe out a medium-sized clan. How could Uchiha Gin and his companion remain so calm?

It's all my fault for involving Mr. Gin. If I hadn't rashly met him, they wouldn't have been exposed.

Thinking of this, a flash of determination crossed Mito Uzumaki's eyes. She grabbed the large hand that hadn't been retracted yet, placed it against her own neck, and leaned her entire body into Uchiha Gin's embrace. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes, a look of terror appeared on her face, and she shouted tremblingly,

"Tobirama Senju, save me quickly!"

After shouting, she turned her head, pressed her face against Uchiha Gin's sturdy and broad chest, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear,

"Quickly hold me hostage, don't let the Senju clan capture me!"

???

Uchiha Gin and Uchiha Hikari were both dumbfounded.

Especially Uchiha Gin—after all these years, why did this scene feel so familiar? Shouldn't he take out a kunai now, put on a cruel expression, and let out a "hehehe" laugh to make it feel right?

"Despicable Uchiha!"

Not expecting that he was still a step too late and that the foolish woman Mito Uzumaki had been taken hostage by the other party, Tobirama Senju, fearing for her safety, could only stare in frustration.

"Actually, you really don't have to."

Uchiha Gin said somewhat helplessly to Mito Uzumaki, who was nestled in his arms. Young lady, by doing this, you are saving Tobirama Senju's life!

"I'm sorry, Mr. Gin, I brought the Senju clan here. I really didn't know beforehand that you were covering the retreat of the Hagoromo remnants."

Pressed tightly against Uchiha's chest, smelling the unique, rich scent of the man, a somewhat dizzy Mito Uzumaki swallowed her saliva, her tone filled with deep self-reproach.

"Didn't you return to the Land of Whirlpools? Why are you here?"

Uchiha Gin expressed understanding for the girl's explanation; after all, she hadn't done it intentionally. But at this critical juncture, shouldn't Mito Uzumaki be by Hashirama Senju's side building their relationship? Why was she in this place?

"Hmph! My father actually wanted me to enter a political marriage with the Senju clan and make me marry that Hashirama Senju."

The girl recalled her father's arrangements, pouted her little mouth indignantly, and secretly pinched the soft flesh on Uchiha Gin's waist with her other small hand. She asked with a strange tone, her eyes lowered so her expression couldn't be seen,

"Do you think I should marry him?"

"Anything against a woman's will is definitely wrong!"

Uchiha Gin straightened his face and said righteously.

"Exactly! Mr. Gin really speaks to my heart."

Hearing Uchiha Gin's words, Mito Uzumaki, who had been somewhat heartbroken, brightened. Finally, someone supported her thoughts, and she couldn't help but feel a sweetness in her heart.

"So I want to accumulate merit and become the next clan leader of the Uzumaki clan! That way, I can do what I want to do."

The girl clenched her fists and whispered her little secret to the man behind her.

Uh... this idea is very bold, but I like it.

"You guys! Don't stick so close!" X2

Just as the two were communicating in close proximity, two voices rang out on the field. Although the voices were different, the content of what they shouted was surprisingly consistent.

Uchiha Hikari:???

Tobirama Senju:???

Unbeknownst to them, Kinkaku and Ginkaku had snuck into the battlefield and appeared behind Uchiha Gin.

"Mr. Gin! Is that guy Tobirama Senju?"

As the older brother, Kinkaku's eyes were filled with monstrous hatred at this moment. He stared fixedly at the white-haired man with the unique style in front of him and asked through gritted teeth.

Ginkaku, beside him, also looked at Tobirama Senju with a cold expression, wishing he could skin him and pull out his bones.

"That's right, he is the murderer who hunted down the Hagoromo clan and brought you to the brink of extinction."

Uchiha Gin spoke up to stir the flames, though what he said was indeed true; the Hagoromo clan's territory had been breached by Tobirama Senju's men, and he had led the pursuit team.

"Want revenge?"

Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow and tempted them with a demonic whisper.

"Ugh~"

Kinkaku's fists were clenched tight, and his aura climbed step by step, as if it were about to erupt at any moment. Just as Uchiha Gin thought he was going to rush over and risk his life against the white-hair, Kinkaku loosened his fists, letting the bright red blood drip from the wounds his fingertips had caused.

"We are no match for him right now."

If it were the old Kinkaku, he might have already rushed over to fight the white-hair to the death.

But he had sparred with Uchiha Chiri yesterday and lost quite humiliatingly, and after listening to Uchiha Gin's earnest teachings along the way, his muscle-only brain had started to learn to think.

Not having fully mastered the clan's divine artifacts, he was in no way a match for Tobirama Senju, who was several years his senior. If he rushed up now, he would only cause his younger brother to lose his life with him, and the clan's great vengeance would never be avenged.

"Do you need my help? Although the fee is a bit expensive, but..."

Uchiha Gin looked at the contemplative Kinkaku and sighed in his heart. *Sigh~* it's all this damn war's fault, teaching a brute with a brain full of muscles to start learning how to think.

"Thank you, Mr. Gin. You have already helped us a lot. If possible, please let us take our revenge with our own hands."

As if having made up his mind, the contemplative Kinkaku raised his head, and on his face—which looked like a melon seller's—appeared a rare look of pleading.

"Alright then~"

Alright, alright, I'll leave the head to you guys; who told me I like playing support!

Although he hadn't spent much time with these two kids, Uchiha Gin could sense that Kinkaku and Ginkaku weren't bad kids. After all, anyone who could take care of the white-hair couldn't be that bad.

It's not because they would take out the white-hair in the future that Uchiha Gin looked at them differently, oh no~

Looking around at the current situation, Uchiha Gin thought for a moment, and a plan had already formed in his heart.

"The white-hair over there!"

Uchiha Gin suddenly shouted aloud.

"Huh? Calling me?"

Tobirama Senju, who was still thinking of a countermeasure, was dumbfounded.

"Who else but you? You're the only white-hair here."

"This is low-key, luxurious silver-gray!"

The white-hair was furious.

"Shall we negotiate?"

Uchiha Gin issued a trade request.

"Dream on! I have nothing to say to the evil Uchiha."

Tobirama Senju rejected the trade and spat on the ground.

"Hehehe, you wouldn't want anything to happen to your future sister-in-law, would you?"

No choice, have to put on the classic skin again.

"Tch! Truly an evil Uchiha. Say what you have to say, quickly!"

Tobirama Senju gritted his teeth and clicked confirm.

"Heh, it would have been better if you were this cooperative earlier."

Why is this white-haired brat's personality so similar to my little cousin? Tsundere.

"I only got involved in this matter after accepting a mission. Give me some face, let's both take a step back. You let the women and children of the Hagoromo clan go, and I'll let your future sister-in-law go. How about that? Ah!"

Uchiha Gin stated his demands. When he said "future sister-in-law," Mito Uzumaki in his arms pinched the soft flesh on his waist hard, and he couldn't help but let out an "ah" from the sudden attack.

"Impossible! The Hagoromo clan must completely disappear from the Land of Fire!"

Regarding the clan of his father's murderer, Tobirama Senju, whose heart was naturally smaller than most people's, naturally couldn't let them go.

"Oh my~ they only have these few people left, can't you leave them a way to survive?"

Uchiha Gin's eyes shifted slightly, and a faint smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"Even a dog cannot walk out of here alive!"

Tobirama Senju's attitude was very firm; the Hagoromo clan must be annihilated.

"How about this, this kid is the future leader of the Hagoromo clan and can decide the Hagoromo clan's choices."

Uchiha Gin gestured with his chin toward Kinkaku behind him, betraying the kid without mercy.

"What do you mean?"

Not expecting an important figure of the Hagoromo clan to be present, Tobirama Senju was confused, not knowing what medicine the Uchiha before him was selling in his gourd.

"I will act as a middleman. Kinkaku, can you guarantee that the Hagoromo clan will withdraw from the Land of Fire forever and never return for all eternity?"

Uchiha Gin revealed his true intentions and asked Kinkaku in a loud voice.

"Huh?"

Kinkaku was stunned by this question; hadn't they already decided to withdraw from the Land of Fire to the Land of Lightning?

But when he saw Uchiha Gin secretly wink, no matter how foolish he was, he understood the other party's intention. He immediately straightened his expression, raised one hand in a gesture of swearing, and said loudly,

"I, Kinkaku, swear in the name of the Sage of Six Paths: the Hagoromo clan shall withdraw from the Land of Fire and never return for all eternity. If this is violated, the Hagoromo clan shall surely suffer the punishment of the ancestors and be trapped in the Yellow Springs forever, never to be reincarnated."

As expected of the clan leader's son, he spoke quite convincingly.

"How about it? Are you satisfied?"

After hearing the vicious oath Kinkaku made, Uchiha Gin turned his gaze toward the silent Tobirama Senju and spoke.

Tobirama Senju fell into a dilemma; he had not expected the Hagoromo clan, who had lived in the Land of Fire for thousands of years, to actually choose to leave, which caught him off guard.

After thinking it over repeatedly, the young Tobirama Senju, having made his decision, raised his head. His scrutinizing gaze swept over Kinkaku and Ginkaku, finally fixing his eyes on the eloquent Uchiha Gin.

"I can let the Hagoromo clan go, but I cannot trust you Uchiha."

Tsk, prejudice is like a great mountain!

(End of chapter)