June 25, Year 46 of Konoha. Konoha was jubilant.
Countless people headed toward what had once been one of Konoha's training grounds, now transformed into a massive, cutting-edge event venue.
Konoha's total population was still under forty thousand, yet five thousand people were attending this grand event—a launch conference with five thousand seats. The tickets sold to the public had completely sold out yesterday, leaving none to be sold today.
Of those, aside from three hundred nearby seats deliberately reserved by the organizers for invited representatives of the major ninja clans, all the rest had been sold publicly. Over four thousand seats had been taken up within Konoha itself, while the remainder had been purchased by outsiders who had hurried to Konoha over the past three days, most of them merchants.
Although most tickets had been priced cheaply, the combined revenue was still considerable. For the Uchiha Clan, it meant that some funds had already begun flowing back after the initial investment.
They were still far from breaking even, but the Uchiha Clan had never expected to make money in the first place. Any income at all was an unexpected bonus.
Of course, the Uchiha Clan's upper ranks did not care much about that. What they cared about more was the outcome of this Genjutsu Game launch conference. As long as it achieved even half the effect Uchiha Qi had described, it would be an enormous profit for the Uchiha Clan.
At that moment, Uchiha Masanobu and Uchiha Fugaku stood together behind the enormous venue, welcoming the representatives of the major ninja clans who had been invited.
This time, Uchiha Masanobu was also giving his son, Uchiha Fugaku, a chance to show himself. The task of receiving and dealing with representatives from the various clans was primarily handled by Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Masanobu was now handing the authority of the clan head over to Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Fugaku did not disappoint Uchiha Masanobu. Leading the Uchiha clansmen, he displayed the Uchiha Clan's warm hospitality to the representatives of every clan, leaving them all astonished.
Though this hospitality still fell somewhat short of the warmth normal ninja clans showed their guests, Uchiha Fugaku spoke with everyone while wearing a smile, and the several Uchiha clansmen accompanying him were smiling too instead of pulling their usual grim faces. That alone was an unbelievable development.
Moreover, the Uchiha Clan had been genuinely thorough in its reception. Representatives of the major ninja clans had all been arranged in VIP seats, served by attendants the Uchiha Clan had specifically paid to hire. Fruit, drinks, and other refreshments were all available, leaving the ninja clan representatives somewhat at a loss—were these really the Uchihas who always looked down their noses at everyone?
The Uchihas had changed.
Or rather, those in power within the Uchiha Clan had changed. They no longer possessed the same reckless, confrontational mindset as before. They were leading the entire Uchiha Clan through change.
Most importantly, this was different from their previous tentative attempts at change. This time, they had a clear purpose and a concrete plan of action.
This Genjutsu Game launch conference was the clearest proof of that.
So, was the Uchiha Clan trying to integrate into Konoha through this avant-garde approach?
Among the representatives of the major ninja clans, anyone with even a little political sense could not help thinking that.
As the representative sent by the Nara Clan, Shikaku Nara, the young clan heir, scratched his head. Beside him, the other two representatives of the younger generation of Ino-Shika-Cho—Inoichi Yamanaka, representing "Ino," and Choza Akimichi, representing "Cho"—curiously surveyed the enormous venue, which seemed massive even to them.
The three of them sat in one of the VIP sections, close to the center. Private compartments surrounded them, each fitted with a canopy overhead, a table in front for drinks, fruit, and snacks, and screens that blocked the view from outside while leaving windows through which they could see out, ensuring the guests' privacy and comfort.
Furthermore, attendants moved through the corridors outside the compartments, ensuring that whenever the guests inside needed drinks, fruit, or other ordinary services, someone could attend to them immediately.
In addition, four Uchiha Clan ninja stood at key points along the compartment corridors as security personnel, preventing anyone from causing trouble.
VIP seats truly came with VIP service.
The seats elsewhere were ordinary tiered rows, like a Roman colosseum or a modern stadium—the kind without a roof.
Still, attendants were stationed there as well to help guests with basic needs, while Uchiha ninja were scattered throughout the venue, patrolling as security guards.
And besides the Uchiha Clan, other hired ninja were also working to maintain security and order. There were even members of the Hyuga Clan among them.
Without question, in the ninja world, money really could solve many problems. It simply depended on whether one was willing to spend it.
At that moment, the audience members who had purchased tickets were entering one after another. Through the various windows, Ino-Shika-Cho could observe the outside situation, while those outside could see very little of what was happening within their section.
Inoichi Yamanaka, a handsome young man with a golden single ponytail, folded his arms across his chest. "This kind of design and professional service... honestly, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed the Uchiha Clan came up with it."
Choza Akimichi, broad-bodied and plump with markings on his face, ate the free snacks and fruit on the table as he spoke. "It really is completely unexpected, but it doesn't feel bad. At least the free food is pretty tasty."
Giving his friend, who only cared about eating, a speechless glance, Inoichi Yamanaka turned toward the brains of their trio—and the man destined to become the brains of all Konoha in the future—Shikaku Nara. "Shikaku, what do you think? Is the Uchiha Clan trying to use this method to integrate into Konoha, or do they have some other goal?"
Shikaku Nara wore the same lazy expression his son Shikamaru Nara would have in the future. "If they were merely holding an event like this, then the Uchiha Clan's standing in the village would indeed improve, but not by much."
"But based on what the Uchiha Clan has shown this time, they clearly have a very comprehensive plan. This event is probably only one part of it."
"If I'm not mistaken, the Uchiha Clan probably did not invite us here merely to attend the launch conference. They must have other preparations as well."
Just as he said that, someone suddenly knocked on the compartment door.
An Uchiha attendant had arrived outside and conveyed a message from the Uchiha clan head to the three members of Ino-Shika-Cho.
In summary, the message asked the guests to watch the launch conference first and not rush to leave after it ended. The Uchiha Clan had matters to discuss with the specially invited guests.
Once the message had been delivered, the attendant departed.
Shikaku Nara looked at his two close friends and shrugged. "See? Here it comes. Someone capable has appeared within the Uchiha Clan, and he holds tremendous authority among them. This kind of meticulous and tactful approach isn't something the Uchihas we know could have conceived or carried out."
Inoichi Yamanaka frowned. "Who could it be? Do you know, Shikaku?"
Then, before Shikaku Nara could answer, Choza Akimichi spoke with his mouth full of food. "Uchiha Qi."
Shikaku Nara smiled without answering, tacitly confirming it.
After a moment of stunned silence, Inoichi Yamanaka showed a look of realization.
Though they had not been in the same Ninja Academy class, they had all attended the Ninja Academy, and the three were close friends with Minato Namikaze. Naturally, they knew of Uchiha Qi, the unusual Uchiha whom Minato Namikaze held in high regard.
Furthermore, while the three did not understand Konoha's recent changes as thoroughly as the village's upper ranks did, anyone even slightly well-informed knew that Uchiha Qi had been publicly welcomed back to the Uchiha Clan's compound some days ago.
As ninja clans with real power in Konoha, Ino-Shika-Cho naturally had their own intelligence channels. As the heirs of their respective clans, the three could likewise learn many things through their clans' intelligence networks.
Then Inoichi Yamanaka asked in confusion, "If it's Uchiha Qi, that unusual Uchiha, then it makes sense that he has a mind completely different from the other Uchihas."
"But wasn't he unwelcome within the Uchiha Clan? Why did the Uchiha Clan suddenly begin valuing him?"
Shikaku Nara said, "Who knows? But words alone definitely could not convince those proud Uchihas. So there must be another reason the Uchiha Clan could not refuse."
"Perhaps it has something to do with this launch conference. After all, Genjutsu Game only appeared after Uchiha Qi was publicly welcomed back into the Uchiha Clan that day."
Then Choza Akimichi spoke again. "Genjutsu Game will change the ninja world."
At those words, the other two looked at Choza Akimichi in surprise and asked why he thought so.
Choza Akimichi gave an incredibly compelling reason.
"Instinct."
"..." Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka looked at each other speechlessly, neither knowing what to say.
However, neither refuted Choza Akimichi. Instead, they looked forward to the launch conference even more. Though Choza Akimichi appeared to be the dumbest of the three, he was actually the most observant—and his instincts were the most accurate.
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Black Myth was too powerful. The continued readership of a huge number of new books dropped on the twentieth, as if it were suppressing all ages.
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