Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

early morning,

Looking tired, Miroku, influenced by his biological clock, got up with his eyes still closed. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he mumbled to Reimu Hakurei about his strange dream.

"Ha~ Master, I did something really strange last night, uh? Master?"

However, when she opened her eyes, she found that the teacher who should have been sleeping next to her was nowhere to be found. Judging from the neatness of the sheets, no one had slept there all night.
"Something terrible has happened! Master has disappeared!"

Suddenly awake, the little Maitreya Buddha took off running along the long corridor of the courtyard, his chubby little legs making a "thump-thump-thump" sound. His clear, childlike voice heralded the start of a new day.

Good morning, little Maitreya.

Around the corner, Uchiha Shinobu, who was engrossed in something, smiled and greeted Miroku, who looked anxious.
Good morning, Sister Governance!

Miroku, who was running, paused briefly in front of Uchiha Rinpoche, bowed politely in return, and then hurriedly ran outside again.
"Master~ Master~"

"What an energetic child."

Uchiha Rinpoche smiled and nodded, while thoughtfully stroking the "trophy" in his hand.
A large red dog collar,
[Great idea, but it's mine now.]

Silently tucking the evidence seized from Reimu into his robes, and thinking that his carefully prepared arsenal had gained another powerful member, Uchiha Rinpoche suddenly felt that the day of decisive victory was one step closer.
"Master! Master! Master... uh?"

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
Just as Miroku was searching around for the careless Reimu Hakurei, a rhythmic whipping sound instantly caught her attention.
Following the sound, she jogged to the shrine's front courtyard, where she saw a familiar figure hanging upside down under the bright red torii gate, swaying back and forth. Uchiha Hikaru, her face as cold as ice, cracked her long whip with a sharp, snapping sound.
"Ah~ah~ah~"

As she relentlessly lashed the shrine, screams of agony echoed throughout the shrine, lingering for a long time.

The scene before him, far too 18+, had a tremendous impact on Miroku's young mind, and his little mouth formed a surprised "O".
After a brief moment of shock, she suddenly spotted the missing Reimu on the other side of the torii gate.
"Master?"

The other person was kneeling upright to the side, trembling as they watched Uchiha Hikaru punish Uchiha Gin for "cheating."

"Mile, you're awake."

Hearing her junior disciple's call, a haggard-looking Reimu forced a weak smile at her.

What game are you playing?

Maitreya opened his big, bewildered eyes and asked curiously,

"Phew... We're swinging on the swings. Little Maitreya, did you sleep well last night?"

Uchiha Hikaru, having put down the whip, smiled at Miroku. After a night of whipping, her mood had improved considerably.

"Ah."

Unaware that he had been hypnotized by Uchiha when he got up in the middle of the night, Miroku nodded vigorously, but quickly a look of doubt appeared on his face.
"But they had a very real dream."

As she spoke, she pointed to Uchiha Gin, who was "swinging" under the torii gate, her little brows furrowing deeply.

"In my dream, the chef uncle and the master craftsman were secretly playing a dog game."

"Well!"

Upon hearing this, Reimu's face showed fear, as if she were recalling some painful memory.

"Dog games...that must be really fun."

Hikaru Uchiha turned his face away, giving Gin Uchiha, who was swaying back and forth under the torii gate, a meaningful look.
"It's a misunderstanding...it's all a misunderstanding, believe me, Hikari..."

With a bruised and swollen face and tears in his eyes, Gin Uchiha had a bellyful of grievances he didn't know who to tell.

"Snapped!"

"Caught red-handed, yet you dare to deny it?"

With a cold smile, Uchiha Hikari raised her hand and lashed out with her whip. She was no longer the naive girl who could be easily fooled by Uchiha Gin's words.
The dirty deal was exposed by her and the administrator. With the stolen money from the gold bar and the important evidence collar, what excuse could there be for the crimes committed by Uchiha Gin?
"Warrior-baring shrine maiden, say something!"

Now, only if Reimu, the person directly involved, comes forward to testify can he clear his name.

Facing Gin Uchiha's pleading gaze, Reimu's face flashed with determination.
"I have nothing to say."

Even if the offerings were confiscated, she, being loyal to Uchiha Gin, could not betray him and reveal their secret deal to a third person.
"what?"

"Snapped!"

"Ah~"

"you can go now."

Glancing at the curious little Miroku, and in order to protect the physical and mental health of the minor, Uchiha Hikaru, moved by kindness, nodded towards Reimu.
After all, in her eyes, this seemingly dim-witted, armpit-baring shrine maiden was merely a misguided girl who had been led astray by Uchiha Gin's inducements; a little nudge would suffice.
"Thank you so much."

Reimu, who had been kneeling and reflecting on her actions all night, struggled to her feet, gave Uchiha Gin a encouraging look, and dragged Miroku, who still wanted to continue observing, away from this troublesome place.

……

"Giggle!"

The whipping of Uchiha Gin continued until Kun shouted, and the punishment only ended when Uchiha Shigeaki appeared with a steaming breakfast.
“Hulu~Hulu~”

At the dining table, Little Maitreya gulped down the fragrant meat porridge, his face beaming with happiness.

"hiss……"

Uchiha Gin, who was applying an egg to his face, twitched in pain, but looked at Miroku, who was enjoying his meal, with a hint of tenderness in his eyes.
"We're leaving now after dinner. Thank you for your hospitality yesterday."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Little Maitreya's expression tightened, and his disappointment was clearly visible.

"Is the chef leaving?"

"We came to Amegakure only to take care of some business. Now that the matter is resolved, it's time for us to leave."

Reaching out, Gintoki gently patted Miroku's head and explained in a soft voice,
Other people's children are always so good, unlike that brat Fugaku, who never gives anyone a moment's peace.

"But they haven't played dog games with the chef yet."

"puff!"

Reimu, who had been burying her head in the sand like an ostrich, suddenly spat out a mouthful of meat porridge and, looking utterly embarrassed, pulled the pouting Miroku to her side.
How can you take dreams seriously?

It seems that Maitreya just vividly described the incredibly realistic scenes from his dream to her.
"Ok."

Little Maitreya nodded reluctantly and began to eat his rice again, but for some reason, the meat porridge that had been so delicious just moments before suddenly became tasteless.
After dinner,

After resting for a while, Uchiha Gin and his group, having finished packing, stood at the main gate of the Hakurei Shrine to bid a final farewell to the priestess and her apprentices.

"Little Miroku, come visit Konoha sometime!"

"Master."

Upon hearing Uchiha Gin's enthusiastic invitation, Miroku looked at Reimu beside him with hopeful eyes.

"Sorry, we've only just established ourselves in Amegakure and won't be leaving anytime soon."

Reimu gently shook her head. She had built the Hakurei Shrine brick by brick with her own hands. Although its incense offerings weren't great, it had at least made a name for itself. Otherwise, the desperate Masahiko Uzumaki wouldn't have come to the shrine asking for help to exorcise the evil spirit from Nagato's body.
"The world is not at peace right now, so you should be prepared to evacuate at any time."

Uchiha Gin didn't press the matter. Recalling the recent military buildup in Iwagakure, and sensing a major upheaval was about to befall the Land of Rain, he kindly offered this warning.

"Okay, okay~"

However, it was clear that Reimu didn't take his words to heart, and nodded in response with a perfunctory expression.
Amegakure is thriving and showing signs of becoming one of the five great nations. The situation is very promising, so how could anything go wrong?
"Then, see you again someday."

"Ugh"

Once the figures of Uchiha Gin and the other two had completely disappeared into the continuous rain, Reimu reluctantly withdrew her gaze and let out a heavy sigh. Her offering was gone.

The gold brick, worth 100 million, along with the one he had received during the exorcism, were all cruelly confiscated by Uchiha Hikaru.

Overnight, she completed a perfect transformation from the richest woman in the shrine maiden world to the most indebted woman.
"Let's go, Maitreya, we'll be gnawing on tree bark again starting tomorrow."

She gently shook her head, then gestured for Miroku beside her to return and learn the ways of a priestess.
"Master, this, this!"

"Oh?"

Looking at Miroku, who was standing on tiptoe, with a puzzled expression, Reimu's gaze fell on the scroll that he was holding high with both hands.
"This is?"

"This was secretly given to me by the chef uncle after he finished his meal."

"Shu~"

Reimu, filled with curiosity, took the storage scroll and pulled it open. The dazzling golden light that burst forth from it instantly engulfed the two figures, one large and one small.

Uchiha Gin, who was on his way to Amegakure to meet Tsunade and the others, paused, sensing that the scroll he had left behind had been opened. A strange smile flashed across his face.

"Mr. Yin, what did you leave for Little Maitreya?"

Uchiha Rinpoche, who was standing beside him, noticed this subtle expression and immediately voiced his curiosity.

She also saw the Uchiha Silver Scroll.

Turning his head to glance at Hikaru, who was still sulking beside him, Uchiha Gin said with a smile,

"Consider it hush money."

The Hakurei Shrine wasn't far from Amegakure, and the three of them quickly strolled into the bustling streets.

"Bata~"

After walking a few steps, a toad that had been waiting there for a long time jumped down from the eaves and landed on Uchiha Gin's shoulder.
"Lord Yin, I am Suwako. This is the agreed time and place."

After tremblingly spitting out the note with Jiraiya's instructions, the toad, quite frightened by the strong snake smell emanating from Uchiha Gin, hopped away and disappeared into a nearby dark alley.

Suwako?
Where have I heard this name before?
Uchiha Gin blinked with a strange expression, quickly confirmed the time and place of Jiraiya and the others' invitation, and finding that there was still some free time, he gestured to the two women behind him to go to another place first.
"Dingling~"

"Welcome, Hikari! Gintoki, I thought you had already left!"

Hearing the bell ringing at the shop entrance, Masahiko Uzumaki, who was tidying up the goods, greeted the person without looking up. However, before he could finish speaking, his face lit up with joy when he saw who it was, and he went to greet them with a smile.

“We’ll leave today, but before we go, I want to check the seal on Nagato’s hand one more time.”

Uchiha Gin nodded; he was there for a follow-up appointment. Upon hearing this, Uzumaki Masahiko quickly called for his wife, who was in the inner room with the child.

"Thank you! Thank you! Myoko, quickly bring Nagato here so Gintoki can have a look at him."

The next second, Uzumaki Taeko appeared, carrying a red-haired baby. After bowing politely to her benefactor, Uchiha Gin, she opened the swaddling clothes of the child, revealing a small, dark hand.
It was sealed very tightly.

After carefully examining the Ten Directions Seal he had created and finding no flaws, Uchiha Gin finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The wedge on Nagato's hand, like the one on the clone's body, both house Jigen's spiritual imprint, so we must not be careless.

“No problem. When the child is a little older, you can send him back to Konoha, and I will reinforce him again then.”

"Gin-san, can't this disease be cured completely?"

Taeko, as Nagato's mother, couldn't bear to see her child grow up with a strange black hand.

"I don't have a clue how to eradicate it yet, but don't worry, I will definitely find a way to completely eliminate this virus."

Gin Uchiha knew very little about the Karma seal of the Otsutsuki clan, but his younger cousin had three new samples he could study at his leisure. With his intelligence, finding a solution was only a matter of time.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Gintoki, my poor child."

Upon hearing this, Masahiko and his wife relaxed, their eyes filled with heartache as they looked at the sleeping Nagato.

"Dingling~"

Just as the group was talking, the sound of a door being pushed open rang out.

“Welcome~”

Seeing a customer arrive, Masahiko gave Uchiha Gin an apologetic smile and greeted him.
The customers were a young couple, each holding an infant in their arms.
"Boss, you have a girl's Gintoki here!"

The husband looked around at the dazzling array of goods, about to ask a question, when he first glanced at Uchiha Gin and his two companions beside Masahiko, his face filled with the joy of reunion.

"Oh, what a coincidence."

Looking at the excited little Nan's father in front of him, Uchiha Gin smiled and raised his hand,
"Gintoki, you really are a prophet who can predict the future."

His wife, standing beside him, wore the same expression and showed the babbling baby Nan to Gin and the others.
"Just like you said, Mother just named the child Xiao Nan."

"Good ideas always come together unexpectedly, don't they?"

Uchiha Gin reached out and teased Konan's fair cheek, his gaze sweeping over the water droplet tied around her neck before he smiled and replied,

However, in the couple's eyes, Uchiha Gin was no ordinary person to possess such precognitive abilities, and the water droplet he gave to Konan was certainly no ordinary object either.

Therefore, they decided to express their gratitude in the simplest way.

"No, no, no, Gintoki, we have to treat you to a meal."

"Hey! You two, don't rush me! I was just about to invite Gintoki to dinner!"

Masahiko, who was standing nearby, was displeased upon hearing this.

To express his gratitude to Uchiha Gin for saving his child, Uzumaki Masahiko wanted to treat the group to a good meal before they left.
"I said it first!"

"You're the one who joined later, aren't you?"

“I met Gintoki yesterday.”

"I watched Gintoki grow up!"

"."

Seeing two completely unfamiliar families arguing fiercely over who should invite him to dinner first, Uchiha Gin, feeling utterly overwhelmed, stepped forward to try and mediate.
"You two families don't want to wait yet?"

"Gintoki, could you check on Nagato/Konan for me?" *2
However, before they could finish speaking, seeing their husbands at a disadvantage, the two wives simultaneously shoved their children into Uchiha Gin's arms and joined the heated debate.

"Ah this."

Looking down at the two babbling babies in his arms, Uchiha Gin was instantly overwhelmed with worry.
"Shut up!"

Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, Uchiha Hikaru, who had been watching from the sidelines, let out a cold shout. The temperature in the air instantly plummeted to freezing, and the four people arguing all shivered.

"What's all the noise about? Can't we sit at the same table?"

After half an hour,

Tsunade and her two companions, who had been waiting at the barbecue restaurant for quite some time, watched as nearly ten people of all ages filed into the private room, their expressions quite fascinating.
His conflicted gaze swept over the other faces, some familiar and some unfamiliar. Jiraiya, who had just been in the middle of a three-person discussion and had offered to cover the cost of the meal, twitched his eye and couldn't help but mutter a complaint.

"Grandpa Yin, even though we're treating, isn't this going a bit too far?"

"Is it too much?"

Gin glanced at Akatsuki's Reizo and Byakko, still infants in their swaddling clothes, in the crowd behind him, and nodded confidently.

"You should treat me to this meal." (End of Chapter)