Chapter 62: Same beginning, different ending

"Uchiha Jin."

Hearing Uchiha Gin's question, a gentle and warm figure appeared in Uchiha Fenghuo's mind.

It was also a head of curly hair, long and narrow phoenix eyes, and always a smiling expression, but compared to the Uchiha Gin in front of him, the feeling he gave was worlds apart.

"I know him."

Uchiha Fenghuo didn't hide it, because there was no need. Anyone familiar with Uchiha Jin naturally knew Uchiha Gin's identity.

"What kind of person was he?"

Uchiha Gin, who knew basically nothing about his old man, couldn't help but ask.

"This isn't the place to talk. Come with me to a place and we'll talk slowly."

Sighing, Uchiha Fenghuo suppressed the inexplicable disgust in his heart and invited Uchiha Gin to find a place to talk.

Uchiha Gin naturally had no objections. He followed Uchiha Fenghuo to a tavern, pushed the door open, and walked into a small booth familiarly. After ordering a bottle of wine, he pulled the booth door shut.

The two sat cross-legged, observing each other.

When the wine was served, Uchiha Fenghuo poured a cup for both of them and then drank by himself.

"You really look like your father, especially your appearance; you're exactly the same."

After a cup of wine, Uchiha Fenghuo, whose face had warmed up slightly, stared at Uchiha Gin's face and said slowly.

"You knew my father?"

Listening to Uchiha Fenghuo's tone, his relationship with his old man must not have been shallow.

"More than just knowing him. Your father was once my captain and also half a teacher to me."

Uchiha Fenghuo tilted his head back, downed a cup of wine, let out a long sigh, and said with nostalgia:

"Brother Jin was the strongest genius at the time, bar none. He opened his eyes at eight, was proficient in using three tomoe at twelve, excelled in the five elemental releases, completed various high-difficulty missions alone with sealing techniques, and made repeated meritorious services in war."

Uchiha Fenghuo listed Uchiha Jin's various feats in a continuous stream, speaking with great joy. But as he spoke, his expression suddenly dimmed.

"Unfortunately..."

"Unfortunately what?"

Uchiha Gin, who had been listening with great interest, asked hurriedly.

"Unfortunately, he died young. Otherwise, it would be hard to say who would have ended up with the position of clan leader."

Uchiha Fenghuo shook his head melancholically, looking regretful.

Uh, his old man almost became the clan leader? He had heard Uchiha Yao bragging about it in the dungeon and thought the other party was just blowing smoke. He didn't expect it to be true.

"Can you tell me the details of this matter?"

Uchiha Gin, eager to find the truth, couldn't help but ask curiously.

Regarding the details of Uchiha Jin's sacrifice, Uchiha Yao had given him one version. If Uchiha Fenghuo knew Uchiha Jin, was it consistent with what Uchiha Yao said?

Outside the booth, the sound of Uchiha clansmen clinking glasses was endless, a lively scene. Rubbing the wine glass with his fingers, Uchiha Fenghuo's steady face revealed a rare sense of longing.

"I, your parents, and Clan Leader Tajima were once teammates in a squad. Your father served as our captain."

Uchiha Fenghuo shook the empty cup in his hand, signaling Uchiha Gin to pour wine. After a cup of sake was filled, he didn't stop and downed it, quite like someone trying to drown their sorrows.

"That was the last mission of our squad. The preparation work beforehand had no problems. To take care of me, whose strength was inferior, your father arranged for me to be on dark sentry duty. The mission was going very smoothly, but at the last moment, an accident occurred."

Uchiha Fenghuo's voice was low and sorrowful. When he said the word "accident," the hand holding the wine glass tightened until the veins bulged. His whole person seemed extremely emotionally unstable, and his eyes were even wide with rage, his usual steadiness swept away.

"There was a traitor! Someone secretly leaked our mission route. Enemies several times our number ambushed us on the only path we had to take. There were three squads on the mission with us, and all were wiped out. Your father tried his best to lead the squad members to break out."

"Were you there at the time?"

Uchiha Gin, listening to the plot that was no different from Uchiha Yao's account, couldn't help but ask.

"Of course I was on the scene, and I witnessed your parents' sacrifice with my own eyes. I'm sorry, I really couldn't do anything."

Uchiha Fenghuo's tone carried a trace of choking at the end. With red, tiger-like eyes filled with tears, he continued:

"I am a coward. The captain ordered me to leave, and I actually just left like that. I failed the captain for his long-term care."

"Tell me in detail."

Uchiha Gin, discovering that the details were somewhat different, asked.

"What was the situation at the end?"

"Your parents led the unconscious Clan Leader Tajima to break out through blood, but they couldn't shake off the enemy. I, as the dark sentry providing support, also joined the battle, but it was of no use. My inferior strength only made me a burden."

Uchiha Fenghuo closed his eyes in pain, his words sounding as if they had drained all his strength.

"At the last moment, your father ordered me to take the injured and unconscious Clan Leader Tajima to retreat, while the two of them stayed behind to cover us."

"Clan Leader Tajima was unconscious the whole time?"

Recalling the plot Uchiha Yao had recounted, this point was clearly vastly different from what the eyewitness Uchiha Fenghuo said.

"Yes, Clan Leader Tajima was seriously injured at the time and only regained consciousness after being treated for a few days upon returning."

"Did my parents have any last words?"

Wanting to know if his parents had said anything important before their sacrifice, Uchiha Gin asked.

"No, the situation was very urgent at the time. Everyone didn't have time to entrust anything."

Uchiha Fenghuo shook his head, looking very regretful.

"Thank you, Captain Fenghuo, for telling me so much about my parents today."

Uchiha Gin straightened up and bowed to Uchiha Fenghuo.

"I am unworthy of it. I watched your parents sacrifice themselves but was powerless. I should apologize to you."

After saying that, Uchiha Fenghuo knelt and prepared to kowtow to Uchiha Gin.

"Captain Fenghuo, there is no need for this. Since my parents chose this path, they were already prepared to sacrifice their lives at any time."

Uchiha Gin hurriedly reached out to support him and then comforted him.

Having asked enough, Uchiha Gin rose to say goodbye, while Uchiha Fenghuo was still drinking alone, cup after cup.

As he was leaving, Uchiha Gin, who was deep in thought, faintly heard the drunken Uchiha Fenghuo muttering behind him:

"Why didn't you dodge that sword, Brother Jin..."

Because he had learned quite a bit of the truth about his parents' sacrifice after running into Uchiha Fenghuo, Uchiha Gin, whose head was a bit messy, had no heart to find a carpenter to renovate his backyard.

With the mask slung over his shoulder and holding the Isobu doll, Uchiha Gin walked to his small house.

The shop had already set up the tables, chairs, and training targets he had ordered. The originally bare backyard now looked a bit more high-class.

Touching the brand-new training dummy, Uchiha Gin nodded with satisfaction. Now all that was missing was to rebuild the fence. If he knew Wood Release, it would be much more convenient, but alas, alas.

After tidying up the backyard, Uchiha Gin, preparing to enter the house, suddenly paused his steps. A strange smile curled the corners of his mouth. He reached out to straighten the strange mask slung over his shoulder and gently pushed the gate open.

At this moment, Senju Itama was sitting on the sofa in a daze, not noticing the figure entering from outside at all. Creeping behind Senju Itama, Uchiha Gin, with malicious intent, placed a hand on the other party's shoulder and leaned his masked head over.

Senju Itama, who was sitting alone on the sofa in a daze, suddenly discovered a hand on his shoulder. In great shock, he turned his head, and what met his eyes was a terrifying monster face.

"Ah! Ghost~~ Oh~~"

The startled Senju Itama just managed to let out an "Ah" before foaming at the mouth and fainting from fright.

"Tsk tsk tsk, why is this brat so timid?"

Finding that the other party had fainted before he could even perform, Uchiha Gin took off the mask in disappointment and clicked his tongue in complaint.

"Hey hey hey, wake up."

Squatting down to pat the unconscious Senju Itama, he found the other party had no reaction. Uchiha Gin's heart tightened.

"Don't, don't, if he's scared to death just like that, wouldn't I be following him to GG?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 63 =====