"Prepare to die!"
After three agreed-upon moves, Kinkaku cracked his knuckles with a sinister grin, making a loud cracking sound as he stepped forward towards Uchiha Haruka, who was locked in a staring contest with Uchiha Gin.
Crack! Crack!
The sound of joints popping echoed loudly.
Crack! Crack! Screech! Crack!
Suddenly, mixed with the sound of cracking bones, there was a sharp, clear tearing sound.
Kinkaku, who had just taken a couple of steps, suddenly felt his whole body go numb. Then, he felt a chill between his legs and looked down in confusion.
"Ahhhhhh!!!"
The once arrogant Kinkaku now let out a scream like a young girl.
"Huh? Gin, why are you covering my eyes?" asked Uchiha Hikari, confused as Uchiha Gin had already covered her eyes, knowing what had just happened.
Heh, who would have thought this guy, despite his mature face, was still underdeveloped down there like a child?
"I don't want you to get an eye infection."
Uchiha Gin explained seriously as if offering a reasonable answer, "Even Mangekyō can get sick, didn't you know?"
"Oh, Gin, you're so thoughtful." Hikari smiled sweetly.
"Huh? Gin-san, why are you standing in front of me? The fight isn't over yet," Uchiha Haruka asked, confused as Uchiha Gin stepped in front of him.
"I'm doing this for your sake. There are some things you should wait until you're older to witness."
The other Uchiha Gin, who appeared on the battlefield, smiled oddly, completely blocking Hikari's view. "Kinkaku, do you still want to continue?"
"No! No more! I surrender!"
The psychological and physical humiliation was no joke; Kinkaku's defenses, both mental and physical, were completely shattered.
Kinkaku, with his burly, tough-looking face, now cried like a child. Well, technically, he was still a child based on his age, but he just matured faster physically.
Seeing his broken brother, Ginkakh grabbed a nearby tablecloth and quickly ran to cover Kinkaku "Brother, cover up."
"Waaah!"
In the end, the two brothers fled in disgrace.
After dispersing his clones and enjoying the spectacle, the real Uchiha Gin turned his head and looked at Hagoromo Shintaro with a questioning gaze. "You don't seem angry at all? In fact, you look a little happy."
"Angry? Certainly not. Happy? Maybe just a little."
Hagoromo Shintaro shook his head and explained, "As the acting clan leader, my position isn't easy. Kinkaku and Ginkaku, those two kids, have always been difficult to control."
He couldn't help but feel helpless about Kinkaku and Ginkaku. Even if he could fight them, they wielded the clan's sacred relics, so he could only rely on his seniority to keep them in check.
"Because they are the former clan leader's orphans, I haven't been able to say much. But now, during this critical time of our relocation, being able to suppress their arrogance for a while is definitely a relief."
Uchiha Gin suddenly understood. No wonder Hagoromo Shintaro didn't stop these two troublemakers—it was all a ploy to use him to teach them a lesson.
"Cunning adults," Gin mused.
"These two kids aren't bad by nature. Kinkaku is just a bit reckless, though deep down he's shy. Ginkaku, on the other hand, is timid and introverted, easily discouraged, so apart from his brother, he doesn't talk to many people."
Who would have thought that the two boys, who looked like villains, would have such harmless natures?
Don't judge a book by its cover—it's dangerous to form preconceived notions. How could the kids who took down that detestable white-haired guy be evil?
Worried that Uchiha Gin might think he was oppressing the late clan leader's orphans, Shintarō explained further, "If the Hagoromo clan can survive this calamity, I'll ensure those boys receive proper education and take on the responsibilities they should as the clan leader's sons."
"I believe in you!" Gin smiled warmly, leaving Hagoromo Shintaro a bit puzzled.
"You've seen our strength now. Do you trust us?" Uchiha Gin suddenly asked, seeing through Hagoromo Shintaro's feigned confusion.
The appearance of Kinkaku and Ginkaku had been a test of sorts.
"Gin-san, what do you mean by that?"
Uchiha Gin only believed half of what Hagoromo Shintaro said.
Given his position as acting clan leader, Hagoromo Shintaro had surely learned to play mind games to survive.
"Haha, don't blame me, Gin-san. I had to be cautious." Hagoromo Shintaro smiled apologetically, knowing that Gin had seen through his little test.
"Now, I have no more concerns. From now on, we will rely on your full support." Having witnessed Uchiha Gin's strength, Hagoromo Shintaro bowed deeply in gratitude.
"All right, all right, let's get moving."
Gin wasn't bothered by Hagoromo Shintaro's earlier caution. If he were in the same position, he would have acted similarly.
Following Hagoromo Shintaro's order, the entire survivor camp quickly mobilized. Within moments, everyone was packed and ready to go.
"Let's go."
Surveying the ragtag group of survivors, including the blank expressions of the women and the confused eyes of the children, Uchiha Gin sighed and said to Shintarō, "Let's head out!"
With the Senju clan pursuing them, the remaining young men of the Hagoromo clan took the lead to scout ahead.
Uchiha Gin created two clones to patrol the sides, keeping the women and children safely in the middle.
The real Uchiha Gin and Uchiha Hikari trailed behind to fend off any attacks from the Senju.
"Huh? Why are you two boys here?"
Gin, who had been leisurely enjoying the scenery with Hikari, raised an eyebrow at the sight of Kinkaku and Ginkaku deliberately lagging behind.
"Hmph! I'm not afraid of the Senju clan."
Having put on his clothes, Jin Jiao regained his bravado. Although he no longer challenged Uchiha Gin and his group, it seemed his target had shifted to the Senju pursuers.
"As expected of the young clan leaders of the Hagoromo clan!" Gin praised the boy's spirited attitude.
"Why is your brother so quiet?"
Gin glanced at the silent Ginkaku trailing behind his brother and couldn't help but ask.
"Ginkaku isn't good with strangers, but don't underestimate him. He's almost as strong as I am." Kinkaku's face beamed with pride as he spoke of his brother.
Hearing his brother's praise, Ginkaku remained silent but lowered his head, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Do you know why you're going to the Land of Lightning?" Gin asked, figuring they had a long journey ahead.
"I'm not sure. Uncle Shintarō arranged everything, but…"
For a moment, the mature-faced Kinkaku looked confused. Then, he slowly said, "Wherever we go, I will definitely avenge our clan against the Senju!"
The confusion on his face vanished, replaced with intense hatred for the Senju.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Just the two of you? I doubt you could take on Hashirama Senju."
While Gin admired their ambition, he couldn't help but question their ability.
"Don't underestimate us!"
Kinkaku face twitched with indignation, his whisker-like markings standing out more prominently. "We can freely wield the sacred relics of our clan. With their power, taking down Hashirama Senju will be easy!"
Ah, clearly these boys hadn't faced the full force of the legendary ninja. Did they really think a few relics could compete with the reincarnation of Asura?
"Have you ever met Hashirama Senju?" Gin asked.
"No! My brother and I have trained in the shrine since childhood and have never left."
Ah, so they were sheltered, obsessed with the relics passed down by the Sage of Six Paths.
"How strong was your father?" Gin inquired.
"Father was a hundred times stronger than me!"
Kinkaku's eyes gleamed with admiration as he spoke of his late father, the former leader of the Hagoromo clan.
"Sigh~ But you should know that your father, along with the clan elders and elite warriors, was still wiped out by Hashirama Senju alone."
Gin sighed, showing no regard for the psychological impact his words might have on the twelve-year-old boys.
"..."
Gin's words left Kinkaku in silent despair. He was right—if their father, such a powerful ninja, was killed by Hashirama, what hope did they have?
Seeing their dejection, Gin's eyes twinkled mischievously as he added, "But if avenging your father against Hashirama is too tough, there's always his brother. You know who I'm talking about, right?"
"Of course, it's that white-haired guy leading the charge against us," Kinkaku replied, not completely unaware of the situation.
"Yes, yes, yes, that white-haired guy. His strength is far inferior to Hashirama Senju. Besides being fast and sly, his power is just average. The two of you together should be more than enough to handle him."
Seeing the right moment, Uchiha Gin eye stirred things up.
"Brother, what this Uchiha says makes sense."
Kinkaku's brother, Ginkaku, who had been listening behind him for a while, couldn't help but step forward and whisper in his brother's ear.
"Hmph! Once we brothers fully master our training, neither Hashirama nor Tobirama Senju will be a match for us."
Feeling encouraged by his brother's support, Kinkaku became even more confident and couldn't help but boast.
No, no, no, little friends. Hashirama Senju might not wait for you two. A ninja's prime is usually between thirty and forty years old. By the time you reach your peak, you'll probably only be able to take on the white-haired guy.
"Go for it, I'm rooting for you~~ Do you need some tips? I do have some experience when it comes to fighting the white-haired one."
-
Read 220+ chapters here (with update rate of 5-10 chapters/day):
Patreon.com/rashta
Join as a member and you will get:
- Read up to 400+ chapters of Douluo Dalu: Qian Renxue's Younger Brother
- Read 163 Advanced chapters of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Completed)