"Gin, think carefully. How did you awaken your Sharingan?" Uchiha Tajima asked, unable to get answers from the elders.
The question stumped Uchiha Gin. His Sharingan had been triggered by a system-spawned Uchiha Itachi using the Mangekyo Sharingan's Tsukuyomi—a secret he'd take to his grave.
"No need to be nervous. I'm just curious, since you awakened it at your age," Tajima reassured, noticing Uchiha Gin's furrowed brow.
The three men's expressions had returned to normal, as if the earlier icy tension was Uchiha Gin's imagination.
The elders now gazed at him kindly, like benevolent grandparents, their eyes warm with approval, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
Yet Uchiha Gin felt a faint unease. Hope it's just my imagination, he thought, relaxing his brow. After a moment, he said, "It was when the Senju nearly killed me. On the brink of death, I awakened my Sharingan."
Sharingan awakenings stemmed from intense emotions, and his story of unlocking it in a life-or-death moment was plausible, impossible to dispute.
"That must've been tough, Gin. I didn't expect the Senju heartland's defenses to be so tight," Tajima said, accepting the "logical" explanation. Though skeptical, he couldn't press further without seeming overly suspicious.
A mere double-tomoe wasn't worth a clan leader's intense scrutiny.
The elders stayed silent, but their subtle glances never left Uchiha Gin's eyes.
"Clan Leader, about this Senju kid…" Uchiha Gin, sensing Tajima's intent to dismiss him, pushed Senju Itama forward.
Tajima, his mind elsewhere, responded mildly, "Since he's your captive, you'll guard him for now. Keep him alive—he's a bargaining chip against the Senju."
Overjoyed that Itama's life was spared, Uchiha Gin feared Tajima might change his mind. Hoisting the unconscious boy, he blurted, "I'll take my leave," and bolted.
As the door closed, Tajima's warm demeanor vanished, his face turning icy. The elders, previously genial, frowned deeply.
"Elder Miao, you oversaw that surgery. You know Uchiha Gin should never have awakened a Sharingan," Tajima said, his voice like a winter gale.
"Clan Leader Tajima, I swear the surgery was flawless. But that man hadn't been captured then. Could it be…" Elder Miao, thin as a reed, betrayed unease.
"You mean him?" Tajima rubbed his aching eyes, a headache brewing.
"Is he still alive?" he asked.
"He's still in the dungeon," Elder Yan, rotund, confirmed.
"For now, set this aside. With the Senju war looming, I'll keep Uchiha Gin in the clan," Tajima decided, wincing.
Lately, he'd suffered unexplained headaches. Clan medics found nothing, so he chalked it up to overwork.
Carrying Senju Itama, Uchiha Gin left the clan leader's building, heading to his home from the original owner's memories while recalling the elders' identities.
The stout elder, Uchiha Yan, was the previous clan leader's bodyguard, a formidable warrior in his youth who fought alongside him. After Tajima became leader, Yan stepped back, becoming an elder overseeing recruit training and clan security.
The lean elder, Uchiha Miao, Yan's brother, led the clan's research division, focusing on dojutsu and ninjutsu development. His strength was unknown.
They had an older brother who died in clan conflicts, but details were scarce.
The original owner's knowledge ended there, and Uchiha Gin couldn't glean more. Clansmen parted as he walked, lost in thought, avoiding him.
Unbothered, he reached a secluded, rundown wooden house far from the clan's bustling center.
It was typical but weathered. Pushing open the aged door, he surveyed the simple interior: a modest living room and bedroom, old furniture bearing marks of careful maintenance.
In the bedroom, a wooden bed and a nightstand held a well-preserved family photo. Uchiha Gin studied it.
A young original owner, an adorable boy with fluffy curls, beamed happily. His parents flanked him. The father, with curly black hair, had a warm, sunny smile, eyes crinkled. The mother, with short black hair and a model-like face, resembled Tajima. Her stern expression softened with love for her son.
Sighing, Uchiha Gin set the photo down. "The original owner was a bright, cheerful kid before his parents died in battle. How'd he turn so dark?"
Musing on life's twists, he cleaned the dusty house. Hunger gnawing, he decided to buy ingredients.
Leaving Itama, still unconscious, felt risky—Uchiha and Senju hatred ran deep. A vengeful clansman might kill the defenseless boy, ruining Uchiha Gin's plans.
He hoisted Itama and headed to the clan market.
Passersby pointed at him carrying a kid, but none dared approach, likely intimidated by his reputation, granting him peace.
At the market, he bought ingredients, tossing coins to a terrified vendor.
Humming a tune, arms full of groceries, Uchiha Gin strolled home, Itama slung over his shoulder.
From afar, he spotted someone at his usually deserted doorstep. Approaching, he grinned. "Yo, isn't that Little Sasuke?"
A boy, about ten, squatted there. His spiky black hair marked him as Uchiha. His face was eerily like future Sasuke's, making Uchiha Gin wonder if he'd time-traveled again.
The boy sprang up, spotting Uchiha Gin. Before Gin could speak, the system chimed: "Host has entered combat. Heartsteel Chest accumulation begins…"
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