Uchiha Gin dreamt, the dream unfolding like a vivid manga.
First panel: A boy held a crying girl's hand, speaking softly.
Second panel: The boy knelt in despair amid a sea of flames, surrounded by broken bodies of the elderly, women, and children.
Third panel: Menacing shadows encircled the kneeling boy, a blood-red moon rising in the background.
Fourth panel: The flames around the boy turned an eerie black under the moon's glow.
Fifth panel: The boy's eyes became bloody hollows, blood streaming down, yet his lips curved in a radiant smile.
As he tried to turn the page, a sharp pain stabbed his head, and the dream shattered.
Struggling to open his eyes, Uchiha Gin saw the same full moon overhead. The scenery hadn't changed. From the tent, Senju Itama's mumbled sleep-talk added a touch of reality.
He tried to rise but felt like his body was falling apart, especially his back and head, as if hit by a train—much like when he first transmigrated.
Raising his arm, he checked for injuries. The right arm, snapped by the woman before he passed out, was fully healed.
"Looks like I survived this skill," he muttered. His recovery meant the night's random skill had finished activating.
"Daily backyard skill refresh: [Strange Strength]. Acquired Strange Strength 1…" the system announced.
"!!!" Ignoring the mental ache, Uchiha Gin flipped to his feet, inspecting his slender, pale hands.
Clenching his fists, he felt a warm surge from his heart flow to his hands, a volatile force itching to burst free.
Eyeing a massive boulder nearby, he swung a fist at it.
The moment his seemingly frail fist connected, a tremendous airflow erupted, blasting a deep crater into the rock. Spiderweb cracks spread from the impact.
Staring at his handiwork, Uchiha Gin's throat went dry. "Is this the legendary Strange Strength?"
"Strange Strength: A Senju clan ability. By precisely controlling chakra and focusing it in any body part, it unleashes a powerful airflow, capable of shattering walls with ease," the system explained.
Moving around, the lingering soreness faded. Skill-refresh injuries healed post-activation, leaving only the memory of pain.
Excited, Uchiha Gin sat cross-legged, closing his eyes to recall the striking figure of the woman who'd dropped from the sky.
Though it was a fleeting glimpse, as a manga fan, he instantly recognized the "technician."
"Tsunade, huh? Not here to avenge Mito, are you?" he quipped aloud, recalling the woman—possibly still a teen.
He'd parted with Mito that morning, only to have a "close encounter" with her future granddaughter that night.
"Talk about holding no grudges overnight!" he thought, raising an eyebrow.
"But finally, a useful skill."
Mastering Strange Strength boosted his power significantly. He could probably go toe-to-toe with an unsuspecting Uchiha Fuka now.
The strength gain thrilled him, but the Senju Itama mission gave him a headache. A starter task shouldn't be this convoluted.
Unable to puzzle it out, he gave up and returned to the tent, glaring at the snoring Itama.
Anger flared. Grabbing the sleeping kid, he tossed him outside and claimed the warm mat for himself.
Sinking into the cozy warmth, Uchiha Gin drifted off contentedly, leaving Itama to shiver in the cold.
"Achoo! Achoo!" Itama's sneezes echoed outside.
Uchiha Gin stretched, sleeping soundly. At dawn, he found Itama curled up by the tent, ignoring his resentful glare, and swiftly packed up.
By their pace, they'd reach the Uchiha clan grounds today. Eyeing Itama, who'd endured plenty of "care" from him, Uchiha Gin worried for himself.
"Should I take this kid and defect to the Senju?" A bold idea surfaced, quickly dismissed.
The Uchiha and Senju were at war, both sides bloodthirsty. Defecting would likely get him executed as a spy.
Even if he succeeded, the Uchiha would brand him a traitor. Uchiha Fuka might "phantom" him in his sleep.
Neither option worked. Uchiha Gin shook his head, deciding to play it by ear.
Packing his gear, he dragged Itama to join the others, who were already gathered, ready to move.
Seeing Uchiha Gin arrive last, they exchanged silent, wary glances.
Confused, Uchiha Gin wondered if someone had a mind-reading system, catching his fleeting defection thought. His imagination ran wild.
"We're not sparring with you," Uchiha Ryoichi declared, breaking the silence.
"Exactly," Uchiha Tsuru and Dairo nodded in sync.
Oh, that's it! Uchiha Gin relaxed. His Heartsteel Chest grinding had left them paranoid. He grinned, "No worries, folks. We're almost home. I won't waste your time or energy. Sparring can wait till we're back!"
"No deal, uncle. We're not sparring," the three shook their heads in unison.
"…"
"Enough. Pack up and move out," Uchiha Fuka said, appearing behind them.
"Yes, sir!"
The journey was smooth. With relentless travel, the Uchiha clan grounds drew near.
As smoke from cookfires rose ahead, the team relaxed—except Uchiha Gin.
"Who goes there?" Two figures emerged from the shadows, black hair and crimson Sharingan marking them as Uchiha.
"We're an Uchiha squad returning from a mission. I'm Captain Uchiha Fuka, here to report," Fuka said, revealing his Sharingan.
"Lord 'Phantom Fuka'! You're fast—first squad back. Rest up!" one patrol Uchiha said respectfully.
Patrol Uchiha were low-tier fighters, unqualified for external missions, and held Fuka, a renowned figure, in high regard.
Glancing past Ryoichi and the others, their eyes settled on Uchiha Gin, carrying a kid.
"Who's that, and why's he got a kid?" one patrol Uchiha asked.
His partner quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, shooting him a panicked look to shut up.
As the cleared squad moved on, the muffled Uchiha broke free. "Why stop me from questioning him?"
"You should thank me. I saved your life," the other Uchiha said, wiping drool from his hand, relieved.
"?"
"That's Uchiha Gin!"
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