Deep underground, not far outside Konoha.
A white-haired old man picked up a dust-covered war fan and carefully wiped it clean.
"Uchiha..."
The old man gazed at the war fan, lost in memories. Only after a long while did he hang it on the wall.
Then he slowly walked over and sat in a chair deep within the cavern.
The old man's long white bangs covered the right half of his face.
His exposed left eye bore the Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai: the Sharingan.
Three long tubes extended from his back, reaching into the darkness behind the chair.
There, a massive humanoid statue could vaguely be seen.
"Lord Madara."
A white figure emerged from the ground before the old man.
"Zetsu? What happened?" the old man asked calmly.
"Lord Madara, that newborn child is extremely compatible with the Rinnegan. There are absolutely no side effects," the white figure answered in a slightly playful tone.
The old man frowned. "Zetsu, didn't I tell you not to speak in that tone?"
"I can't help it, Lord Madara. It seems I can only speak in this one tone. I don't know why either..."
"Oh, right. Does Lord Madara ever feel the urge to relieve himself?"
The old man listened expressionlessly to the other party's endless chatter.
"Lord Madara?" Seeing that he received no response, the white figure began muttering to himself. "Did Lord Madara pass away? What should I do if he did?"
"I was just asleep." The old man was awakened by the incessant muttering, his tone somewhat impatient.
"What major events have happened in the ninja world lately?"
Old Madara's words reminded the white figure.
"Hanzo of Amegakure seems somewhat dissatisfied with the current situation. He's contacting the various nations of the ninja world and plotting something."
"Oh?"
"Will war break out again after only a few short years? This world truly hasn't changed at all..."
Madara raised his head toward the direction of Konoha.
Yet all he could see was the pitch-black ceiling of the underground cavern.
"Oh, right, Lord Madara. Something also happened within the Uchiha Clan. I'm not sure whether it counts as important," Zetsu added.
"Go on."
"The Uchiha recently built a Shopping Street at the entrance to their clan grounds..."
Zetsu's spiral-shaped face hesitated humanly for several seconds. "And they're leasing shops to outsiders. Most of Konoha's clans are still watching, though a small number have already signed agreements."
At that, Madara curled his lips into a scornful smile.
Only then did the other party begin explaining the origins of the matter.
As Zetsu spoke, Madara's spirits gradually lifted.
That was right. This old man was Uchiha Madara, who had founded Konoha Village alongside Hashirama Senju.
And the white figure, Zetsu, was a creature cultivated from the "Hashirama cells" Madara had bitten off during his final battle with Hashirama at the Valley of the End after leaving the village.
"I never expected the Uchiha to produce such a gifted child." Madara seemed very interested in the child Zetsu had mentioned.
"That child is named Uchiha Shin, the current clan head's youngest son."
Seeing Madara's interest, Zetsu continued, "And he hasn't awakened the Sharingan, Lord Madara."
The pupil of Madara's left Sharingan instantly contracted.
There was a trace of surprise in his voice. "Without the Sharingan, he can still inject Chakra into every cell of his body with such precision. Even I found that difficult in my youth."
Zetsu looked at Madara strangely. Ever since he had been created, he had never seen the other man show even a hint of emotion.
Hearing those words now, he felt inexplicably confused.
But after thinking it over carefully, he added, "Oh, right, Lord Madara. That child seems to use more than just earth- and fire-nature Chakra..."
"When the father and son were training in the clan grounds before, they also used lightning-nature Chakra. But why would training require..."
Innocent and simple Zetsu clearly did not understand what a father-son match was.
He could only regard their chasing and fleeing as a form of physical training.
He even asked Madara why they had to curse so colorfully while training.
Madara clearly had no interest in such trivial matters that meant nothing to him.
"Chakra with three nature transformations? Perhaps even more than three. And he has a cheerful personality, as well as love from his family." Madara pondered the information concerning Shin.
"Lord Madara, you aren't interested in him because you want him to carry out the plan, are you?" Zetsu immediately realized after hearing Madara's words.
Madara merely remained silent, reaching for the spot beneath his long hair where his right eye was hidden.
After a long while, he seemed to make up his mind and instructed Zetsu, "Watch him closely. If he awakens his eyes, inform me immediately..."
"At the same time, continue monitoring the state of the ninja world."
"Yes, Lord Madara!" Zetsu agreed solemnly.
When it came to matters this important, he absolutely did not dare fool around.
Madara watched Zetsu gradually sink into the ground, then slowly closed his left eye.
At that moment, the entire underground space seemed as silent as death.
Meanwhile, Shin, who was standing in front of the former Uchiha Ninja Tool Shop, suddenly shivered.
"Who's thinking about me? It's probably that idiot Nawaki!"
One of the legends of the ninja world, Uchiha Madara, was paying attention to him?
Shin had a fairly clear understanding of himself.
He believed that the current Uchiha Clan was full of talented people, so no matter what, Madara would never notice him.
So who could be paying attention to him?
Other than Nawaki, Shin couldn't think of anyone else.
If he knew that Madara had already taken notice of him, he would definitely become as cautious as the people next door.
Although his name contained the character for caution, his personality was clearly anything but cautious. He caused trouble everywhere, so it would be hard for him not to attract Madara's attention.
Shin shook his head, then instructed Konoha's engineering unit. "Hey, uncle over there, move the sign a little farther left!"
The unnamed engineering-unit uncle immediately wore a constipated expression. I'm only twenty! How am I already an uncle?
If they hadn't been working endless overtime lately, rushing all over the Uchiha grounds for reconstruction, would he look like this? Brat, are your eyes broken?
Though the extra muttered curses filled his heart, the supporting-character uncle obediently installed the sign.
Disobeying was not an option. This brat was the client, after all. Everyone had to make a living.
"Thanks, uncle." Shin did not forget to thank him politely.
He believed he still needed to make a good impression on these supporting-character uncles who only appeared briefly.
Who knew whether one of them would return a few years later as a major villain to humiliate him?
The supporting-character uncle nearly dropped to his knees before Shin. Kid, could you please stop calling me uncle?
Shin watched the engineering-unit extras hurry away after finishing the work.
He could not help but sigh inwardly. If I build good relationships with these extras, there shouldn't be any face-slapping plotlines later, right?
Ahem... no one could guarantee that.
Shin entered the newly renovated workshop and began looking around.
"Why do I have to be the factory director? Is the old man taking advantage of the fact that I have nothing to do and using me as free labor?"
He had absolutely no awareness of the fact that he would be responsible for a factory in the future.
Would he have to spend every day watching big, burly men hammer iron?
Sorry, but Shin, whose orientation was perfectly normal, felt that image was far too beautiful to imagine.
"Should I pass the buck to Brother Teoyaki? Wasn't his dream to open a general store?"
"Before becoming a shopkeeper, he can gain experience as a workshop supervisor..."
Shin, who wanted to be a hands-off boss, decided to "persuade" the other party to become the head blacksmith.
In high spirits, Shin locked the factory gates and headed home.
Along the way, he was still agonizing over what name would be suitable.
"How about Foxconn? No, if fellow transmigrators find out, won't they curse me for profiting off sweatshop labor?"
Before you continue