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

Overnight, the situation changed drastically.

The leader of the Konoha Sealing Squad has been dismissed, and the remaining members have been suspended from their duties pending investigation. The maintenance of the barrier will be temporarily taken over by the Konoha Police Force.
The head of the medical department's research and development section surrendered himself, claiming that he was solely responsible for counterfeiting the Konoha special first aid kits. The medical supplies warehouse was sealed off by the security forces, and tens of thousands of sets of medical supplies with questionable origins await further processing.
A massage parlor located deep in West Street was raided overnight. The police team conducting the raid arrested dozens of people who were engaged in illegal transactions, including some well-known Konoha Jonin. More than 38 million taels of illegal funds were confiscated on the spot.

The secret meeting place of the Ninja Clan Alliance

"Oh!"

With a large, angry hand slamming down, a clear handprint instantly appeared on the expensive wooden table, and countless cracks spread out like a spider web, quickly covering the entire surface.

"Uchiha Setsuna!"

The owner of this large hand was none other than the Third Hokage, who was usually known for his gentleness and kindness; at this moment, his face was filled with resentment and malice.

"The teacher clearly said to rectify, but that bastard actually shut down my place."

Building that massage parlor base took Hiruzen Sarutobi a great deal of effort. To avoid arousing suspicion in the Anbu's spending, he even paid for it out of his own pocket, all to ensure the quality of the masseuses was far superior.

Now that the gates are sealed, the technicians have been arrested, and even the revenue has been confiscated, Hiruzen Sarutobi is filled with hatred as he watches his hard-earned haven of gentle pleasures crumble at the hands of Uchiha Setsuna, and the sweet and lovely 28th becomes just a memory. He wishes he could tear her flesh apart and drink her blood.

"All you've lost is one stronghold."

Sitting opposite him, Mitokado Homura silently raised his head, a hatred no less intense than that of Hiruzen Sarutobi hidden behind the reflective lenses on his nose.

"But what I lost was my brother, whom I grew up with."

He was, after all, one of the highest-ranking officials in the village, yet he was met with a cold shoulder at the gates of the Konoha Police Force's prison.
He couldn't even see Mitomon Kō after his arrest, let alone use his connections to get his cousin, who was taking the blame for him, out of trouble.

If convicted of corruption and dereliction of duty, Mitomon Ko could face at least ten years in prison.

"Hiruzen, didn't you say before that the guard force was a good dog under your command? How come a good dog will turn on its master?"

Standing to the side, Koharu Utatane, her face grim, frowned. To avoid being implicated, she had no choice but to make a drastic sacrifice, pushing forward her trusted confidante, whom she had nurtured for many years, as a scapegoat.

Even so, the security forces continued to press her on the issue of medical supplies, seizing not only rebranded first-aid kits but also all the "domestic" medical equipment she had been assembling from purchased parts over the years under the guise of independent research and development.
If things go wrong, it won't be something a mere research director can handle.

"How can it be repaired?"

Upon hearing Koharu Utatane's blunt words, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. The reason he had supported Setsuna Uchiha back then was because he saw Danzo's power growing and his ambitions becoming increasingly obvious.
In order to consolidate his newly acquired Hokage position, he deliberately cultivated Uchiha Setsuna, allowing him to compete openly and covertly with Danzo, thus weakening each other.

But now it seems he miscalculated; the chain he held to control Uchiha Setsuna wasn't as sturdy as Hiruzen Sarutobi had imagined.

"Danzo, pack up all the dirt on Uchiha Setsuna. I'm going to ruin that traitor's reputation!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was no more cunning than Danzo; since Setsuna Uchiha had betrayed him, he was determined to make him pay the price.
"Monkey, still don't understand?"

Seeing his exasperated childhood friend, Danzo calmly shook his head. It wasn't like they hadn't sent out reports before; they'd all just disappeared into thin air.

“Uchiha Setsuna is now under Master’s command. Even if you produce evidence that he intends to defect, it will not have any effect on him.”

"Are we just going to stand by and watch that scoundrel lord it over us?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his fist. In all his life, apart from being humiliated by Gintoki, he had never suffered such humiliation.
"Calm down. Uchiha Setsuna is just a ruler that the teacher uses to discipline us. He won't be able to cause trouble for long."

Danzo, his eyes gleaming, raised a hand to urge everyone to calm down and not let a minor incident cause them to turn against their mentor for the sake of a mere Uchiha Setsuna.
"We can get rid of him."

Seeing Mitokado Homura's face full of self-reproach, Danzo sighed and pointed him in the right direction.
"Sigh, I guess we'll just have to make him stay in jail for a while. If you're really worried, go ask Yin San San. Even though he's retired, he should still have some influence in jail."

"I see."

Upon hearing this, Mitokado Homura paused for a moment, then nodded, pondering what gifts he should bring when he went to ask for a favor.
What do you think of the Honey Country limited edition candy gift pack?
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office,
"Well done, Captain Setsuna."

Tobirama Senju put down the report in his hand, looking at Setsuna Uchiha below with satisfaction. Setsuna was exactly the sharp sword he needed right now.
"I knew I hadn't misjudged him."

It's a pity that Uchiha Izuna died too young, otherwise he would definitely have praised that mad dog in front of him, saying, "You Uchiha are really useful~".
"Fortunately, I did not disgrace my life."

Uchiha Setsuna bowed respectfully. He had thoroughly offended Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others with this move, but he didn't regret it.
When the other party pushed him out as a scapegoat for this purge, he had already mentally severed ties with the Third Hokage. Now, only by clinging tightly to Tobirama Senju's coattails could the Uchiha clan continue to maintain its foothold in Konoha.

"check it out."

Since Uchiha Setsuna had proven his worth through his actions, Senju Tobirama didn't hesitate either, taking out a pre-prepared appointment document from his drawer and handing it over.

"If you want to monitor all departments in the village, you can't do it without a suitable identity."

With a puzzled look, Uchiha Setsuna opened the appointment letter. The moment he saw the position of Inspector Elder, his eyes widened several times over, and his hands holding the document trembled uncontrollably.
"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Advisor. I, Uchiha Setsuna, will do anything for you."

This was a right he had begged for but couldn't obtain from Hiruzen Sarutobi, yet Tobirama Senju had given it to him so easily.
"Work hard, you're still young, becoming an elder is just the beginning."

Reaching out, Tobirama Senju patted Uchiha Setsuna's trembling shoulder, nodded meaningfully, and then knocked the hyena-like man unconscious with just a large pancake.

"start."

Is the elder position he's been dreaming of just the beginning?
Could it be that I also have a chance to reach the pinnacle of power in Konoha?
The more Uchiha thought about it, the more excited he became. In an instant, he stood at attention, his entire body ramrod straight.
"Loyalty! Orange!"

Mitomon Kyo in jail is so stubborn, let him taste the power of the Konoha Guard's six strikes per second!

Once it was announced that Uchiha Setsuna had been appointed as an Inspector, Hiruzen Sarutobi and a few others behaved much better. They even secretly used their own money to cover up the previous departmental debts, and the village's operations, at least on the surface, returned to normal.

Thus, Tobirama Senju achieved his goal, and the purge that had terrified the Shinobi Alliance came to an end.

Uchiha Roza's residence

In the living room, where the heater was lit, Uchiha Gin sat around the table, vigorously adding water to sugar from the teapot, shaking his head with a sigh.
"Tsk tsk tsk~ I didn't expect that kid Setsuna would actually catch the wave."

Sitting opposite him, Uchiha Lucha frowned with a worried expression.
“In that short period of time, he was like a man possessed, constantly investigating and offending people. I was worried that he was being used as a pawn.”

"Hehe~ He's an elder in the village now, so it's normal for him to be more proactive in his work."

Uchiha Gin took a sip and, finding the sweetness just right, smiled with satisfaction.
It's easy for the Uchiha clan to produce rogue ninjas, but to produce elders, Indra's grave would have to be burning with rage. In a way, Setsuna fulfilled a dream that Fugaku couldn't achieve in the original timeline.
"Grandpa Yin, Guangjie said you can't drink such sweet things, it's unhealthy."

On the other side of the table, Mikoto, who had witnessed Uchiha Gintoki's actions, looked conflicted.
"Xiao Meiqin, that's how men are. Only those who do what they know is impossible can be considered true men."

Gin glanced at Mikoto Uchiha's face, which was scrunched up like a bun, and then, holding his teacup, he began spouting nonsense with a straight face.

"Hmph~ I'm going to tell Hikari-neechan!"

"No! Here's what I'll do: I'll give this to you, and you'll keep it a secret for me, Grandpa."

Seeing Mikoto taking her first chubby little steps, Gin Uchiha, whose position as the younger brother in the family wasn't very high, could only take out an exquisite candy gift box from his bag and hand it to her.

"Ah! Isn't this the imported Honey Country limited edition candy gift pack?"

Seeing the other person's sparkling eyes, Uchiha Gin finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"I didn't expect you to have such good taste."

"I've been following your live stream for a long time, thank you so much, Grandpa Yin!"

After accepting the bribe that pleased her, Xiao Meiqin happily picked up the gift bag and turned to leave, ready to show it off to her friends.

Turning his gaze away from the carefree, innocent figure, Uchiha Gin's face showed a hint of inexplicable emotion.
"However, he did go too far in some aspects. Do you remember Mitomon Kō, who was locked in the dungeon? When I went to visit him, his buttocks were swollen to the size of Danzo's."

"I don't think you two are very close, right?"

Upon hearing that someone as lazy as Uchiha Gin would actually visit Mitomon Kiyomi in the dungeon, Uchiha Ryōzashi's old face was full of question marks.
"I was just doing it for someone else."

Gently shaking his head, Uchiha Gin, while harboring some reservations about Hiruzen Sarutobi and others corrupted by power, honestly admitted that anyone in their position would find it difficult to resist seeking personal and clan benefits.

Even the upright and incorruptible Hashirama Senju used his power to keep his younger cousin by his side and admire him every day.

Needless to say, Bai Mao was the culprit behind the downfall of the Thousand Hands Clan, having abused his power for personal gain and embezzled public funds.

Only his eldest cousin, who was raised in luxury, was able to maintain his integrity and not use a single needle or thread from the village.

"Should I go and try to persuade him?"

After all, Uchiha Setsuna was the backbone of the Uchiha clan in Konoha, and Uchiha Ryōzashi didn't want to see him make so many enemies, lest he suffer a backlash someday.

"I don't think so. Things have been much calmer in the village lately. Now that the white-haired guy has achieved his goal, we won't let him continue like this."

Uchiha Setsuna might not heed Uchiha Ryōza's words now; it's best to let Senju Tobirama handle it personally.

"hope so."

Uchiha Lu nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something and pulled out a scroll from his person.
"By the way, Lord Yin, this is a secret letter from the old patriarch. Since you weren't home yesterday, the Ghost Soldiers delivered it to me." "Oh~ Thank you."

Yesterday, he happened to be helping Mitokado Hōjō with some errands in the dungeon. After coming out, he was invited to a KTV and spent the night there. He didn't get home until the next morning.

wow~
Gin Uchiha casually opened his uncle's letter and found it contained quite a lot of information.

First, it's worth mentioning that the Wave Country Merchant Guild's process of acquiring gold at low prices in the Wind Country went very smoothly. Ninjas from small countries, eager to cash in their gold, even proactively lowered their selling prices, all in order to quickly purchase strategic resources whose prices changed every second.

Furthermore, the lending business in the Land of Earth is progressing well, with the number of borrowers in Iwagakure reaching new highs, and the cumulative loan amount exceeding the Land of Earth's three-year military budget.

This demonstrates Onoki's do-or-die determination: in the battle against the Land of Wind, winning meant a life of luxury with young models, while losing meant working in the sex industry.
Finally, he turned his attention to news from the Land of Rain. The news was quite complicated, but what surprised him most was a development about his older cousin buying property.
Uchiha Gin repeatedly checked the message, confirming that he hadn't misread it, and a strange expression gradually appeared on his face.

"Has this kid lost his mind? Why would he buy a house in the Land of Rain?"

"The clan leader has a good eye. The property prices in the Rain Kingdom have been rising well recently, and I'm thinking of investing in a few properties."

Upon hearing this news, Uchiha Roza nodded in agreement. He had been paying close attention to international affairs lately and had heard about the developments in the Land of Rain.

"You should be careful with your pension money, lest you end up having to sell your granddaughter to pay off debts."

Looking Uchiha Ryuzaki up and down, his face full of hesitation, and worried that he might be left alone in his old age, Uchiha Gin offered some words of advice.
Don't be fooled by the current booming real estate market in the Land of Rain. Uchiha Gin boldly predicts that within three years, it will definitely become a battleground between the Land of Wind and Earth. At that time, the house that his cousin bought at a high price will be worthless.

After saying goodbye to Uchiha Lucha, seeing that it was still early, Uchiha Gin turned around and went to the training ground to check on the little guys' progress in practicing on the dummies.
But instead, they saw a training dummy standing alone in the center of the training field, while the children, who should have been diligently training, were sitting together chatting and eating candy.
"Pat-pat~"

The sounds of sucking rose and fell incessantly.
"Mikoto-senpai, isn't this big gift pack very hard to get? I asked my uncle to help me try to get it in the live stream for a long time but I still couldn't get it."

Kushina Uzumaki, who was licking a large popsicle stick, looked at Mikoto Uchiha with obvious envy.

"Hum~"

Holding the Honey Country gift bag, Mikoto hummed smugly, clearly enjoying the envious glances around her.

But among these gazes, there were a few complex looks.
"Shikaku, didn't the adults at home say we weren't allowed to play with the Uchiha clan?"

Choza Akimichi, who usually has a good appetite, unusually didn't open the candy in his hand. After wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, he tugged at his childhood friend's sleeve with a troubled expression.
"It's so troublesome. Why do we always have to be dragged into adults' business?"

Nara Shikaku looked at the chocolate in his hand, which smelled sweet, and his already droopy eyes drooped even further.
Because of Uchiha Setsuna, a wave of boycotts against the Uchiha clans swept through the Shinobi Alliance. The future Ino-Shika-Cho trio were unfortunately caught in the crossfire, and their elders warned them to stay away from the Uchiha clans at school.
"Haiyi, why aren't you eating? Are you feeling unwell?"

On the other side, Minato, enjoying the sweetness in his mouth, looked at Yamanaka Inoichi beside him, who was hesitant to take a bite, and asked with concern,

"No, no, I just don't have much of an appetite."

Yamanaka Inoichi, who had also been warned by the elders of his clan, forced a smile, but his eyes, looking at the candy in his hand, held a deep longing.
Honey-flavored candy must be delicious, right?
Just then, a large hand descended from the sky and pressed down on Yamanaka Inoichi's dejected little head, accompanied by a teasing voice.

"Eat up, you're not at the age to suffer yet."

"Grandpa Silver?"

Feeling the reassuring warmth of the large hand above his head, Yamanaka Inoichi pursed his lips as if he were wronged, a far cry from the reliable image of his future father, Ino.

"Eat without worry. If they ask, just say I gave you permission."

Turning to look at Shikaku and Choji, who were equally hesitant, Gin Uchiha gave them a reassuring gesture.
"Ok!"

Encouraged by him, the three children finally took the first step in defying their family's orders, taking a deep breath and then stuffing the candy into their mouths.
"Even vaguely~"*3
"Is it really that big of a deal? It's just a piece of candy."

Witnessing the three's strange behavior, Fugaku Uchiha tilted his head, his eyes full of confusion.
"Maybe my family won't let me eat it; cavities really hurt!"

Rope Tree, chewing QQ candy with gusto, nodded thoughtfully. However, before he could finish speaking, a sharp pain in his back molars forced him to cry out, clutching his swollen cheek in agony.

"Remember to brush your teeth properly, you idiot."

Looking gleefully at Nawaki, who had been brought down by his tooth decay, Fugaku wore a victorious smile.

"Grandpa Yin, please have some."

"Mikoto, you are such a good child who knows how to share."

Looking at the candy returned intact, Uchiha Gin smiled and put it into his pocket.

"Yes, Mikoto-senpai is so kind to us. She always shares her good food with us."

Upon hearing this, Kushina immediately raised her little arm.
"It's because Kushina, your chubby little face is so cute when you eat snacks."

"Have it?"

Hearing the praise from her senior, Kushina cupped her face in confusion, only to discover that her cheeks had become increasingly round due to her long-term consumption of small cakes.
"Of course, otherwise Minato wouldn't have been secretly watching you all this time."

"!"

After being exposed by Mikoto, who was giving him a mocking look, Minato, who was secretly glancing at Kushina, hurriedly turned his head away, his fair cheeks flushed.

"Are you secretly making fun of me?"

Mistaking the other person for trying not to laugh, Kushina became furious, her round face turning bright red like an angry tomato.
"You've gone astray, Mikoto."

Seeing the sly smile playing on Mikoto's lips, Gin Uchiha's eye twitched slightly.
The person who can give birth to a little culinary genius is definitely no pushover.

"There's no other way. If we don't play a trick on them now, we might not have another chance."

Mikoto gently shook her head, a hint of disappointment appearing on her face.
"They are about to graduate."

I see,

Uchiha Gin nodded with a look of realization. Time flies; before they knew it, Minato and the others had reached graduation age and would soon become qualified genin.

Once we're divided into groups, everyone will go their separate ways after entering society, and opportunities to get together like we do now will only become fewer and fewer.

but!

Gently patting Mikoto's dejected head, a strange smile gradually appeared on Gin Uchiha's face.
"You're overthinking it. You'll probably meet more often in the future."

"what?"

"Don't forget what you signed before. Did you think you could escape the constraints of the contract after graduation?"

Seeing Mikoto's completely bewildered face, Gin Uchiha glanced at Egg Yolk, who was being chased by a tomato, and his smile deepened.
"Even if any of you become Hokage, you'll still have to come and beat up the dummy every day."

With Tobirama Senju stepping in to restore order to the village, the somewhat decaying Leaf Village gradually regained a glimmer of its former vitality. If things continued this way, the world that rightfully belonged to the Shinobi Alliance might very well change hands.
Therefore, in order to weaken Tobirama Senju's power, Hiruzen Sarutobi and others gradually launched a countermeasure.

It was another routine Jonin meeting. After a brief briefing of the reports, the Senju advisor, whose status and position surpassed even that of the Hokage, was about to adjourn the meeting when Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward first.
"Teacher, I have something to say."

"speak."

Looking at the disciple dressed in the divine robes, Tobirama Senju nodded.
"Teacher, the Senju clan is dwindling in numbers, and Hishima is your only child. If we let her continue to serve as a Tailed Beast Rider and carry out missions with uncertain fates, we will all feel uneasy!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Mitokado Homura and the others, who had been in advance preparing, stepped forward, their faces full of worry.

"What do you mean?"

Tobirama Senju's expression darkened slightly. The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, he knew it was aimed at him.

Because of debt problems, only Senju Hisana remains who bears the name of the Senju clan. If anything were to happen to her, the Senju clan would, in a sense, truly be wiped out.

"We discussed it and hope that Ms. Hishin can step down from her position as a Tailed Beast Knight."

Hiruzen Sarutobi exchanged glances with the people around him, then loudly proposed,
"Stepping down? Then who will succeed him?"

Watching their performance with great interest, Tobirama Senju tapped the table with one hand and asked, feigning confusion,

"Tailed Beast Riders are an indispensable force for the village."

"There's no need for the teacher to worry about that. We've already finalized the list of candidates, and they're just waiting to undergo the trials of the Tailed Beast Cards."

Danzo, who was in charge of managing the Tailed Beast Knights, stepped forward and respectfully handed over a pre-prepared document.

"Danzo, this list of yours..."

Tobirama Senju glanced at the list in his hand, his eyes filled with a strange look.

"Did you take the wrong one? This should be your Shimura clan's genealogy, shouldn't it?" (End of Chapter)