Answer

Fugaku stepped off the stage in his dress shoes, and the red curtain closed again.

The villagers below could vaguely hear footsteps behind the curtain, and they were all filled with anticipation for the next performance.

"I wonder what kind of show it'll be. Hey, bro, isn't one of your relatives in the Police Force? Got any inside news?"

"If you were asking about ordinary news, I might be able to dig something up. But preparations like this are classified! How could my cousin's wife's older brother's younger brother's wife tell me something so important? Just wait patiently."

"Sigh, true enough. Then let's wait and see what kind of amazing performance the new Deputy Chief of the Police Force has prepared for us. Don't tell me it's some kind of rap from Kumogakure?"

"Enough already. Stop guessing, you're so noisy. Just wait quietly."

Several dozen seconds passed, and every villager beneath the stage eagerly awaited the performance.

"Fire Style—Great Fireball Technique!"

"Water Style—Water Wall!"

At both sides of the stage, Uchiha Inohibi and Fugaku suddenly used ninjutsu. The blazing fireball was blocked and extinguished by the wall of water.

Quite a few villagers were frightened, but some were not afraid at all. Instead, they were captivated by the sight before them.

Water and fire collided, producing a great deal of steam. In an instant, mist enveloped the entire stage.

"Whoosh."

The red curtain opened.

Senya and Uchiha Izumi stood in the center of the stage. Uchiha Shuu and Uchiha Ori each led the other boys and girls behind them into a V-shaped formation around Senya.

"Holy crap! Are all the men and women in the Police Force this good-looking?! I declare it—joining the Police Force is my dream in life!"

"Th-they're so big and white..."

"You dirty old man! Who said you could stare at those girls like that?! Don't look!"

"Looks like I'll have to find myself an Uchiha boyfriend in the future..."

Regardless of age or gender, the audience below had different thoughts in their hearts, but they all came down to one reason!

Senya and the eleven Uchiha he led had completely maxed out their looks! They satisfied everyone's fantasies!

The two red cloths at the sides of the stage were also lifted by Fugaku and Inohibi, revealing two enormous speakers to the audience below.

Gentle, melodious music flowed from them.

Izumi slowly raised the microphone to her lips. Her lovely mouth softly sang dancing notes, beginning to caress the audience's eardrums.

"There is a simple question."

"What is love?"

"Is it a kind of flavor, or an attraction~"

The light, cheerful voice of the young girl brought the audience an unprecedented auditory feast. They all sank into the beauty she created, while some of the older listeners had already closed their eyes and begun recalling the past.

Senya also lifted his microphone. The moment he opened his mouth, his clear voice was filled with sunshine and tenderness, as though a young man deeply in love were whispering sweet nothings to the person in his heart.

"From the day of my first love~"

"First came sweetness."

"And then, right after that, came wind and rain~"

Senya was focused on singing, but he did not know that Kurenai and Shizune had already arrived, standing on the eaves at both sides of the crowd.

As Shizune listened to Senya's singing, she looked at Yūhi Kurenai beside her with a somewhat smug expression.

"Speaking of which, I was Senya's first love, Kurenai. I've got you beat in that regard."

Kurenai merely smiled faintly, as though she did not care much.

"You were both still young and ignorant back then. What did you know about love? It was just children fooling around. If you want to think you were Senya's first love, then be happy with that."

"You... Hmph. Anyway, I was Senya's first love."

Shizune stubbornly repeated herself, then turned away to continue watching Senya sing onstage.

Kurenai only smiled and said nothing more.

In truth, Kurenai knew that, to Senya, perhaps the two of them together counted as his first love. Whether beneath that tree during the mission or on that night not long ago, she and Shizune always seemed to run into each other at crucial moments.

Shizune and Kurenai continued watching Senya's performance, quietly listening to his singing.

Senya and Izumi's performance continued onstage. Sometimes they sang solo, sometimes together, while the audience below remained immersed in the feelings the song brought them.

The two onstage moved closer and looked into each other's eyes, singing in unison.

"So tell me, how long is forever?"

"Forever is brief, forever is slow."

"Everyone has their own way of measuring it."

"Mysterious promises and vows."

"Even lies—you must understand them yourself."

"Maybe years, maybe an instant."

"You have your own answer."

After the two finished singing, Izumi quickly turned around to face the audience beneath the stage.

Seeing Izumi's shy appearance, Senya could vaguely make out that even the earrings beneath her hair had turned red. He shook his head with a soft laugh and turned to face the audience as well.

"This is the song 'Answer' brought to you by our Police Force. We hope every young person can find your own answer, and we hope the older generation can hold fast to yours. Together, let us make Konoha better!"

Many of the older people in the audience held their spouses' hands, as though they had returned to the days when they were young and deeply in love.

Some elderly people shed tears instead. Their other halves had already departed in war or on missions, but when they thought of this beautiful village now, their eyes gained a little more hope and longing.

"Alright, everyone, it's getting late. Our Police Force celebration ends here. You may all leave."

The people below began to move, and those in the back were already preparing to leave.

At that moment, Fugaku picked up the microphone beneath the stage again.

"Oh, right, everyone! All food and drink at Akimichi's BBQ Restaurant tonight will be free for every customer! The Police Force is paying for everything! We've already had Akimichi's BBQ Restaurant set up tables outside tonight as well! Hurry over!"

The moment he said this, the ninja leaped straight onto the rooftops and rushed toward the barbecue restaurant.

After all, an ordinary ninja's expenses were almost entirely spent on weapon maintenance, equipment, and logistics purchases. The little money left had to support their families, so they usually only visited Akimichi's BBQ Restaurant once a month.

This time, the Uchiha were willing to treat the entire village. They absolutely could not miss it—they had to hurry over and grab seats inside.

"Come on, everyone! Destination: Akimichi's BBQ Restaurant! Move out!"

"Today, we have to eat our fill! Let's give the Akimichi clan's chefs a proper lesson!"

"Free food! I love free food! Wait for me! Don't run so fast! Save me a seat!"

Whether ninja or villagers, everyone's face was filled with sincere smiles at that moment.

Far away in the Hokage Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the scene at the entrance of the Police Force through a crystal ball with the Telescope Technique while handling documents.

"We really have Senya to thank for this. I never expected him to soothe and stabilize the Uchiha at only sixteen."

"He even made most of the village see the Uchiha in a new light."

"If this child's strength and character prove worthy in the future, then what would be wrong with giving the position of Hokage to him, to the Uchiha clan?"

"Teacher Tobirama... if you knew of this in the Pure Land, you would surely think the same, wouldn't you? Are you satisfied with the answer I have given you..."