At this moment, in one corner of the banquet hall—
Specifically reserved for the delegation from Kiri.
Terumi Mei, who had already downed three bottles of sake, sat red-faced and silently pouring herself drink after drink.
Trying to soothe the strange sense of disappointment bubbling inside her.
Despite having just arrived in Homura mere hours ago,
The current progress was vastly different from what she'd expected.
Originally, she had been so confident that with her charm, she could easily seduce that lustful brat, Shimoku Uchiha.
But now, half a day later,
That guy hadn't even spared her a glance.
Even now, back at the village, he still had women on either arm, completely ignoring her existence.
Although she wasn't willing to sell her body,
This unexpected neglect really left her fuming.
It was frustrating—like being stuck halfway with no progress at all...
Something like unfulfilled ambition—the frustration of seeing your pride ignored by others.
And worse yet,
The two kunoichi (female ninja) standing beside that brat Shimoku were genuinely stunning beauties, each with a completely different style...
Especially that one with a paper flower pinned in her hair—her icy demeanor mixed perfectly with her tsundere attitude.
And it seemed she was especially favored?
Why does she get so much attention? Is it because she's rich?
Or maybe the kid just prefers that type lately?
Damn it, does that mean I have to change my style too?
And those clothes, those stockings...
Is that kind of outfit common here in Kiri?
Sure, they do look quite appealing, perfectly highlighting a woman's charms...
Should I try changing into something newer, something different?
Ugh...
Why is this mission so hard!
Terumi Mei slammed another cup of sake.
Maybe if she got a little tipsy, she'd finally have the guts to make some moves on him...
Thankfully, Kisame—who had been assigned to keep an eye on her—was nowhere in sight.
She needed to seize this chance!
---
Shimoku: "Want some?"
Itachi: "Not hungry."
Both spoke casually.
Or rather, there was no need for pretense between them.
"Anything you want to say?"
"There's a ninja from Kiri named Kisame. He's not weak. Seems like he's trying to convince you to support Fuguki Suikazan, Mist Anbu's new commander. Be careful..."
"?"
Shimoku turned his head toward Itachi, slightly stunned.
He hadn't even known about this before?
And when did Itachi manage to dig up even the color of Kisame's underwear?
They've only been here less than a day. How fast can you get?
You two must really hit it off?
"Earlier, I ran into him and used Genjutsu on him. His willpower was strong—he couldn't be shaken even by my Genjutsu…"
Itachi replied honestly.
After staying in Kiri for so long,
He had gradually changed a lot as well. Rarely did he think about Konoha anymore.
After all, his parents, his beloved 'otouto,' were here now.
Protecting this village had become his duty.
That's why he came to warn him about Kisame.
Although right now, Kisame wasn't that strong yet.
But Kisame already had power approaching Kage-level — definitely a foe worth taking seriously...
"I get it."
Shimoku nodded, finally piecing everything together.
So it was just a coincidence. Kisame happened to run into Itachi and coincidentally fell victim to his Genjutsu!
That explained it all then...
After all, across the entire Ninja World, very few ninjas could resist Itachi's Genjutsu.
Kisame hadn't lost without reason...
Actually, Itachi's willingness to proactively report to him counted as a good start.
As for Kisame... no need to worry at all.
...
After finishing the conversation about Kisame,
The two fell into an unusual hush.
They didn't seem to notice Konan right beside them leaning in, clearly eavesdropping with every ounce of attention she had.
Apparently, even while carrying deep blood feuds,
People just can't help being drawn to a good rumor...
After quite some time,
Itachi spoke first:
"That plan you brought up last time..."
Truthfully, Itachi was genuinely interested in [The Tsukuyomi Plan using Card Bug Activation] Shimoku had proposed earlier.
On one hand, it would improve his proficiency in using [Tsukuyomi];
On the other, if it truly could significantly enhance the Sharingan of their clan members, that would be best.
As for the side effects from overusing Mangekyō, he had heard Shimoku had ways to mitigate them as well.
From every angle, this plan appeared 'advantageous without any drawbacks'!
Except that it might greatly increase pressure from Konoha Village...
Therefore, after hesitating for so long
And seeking his father's opinion, Itachi had finally made a decision...
Shimoku waved his hand, interrupting Itachi:
"No rush. You don't have to answer me right now."
"Let's talk about something else first. Give me your answer at the end."
For caution's sake, Shimoku decided to press Itachi a little more.
Even though Itachi would probably agree,
Shimoku still felt it better to proceed carefully.
After all, he truly didn't want to force Itachi's hand...
"Talk about what?"
"You know about Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen's death in Konoha, right?"
"I know."
"The resurrection of the First and Second Hokage protecting Konoha—you know about that too, right?"
"Yes."
Shimoku: "Then you also know that our clan's ancestor, Madara Uchiha, has been resurrected as well?"
Itachi: "..."
This time, even Itachi's usually expressionless face twitched slightly.
This subtle reaction revealed just how deeply shocked he truly was.
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