Chapter 23: 23. Mysterious Past
"Gin, think carefully about how you awakened your Sharingan."
Uchiha Tajima, unable to get the answers he wanted from the two elders, turned to ask Uchiha Yin.
This question truly stumped Uchiha Gin. His Sharingan had been awakened by the Tsukuyomi, a powerful genjutsu unique to Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, which had been activated in the backyard.
This was something he intended to keep to himself forever.
"Don't be nervous. I'm only curious, especially since you awakened your Sharingan at this age."
Seeing Uchiha Gin furrow his brow, Uchiha Tajima reassured him.
The expressions of the three people before him had, at some point, returned to normal. It was as if the icy atmosphere from before was merely his imagination.
The two elders even looked at him kindly, like warm, gentle seniors, their eyes filled with approval. Everything seemed peaceful and harmonious.
However, Uchiha Gin still felt something was off.
"I hope it's just my imagination," Uchiha Gin thought to himself, as he relaxed his tense expression.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he spoke.
"It was when I was severely wounded by the Senju clan. In that life-or-death moment, I awakened the Sharingan."
The activation of the Sharingan was typically triggered by intense emotional stimulation, so his explanation of awakening it after being gravely injured fit perfectly within reason. It was an answer no one could find fault with.
"Gin, you've been through a lot. I didn't expect the Senju clan's defenses in their homeland to be so tight,"
Hearing such a "reasonable" explanation, Uchiha Tajima, though still doubtful, couldn't press further without appearing overly suspicious.
After all, a mere two-tomoe Sharingan didn't warrant the clan leader's intense scrutiny.
The two elders beside him also refrained from speaking further, but their subtle glances never left Uchiha Gin's eyes.
"Clan leader, what about this little brat from the Senju clan?"
Sensing that Uchiha Tajima was ready to dismiss him, Uchiha Gin quickly pushed Senju Itama forward.
With his mind already elsewhere, Uchiha Tajima responded with a gentle expression.
"Since he's your captive, you can handle him for now. Keep him alive; he could be a useful bargaining chip in future conflicts with the Senju clan."
Upon hearing that Uchiha Tajima was leaving Itama in his care, Uchiha Gin was overjoyed. It seemed that the kid's life was safe, at least for the time being.
Fearing that his clan leader uncle might change his mind, Uchiha Yin swiftly picked up the unconscious Senju Itama, mumbled his thanks, and dashed out in a hurry.
As soon as the door shut, the kind expression on Uchiha Tajima's face instantly turned icy cold. The two elders, who had appeared so gentle moments ago, were now frowning deeply.
"Elder Haru, you were one of the people in charge of that operation years ago. You should remember the outcome of the surgery. Uchiha Gin should be absolutely incapable of awakening the Sharingan,"
Uchiha Tajima's voice was as cold as the wind in midwinter.
"Clan leader Tajima, I can guarantee there was no error in the operation back then. But, that individual hadn't been captured at the time. Could it be..."
The gaunt elder, Uchiha Haru, spoke with a hint of unease in his eyes.
"Are you suggesting that individual?"
Hearing this, Uchiha Tajima rubbed his eyes, which were sore from the tension.
"Is he still alive?"
"He's still locked up in the dungeon,"
The rotund elder, Uchiha Hiro, replied.
"For now, let's not dwell on this. The decisive battle with the Senju is approaching. I'll make sure Uchiha Gin stays behind in the clan,"
Uchiha Tajima said, feeling a sudden headache.
Lately, Uchiha Tajima had felt as though he were suffering from a brain ailment, with frequent bouts of pain.
The clan's doctors had examined him but found nothing wrong, so he chalked it up to overwork.
---
Carrying Senju Itama on his shoulder, Uchiha Gin walked toward his home, following the memory of the original host. At the same time, he tried to recall the identities of the two elders he had just met. After a brief moment, the details became clear.
The rotund elder, Uchiha Hiro, had been the personal guard of the previous clan leader.
In his younger days, he was highly skilled in combat and had accompanied the former leader through many battles.
After Uchiha Tajima became clan leader, Uchiha Hiro stepped down from the frontlines and became an elder of the Uchiha clan, primarily responsible for training new soldiers and overseeing the clan's security.
The gaunt elder, Uchiha Haru, was Uchiha Hiro's brother. His strength was unknown, but he was the head of the Uchiha clan's research department, focused on developing the clan's ocular and ninjutsu techniques.
It was said that the two brothers had an older sibling who had died in an internal clan conflict years ago, but not much else was known.
The original host's memory of these figures didn't go beyond that, and Uchiha Gin couldn't discern any more details. As he walked through the clan, lost in thought, the other Uchiha clansmen avoided his path.
Undisturbed, Uchiha Gin arrived at a secluded area far from the main gathering places of the clan. Before him stood a medium-sized wooden house.
The house was no different from the homes of other clansmen, though slightly more rundown. The old wooden door creaked as Uchiha Gin pushed it open, revealing the simple interior.
It was a modest one-bedroom home, with worn furniture. Despite its age, the careful maintenance of the furniture showed that its owner had cherished these belongings.
Entering the bedroom, he saw a simple wooden bed, and on the bedside table was a well-preserved family photo.
Uchiha Gin picked it up and examined it closely.
The photo depicted a simple family of three. A young Uchiha Gin, still an adorable little boy with a head of fluffy curls, smiled brightly with happiness.
On either side of him were his parents. On the left was his father, a gentle man with slightly wavy black hair, his eyes squinting slightly as he smiled warmly. His whole demeanor exuded sunshine.
On the right was his mother, a stern-looking woman with short black hair and a model-like face. Her demeanor was somewhat similar to Uchiha Tajima's—cold on the outside, but her gaze toward the young Gin was full of warmth.
Sighing, Uchiha Gin put the photo down. "Looks like the original host was once a bright and cheerful boy before his parents died in battle. What could have made him turn so dark?"
Musing over the impermanence of life, Uchiha Gin unpacked his belongings and cleaned the dust-covered house. As hunger began to gnaw at him, he decided to head out and buy some food.
However, he wasn't comfortable leaving the unconscious Senju Itama alone in the house.
Given the deep-seated hatred between the two clans, if word got out, there was a chance a vengeful Uchiha clansman might sneak in and kill the helpless boy in a fit of rage. That would bring trouble his way too.
So, Uchiha Gin once again slung Senju Itama over his shoulder and headed toward the Uchiha clan's market.
Along the way, many people pointed at him, but none dared to approach, likely out of fear of his reputation, allowing Uchiha Gin to enjoy some peace.
After purchasing some basic food supplies from a vendor who eyed him with terror, Uchiha Gin casually tossed some money down and hummed to himself as he returned home,
"Left hand a chicken, right hand a duck, and a fat little kid on my back, oh yeah, oh yeah!"
As he approached his house, he noticed that someone was waiting at his usually deserted doorstep.
Puzzled, Uchiha Gin slowly walked closer as he mulled over in his heart,
"Well, well, isn't this our dear Sasuke?"
Squatting at his doorstep was a boy of about ten years old. His spiky black hair made it clear he was from the Uchiha clan, and upon seeing his face, Uchiha Gin felt a strange sense of displacement.
The boy looked so much like the future Sasuke that Uchiha Gin couldn't help but question whether he'd crossed into another time.
The boy, upon seeing Uchiha Yin approach, immediately stood up with a swift movement. Before Uchiha Gin could say a word, a familiar voice echoed in his mind,
"Combat detected. Steel Heart treasure box accumulating..."
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