Chapter 229: This curly-haired guy is actually quite decent

"Go ahead and do it; I still have that much authority, cousin."

Looking at Uchiha Gin's face, which radiated the brilliance of a great man, Uchiha Izuna was deeply moved. His cousin, no matter the time, always put the clan's interests first. Such a loyal subject was truly the great fortune of the Uchiha clan.

"Alrighty~"

Having received the nod from his little cousin, the acting clan head, Uchiha Gin's mouth curled up to his ears. In his heart, he was secretly calculating how to teach these newly arrived ninja clans in Konoha a good lesson, letting them know who it was that held up half the sky in this village!

"Wait... Big Cousin, Senju Hashirama sent someone over today, wanting us to provide a highly respected clansman to accompany him to a negotiation."

Uchiha Gin, full of devious schemes, turned to leave but was blocked by Uchiha Izuna, whose eyes held a look of contemplation. Izuna then informed his cousin, who seemed so idle, of the notice received this morning.

"Huh?"

Highly respected? Tell me, which of those four words has anything to do with me?

"Everyone is very busy, so I'll have to trouble you to make the trip, please, please~"

Right now, the entire Uchiha clan, from top to bottom, was working around the clock; they really couldn't spare anyone to attend any negotiations. He had just been worrying about this matter, and he hadn't expected Uchiha Gin to walk right into the line of fire himself—it was purely a case of throwing himself into the net.

"Uh, alright, when is it?"

It seemed he still couldn't escape the fate of being a tool. Uchiha Gin looked at his little cousin, who looked like he was about to be hollowed out, and his heart softened, so he agreed. He then asked for the time of the negotiation; as for the content, he didn't want to know at all. Anyway, going there was just to make up the numbers; he could just zone out.

"Tomorrow afternoon."

"Got it, you tell Brother Hashirama that I will definitely be there on time~"

Although the schedule was tight, if you squeeze, there's always time.

After leaving the clan grounds, Uchiha Gin hurried without stopping to the dungeon where he had worked for many years. Looking at the gate, which faintly showed signs of decay, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion. This place had been his second home for many years, and now, it was about to be gone.

"Lord Gin, why are you here?"

Just as Uchiha Gin was full of sighs, a familiar voice came from inside the gate. Looking closely, it was his old friend, Uchiha Iron Egg.

"Brother Iron Egg, are you on duty today?"

Ever since the Uchiha merged into Konoha, only a few clansmen remained at the old clan grounds, responsible for patrol and security. As the former gate god of the clan grounds, Uchiha Iron Egg held multiple positions and occasionally moonlighted as a dungeon guard.

"Yes, Lord Gin. But this is my last shift. Tomorrow, the prisoners inside will be escorted to the temporary detention point in Konoha Village, waiting for their clans to claim them."

Uchiha Iron Egg, who was nearly fifty, had a look of emotion on his slightly weathered face. He could be considered an old employee of the dungeon, and he still had some feelings for this place.

"Tomorrow, huh..."

Uchiha Gin showed a look of realization. It was a good thing he had found his little cousin today; otherwise, if he had waited until tomorrow, the big event would have been delayed.

"Don't be sad, Brother Iron Egg, I will find a way to get a severance package for the brothers in the dungeon."

Thinking of this, Uchiha Gin smiled and nodded at Uchiha Iron Egg. Amidst the other's puzzled expression, he ducked into the pitch-black cell and disappeared at the end of the corridor.

"Sigh~ I really wronged Lord Gin back then. I wonder which bastard it was that slandered him so much."

Watching the disappearing back of the other, Uchiha Iron Egg, who had once viewed Uchiha Gin as a flood or a wild beast, felt endless sighs in his heart and couldn't help but curse the rumor-monger.

Stepping on the slightly uneven road surface of the dungeon, the remaining candlelight on the walls on both sides of the corridor emitted a lingering glow. Smelling the damp and cold air, Uchiha Gin walked straight to Cell No. 1, where the ninja clan criminals were held.

With the relocation of the Uchiha clan, Cell No. 2 and Cell No. 3 had been cleared out one after another. The prisoners held there had all regained their freedom after paying a ransom.

Only Cell No. 1, which held the more dangerous individuals, was still in operation. And Uchiha Gin's purpose for this trip was to mobilize these guys so that tomorrow, he could sell them for a good price.

"Haha, I am about to regain my freedom! When that time comes, I must make that hateful guy look good!"

"Hey, I won't stop you if you want to die, but I never want to see that guy again~"

"Have you heard? Once we get out, this dungeon will be abandoned. Then, wouldn't that guy..."

"Stop! I'm already behaving, please let me go~"

"..."

Before even stepping into the gate of Cell No. 1, Uchiha Gin heard the clamor of voices from afar. His old friends were chatting enthusiastically at this moment, and their conversation was filled with beautiful fantasies about the future.

"Hey hey hey, my old friends, did you miss me?"

Pushing open the gate of the dungeon, Uchiha Gin, standing under the candlelight, raised an eyebrow. He gave a warm smile to the excited prisoners and greeted them enthusiastically.

"Hoo~ hoo~ hoo~"

As a result, with the appearance of Uchiha Gin, the dungeon, which had just been bustling with noise, instantly seemed to have been hit by a silence spell. All the prisoners covered themselves with their quilts and pretended to be asleep. For a moment, fake snoring rose one after another, as if the high-minded talk just now had been an illusory dream.

"Tsk~ We're all so familiar with each other, now that we're about to part, is there any point in doing this?"

Seeing everyone's uncooperative performance, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but roll his eyes. Looking at the crowd huddled in their quilts, his words carried a deep sadness.

"You guy, you still want to tease us even when you're about to leave?"

Hearing Uchiha Gin's "sincere" words, an old man with some brownish-yellow in his white hair poked his head out from the quilt, his face full of suspicion. He didn't believe that this curly-haired guy in front of him had any good intentions this time.

"Brother Zongichiro, you actually see me like this? Think about it, in all these years, have I ever treated you badly?"

The first to speak was Yamanaka Zongichiro, whom Uchiha Gin had fought when he first entered the dungeon.

That man, who was in his prime back then, had now turned into a little old man, but the long-term dungeon life had not tortured him into a wreck; instead, he looked quite spirited.

"Uh..."

Yamanaka Zongichiro, who had originally wanted to retort a few words, instantly lost his voice when he met Uchiha Gin's sincere gaze. As a ninja who excelled in using spiritual power, although he was old, his memory was still quite good.

Looking at the hateful curly-haired guy in front of him, Yamanaka Zongichiro's thoughts returned to many years ago. When he first entered the dungeon, his old wounds flared up. Just as he closed his eyes to wait for death, he felt a warm force.

Opening his eyes again, what he saw was Uchiha Gin with a look of confusion, the green light on his hand not yet dissipated. From that day on, in his heart, he began to have a different view of this curly-haired guy who seemed hateful.

"Hmph~ At worst, after I get out, I'll treat you to a drink!"

A trace of imperceptible softness hung on Yamanaka Zongichiro's aged but ruddy face. His mouth curled up slightly, and after a cold snort, he said.

"Definitely, definitely~"

Looking at the spirited little old man in front of him, Uchiha Gin smiled and exchanged pleasantries, while in his heart, he was calculating how many steamed buns Yamanaka Zongichiro could be worth.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yamanaka Zongichiro, he immediately walked toward the prisoners behind. Along the way, he offered cordial condolences, which made these ninja clan ninjas, who were usually not spared from having their heart energy harvested, feel a great surge of suspicion in their hearts, always feeling that this curly-haired guy was brewing some bad water.

"You evil fleece, what exactly is the matter? Tell us straight!"

When Uchiha Gin walked to the last cell, before he could speak, the black-haired middle-aged man held inside opened his eyes, frowned, and asked the question that was in everyone's heart in the dungeon.

"Brother Jin Er~ I remember you said you have a nephew named Xianyi, right?"

Looking at the man with a sinister face in front of him, Uchiha Gin smiled. This was a big client and had to be properly appeased, so he asked.

"What did you do to Xianyi?"

Shimura Jin Er, who had originally been cold and indifferent, instantly became nervous upon hearing Uchiha Gin say Xianyi's name. His eyes widened, and he rushed to the cell door in excitement, staring fixedly at the curly-haired guy with a mocking face in front of him, gritting his teeth and asking.

"Hey, Brother Jin Er, there is no ninja more loving than me. I just happened to run into your 'nephew' a few days ago, and he and his son really look a lot like you~"

In his early years, when Uchiha Gin was interrogating Shimura Jin Er, after using genjutsu, he inadvertently tortured out a little secret about this guy's private life.

It turned out that this thick-browed and big-eyed guy, Shimura Jin Er, actually had an affair with his sister-in-law and secretly conceived a child, giving birth to a child named Shimura Xianyi.

"Xianyi already has a son? I'm going to be..."

Blindsided by the sudden good news, Shimura Jin Er, who had always been cautious and careful, paced back and forth in the cell in excitement upon hearing that Shimura Xianyi had a son, and he even muttered to himself in excitement.

"You've been exchanging pleasantries for so long, just say what you have to say. As long as it's not excessive, we can all accept it."

However, seeing Uchiha Gin's restless gaze, he calmed down. His brows were no longer as tight as before, and his face had softened a lot. He just wanted to get out safely and reunite with his "nephew," so he spoke up.

"Although you guy are a bit strange usually, you're not bad. If there's really something, just say it. Being so secretive, isn't that treating us as outsiders?"

A man who was eating until he was plump and strong also stood at the cell door after Shimura Jin Er finished speaking. There was no hatred in his small, squinted eyes; instead, he looked familiar.

The food Uchiha Gin usually arranged could be said to be top-notch. As a great gourmet of the Akimichi clan, he hadn't suffered since he came in; instead, he had gained a few pounds compared to before.

"That's right, that's right~"

"Why are you being so polite with me?"

"..."

Seeing that the good buddies in the dungeon were so supportive of his work, Uchiha Gin sighed in his heart that good people get good rewards, and then he smiled and said.

"Hehe, then I'll trouble you all to put in some effort when you perform tomorrow. The brothers in our dungeon are all waiting for rice to put in the pot at home~"

The next day, Uchiha Gin led a team of clansmen to take out the prisoners held in Cell No. 1 one by one. When a clansman was about to use shackles, he waved his hand to stop him.

"No need to shackle them, we're all buddies, just going through the motions is fine~"

"Lord Gin, is it really okay?"

The clansman held the shackles and asked hesitantly.

"You don't understand, the shackles of the heart are much more useful than these things~"

"Hahaha, finally free!"

Looking up at the scorching sun and breathing the fragrance of grass in the air, Yamanaka Zongichiro, who was about to regain his freedom, couldn't be happier.

"Elder Zongichiro, what did that curly-haired guy mean by his words yesterday?"

A middle-aged man with brownish-yellow hair following behind Yamanaka Zongichiro couldn't help but ask, looking at Uchiha Gin, who was settling the clansmen not far away.

"I don't know either, but just listen to him when the time comes. Anyway, that guy won't harm us."

Hearing his junior's question, Yamanaka Zongichiro, who also had no bottom in his heart, shook his head. If Uchiha Gin really wanted to harm them, he would have had plenty of opportunities to do so over the years; why wait until now, when peace was about to arrive?

"Buddies, everyone hold on a little longer, freedom is right before our eyes~"

Looking with satisfaction at the emotionally stable prisoners, Uchiha Gin mobilized them, and then waved to the clansmen behind him.

"Let's go!"

On the other side, in Konoha Village.

"Big Brother, just now, a clansman was injured because a prisoner suddenly rioted, and he is currently in emergency treatment."

Senju Tobirama found the busy Senju Hashirama with a gloomy face and coldly informed him of the accident that had just occurred.

"Didn't we already tell them before that they would be free soon?"

Not expecting such a mishap at this critical moment, Senju Hashirama, whose face was full of exhaustion, frowned and asked.

"It might be a personal grudge. The attacked clansman was a jailer on duty in the dungeon."

Recalling the ferocious face of that prisoner, Senju Tobirama, who still had lingering fears, explained.

"Sigh~ How is that prisoner?"

Pinching his temple, Senju Hashirama, who had a headache, asked. If a prisoner on the list suddenly died, he would have to spend some effort explaining.

"His life was saved, but his ninja career is probably over."

That rioting prisoner, after injuring the clansman, had his hands cut off by the Senju clansmen who arrived later, becoming a useless person.

"This... Tobirama, you go handle it, just don't let it affect the prisoner handover ceremony this time."

Thinking for a moment, Senju Hashirama's eyes carried a touch of helplessness, and he looked up to arrange for his younger brother.

"Alright."

As brothers who had been together for many years, Senju Tobirama naturally understood his older brother's hint. Solving problems for his big brother was his duty, so he nodded and turned to leave.

In order to highlight Konoha's sincerity, Senju Hashirama specially chose the center of the village, where the flow of people was most dense, as the venue for this prisoner handover ceremony.

The Senju clan's temporary detention point was located in the most prominent position, while the Uchiha clan's detention point was intentionally or unintentionally arranged by Senju Tobirama in an inconspicuous corner.

Compared to the bustling Senju side, the Uchiha clan's detention point was a bit deserted. After all, there were far more people coming to watch the excitement than those ninja clans coming to pick up people.

And this was the effect Senju Tobirama wanted. He wanted to take this opportunity to boost the Senju clan's reputation among ordinary people.

"Brother Lu Cha, it seems something happened on the Senju side this morning, and the commotion was quite loud."

Because the prisoners hadn't arrived yet, the deserted Uchiha detention point only had a few clansmen who used to work in the dungeon stationed there. Uchiha Jiro, full of gossip, quietly told Uchiha Lu Cha in front of him about the accident that happened in the morning.

"I heard that a prisoner took advantage of someone's lack of preparation and ambushed a Senju family jailer, sending him straight to the emergency room on the spot. And he himself was also beaten to have his limbs broken and his hands cut off on the spot. Tsk tsk tsk, that scene, don't even mention how exciting it was~"

"Did he die?"

Uchiha Lu Cha was no longer the little jailer he once was. Having succeeded to the position of Internal Affairs Elder, he now looked further ahead. His eyes turned to the bustling Senju detention point, and he frowned and asked.

"He didn't die, but I heard he went stupid."

He didn't die? The Senju clan members were really quite capable of forbearance. If it were in the past, let alone this prisoner, it is estimated that even his family would have suffered heavily.

"Did you handle the matter Lord Gin arranged before?"

Hearing that there were no casualties, Uchiha Lu Cha felt a little disappointed, so he didn't pursue it further. Instead, he changed the subject and asked if Uchiha Jiro's task was completed.

"It's handled. Last night, I worked through the night to knock on several tailor shops before I managed to rush the production of the banner Brother Gin arranged."

Uchiha Jiro, whose face was a bit listless, nodded immediately, indicating that he had successfully completed the task.

"Good, looking at the time, Lord Gin and the others should be here soon. Go and hang up the banner now. No one can suppress the limelight of our Uchiha clan!"

When it comes to showing off, it still has to be the Uchiha.

"Brothers, get to work!"

Hearing the order, Uchiha Jiro's face was full of excitement. He waved his hand at the clansmen behind him and began to get busy.

It's time for us Uchiha to show off~

In front of the Senju clan's detention point, the members of the Ninja Clan Alliance led by Sarutobi Sasuke were waiting here. They had received the notice early and rushed over before dawn, just thinking about picking up their suffering clansmen as soon as possible.

"Sasuke, why are we waiting here? My uncle is being held on the Uchiha side, isn't he?"

In the crowd, Shimura Xianyi, with an indignant face, couldn't help but complain to his good friend. The Senju clan only held a few ordinary clansmen here, while his uncle, who had treated him as his own since he was young, was suffering inhuman torture on the Uchiha side.

"Senju Tobirama specifically instructed us to wait here. Senju Hashirama will have an important speech later. As for the prisoners on the Uchiha side, they will be handed over to us privately after the speech here ends."

At this moment, Sarutobi Sasuke's eyes also carried a trace of dissatisfaction. You must know that Sarutobi Takinosuke was his former mentor. He heard that the other party had suffered a mental breakdown at the Uchiha clan, and he didn't know if he still remembered him, this disciple.

"Clan Head Sarutobi, our clan's Elder Zongichiro had old ailments before he was captured. Now that so many years have passed, he must be at his end. I hope you can allow us to go to the Uchiha clan side first to pick up the elder and let his soul return to his hometown."

A beautiful woman with brownish-yellow long hair, her blue-green eyes full of worry. As a representative of the Yamanaka clan, she came this time just to pick up Yamanaka Zongichiro, who had a very high reputation in the clan.

But now, wasting time on the Senju clan side couldn't help but make her feel very tormented.

Hearing the request of the Yamanaka clan representative, the members of the Ninja Clan Alliance turned their eyes to the representative they had pushed out, hoping that Sarutobi Sasuke could speak for them.

"I'm sorry everyone, this is also one of the conditions Konoha agreed to for releasing our clansmen. Now we can only comply."

Sarutobi Sasuke, who was struggling in his heart, recalled the black-haired man who seemed gentle but had a terrifying aura during the negotiation. A sense of powerlessness surged in his once proud heart, and then he lowered his head and explained to his allies with a dejected expression.

"Hey hey hey, when will it start? We've been waiting all morning!"

A villager wearing civilian clothes who had been waiting here for a long time couldn't help but ask the Senju clansmen at the detention point. They didn't have the physique stronger than ordinary people like ninjas.

"It will naturally start when Lord Tobirama arrives."

The Senju clansman, who was in a bad mood, glared coldly at the villager who asked the question, and then explained with an expressionless face. You must know that the clansman who was injured this morning was his good friend.

"Hmph~ Who are you giving a cold face to..."

Facing the Senju clansman with a terrible attitude, the villager, who was an ordinary person, could only BB in a low voice on the side.

At this moment, it was noon. Under the scorching sun, everyone present couldn't help but feel a bit irritable. Just when everyone was frowning, a white-haired guy finally arrived late.

"Sorry, I just handled an emergency, kept you all waiting."

Senju Tobirama, wearing a loose robe, said sorry, but there was not a trace of apology on his face. Standing in front of the Senju detention point, he continued to speak to the ninja clans who were in low spirits in front of him.

"Konoha upholds the concept of peace and accepts any ninja clan and civilians who yearn for stability and harmony. Today, in order to show Konoha's sincerity, the Senju clan has decided to put down past hatreds and release the ninja clan prisoners who have been held in the family dungeon. I hope these people, after regaining their freedom, will not only hold gratitude toward the Senju clan, but also contribute their own strength to the future development and construction of Konoha!"

"Clap~ clap~ clap~"

"..."

As Senju Tobirama finished his opening remarks, sparse applause came from the crowd. The villagers who came to watch were mostly onlookers who didn't think it was a big deal, so they naturally didn't take the white-haired guy's words to heart.

And those ninja clans didn't have much of a good look on their faces either. Senju Tobirama's words seemed as if he was giving them charity. You must know that joining Konoha, these ninja clans were also taking the risk of clan extermination. Now the future was unclear, and everything was uncertain.

"Alright, the ceremony begins."

Not getting the tidal applause he had imagined, Senju Tobirama, who was unhappy in his heart, didn't show his dissatisfaction on his face, and then waved his hand at the clansmen behind him, signaling the start of the ceremony.

"Sarutobi clan, Sarutobi***"

Receiving Senju Tobirama's order, the Senju clansman responsible for managing the prisoners immediately walked up, opened the list in his hand, and shouted loudly. As his voice fell, a pale-faced man was dragged out with a hunched body, his hands shackled with heavy shackles, and his whole person was listless.

Although it looked like there were no external injuries on the surface, ninjas proficient in perception could see at a glance that the chaotic chakra in this man's body was clearly a sign of damaged meridians.

"Go, pick him up."

Coincidentally, Sarutobi Sasuke was a ninja proficient in perception. At the first glance at this clansman, he knew that this person was already considered useless. Even if he was cured, it would be difficult to have achievements in the future, but at least his life was saved, which could be considered an explanation to the clansmen.

"Shimura clan, Shimura***"

Next, as the prisoners of each ninja clan were released one by one, some positive comments about Senju's benevolence began to appear in the crowd, making Senju Tobirama's originally tight old face relax a little.

But just when everything was developing in a direction he thought was good, a commotion came from the crowd. Hearing a roar, Senju Tobirama's heart, which had just been put down, hung up again.

"What happened to my brother? Didn't they say he was just a bit weak before? Why has he become like this now!"

(End of chapter)