The thunderous applause had subsided, but the plaza still thrummed with the energy of a thousand excited voices. Ryu stood on the platform, the new communication device in his hand feeling both impossibly light and immensely heavy, a symbol of all his hopes and burdens. He scanned the crowd, a gentle smile on his face, though his mind was already moving ten steps ahead.
A man in the front row raised his hand and asked, "How can we get one of those devices? And… will common people be able to afford them?"
Ryu replied, "From today, you can order directly through Hamura Industry. Emergency services and hospitals will get first priority, as these tools are vital for saving lives. But let me be clear: the price will be kept fair. These are not toys for the rich—they are meant for everyone, for the betterment of society."
Relieved murmurs of approval rippled through the crowd, but before they could fully settle, another voice, sharp and bitter as a dagger, cut through the square. A gaunt man with a weather-beaten face and worn pigeon feathers clinging to his vest shoved his way forward. His face was flushed with righteous anger.
"What about us?" he roared, his eyes fixed on Ryu. "I've raised messenger pigeons my whole life. My brother, he trains ninja hawks for the village. It's our family's trade, for generations! And now, what? You've made us worthless!" He spat to the side. "You ninjas should stick to killing and spying instead of stealing civilian work!"
A palpable tension descended on the plaza, the villagers shifting uncomfortably. Ryu's eyes, however, held no anger, only a quiet intensity.
"Your name?" Ryu asked calmly.
"Daichi."
"Daichi-san," Ryu's voice was respectful, almost warm, carrying a weight that belied his years.
"Thank you for your question. It's an honest one, and it's exactly the kind we need to address. Let me assure you—you will not be out of a job. Quite the opposite, in fact."
Daichi blinked, suspicion flickering in his eyes. Ryu went on. "Even if we make these devices as affordable as possible, not every family will buy one right away. Nobles, merchants, and ninja clans may adopt it first, but ordinary citizens will take time. And until then, they will still need access. That is where you come in."
Ryu spread his hands toward the crowd, his gaze encompassing every person. "Hamura Industry will help you set up public communication outlets—what we're calling PCOs, or public telephone booths—places where villagers can come and make calls. High traffic, steady income, and your den will remain a gathering point. But there's more. You can write messages—they can pay you to transcribe the message and use your own pigeons or yourself for local delivery. You will not just also be a part of the new communication network for the community."
Daichi's rigid anger faltered, replaced by a flicker of confusion and then, slowly, dawning comprehension. Someone in the crowd began to clap, a single sound that was quickly joined by others, a ripple of applause that spread through the plaza.
Ryu's voice lifted, carrying across the plaza and resonating with a power that was more than just volume. "Every new invention seems like a threat at first. But change is also an opportunity. Hamura Industry exists to build—to innovate, to bring positive change. Do not fear the progress. Like a fish in a river, you cannot fight the current. You must learn to swim with it and let it carry you further."
The words landed. Faces shifted from suspicion to hope. Merchants whispered about new delivery services. The launch ended not with resentment, but with anticipation—new jobs, new markets, and new dreams taking root in the heart of Konoha.
Launch had ended on a positive note, and by the time Ryu returned home, the sun had dipped low.
"How did it go?" Yasashii asked breathlessly.
Ryu smirked, his public persona melting away into the familiar comfort of family. "I killed it."
Laughter filled the room, a sound more comforting than any applause. But it was quickly interrupted by the sharp ring of the doorbell.
Yasashii, ever the eager one, ran to answer. When the door swung open, a group of familiar faces from the academy stood on the porch.
Saya Uchiha, Fumi, and Takeshi stood together, all wearing wide grins. Behind them were Kenji Uchiha, Ryu's long-standing rival, and Akira, her expression a mix of concern and relief.
Akira waved casually. "Hey. How are you holding up?"
Saya's grin turned sly. "Why so worried, Akira? Something going on between you two?" she teased, nudging her friend.
The remark made Kenji's expression change a little to annoyance, and Akira's face flushed too. She replied, "First—eww. Second… what, you don't know?"
Saya asked, "Know what?"
Akira turned to Ryu, her teasing demeanour gone. "Big brother Shisui told me. You were attacked by rogue ninja on the way to the Land of Rivers. Is it true?"
Ryu nodded simply. "Yes. But I had guards. I was fine."
Akira's expression hardened with concern. "You have to be careful, Ryu. Don't attract too much attention."
Kenji snorted loudly, his cocky arrogance returning. "Ryu, you are strong for your age, but you won't last long against rogues. Don't die before I get to beat you."
Kaia's eyes narrowed, and she stepped forward, fists clenched. She was a couple of years older than Ryu, and like his real brother, Akihiro, she was feeling fiercely protective of Ryu.
Akira quickly slipped between them and asked, "Who are you, anyway? And why are you walking towards us like you want a fight?"
Kaia's glare sharpened. "I am the big sister, the one who'll pound your boyfriend if he doesn't shut up. Nobody talks like that to my little brother!"
Ryu sighed dramatically, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Correction. I was here first. I'm the eldest."
Yasashii said, "You're also the smallest."
"Look who's talking," Ryu shot back.
The room erupted in laughter, though Akira flushed deeper, her face a bright red at Kaia's remark. Kenji also looked at Akira to see her reaction, which was not what he expected.
Akira said, "First—eww! Second—he's not my boyfriend. And third—Ryu, is she telling the truth?"
Ryu spread his hands. "Apart from the 'little' part, yes. They're adopted. We're all family now. I'm their eldest brother."
Akira's frown deepened. "Then teach them some manners." Her eyes, which had been a beautiful shade of black, suddenly swirled with crimson tomoe. The Sharingan glowed, casting a stark, unsettling light across the room. The air grew heavy with a silent threat. Everyone, other than Ryu, tensed at the display of power.
Ryu raised a calming hand. "Akira, that's enough. They're not shinobi…yet."
Ryu turned to his stunned siblings and classmates. "That's the Sharingan, a bloodline ability of the Uchiha. It's passed down in their families."
Ryu turned to Kaia and said, "Those eyes can lip-read like you."
Kaia looked at Akira and came near her without any fear and stared into her eyes. "Is that so… I've got a bloodline ability too," she announced, her voice unwavering.
Akira scoffed, the Sharingan still burning in her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. Nothing compares to the Sharingan. What's your bloodline ability?"
Kaia's voice was sharp, a challenge. "Deafness… It's hereditary."
The silence that followed was total. Fumi's jaw went slack. Takeshi's smirk vanished. Akira's crimson eyes were also shocked at this unexpected reply. They were all thinking of some amazing bloodline … amazing enough that Ryu went to the land of rivers to adopt her … All eyes turned to Ryu for an explanation.
He nodded once, calmly. "Technically, she's not wrong."
This was a moment of new friendships and rivalry. The clash of bloodline limits, if you call hereditary deafness a bloodline limit.
*****
Far from Konoha, mist choked the air as the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, was going to meet his ANBU informant in a secret meeting about something serious that they cannot tell over messages.
As he was waiting, three figures stood before him in the gloom: Tobi's mask gleamed, a single eyehole fixed on Yagura. Pain's cold, lifeless eyes shone in the dim light, and Konan's paper wings rustled faintly, as if she were an angel made of paper.
Yagura's voice was sharp, cutting through the silence. "Who are you…what do you want?"
Tobi's voice, filtered through his mask, was smooth and eerily calm. "Don't be alarmed. We just want to befriend you."
Yagura's lip curled into a sneer. "My mother told me not to talk to suspicious strangers. And you three overqualify at being suspicious. Tell me what happened to my ninja… Did you kill him?"
Tobi chuckled, a chilling, hollow sound. "Yagura Karatachi… You and I are going to be best friends from this day?"
Yagura scoffed, a defiant flicker in his eyes. "I already have a girlfriend."
The mist thickened … clearly a Mist ninja technique. Yagura knew the three were not your average ninja. Their sinister intentions were becoming more apparent with each passing moment. Yagura braced himself for the fight of his life, not knowing that the outcome would have far-reaching consequences for his village and beyond.
A/N: I hope you liked this new budding rivalry. And I hope you don't mind me writing fights that were off-screened in the original. Please tell me in the comments which off-screen fights you want.