Chapter 284: Today, Another Day Full of Hope

"What are you trying to do?"

In the dim backstage, the jailer's silhouette stood against the light, making his features impossible to discern; only a head of fluffy, curly hair shimmered under the illumination. Feeling uneasy and suspicious, Yamanaka Soichiro clutched his collar tightly with one hand while covering his rear with the other, his voice laced with a trace of fear.

There was only him in this room now, and his former cellmates were all kept behind. If something "colorful" were to happen here, no one would ever know.

"Hey~ Brother Soichiro, you wouldn't want to appear before everyone looking this disheveled, would you?"

Walking slowly into the backstage area, the wood clone responsible for guarding the prisoners smiled with a mocking air. Seeing Yamanaka Soichiro looking extremely nervous, he immediately offered some words of comfort.

"Phew~ It's good you're so thoughtful, kid. This outfit really doesn't fit well."

Hearing Uchiha Gin's explanation, Yamanaka Soichiro finally let out a sigh of relief. He looked down at his prison uniform, which had been washed until it turned white. Although the material was excellent and it felt comfortable against his skin, wearing it out would certainly be undignified.

"Yes, yes, yes. Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and take it off. Your family members are waiting anxiously outside~"

With his mind at ease, Yamanaka Soichiro didn't suspect a thing and shattered his clothes into pieces. His belly, which had grown quite plump from being well-fed over the years, was instantly exposed to the air.

"And the underwear, take that off too~"

Uchiha Gin, standing to the side, smiled in a very eerie way, causing Yamanaka Soichiro to hesitate as his hand gripped his underwear.

"Is that really necessary? I only just changed into these this morning."

"Hey! Once we go out, we can't bring anything from the prison with us. It's very bad luck."

Uchiha Gin immediately explained with a straight face, making it sound perfectly reasonable.

Things from the prison are bad luck.

"Alright, we're all grown men anyway~"

Feeling that Uchiha Gin's explanation was logical, Yamanaka Soichiro nodded and tore away his final line of defense. The brand-new underwear turned into snowflakes and scattered onto the cold floor.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Brother Soichiro, you've still got it~"

Yamanaka Soichiro stood with his hands on his hips, and after hearing Uchiha Gin's exclamation, he smiled proudly, even deliberately thrusting his waist forward to highlight that he was old but still sharp.

"Click~ Click~ Yes, just like that. Give me a few more poses; this is for the recruitment poster~"

Just as Yamanaka Soichiro was waiting for the new clothes the other party had prepared, a series of clicking sounds suddenly rang in his ears. Confused, he opened his eyes to see a flash of white light crackling. Uchiha Gin, holding a camera, was taking photos of him from every angle at high speed.

"You!!! What are you trying to do!"

Realizing the situation was dire, Yamanaka Soichiro immediately covered his three private points, his old face turning beet red as he roared angrily at Uchiha Gin, the culprit behind it all.

"Sorry, Brother Soichiro. My brothers need to eat too. What you can wear when you go out later all depends on those juniors of yours in your family~"

After finishing the photos, Uchiha Gin lowered the camera and looked at the shamed and furious Yamanaka Soichiro with an "apologetic" face, his tone filled with deep helplessness.

"Don't you leave! Give me back the photos!!!"

Stark naked, Yamanaka Soichiro could only watch Uchiha Gin's retreating back, standing alone in the cold backstage room, shivering and hoping that his family's juniors would at least add a pair of underwear for him.

On the stage outside, Uchiha Gin, who was communicating with the female representative of the Yamanaka clan, took a stack of photos handed to him by the wood clone with his head bowed. He glanced through them, and the smile that curled at the corner of his mouth made Yamanaka Minako, who was standing before him, feel a chill in her heart.

"Not bad. As expected of me, this photography skill—even Brother Edison couldn't compare~"

"Ms. Yamanaka, before the auction, please take a look at our product information. We Uchiha pride ourselves on being honest and authentic."

After browsing through the photos in his hand, Uchiha Gin looked at the suspicious and uneasy Yamanaka Minako and randomly pulled out two that weren't too explosive, handing them over.

"Is it this complicated? Just exchange the money for the person. Let me see these... these... these... Ah!!!!"

Confusedly taking the photos handed to her, Yamanaka Minako, feeling extremely anxious, furrowed her delicate brows. She only wanted to take the person back as soon as possible. As she grumbled, her beautiful eyes subconsciously fell onto the photos in her hand, causing her fair face to instantly flush with blood. Waves of heat rose to her head, and she couldn't help but let out a cry of surprise.

"Minako, what happened?"

As part of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Akimichi Shinji immediately leaned over upon hearing Yamanaka Minako's cry, wanting to ask what exactly she had seen.

"Nothing! It's nothing..."

Holding the photos, Yamanaka Minako, after a brief moment of mental buffering, saw the round figure approaching from afar and subconsciously covered the photos in her hand. Her eyes became shifty, leaving the rushing Akimichi Shinji feeling confused.

"What is that?"

They say small eyes are sharp; Akimichi Shinji's puzzled little eyes immediately spotted the photo Yamanaka Minako was pressing against her chest, so he asked in confusion.

"..."

"That is a record of the current situation of the Yamanaka clan's prisoner. I'm just giving Ms. Yamanaka a heads-up in advance, otherwise, I'm afraid she might not be able to handle it when the prisoner comes out later~"

Compared to the silent and speechless Yamanaka Minako, Uchiha Gin, acting as the host, thoughtfully explained.

"You are actually this despicable!"

Thinking that what the other party had produced were photos recording the prisoner covered in blood after being tortured, and that the Uchiha clan was trying to use this method to force them to pay to redeem the person, Akimichi Shinji erupted with an astonishing aura. His wide robes fluttered without wind, and his palms condensed with thick Yang Release power, as if he were about to explode at any moment.

Among the onlookers below the stage, upon sensing the chakra erupting from Akimichi Shinji, Hashirama Senju felt a tightness in his chest and immediately clapped his hands together. Thick Wood Release power condensed rapidly, but an arm blocked him, causing his movements to stall.

"Big Brother! Don't be impulsive, there are ordinary people here."

With a solemn expression, Tobirama Senju blocked his brother with one hand while forming hand seals with the other, ready to raise his finger at any moment. With so many villagers watching, if his brother didn't hold back his strength, wouldn't he destroy the village they had worked so hard to build? They still owed a huge loan to the Land of Waves that hadn't been repaid yet.

Facing Akimichi Shinji's threatening hand, Uchiha Gin was not panicked at all; he was even somewhat expectant. If the other party really made a move, then what he would be filming later wouldn't just be photos.

"Stop! Shinji, this is a matter for our Yamanaka clan."

Just as Akimichi Shinji was about to strike, a tall figure blocked his path. Yamanaka Minako, with a fluctuating expression, stopped him with a cold face, then turned to look at the smiling Uchiha Gin and said,

"Uchiha Gin, is it? Start your auction. Our Yamanaka clan will certainly give it our all."

"Alright, I like straightforward customers like you. Where was I just now?"

Although it was a pity that no conflict occurred, it didn't affect Uchiha Gin's path to making money.

"You said something about guaranteeing the original photos and original goods..."

With her mind still full of the content of those two photos, Yamanaka Minako's face carried a hint of a flush. Her blue-green eyes stared fixedly at the handsome curly-haired man in front of her, and she spoke with strange emotions.

Just now, when Uchiha Gin was communicating with Yamanaka Minako, he informed her that although the prisoner only cost 2 million, if she only paid 2 million, it would only guarantee 100% original photos and original goods.

"The original photos and original goods you mentioned—is this what you meant?"

Yamanaka Minako, cursing the Uchiha in front of her for being despicable, asked with a tense face.

"That's right, it's guaranteed to be real~"

"To humiliate our Yamanaka clan like this, what exactly is your goal!"

Not expecting the other party to admit it so generously, Yamanaka Minako's chest heaved with anger, and two fair, rounded mounds were about to pop out, causing Uchiha Gin to subconsciously look away.

"We Uchiha treat every prisoner equally; it's not targeted at your Yamanaka clan."

Uchiha Gin, his eyes shifting, locked his gaze on her face and explained sincerely.

"What exactly do you want to do?"

If it were just simple humiliation, this hateful curly-haired man could have just dragged the naked Elder Soichiro out and let her face the ridicule of the surrounding people. Why waste his breath here? Furrowing her brows, Yamanaka Minako spoke again, her tone carrying a hint of compromise.

"Hehe, my lady, you wouldn't want your elder to become a 'bird-flasher' in front of the public, would you~"

Seeing this beautiful woman from the Yamanaka clan with her head bowed and chest hunched, looking like she was at his mercy, Uchiha Gin was instantly thrilled. He leaned down and whispered slowly into her delicate earlobe.

"No! I'll agree to anything you want!"

Bewitched by the devilish whisper, Yamanaka Minako's eyes were filled with panic. Her usual ruthlessness and decisiveness vanished completely. Her trembling hands clutched Uchiha Gin's sleeve tightly, looking exactly like a virtuous housewife about to be taken advantage of.

"Uh, don't be like this. I'm a decent person."

Suddenly feeling several gazes from the crowd that felt like needles pricking his back, Uchiha Gin immediately shook off her soft hand righteously, his dead fish eyes filled with clarity and purity, as if one could see holy light emerging behind him.

"Huh?"

Yamanaka Minako, who had almost fallen for it, sobered up upon hearing this. Her beautiful face turned red as blood, and the look in her eyes as she gazed at Uchiha Gin carried some inexplicable meaning.

"Ahem, ahem... if you don't want Brother Soichiro to come out 'clean and innocent,' you'll have to pay to win."

Waving his hand to disperse the somewhat romantic atmosphere, he explained the rules to the strangely-faced Yamanaka Minako.

"Pay to win?"

Yamanaka Minako, who had never heard this term, raised her beautiful brows and asked in confusion.

"168, 00, one draw is only 168, 00. If you get it in one shot, you can take the high-end fashion home immediately~"

Uchiha Gin stood up straight, jumped back to the center of the stage, and shouted loudly while holding the microphone.

"Do you want your family's hero to return to the ninja world in a magnificent style?"

"Do you want your elders, who have worked hard for most of their lives, to experience a rebirth-like transformation in their old age?"

"Think about the love and guidance they once gave you. What are you still hesitating for?"

"For only 168, 00, you can have exquisite clothing personally crafted by the most trendy fashion designer in the Land of Waves, ready to wear immediately!"

"What does that mean? Wasn't it an auction for prisoners? How did it turn into selling clothes?"

The onlookers, unaware of the truth, were left confused by Uchiha Gin's sudden advertisement and asked curiously.

"What exactly is that Uchiha doing? 2 million for a person, and then you have to pay another 168, 00 to buy clothes?"

In the crowd, a bewildered Shimura Kenichi couldn't help but nudge Sarutobi Sasuke beside him, asking his friend with a frown.

"I don't know either. Let's see how Minako handles it."

Sarutobi Sasuke also didn't understand what kind of trick Uchiha Gin was pulling, but since the Yamanaka clan was the one trading, they, the ninja clans, should just wait and see for now.

"I'll draw! I'll draw right now!"

Knowing the ropes, Yamanaka Minako raised her hand impatiently and shouted in a sweet voice that she wanted to pay to win, leaving the crowd of onlookers confused.

"Uh... Minako actually agreed. Could those clothes really be that magnificent?"

Having expected the headstrong Yamanaka Minako to flip the table, they never thought she would agree to pay for such a strange service, which left the members of the Ninja Clan Alliance who were familiar with her personality stunned.

"Don't rush, bring the machine up~"

Seeing the other party being so cooperative, Uchiha Gin smiled and waved his hand. The jailers behind him cooperated by pushing out a large screen from backstage and placing it in the center of the stage. The screen, filled with a sense of technology that didn't belong to this era, immediately sparked intense discussion among the audience once it appeared.

"Tobirama, what is that thing?"

Hashirama Senju, with a curious face, stood on his tiptoes, wanting to get a closer look. Unable to figure it out after a long time, he couldn't help but ask his brother, the technology expert.

"I don't know either~"

In the Land of Fire at this time, the technology tree for electrical appliances had not yet been lit, so naturally, they didn't know what the object in front of them was.

Satisfied as he watched the astonished expressions of the crowd below, Uchiha Gin waved his hand and channeled chakra into it. The dim screen lit up instantly, and accompanied by a hypnotic BGM, a gacha interface unique to mobile games appeared on the screen.

On the screen, a sweet-looking two-dimensional girl was greeting everyone enthusiastically, her soft and crisp voice making the crowd feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

"Today is another day full of hope~"

"168, 00 is just the price for one draw. The prizes are exquisite outfits sponsored by the Land of Water. Although winning is based on probability, if your luck is off the charts, it's not impossible to hit the jackpot on the first try~"

Uchiha Gin smiled as he opened the prize pool, generously making the winning rates public.

"There's actually a 16% grand prize rate, that's very conscientious!"

Looking at the bright 16% displayed above, the onlookers couldn't help but exclaim, "A conscientious game, I want to play!"

"Give me one draw first!"

Yamanaka Minako narrowed her beautiful eyes, carefully browsed the prize pool, and immediately tossed out a wallet, indicating she wanted to try one draw.

"One draw? Are you sure?"

Taking the wallet thrown by the other party, which still held a lingering warmth, and opening it to release a faint fragrance, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and asked to confirm.

"Hmph~ My luck is famously good!"

Hearing Yamanaka Minako give a coquettish snort, she exposed her status as a true "lucky emperor."

"Alright then, I hope you get a miracle on a single draw, but I'll tell you in advance, our ten-draws have a guaranteed pity system."

It is hard to dissuade a fool determined to throw away money. Seeing Yamanaka Minako so stubborn, Uchiha Gin stopped blocking her. After offering a blessing, he put away the wallet that still held her body heat; in any case, it wouldn't be long before this wallet belonged to him.

"How do I draw?"

Striding with her long legs, Yamanaka Minako leaped onto the stage. Looking at the screen full of high-tech aesthetics, she didn't know how to start.

"Just draw on Celia's face~"

Uchiha Gin, who was busy counting money with his head down, pointed casually at the sweet-smiling girl in the red dress on the screen and instructed.

"Huh? You really are a pervert~"

Not expecting the drawing method to be so bizarre, Yamanaka Minako curled her lips, extended her soft hand, and slapped the screen.

"Ah~~"

Hearing a blush-inducing, heart-pounding moan, everyone present stood on tiptoe in curiosity. Those in the front row were fine and could see the big screen clearly, while those in the back who couldn't see were scratching their ears and cheeks in frustration.

"Wood Clone Jutsu!"

Hashirama Senju, feeling just as restless, ignored his brother's objections. He pressed his hands together, controlled his strength, and a wooden figure several meters tall appeared on the spot. He pulled Tobirama Senju up to stand on the head of the wooden figure, and the brothers stared intently at the screen shining with blue light, wanting to witness the birth of a lucky emperor.

"Expansion Jutsu!"

Similarly, the late-arriving Ninja Alliance could not see the drawing process. Fortunately, Choji Akimichi had just returned to the team. Seeing this round man form hand seals and shout, his entire body instantly expanded by several meters. The others jumped onto his massive frame in tacit understanding to look at the screen on the stage.

Accompanied by a dazzling blue light, Uchiha Gin, as the developer, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. It's just blue; keep topping up for me!

"Ding~ Congratulations on obtaining Random Clothing Fragment *1."

Yamanaka Minako, who had been full of confidence, saw the prize pop up on the screen and frowned so hard she could have crushed a cow. She immediately clicked on the prize description.

【Random Clothing Fragment: After collecting 40 pieces, you can synthesize a random outfit.】

"40 pieces? 168, 00 * 40 is less than 7 million. Your prize pool is nothing special~"

After calculating with the formula, Yamanaka Minako's tightly knit brows slowly relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face. She then looked up and gave a provocative eyebrow raise to Uchiha Gin, who looked "as miserable as if he were mourning his parents."

"Sigh~ I've lost so much I can only take the bus now~"

Uchiha Gin put on a sorrowful expression, his eyes filled with a hint of pleading.

Please stop topping up; if you keep topping up, I'll lose so much I'll be forced to become the richest person.

"Give me ten draws directly!"

Yamanaka Minako, full of confidence, waved her hand heroically. The aura of a wealthy tycoon overflowed, stinging Uchiha Gin into shedding "moved" tears.

"Ah~~~"

She drew ten times in a row at the sweet smiling face on the screen. The screen suddenly burst into colorful light. When the light faded, the smug Yamanaka Minako's smile instantly stiffened.

"Ding~ Congratulations on obtaining Random Clothing Fragment *2."

"Ding~ Congratulations on obtaining Random Shoe Fragment *1."

"Ding~ Congratulations on obtaining Random Underwear Fragment *2."

"Ding~ Congratulations..."

"What do you mean? You sell clothes in pieces?"

Looking at the pile of fragments for different parts in front of her, Yamanaka Minako, burning with anxiety, almost fainted. She tremblingly reached out, pointed at the evil developer, and angrily condemned him.

"Hey~ those are outfits made by famous masters. Every part is designed by a different master, so they definitely have to be sold separately~"

Uchiha Gin immediately spread his hands, indicating that this is how Uchiha Clothing works—take it or leave it.

"Fine, fine, fine~ Then what about my pity? Didn't you say there was a pity system!"

Feeling she had been tricked, Yamanaka Minako remembered the ten-draw pity mentioned earlier. Feeling indignant, she gritted her teeth and asked.

"Isn't there a pity gift box? Just open it~"

The understanding Uchiha Gin pointed to the sparkling treasure box in the corner and said with a smile.

"The pity won't be fragments too, right?"

Yamanaka Minako, with a look of suspicion on her face, left her outstretched hand hanging in mid-air. She turned her head to look at Uchiha Gin and asked to confirm again.

"No, no, no, the pity gift box is definitely a finished product, and it's a limited edition, too~"

Not expecting his conscientious card-drawing system to be questioned, Uchiha Gin wore a look of heartbreak and shook his head to explain to her.

"Hmph~ I'll believe you once."

Seeing Uchiha Gin looking so sincere, Yamanaka Minako didn't hesitate any longer. Her fair, slender fingers pointed straight at the gift box. A dazzling purple light flashed, and when they opened their eyes again, everyone's gaze turned toward the pity-guaranteed finished product.

"Ding~ Congratulations on obtaining Hot Bikini (Summer Limited) *1."

"Oh my~ I forgot to tell you, these few days are the Summer Event period, so the pity gift boxes are all Summer Limited items~"

Looking at the dumbfounded Yamanaka Minako, Uchiha Gin gave a teasing smile and clicked on the description of the pity gift box, where four large characters were brightly displayed.

【Summer Limited】

"F*** you, refund!!!"

"Are you sure?"

"Wuwuwu~ Please give me another ten draws~"

"Congratulations on obtaining Random Clothing Fragment *1."

A long time later, Yamanaka Minako, looking pale as a vegetable, tremblingly clicked on the clothing fragments she had finally collected from her prizes. Accompanied by a flash of blue light, her hanging heart finally died.

"Congratulations on obtaining a set of 36D Leopard Print Swimsuit."

"Shinji, Sasuke, lend me money!"

With madness in her eyes, the already hooked Yamanaka Minako turned her gaze toward her friends, lowered her pretty face, and said.

"Sorry, we're going to..."

Having witnessed the money-draining drawing process, the members of the Ninja Alliance clutched their pockets tightly, wondering why Yamanaka Minako would compromise and draw.

"Excuse me, do you provide usury services here?"

With no luck borrowing money, Yamanaka Minako finally locked her gaze on the smiling face of Uchiha Gin and asked with some embarrassment.

"Hehe, yes, as long as it's thirty-five percent~"

Wuwuwu~ I'm crying, I'll definitely protect this sucker from the Yamanaka clan!

"Thank you, you Uchiha clan members are truly kind people!"

Thirty-five percent? Isn't that basically free!

Wuwuwu~ I'm crying, I've definitely made a friend in the Uchiha clan!

"That goes without saying, there is no clan more loving than ours~"

Under the witness of the crowd, Yamanaka Minako, clearly broken, signed the usury contract without even looking. Uchiha Gin smiled as he returned the gold coins that had just been "exploded" out of her hand.

And on the screen beside them, the sweet-looking girl in the red dress smiled even more brightly as the gold coins were deposited.

"Today is another day full of hope~"

(End of chapter)