Chapter 343: 287. Chapter 285: Hashirama Senju: The Nine-Tails and I are evenly matched

287. Chapter 285: Hashirama Senju: The Nine-Tails and I are evenly matched

"You are beyond teaching!"

After some painstaking instruction, Kaguya Wangliang still only knew how to call him Curly-Hair, which made Uchiha Gin, who had been full of confidence, suddenly feel like life was meaningless.

"Sigh~ To think that I, Uchiha Gin, am peerless in strategy, yet the clone I created is such a simpleton."

Uchiha Gin, slumped to one side, looked at Kaguya Wangliang, who was still gulping down her drink, and couldn't stop shaking his head and sighing.

"Another cup~"

Facing Uchiha Gin's blatant mockery, Kaguya was not annoyed; she simply pushed the empty cup back with a backhand motion.

As long as this descendant could provide her with a steady supply of that secret sweet water, she could accept Uchiha Gin taking a few verbal jabs at her.

"You want more?"

Uchiha Gin turned his head to look at the lemons contributed by his little cousin and discovered that the raw materials had been completely exhausted; not a single drop could be squeezed out now. He then waved his hand to signal:

"There's none left, none left~"

Hearing this, Kaguya frowned. This descendant really didn't know what was good for him; letting him offer her tribute was already doing him a favor. In the past, those humans would have had to queue up and draw lots half a year in advance just to give her a gift.

"Another cup!"

Kaguya Wangliang's tone this time was a bit more human-like than before. Uchiha Gin raised his eyebrows in surprise upon hearing it, and looking at her cold, beautiful little face, he discovered a hint of slight annoyance between her brows.

"The lemons are gone. Want to eat some ice cream?"

Feeling that the behavior of the Kaguya Wangliang before him was becoming more and more like a human's, Uchiha Gin, driven by a spirit of inquiry, glanced at the ice cream machine behind the bar and asked.

Ice cream?

Kaguya frowned; she had never heard of such a thing.

"Give it a try. It's a cold drink I, Uchiha Gin, developed and made myself. It's guaranteed to be delicious~"

That's right, the ice cream sold at little Chiharu's place came from the hands of Uchiha Gin.

After the founding of Konoha, Uchiha Gin had requested the best-located shop in the clan and given it to Lady Yomei, letting her return to her old trade and open a cold drink shop.

However, Uchiha Gin had truly grown tired of eating shaved ice all the time, so he created the ice cream from his past life. Unexpectedly, it sold quite well, and while it was widely acclaimed, it also attracted quite a few foreign friends.

It is said that not long ago, a child from the Land of Wind, because of an addiction to ice cream, didn't even want to return to their country, clamoring to join Konoha. In the end, they were knocked unconscious and carried away by their Master.

If it weren't for the unstable times, Uchiha Gin would really like to open a drink shop in Konoha. He had even thought of the name.

Let's call it Mixue Bingcheng~

While speaking, Uchiha Gin had already entered the bar, operated the ice cream machine, and squeezed out a large sundae.

Kaguya tilted her head in confusion. This white food emitting a cold aura carried a rich, milky fragrance. She subconsciously swallowed her saliva, looked up at the warmly smiling Uchiha Gin, and still chose to take the large sundae.

"Eat quickly, or it will melt in a moment~"

Seeing Kaguya Wangliang's cautious appearance, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but smile and urge her.

After hesitating for a moment, Kaguya extended a slender finger and tentatively touched the top of the sundae. The cold, chilly sensation made her shiver unexpectedly.

After withdrawing her finger, Kaguya looked at the milky-white ice cream on her fingertip and slowly took it into her mouth.

"Oishii!"

Kaguya sucked on her finger vigorously. The rich sweetness of the cream ice cream made her eyes light up. Such a delicacy, and she had only eaten it today; the thousands of years she had lived before had been a waste.

She grabbed the large sundae on the table and began to devour it ravenously. Her rough way of eating splashed ice cream everywhere, and her dark-skinned little face was smeared with the sticky, milky-white liquid.

"Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch it from you."

To think she didn't even use a spoon and just went straight in with her mouth; she really was just a puppet that had just gained intelligence. Uchiha Gin felt that his path of raising her was a long and arduous one.

But Kaguya couldn't take in a word of what Uchiha Gin said; she just kept her head down and inhaled it like a storm. The scene was simply too ghastly to look at.

"Sigh~ Look up."

Uchiha Gin really couldn't watch anymore. He pulled out a tissue and spoke up.

"?"

This time, Kaguya actually listened. She raised her little head in confusion, wanting to see what Uchiha Gin was going to do.

The next moment, a large, warm hand reached over and wiped the ice cream off her face with very gentle movements. Kaguya, who had never experienced such treatment, froze on the spot, letting Uchiha Gin do as he pleased.

When Uchiha Gin's fingers inadvertently brushed across her lips, Kaguya's heart, which had been silent for thousands of years, began to accelerate for the first time. A blush of shyness spread uncontrollably across her face, and steam even faintly rose from the white hair on top of her head.

"Ding-a-ling~"

Just at this ambiguous moment, the door of the cold drink shop was suddenly pushed open, and at the same time, the sound of the bell on the door curtain startled the frozen Kaguya.

"It's Chiharu, hurry back!"

Just by listening to the footsteps, Uchiha Gin knew who it was, so he hurriedly stood up to block Kaguya, whispering an urge.

Uchiha Gin had not yet revealed to anyone that he had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. If others discovered Kaguya Wangliang's existence, he wouldn't be able to clear his name even if he had a hundred mouths.

"Eh? Mr. Gin, why are you..."

The person who arrived was none other than Uchiha Chiharu. The young girl was carrying two large bags of yellow fruit that Uchiha Gin found very familiar, looking at him with a face full of surprise.

However, the girl, who had been meticulous since childhood, saw the panicked expression on Uchiha Gin's face, and her eyes immediately turned sharp, quickly scanning the surroundings in an attempt to find something.

Uchiha Gin took a moment to glance behind him and discovered that the seat where Kaguya Wangliang had just been sitting was already empty. She had even swiped the unfinished sundae when she left.

"Phew~"

Uchiha Gin, feeling a sense of relief, saw the nervous expression on his face slowly fade, but the purple-haired girl in front of him had her brows furrowing tighter and tighter.

"Chiharu, long time no..."

Uchiha Gin took a step forward, preparing to greet his disciple.

"Mr. Gin, please stop!"

Unexpectedly, the usually gentle Uchiha Chiharu actually stopped her teacher in an uncharacteristic manner. The expression of what could only be called disgust on her beautiful face left Uchiha Gin, who was about to step forward, feeling quite confused.

"Did something happen?"

"Mr. Gin, if you really can't help it, please go to the restroom to do such things."

"???"

Hearing this, Uchiha Gin froze on the spot. In his confusion, he followed the girl's disgusted gaze and slowly lowered his head to look at the tissue he was holding in his hand, which was covered in an unknown milky-white liquid that was slowly dripping down.

"I didn't! That's not it! Let me explain!"

Shadow Realm

Kaguya sat on her exclusive large bed, holding the sundae she had swiped from the real world, tasting it in small bites. Recalling the sensation on her lips, her dark little face heated up uncontrollably, and her white eyes were filled with thoughts of unknown meaning.

"That descendant, his name is Uchiha Gin, right?"

In the Hokage office, because he was missing a helper, Hashirama Senju, who had returned to his primary duties, was working overtime. When he reviewed a report about the slow progress of a certain project, his sword-like eyebrows slowly stood up. He looked up at Tobirama Senju, who was organizing documents to the side, and spoke slowly.

"Tobirama, when will that money arrive in the account?"

Konoha was currently in need of money. Although Tobirama Senju had previously retrieved a portion of the dividends, it had basically all been used to pay Uchiha Gin's remuneration, and the account was still in a state of deep deficit.

"Big Brother, don't be anxious. The shipping company in the Land of Waves has just started; the earnings won't reach the account for a while. Wait a bit longer, wait a bit longer~"

Tobirama Senju, who was asked, stiffened. Then, remembering the tea and letters sent by that official from the Land of Waves, he immediately set his mind at ease.

"But money is needed everywhere right now!"

If it were anyone else embezzling public funds, Hashirama Senju would have already used a Wood Golem to give them a massage; why would he be negotiating so kindly?

"If it really doesn't work, we'll mortgage some of the family's ancestral property to solve this urgent need first."

Regarding the issue of Konoha's finances, Tobirama Senju actually understood it better than anyone, but he firmly believed in the principle of money begetting money. As long as the shipping company in the Land of Waves took off, he would definitely be making a fortune every day, and then he would be able to stand tall in front of that Curly-Hair.

"Creak~"

"Clack, clack, clack"

Just as the Senju brothers were plotting to sell off their family property, the door to the office was pushed open from the outside. Immediately following, a harsh sound of footsteps entered their ears, causing them to frown instantly.

Who was so impolite, treating this Hokage office as their own?

Consequently, the two brothers, feeling displeased in their hearts, fixed their gazes on the intruder, preparing to teach this rude person a lesson.

"You are..."

But because the intruder's style was too "grassy" (bizarre), it forced Tobirama Senju to swallow the words that were about to blurt out.

He saw the person who entered wearing a pair of exaggerated sunglasses, a black tight-fitting T-shirt on his upper body with a huge Sharingan pattern embroidered on the chest, white skinny pants on his lower body, golden pointed Chelsea boots on his feet, and a glaring green small leather bag tucked under his arm. He was standing in front of the door, shaking his head and swaying his body, posing and preening.

"Oioioi, isn't this Hashirama? Haven't seen you in a few days, how did you get so washed up?"

Listening to the voice, this person with a unique style was actually Uchiha Madara, a close friend Hashirama Senju hadn't seen in a few days. He walked to the desk with a gait that didn't recognize any kin, pushed up the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, and said in a very arrogant tone.

"..."

"Madara, this outfit of yours?"

Having finally recovered from the shock, Hashirama Senju was filled with disbelief. Clearly, the previous Madara had dressed appropriately and behaved gracefully, looking just like a sheltered young lady from a scholarly family.

Who would have thought that he would suddenly transform into a rebellious "spiritual little sister."

This was truly... a surprise!

Contrast, the main point is the contrast~

"How is it? This is the trendiest outfit recently. Your robes and gowns are long out of style. If you walk out, others will think you're an old antique~"

Uchiha Madara, having completed his style transformation, pointed at the plain-colored robe on Hashirama Senju and mocked him in a very disdainful tone.

I don't know when it started, but this trend suddenly became popular in Konoha, first initiated by a certain unknown cheerful Mr. Sasuke.

Then it spread like a plague. For a time, this style of dress swept through the streets and alleys. As long as they were ninjas with some strength, they would spend a lot of money to have an exclusive set custom-made from a certain unknown designer.

"Now that you mention it, I have indeed seen many people dressed like this recently."

Hashirama Senju, who was mocked, was not angry; instead, he showed a teasing smile and looked at Uchiha Madara's tight buttocks with great interest.

What a handsome outfit, I want one too!

"Hmph! This kind of unhealthy trend should be banned. Big Brother, hurry and issue an order to ban this kind of outfit!"

Seeing his own Big Brother so infatuated, Tobirama Senju's lungs were about to explode with anger, and he said with a gloomy face.

"Huh? Since when did Konoha become so feudal? We can't even have freedom of dress. If someone like that were to become Hokage, I'm afraid even the color of our underwear would have to be uniform."

Uchiha Madara glanced at the furious Tobirama, his eyes filled with undisguised disdain, followed by a string of sarcastic remarks.

"Alright, alright, why do you two start bickering the moment you meet? We're all one family, after all~"

It was a familiar scene; Hashirama stood up helplessly to mediate, as if this had already become his daily routine.

"Hmph!"

The two arguing men turned their heads away simultaneously, ignoring each other.

Seeing that the two had quieted down, Hashirama finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat back in his seat.

"Madara, why didn't you rest for a few more days?"

Only a few days had passed since Uchiha Gin had forcibly dragged Uchiha Madara away, and he hadn't expected him to recover his energy so quickly and come back to work.

"I left the clan matters to that kid Izuna. I was idle anyway, so I might as well come back to work."

Skillfully shifting his green vest, Uchiha Madara replied in a casual tone.

"Good, good, good! I was just worrying about not being able to finish the work on hand, and here you are~"

For free labor, Hashirama welcomed him with open arms; not only was he capable, but he was also easy on the eyes—he could just sit back and be happy!

"I knew Konoha would fall apart without me."

Uchiha Madara nodded in deep agreement, then sat at his previous desk. At this moment, it was already piled high with documents waiting for approval, so he quickly entered the zone and began processing them at high speed.

Seeing this scene, Tobirama, who was sitting opposite him, chose to shut his mouth and silently sat down to continue working.

Although Tobirama hated this guy Uchiha Madara, he had to admit that he was a rare talent—possessing immense combat power and decent strategic intelligence, though his emotions were somewhat unstable.

"Is Konoha short on money again recently?"

Looking at the monthly financial report in his hand, Uchiha Madara's brows beneath his sunglasses furrowed deeply. He had known all along that that kid Tobirama was unreliable; the public funds he had embezzled were still unaccounted for.

"It's nothing, just a small difficulty. We've already thought of a solution~"

Seeing Uchiha Madara mention this, Hashirama, concerned for his younger brother, answered first.

"The Land of Water is attacking the Land of Whirlpools? What is going on? Didn't they say a ceasefire was in effect?"

Setting that matter aside, Uchiha Madara flipped to an intelligence report from abroad. Seeing the word "war," his just-relaxed brows furrowed again. They had clearly just signed a peace agreement, so why turn around and attack their neighbor?

"I know about this, but the Land of Water didn't gain any advantage. The Tailed Beast they just bought was almost captured by the Land of Whirlpools."

Tobirama, sitting opposite him, looked up, his scarlet eyes filled with contemplation, and then explained.

"Regardless of whether they gained an advantage or not, why was the Land of Water able to start a war at will?"

Ignoring the result, Uchiha Madara only wanted to know the motive behind starting the war.

"Sigh~ Madara, there's no helping it. The peace agreement we signed only included the Five Great Nations and only prohibited wars between the Five Great Nations. As for those small countries, they were not included."

It turned out the Land of Water had exploited a loophole in the agreement. To avenge their previous humiliation, they took the newly acquired Tailed Beast to find the Land of Whirlpools, hoping to regain their lost face, but they hadn't expected the ninja of the Land of Whirlpools to be no pushovers.

The Three-Tails, which had been thrown into the territorial waters of the Land of Whirlpools by the Land of Water, had barely opened its eyes when it saw chains filling the sky coming toward it. Before it could even speak, it was disarmed on the spot.

If it weren't for Bai Bai Lian bringing the recovered Hozuki Gengetsu and Katsura, first using a mirage genjutsu to trap the Uzumaki clan's ninja, and then risking his life to snatch back the frozen Three-Tails, the Land of Water would have truly suffered a double loss.

"Asking for trouble. Who doesn't know that the red-haired ones in the Land of Whirlpools have top-tier sealing jutsu? Dealing with a Tailed Beast is child's play for them."

Shaking his head in disdain, Uchiha Madara, having learned the ins and outs of the matter, felt not a shred of sympathy for the Land of Water's miserable encounter.

"Indeed, they deserved it. I heard that old guy Bai Bai Lian was seriously injured; I'm afraid he's about to abdicate."

It was rare for Tobirama to share the same opinion as Uchiha Madara.

"It's fortunate that it was the Land of Whirlpools. If it had been any other small country, it might have already fallen."

Even though their interactions had decreased over the years, the blood ties still existed. If the Land of Whirlpools were truly in trouble, Hashirama would definitely be the first to step in and provide aid.

"Tailed Beasts are indeed a troublesome existence."

Through this incident, Tobirama saw further than the other two. Tailed Beasts, as nuclear weapons, were a deterrent during peacetime and a trump card during wartime.

Although his older brother and Uchiha Madara could easily handle Tailed Beasts, years later, when Konoha underwent a change of generations and no longer had powerhouses like them to hold the fort, wouldn't a Konoha without Tailed Beasts be at the mercy of other countries?

"Tobirama, do you have something to say?"

Seeing his younger brother's deep expression, Hashirama, knowing his habits, asked.

"Older brother, I believe Konoha also needs Tailed Beasts."

Questioned, Tobirama looked up and answered with a serious face.

"Hmph~ What use is that thing that kicks the bucket with one glare?"

As someone who had personally captured Tailed Beasts, Uchiha Madara scoffed at Tobirama's words. Even the greatest number of Tailed Beasts couldn't compare to his pair of Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Do you think everyone can be like you?"

Tobirama rubbed his temples with a headache. On such an issue concerning the survival of Konoha, he did not want to engage in pointless arguments with Uchiha Madara.

"Uh... it's not like there aren't any."

Uchiha Madara had originally wanted to say no, but recalling the woman beside his eldest cousin, he awkwardly scratched his face, his tone losing its previous arrogance.

"..."

"My point is, many years from now, when we are no longer in this world, can you guarantee that Konoha will still have people with your strength?"

"I can guarantee it."

Uchiha Madara's unexpectedly prompt answer caught Tobirama off guard.

"Don't be blindly confident. Things are unpredictable..."

"My eldest cousin can live for a very long time, and Uchiha Hikari by his side will certainly be long-lived as well."

Uchiha Madara shook his head and mentioned Uchiha Gin's name.

"That curly-hair... are you talking about the Strength of a Hundred Seal?"

Reminded by Uchiha Madara, Tobirama suddenly realized. That's right, that Uchiha Hikari of unknown strength had learned Uchiha Gin's Strength of a Hundred Seal, greatly extending her lifespan. As long as she didn't act frequently, she could ensure Konoha's long-term peace and stability.

A Tailed Beast is attacking! Quickly, invite Ancestor Hikari!

However, the moment Tobirama remembered that the other party was from the Uchiha clan, his brows furrowed deeply.

If it were truly as he thought, then the future of Konoha would depend on the Uchiha clan's whims, a result he did not want to see.

No, they couldn't rely solely on the Uchiha clan; Konoha needed its own nuclear weapons.

"I still think it's better to have Tailed Beasts as a deterrent. This can avoid many unnecessary troubles."

Tobirama shook his head, still insisting on his point of view.

"Whatever, they're all just weaklings anyway."

Uchiha Madara, who didn't care about this matter, just mocked coldly and didn't refuse.

"Tobirama, your idea is good, but the Tailed Beasts have all been sold. Where are we going to find extra ones?"

Hashirama, who was listening on the side, scratched his head and interjected. When they sold the Tailed Beasts before, Konoha hadn't kept a single one~

"Older brother, isn't there still one left?"

The corners of Tobirama's mouth curled up, smiling very eerily.

"Still... are you saying..."

"That's right, the Nine-Tails!"

"Ah? But I made a promise to it!"

That's right, after the previous Tailed Beast Pokémon Tournament, Hashirama had promised to set the Nine-Tails free and guaranteed he would never capture it again.

Yet, the despicable white-hair was actually disregarding the agreement between Hashirama and the Nine-Tails, wanting to capture the lonely and helpless Kurama back.

"Hmph! Why talk about morality with a beast? Just capture it back!"

"No, no, I previously swore in the name of the Sage of Six Paths. If I capture it back, I will die without a burial place and never be reincarnated."

Hashirama showed a rare look of distress; regarding his younger brother's request, he expressed his helplessness.

"Tsk."

Knowing that his older brother was a man who valued his promises, Tobirama had no choice but to give up on having Hashirama capture the Nine-Tails.

While pondering, he suddenly saw Uchiha Madara writing furiously at his desk. A flash of brilliance crossed his eyes, and a smile known as a conspiracy quietly hung on the corners of his mouth.

"Konoha cannot be without Tailed Beasts, just as the Land of Fire cannot be without Konoha."

Suddenly, Tobirama said something inexplicable. Uchiha Madara, who was processing documents, looked up in confusion, wanting to see what trick this white-hair was playing again.

"Uchiha Madara, do you know about the Nine-Tails?"

During the previous Tailed Beast War, the Tailed Beasts Uchiha Madara controlled had been defeated one-sidedly by the Nine-Tails, causing him to miss out on the position of Hokage. Now that Tobirama was bringing up old matters, he must have his own purpose.

"The Nine-Tails, that's the one Hashirama won with in the end."

Uchiha Madara certainly remembered that hateful big fox. If it weren't for it, he would have been riding on Hashirama's head and acting like a tyrant by now, instead of working overtime for free day and night like a corporate slave.

"Older brother, how is the Nine-Tails' strength?"

Not knowing why Tobirama was asking this, Hashirama was just about to answer that he could handle it easily, but suddenly remembered what he had said to Uchiha Madara after winning the Tailed Beast War. He then looked away and spoke nonsense,

"Uh... very strong. See these two hands of mine? It took both of them to reach a draw with it."