Chapter 183: Others Are Just Playing With You, Yet You Took It Seriously

"Huh? I'm not familiar with the wife of the Hagoromo clan head."

Uchiha Tajima frowned and explained after hearing Uchiha Gin's strange question; why bring women into the camaraderie between men?

"The Hagoromo clan head's wife does indeed have a nickname, but it isn't 'Princess Iron Fan'."

Assuming Uchiha Gin was curious about information regarding the previous generation of powerhouses, Uchiha Tajima patiently enlightened him.

"Because his wife has a ruthless style and her methods are as cruel as a demon's, people gave her the nickname 'Rakshasa Woman'."

Tsk! Isn't that the same thing?

"Alright, alright, then I'll accept it."

Uchiha Gin did not want to be influenced by that kind of déjà vu-inducing news anymore, so he hurriedly stuffed the scroll into his bag, stood up, and cupped his hands.

"Old Uncle, since the mission is complete, can I go to the dungeon to slack off and wait for death?"

After saying this, Uchiha Gin's pair of dead fish eyes sparkled, filled with longing for a beautiful future life.

"As for that... we shall discuss it at length later; for now... prioritize the big picture."

Uchiha Tajima spoke somewhat vaguely, his words full of stalling, and his shifty eyes were caught by the sensitive Uchiha Gin, who frowned and asked,

"Old Uncle, did something happen?"

"Sigh, it seems I really can't hide anything from you. I originally wanted you to have a good rest."

Uchiha Tajima perked up instantly upon hearing Uchiha Gin's question, and said with a tone full of "guilt,"

"There is indeed something; I want to speak with you alone."

As Uchiha Tajima spoke, his eyes swept over the two women who were daydreaming off to the side.

"Hikari, Jiri, you've worked hard along the way. You two go home and rest first; I'll collect the mission rewards for you."

"Understood, Mr. Gin!"

Even if Uchiha Jiri were foolish, she could still tell that Uchiha Tajima had important matters to discuss, so she tactfully said goodbye.

"Gin, come home early~"

Uchiha Hikari didn't say much more; she was quite at ease with Uchiha Tajima, after all, they would be family in the future.

So she waved her hand and walked out of the office in the company of Uchiha Jiri.

Once the sound of the two women's footsteps faded, only Uchiha Gin and Uchiha Tajima remained in the office.

"Old Uncle, just say what you have to say. Don't keep me in suspense; it's exhausting for the readers."

Uchiha Gin rolled his signature dead fish eyes and reminded him in a decadent tone.

"I naturally know that."

Hearing his nephew's words, Uchiha Tajima, who had been preparing to beat around the bush, replied with an unhappy expression.

"Snap~"

Uchiha Tajima's eyes shifted slightly, as if he were weighing his words, while the candle flame beside him made a crackling sound.

Uchiha Gin waited quietly below, wanting to hear what exactly his Old Uncle had to say that required dismissing everyone else.

"Madara... he was defeated."

Uchiha Tajima slowly said these words, as if it had drained him of all his strength.

"Ah? The big cousin kicked the bucket?"

Uchiha Gin thought his ears were malfunctioning, so he reached out to pick at them, found them perfectly clean, and then looked up to press for details.

He was perfectly fine when he left, so why is it time for a funeral upon his return?

"Sigh~ He didn't kick the bucket! He was defeated! Defeated by that brat from the Senju family."

Sigh! Can't you speak clearly? I thought the big cousin had kicked the bucket.

I haven't even learned the Samsara Heavenly Life Technique yet; if the big cousin really went down there, he'd have to play cards with the Sage of Six Paths for a few years first.

"Defeated is just defeated; it's not like he hasn't lost before."

Uchiha Gin breathed a sigh of relief. Isn't it just losing to that bowl-cut kid? When they were fighting before, the two of them often brawled, and neither suffered; they each had their wins and losses.

"This time is different. Madara was crushed. He was taken down by the Senju brat in one move, without even a chance to resist."

If it were just a normal win or loss, Uchiha Tajima wouldn't be making such a big fuss, but this time it was truly different.

"Tell me more~"

Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow and urged.

Damn it, I only left for a few days and I actually missed such a spectacular piece of gossip.

"Before that, you might not know yet that the new clan head of the Senju clan has been elected."

Before talking about Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Tajima brought up another matter first.

"That's fast~ Hasn't even the seventh day since Butsuma Senju that old guy died passed yet?"

Uchiha Gin, who already had the answer in his heart, couldn't help but tease.

That despicable Senju old ghost, he gave him a punch back then that almost sent him to the next world.

Butsuma Senju: *Cough cough*, by seniority, you should respectfully address me as...

"It should be that the matter with the Hagoromo clan has concluded, so that brat chose to take office."

Having read the mission report, Uchiha Tajima learned that the Senju clan had given up on pursuing the Hagoromo clan who had left the Land of Fire, and inferred that the other party had turned the page on that matter.

"Three days ago, the Senju clan high-profile announced that Hashirama Senju had assumed the position of clan head. On the same day, the Senju clan's army was fully assembled."

Uchiha Tajima's eyes flashed with an inexplicable glimmer, and he said in a flat tone,

"The war has begun again."

"No wonder; those unfamiliar faces outside must all be clansmen who have been stationed abroad for many years."

Confirming his conjecture, Uchiha Gin thought of the strange guard at the clan gate and said with a sudden realization,

"That's right. I have already recalled all the clansmen who were on long-term missions or border defense. The Senju clan is determined to fight us to the death this time."

Uchiha Tajima gritted his teeth as he spoke. He had thought that after Butsuma Senju kicked the bucket, the Senju clan would be able to settle down and be manipulated by them like a ball, but he didn't expect this young man who replaced him to be so lacking in martial virtue.

"Let's not talk about that for now. What exactly happened to the big cousin?"

"Madara was on the front line at the time, battling that new clan head of the Senju clan..."

"Report!!! The Senju clan has appeared and is attacking our camp!"

Uchiha Madara and Izuna, who had just returned to the front line, immediately stood up to investigate upon hearing their subordinate's report.

After activating the Sharingan, both of their vision was greatly enhanced, and they could clearly see the dense crowd in the distance. The man leading them was none other than the man Uchiha Madara was always thinking about.

"Hashirama! Do you want to dance again?"

As soon as he encountered Hashirama Senju, the usually aloof Uchiha Madara seemed like a different person. His cold face was now filled with an evil, wild arrogance. He drew his blade alone and stepped forward, blocking the path of the resolute-looking Hashirama Senju.

"Sigh~ Madara, I must win this time."

Wearing a headband with the Senju clan crest and clad in red armor, Hashirama Senju had a complex expression. He glanced at the Senju clansmen behind him, looked at their expectant eyes, took a deep breath, and said to his former best friend with a firm tone,

"Hahaha, are you trying to make me laugh? Hashirama, when did you become so humorous?"

Hearing the words spoken by Hashirama Senju in an extremely serious tone, Uchiha Madara didn't take them to heart. Instead, he brandished the long blade in his hand and said, filled with fighting spirit,

"I have already seen through your moves. This time, the one who will fail is you!"

Uchiha Madara had reviewed his battles with Uchiha Gin countless times in his heart and had summarized tactics to counter Wood Release.

Confident and full of himself, he was determined to secure this victory in one fell swoop.

"I'm sorry, Madara, I..."

Watching Uchiha Madara charging toward him, Hashirama Senju felt a tightness in his heart, but his hands did not hesitate in the slightest. He performed his classic double-handed clap, and a pale green light lit up in his hands.

With the infusion of chakra, countless thick tree branches burst from the ground, rolling aggressively toward the lone Uchiha Madara.

"Hmph! I saw through this move long ago."

This time, Uchiha Madara did not choose to clash head-on with Fire Release as he had in the past. Instead, relying on the enhancement of his Sharingan, he dodged one clumsy tree branch after another.

Brandishing his long blade, he charged toward Hashirama Senju, who was performing the technique, at an extremely high speed.

"Right now, I must shoulder the expectations of all my clansmen."

Hashirama Senju looked at Uchiha Madara with a calm gaze. A second before the opponent's long blade was about to strike him, he gathered his strength and swung his fist to deflect the blade, saying slowly,

"Because right now, I am the clan head of the Senju clan!"

In Uchiha Madara's astonished gaze, Hashirama Senju's figure rapidly grew taller. Amidst the dust, countless thick wooden branches intertwined, and a giant wooden dragon roared out from the ground, its sound deafening the ears of everyone around.

While Uchiha Madara was still wondering why Hashirama wasn't playing by the rules this time, a giant green hand suddenly reached out from the dust and grabbed the stunned Madara in its palm.

As the dust slowly dissipated, a giant round-faced Arhat appeared before everyone.

Its chubby body looked naive and cute, but the majestic aura radiating from its entire body made everyone unable to laugh. They only felt a solemn and dignified presence, imposing without needing to be angry.

【Wood Release: Wood Person Technique】

"Ah! Is that the secret technique of the young clan head... no, the clan head?"

A Senju clansman looked at the massive wooden person standing between heaven and earth and couldn't help but swallow hard; just looking at it made one want to kneel and worship.

"Long live the clan head!"

"The Senju clan has it! We truly have it!"

"Sorry, Madara."

Standing atop the Arhat wooden person, Hashirama Senju looked at Uchiha Madara, who was held in the wooden person's hand and unable to break free, with a trace of apology in his eyes.

"Big brother, you did well this time!"

Unbeknownst to anyone, Tobirama Senju, with his white hair and wearing the same style of armor as Hashirama Senju but in a different color, appeared on the battlefield.

Seeing his big brother finally harden his heart to use a high-level secret technique to deal with that evil Uchiha, he shouted excitedly,

"Kill him quickly!"

Tobirama Senju urged. Hashirama Senju had just assumed the position of clan head; being young, he could not yet command full respect, so he urgently needed an opportunity to establish his authority.

Drowsiness meets a pillow; that Madara Uchiha actually ran into the muzzle of a gun himself, just in time for my big brother to kill him and establish his authority.

Hashirama's Wood Release had the special ability to absorb the enemy's chakra; held in the hand of the wooden figure, Madara Uchiha struggled a few times before being drained until he felt like he was dying, unable to even maintain his Sharingan.

"Hashirama! I didn't expect you to still be hiding moves."

Looking as if his body had been hollowed out, his pitch-black eyes filled with exhaustion, he stared fixedly at Hashirama atop the wooden figure and said through gritted teeth.

"Hehe, not really, I was just playing with you before~"

(End of chapter)