Chapter 282: That Curly-Haired Guy Is Actually Quite Nice

"Go right ahead, I still have that much authority, cousin."

Watching the glow of greatness radiating from Uchiha Gin's face, Uchiha Kagami was deeply moved; his cousin would always put the clan's interests first, no matter what. Such a loyal subject was truly a great blessing for 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. He secretly calculated how to teach these newly arrived ninja clans in the Hidden Leaf Village 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 send a prestigious clansman to accompany him to a negotiation."

Uchiha Gin, full of wicked schemes, turned to leave but was stopped by the voice of Uchiha Kagami, whose eyes held a thoughtful look. Kagami then informed his seemingly idle cousin of the notice received that morning.

"Huh?"

Prestigious? Tell me, which of those four characters 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, every member of the Uchiha clan, from top to bottom, was working around the clock; he really couldn't spare anyone to attend some negotiation. 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 walking into a trap.

"Uh, alright, when is it?"

It seemed he couldn't escape the fate of being a tool. Seeing his little cousin looking like he was about to be hollowed out, Uchiha Gin's heart softened, and 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 space out.

"Tomorrow afternoon."

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

Although the time was tight, if you squeeze, there will always be some.

After leaving the clan grounds, Uchiha Gin hurried to the dungeon where he had worked for many years. Looking at the gate that appeared slightly dilapidated before him, 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 sighing, a familiar voice came from inside the gate. Looking closely, it was his old friend Uchiha Tiedan.

"Brother Tiedan, are you on duty today?"

Ever since the Uchiha merged into the Hidden Leaf, only a few clansmen remained at the old clan grounds, responsible for patrol and security. As the former gatekeeper of the clan grounds, Uchiha Tiedan 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 the Hidden Leaf Village to wait for their clans to claim them."

Uchiha Tiedan, who was nearly fifty, had a hint of emotion on his somewhat 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 wore a look of realization. It was a good thing he had found his little cousin today; otherwise, if he had waited until tomorrow, he would have delayed a major event.

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

Thinking of this, Uchiha Gin nodded at Uchiha Tiedan with a smile and, amidst the other's puzzled expression, ducked into the pitch-black cell, disappearing at the end of the corridor.

"Sigh~ I really wronged Lord Gin back then. I wonder which bastard slandered him like that."

Watching the disappearing back of the man he once viewed as a monster, Uchiha Tiedan felt a wave of emotion and couldn't help but curse the rumor-monger.

Treading on the slightly uneven surface of the dungeon floor, with the remaining candlelight on the walls of the corridor casting a glow, and smelling the damp, cold air, Uchiha Gin walked straight to Cell No. 1, where the ninja clan criminals were held.

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

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

"Haha, I am about to regain my freedom! When that time comes, I will definitely make that hateful guy pay!"

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

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

"Stop! I'm being good, please spare me~"

"..."

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

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

Pushing open the dungeon gate, Uchiha Gin stood under the candlelight and raised an eyebrow, flashing a warm smile at the excited prisoners and greeting them enthusiastically.

"Hoo~ hoo~ hoo~"

As a result, with the appearance of Uchiha Gin, the dungeon that had just been bustling with noise instantly fell silent as if a silencing jutsu had been cast. All the prisoners covered themselves with their quilts and feigned sleep. For a moment, fake snoring rose and fell, as if the high-minded talk from just a moment ago had been an illusory dream.

"Tsk~ We're all so familiar with each other, now that we're about to part ways, is this act really necessary?"

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

"You guy, you still want to mess with us even as you're leaving?"

Hearing Uchiha Gin's "sincere" words, an old man with white hair mixed with a bit of brownish-yellow poked his head out from under the quilt, his face full of suspicion. He didn't believe for a second that this curly-haired guy had any good intentions coming here this time.

"Brother Zongichiro, you actually see me that way? Think about it, in all these years, have I ever mistreated you?"

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 hadn't tortured him into a wreck; instead, he looked quite spirited.

"Uh..."

Yamanaka Zongichiro, who had originally wanted to retort, was instantly struck dumb after meeting Uchiha Gin's sincere gaze. As a ninja skilled in using mental energy, although he was old, his memory was still quite good.

Looking at the hateful curly-haired man before 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, he saw Uchiha Gin looking puzzled, the green light on his hands not yet dissipated. From that day on, he began to have a different view of this seemingly hateful curly-haired man.

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

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

"Definitely, definitely~"

Watching the spirited little old man, Uchiha Gin smiled and exchanged pleasantries, while inwardly calculating how many steamed buns Yamanaka Zongichiro was worth.

After exchanging a few words with Yamanaka Zongichiro, he proceeded to walk toward the prisoners behind him, offering kind condolences along the way. This left these ninja clan ninjas, who were usually squeezed for their mental energy, filled with great suspicion, always feeling that this curly-haired man was brewing some kind of evil scheme.

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

When Uchiha Gin reached the last cell, before he could speak, the middle-aged man with black hair inside opened his eyes, frowned, and asked the question that was in everyone's mind in the dungeon.

"Brother Jin'er~ I remember you saying you have a nephew named Kenichi, right?"

Looking at the man with the sinister face before him, Uchiha Gin smiled broadly. This was a big client and had to be appeased properly. He then asked.

"What did you do to Kenichi?"

Shimura Jin'er, who had been cold and indifferent, became instantly nervous upon hearing the name Kenichi. His eyes widened, and he rushed to the cell door in excitement, staring fixedly at the mocking curly-haired man before him, asking through gritted teeth.

"Hey, Brother Jin'er, there is no ninja more loving than me. It just so happens that I ran into your 'nephew' a few days ago. He and his son really look a lot like you~"

Years ago, when Uchiha Gin was interrogating Shimura Jin'er, he had accidentally unearthed a little secret about this guy's private life after using genjutsu.

It turned out that Shimura Jin'er, this thick-browed and big-eyed guy, was actually having an affair with his sister-in-law, and they had secretly conceived a child named Shimura Kenichi.

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

Blindsided by the sudden good news, the usually cautious Shimura Jin'er paced back and forth in the cell in excitement after hearing that Shimura Kenichi had a son, muttering to himself excitedly.

"You've been beating around the bush for so long, just say what you have to say. As long as it's not too much, we can accept it."

However, seeing Uchiha Gin's awkward look, he calmed down. His brow was no longer as tightly knit 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're a bit strange usually, you're not a bad person. If there's really something, just say it. Being so secretive, aren't you treating us like outsiders?"

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

The food Uchiha Gin usually arranged was top-notch. As a great gourmet of the Akimichi clan, he hadn't suffered since he came in; on the contrary, he had even gained a bit of weight.

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

"Why are you being so polite with me?"

"..."

Seeing his good buddies in the dungeon supporting his work so much, Uchiha Gin sighed that good people are rewarded with good deeds, then smiled and said,

"Hehe, then I'll trouble you all to put in some effort during tomorrow's performance. The brothers in our dungeon have families waiting for rice to put in the pot~"

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

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

"Lord Gin, is that 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 in the fragrance of grass in the air, Yamanaka Zongichiro, who was about to regain his freedom, couldn't have been 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 as he looked 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 was also unsure, shook his head. If Uchiha Gin really wanted to harm them, he had plenty of opportunities 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~"

Satisfied as he watched the emotionally stable prisoners, Uchiha Gin mobilized them, then waved to the clansmen behind him.

"Let's go!"

On the other side, in the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Big brother, just now, a clansman was injured because a prisoner suddenly lashed out, and he is still in emergency care."

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 that they would be free soon?"

Not expecting such a mishap at this critical moment, the exhausted Senju Hashirama 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, still shaken, explained.

"Sigh~ what happened to that prisoner?"

Pinching his temple, Hashirama Senju asked with a headache, if the prisoner on the list suddenly died, he would have to waste more breath.

"His life has been saved, but his career as a ninja is likely over."

That violent prisoner, after injuring a clansman, had his hands severed by the Senju clansmen who arrived later, leaving him a cripple.

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

After a moment of thought, Hashirama Senju looked up and arranged for his younger brother with a touch of helplessness in his eyes.

"Understood."

As brothers who had spent many years together, Tobirama Senju naturally understood his older brother's implication; relieving his brother's burdens was his duty, so he nodded and turned to leave.

To highlight the sincerity of Konoha, Hashirama Senju specifically chose the most crowded center of the village as the venue for this prisoner handover ceremony.

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

Compared to the bustling Senju side, the Uchiha clan's detention point was somewhat deserted; after all, there were far more people coming to watch the spectacle than there were ninja clans coming to pick up their people.

And this was exactly the effect Tobirama Senju wanted; he hoped to use this opportunity to boost the reputation of the Senju clan among the commoners.

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

Because the prisoners had not yet arrived, the deserted Uchiha detention point was only guarded by a few clansmen who had previously served in the dungeon. Uchiha Jiro, with a face full of gossip, quietly recounted the incident that happened in the morning to Uchiha Lu Cha standing in front of him.

"I heard a prisoner caught someone off guard and ambushed a Senju family jailer, sending him straight to the emergency room on the spot. He himself was beaten until his limbs were broken and his hands were severed right there. Tsk tsk tsk, that scene, it was so thrilling~"

"Did he die?"

Uchiha Lu Cha was no longer the small jailer he once was; having succeeded to the position of Internal Affairs Elder, he now looked at things from a broader perspective. He turned his gaze toward the bustling Senju detention point and asked with a slight frown.

"He didn't die, but I heard he's become a fool."

He didn't die? The Senju clan is truly capable of forbearance. If this were in the past, let alone this prisoner, his entire family would likely have suffered a heavy blow.

"Have you handled the matter that Lord Gin arranged earlier?"

Hearing that no one had died, Uchiha Lu Cha felt a little disappointed and stopped asking. Instead, he changed the subject and asked if Uchiha Jiro had completed his task.

"It's done. I spent all night knocking on several tailor shops last night to rush the production of the banner that Brother Gin arranged."

Uchiha Jiro, looking a bit weary, nodded immediately to indicate that he had successfully completed the task.

"Good. Looking at the time, Lord Gin and the others should be arriving soon. Go hang the banner now; no one can overshadow our Uchiha clan!"

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

"Brothers, get to work!"

Hearing the order, Uchiha Jiro looked excited, 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, Sasuke Sarutobi led the members of the ninja clan alliance, waiting expectantly. They had received notice early and rushed over before dawn, just wanting to take their suffering clansmen back as soon as possible.

"Sasuke, why are we waiting here? My uncle is being held on the Uchiha side!"

In the crowd, Kenichi Shimura, looking indignant, couldn't help but complain to his friend. The Senju clan only held a few ordinary clansmen here, while his uncle, who had treated him like his own since he was young, was suffering inhumane torture on the Uchiha side.

"Tobirama Senju specifically instructed us to wait here, and Hashirama Senju 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."

Sasuke Sarutobi's eyes also held a trace of dissatisfaction at this moment. One had to know that Takinosuke Sarutobi was his former mentor; he heard that the other party had suffered severe mental trauma at the hands of the Uchiha clan, and he didn't know if he still remembered him as his disciple.

"Clan Leader Sarutobi, our clan's Elder Soichiro already had an old ailment before he was captured. Now that so many years have passed, he must be on the verge of death. I hope you can allow us to go to the Uchiha clan side first to bring the elder back so he can return to his roots."

A beautiful woman with long brown-yellow hair and blue-green eyes was full of worry. As a representative of the Yamanaka clan, she came this time specifically to bring back Soichiro Yamanaka, who had a very high reputation within the clan.

But now, wasting time on the Senju clan's side made her feel extremely tormented.

Hearing the request of the Yamanaka clan representative, the members of the ninja clan alliance turned their gazes in unison toward the representative they had put forward, hoping that Sasuke Sarutobi could speak for them.

"I'm sorry everyone, this is one of the conditions Konoha agreed to for releasing our clansmen; we must comply for now."

Sasuke Sarutobi, struggling in his heart, recalled the black-haired man who seemed gentle but had an intimidating aura during the negotiations. A sense of powerlessness welled up in his once-proud heart, and he lowered his head, explaining to his allies with a dejected expression.

"Hey, hey, hey, when is it starting? We've been waiting here 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 of 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. One had to know that the clansman who was injured this morning was his good friend.

"Hmph~ who are you giving attitude to?"

Facing the Senju clansman with a terrible attitude, the villager, being an ordinary person, could only mutter quietly on the side.

It was noon, and the crowd was feeling irritable under the scorching sun. Just as everyone was frowning, a white-haired man finally arrived late.

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

Tobirama Senju, dressed in a loose robe, said words of apology, 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.

"We in Konoha uphold the philosophy of peace and accept any ninja clan or civilian who yearns for stability and harmony. Today, to show Konoha's sincerity, the Senju clan has decided to put aside past hatreds and release the ninja clan prisoners who have been held in the family dungeon. I hope that after these people regain their freedom, they 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 Tobirama Senju finished his opening remarks, sparse applause broke out in the crowd. The villagers who came to watch were mostly onlookers who loved a spectacle and naturally didn't take the white-haired man's words to heart.

And those ninja clans didn't have much of a good expression on their faces either. Tobirama Senju's words sounded as if he were bestowing charity upon them. One had to know that by joining Konoha, their ninja clans were also taking the risk of annihilation; now the future was uncertain, and nothing was set in stone.

"Alright, the ceremony begins."

Not receiving the thunderous applause he had imagined, Tobirama Senju, feeling displeased, did not show his dissatisfaction on his face, and then waved to the clansmen behind him, signaling the start of the ceremony.

"Sarutobi clan, *** Sarutobi"

Receiving Tobirama Senju's order, the Senju clansman in charge of managing the prisoners immediately stepped forward, opened the list in his hand, and shouted loudly. As his voice fell, a pale-faced man was dragged out, hunched over, with heavy shackles on his hands, looking listless.

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

"Go, go pick him up."

As it happened, Sasuke Sarutobi was a ninja proficient in perception. The moment he saw this clansman, he knew that this person was already a cripple; even if cured, it would be difficult to achieve anything in the future. But at least his life was saved, which could be considered an explanation to the clan.

"Shimura clan, *** Shimura"

Next, as the prisoners of various ninja clans were released one by one, some positive comments about the Senju's benevolence began to appear in the crowd, causing Tobirama Senju's originally tense old face to relax slightly.

But just when he thought everything was moving in a good direction, a commotion broke out in the crowd. Hearing a roar, Tobirama Senju's heart, which had just settled, hung up again.

"What's going on with my brother? Didn't they say he was just a bit weak before? How did he end up like this now!"

(End of chapter)