章 113: 113. Water Demon
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Senju Butsuma?
Upon hearing this name, Uchiha Gin's brows furrowed deeply.
A few years ago, when he arrogantly went to witness the classic showdown between his cousin and Hashirama, Uchiha Gin was punched into the ICU by Senju Butsuma.
Even now, whenever he recalls that moment, his forearms still throb in pain.
"Wasn't he supposed to have died of illness? What does this have to do with the Hagoromo Clan?"
The news of Senju Butsuma's death from illness had not been hidden by the Senju clan. In fact, it was somewhat publicized. The current withdrawal of the Senju forces was partly to mourn their deceased clan leader.
However, Uchiha Gin, thinking back, started to feel that something wasn't quite right.
He had once faced off against Butsuma, and the guy was as strong as an ox. There had been no signs of hidden illness. How could someone from the resilient Senju clan die so easily in just a few years?
"Senju Butsuma didn't die from illness. He was assassinated by the leader of the Hagoromo clan and a few of their elders."
Uchiha Tajima said this with a calm voice, his eyes narrowed slightly.
What?!
Uchiha Gin was stunned by this revelation. In his memory, the Hagoromo clan members were quite weak. They had a slightly stronger talent for ninjutsu, but they weren't as powerful as the Uchiha clan. They had a bit more chakra, but still not as much as the Uzumaki clan, and their stamina was slightly better, but not enough to challenge the Senju.
How could such a mediocre, balanced clan bring down someone at the pinnacle of the Land Of Fire?
It was now confirmed – they were the real Water Demons.
"They had no choice. Pressured by external forces, the Hagoromo clan, in desperation to maintain their position in the Land of Fire, had to bring out their clan's ancestral treasures just to kill Senju Butsuma and regain their prestige."
"Ancestral treasures?"
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Gin perked up. Since his reincarnation, he hadn't heard much about such treasures, and his curiosity piqued immediately.
"It's said that these are tools left behind by the Sage of Six Paths, which the Hagoromo clan has worshipped for generations. They only bring them out when the clan faces extreme danger."
As Uchiha Tajima spoke, a flicker of fear passed through his eyes. If those treasures were powerful enough to kill Butsuma, someone on his level, then the Hagoromo clan's treasures were no joke.
"Unfortunately, the current leader of the Hagoromo clan doesn't have pure blood. He only has four whisker marks on his face, making it difficult for him to fully harness the Six Paths tools."
Tajima continued, filling Uchiha Gin in on these deep clan secrets. This was the first time Gin had heard the term "whisker marks," and it brought to mind the Kinkaku and Ginkaku brothers from the original story.
Those two also had six whisker marks on their faces, identical to the protagonist Naruto. Gin had originally thought it was the influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra. But in the original story, it was revealed they already had those marks before acquiring the Nine-Tails' chakra, possibly indicating they were descendants of the Hagoromo clan.
So, could the ancestral tools the Hagoromo clan revered be the same ones that appeared in the Fourth Great Ninja War?
"Do those tools have to be used by members of the Hagoromo clan?"
Uchiha Gin thought of the Six Paths tools that were used after the reanimation of Gold and Silver brothers were sealed and asked.
"Not necessarily. At the end of the day, those tools are just that—tools. But if someone without Hagoromo blood uses them, they have to pay a hefty chakra cost."
That made sense now. Both Darui and Tenten, who had used those tools before, weren't bound by blood but could still activate them, proving that these tools didn't require a bloodline connection.
"Even with all that, the Hagoromo clan still failed."
Tajima's gaze shifted slightly as he continued speaking to Uchiha Gin.
"In that battle, the Hagoromo clan almost threw everything they had at Butsuma. Although they managed to severely wound him, they paid a heavy price themselves."
"Huh?"
So many people ganged up on one, and they still got killed in the process? Were they even trying?
"Butsuma wasn't alone. His eldest son, Hashirama, was by his side. It was that brat who turned the tide of battle at a critical moment."
Was Hashirama that powerful at twenty?
Gin recalled the bowl-cut kid in his memory. Had that brat really soared to such heights in just a few short years?
"The ninjutsu you used earlier? Senju Hashirama can use it too."
Tajima said this while scrutinizing Uchiha Gin, whose expression was filled with disbelief.
If the timeline was accurate, Hashirama had probably already mastered Wood Release by now. The original story didn't cover much of the Warring States period, and only a few moments depicted the rising powers of Uchiha Madara and Hashirama.
During their early battles, Hashirama, in his youth, was already proficient with Wood Release and used it to fight Madara.
"No wonder they call him 'The Thief of the Senju.' I should charge him royalties," Uchiha Gin muttered bitterly, touching his curly hair.
"Alright, let's not dwell on that."
Tajima waved his hand, signaling that they shouldn't dig deeper into that matter, especially since Gin, despite his errant tendencies, was still trustworthy.
"As Senju Butsuma lay dying, his son used the same technique you used to drain the life out of the Hagoromo ambushers, leaving only a few to flee in the chaos. The Hagoromo clan leader, in his final moments, reverse-summoned the Six Paths tools back to their clan."
Having recounted the entire battle, Uchiha Tajima looked at Gin, whose brows were furrowed in thought.
"Now the Senju clan, led by that white-haired brat you saw, are scouring the land for the Hagoromo clan, determined to wipe them out."
That white-haired brat from birth—Tobirama! With him in charge, the Hagoromo clan wouldn't even make it to the gates of Konoha. Gin had hoped they could survive for another decade or so, but now it seemed if they showed up when Konoha was established, they'd be annihilated.
"This mission is going to be tough!"
With the Senju clan hell-bent on eliminating them, and with the Hagoromo clan's young and old already weakened, the outlook was bleak.
"Uncle, couldn't we just..."
Uchiha Gin grinned sinisterly, drawing a finger across his neck.
"I get what you're saying, but there's no need."
Uchiha Tajima hadn't ruled out plundering the Hagoromo clan's treasures, but after testing the Six Paths tools himself, he didn't think it was worth it.
"I've seen the Hagoromo clan's Six Paths tools. For us, they're just a burden. They consume too much chakra, and we can't fully unleash their power."
"Besides, anything that troubles the Senju clan is something we Uchiha will gladly help with. Whatever they want to do, we'll make sure they don't succeed."
Who would've thought Uncle had such a mischievous side?
"So…"
Gin finally realized. Could this mission be...?
"That's right. This task is yours, and I hope you do it well."
Tajima smiled approvingly, as if to say, "I'm counting on you."
"But my strength..."
Gin, eager to shirk the responsibility, used his usual excuse.
"Don't worry. You'll be going with Hikari."
Referring to Hikari by name, Tajima showed he trusted her capabilities.
"I was worried about your strength, so I arranged for a powerful support."
Tajima was confident in his pairing—Uchiha Gin, with his sharp intellect, and Uchiha Hikari, with her strength. Together, they made the perfect team.
"Can I refuse?"
Gin clung to Tajima's leg, crying, "I'm the last of my line! Not only am I still unmarried at thirty, but I'm also still a pure-hearted virgin! Please let someone else go!"
"Get off!!"
Tajima, his eye twitching in anger, kicked Gin away.
"I dodged~"
Nimbly dodging his uncle's kick, Gin straightened his appearance and eyed the map in his hand. He turned to Tajima, eyes glinting.
"If this is a mission, then what's the reward?"
"The reward is simple. You may choose one of the Hagoromo clan's Six Paths tools, and you will also receive a promise from them."
Tajima, wiping away the filth on his leg, shared the terms of the reward.
"No money?"
A useless Six Paths tool and an empty promise were enough to get the Uchiha clan involved?
"The Hagoromo clan's territory has already been taken by the Senju. Their wealth has been plundered, leaving only the young, old, and sick waiting to be relocated."
Tajima expressed some sympathy for the Hagoromo clan, as they shared a common enemy in the Senju.
"And also, the leader of the Hagoromo clan had ties with me. Before his death, he entrusted me with his final wishes, and I will do my best to fulfill them."
If it weren't for Uchiha Tajima being the current clan leader, the Hagoromo clan would have been kicked out by my cousin. After all, in my cousin's eyes, there is only Hashirama. The Hagoromo clan? He doesn't care!
"Alright~"
Uchiha Gin sighed, put away the map in his hand, and said to Uchiha Tajima in front of him,
"Then I'll take on this task."
"Huh?"
Uchiha Tajima, who had thought he would need to persuade him further, looked at his nephew in surprise.
This lazy guy was actually willing to accept such a thankless task.
In fact, Uchiha Tajima had considered doing the task himself and letting his eldest son take over the clan's affairs for a while. He had planned to step down and work from behind the scenes, offering advice to his son.
But unexpectedly, Senju Hashirama's new power emerged out of nowhere, and Uchiha Madara, who had once been his equal on the battlefield, was now being suppressed by Hashirama's new abilities.
This had driven his eldest son to the edge, focusing only on training and unable to handle the clan's affairs—his mind consumed by power.
So, Tajima had no choice but to postpone his retirement and resume managing the clan's affairs, allowing his son some breathing room. However, this also meant he couldn't personally handle the secret mission, leaving him with no choice but to entrust it to a reliable clansman.
As it happened, Uchiha Gin, who had performed outstandingly during the mission to unseal Uchiha Hikari, caught his attention.
He never expected that this usually carefree nephew would unleash such strength after recovering his memories, which truly surprised him.
So, taking advantage of this opportunity, he decided to send Gin along with Uchiha Hikari for rehabilitation while also testing his nephew's abilities. Tajima had a feeling that there was more to Gin than met the eye.
"As expected of my good nephew!"
With these thoughts running through his mind, Uchiha Tajima immediately made a decision and promised confidently,
"I'll leave this task to you. If you need anything, just let me know! Your uncle won't back down!"
"When I return, I want to retire and become a Sword Saint of Ten-Mile Slope~"
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