"So, how are you feeling? Nervous, Minato?"
Backstage at the conference venue, Uchiha Kei grinned and gave Minato Namikaze a friendly slap on the shoulder. He couldn't hide his glee.
Minato let out a helpless smile in response to his friend's teasing. "Yeah... Who would've thought so many people would actually show up? Honestly, I'm kind of regretting saying yes to you, Kei. I figured, at best, a few hundred people would co to this so-called press conference... but to think all five thousand seats would be packed?"
"And if you count all the staff running things behind the scenes, the total number of people here is well over five thousand."
"Last ti we deployed forces in the Great Ninja War, the number of shinobi we sent from the Hidden Leaf was only about that much."
By the end of his explanation, Minato seed utterly resigned—like he'd boarded a pirate ship and couldn't get off.
He had agreed to help promote Kei's ga not just because of Kei's promises and incentives, but also out of friendship. But sohow, Kei had managed to summon thousands of attendees.
The idea of playing a ga in front of that many people—live, and broadcast to the crowd—was absolutely nerve-wracking for Minato.
After all, Minato was only nineteen and hadn't faced a crowd this size before. Even though he was naturally calm and composed, standing before thousands of watchful eyes would make anyone nervous.
Seeing his discomfort, Uchiha Kei just chuckled and said, "Relax, relax—I already walked you through the entire plan. Just stick to the script and you'll be fine."
"Besides, isn't this a good opportunity? You said you want to beco Hokage soday. Well, when that day cos, you'll be addressing all of the Hidden Leaf—not to ntion outsiders visiting the village for the ceremony."
"Today's appearance is just a little preview of what it feels like to be in the spotlight."
Minato laughed awkwardly. "Kei, you sure have a lot of faith in . I an, I want to be Hokage, sure—but it's just a dream. There are plenty of others way more qualified than ."
Kei gave him a aningful smile. "Theoretically, you're right. But stories need logic—reality doesn't. Who knows? Maybe you'll have a sudden surge in power, then the perfect opportunity will arise, and you'll pull off sothing incredible—sothing no one else can—and leapfrog your way into becoming Hokage."
Minato didn't believe a word of that. He assud Kei was just trying to comfort him.
His real ambition was modest: beco Hokage around the age the Third did—nearly forty. Right now, that felt a long way off.
In fact, most people in the Hidden Leaf felt the sa.
The village was strong. Its forces were stable, spanning three generations. Even though Minato had Hokage-level potential, he was still a young man of nineteen. There were many hurdles ahead.
No one could have predicted that this civilian-born youth would go on to shake the entire shinobi world during the upcoming Third Great Ninja War—and beco the youngest Hokage in history.
Of course, Uchiha Kei wasn't about to spoil that future. Even if he did, people would just assu he was crazy.
So instead, he changed the subject. "Minato, rember this day."
"Huh?"
Kei's gaze turned to the center of the venue. "Today marks a turning point not just for the Hidden Leaf, but for the entire shinobi world. Because starting today, illusion-based gas will truly take root here—and they will profoundly change this world."
"So, Minato, rember this day! Because we are making history!"
Minato's eyes widened slightly. His head buzzed with the weight of those words.
And slowly, the future Yellow Flash realized—this press conference wasn't just a gimmick.
It ant sothing. Sothing real.
But... it didn't feel bad.
He smiled, nodded, and raised his left fist.
Kei raised his right fist, lightly bumping it against Minato's.
They exchanged grins.
Best bros—no words needed.
Finally, as the clock struck 9 AM, the press conference officially began.
A professional band, hired by the Uchiha clan, began playing music that sounded flashy—perhaps even strange—to the shinobi audience. It was modern. Bold.
Dressed in a custom black host outfit, Uchiha Kei stepped onto the stage under the gaze of over five thousand attendees. He walked up the central platform bearing the Uchiha clan's crest.
Most of the audience had just co out of curiosity. The Uchiha clan had never hosted such a grand event, and the ticket prices for general seating weren't too steep.
Even now, most people didn't really understand what this "press conference" was supposed to be.
But the mont they heard the music—and saw that unusually dressed Uchiha walk onto the central stage—all eyes were instantly drawn to him.
Just like that, Kei stole the show.
Despite the outfit being quite different from standard Hidden Leaf attire, Kei looked undeniably sharp. It wasn't gaudy or tacky. It was clean-cut. Impressive.
People began wondering where they could buy such a suit. Did the Uchiha clan sell them?
If so, many wouldn't mind buying one—for themselves, their husbands, their sons, or their boyfriends.
And that included not just n, but won too.
In that atmosphere, the crowd began speculating about Kei's identity.
Only the shinobi recognized him as Uchiha Kei—the quirky, once-diocre oddball of the clan.
But that only raised more questions. Why was Kei, of all people, hosting the event? How did he outrank every other Uchiha to beco the face of this massive production?
The shinobi among the crowd turned to the other Uchiha in attendance, watching their reactions.
To their surprise, the Uchiha were calm. So even stared at Kei with eyes full of fervent admiration.
In that mont, everything beca clear.
Kei had been chosen—not randomly, but by collective decision.
He was the host because he represented the Uchiha's will.
And so, as the audience's thoughts churned, Kei stepped to the center of the platform and began his role as host—marking the true beginning of the event.
Reviews
All reviews (0)