Chapter 72: Lost Memories: A Helpful Relative is Extra Kind

"No, the Clan Head has given orders; no one is allowed to enter."

The black-clad Uchiha was impartial and incorruptible; even if the Sage of Six Paths himself were to come, he would not open the door.

"Don't be like this!"

Uchiha Gin was suddenly anxious. The outside was in total chaos, and he was uneasy about leaving the young girl alone in the research institute.

"I'm sorry, but if you continue to pester me, I will have to follow protocol."

As the black-clad Uchiha spoke, he slowly drew the sword at his waist.

"Let them in!"

The gate of the residence was suddenly opened, and Uchiha Tajima's wife walked out, her face full of exhaustion.

"Hello, Aunt!"

Seeing who it was, Uchiha Gin scurried over, greeted the woman with a grin, and then turned his head to shout at the girl:

"Hurry over and pay your respects to my aunt."

When it came to social graces, a modern person was truly adept at handling them.

The girl, who had walked over quickly, looked at the unfamiliar woman before her and said somewhat nervously:

"Hello, Madam Clan Head."

"You must be the little Guang that Gin is always talking about. Don't be so formal; just call me Aunt, just like Gin does."

Uchiha Tajima's wife looked at her nephew bringing a young girl along; even if she were foolish, she could guess the relationship between these two.

"Aunt, I won't go in."

After settling the girl with Uchiha Tajima's wife, Uchiha Gin declined the invitation to enter the house.

"I need to go to the front lines; I will definitely be able to help Uncle there."

Having said that, without waiting for Uchiha Tajima's wife to urge him to stay, Uchiha Gin gave the girl a reassuring gesture and vanished into the night.

"I hope I'm not too late."

Uchiha Gin prayed in his heart as he sprinted through the streets, increasing the force in his feet and running like the wind toward the clan grounds' gate.

Suddenly, a murderous aura rushed toward him. Uchiha Gin stopped involuntarily, his eyes fixed on the corner ahead—there was killing intent there.

Sure enough, the next moment, several strange men in black walked out from around the corner. Their faces were covered in blood, but their expressions were not fearful; instead, they were filled with a bloodthirsty aura.

"Who are you people?"

Uchiha Gin, having come face-to-face with them, asked first. Judging from their peculiar appearance, he determined they were definitely not his clansmen. At this point in time, they could only be enemies.

Thinking this, Uchiha Gin refined his chakra, his nerves highly tense, and his eyes gradually turned scarlet.

Although he had been in the research institute, his combat training had not lagged behind; his uncle, Uchiha Tajima, was a very strict teacher.

"Haha, there's a little brat here too."

The leader looked at the scrawny youth before him and couldn't help but laugh. With that, the men clenched their fists and surrounded him.

"Since you are enemies, I won't be polite."

Surrounded by the men, Uchiha Gin was exceptionally calm. After activating his Sharingan, he could clearly perceive that the strength of these men was no less than that of ordinary combatants; at the very least, they were at the level of squad leaders.

Uchiha Gin raised his head and revealed a brilliant smile. Feeling slighted, the men swung their mortar-sized fists, smashing straight toward him with immense force, leaving him nowhere to escape.

"Kill him!"

Just before the men were about to hammer the youth into a pulp, their fists froze stiffly a few centimeters in front of him.

The leader's face was flushed, and no matter how much strength he exerted, he could not move his fist even a fraction.

【Genjutsu: Sharingan】

The men felt as if their entire bodies were filled with lead and could not move. Uchiha Gin did not hesitate; he cast another Sharingan genjutsu, knocking out everyone except the leader, then stared at the only conscious man and used his ocular power to hypnotize him.

The hypnotized man had a dull expression and stood there obediently, waiting for Uchiha Gin's disposal.

"Who are you people?"

"We are ninjas of the Kaguya clan."

The man who claimed to be of the Kaguya clan answered without any hesitation.

It was actually the Kaguya clan. Didn't the original story say they were driven to the Land of Water?

How could they have traveled thousands of miles to raid this place?

Uchiha Gin smelled a conspiracy.

"What is your objective?"

"Occupy the Uchiha clan grounds and capture important members of the Uchiha clan."

The Kaguya clan man answered truthfully. Hearing this, Uchiha Gin was immediately unsettled. The enemy actually wanted to strike at their home and was prepared to use hostages as leverage.

"How many of you are there, and who is your leader?"

Uchiha Gin wanted to know exactly how many people had infiltrated. Now that the clan's combat power had basically been lured away, there were fewer than one in ten left behind. If the enemy succeeded, it would be a catastrophic disaster for the Uchiha clan.

"There are 80 of us who infiltrated, led by Elder Kaguya Cangjie."

There were 80 Kaguya clan ninjas. To be dispatched for a mission to strike at their home, their strength certainly wouldn't be too weak.

"Where did they all go?"

Uchiha Gin, wanting to know the specific whereabouts of these 80 people, asked hurriedly.

"The granary, the armory, the supply depot, the research institute, and the Clan Head's residence."

The controlled Kaguya clan member listed the locations as if he knew them by heart. Uchiha Gin gasped; these places were the lifeblood of the Uchiha clan, especially the Clan Head's residence.

"Oh no! Guang is still there."

Thinking of Uchiha Guang, whom he had settled at the Clan Head's residence not long ago, Uchiha Gin felt a tightness in his heart.

Having no intention to interrogate further, he thought for a moment, waved his hand, and threw several shuriken, sending these intruders to the afterlife.

Is this what killing feels like?

Watching the Kaguya clansmen lose their vitality, Uchiha Gin felt a sense of gloom that was hard to disperse.

He should also adapt to this era.

In the current situation, it was already too late to go find Uchiha Tajima; he could only hope that the other side would discover the Kaguya clan's conspiracy soon.

The only thought in Uchiha Gin's mind now was to rush back to the Clan Head's residence to protect his aunt, Guang, and the others.

Without delay, he set off immediately and stepped back onto the streets of the Uchiha camp. The scene was no longer as peaceful as it had been during the day; many ordinary Uchiha clansmen lay in pools of blood, their fate unknown.

Seeing such a tragic scene for the first time, Uchiha Gin felt breathless. The pungent smell of blood made him feel nauseated. Forcing himself to endure the physical discomfort, he rushed quickly to the Clan Head's residence he had just left.

At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums was incessant outside the Clan Head's residence. The leader, Kaguya Cangjie, was commanding his subordinates to fight against the guard unit led by the black-clad Uchiha, feeling victory was within his grasp.

By the time Uchiha Gin arrived, more than half of the guard unit had been killed or injured. The black-clad Uchiha was still struggling with red eyes, his body covered in wounds.

Discovering that the reinforcements who arrived were not an army but this youth, Uchiha Gin, he revealed a flaw in his shock and was heavily struck by a Kaguya clansman wielding a strange white weapon, falling to the ground unconscious.

"Hahaha, is this wet-behind-the-ears brat the reinforcement you were talking about?"

Kaguya Cangjie, who was watching the show from the side, laughed as he looked at the youth who had just arrived, mocking him.

Uchiha Gin looked around and found that this group had not yet breached the Clan Head's residence, which made him breathe a sigh of relief. Immediately, his expression became grave; judging from the aura emanating from this Kaguya clansman who was speaking, he was a tough opponent.

Not daring to be arrogant, Uchiha Gin began to refine his chakra with all his might. The tomoe in his eyes began to rotate slowly, and a cold, sinister chakra permeated everywhere. Even the Kaguya clan, who were not sensitive to perception, noticed something was wrong.

"This brat is not simple. Attack now!"

Seeing that things were not right, Kaguya Cangjie immediately gave the order, and the surrounding Kaguya clansmen swarmed forward.

It was already too late. Before they could even touch the hem of Uchiha Gin's clothes, a black flame suddenly erupted on the bodies of those who had charged to the front, and no matter what, it could not be extinguished.

【Amaterasu】

In the end, those Kaguya clansmen who were tainted by the flames were burned to ashes alive. The black flames lost their host but did not go out, continuing to burn on the ground, looking exceptionally terrifying.

(End of chapter)