Genjutsu Game Launch: You Regret, I Shadow

"Three days from now, the Uchiha Clan is holding a Genjutsu Game press conference at the training grounds outside the village? What even is a Genjutsu Game?"

"Uh, never heard of it. Is it a brand new genjutsu?"

"I get genjutsu, and I get games, but put them together and I'm lost."

"Genjutsu and games? How do those two things combine?"

"The Uchiha Clan? What are those arrogant bastards up to now? And what's a 'press conference'?"

"Uh, the announcement says it's a new way to publicize and promote, meant to openly display new things to the outside world."

"They truly live up to being Konoha's founding clan. Even if they're incredibly arrogant, their talent truly surpasses ours. Just like how they teamed up with the Senju Clan to establish the first Ninja Village and end the Warring States Period, now they've come up with something entirely new."

"Huh? Are you an Uchiha fanboy?"

"Yeah, because there are so many handsome young men in the Uchiha Clan."

"Baka yarō, you're a guy! Even if you like the Uchiha Clan, you should like the Uchiha women, shouldn't you?"

"Tch, what's so great about a bunch of stinky women? I just prefer men. Huh? Why are you leaving?"

"I'm sorry, this is all too advanced for me. Let's not meet again."

In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, held the promotional flyer he had just received, his brows furrowed slightly, a deep sense of confusion etched on his face.

He simply couldn't understand the Uchiha Clan's latest move.

"Hiruzen, what do you think the Uchiha Clan is trying to do?"

A voice spoke up. It belonged to an old man with wrinkles but a still sturdy physique, black hair and beard, and round glasses.

His name was Mitokado Homura, and he was one of the Konoha F4.

Besides him, Utatane Koharu, who usually appeared with him, was also present. She was a middle-aged woman who also looked quite sturdy, with black hair.

In Konoha Year 46, these future old men and women were still in their prime.

Responding to Mitokado Homura's question, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. "I can't understand it. Based on the flyer, it's a new method of publicizing and announcing special products that are to be sold externally."

He paused, then added, "It's like a new business model."

Utatane Koharu frowned. "Should we stop the Uchiha?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his old friends. "What reason would we have to stop them? The Uchiha Clan said this is just a new product. The difference from before is that this time it's not simply a new item in their shops, but a promotion across all of Konoha."

"All the expenses will be covered by the Uchiha Clan, and they're also responsible for maintaining security during the press conference. The village doesn't have to do anything and will even collect a fee for renting the venue."

"Furthermore, the Uchiha Clan has already sent invitations to all the major clans in Konoha, inviting them to send representatives to the press conference. Even my Sarutobi family received an invitation."

"This means the Uchiha Clan is very confident in their new product and can ensure it's harmless to Konoha."

"So, why should we stop them? And what reason would we have to stop them? Without any evidence that this Uchiha action is harmful to Konoha, how could we force a stop and still maintain public trust?"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura fell silent. Hiruzen Sarutobi was right. Although they had many questions, they indeed had no reason to stop them.

However, the fact that the Uchiha Clan was introducing something entirely new and promoting it so widely without reporting it to the Konoha higher-ups and explaining everything clearly infuriated them.

After all, as a founding clan, the Uchiha Clan possessed sufficient privileges and didn't need to report such matters to them and explain everything clearly, waiting for their approval before proceeding, unlike other clans.

So, they had a reason to be annoyed with the Uchiha Clan. Those in power disliked nothing more than things they couldn't control.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, on the other hand, was quite calm. As the Third Hokage, he hadn't monopolized power from the beginning; instead, he had actively divided the Hokage's authority among his close friends, allowing his companions to lead Konoha alongside him.

This mindset meant that Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't feel much emotional fluctuation when encountering such 'maverick' behavior from the Uchiha.

With different moods, Mitokado Homura said in a deep voice, "At the very least, we need to understand what this so-called Genjutsu Game is. Otherwise, it would be terrible if the Uchiha Clan had some radical agenda hidden within it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave his friend a speechless look. "I already said they invited representatives from all the major clans to participate, and they're promoting it widely throughout the village. Many people will certainly attend the press conference."

"So, do you think the Uchiha Clan has gone mad and wants to directly declare war on the village, or that another Uchiha Madara has appeared among them, intending to make the entire village dance to his tune?"

Mitokado Homura fell silent, his face a bit awkward. He knew his previous words had been somewhat foolish.

Then, just at that moment, the door to the Hokage's office suddenly swung open.

This was a very impolite and presumptuous act. Few people in Konoha would do such a thing, and the individual who arrived this time was clearly one of those 'few people.'

"Hiruzen, you're still too naive. I can assure you, the press conference the Uchiha Clan is putting on this time is a major move, and there's a very high possibility it's related to Uchiha Qi."

Under the cold, low voice, the temperature in the Hokage's office seemed to drop significantly.

The three of them saw the last of the Konoha F4, Shimura Danzo, representing the darkness of the Ninja World and Konoha's troubles.

This one-eyed, crippled man, with half his body wrapped in bandages, strode into the office, leaning on a cane with one hand, his face bearing an expression as if the whole world owed him billions.

The door was quickly closed by the Anbu ninja guarding outside, leaving only the Konoha F4 inside.

Under the confused gazes of Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, Hiruzen Sarutobi put down the flyer, lit his pipe, and asked, "Danzo, what have you found out? Have you had contact with Uchiha Qi?"

Shimura Danzo snorted coldly. "No, this old man did send subordinates, preparing to bring Uchiha Qi to me. However, the Uchiha Clan directly sent several Uchiha elites to protect Uchiha Qi. The Root ninja I sent were all stopped by those arrogant Uchiha."

"Even the houses around Uchiha Qi have been bought by the Uchiha Clan, which shows how much they value him."

"Hiruzen, you should also know about the Uchiha Clan's recent unusual activity, and their strange, high-profile act of bringing Uchiha Qi back to the Uchiha Clan a few days ago."

"And now, the Uchiha Clan is suddenly holding some Genjutsu Game press conference. You should know that this is something that arrogant and foolish Uchiha Clan would absolutely not do."

"It's clear that these changes within the Uchiha Clan are tied to that Uchiha named Uchiha Qi, and they're certainly brewing some kind of conspiracy that we're unaware of."

"Hiruzen, issue me an official order from you! With your formal directive, I can bypass the Uchiha's protection and bring Uchiha Qi to Root."

"Then, no matter what secrets or conspiracies there are, I'll interrogate them out of him."

Hearing this, the Ninja World hero, whose ambition and ardor had not faded, couldn't help but frown. He put down his pipe, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said, "Danzo, you're too impulsive. The Uchiha Clan hasn't done anything to harm the village yet; they just want to hold a new product launch. Your actions will only provoke the Uchiha Clan."

"Furthermore, Uchiha Qi is Minato's close friend, someone Minato trusts deeply, and he himself is very different from other Uchiha."

"Even if he lacks strength and is only a Chunin, as long as he's around, once Minato matures and becomes qualified to be the Fifth or Sixth Hokage in the future, the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha will have a chance to be completely resolved."

"If you act that way, you'll completely stifle that possibility, and even cause Minato to develop a conflict with the village."

Although Minato Namikaze had not fully matured yet, his character, strength, and potential were all top-tier. In Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind at this time, Minato Namikaze undoubtedly had the makings of a Hokage. He now believed that the Fourth Hokage should come from Konoha's middle generation, like the Sannin, so he thought Minato Namikaze should be the Fifth Hokage.

Thinking this way was understandable, as that was the current situation in Konoha.

However, the Third Hokage's words provoked Shimura Danzo. This darkness of Konoha had, at some unknown point, developed an obsession with the Hokage position, and he had hidden it so well that his good friends hadn't discovered it.

Yet, Hiruzen Sarutobi's words gave Shimura Danzo the illusion that he would never be able to reach the Hokage position in his lifetime.

So, Shimura Danzo's voice immediately turned cold: "Hiruzen, you're too soft. Don't forget our teacher's attitude towards the Uchiha Clan and his warnings to us! You're actually still thinking about reconciling Konoha with the Uchiha Clan?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned: "Our teacher did say to be wary of the Uchiha Clan, but he also said to gradually resolve the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha, and he expected us to achieve that."

"The current situation is that we've clearly disappointed our teacher, but the hope for the future of Konoha and the Uchiha still exists, and that hope is already before us. Given that, why should we destroy this hope?"

"Danzo, your ideas are too extreme."

At this point, Hiruzen Sarutobi increasingly felt that Shimura Danzo's attitude towards the Uchiha Clan seemed problematic, so he added, "Also, regarding the Uchiha Clan, without my permission, you are only allowed to monitor them; you cannot act against them."

Shimura Danzo's expression became incredibly chilling, and his address and tone changed: "Sarutobi, if you indulge the Uchiha like this, you'll regret it sooner or later!"

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression also paused, and then he said in a deep voice, "Danzo, this is the Hokage's order!"

Shimura Danzo snorted coldly in response, slammed the door, and ended the conversation in a classic manner.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the entire Hokage's office was heavy, and Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were quite helpless about it, even feeling a sense of familiarity.

Because, at some unknown point — likely from the moment Konoha's White Fang unexpectedly committed suicide — the atmosphere between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzo, two old friends who once completely trusted each other, changed. Then, over the years, similar incidents to today's occurred multiple times.

As the other two caught between them, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura would initially try to mediate, but now, they no longer said anything.

Anyway, their relationship was just like that, Konoha remained stable, and Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't taken back the power he entrusted to his few friends, so nothing else mattered.

I played until I puked, literally puked. In the second chapter's desert environment, I got completely lost, then after turning around a few times, I puked.

Damn it, can't Black Myth: Wukong just have a map? Even an exploration-style map would be fine.