Gin really didn't want to do actual work. Mustering all his lifetime's worth of glibness, he tried his best to talk Ryucha into taking over for him.

"But… this isn't really something I can just decide myself…"

Ryucha, now thoroughly dizzy from Gin's persuasion, didn't immediately agree. He was tempted, but a transfer wasn't something just anyone could approve.

"I'll report it to Elder En and have it signed off. You just focus on doing a good job!"

Gin knew exactly what was holding him back, so he promptly name-dropped Ryucha's boss to reassure him.

"I… well…"

Ryucha was still hesitating, his mind spinning with pros and cons.

"What are you waiting for? I'm counting on you!"

Gin stuffed the file into his hands without another word and flashed him an encouraging smile before slipping away."You carry on — I've got to go interrogate a prisoner in the dungeon."

No point wasting free labor when it fell into his lap. Whistling happily, Gin swaggered down the path to Dungeon No. 2.

At the gate today were Ryucha — now missing, thanks to Gin — and his partner Tiedan. With Ryucha absent, poor Tiedan was left to hold the fort alone.

"Hmph, Ryucha said he was just going to the latrine. How long's it been? He better not have fallen in…"

Muttering to himself, Tiedan didn't notice the footsteps behind him until a voice at his ear startled him."Tiedan-san, right? Let me in to see a prisoner."

He turned, and his heart sank when he saw who it was: Gin, the curly-haired nightmare of the clan.

"Is there a problem?"

Gin raised a brow as the poor man stiffened and gawked.

"N-no problem at all! Right this way!"

Tiedan quickly opened the gate and even bowed slightly as Gin entered.

"I need to see this one — lead the way for me."

Gin handed him the prisoner file he'd grabbed earlier without even looking at it himself.

"Uh… this guy… yes, this way."

Tiedan scanned the name, nodded, and led him into the cell block.

"By the way, Ryucha will be helping in the records room for a while. I'll report it to Ryu'ei-dono to assign you a new partner."

Hearing this, Tiedan's chest tightened. Poor Ryucha… it was his fault his buddy got caught up in this mess.

Silent and glum, he led Gin to a cell and pointed inside."Heh heh… come to torture me again, have you? Go on then, little Uchiha. Throw everything you've got at me! If this Yamanaka Souichirō so much as frowns, I'm no man!"

The prisoner was a middle-aged man with sandy-brown hair and fierce indigo eyes, hands bound behind his back.

"You've got a fly on your forehead."

Gin suddenly said this, completely deadpan.

"Huh?"

Souichirō instinctively furrowed his brows.

"Aha! See? He frowned!"

Gin loudly announced his "victory," making the already tense air in the cell even more awkward.

Even Tiedan fell silent, staring at his own toes as though they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"…Ahem. Gin-sama, I'll leave you to it. I should really get back to the gate…"

Tiedan quickly excused himself and scurried away.

"No sense of humor at all, these people…"

Gin shook his head in mock disappointment.

"You… you dare make a fool of me?!"

Souichirō growled through gritted teeth.

"Oh, come on. Can't an old man take a little joke?"

Gin flipped through the prisoner's file lazily.Yamanaka Souichirō. Specialist in mental jutsu. Captured with Yamanaka Ichino and others.

"I heard your Yamanaka clan's jutsu is quite impressive."

He strolled over, eyeing Souichirō's bound hands with interest."But still no match for the Uchiha's Sharingan, huh?"

"Hmph! Only because you outnumbered us! Try me one-on-one if you dare!"

Souichirō barked, still struggling.

"Alright."

Gin nodded seriously — then, with a snap, the bindings fell off.

"…Huh?"

Souichirō just stared at him blankly for a moment.

"What's the matter? Acting all tough but nothing to show for it?"

Gin egged him on, and sure enough, a system chime rang in his mind.[Combat detected. Heart of Steel reward accumulating…]

Souichirō snarled as his hands formed a strange seal."Fine then! As thanks for releasing me, I'll make sure you die painlessly!"

The telltale gesture made Gin's eyes narrow. Of course — a Yamanaka clan technique.

Shinranshin no Jutsu… the dream technique of every man!

Gin's Sharingan spun to life as he instinctively tracked the wave of chakra and mental energy barreling toward his forehead.

He dodged sideways — but the attack curved midair like a snake.

"What?!"

Before he could react again, the mental jutsu pierced his mind. Souichirō laughed cruelly."Didn't expect that, did you? Years of training — I can bend my technique's path!"

Gin felt his body freeze, unable to move as dizziness and nausea overwhelmed him.

"Heh heh… foolish boy. Now… you'll feel nothing as I finish you."

His own mouth formed the words in Souichirō's voice. The prisoner's body slumped to the floor as his spirit controlled Gin's limbs, pulling a kunai and raising it shakily toward his own throat.

(End of Chapter)

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