Kazushi's ability to maintain composure while smiling outwardly but grumbling inwardly was truly remarkable. "I'm afraid my honorable elder brother looks down upon my humble tea and simple meal. Who doesn't know the Senju Clan is a prestigious family that feasts on delicacies from mountains and seas?"
Yohen's facial muscles twitched. He was still too young. He never expected to finally get a chance to land a verbal jab at his brother-in-law. It seemed like his "good younger brother" had significantly improved during their time apart.
"Not at all. Simple meals are perfectly fine. Time is getting late. Please lead the way, dear younger brother, so my clansmen may be seated properly."
This time Kazushi felt satisfied. Since Shen arrived in this household, family life had become a daily battle of wits—everyone constantly on guard lest they fall victim to some scheme. Though accustomed to grand occasions, Kazushi considered these antics mere trifles. Smiling cheerfully, he led the Senju clan members to their seats.
"Now that everyone has gathered, allow me to say a few words."
Clutching the thick stack of notes he'd gone over with Shen the previous night, Kazushi began reading aloud from the stage.
"Mother dearest, have you ever seen [Palm Technique Striking from the Heavens]?" Smiling brightly, Shen decided to make just a small adjustment to his father's script.
If Kazushi knew this, he would certainly cry out: What kind of son plays such tricks on his father?!
Aiko knew right away that her child had cooked up another mischievous idea and immediately refused, "No way, Shen. You can't cause trouble for your father. And really, why do you always think about stirring up trouble all day long?"
Undeterred, Shen lowered his head beside Aiko's ear and whispered something. Then her expression became increasingly radiant, even forming a slight smile on her lips.
"There you go, Mother dearest. Using [Palm Technique Striking from the Heavens] as the opening ceremony should be quite appropriate, right?" Seeing his persuasive (read: manipulative) efforts succeed, Shen's face instantly brightened.
"The plan seems acceptable, but can you actually deliver the desired effect?" Aiko appeared skeptical whether such a difficult plan could truly succeed.
"Don't worry, Mother dearest! If it fails, I'll accept any punishment you see fit!"
Reassured by this guarantee, Aiko felt reassured and got ready to go along with the "Grand Opening Ceremony Plan."
"That's everything I wanted to say. Thank you everyone." After prattling on for more than half an hour on stage, Kazushi bowed politely and stepped down. The ensuing applause was clearly laced with a sense of relief.
"This is so boring. Sitting through another one of Uncle Uchiha's lectures would've been better spent napping," Tsunade impatiently complained within the Senju Clan section. "Uncle Yohen, when exactly will this end? I have important business to attend to later."
Yohen, representing the Senju Clan, immediately wore a very serious face. Important business? What important business could she possibly have? Everyone in Konoha knew that the Senju Clan's young lady never won a bet.
"Sister, mind your image. Many promising young men from different families are here today. How will you ever find a husband behaving like this?" Nawaki, sitting next to Tsunade, looked solemn. Right now he desperately wanted someone good to marry Tsunade and end his miserable daily life.
"If I can't find a husband, then let Nawaki support me! Sister has been so good to you since childhood. Surely you wouldn't refuse, would you?"
Refuse like hell! Though determined internally, Nawaki gave repeated assurances outwardly.
Meanwhile, Elder Kazushi noticed that as the scheduled time approached, his troublesome youngest son still hadn't arrived. Immediately, he decided in his heart that this time, not even the Sage of Six Paths would be able to save Shen.
As the time drew dangerously close to ten o'clock, he had no choice but to step back onto the stage for a speech: "Ladies and gentlemen."
"Mother, remember you must use Wind Release at full power. Don't worry, my body can take it," Shen, already in Wind Chakra Mode, reiterated repeatedly to Aiko.
"I know already, Shen. You've said it several times. Rest assured, your mother will definitely send you flying alongside the sky and the sun."
Shen shuddered involuntarily upon hearing that. Was his mother actually some kind of supreme expert? Cough… Mr. Supreme Expert had already lost the election anyway—better not mention it.
"Three… Two… One… Launch!"
Hardly had the words left his mouth when Shen's fire-enhanced leg muscles exploded with power. Simultaneously, Aiko rapidly performed hand seals and unleashed Wind Release: Great Breakthrough—an attack not especially damaging, but with astonishing thrust.
With a "Shooosh!" sound, Shen blasted off from the ground straight into the sky, trailing residual flames on his legs from the earlier chakra burst. He was like a literal "human rocket."
"Didn't expect air resistance to be this tough," Shen mused mid-air. "Good thing I used Wind Chakra Mode to make my body lighter while maintaining normal breathing, otherwise I'd have suffocated and crashed mid-flight. Okay, so the takeoff angle was a bit off, but I can still make adjustments at the top. Hmm, need better calculations next time."
As he neared the clouds, the boost from his Fire Chakra and Aiko's Wind Release seemed to finally run dry. He could totally feel himself slowing down as he climbed higher.
"To hell with this, I can't even reach the clouds? Looks like I'll need to optimize this launch process before truly reaching the sun," he mused, feeling the air growing thin, before immediately searching mid-air for the ceremony venue.
"There it is! Eat this, old monkey—I mean, audacious demon daring to show off in front of me! [Da Weitianshong – Great Heavenly Dragon]!"
As Shen began chanting, the wind chakra covering his body dispersed and was replaced by earth chakra, switching him into Earth Chakra Mode.
Focusing intently on the area behind the ritual platform, once he finished chanting, a thin but extremely hard layer of rock formed over his body. Accelerating rapidly, he began plummeting toward the commercial street site below.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Uchiha Commercial Street. Alright, now the ceremony officially begins—hmm? What's that? Is that Shen again? Seriously?"
Elder Kazushi eyed the growing shadow falling from the sky with suspicion, a cold shiver running down his spine.
"Shen? Uchiha Shen?" gritting his teeth, Uchiha Nawaki followed Kazushi's gaze and was instantly shocked.
Over the ceremonial site, heading rapidly downward, was a small black spot glowing red from atmospheric friction. Everyone present looked on in confusion, wondering how someone managed to get up there in the first place.
Nayou, the little ice queen, covered her mouth, stunned beyond belief. In her eyes, Shen Uchiha always found fresh ways to shock everyone.
Now *that's* what I call a surprise!
Third Hokage stared at the small black dot in the sky and shouted, "A master is here!" It seemed that Shen Uchiha, the second son of the Uchiha family, was no pushover. In his mind, he quickly considered whether he should set up not just one but multiple barrier layers around Konoha's perimeter to prevent this person from constantly flying into the sky.
In the Akimichi district, a little boy named Heiji looked up in confusion at the figure rapidly descending from the sky. At first, he thought it was a meteorite, but as it drew closer, he could clearly make out that it was actually a human figure.
Shen raised his straightened right arm over his head as he neared the ground, channeling Fire Chakra into his palm.
"Wahahahaha! I, Shen Uchiha, have returned!"
A wild laughter echoed into the ears of everyone on the scene. Then they watched as the airborne figure soared past the ritual site, descending toward the planned Uchiha Commercial Street site.
"Boom!!"
A massive sound erupted from the impact direction, followed by a violent tremor shaking the earth. Everyone present witnessed clearly this [Palm Technique Striking from the Heavens].
That day, everyone remembered the good ol' days of being bossed around by towering giants... *cough*, best left unsaid.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** on the weekend!