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After Madara left, the Uchiha Clan's Council Hall fell silent.

The afternoon sun gently shines on the tatami mats, casting dappled shadows of the trees.

After a long pause, the Second Elder Uchiha Sei, sighed, his voice carrying a complex sense of relief. "No wonder he said there was a child whose eyes were opened by love. If it's from another world, then it makes sense that our memories are different from his."

The Second Elder is the Elder in charge of intelligence within the clan. Since becoming the Second Elder, he has rarely left the clan's territory, but he has the best information network.

He had previously suspected that Madara's explanation that Izuna was only faking his death and was actually recuperating was just a pretext.

After all, he was confident that if Madara had anything to do secretly, he would be the first to know.

But he knew nothing about Izuna.

Madara's reaction after Izuna's death was exactly the same as that of people who have lost a close relative: silence, confusion, and grief.

Ban's work efficiency has been very low in the past six months. Almost all the affairs of the clan, big and small, have been handled by his Elders. Although the clan members understand Lord Madara's dejected state, they have gradually begun to distance themselves from this Clan Head who is not strong enough and does not care about the affairs of the clan as time goes by.

Ban had been keeping himself isolated, doing nothing by himself. The Second Elder had worried that if things continued this way, he, as the Clan Head, would be abandoned by his people.

If Izuna were still alive, this person who deeply loved his younger brother would not be in this state.

It wasn't until Izuna appeared that Madara resumed clan affairs, Uchiha Clan began to move forward.

This change was too abrupt, Second Elder had suspected that it might be some kind of conspiracy, or that it might be detrimental to the Uchiha Clan.

However, Izuna's arrival brought almost nothing but good things, which mixed the Second Elder's suspicions with the irrational thought of "hoping that what Madara said is true."

Now that he knew that Izuna came from another world, he felt that everything had become clear.

I also understand why Madara kept it a secret.

The Third Elder Emiko, slightly raised his head and sighed, "If we had known beforehand, perhaps none of us would have agreed to let him continue."

"Although he is also Izuna, none of us know what kind of person he is from another world."

"If such a person were allowed to issue orders in the village, arrange affairs among different ethnic groups, and even interfere in our internal affairs, I would have been the first to object a month ago."

No one argued with her.

Because what she said was true.

Fourth Elder Uchiha Mayo suddenly chuckled, "No wonder he invited my son and daughter-in-law, along with the Fifth Elder, to act in the play at the same time."

Mase emphasized the word "harmony," then turned to look at the Fifth Elder, Naoaki, sitting diagonally opposite him. "So he really didn't know we didn't get along."

The Fifth Elder Naoaki coldly and did not reply.

He didn't believe that Izuna was unaware of this.

Mase's son, Tadayo, plays the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, an enemy general who only officially appears after the death of Taira no Kiyomori, whom he himself plays.

The Mase focused on internal affairs, while the Naoaki family focused on external conflicts.

As the saying goes, there has always been enmity between scholars and warriors. Therefore, their two families had not had any contact for two generations. As a result, Izuna arranged such a coincidental identity for them. Naoaki did not believe that Izuna knew nothing about it.

This is probably Suggestion that Tadayo and he are not from the same generation, and that the Uchiha need to unite against external threats, so they should stop their hostility and reconcile with each other.

That's really a lot of effort.

The Elder Shigō remained silent.

He sat in the main seat, his hands clenched into fists and placed on his knees, his gaze as calm as a deep pool. Only after everyone had finished speaking did he slowly open his mouth.

"Regardless, this matter is still too shocking. The fact that Izuna is a visitor from another world must be kept from our clan."

He paused, then raised his eyelids to look at everyone present. His gaze wasn't oppressive, yet it made everyone instinctively sit up straight.

"But now that he has been identified as Uchiha Izuna, we must mobilize our clansmen to actively support his activities."

Does anyone have any objections to this matter?

Second Elder Sei was the first to speak, "No objection."

The Third Elder Emiko, nodded slightly. "No objections."

Fourth Elder Mase shrugged. "No objection. He's more reliable than my son anyway."

The Fifth Elder Naoaki silent for a long time.

Everyone looked at him.

Naoaki said calmly, "No objection. But there's one thing: make sure that child stays out in public less often. If what happened today gets out, it'll cause trouble."

The Elder Shigō nodded. "Lord Madara has his own arrangements for this matter."

He stood up, leaning on his cane, looked around at everyone, and finally said, "If there's nothing else, then disperse. Starting tomorrow, get everyone moving; we can't afford to be passive anymore. Now that the Uchiha Clan has acknowledged this Second-in-Command, they shouldn't become a laughingstock."

The Elders rose, bowed, and filed out.

In the end, only Elder Shigō remained standing in the Council Hall.

He raised his head and looked behind him at the huge Gunbai pattern on the main screen.

"Another world...?"

Shigō muttered to himself, a very faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"As long as the glory of the Uchiha Clan can continue, we Uchiha will accept anything, no matter what it may be."

He slowly walked out of the Council Hall, leaning on his cane.

The Konoha was electric after the speech.

News of the Five-Year Plan spread like wildfire throughout the village.

On the streets and in the alleys, during leisure time, everyone is talking about that grand blueprint.

Hardened roads, water supply network, Central Hospital, Ninja Academy, mission system, Commercial Street, agricultural experimental fields...

For the first time, these words Uwagi peace entered the lives of ordinary Ninjas in such a concrete way, making them feel less distant. The tangible goal filled everyone with strength.

The village was boiling like hot oil.

For Ishimi, sitting in the inn's courtyard, this boiling over was a much more complex experience.

With the help of his attendants, Ishimi changed into a light-colored garment.

The evening breeze rustled through the branches of the old Plum Tree, and the wind chimes tinkled softly.

But he had no interest in appreciating any of it.

He sat upright in the main seat, with the intelligence that had just been presented to him by the Ninja spread out in front of him.

The hawk has already flown towards the Land of Earth with the content of today's speech; there's no time to send this out as well.

After reading the intelligence report, Ishimi's face showed an expression of disbelief.

On the one hand, he felt that the idea of "an eye falling out of its socket" was too horrifying and unimaginable.

Although he was a nobleman, he was also Envoy who traveled all over the country. He had seen the cruel battlefields, the severed limbs and disemboweled bodies.

These were nothing more than unpleasant scenery to him; he could walk past even a dead person in front of him without batting an eye.

But a living person, in broad daylight, just... had their eyeball pop out? And the person involved calmly said, "It's Artificial Eye"?

Ishimi rubbed his arms and found that he had goosebumps.

If it weren't for the fact that the Ninja who reported this information also seemed dazed, he might have thought he was fabricating false information.

On the other hand, he felt that it was unlikely to be a coincidence that such an accident occurred in broad daylight.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

Ishimi admitted that before today, he hadn't paid much attention to Uchiha Izuna, who supposedly changed people's stereotypes about Ninjas.

After all, who would notice someone Biwa? Even if he were Ninja, it would only be somewhat unusual. Any idea that this changed people's perception of Ninjas is just wishful thinking.

People instinctively feel fear whenever they see what Ninja does. To think that a single performance could change that impression is simply a pipe dream!

As for countries that believed Ninjas were harmless, he had absolutely no interest in Ishimi. Naturally, he missed the Biwa Hōshi's chanting that was being promoted in the streets and alleys.

It wasn't until he arrived in Konoha and met Izuna that he realized Izuna was no ordinary person.

The person who personally arranges the itinerary, introduces the attractions, and mediates conflicts, while not exactly low in status, certainly isn't high either.

Like Fujiwara, he was born into an aristocratic family, but as a messenger, he was just a mouthpiece and had no attitude or feelings of his own.

However, during the visit, Izuna's behavior towards the two Ninja had made mistakes was quite unusual.

When subordinates make mistakes, their attitude towards their superiors should generally be humble and subservient, hoping that the superiors will be lenient and let them off the hook.

But this person? This Ninja, his attitude is nothing like that of a guide.

With the Daimyo and Envoys from other countries present, he showed no sign of panic. Instead, he stood naturally in the position of the host, punishing the two Ninjas as if it were a family matter.

More importantly, it was his performance at the Inauguration Ceremony.

Ishimi recalled.

At that time, when Hashirama speech, Izuna stood in the audience with the others, listening to Hashirama's speech.

But when Hashirama said, "I sincerely thank you all, and I still have hope," the young man's lips curled up slightly, and there was something in his eyes that Ishimi rarely saw.

It's not reverence, not worship, but a kind of certainty of "as expected."

That wasn't the expression a subordinate would have when looking at their superior.

That was... the expression on a builder's face as he watched his dream come true.

It was only at that moment that Ishimi vaguely realized that Izuna probably wielded far more power in this Special Administrative Region than he had imagined.

How could someone like that reveal a flaw?

Ishimi put down his teacup, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

If it's not a coincidence, then it must be malicious.

Those who deliberately reveal weaknesses in front of the enemy often fall into two categories: either genuine negligence or deliberate bait.

Could someone who could produce that kind of expression during that speech be the kind of person who would be careless?

Ishimi shook his head.

Therefore, there is only one answer— Uchiha Izuna was fishing.

Fish for those stupid fish that eagerly bite the hook as soon as they see a weakness in him.

Ishimi stood up and walked to the Veranda.

The courtyard was as still as water, with the wind rustling the leaves across the cobblestone ground. Carp swam in the courtyard's pond.

It was a quiet scene, but Ishimi seemed to see a living village, a village with a future, through this meticulously designed courtyard.

Those who covet this future are probably already getting restless.

"Interesting," Ishimi himself, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "I'd like to see who's the first to take the bait."

Meanwhile, the news was also spreading within Konoha.

The cause of the matter is rather absurd.

At the Training Ground, besides the child actors who came with Wakako, Hinata, Takuma, and the other children, there were also a few parents who were passing Training Ground and wanted to take a look at their children.

The scene of Izuna's eyeballs popping out, though only lasting a few seconds, was witnessed by quite a few people.

Upon seeing this, no one could believe their eyes.

"That's... an eyeball?"

"It fell out? From its eye socket?"

"Lord Izuna's?"

"Lord Izuna said it was Artificial Eye..."

"Have you ever seen Artificial Eye with a nerve attached to it?! That's a real eye!"

The murmurs spread like ripples from the Training Ground, but the adults knew the seriousness of the matter and didn't make a fuss about it after leaving.

What truly caused the situation to spiral out of control were the children who returned home.

The children knew that such a big thing had to be told to the adults no matter what.

Not to mention the children who were familiar with Izuna, those who were loyal to the clan, or those who were somewhat hostile to Izuna, couldn't wait to tell the elders in the clan.

So at dinner time, every household in Konoha heard a conversation like this:

"Mother/Father/Grandfather/ Elder, Lord Izuna's eye popped out today."

"What?!"

The parents, holding their rice bowls, had incredibly interesting expressions on their faces.

Within hours, the news that "Lord Izuna's eyes have a problem" spread like wildfire to every corner of Konoha.

By the time Madara and Hashirama reacted, it was too late to seal it off.

Hashirama sat in the Hokage's Office, listening to the report, covering his face with his hands and letting out a long sigh.

"Did we... forgot to tell the children not to tell anyone?"

Ban rested his chin on his crossed hands, and said in a deep voice, "... I forgot."

"Sigh... I was so worried about Izuna that I didn't even notice this." Hashirama looked at Tobirama, who was Tobirama a broken pen, "What should we do, Tobirama?"

Tobirama's eye twitched slightly. He calmly put down the wood shavings in his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.

He also neglected to consider that at the time, his mind was preoccupied with whether Izuna had any physical problems and the progress of his eye development.

They completely forgot that someone had witnessed that horrific scene.

Even though it's called Special Administrative Region, a settlement with a population of only a few tens of thousands is a village.

News spreads within the village at a speed comparable to that of the information age.

Without constraints, thousands of Ninjas, along with hundreds of civilians, wouldn't deliberately spread rumors, but they would chat with their families, gossip with their neighbors, and say to their comrades after training, "You know what? Today..."

This is a village.

A warm, vibrant village, yet one that cannot hide its secrets.

"But it might not be a bad thing if everyone knows, right?" Hashirama stroked his chin. "Everyone wants Konoha to get better, they wouldn't want anything to happen to Izuna, would they? Maybe tomorrow we'll see a bunch of people crowding outside Uchiha Clan Compound, scrambling to protect Izuna?"

Tobirama was speechless. "Big Brother, that's highly unlikely. We're Ninjas; we wouldn't have such an idiot. And even if it did happen, what if there were assassins involved..."

Hashirama blinked. "Izuna can handle it. He can even sense my attacks, so how could he not feel killing intent?"

Recalling Izuna's almost precognitive perception, Izuna, who wanted to refute Tobirama silent.

Madara frowned. "We can't let this happen. I think it's better for Izuna to stay in the clan territory for the next few days."

Tobirama, "Leaving aside whether he can stay idle, if he really does that, it will give others the impression that something is really wrong with him, and the attacks will definitely be more intense."

"Let them come! We're not afraid of them!"

"They are Delegation!" Tobirama frowned. "If they were just ordinary visitors, we could deal with them on the spot without any problem, but the people sent by those Shinobi Villages this time are definitely important figures, and we can't punish them easily."

"Furthermore, we cannot rule out the possibility that clans within the ninja Shinobi Village who harbor resentment towards Izuna Clan Meeting take action against Izuna. However, we have just established the Konoha Special Administrative Region, and these people are nominally our people, so we cannot act rashly."

Hashirama imagined the aftermath and couldn't help but grin, "It's going to be a lot of trouble."

"Since their people are so important, they shouldn't have interfered," Ban said coldly. "Since they did interfere, it means they were prepared to die."

Hashirama tried to dissuade us, saying, "But we also have to consider our reputation..."

"What kind of face is this!" Madara roared, his killing intent palpable. "Attacking Izuna is tantamount to breaking ties with me!"

Tobirama sighed, "We'll just have to deal with whatever comes our way. The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light; this is going to be difficult..."

After pondering Hashirama a moment, Hashirama tentatively suggested, "How about... we ask Izuna what to do?"