Chapter 127: The Tardy White-Haired One

Staring at her with the intimidating aura of the Mokuton (Wood Style) First Form, the golden giant controlled by Mito made her heart tremble.

Recalling how the sakura-colored Susanoo had just been "taught a lesson," the girl tactfully canceled her secret technique.

The towering golden giant stood in place. Under Mito's control, the chains quickly retracted. In just a few seconds, the massive figure vanished without a trace.

"Mmh~"

As the final golden chain withdrew into her body, Mito let out a soft hum.

The tingling sensation at her lower back made her legs weak. She barely managed to stand as she looked at the Mokuton First Form with watery eyes, her dark pupils reflecting a mix of anticipation and bashfulness.

Gin, on the other hand, began to observe this long-lost old acquaintance.

In front of him stood Mito, eighteen or nineteen, still wearing the same bun hairstyle she had when they parted years ago.

Her charming face, bright eyes and white teeth, and slightly upturned cherry lips whispered of her inner feelings. She wore a tight-fitting red robe that accentuated a maturity far beyond her years.

How could she have changed so much in just a few years?

Suppressing his restlessness, Gin struggled to reconcile this soul-stirring girl with the reckless bean sprout from six years ago.

Shua!~

Recognizing her as an old friend, Gin released his battle form, forming a hand seal and deactivating his Mokujin no Jutsu (Wood Human Technique). The massive wooden giant collapsed and dissolved with the cutoff of chakra.

Gin then leapt from the chest indicator and landed in front of the calm-faced Mito.

"What do I say? He's coming over!"

"Will he think I look bad with no makeup on?"

"I wonder if he's married now... or has a girlfriend."

Despite her calm appearance, Mito was panicking inside. Countless thoughts exploded in her head, leaving her dizzy.

With her brain overloaded, the previously elegant and cool Mito suddenly tilted her head and fainted backward.

"Long time n—"

Just as Gin was thinking of how to greet Mito, he saw her fall straight back like a felled tree.

Plop~

Quick as lightning, Gin used Shunshin (Body Flicker Technique) to catch her, immediately checking her with medical ninjutsu out of concern.

After a full circuit of chakra through her warm body, Gin frowned in confusion.

Her body was perfectly fine, with plenty of chakra and no signs of exhaustion. The Uzumaki bloodline truly was terrifying.

So why did she faint?

Gin was completely baffled.

"Mmm~~~"

Just as Gin was about to start a deeper inspection, Mito's long lashes trembled, and her red lips let out a soft moan.

Then she slowly opened her deep, dark eyes, pulling Gin's full attention into their endless abyss.

She didn't struggle after waking up. Her beautiful eyes shimmered with an unreadable expression.

"N-n-na~"

A recovered Hikari looked at the ambiguous scene in front of her, whining like a kicked puppy, trying to break the sticky mood between the two.

"Gin! Who is this indecent woman?!"

Unwilling to be ignored, Hikari shouted at Gin with all her strength.

"Relax, I was just checking her body."

Gin forcibly tore his gaze away from Mito's seductive face, making an excuse for himself.

"Long time no see."

Gin helped her up and scratched his face awkwardly.

He never expected to run into her like this, in the middle of nowhere.

"Yeah, long time no see, Mr. Kidnapper."

Now steady on her feet, Mito tidied herself up and offered a proper and graceful smile. Her noble demeanor completely outshone Hikari's disheveled state.

"Tch! I already said I'm not a kidnapper!"

After so many years, hearing that nickname again made Gin nostalgic, but he still couldn't help correcting her.

"I don't know your name, so what else can I call you?"

Mito lifted her head, her black eyes saying everything her heart couldn't.

"Let's reintroduce ourselves. I'm Gin."

Years later, Gin finally introduced himself to the girl who had waited so long.

"Gin, huh?"

Her lips curled into a gentle smile as she extended her fair and delicate hand to him.

"Nice to meet you again, Uchiha Gin-san."

"Mmph mmph mmph~ Gin! You do know this woman?!"

Hikari, nearly chewing through her sleeve, was filled with hostility. Her killing intent surged, sensed clearly by the sensitive Mito.

"Gin-san, this girl...?"

"Yes! I'm Gin's—"

Finally, her turn to introduce herself! Seeing Mito's mature and curvy figure, Hikari clenched her teeth, ready to assert dominance.

But before she could finish, Mito's eyes gleamed with mischief, and she said with a sweet smile,

"You must be Gin-san's little sister! Still young, huh? Be sure to eat more vegetables and drink milk to grow up healthy~"

Her tone was sincere, but the slyness in her eyes didn't escape Hikari's 24K Eternal Mangekyō.

Infuriated, Hikari puffed her chest—what little she had—and prepared to retaliate, but Mito's face suddenly changed from flirtatious to worried.

"Now's not the time for this! Gin-san, you need to go! The Senju are right behind us!"

In the joy of reunion, she had nearly forgotten about the white-haired menace—if he learned that a Uchiha was helping the Hane remnants escape, things would get ugly.

"Senju? Who's coming?"

Gin recalled what she'd said earlier—was it really that white-haired guy?

"It's the Senju's young clan head—Senju Tobirama. That guy's cunning. You have to be careful!"

Worried that Gin would underestimate the danger, Mito didn't hesitate to rat out her teammate.

Tch! Seriously? That guy should be at home doing research, not chasing down the Hane.

"It's fine~ Don't worry, just a Senju—"

That white-hair might be famous in the future, but for now, he's just a kid—around the same age as Gin's cousin. Not a threat.

"You Uchiha are evil by nature! Release that Uzumaki girl right now!"

Just as Gin reached out to gently pat Mito's shoulder, a furious shout shattered their pleasant moment.

Dozens of dark shadows surged from the forest. Leading them was none other than the long-unseen Senju Tobirama, the one who'd just shouted.

Gin stared, astonished, at the already grown-up-looking Tobirama. The guy had basically looked the same since his teens.

With his silver-white hair, the Senju crest on his faceplate, and sharp red markings on his cheeks, he wore his classic indigo armor. Though his eyes lacked tomoe, the cold glint in them sent chills down one's spine.

"I knew it! This had to be the work of the Uchiha!"

Earlier, when Mito didn't return, Tobirama had grown uneasy and ordered a search. After finding nothing, he caught the sound of sonic booms in the distance.

Then he saw the golden giant in the sky.

The chains made it clear—it was an Uzumaki technique. But why was it in the form of a giant?

No time to think, he assumed Mito had run into enemies and rushed to the scene with his elite team.

But from afar, thanks to all the dust and smoke, they couldn't get a clear picture of the battle, only that it was massive. The tremors could be felt kilometers away.

"Move! That annoying woman better not be hurt!"

Despite his personal dislike for Mito, as their ally, Tobirama had to make sure she was safe—or else he'd have to answer to his big brother.

With that in mind, Tobirama gathered chakra into his legs. A mystical flash crossed his eyes as he vanished and reappeared dozens of meters ahead.

Tch! Still not smooth enough.

Feeling the tearing sensation in his calves, he gritted his teeth—his secret weapon still wasn't ready for live combat.

He switched back to running normally and arrived just as the dust began to clear.

There, he saw the scene that made his heart clench.

His future sister-in-law stood before a strange man, clearly weakened.

And that man had just put his filthy hand on her shoulder.

Next to him stood a young girl. Tobirama's sharp senses picked up the familiar crimson glow in her eyes—the cold, cursed aura that made his internal "Uchiha Radar" blare like crazy.

"Evil by birth—Uchiha!"

(End of Chapter)

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