Chapter 275: Hiruzen Sarutobi's Childhood Trauma

My name is Danzo Shimura, I am five years old this year, and my future was originally bright; my grandfather is the clan head, and my father is an elder. If nothing goes wrong, I will become the rising star of the Shimura clan, living a wonderful life of bullying others.

However, after meeting this detestable curly-haired person before me, my growth path, which had been planned out, underwent a world-shaking change.

"Waaah~ even my grandfather has never hit me like this~"

Lying on the ground with his butt stuck up, little Danzo raised his head in grievance. The dust on his face mixed with his tears, turning his entire face into a mess. Feeling the piercing pain coming from his backside, the five-year-old cried even louder.

"Huh, Danzo, why are you lying on the ground with your butt in the air?"

Just as little Danzo was streaming with tears and snot, a figure suddenly stood before him. The person asked in a very puzzled voice.

"Uh, Monkey, save me!"

Little Danzo, trapped in the greatest predicament of his life, saw the person through blurry eyes. His expression suddenly became agitated. He reached out a hand to grab the other's pant leg and said tremblingly.

"Huh? Did you do something stupid again?"

The person regarded by Danzo as a savior was also a little brat of similar age. However, compared to the emotionally unstable little Danzo, this brat called "Monkey" had a maturity in his eyes that did not belong to his age. Looking at his wailing childhood friend, he asked with a frown.

"No! That detestable curly-haired guy, as soon as he heard my name was Danzo, he started beating me like a madman. Waaah, my butt~"

"To dare to beat a child in the middle of the street like this, what kind of background does that guy have? Looking at it, even the Uchiha clan gives him a wide berth."

After slandering him in his heart, his gaze moved past the crying little Danzo to look at Gin Uchiha, who was currently debating with the crowd. The confusion in his eyes grew stronger. He then turned to look at the lean man standing behind him and asked cautiously.

"Father, do you know who that man is?"

"Strange, too strange. Judging by his aura, that man is only at the Captain level. Although Kenichi Shimura is not well-trained, he at least has the strength of an Elite Captain, yet he was beaten to the point of having no power to fight back."

The lean man looked at the eloquent Gin Uchiha in surprise. His perception was not bad, and he could accurately judge the other's strength. The gap between the Captain level and the Elite Captain level was like a chasm. This plain-looking curly-haired guy definitely had an extraordinary background.

"Hiruzen, we are going over, but remember, absolutely do not act like Danzo Shimura, without knowing the gravity of the situation."

Watching the Shimura father and son in their predicament, the lean man sighed. After instructing his son, he walked toward Gin Uchiha.

The Sarutobi clan and the Shimura clan had been unbreakable allies for many years, and this time they had even come to the Hidden Leaf Village as a group for an inspection. If he continued to stand by and watch, he would only become a laughingstock for the other ninja clans.

"No! This detestable curly-haired guy must give our Shimura clan an explanation."

Before he even got close, the man heard Kenichi Shimura's raspy voice, which made him frown involuntarily.

This is the territory of the Senju and Uchiha; does this guy Kenichi Shimura even have a brain?

"Kenichi, shouting like this in the street, sounding like a shrew, is truly a disgrace to the Shimura clan's reputation."

The lean man walked to the side of Gin Uchiha and the others, and in a deep voice, warned his relatively close ally.

"Sasuke? You came just in time, hurry and help me deal with this detestable curly-haired guy!"

Kenichi Shimura, who was at a disadvantage, heard a familiar voice. He turned his head in surprise, looked at the cold-faced Sasuke Sarutobi, and greeted him with a laugh.

"Sasuke? Where?"

Gin Uchiha, who was originally immersed in the joy of having his revenge, suddenly heard a name he was all too familiar with. His eyes lit up immediately, and he began to search all around, leaving everyone present completely confused.

"Hello, I am Sasuke Sarutobi. I wonder what your honorable name is."

The lean man was also full of confusion. Why did this curly-haired guy have such an excited expression after hearing his name? He subconsciously touched his butt, a strange look appearing in his eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he introduced himself.

"Hi, so it's Li Gui—no, it seems this guy is the real Li Kui~"

Looking at the lean man with some familiarity in his features, Gin Uchiha curled his lips and slandered him a few times in his heart. Then he raised his head, revealed a very warm and friendly smile, and replied to the vigilant Sasuke Sarutobi.

"Hello, hello, my name is Gin Uchiha, just an ordinary Uchiha clansman~"

"Huh?" *4

The two adults and two children from the Sarutobi and Shimura clans all wore expressions of disbelief after hearing Gin Uchiha's self-introduction. Eight eyes stared straight at the fluffy curly hair on top of Gin Uchiha's head, and questioning voices lingered in their throats.

"What, don't I look like one?"

Facing the questioning gazes of the four, Gin Uchiha opened his dead-fish eyes, which were narrowed into slits. Although the scarlet light flashed by, it was seen clearly by these people, and they instantly swallowed their questioning voices back into their stomachs.

"Apologies, Kenichi was abrupt."

The madness of the Uchiha clan had long been famous in the Land of Fire. Even though Sasuke Sarutobi was very confident in his own strength, he did not want to provoke an Uchiha clansman who was smiling so brightly. Who knew if this guy had some major psychological illness?

"Kenichi, apologize to this gentleman of the Uchiha clan at once!"

Sasuke Sarutobi turned around, looked at his indignant friend, his eyes full of threats. He stared fixedly at Kenichi Shimura's eyes and urged him coldly.

"Why... Fine... Fine."

Never expecting that both he and his son would be beaten and that they would end up having to apologize, Kenichi Shimura, who had never suffered such grievances, stiffened his neck in a posture of stubborn resistance.

However, when he saw Sasuke Sarutobi in front of him wearing an expression like a demon, his heart skipped a beat, and his arrogant aura was instantly extinguished. Like a wronged little wife, he walked up to Gin Uchiha with a grievance-filled face, lowered his head, and said in a low voice.

"I'm sorry, I was the one at fault first, please forgive me!"

"It is a great virtue to correct one's mistakes, so I will forgive you~"

Gin Uchiha raised his eyebrows. Watching Kenichi Shimura cave in instantly, he took a rather surprised look at Sasuke Sarutobi, who was supervising from behind. He did not expect that this ninja, who left a name in the original story, would have such high prestige within the Shimura clan.

"Sasuke Sarutobi, is that little guy who looks like he has a lot of schemes your son? I wonder what his name is?"

After exchanging a glance with Sasuke Sarutobi, the goodwill released from the other's eyes left Gin Uchiha puzzled for a moment. He then looked at the other brat who was comforting the crying Danzo, a playful look flashing in his eyes, and asked while pointing at that child.

"Cough, cough, cough... I don't know, does the name Hiruzen fit the rules?"

Sasuke Sarutobi, who was brewing in his heart how to communicate with the mysterious Uchiha in front of him, suddenly heard the other ask about his son. In a moment of confusion, he recalled Danzo Shimura, who had just been humiliated in the street.

The curly-haired guy in front of him had beaten the butt of that kid Danzo to a pulp just because of a name. Although the damage was not great, the insult was extremely strong. Thinking of this, his heart tightened, and after coughing a few times, he asked cautiously.

"So you're the one called Hiruzen?"

Hearing a familiar name again, Gin Uchiha's joy overflowed once more. The next moment, he used a Body Flicker to appear in front of the two brats. Looking at the kid who was helping the miserable little Danzo pull up his pants, he asked with a smile.

"So fast!"

Never expecting that just after he finished speaking, the Gin Uchiha in front of him would instantly disappear, the shocked Sasuke Sarutobi hurriedly looked around, only to find that the other was already standing in front of his son, bending down with a smiling face, not knowing what he was saying.

"Ouch~ Monkey, be gentle, you touched my butt!"

Just as he was disdainfully helping his immobile childhood friend pull up his pants, a tall figure suddenly appeared in front of them. When Danzo Shimura saw the person, he was so scared he trembled, and his hand gripping the waistband went limp. The pants that Hiruzen Sarutobi had just helped him pull up instantly fell down.

The red-to-the-point-of-raw butt was once again exposed to the cold air, but as the owner of the butt, little Danzo did not dare to move at all, for fear that any inappropriate behavior would anger the curly-haired demon in front of him again.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Hiruzen Sarutobi, please take care of me."

Compared to the nervous Danzo Shimura, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had not yet witnessed the vicious methods of Gin Uchiha, introduced himself with a normal expression. His eyes flickered with an inexplicable light, but there was no fear.

As the son of the Sarutobi clan head, he believed that if the other treated him the same way he treated Danzo, his father would definitely strike him down at the first opportunity.

"Tsk! The little guy has some guts. Come, Uncle will treat you to some candy~"

Never expecting that little Hiruzen Sarutobi would have the courage to face him, Gin Uchiha raised an eyebrow and smiled even more brightly. After praising him, he casually fished a lollipop out of his bag and handed it over.

"Uh... thank you, Uncle."

Looking at the candy handed over by Gin Uchiha, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help but feel a bit proud. He glanced at the miserable Danzo Shimura beside him and reached out to take the lollipop. Smelling the charming, sweet scent of the candy, he subconsciously swallowed his saliva.

"Gulp~"

Hearing the sound of someone swallowing, Hiruzen Sarutobi subconsciously pursed his lips, only to find that the swallowing sound was not made by him. As he turned his head to look at the source of the sound,

"Monkey, you will regret this!"

They were both children, so why the differential treatment? The cunning guy Monkey got candy to eat, while he had to be severely tortured. Indignant in his heart, Danzo Shimura looked at the candy exuding a charming aura in Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand, wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth, and warned him loudly.

"Only good children get candy, I am the good child~"

Feeling the visible jealousy in his childhood friend's eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a contemptuous smile. Then he tore open the candy wrapper and, amidst the other's murderous gaze, stuffed the entire lollipop into his mouth, simultaneously making a slurping sound, which made the little Danzo, who could not have it, itch with anger. He secretly made a mental note of this debt.

"Is it delicious?"

Gin Uchiha watched the scene of the brothers turning against each other with a smile, and asked meaningfully.

"Slurp~ slurp~ it's delicious!"

No matter how many schemes he had, Hiruzen Sarutobi was only a five-year-old child, and he was easily taken down by the sugar-coated bullet.

"Is this brat called Danzo your good brother?"

Rubbing his chin, Gin Uchiha pointed at Danzo Shimura, who was bare-bottomed beside him, and asked.

"Slurp~ Danzo, huh? Slurp~ we two grew up wearing the same pair of pants, slurp~ good friends~"

Immersed in the gentle land of candy, Hiruzen Sarutobi, having let down his guard, answered on his own, not noticing the restless amusement in the other's eyes.

"Hehe, since you grew up wearing the same pair of pants, he has already taken his off, so why are you still wearing yours?"

Gin Uchiha let out a strange laugh. As the target, Hiruzen Sarutobi had not yet swallowed the sweetness in his mouth when he felt a chill at his crotch. The sudden change left him stunned, not knowing how to respond.

"Whew~ such a small bird, I hope the bird is okay~"

As the culprit, Gin Uchiha looked at the little bird at Hiruzen Sarutobi's crotch with a teasing expression. After evaluating it, he reached out his evil hand.

A faint blue light appeared in Gin Uchiha's hand. With a flick of his finger, a sharp gust of wind shot out. The moment before it reached the designated target, the wind split into several strands and mercilessly initiated a fatal strike.

"Ah? Ah! Ah~ ah~~"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who suffered the strike, swore that this was the most shameful moment of his life. He wanted to dodge, but found that he could not move his body at all. He could only stand in place and accept the baptism of humiliation, the pain mixed with an inexplicable pleasure that made him unable to help but cry out.

"Do not hurt my son!"

Sasuke Sarutobi, who was on the side, exploded instantly upon hearing his beloved son's wail. His eyes stared straight at Gin Uchiha's back, and his hands began to move rapidly. In an instant, a scorching aura permeated the field.

"Hi, I was just teasing the bird, don't be so hot-headed~"

Feeling the astonishing heat behind him, Gin Uchiha raised an eyebrow and explained, but his hands continued to move, flicking the bewildered Hiruzen Sarutobi until he was howling, which made Danzo on the side feel great satisfaction.

"Sasuke Sarutobi, what do you want to do?"

For such a small scene, Gin Uchiha did not even need to act. Huohe Uchiha, who was watching the show on the side, brought his subordinates and surrounded Sasuke Sarutobi, who was brewing a mouthful of fire-attribute chakra. Several scarlet Sharingan stared coldly at him, and the cold, obscure aura made his scalp tingle.

"Is this your Hidden Leaf Village's way of treating guests?"

Sasuke Sarutobi, being stared at by several Three-Tomoe, finally gritted his teeth and swallowed the flames in his throat. He frowned and accused them loudly.

"Guests? I'm afraid you aren't qualified enough!"

Before Huohe Uchiha could speak, a gloomy-eyed hedgehog-haired boy following him spoke first. His scarlet eyes carried thick disdain.

"See clearly, this is the territory of our Uchiha clan. A mere Sarutobi is not qualified to call himself a guest."

Whew~ this kid seems to be the offspring of brother Liuying, what was his name, Setsuna, right?

What Gin Uchiha did not expect was that at this point in time, there were still clansmen so brave to say such things. If it were spread by someone with ulterior motives, they would probably be hung up and whipped by the Senju brothers.

"Setsuna, watch your tongue."

As the captain, Uchiha Hihori glanced at Uchiha Setsuna beside him, a flash of dissatisfaction crossing his eyes. After a cold warning, he turned his head to look at the vigilant Sasuke Sarutobi and spoke,

"Do not be agitated; I believe Lord Gin is not the type of person to bully a child."

"Wuwuwu~ Father, save me! My little bird is about to explode~"

Unexpectedly, just as Uchiha Hihori finished speaking, the wailing voice of Hiruzen Sarutobi reached everyone's ears, causing Sasuke Sarutobi's face, which had just calmed down, to instantly turn a bronze-blue. His wide-eyed gaze was filled with fury.

"Is this what you call 'not that type of person'?"

"There must be some misunderstanding. Lord Gin is usually very kind to others, respectful to the elderly, and gentle to the young; he is proficient in all things."

"Ha! Ha! Ha~ Cry louder for me! Did you not eat today?"

"."

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Hearing Uchiha Gin's strange laughter, Sasuke Sarutobi, whose expression was gloomy to the extreme, could no longer suppress the rage in his heart. He bit his finger, smeared blood on his palm, and quickly performed several hand seals before slamming his hand onto the ground. As a mysterious spell formation appeared on the ground, a furry, large hand reached out from the smoke that appeared out of thin air, and a sharp voice sounded simultaneously,

"Sasuke, who is the enemy this time?"

"Enma, help me—"

Having summoned Enma, Sasuke Sarutobi felt a surge of confidence. With Enma cooperating with him, he would not even be afraid of the legendary Hashirama Senju.

Enma: I never said that.

Just as he was preparing to issue further orders, a curly-haired figure suddenly appeared, blocking the space between Enma and him, causing his command to die in the cradle.

The aura of space-time power behind him finally made Uchiha Gin stop the "chicken-beating" in his hands. After turning around and sizing up Enma, who was wearing a tiger-skin skirt and whose fur was so smooth it was outrageous, he excitedly used a Body Flicker technique to appear before the summoning beast. With a look of wonder in his eyes, he asked with a clicking sound of his tongue,

"Tsk~ Do you guys have a Holy Land too?"

"Holy Land? Never heard of it."

The newly arrived Enma, faced with Uchiha Gin's questioning, answered subconsciously.

It seems the Enma clan does not have a Holy Land like Mount Myoboku.

"Then where is your hometown?"

Uchiha Gin, unwilling to give up, insisted on getting to the bottom of it.

"Strange human, even if you knew, you couldn't go there. Our boss hates humans very much."

Facing the persistent Uchiha Gin, Enma flicked his tail behind him, furrowed his fur-covered brows, and explained,

"Tell me about it. I just want to know what kind of paradise it is that could make your fur so smooth~"

"Nonsense. Our hometown is on Flower Fruit Mountain, you—"

"Enma! Don't be fooled by him, the enemy is him!"

Watching the Enma he had worked so hard to summon being "stolen" by Uchiha Gin, Sasuke Sarutobi was instantly furious. He shouted "Enma" and informed his not-so-bright summoning beast of Uchiha Gin's true identity.

"Uh... as the Boss said, humans are all despicable!"

Hearing Sasuke Sarutobi's warning, Enma's expression instantly turned ugly. He pointed at Uchiha Gin's nose and began to berate him.

"But Sasuke Sarutobi is also a human!"

Caught in the crossfire, Uchiha Gin scratched his head in embarrassment. He glanced at Sasuke Sarutobi, who was ready to strike not far away, and asked with a strange tone,

"Huh? Isn't Sasuke a monkey?"

Fine, fine. So the reason your Sarutobi clan can sign contracts with the Enma clan is entirely due to atavism?

"Brother Hihori, hurry up and take that guy down. I saw him coming out of Tobirama Senju's office a few days ago, looking like they were having a pleasant conversation. We must capture him for interrogation!"

Uchiha Setsuna, who was not at peace, quietly approached Uchiha Hihori and whispered the intelligence he knew, the coldness in his eyes even more intense than before.

"Setsuna, you talk too much. When I return, I will report this matter to the Clan Head."

He did not expect that even after his warning, this kid Uchiha Setsuna would still not give up. This caused Uchiha Hihori, who already had grievances against him, to lower his impression of him even further.

"Captain Hihori! I said that all for the sake of the Uchiha clan!"

"Enma, get ready to cause a scene!"

Even a clay figure has a temper. Seeing that the Uchiha security team was intentionally favoring the curly-haired Uchiha before him, Sasuke Sarutobi steeled his heart, waved his hand to signal Enma, and prepared to go to war with the other side.

"Everyone, stop!"

Just as both sides were at daggers drawn, a white-haired figure descended from the sky, landing between the security team and Sasuke Sarutobi. Tobirama Senju's scarlet eyes released a heavy pressure, leaving both sides unable to catch their breath for a moment. As everyone's momentum collapsed, this battle that had yet to begin was brought to an early curtain.

"What happened? Why are you resorting to violence?"

Seeing that both sides had calmed down, a displeased Tobirama Senju asked the vigilant Sasuke Sarutobi,

"Lord Tobirama, it's all this curly-haired guy's fault..."

Seeing that his backer had arrived, Sasuke Sarutobi straightened his back, waved his hand, and pointed at Uchiha Gin, who was crouching not far away with green light glowing intensely in his hands, and accused him,

"Are you saying Uchiha Gin is bullying your child?"

After Sasuke Sarutobi's retelling—without adding oil or vinegar—Tobirama Senju's expression became extremely strange. Watching Uchiha Gin, who was clapping his hands in satisfaction, he confirmed again,

"That's right! He made Kenichi's son's butt bloom, and also my son's little bird... Lord Tobirama, you must uphold justice for us~"

Sasuke Sarutobi, feeling very aggrieved, wanted Tobirama Senju to punish that hateful curly-haired guy properly, preferably by hanging him up to spank his butt while flicking his little bird.

"Uchiha Gin, is what they said true?"

Beckoning to Uchiha Gin, Tobirama Senju looked at the smug curly-haired man, frowned, and asked,

"Hi~ You know, I just like playing with children. If you don't believe me, ask Hihori and the others. I adopted a five-year-old child before, and we played every day. It was much more varied than this; I'm already used to it~"

"Say that again. I didn't hear you clearly."

(End of chapter)