Chapter 21: 21. Unusual Strength
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Uchiha Gin had a dream, a dream that unfolded like a moving comic strip.
The first scene showed a young boy holding the hand of a crying girl, speaking to her.
In the second scene, the boy knelt in despair amid a sea of fire, surrounded by the broken bodies of the old, weak, women, and children.
In the third scene, the boy was kneeling on the ground, with sinister black shadows looming around him, as a red moon slowly rose in the background.
In the fourth scene, the flames surrounding the boy were illuminated by the red moon, turning a strange black.
In the fifth scene, the boy's eyes had become two gaping, blood-filled holes, blood continuously pouring out, yet a bright smile spread across his lips.
Just as the dream was about to continue, Uchiha Gin suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, and the dream abruptly ended.
He struggled to open his eyes and saw the same full moon hanging in the sky.
The surrounding scene hadn't changed, and from the tent in front of him came the indistinct mutterings of Senju Itama in his sleep, making everything feel even more real.
He wanted to get up but realized his whole body felt as if it had fallen apart, especially his back and head, as if he had been hit by a train—similar to how he felt when he first crossed into this world.
Uchiha Gin lifted his arm to check if he had any injuries, only to find that his right arm, which had been easily crushed by the woman before he fainted, had fully healed.
"It looks like I survived that ability."
His injuries had healed, which meant the ability that refreshed that night had finished its effect.
"Backyard has refreshed the daily random ability [Super Strength], obtained: Super Strength x1."
The system notification sounded.
"!!!"
Ignoring the psychological pain, Uchiha Gin quickly flipped to his feet like a hawk and examined his pale, thin hands.
He tried to clench his fists and immediately felt a warm flow of energy surging from his heart, gathering in his hands, as if a violent power was about to explode from his body.
Focusing on a massive rock nearby, Uchiha Gin raised his fist and punched it with all his might.
At the moment of impact, the hard rock was shattered by his seemingly frail fist, accompanied by a powerful air current, leaving a huge crater.
Cracks spread out from the point of impact like a spiderweb across the rock. Staring in disbelief at his handiwork, Uchiha Gin felt his throat go dry.
"So this is the legendary super strength?"
"Super Strength: A technique of the Senju Clan. By precisely controlling chakra, you can focus it into any part of your body, unleashing a powerful force capable of easily shattering walls."
The system thoughtfully explained.
As he got up and moved around, the soreness in his body gradually faded. The damage caused by the ability refreshing in the backyard would heal after the ability was used, though the memory of the pain would remain, his body wouldn't sustain any lasting injury.
After the initial excitement wore off, Uchiha Gin sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes, recalling the image of the woman who had descended from the sky earlier.
Though it had only been a fleeting glimpse, as a dedicated fan of the original work, he had immediately recognized the "technician."
"Tsunade, huh? She didn't come to avenge Uzumaki Mito, did she?"
Thinking about the Tsunade, who might not even be a girl anymore, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but mutter.
Just earlier that day, he had said goodbye to Uzumaki Mito, and now he had had a "close encounter" with her granddaughter that night.
"Looks like she doesn't hold grudges overnight!"
Feeling rather satisfied with his gains, Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow.
"At least this time, I got a useful ability."
Now that he had mastered super strength, Uchiha Gin's power had taken a huge leap forward. At this point, he figured he could probably challenge Uchiha Fūka, who was still unaware of his new strength.
Though this increase in strength made him happy, the thought of Senju Itama's mission gave him a headache again. It was supposed to be a beginner mission, so why was it so complicated?
Unable to make sense of it, he gave up thinking about it and returned to the tent, where Senju Itama was fast asleep.
Anger suddenly flared within him.
He grabbed the peacefully sleeping kid and tossed him out, then laid down on the spot Itama had just warmed up.
Savoring the warmth beneath him, Uchiha Gin finally drifted off to sleep, leaving the now-awake Senju Itama outside in the cold wind.
"Achoo! Achoo!"
Hearing the sound of sneezing outside the tent, the well-rested Uchiha Gin lazily stretched and walked outside to find Senju Itama curled up beside the tent.
Ignoring Itama's resentful gaze, Uchiha Gin swiftly packed up the tent.
If nothing went wrong, they would be able to return to the clan by the end of the day.
Glancing at the kid he had "looked after" along the way, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but worry about his own future.
"Maybe I should take this kid and defect to the Senju clan?"
The bold idea popped into his head, but he quickly dismissed it.
The two clans were currently locked in a fierce battle, with both Uchiha and Senju members killing each other like mad.
If he defected, he'd most likely be executed as a spy on the spot.
Even if he somehow succeeded in defecting, he'd surely be labeled a traitor by the Uchiha clan, and Uchiha Fūka would probably come after him at night to "make him disappear."
None of these options seemed good, so Uchiha Gin shook his head and decided to take things one step at a time.
After packing up his things, he led Senju Itama to join the others. The group had already gathered and were waiting to set off.
When Uchiha Gin finally arrived, the others didn't say a word but instead looked at him with a wary expression.
This left Uchiha Gin confused. Did someone awaken the mind-reading system and hear his thoughts about defecting? His mind began to run wild with possibilities.
"We won't spar with you."
Uchiha Ryoichi was the first to speak when he saw Uchiha Gin's odd expression.
"That's right, that's right."
Uchiha Tsuruhiko and Uchiha Taro agreed, nodding in unison.
Oh, so that's what it was!
Uchiha Gin let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed his earlier attempts to farm the "Steel Heart" treasure chest had left these guys a bit paranoid. He smiled and said cheerfully,
"Don't worry, everyone. We're almost home, and I won't waste your time or energy. Let's save the sparring for after we return!"
"No sparring, Uncle, we don't want to spar."
This time, all three shook their heads in unison.
"..."
"Alright, once everything is packed, let's move out."
Uchiha Fūka spoke up from behind, though no one had noticed when he had arrived.
"Yes, sir!"
The journey back went smoothly. As they traveled without stopping, the Uchiha village drew closer and closer.
Once they saw smoke rising in the distance, the group finally relaxed—except for Uchiha Gin.
"Who goes there!"
As they neared the Uchiha village, two figures suddenly appeared from the darkness. With their long black hair and crimson eyes, it was clear they were Uchiha clan members.
"We are the Uchiha team that was sent on a mission. I am Uchiha Fūka, the team leader. We've completed our mission and are returning to report."
As the team leader, Uchiha Fūka spoke, revealing his Sharingan.
"Oh, it's Fūka-sama. You've returned quickly! You're the first team back. Please, go and rest."
Recognizing Uchiha Fūka's identity, one of the guards spoke with respect.
These patrolling Uchiha were just the lowest-level fighters, not qualified to take on missions outside the village. They naturally held great respect for Uchiha Fūka, who had already made a name for himself.
The guard's eyes briefly swept over Uchiha Ryoichi and the others, finally settling on Uchiha Gin, who was carrying a child on his back.
"Who is that, and why is he carrying a kid?"
Unable to hold back, one of the guards spoke up. But in the next moment, his companion quickly covered his mouth, his face filled with terror, silently signaling him to stop talking.
As soon as the Uchiha team was allowed to pass, the guard who had been silenced struggled to break free from his companion's grasp and asked,
"Why did you stop me from questioning that guy?"
"You should be thanking me. I just saved your life."
Shaking off the spit from his hand, the other guard replied with a look of relief.
"?"
The guard who had been silenced looked confused.
"That guy was Uchiha Gin!"
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