122. Unfamiliar Friend

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"Damn it! We're late again!"

Just after the Hagoromo Clan had relocated, a group of people arrived aggressively. Seeing the chaos left behind, the man leading the group couldn't help but click his tongue in frustration.

"Captain Koji, our young master instructed that if we find traces of the Hagoromo Clan again, we should report immediately," a red-haired man behind him reminded, frustrated from having lost track of their target multiple times, always missing them by just a bit.

In the darkness, the leader's face became visible. His skin was blackened and scarred from severe burns, with a particularly noticeable scar near his eye, adding to the fearsome look.

"Alright, go notify our young master. The tracks are still fresh; we'll continue the pursuit," he rasped out, his voice hoarse. After assigning the task to the red-haired man, he waved his hand, leading the rest of the group to continue following the traces.

Meanwhile, at the rear of the Hagoromo Clan's relocation unit, Uchiha Gin was talking nonchalantly.

Beside him, two young boys, one with golden hair and the other with silver, were carefully taking notes, their expressions serious as they recorded the words of this curly-haired man, afraid to miss anything.

"As the art of war says: 'Heaven's timing, Earth's advantage, and Human harmony—lacking any of these three, even a victory can lead to disaster.'"

Uchiha Gin raised his eyebrows as he noticed the two boys staring blankly, their faces full of confusion. His handsome face was filled with exaggerated frustration.

"Come on! Does the Hagoromo Clan not teach history or culture?"

"Huh?"

The two brothers exchanged confused glances, seeing the same big question mark in each other's eyes.

"Alright, alright, I'll explain it in simpler terms. Pick up your pens and write it down!"

Uchiha Gin rubbed his hands helplessly, making the brothers feel a bit guilty—were they really that ignorant?

"Do you know what ninjutsu Senju Tobirama excels at?"

The two brothers shook their heads in perfect unison.

"Water Release! You're trying to get revenge, but you don't even know the most basic intel?"

We're taking notes, we're taking notes!

"Think about it. Since Senju Tobirama excels in Water Release, you should ambush him during the peak of summer, when it's the driest. That's the 'Heaven's timing!'"

Got it, summer, dry season!

"That white-haired guy also has a space-time ninjutsu that allows him to come and go freely, so you need to fight him in a small, enclosed space to limit his movements. That's the 'Earth's advantage!'"

We're writing it down!

Uchiha Gin squinted, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"And because of his space-time ninjutsu, you'll need to restrain him with people or objects to prevent him from escaping. That's the 'Human harmony!'"

After delivering this lecture, Uchiha Gin thought for a moment and added, "That white-haired guy is crafty, so don't give him time to think."

"One more thing—when you attack, don't waste time with chit-chat. Just go straight for the kill. Don't give him a chance to plan."

The brothers, who had written down pages of notes, looked up at Uchiha Gin with skeptical eyes, as if doubting his advice.

"Is it really that simple?"

"It's that simple. This strategy works against anyone. If you can't get revenge, I'll refund you"

Uchiha Gin spoke with confidence.

He had taken a bribe from these two brothers before the lesson, or he wouldn't have shared such valuable knowledge.

When the brothers heard his guarantee, they temporarily set aside their doubts and carefully pocketed their notebooks, planning to review them later.

"Huh?"

Just as Uchiha Gin was about to take out the scroll that the brothers had sneakily given him, his super-sensitive perception suddenly picked something up.

Hmm, an elite captain and 18 subordinates? They're catching up already?

Feeling the strong life force of the pursuers, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. How were these Senju Clan members able to track the Hagoromo Clan so precisely?

"Gin, are they catching up?" Uchiha Hikari, whose sensory abilities were also quite sharp, sensed the approaching group shortly after Uchiha Gin did. A flash of ruthlessness crossed her eyes.

Don't be fooled by the gentle, soft-spoken persona she showed in front of Uchiha Gin and the others. Before she was sealed, she had been a "weapon of war" for a long time, and countless enemies had fallen at her hands.

For the enemies who had sealed her, there was no mercy.

"Shall I go take care of them?"

Her long-dormant bloodthirst flared up, and her voice carried an eerie excitement.

"No need, I'll handle it," Uchiha Gin replied. He didn't want her exposed to too much violence. Uchiha Hikari had a dormant dark side within her, and if she indulged too much, the consequences could be dire.

"Gin-san, Hikari-senpai, what are you two talking about?" asked Uchiha Osamu, who wasn't as strong as them. He tilted his head in confusion, listening to their cryptic conversation.

"Nothing important, just some pests," Uchiha Gin chuckled, signaling to Hikari not to worry.

When the others weren't paying attention, Uchiha Gin made a hand sign, and a wooden branch extended from behind him, turning into a perfect clone of himself.

Wood Release: Wood Clone!

This was a technique he had learned from Yamato, an NPC who would excitedly rush up to him with hand signs every time they met in the game. It had been bizarre, but also useful.

The real Uchiha Gin slowed his pace, giving Uchiha Hikari a reassuring look. He let the Wood Clone take his place, while he quietly merged into the shadows.

Uchiha Gin flashed to a spot along the pursuers' route, closed his eyes, and reopened them, activating his mutated Byakugan. His vision pierced through the trees, clearly observing the group heading toward them.

The leader was a man with severe burn scars, his face unrecognizable. Uchiha Gin couldn't tell who he was, but his aura felt familiar.

Behind the man were several black-haired members of the Senju Clan. What intrigued Uchiha Gin was that none of them were sensory-type ninjas; they were all fighters. So how were they tracking the Hagoromo Clan so accurately?

Puzzled, Uchiha Gin deactivated his Byakugan, his black eyes gleaming faintly. He decided to wait there for them to explain it themselves.

"Damn, we've lost the Uzumaki guy's trail. We're close to losing the Hagoromo Clan too," Senju Koji muttered, realizing the traces were becoming fainter. Without a sensory ninja, their chances of success were slim.

"Captain! There's someone up ahead!"

Just as Senju Koji was in a bind, one of his clan members spotted a man lounging on a deck chair ahead, leisurely eating sunflower seeds.

"Stop! Be cautious—it could be a trap!"

Koji immediately halted the group, scanning the area for an ambush. "Spread out and check for traps," he ordered.

After a thorough search, they found nothing, leaving Koji frowning. His heavily scarred, hairless face wrinkled in frustration. "No signs of ambush?" he asked as his clan regrouped.

"No!" x18 "No~" x1 Wait, one voice was different?

The entire Senju group turned to the odd voice, only to see a man with messy curls awkwardly scratching his head, sticking out among the otherwise uniformly straight-haired Senju.

"Well, this is awkward…"

Uchiha Gin, who had thought he'd successfully infiltrated, scratched his head sheepishly. He hadn't expected to be spotted so quickly. These Senju were too sharp.

"Who is this guy?"

The Senju immediately drew their weapons, wary of the stranger among them.

Senju Koji, about to speak, froze when he saw the man's curly hair and laid-back expression. His eyes widened in shock.

"Watch out! This guy's an Uchiha!"

"Hey! My eyes aren't even red! How'd you figure I'm an Uchiha?"

For this mission, Uchiha Gin had deliberately not worn his clan's emblem. That was why the Hagoromo Clan's scouts hadn't recognized him right away. But somehow, these Senju had spotted him immediately, piquing Uchiha Gin's curiosity.

He hadn't been active much since his arrival, so how did they know him?

"Ah, I see now. Truly, a great man is recognized everywhere he goes. Even if I'm not out in the world, my legend lives on."

Uchiha Gin coyly flipped his hair and flashed what he thought was a charming smile at the Senju.

"So, tell me, has my name already reached the Senju Clan?"

"This guy is so punchable!"

One of the Senju muttered, and the rest quickly agreed.

Who is this guy, really?

The eighteen Senju warriors turned to their leader, hoping for answers.

"Where is Uchiha Fuka?!"

Senju Koji was seething with anger, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Uchiha Gin. His fists, covered in burn scars, clenched so tightly that they made a creaking sound. With great effort, he forced out a sentence:

"Where is Captain Fuka?!"

Captain Fuka? That was so long ago. Why is someone still bringing it up after all this time?

Uchiha Gin glanced at the agitated Senju warrior in front of him, puzzled. He squinted, realizing the man looked oddly familiar. With a hesitant tone, Gin asked:

"Who are you?"

"Yes! It's me!"

"Who are you? How could anyone recognize you with all those burns?"

He's practically been burnt into Deadpool—how am I supposed to recognize a ghost?

"Pfft!!!"

Senju Koji had thought Uchiha Gin recognized him. But hearing Gin's mocking tone, asking for a punch, caused his blood pressure to spike. A surge of rage hit him, and with a bitter taste rising in his throat, he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

"Hey, hey, hey! Referee, look—he's already down, and I haven't even started yet!"

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