"Hah? I'm not close with the leader of the Hagoromo clan's wife."
Tajima frowned as he clarified Gin's strange question. What kind of talk was this between n? Dragging won into it?
"The wife of the Hagoromo clan head did have a nickna… but it wasn't Iron Fan Princess."
Thinking Gin was curious about the older generation of powerful shinobi, Tajima explained patiently:
"She had a fierce reputation—ruthless and cruel, like a demon. People called her Rasetsu Onna (Demon Lady)."
Tch! That's basically the sa thing!
"Alright, alright. I'll take it then."
Not wanting to be further affected by this déjà vu-laced revelation, Gin quickly shoved the scroll into his bag and stood up with a polite gesture.
"Uncle, now that the mission's complete, can I go back to the prison and live the good life?"
As he said this, Gin's half-dead fish eyes shimred with longing for his idyllic dream of eating and slacking off every day.
"Well… let's not rush. We have to look at the bigger picture."
Tajima sounded evasive, and his dodging tone and shifty eyes did not escape Gin's sharp senses. He imdiately frowned and asked:
"Uncle, did sothing happen?"
"Ai… I guess I can't hide it from you. I originally wanted you to rest up a bit."
Tajima suddenly looked serious, a "guilty" tone in his voice.
"There is sothing. I'd like to speak with you privately."
As he spoke, he glanced at the two girls who were spacing out.
"Kō, Chiri, thank you for your hard work. You should head ho and rest. I'll collect your mission reward on your behalf."
"Okay, Gin-san!"
Even Chiri could tell that sothing serious was up. She nodded and politely left.
"Gin, co ho early, okay~"
Kō didn't say much. She trusted Tajima—after all, they were going to be family.
She waved goodbye and walked out of the office with Chiri.
Once their footsteps disappeared down the hallway, only Gin and Tajima remained.
"Uncle, if you've got sothing to say, say it. Don't drag it out. The readers hate that."
Gin rolled his eyes in his usual half-dead manner and sighed.
"Of course I know."
Tajima gave a sour look and turned his eyes slightly as if gathering his thoughts. The candle next to him crackled softly.
Gin sat patiently, wondering what matter required everyone else to be sent away.
"…Madara lost."
Tajima finally spoke, as if the words drained all his strength.
"Huh? Big cousin kicked the bucket?!"
Gin thought he misheard. He rubbed his ears but they were clean. He looked up in surprise.
Everything was fine before, how could Madara just suddenly be dead?
"Whew… no, he didn't die! He just lost. To that brat from the Senju."
Ah—talk clearly! Gin nearly panicked thinking Madara had actually died.
He hadn't even unlocked Rinne Tensei (Samsara Rebirth) yet! If Madara had really died, he'd have to spend years playing cards with the Sage of Six Paths first.
"So he lost. Big deal. Not like it's the first ti."
Gin shrugged it off. Losing to that mushroom-head wasn't new. Their battles had always been back and forth.
"This ti it's different. He was crushed. That Senju brat took him down in one move—he had no chance to resist."
If it had just been a normal defeat, Tajima wouldn't have taken it so seriously. But this was a whole different level.
"Give the full story~"
Gin raised an eyebrow, now intrigued.
Damn it, he was gone just a few days and missed a major scoop.
"Before that—you probably don't know. The Senju clan just appointed a new clan leader."
Tajima decided to share that news first.
"That was fast~ Did that old bastard Butsuma even get a proper funeral?"
Gin smirked sarcastically, already guessing who it was.
Stupid old Senju geezer—he'd almost sent Gin to the next life with one punch.
"The Hagoromo affair must have been resolved. That kid only took the position afterward."
From the report, Tajima had deduced that the Senju had stopped pursuing the Hagoromo clan. So the matter must be settled.
"Three days ago, the Senju officially announced that Hashirama had beco their new clan leader. That very day, their forces were fully mobilized."
A strange light flickered in Tajima's eyes.
"War… has begun again."
"No wonder. All those unfamiliar faces outside must be veteran clan mbers recalled from long-term stations."
That confird Gin's earlier suspicion—like that clueless guard at the gate.
"Exactly. I've called back everyone who was stationed abroad or doing long-term missions. The Senju clearly plan to end this once and for all."
Tajima clenched his teeth. He had thought that after Butsuma's death, the Senju would quiet down. Instead, their new leader was even more ruthless.
"But never mind that—what exactly happened with big cousin?"
"Madara was on the frontlines, and when the new Senju clan leader appeared—"
"Report! The Senju are approaching! They're heading straight for our camp!"
Madara and Izuna, newly returned to the front, rushed to check.
With their Sharingan active, their enhanced vision clearly spotted the advancing horde—led by none other than the man Madara always thought about.
"Hashirama! Co to dance again, huh?!"
Whenever he saw Hashirama, Madara's whole deanor shifted. He leapt forward alone, sword drawn, facing his forr friend.
"Haaah~ Madara, this ti… I have to win."
Wearing a red armor set with the Senju clan crest on his forehead protector, Hashirama's expression was complicated. He glanced at his hopeful clansn, took a deep breath, and faced Madara seriously.
"Hahaha, are you trying to make laugh? Since when did you get so funny, Hashirama?!"
Madara wasn't taking him seriously at all. With a flourish of his blade, he grinned wickedly.
"I've seen through all your tricks. This ti, you lose!"
He'd analyzed his fight with Gin countless tis and developed a counter strategy to Mokuton (Wood Release).
Confident he would finally win, he charged forward.
"Sorry, Madara… but I…"
As Madara lunged in, Hashirama's hands clapped together. A pale blue light shone in his palms, and thick wooden roots burst from the ground like a tidal wave.
"Hmph! I've already seen through this move."
Rather than block with a Katon (Fire Release), Madara used his Sharingan-enhanced mobility to weave between the trees and slash his way forward.
But just before he reached Hashirama—
"I must carry my clan's hopes now…"
Hashirama's gaze sharpened. In the blink of an eye, he batted Madara's blade away with a glowing fist and muttered:
"Because I'm now the leader of the Senju!"
As Madara staggered in disbelief, Hashirama's form towered upward. Wood surged up, binding together, and from the dust a massive wooden giant roared into existence.
A giant wooden Buddha lood over the battlefield. Round-faced and stout, it seed docile—but its sheer presence made everyone's knees tremble.
Mokuton: Mokujin no Jutsu (Wood Release: Wood Human Technique)
"Ah! That's the clan head's secret technique!"
Even among the Senju, this was a rare sight. Soone gulped in awe.
"All hail the clan head!"
"Senju forever!"
"Sorry, Madara."
From atop the wooden giant's head, Hashirama looked down at Madara—gripped tightly in the wooden hand. There was a trace of guilt in his eyes.
"Big bro! Nicely done this ti!"
Out of nowhere, Tobirama appeared on the battlefield in a different-colored armor, beaming with joy.
"Now kill him!"
Tobirama urged. Hashirama was still young—he needed to cent his authority. Madara had basically delivered himself to be used as an example.
Hashirama's wood release had the added effect of draining chakra. In the grip of the giant, Madara couldn't even maintain his Sharingan after a few seconds.
"Hashirama… didn't expect you to still have sothing up your sleeve…"
Drained and gasping, his dark pupils stared up at the man above with gritted teeth.
"Hehe… not really. I was just playing with you before~"
(End of Chapter)
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