"Right there, put some muscle into it! I refuse to tap out!" Uchiha Gin lounged on his hospital bed, basking in Uchiha Izuna's massage, then turned to Uchiha Madara. "Cousin, peel me an apple—cut it into little bunny shapes."
Madara, just tossing Gin's banana peel, bristled, veins popping on his forehead. Seeing Gin's bandaged arms, he swallowed his irritation, grabbing a fruit knife and stabbing an apple with force.
"Whoa, I don't eat grumpy apples—bad for my recovery," Gin teased with a smirk, making Madara's teeth grind. Picturing the apple as Gin, Madara carved it ruthlessly.
"Not bad, nice knife work. No wonder you dance so well," Gin said, nodding approvingly.
"Cousin, how's the pressure?" Izuna, red-faced from effort, looked up from the bedside.
"Solid, little cousin. Your taijutsu's gonna dominate one day—I'm no match," Gin praised, savoring the perfect leg massage.
"Host defeated. Gained Heart Energy 16. Heart of Steel Chest reward unlocked. (Current Heart Energy: 52)" The system's sweet chime rang in Gin's mind.
Grinning ear to ear at the tally, Gin was thrilled.
Days ago, Senju Butsuma's punch had nearly killed him. Narrowly surviving, he'd been pampered by his cousins since.
Waking the day after surgery, Gin's first move was sending Izuna, who'd met Senju Banma, to inform the kid of his hospitalization, ensuring he didn't wander off.
"What? Curly gorilla's hurt?" Banma asked, shocked, facing the familiar Izuna.
"Bad?"
"Real bad. He got blasted far, arms snapped, chest caved in this much," Izuna said, gesturing, sticking to the facts.
"Wahhh… he's gonna die?" For reasons unclear, Banma's chest tightened, tears spilling.
"Hey, don't cry! Cousin's awake. Docs say he'll heal soon. He's in the hospital, sent me to give you this," Izuna said, flustered, pulling out a scroll for Banma.
"He's okay?" Banma sniffled, head tilted.
"Totally fine! Take it, I gotta grab fruit for him," Izuna said, shoving the scroll into Banma's hands and bolting.
Back at the old house, a calmed Banma hesitantly opened the scroll, reading:
[Senju brat, your hero's bravely wounded, recovering in the hospital a few days. Look after yourself, be careful shopping, and name-drop me if anyone hassles you—they won't dare kill you. P.S.: Use this cash, don't starve.]
A storage seal marked the scroll's end. Curious, Banma tapped it, and with a poof, white smoke erupted.
As it cleared, dazzling gold light blinded him.
Those gold bars should cover it, right? Gin mused, staring at the unfamiliar hospital ceiling, wondering if he should've sent more.
"Cousin, whose fancy mansion's next to your place?" Izuna asked, pausing his service.
Gin had noticed the lavish house next door when visiting, and curiosity got the better of him.
"Mine, newly built. Pretty sweet, huh?" Gin said, propping a leg up, hinting. "Treat me right, little cousin, and I'll hook you up with one."
"Deal! How's this pressure?" Izuna, quick on the uptake, unleashed his newly honed massage skills, sending Gin into bliss.
"Perfect! You could open a massage parlor—business would boom," Gin said.
Bored in bed, Gin had taunted Izuna into sparring games, triggering the Heart of Steel system. Ecstatic, he'd milked one round and kept going. His hospital routine was set: taunt, spar, admit defeat—smooth as silk.
"Cousin, it's time for my meeting with Father. I'm off," Madara said, setting a plate of apple slices before Gin. The bunny-shaped cuts were lifelike. Gin turned, curious. "Cousin, that's pro-level carving. Been practicing on the sly?"
"I, Uchiha Madara, have always dreamed of being an artist!" Madara declared, head high, dead serious.
"Nice! I'm all for it!" Gin gave a thumbs-up with his only movable digit. Dreams were awesome.
"Go on, don't keep Uncle waiting," Gin added. Dreams aside, Madara was the Uchiha's future—no time for detours. If the Leaf Village formed and Madara chased art, Gin would back him fully.
Waving off Madara, who hurried out, Gin settled back.
"Since big brother awakened his Sharingan, Father's been stricter, drilling him late every day," Izuna sighed, kneading Gin's legs.
"After cutting ties with that bowl-cut kid, Madara's mind cleared. He's pushing himself, training hard. As the clan head's son, he won't lose to that Senju kid," Gin explained, guessing Madara's drive, then relaxed into the massage.
In his system space, Gin eyed the Heart of Steel Chest, three Heart of Steel Orbs from the last round scattered nearby. Tapping to settle, the chest pulsed with BGM, spitting out orbs.
Three more!
Thrilled, Gin stared at the six orbs on the board, reaching with his "godly" right hand.
"Drop it!"
[Gold Bars 10]
"Just a warm-up. I feel it—drop!"
[Gold Bars 10]
"Seriously?!" Gin's hand wavered after two gold bar pulls. "My godly hand's failing?"
When had it ever worked?
Desperate, Gin resorted to his "sacrifice jutsu," picturing Izuna's face. Sorry, cousin, I'll make it up to you.
"With ten years of Izuna's luck, drop it!"
---
If you want to read more than 20 chapters early feel free to visit pa tre on . com /Archus