章 37: 37. Hostility
"How can you slander someone out of nowhere?" Uchiha Madara shouted furiously at Uchiha Gin, his face flushed with anger. He regretted ever opened up to this unreliable cousin.
"I thought, with your age, you'd give me some constructive advice. Turns out you're just a shallow person! I'm ashamed to be associated with you!"
With that, he dramatically swished his sleeve and stormed out of the room.
"Hey, don't leave! Let me give you some tips, or you'll be stuck beneath someone forever!" Uchiha Gin called out loudly, making a funnel shape with his hands.
His words caught the attention of passersby in the corridor, who started whispering among themselves.
Madara wished he had more legs to get away from the place as quickly as possible.
At the door, Izuna, who had just picked up some medicine, saw his brother fleeing in embarrassment.
He dropped the medicine and chased after him, creating a lively scene as they raced through the hallways.
Uchiha Tajima, utterly confused, watched his two sons run off one after the other.
Turning to Uchiha Gin with a puzzled expression, he asked, "Gin, what did you do to tease Madara this time?"
"Heh, nothing really. Just ask Izuna later. He said he wants to report it to you personally," Uchiha Gin replied with a grin.
"Such rudeness. I'll be sure to educate him properly when we get back," Uchiha Tajima shook his head, seemingly apologetic for Madara's behavior.
"Uncle, you're treating me like an outsider when you say things like that," Uchiha Gin smiled. When there were no outsiders present, Tajima allowed Gin to call him "uncle" rather than "clan leader."
"My mistake, Gin. I shouldn't have put you to work right after you returned from a mission without giving you time to rest," Uchiha Tajima said, looking remorseful.
"You're making me feel like an outsider when you say that. It's my own fault for not being skilled enough and getting injured by the Senju Clan," Gin said, taking the opportunity to explain his unconsciousness earlier as being due to a previous mission injury.
He had overheard Madara and Izuna discussing how Uchiha Haru had attributed his collapse to an old injury, and Gin had no intention of revealing the real cause.
"Head injuries need to be well cared for. Don't leave yourself with lasting effects," Tajima patted Gin's shoulder, acting like a concerned elder.
But Gin noticed a fleeting hint of scrutiny in his uncle's eyes.
"By the way, Gin, you didn't finish your mission report last time, did you? After your encounter with the Uzumaki Clan, did anything unusual happen? Did you meet anyone suspicious?" Tajima casually brought up the incomplete mission report.
Thinking back, Gin remembered that his report had been interrupted after he activated his Sharingan, and he hadn't been able to complete it.
"After we encountered the Uzumaki Clan, due to the difference in numbers and strength, we were quickly overwhelmed," Gin said, pausing to recall, "Their leader, a muscle-bound guy, was pushing Captain Fuka back. Luckily, I managed to capture a young Uzumaki clan member in the forest."
Recalling the cute, bun-headed Uzumaki Mito, Gin smiled and continued, "That kid seemed pretty important. I used her as leverage to distract the muscle guy and negotiated a deal. I released the child, and he let us go."
After listening to Gin's half-truths, Tajima nodded approvingly. "You handled the situation well under pressure. You truly are my nephew."
"It's all thanks to your teachings, Uncle," Gin responded, offering praise in return.
"And you didn't encounter anything strange or suspicious?" Tajima pressed on, unwilling to let it go.
"Now that you mention it," Gin said, acting like he suddenly remembered something, "That Uzumaki kid tried to fight back with a ninja tool—a pearl of some kind. But after using it, the only thing it produced was a rune that hit me. Oddly, there was no noticeable effect, so maybe it was broken."
"And where did it hit you?" Tajima asked.
"Here," Gin pointed to his head.
"I see. Well then, Gin, make sure you rest up. Don't rush back to work too soon," Tajima advised, frowning slightly before standing up to leave.
"I'm fine now. I can go back to work tomorrow," Gin said, standing up and performing some agile moves to show he was back to normal.
"Alright, but don't push yourself," Tajima relented, nodding in agreement.
Gin smiled as he watched his uncle leave, but as soon as Tajima was out of sight, his smile faded.
There's something Uchiha Tajima is hiding from me.
During their conversation, Gin had felt an inexplicable sense of malice from Tajima.
It was faint, but unmistakable.
"Is it just my imagination?" Gin wondered, but once that feeling took root, it was hard to shake off.
A little while later, after gathering his things, Gin left the hospital and, seeing it was getting late, headed home.
On his way, he stopped by the market and bought several ingredients, figuring that if he didn't come home for a few days, the kid, Senju Itama, could at least cook for himself for a while.
While paying for his purchases, Gin felt a sudden surge of hostility from the vendor, which left him momentarily bewildered.
In the end, he simply tossed the money at the shifty-eyed merchant and left.
As he walked home with his groceries, he couldn't stop thinking about that strange sensation of malice.
Was it an illusion, or something more?
When he arrived home, the usual chaotic mess was gone. His room had been cleaned up and tidied, and there was no ambush from the usual mischievous Senju Itama.
Hearing the door open, Itama, wearing an apron, peeked out from the kitchen and gave Gin a once-over. "You're home early today."
"What are you up to, you little brat?" Gin asked, trying to sense any malice but finding none.
"Hmph, I only made something for myself. If you want to eat, make it yourself!" Itama snapped, waving a spatula in his hand.
"Wow, you, the Senju clan's young master, can actually cook?" Gin squeezed into the kitchen, only to be met with an unrecognizable mass of food in the pan. "What on earth are you making?"
"Are you underestimating me? Try it—it's delicious!" Itama boasted confidently, scooping a portion of the unidentifiable food onto a plate and offering it to Gin.
"Uh, no thanks. I'd rather not risk seeing my great-grandmother in the afterlife," Gin declined quickly, not wanting to shorten his life.
"You'll beg for a bite later, just wait!" Itama said, overly confident as he stuffed a spoonful into his own mouth.
Seconds later…
"Don't die!" Gin shouted, panicking as Itama began foaming at the mouth.
In the end, it wasn't as bad as it seemed. After a series of violent retches, Itama threw up everything he had eaten and barely avoided disaster.
Looking at the weakened boy, Gin felt a wave of guilt and fear.
Itama's life was now tied to his own—if anything happened to the kid, Gin would also be in serious trouble.
He picked up the small, frail Itama, who felt soft and light in his arms.
Looking at his innocent, sleeping face, Gin couldn't help but think the kid was kind of cute, with his round face and soft features.
Shaking his head to clear the strange thought, Gin reminded himself that he wasn't Madara.
How could he possibly have any feelings for a Senju clan boy?
---
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