A week later, Uchiha Gen was packing clothes in his room. Once he left this time, he would not be returning anytime soon unless something major happened.
"Acting Clan Head?"
"Hmm?"
Uchiha Gen looked up and saw Uchiha Chiri. After reading the two ocular technique scrolls last time, he had already released Kaminari without counting it as merit. Part of Chiri's military achievements had also been offset. He wondered what she had come for this time.
"Come in and sit."
"Yes."
He brought Uchiha Chiri a stool. He was not very used to kneeling in his own home.
Looking at this older sister before him, she seemed to be about the same age as Madara. It was a pity Madara had no interest in starting a family, or they would have made quite a suitable pair.
"What did you come to see me about?"
"Um... I just came to thank you again."
"No need. As clan head, I was very clear about my decision. Kaminari being able to walk out of Izanami proved that he had truly repented."
"Acting Clan Head... and there's also the matter of me awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan..."
"I see. Then I'll arrange for you to become the head of the medical department."
"No, no, no, what I meant was..."
"Chiri, everyone has their own secrets. I don't want to know what your Mangekyō Sharingan ability is, as long as your heart remains with the Uchiha."
"...I understand."
After their conversation, Uchiha Chiri bowed to Uchiha Gen again. This time, he accepted it calmly.
He had just sent her off when Madara came looking for him. What he saw, however, was packed luggage.
"Third Brother, you're...?"
"I'm planning to leave for a while. I've arranged everything within the clan. Big Brother only needs to spare some time to deal with major matters."
"...Take this."
"What is it?"
"Hashirama Senju's blood. Fresh."
Uchiha Gen: ...
By the time he returned to the laboratory, it was already late March. This time, Uchiha Gen not only had Hashirama Senju's blood, but had also collected the genes of every clan in the Land of Fire. After all, with so many corpses, no one cared if a limb or two was missing.
The moment he returned to the laboratory, he saw five people playing cards at a table. The largest casino in the Land of Fire was now operated by Uchiha Gen's lackeys, so naturally there were many new games, with cards having the most variations.
A huge pile of banknotes had already accumulated on the table. Uchiha Gen walked over, set down his luggage, and looked around. He found only a pitiful few notes in front of Uzumaki Shibaki, while everyone else had at least a stack.
"Big Fool Shibaki, what's going on? You're this bad even at cards?"
Uzumaki Shibaki scratched his head. Looking at the sole three in his hand, he had no idea how to play it.
"I don't know why my luck's been so bad. It's happened several times now. I always lose more than I win."
"This won't do. The proper way to gamble should be like this!"
As he spoke, Uchiha Gen pulled Little Kuro from his arms and placed her on the ground. Then he took a deep breath, and a terrifying aura began gathering around him. At once, all five pairs of eyes focused on him.
"Watch carefully! This is how gambling is done!"
With a ripping sound, his clothes burst apart. His muscular body possessed a striking beauty, but... Uchiha Gen's expression gradually twisted, his mouth nearly stretching to his ears.
"Domain Expansion! Idle Death Gamble!"
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Oh! Ma bieber~ Oh! Ma~ bieber~
The explosive movements, bizarre expression, and blazing Chakra left everyone stunned. They only felt as though their sanity was being violently ground away.
Uzumaki Shibaki felt as if a block of ice had been stuffed into his head, and his body would not stop trembling.
I want to! I want to dance along with him!
Uchiha Gen stopped after one segment. This thing really was embarrassing, but he no longer cared much about saving face.
Yet a full minute passed without anyone daring to speak. They had been too deeply shocked.
"Well... you all keep playing. I'm going to do some experiments."
Only after the sound of the laboratory door closing did the five slowly withdraw their gazes.
"Lord Yuan... he..."
"He hasn't gone insane, has he?"
"Probably not. Maybe it's some kind of intermittent illness?"
The moment Uzumaki Shibaki heard them, he immediately retorted:
"What do you know? This is the true essence of gambling! Lord Yuan was willing to reveal the secret to us; it is an honor for people like us!"
"..."
"Keep going, keep going! What child cries every day? What gambler keeps losing forever?"
Inside the laboratory, Uchiha Gen listened to the voices beyond the door and smiled.
"What was that thing you danced? It was so addicting, meow~"
"You wouldn't understand. And... why did you come in? Go out and play with them. Before long, you'll be training partners."
"What did you say? This kitty can't hear you!"
Uchiha Gen casually tossed Little Kuro out through the crack in the door and began his experiments. His body had adapted almost completely now. It was time to fuse new genes.
"Sigh... if I had a cheat, who would want to become a genetic mongrel?"
Bloodline, bloodline...
The world of Hokage was one that emphasized bloodlines. The closer one returned to their ancestors, the stronger they became. Only after becoming the most primordial Ōtsutsuki bloodline could one consider other paths to power.
Uchiha Gen had no other choice. This had always been a diseased world.
Senju Clan Grounds.
Tobirama sat in the courtyard basking in the sun. Ever since waking up, he had always remained alone. The doubts in his mind plagued him, and unless he resolved them, he had no heart for anything else.
"Big Brother said Uchiha Gen was the one who ambushed me? Then who took me away after I passed out?"
He had secretly visited the previous battlefield. There was a deep crater where he had fought Uchiha Izuna, and that crater was clearly where he had been when he lost consciousness. Yet after waking up, he had appeared directly outside the battlefield.
"I can't figure it out, can't see through it. That person saved me but never showed himself. What was he after?"
Unlike Tobirama's worries, ever since the Uchiha clan learned that their clan head had changed, there had clearly been more clan members causing trouble.
Madara found the clan members constantly demanding Uchiha Gen's return extremely irritating.
"What are you making a fuss about! Gen has his own things to do! Everything remains the same for now!"
Madara still carried great authority. After all, he was publicly acknowledged as the strongest fighter; without him, no one could stand against Hashirama Senju.
"But... Clan Head, won't our current approach to development repeat the same mistakes? And why did Lord Yuan suddenly leave?"
"Hmph! It's because you're all too weak! If you were stronger, would he have to work so hard?"
Those words immediately left the clan members ashamed. If they were called weak, they could still oppose all the shinobi clans in the Land of Fire with the strength of one clan. But if they were called strong, they had still suffered grievous casualties.
Madara watched the troublemaking clan members disperse, then turned to the person beside him.
"Hikaku! All the clans are recuperating now, but our Uchiha must make a move by the end of the year. As the chief culprit, the Senju must be the first target!"
"Yes, Clan Head!"
Before you continue