Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

Chapter 963 There's nothing we can do, this year's only one with curly hair is you.

"Why...why did you do this?"

Fugaku and Minato stood frozen in place, their eyes fixed on Uchiha Gin, who was reaching out to them. Their faces, covered in black eyes, were filled with disbelief. They had suspected everyone, even wondering if it was their own second personality that had a change of heart and had taken the initiative to reveal the truth.

Even so, they never doubted the good friend of Konoha in front of them.

"I am using real cases to wake you up. Do not trust anyone, not even your own disciples or children you have raised. They may betray you at a critical moment."

Facing their puzzled looks, Uchiha Gin calmly waved his hand, adopting the air of someone who had been there all along, and solemnly warned, "So that's how it is... Do you think we'd believe that, you traitor to manhood!"

"Don't rush, time will tell."

Seeing the two furious men, Uchiha Gin shrugged, showing no remorse for betraying them.

"Phew... Oh well, it's ultimately our fault."

"To admit one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue. By the way, there's something I'm quite curious about."

Seeing Minato and Gin's sudden remorse, Gin finally asked the question he'd been holding back all night, "There are so many shops on the street, why did you go to that one?"

It's not that Nan Niang can't afford to play K games, but that other projects are more cost-effective.

The two remained silent for a long time, not uttering a single word. Just as Uchiha Gin was maliciously speculating whether they had some special fetish, Minato and Fugaku slowly raised their heads, their purplish-blue panda eyes filled with a righteous light that drew attention, "BHB."

"ha?"

What does it mean?

"Men should help men."

Capital, you lost this round, defeated by the noble awareness of the scattered general.

The topic with Nanami ended there. Minato, who was in a hurry to get to a meeting, was about to turn around and step into the Jonin team's office building when he suddenly seemed to remember something. He turned to look at Uchiha Gin, who had an inexplicable look of satisfaction on his face, and asked, "Gin-senpai, how much do you know about Sunagakure?"

His appointment as the leader of the Jonin squad at the age of eighteen had already aroused much suspicion within the village. Many people who coveted the position secretly spread various rumors behind his back, saying that Minato Namikaze got the position of Jonin squad leader by relying on nepotism and backdoors.

Therefore, he was eager to silence the gossip in the village with a perfect political debut, and this mission to investigate the secrets of Sunagakure was his only chance at the moment.

However, things didn't go as planned. Ever since taking on this task, Minato has been discussing with his second-in-command, Fugaku, day and night how to successfully complete the test given to him by the village. As a result, he worked overtime until late at night every day. In a moment of infatuation, he chose to use Nanniang to relieve his sorrows, almost making a terrible mistake.

Why are you asking this?

Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow curiously. In this timeline, the relationship between Konoha and Sunagakure could not be described as being inseparable; it could only be described as being filled with deep-seated hatred.

In the last chaotic battle, Sakumo Hatake, fighting alone, beheaded Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law from the midst of a massive army, causing the Sunagakure army to collapse and shattering their ambitions to expand their territory.

Nowadays, not only Konoha ninjas, but even merchants from the Land of Fire have to explain their ancestors to the eighteenth generation before they can set foot in Sunagakure to do business.

"To be honest, I have a mission regarding Sunagakure..."

'

Minato gave a wry smile and laid out the mission the Third Hokage had entrusted to him. "It's just a simple intelligence-gathering mission, right? With your abilities, it shouldn't be a problem, should it?"

After listening to Minato's explanation, Uchiha Gin stroked his chin in confusion. With the Yellow Flash's mobility, Sunagakure was nothing to him.

"This time is different. The Hokage is testing my decision-making ability, not my ninja skills."

Infiltrating Sunagakure was no easy task, but it wasn't a problem for Minato. However, when the Third Hokage assigned the mission, he subtly and overtly told him to approach the issue from the perspective of a decision-maker, so he absolutely could not personally take charge of this mission.

"Hey~ Looks like Monkey... the third generation considers you one of their own. You've got a bright future ahead of you, kid~ a very bright future indeed~"

Having quickly figured out the intricacies of the situation, Uchiha Gin nudged Minato with a teasing smile and offered a free verbal congratulation.

"Hehe, I still have a lot to learn."

"As for Sunagakure, I've been there a few times. Their specialty melons are really delicious."

Gin Uchiha smacked his lips, wondering if Sunagakure in this timeline grew cantaloupes with an off-the-charts sugar content.

"Really? That's great!"

Minato's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He already had a rough idea of ​​what a team should consist of, and all he needed now was a reliable guide familiar with the customs of Sunagakure. The appearance of Uchiha Gin was like a timely rain from heaven.

"Minato, your eyes are dangerous."

Unaware of what Minato was so excited about, Uchiha Gin looked into the other's sparkling eyes and subconsciously took a half step back to create some distance. "Gin-senpai, could you please join this reconnaissance mission? Don't worry, I'll be there to provide support at any time. If there's any danger, I'll be there immediately."

"Minato-kun, Lord Gin is getting on in years. If something were to happen to him, how would I explain it to Elder Fire Core and the clansmen?"

Upon hearing this, Fugaku's expression tightened. This was an overseas mission. At Gin-sama's age, could his body handle it?

"Fugaku, what do you mean by old age? My old sword is still as sharp as ever!"

In Uchiha Gin's eyes, returning to Sunagakure was like going home. Although this home might be different, it didn't affect him much. "If it's just about gathering intelligence, I could do that too."

The task wasn't difficult, and the chance of being exposed was extremely small. He treated it as a side mission while he was eating melons in Sunagakure.

"Tell me who your teammates are first."

However, Gin Uchiha wasn't indiscriminate in his choices. If any of his teammates were troublemakers or traitors, it would seriously affect his enjoyment of melons.

"I've already prepared a list, and I'm just waiting for the final directors to be assembled before selecting the most suitable candidates."

Seeing Uchiha Gin nod in agreement, Minato smiled slightly and explained, "There's still a preliminary selection?"

"Of course, you must strive for perfection in arranging your identities so that it is seamless."

Minato squinted and carefully examined Uchiha Gin from head to toe, finally fixing his gaze on Gin's fluffy curly hair. He gave a barely perceptible nod and decided to select him based on that feature.

"Then at least tell me what identity I'll use to infiltrate."

"Tourists, a family of three on a family trip."

"ha?

""

Ever since agreeing to help Minato, Gin Uchiha had been waiting for news, but a week had passed and the mission notification still hadn't arrived. "Is it really that hard to pick someone?"

Wandering aimlessly through the streets of Konoha, he yawned listlessly, thinking that if Minato didn't send a letter soon, he would pack his bucket and run away.

"Thump~"

Just as he was thinking this, a slightly thin figure bumped right into him from the oncoming crowd. "Excuse me."

A gentle female voice followed. Uchiha Gin, enveloped in a fragrant aura, stood motionless, instead observing the blond-haired woman who had risen from his arms with interest, a strange smile playing on his lips. "Are you alright?"

"My eyesight isn't very good, I hope I didn't get your clothes dirty, sir?"

The brown-haired woman adjusted her round glasses with a look of panic, subtly slipping her other hand back into her sleeve. "It's dirty."

","ha?"

The woman, who had already prepared her next words, froze upon hearing this. A barely perceptible look of surprise flashed across her oval face. "Look, it's right here."

Uchiha Gin pointed to a sugar stain that had somehow appeared on his chest and, with a straight face, spouted nonsense, "I'm so sorry, I'll make it up to you right away."

The woman, quickly regaining her composure, revealed a pitiful fragility. She timidly pulled a worn purse from her bosom, feigning to take out money, "Okay, this outfit is worth one million taels."

"Huh? You're extorting me!"

The woman's movements suddenly froze, and a hint of anger rose in her eyes hidden behind her round glasses. "How can you slander me out of thin air? This outfit of mine is a high-end custom-made one, the same style worn by nobles in the Land of Fire. Every stitch was handcrafted by artisans with a century-old tradition. The one million you asked for is after depreciation."

Uchiha Gintoki's face hardened, and he pulled a shopping receipt from behind his back, waving it in front of the stiff-faced woman. "Can you see it?"

"Thank you, it's no problem at all since it's so close."

Suppressing her anger, the woman looked at Uchiha Gin's inexplicably punchable handsome face, gritted her teeth, and pulled a wad of bills from her wallet, handing it over. "This is all the money I carry with me. Please take it, sir. I'll give you the rest when I get home."

"Tsk~ Only 100,000 taels? Who knows if you're a swindler? What if you run away?"

With lightning speed, he snatched the banknotes from the woman's hand and shook his head in disbelief. "My name is Yakushi Nonou, and I'm the director of the Konoha Orphanage. This is my work ID. I would never renege on my promise."

As more and more onlookers gathered and the situation began to spiral out of her control, the woman had no choice but to reveal her identity. At the same time, she pulled out an identification document from her loose robe. "Well... alright, alright... I'll trust humanity one more time."

Uchiha Gin took the woman's documents and examined them thoroughly before finally allowing her to go home and get her money, his eyes filled with regret.

Have a wonderful day.

The woman withdrew her small, veiny hand, bowed to Uchiha Gin, and turned to leave quickly, as if afraid he might try to extort money from her again.

"Hey~ I didn't expect Ono Nou here to be just as dishonest."

After watching her beautiful figure disappear completely into the bustling crowd, Uchiha Gin lowered his head, sniffed the lingering fragrance on his chest, and shook his head with a sigh.

"Damn curly hair!"

In the dark alley, the woman with blond hair, who had just been all smiles, kicked a trash can hard and pulled out a purse with the word "candy" printed on it from her sleeve while cursing.

"Hmph! Is this the old codger who's been active since the Warring States period? His vigilance is terrible."

Yakushi Nonou is ostensibly the director of the Konoha Orphanage, but secretly she is also a registered Jonin of Konoha. Of course, both of these identities are just a cover. Her real name is "The Walking Shrine Maiden," and she works for Root, where she is a well-known spy chief in the ninja world.

And today's chance encounter with Uchiha Gin was by no means accidental.

As a Jonin of Konoha, she had just received orders a few days ago from the newly appointed Jonin team leader, Minato Namikaze, to participate in a relatively easy infiltration mission.

At first, Nono refused. Her identity was too complicated, and going out to carry out a mission rashly might expose more things.

Just as she was about to decline, citing the orphanage's busy schedule, Root sent a secret order for her to cooperate with the operation. However, Root also had an additional task: to secretly approach Uchiha Gin, who was traveling with them, and try to extract useful information from him.

The top leader of Root was particularly interested in the details of Uchiha Gin's infiltration of the Senju clan.

Under pressure from her superiors, Nono had no choice but to reply to Minato and accept the mission. However, she also suggested testing her teammates, in case they were not competent enough and her safety would be difficult to guarantee.

Therefore, the scene that happened on the street earlier unfolded.

"This wallet is quite heavy. It seems that old Deng has saved up quite a bit of money over the years."

Snapping out of her reverie, Nonou turned her attention to the purse in her hand. She weighed it and found it quite heavy. A sly smile immediately spread across her beautiful face. "This wasn't for nothing, paying 100,000... uh?"

He eagerly tore open his purse, but the next second, Nono's smile froze on his face.

The heavy purse didn't contain the hard currency she had imagined, but rather a large bag of glittering golden konpeito (Japanese candy).

Blanch!

Recalling the strange smile on Uchiha Gin's face as he looked her over, Nono, realizing she'd been tricked, cursed angrily and raised her pouch full of candy to smash it to the ground. Just then, the pitiful little faces in the orphanage suddenly flashed into her mind, and she abruptly stopped herself from throwing the candy. "Hiss... never mind, I can't let the loss be maximized. I'll take it back for the children to eat."

Her pretty face, with its bulging veins, showed anger, but more than that, it exuded a genuine gentleness.

Reaching into her purse, she took out a candy and carefully peeled off the coating. Nono looked at this treat, which she had longed for during her childhood wanderings, with a complex expression. She slowly put it into her mouth and said, "So sweet."

At the same time, in the office of the Jonin squad leader...

Minato sat in the main seat, his face serious, his hands crossed and chin resting on his hands. Beside him, Fugaku, acting as his secretary, glared with fierce eyes. The mere presence of the two of them, even unintentionally, instilled immense pressure in the slightly uneasy girl below. "Do you know why I chose you?"

After scrutinizing the girl from head to toe, Minato withdrew his gaze and asked in a deep tone, "Uh... because I came in first place in the girls' group of this graduation exam?"

The girl hesitated for a moment, then replied timidly, "It's not because of my father, is it?"

Seeing Minato shake his head, the girl, who couldn't think of any other outstanding qualities she possessed, tentatively spoke up. Minato shook his head again. With the mission deadline fast approaching, there was no time to keep her in suspense any longer. He stared intently at the girl's fairly natural black curly hair, straightened up, and solemnly announced the standard answer, "It has nothing to do with Shinku-senpai. We chose you because you are the only curly-haired graduate this year."

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