Chapter 182: I Didn't Expect My Uncle to be a Cao Thief Too

Having managed to fool the two women, Uchiha Gin pulled up his pants, looked at the messy hot spring, and recalled the faces of those Bo Gangs, instantly losing any desire to stay.

That Bo Gang legion was truly terrifying; they actually forced out the Mangekyo Sharingan that Uchiha Gin had kept in his mother's womb for so many years.

He tossed a gold brick to the terrified landlady as compensation and fled the Land of Hot Water with the two women in a flash.

On the way back to the Uchiha clan grounds.

"Hikari, is there something dirty on my face?"

Uchiha Hikari, who was running alongside Uchiha Gin, had not taken her eyes off his face since they left the Land of Hot Water, looking as if she had something to say but was holding back.

"Gin, are you hiding something from me?"

The sharp-witted girl sensed a strange power from Uchiha Gin, and unable to figure it out, she asked.

"Huh? No, I'm not~"

Hearing this, Uchiha Gin's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately denied it.

Could it be that the mixed bathing incident had been exposed?

"Then why have my eyes been throbbing?"

Uchiha Hikari tilted her little head and said with a conflicted expression; she hadn't encountered this situation for many years, and she frowned as if recalling something.

"The last time they throbbed was when we awakened our Mangekyo, and this time it's even more obvious."

???

Do Mangekyo users attract each other?

Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow; he hadn't expected that even after changing eyes, the Mangekyo he awakened could still resonate with Hikari's Mangekyo.

"Maybe you're just growing; after all, you were trapped for so long, you have to make up for the growth you missed!"

Uchiha Gin's eyes darted around, and he immediately came up with a reason that seemed flawless, scanning the girl's body up and down before saying "surprisedly,"

"Hikari, haven't you noticed you've grown taller? And your figure has also become..."

"Shut up!!!"

Hearing Uchiha Gin's words, Uchiha Hikari blushed like an apple, and before he could finish, she delivered a shy girl's elbow strike into the ribs of the loose-lipped curly-haired man.

"Crack!"

The sound of bone fracturing was exceptionally crisp in the silent forest.

"Ugh~~~"

Enduring the pain, Uchiha Gin was covered in cold sweat, and with a trembling hand, he gave a thumbs-up to the shy girl.

With his other hand on his ribs, a greenish light flashed quietly, and he didn't stop talking, stammering,

"See, isn't this... very energetic! Hikari will definitely... grow taller~"

Uchiha Chiri, who was following along, watched the two flirting with cold eyes; her indifferent gaze rationally examined Uchiha Hikari's flat-as-a-board figure, and the corner of her mouth curled into an imperceptible, contemptuous smile.

Mr. Gin is truly too kind.

She then lowered her head to look at her own budding figure, feeling quite reassured.

While in the hot spring, she had secretly compared herself to Uchiha Hikari and found that not only had she not lost to the older Senior Hikari, but she even had a faint momentum to surpass her.

Recalling her unreliable mother back home, the girl suddenly felt a bit fortunate.

"Thank you, Mother, it turns out you aren't completely useless."

"Achoo!"

The purple-haired young woman tidying up the room at home quickly used her hand to support her heaving bosom; after finally steadying herself, she touched her charming face, her eyes filled with a dazed look.

"Ara ara, is Gin-san missing me again~"

The three traveled at full speed and reached the Uchiha clan grounds in less than half a day.

"Halt! Who are you?"

Seeing the familiar gate, Uchiha Gin and the others were about to enter when they were stopped by the guards at the entrance; judging by the other party's clumsy movements, they must be new recruits.

"You don't recognize me?"

Uchiha Gin looked at the greenhorn who had stopped him with some surprise; he actually didn't recognize him.

Could it be that there were still people in the Uchiha clan who hadn't been tricked by him?

"Who are you? Why should I recognize you? Is your grandfather an elder, or is the clan leader your uncle?"

The new Uchiha was too rude.

Uchiha Gin was left speechless by the retort; after all, every word was reasonable, and he really couldn't refute it.

"I..."

Uchiha Gin was momentarily at a loss for words, which appeared as a guilty conscience in the other party's eyes, only fueling their arrogance.

"This is a special period; all outsiders are strictly prohibited from entering. Say one more word, and I'll throw you into the dungeon."

Oh my, that sounds great; returning to the dungeon is just like going home. Everyone in the dungeon is talented, they speak well, and I love it there.

This guard, whom Uchiha Gin had never seen before, was a clansman who had been stationed on the front lines for many years.

A few days ago, he heard shocking good news at the front: his wife, whom he hadn't seen in three years, had actually given birth to a big, chubby son for him. In his excitement, he flew into a rage and awakened his Three-Tomoe, applying for a transfer back to the clan grounds that very day.

But he had just returned and hadn't even had time to enjoy family life before being assigned to guard the gate.

"We are clansmen returning from a mission; this is my proof."

Uchiha Gin disdained the cliché of acting tough and slapping faces; what era was this? Everyone would fiercely roast that kind of archaic plot.

He honestly handed the proof given by Uchiha Tajima to the guard and waited for him to verify it.

"Uh... it is indeed a mission proof. Then you may enter."

Although the guard was unhappy, his job was more important; he still had to earn milk powder money for his son.

"You've worked hard too."

Uchiha Gin did not feel dissatisfied because of the other party's difficulty; after all, every clansman was a green leek in his eyes now.

Speaking of green, Uchiha Gin, having entered the gate, turned his head and said to the disgruntled clansman,

"Little brother, your hat is quite unique~"

"Hehe, my wife made it for me; isn't it good-looking?"

The guard, who had been looking sour, broke into a happy smile upon hearing Uchiha Gin's words, reached up to straighten the green hat on his head, and said in a pleasant tone,

"Uh... your wife must love you very much."

"Hehe, that goes without saying."

After waving goodbye to the guard, the three walked along the main road of the clan grounds.

They strangely discovered that the bustling market they had left behind was now deserted, with only a few shops open, no sign of the usual traveling merchants, and even more patrol squads than before.

Filled with doubts, the three arrived at the clan leader's building; the guards there recognized Uchiha Gin and immediately opened the door to let them in.

"Strange, why has the clan ground become so deserted?"

Uchiha Hikari walked beside Uchiha Gin, tugged on his sleeve, and asked in confusion.

"Maybe something happened on the front lines again."

Uchiha Gin recalled the patrol squads he had just encountered; many of them were unfamiliar faces, and he guessed they must be clansmen who had been stationed abroad for many years.

Recalling so many clansmen at this time, it seems the war is about to start again.

Uchiha Gin sighed inwardly; because of the unexpected passing of Senju Butsuma, the war between the two clans had finally calmed down for a few days, but he hadn't expected it to start again so soon.

"Knock, knock, knock~~~"

Uchiha Gin skillfully knocked on the door of Uchiha Tajima's office.

"Come in."

His uncle's familiar voice sounded, though it wasn't as full of vigor as usual, but rather slightly weary.

"Uncle, we're back."

Uchiha Gin led the two women into Uchiha Tajima's office with a swagger; seeing no one else, he slumped into a chair without any hesitation, looking exhausted from the journey.

"This mission was truly too dangerous; you almost didn't get to see your favorite nephew again."

"Really?"

Uchiha Tajima, who was reviewing documents, didn't even lift his head; he knew Uchiha Gin's nature too well—even a mission to kill a chicken would become a dragon-slaying feat in his mouth.

"Tsk! Can't there be a little more trust between people?"

The questioned Uchiha Gin was a bit annoyed; this trip was indeed very dangerous, not to mention the various giant battles, he even had to use his wits against the Senju little white-hair. If the details couldn't be kept secret, he would have already been lying on the ground applying for retirement.

"Did you send them away?"

Uchiha Tajima finished the last document and lifted his pale face; the bloodshot eyes were intertwined, showing he hadn't rested well for some time.

He reached out to rub his temples; his headaches had been becoming more frequent lately, and if he didn't wear the cloak Uchiha Gin had given him, he couldn't even sleep well.

"Safely sent away."

Uchiha Gin took out two scrolls, waved them at Uchiha Tajima, and then tossed them to him.

"This is?"

"The mission report and the mission rewards; see for yourself."

What Uchiha Gin tossed over was his edited mission report, along with the divine artifact, the Amber Purifying Bottle, obtained from Kinkaku and Ginkaku.

"Hmm... you actually encountered Senju Tobirama; how did you brat escape?"

Uchiha Tajima opened the mission report and began to study it; he was somewhat surprised when he saw that Uchiha Gin and the others had been pursued by Senju Tobirama.

"That brat's strength is not bad, and he is insidious and cunning; Madara and Izuna have suffered quite a bit at his hands."

Setting aside the enemy-versus-ally stance, the brilliant Senju Tobirama had left a deep impression on Uchiha Tajima.

"Hehe, I was lucky; I captured a member of the Uzumaki clan who was helping them search. The other party's identity seems to be quite significant; Senju Tobirama seemed a bit afraid to act rashly."

He did not reveal the specific information about Mito Uzumaki, only noting in the report that it was an Uzumaki clansman with an important identity.

"Not bad, staying calm in the face of danger; you have the bearing your father had back in the day."

Tian Dao finished reading the entire mission report and couldn't help but voice his praise.

Child, you are invincible.

"It's alright, it's alright~~"

Uchiha Gin accepted the praise with a beaming smile; after all, these were things he deserved.

"Take this thing."

Tian Dao glanced at another scroll and tossed it directly back to Uchiha Gin.

"Uh? This is a divine artifact, the kind used by the Sage of Six Paths."

Uchiha Gin reached out to catch the scroll sealed with the Amber Purifying Pot, straightened up, and said.

"Aren't you going to take it to study?"

"There is nothing worth studying. I have played with all the divine artifacts of the Otsutsuki clan, and none of them are handy."

Tian Dao shook his head; he had played with all those divine artifacts, and they were nothing more than flashy, impractical toys.

"Holy crap, Uncle, are you that familiar with the wife of the Otsutsuki clan leader? Is her nickname Princess Iron Fan?"

(End of chapter)