Naruto and his three companions followed Uchiha Kei back to his residence.
"This mission can be considered completed; you performed quite well."
Uchiha Kei slumped lazily in the chair, looking utterly listless.
Naruto clenched his fist excitedly.
Just now, he received a substantial payment for his mission.
This money is enough for him to buy lots and lots of Three-Color Dango!
Sasuke's face darkened.
He was of no help whatsoever during this mission.
Even though he had awakened the Sharingan, he still felt it wasn't enough compared to Naruto.
His urgent need for strength made him restless.
"Don't rush, rest for a few days first, and I'll give you a surprise."
Uchiha Kei took in Sasuke's expression and chuckled as he tapped Sasuke's forehead.
Sasuke was taken aback, and his face visibly flushed red.
This action...
His older brother often did it to him too.
As for Sakura...
Forget it, let's not talk about it anymore.
After Naruto and the other two left, only Uchiha Kei and Mei Terumi remained in the room.
"Huh? Aren't you going to the Konoha reception area?"
Uchiha Kei's eyelids drooped as he spoke casually.
"No, I think your place is fine."
Mei Terumi also found a chair and sat down, crossing her long, slender legs together.
The faintly visible scenery gave Uchiha Kei a jolt of energy.
"Me here? You want to stay here?"
Uchiha Kei is no longer sleepy at all.
They might even fight!
"Yeah, aren't you welcome?"
Mei Terumi raised a handsome eyebrow, her expression quite alluring.
"This isn't a question of whether you're welcome or not."
Uchiha Kei swallowed hard, forcibly turning his gaze away.
"Your staying here is not a good influence."
Mei Terumi noticed his reddened earlobes and a strange smile appeared on her face.
He suddenly stood up, walked over to Uchiha Kei, and bent down slightly.
"How is it a bad influence? Tell me, I won't leave until you can tell me."
"Pulse."
Uchiha Kei can swear an oath!
That's really not what he wanted to see!
The problem is that thing is blocking his view...
My nose feels a little itchy...
Uchiha Kei frantically moved his chair backward.
"I..."
"Scene!"
Just as Uchiha Kei was feeling embarrassed, a voice came in.
Before the two could react, a figure had already rushed in.
"Jing! Let me tell you... um... did I come at the wrong time?"
Itachi stared in shock at the two people in the room.
A man with a rosy complexion, slightly hunched over, his ample bosom trembling.
One of them sat upright, but her face was flushed, giving off a look of feigned reluctance.
Uchiha Kei hurriedly stood up, a relieved expression on his face.
"Is it urgent? I understand! Get out now!"
After saying that, he rushed to Itachi, grabbed him, and dashed out of the house.
Seeing Uchiha Kei in disarray, Mei Terumi laughed instead.
He lightly licked his lips.
"Little man, where can you run to? Heh heh."
They ran wildly all the way.
Once he felt it was safe enough, Uchiha Kei stopped by a large tree.
A smile played on Itachi's lips.
"Why are you in such a hurry to run away? Aren't you going to give me a proper introduction?"
Uchiha Kei glared at him fiercely.
"Let me introduce you to someone? You like this kind of thing? Should I tell Quan about it?"
Itachi's expression suddenly fell, and a blush crept onto his face.
"How did this get to Izumi? Honestly..."
Seeing Itachi's shy expression, Uchiha Kei finally felt a little better.
"You came looking for me as soon as I got back. What happened?"
"Putting aside the jumbled thoughts in my head, "Uchiha Kei said seriously.
Itachi, remembering the important matter, said, "It's like this, recently a newspaper called 'Hokage Daily' has appeared in the village, and its content is basically the same as ours."
Uchiha Kei was somewhat surprised.
Hokage Daily?
Founded by Sarutobi Hiruzen?
"Do you have the Hokage Daily? Let me see it."
Itachi nodded, took a piece of paper from his pocket, and handed it to him.
Uchiha Kei took it and glanced at it.
The contents are very similar to the Konoha Daily, recording various events, both big and small, that occur in Konoha.
The only difference is the Konoha Heroes section.
This section doesn't feature any Konoha heroes; it only includes some of Sarutobi Hiruzen's daily life.
Such as visiting and comforting elderly people living alone, and delivering welfare to families in need.
In the most prominent place in the newspaper, a large portrait of Sarutobi Hiruzen was prominently displayed.
Uchiha Kei chuckled.
It's obvious, without even a doubt, that this is a bootleg product made by Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"It's okay, just let him send it."
Itachi was getting anxious.
"That won't do! It would damage our Konoha Daily."
Uchiha Kei patted him on the shoulder and gave him a reassuring look.
"Don't worry, this won't affect the Konoha Daily at all."
Itachi was taken aback, wanting to refute, but unable to find a way to do so.
The Konoha Daily was conceived by Jing, and it was he who gradually spread the Konoha Daily throughout the streets and alleys.
At first, he and Shisui were equally puzzled.
But when the Konoha Daily began to exert its power, the two of them suddenly realized what was happening.
Manipulating public opinion...
Even combined, he and Shisui can't compare to Jing.
The two walked slowly down the main street of Konoha.
The streets of Konoha are much more lively than before.
Various shops lined both sides of the street, with deliverymen in yellow uniforms coming and going in droves.
Uchiha Kei bought a few skewers of Three-Color Dango from a street vendor and casually handed one to Itachi.
Itachi took it without hesitation, took a bite, and his eyes squinted comfortably.
"Hey, have you seen the latest Konoha Daily?"
On the street, a dozen or so people gathered together, discussing the matter with excited expressions.
"I saw it! The newest Konoha hero— Uchiha Kei! A genius like Itachi the God!"
"Absolutely! How come the Uchiha Clan has so many geniuses?"
"They possess the powerful Sharingan, a powerful Kekkei Genkai; it's only natural that they have many geniuses."
"Rich, handsome, and incredibly strong! I heard he joined the Anbu when he was only nine!"
"Hiss, this is terrifying!"
Upon hearing the conversation, Uchiha Kei immediately spat out the Three-Color Dango he was holding.
He looked at Itachi in disbelief.
"You did this?"
The weasel's face flushed slightly.
That's right, he did it!
Shisui, as always, followed Kei's ideas and promoted Itachi in every issue.
But Itachi couldn't take it anymore...
He couldn't stand the way people looked at him every time he went out.
This gave him an urge to run away!
Pity...
He couldn't afford to flee in a disheveled state, so he could only force himself to remain calm and wave to everyone.
He simply couldn't live like this anymore.
After a period of persistent pleading, Itachi finally convinced Shisui to change the hero for this episode to Uchiha Kei.
Uchiha Kei looked at Itachi with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
From his slightly flushed face, Uchiha Kei instantly understood the cause and effect.
"You're going to be the fifth generation leader, how can you be so thin-skinned?"
Uchiha Kei didn't blame Itachi.
This guy wasn't a cunning person to begin with, so it was really difficult for him to show his face in public.
"You have no idea how thick-skinned the Fourth Hokage was today; I'd call his face-changing technique the strongest!"
Uchiha Kei spoke shamelessly, unaware that Sarutobi Hiruzen thought the same thing...
"Achoo!"
The Hokage's office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen touched his bright red nose, somewhat puzzled.
Why would I sneeze?
Did I catch a cold?