June 25th, Year 46 of the Hidden Leaf calendar. The village of Konoha was buzzing with excitement.
A vast crowd made their way to what used to be one of Konoha's training fields—now transformed into an enormous venue for a cutting-edge event.
Out of Konoha's total population, which hadn't even reached forty thousand, five thousand people were set to attend this grand conference. The five thousand available seats were completely sold out the day before—there was no need to sell tickets on the day of the event.
Of the seats, three hundred in the front were reserved by the organizers for invited representatives of the major shinobi clans. The remaining were sold to the public. Over four thousand of them were claimed by Konoha locals, while the rest were snapped up by out-of-town visitors—mostly merchants—who had rushed to Konoha over the last three days.
Although most of the tickets were priced low, the combined revenue was considerable. For the Uchiha clan, this marked an early return on their investment.
Though they were still far from breaking even, the Uchiha clan hadn't set out to profit. The earnings were merely a pleasant surprise.
Of course, the Uchiha clan's leadership didn't care much about the financials. What truly mattered was the outcome of the genjutsu-based game being unveiled today. As long as it could achieve even a fraction of what Uchiha Kei promised, it would be a huge gain for the clan.
Now, Uchiha Masanobu stood with Uchiha Fugaku at the rear of the vast venue, welcoming the invited dignitaries from other clans.
This was also a stage for Uchiha Fugaku. Masanobu was gradually passing the mantle of leadership to his son, and Fugaku was now responsible for receiving guests and representing the clan.
Uchiha Fugaku didn't disappoint. Accompanied by several clan members, he warmly greeted the guests, surprising everyone with the Uchiha's newfound hospitality.
Though their warmth still lagged behind other clans' standards, the sight of Uchiha Fugaku smiling and conversing, and Uchiha clan members not wearing stern expressions, was already a remarkable change.
The hospitality was genuine. The VIP guests were seated in private booths, attended by servers hired specifically for the event. Refreshments and drinks were available. Many were left wondering—were these truly the arrogant Uchiha we all knew?
The Uchiha had changed.
Or perhaps, those in power within the Uchiha had changed. They were clearly leading the entire clan in a new direction.
This time, it wasn't just a tentative change. It was a strategic, purposeful transformation.
And today's genjutsu game showcase was the clearest sign of that shift.
Were the Uchiha trying to integrate into Konoha through such a modern approach?
Any politically savvy observer couldn't help but consider the possibility.
Representing the Nara clan was their young heir, Nara Shikaku, who scratched his head thoughtfully. Beside him sat the other two members of the next-gen Ino-Shika-Chō trio—Yamanaka Inoichi representing the Ino clan and Akimichi Chōza for the Akimichi.
The three of them sat in one of the VIP booths near the center, surrounded by partitions and sheltered by a canopy. There were tables with snacks and drinks, privacy screens, and only a small window open to view the outside. Everything was arranged for comfort and discretion.
Outside the booths, servers moved about ensuring every guest's needs were promptly met. Four Uchiha shinobi stood guard across key access points, preventing any disruptions.
The VIP area lived up to its name.
The rest of the venue featured tiered seating like an ancient Roman coliseum or a modern open-air stadium.
Even those seats had helpers providing basic services. Uchiha shinobi were stationed throughout as security, with even some Hyūga clan members hired to assist.
In the shinobi world, money could solve most problems—if you were willing to spend it.
As ticket holders steadily filed in, the Ino-Shika-Chō trio observed the activity through their booth's window, while those outside could see little of what happened within.
Yamanaka Inoichi, a dashing youth with a golden ponytail, crossed his arms. "With this level of design and professionalism, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe the Uchiha pulled this off."
Akimichi Chōza, chubby and round-faced with clan markings on his cheeks, munched on complimentary fruit and snacks. "Totally unexpected, but hey, not bad. These treats are pretty good."
Rolling his eyes at his gluttonous friend, Inoichi turned to the smartest of the trio—and likely future brains of all Konoha—Nara Shikaku. "Shikaku, what do you think? Are the Uchiha trying to integrate into Konoha, or is there something else going on?"
Wearing his signature lazy expression—the same look his future son Shikamaru would inherit—Shikaku replied, "If it were just this event, it might improve their standing, but not by much."
"But based on what we're seeing, they clearly have a well-thought-out plan. This is just one step in a larger strategy."
"If I had to guess, this conference isn't just about showing off. They've got more planned."
Just then, a knock came at their booth door.
An Uchiha server appeared, delivering a message from the Uchiha clan leader.
The gist: enjoy the showcase for now, and don't leave immediately after. The clan had something more to discuss with their specially invited guests.
Once the message was delivered, the server withdrew.
Nara Shikaku shrugged and said to his two friends, "See? I told you. Someone powerful has risen within the Uchiha—someone with real influence. This kind of subtle, smooth diplomacy isn't typical Uchiha behavior."
Yamanaka Inoichi frowned. "Who could it be? Shikaku, do you know?"
Before Shikaku could reply, Chōza—his mouth still full—blurted, "Uchiha Kei."
Shikaku smiled but said nothing. His silence confirmed it.
Inoichi blinked, then nodded in realization.
Though not exact classmates, they had all attended the Academy around the same time. They were also close friends of Minato Namikaze, and naturally knew about Uchiha Kei, the unusual Uchiha that Minato held in high regard.
Even if they weren't as informed as the higher-ups, they had heard that Uchiha Kei was recently welcomed back into the clan with great fanfare. Updates are released by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✶𝓷𝓮𝓽
As key young heirs of three major clans, they had their own intelligence networks and were well aware of such events.
Inoichi mused aloud, "If it's Uchiha Kei—the one with a completely different mindset than the rest of them—then I guess it makes sense."
"But wasn't he out of favor with the Uchiha? Why is he suddenly so important?"
Shikaku replied, "Who knows? But it's not like he could've won them over with words alone. There must be something even the proud Uchiha couldn't ignore."
"Maybe it's tied to this event. After all, the genjutsu-based game only appeared after Kei was welcomed back into the clan."
Then Chōza said again, "Genjutsu games will change the shinobi world."
His two friends turned to him in surprise. "Why do you say that?"
Chōza gave the strongest possible answer.
"..." Shikaku and Inoichi stared at him, speechless.
But neither refuted him. In fact, they found themselves even more intrigued by the upcoming presentation. Because despite appearances, Chōza was the most observant of the three—and his instincts were never wrong.