On September 10th, Year 25 of Konoha, the Uchiha Commercial Street was set for reconstruction.
After strong and logical arguments from Clan Head Kazushi, he successfully convinced everyone in the clan to participate in the commercial street plan within a week. For now, the construction team would be outsourced to the village's engineering unit.
This delighted the Third Hokage greatly—such a massive project for just one street. Inwardly, he thought, damn it, the Uchiha really are loaded!
The ceremony stage had been set up at the entrance of the Uchiha clan compound. The decision to place the commercial street here was made because it allowed people to enjoy themselves without disturbing the Uchiha clan members' rest—it was simply the best location in the entire village.
Could you really blame them? After all, the entire village of Konoha had been built around both the Uchiha and Senju clan compounds. Choosing the absolute center of the village would definitely make it a real cash cow—ahem, convenient for guests to shop and spend money.
The number of people attending the ceremony today was quite large. Although many prominent families weren't particularly fond of the Uchiha, they still needed to give face to the Third Hokage.
"The Hyuga clan has arrived!" Fugaku loudly announced, responsible for welcoming the guests.
This task came directly from Clan Head Kazushi, and Fugaku naturally understood that this was a chance for him to gain experience interacting with other clans. After all, someday, he himself would become the head of the clan.
"Please come this way, Elder Meide."
After some conversation, Fugaku personally led a group of Hyuga clan members dressed in white kimonos toward the ceremony stage.
Among the Hyuga group, a very beautiful young girl continuously glanced around with her gaze, clearly uninterested in the ceremony itself, as though searching for something inside the Uchiha clan compound.
"Nayou, what's wrong? Are you looking for someone familiar?" Her older brother noticed her distracted expression and opened the question.
"Nothing at all, Nisai. I'm just curious what the inside of the Uchiha compound looks like," the girl replied to her brother impassively.
"Hmm, you seem unusually interested in the Uchiha. Could it be—you've fallen for someone from there?"
Another older brother asked, and curiously enough, these two brothers looked nearly identical.
Hearing another remark from her older brother, the girl immediately denied it. "Hiashi, you're so annoying! I said no, so no!"
Hiashi looked at his sister with interest. His little sister was great in every way except being too strong-willed, always giving off an icy impression.
Wanting to tease her more, he joked, "Come on, truthfully tell us—if you truly fell for one of those little brats from the Uchiha, I promise I'll persuade our family. If he refuses, I'll even tie him up and drag him back to the Hyuga household!"
"I didn't! I have nothing to say! You're making things up again!" The girl quickly shook her head and gave a triple denial.
Seeing this situation, Hiashi decided to press harder. "Don't deny it so quickly, Nayou. As your elder brother, it's my duty to take care of you. Just tell me."
Nisai couldn't bear watching his twin brother continue teasing their younger sister, so he finally spoke up. "Brother Hiashi, we're almost at the ceremony stage."
Hearing this, Hiashi had no choice but to stop. Inwardly, he wondered why his twin brother seemed utterly oblivious to romance.
To the other Hyuga clan members listening nearby, this exchange appeared only as a joke. The idea of the little princess of the Hyuga falling for an Uchiha child? It sounded even more absurd than if the eldest son of the Senju clan suddenly took an interest in men.
"Hello, Clan Head Uchiha Kazushi."
Meide Hyuga, the current clan head of the Hyuga clan, greeted Uchiha Kazushi, the current clan head of the Uchiha Clan.
"Please come this way, Clan Head Meide."
Kazushi politely gestured for the Hyuga delegation to take their seats.
Though the Uchiha and Hyuga had long been rivals as dojutsu-bearing clans, everyone present today was a clan head of great standing. How could he afford to be disrespectful? That would just invite ridicule.
Meanwhile, at the residence of the Uchiha clan head.
Shen was in his room putting on an Uchiha coat, staring at his spiked medium-length hair in the mirror with a grimace: "Why don't the Uchiha just change their name to the 'Goth Family'? I've been fighting with this mess forever and still can't tame it! Even a professional stylist wouldn't stand a chance!"
After venting his frustration, he obediently picked up his forehead protector and tied his hair properly.
"Shen, are you ready yet?" Aiko sounded very impatient from outside the door.
"I'm done, Mother dear," Shen replied before finally walking out of his room at a leisurely pace.
"If it wasn't for Father, do you think I would have woken up this late?" Of course, he decided to blame Kazushi for it. The previous night, father and son had discussed extensively about the ceremony schedule, chatting until late into the night. He'd never admit it was his own fault for oversleeping.
"Don't blame your father for this, okay? He got up early specifically to prepare for the ceremony."
Speechless, Shen looked upward at the sky: "Does anybody care about fairness anymore?"
Aiko quickly patted her cute little son's shoulder to urge him along: "No joking around! The ceremony starts at ten o'clock. If your father sees you arriving late, you won't be having an easy time from now on!"
With a sigh, Shen trudged after his mother through the door, though an idea was brewing inside his mind. Flashing an angelic — though clearly mischievous — smile, he suggested to Aiko, "Mother dear—no, wait, Mother dear! Have you ever seen a palm technique that strikes from the heavens?"
[Heaven-Sundering Palm!]
At the groundbreaking ceremony site of the Uchiha Commercial Street, Kazushi was making small talk with the Third Hokage.
Suddenly, Kazushi caught sight of the Senju clan members proudly accompanying Fugaku toward the ceremonial platform.
"Excuse me for a moment, Lord Third," Kazushi politely excused himself from the Third Hokage before heading toward where the Senju stood.
The Third Hokage's expression remained unchanged, almost amused. What else could Kazushi possibly want with the Senju so urgently? It surely wasn't going to be something pleasant. Their young master brought this upon themselves—if only they could reclaim their dignity, then perhaps this feud might end.
"Well well, if it isn't the honorable members of the Senju clan. Your presence truly elevates this occasion!"
Kazushi's voice arrived before his figure did. The sarcasm dripping from his words made the Senju representatives eager to confront him outright.
"Oh, Brother Kazushi! It's been such a long time, what a pleasure to see you again! Forgive our intrusion on your ceremony today," Yohen Senju, the leader of the Senju delegation, retorted back in the same tone.
The other clan representatives had already begun paying attention when the Senju entered the venue. Now, their moods felt like lounging in air-conditioned comfort while munching on cold watermelon on a sweltering summer day—pure bliss. Being able to witness this confrontation between the Uchiha and the Senju made their attendance totally worth it.
Kazushi was flustered by Yohen addressing him as "virtuous younger brother"—just because the man was a few years his senior? Did the Senju even care about dignity anymore? Well, the Senju Clan had already lost all dignity under their eldest young master, and now they wanted to drag the Uchiha down with them into hell.
"Virtuous elder brother jokes too much," Kazushi replied. "Not much else, sure—but room? We've got plenty. Why don't you stay here tonight? Let's reminisce together over those beautiful times from our past."
Beautiful memories? More like the times the entire village laughed them out of town!
Yohen naturally detected the hidden meaning in Kazushi's words. His smile widened instantly: "Great idea! As it happens, none of my fellow Senju have had breakfast yet. I'm afraid this older brother is really imposing on you today."
Hearing that, Kazushi nearly wanted to curse aloud. Is there no limit to how shameless the Senju can be? So *this* is what dragging your whole clan along for a free meal looked like!
The representatives of other clans watching the scene inwardly cheered at how spectacularly entertaining the exchange was. Though both men spoke in seemingly dignified tones, every word between them brimmed with sarcasm.
For a moment, the air in the hall suddenly crackled with energy.
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