For days, Ren argued endlessly with his two assistant directors.
What to keep.
What to cut.
What to trim.
The assistants—true professionals of the Land of Fire—didn't give him any face at all. When it came to artistic decisions, they argued fiercely, even directly shooting down Ren's ideas.
After days of back-and-forth—
The first film in Konoha's history was finally complete.
Ren's directorial debut:
"Saving Genin Obito."
It was immediately submitted for review.
—
Censorship was standard.
Some filmmakers liked to sneak in satire aimed at powerful figures.
Those scenes had to go—
Or the film wouldn't pass.
But Ren?
Was an exception.
Approved instantly.
The reviewers didn't dare object.
Not after what Konoha had done during the iron futures incident.
Powerful figures—
Dead.
"Visited" by Konoha shinobi.
Fruit baskets delivered.
Whether they were sick or not—
Everyone understood.
The reviewers chose wisely.
Their lives were worth more than integrity.
—
The film hadn't even released yet—
And it was already everywhere.
"Hokage directs film!"
"First ninja-perspective war movie!"
"Based on the Great Ninja War!"
"Color film revolution!"
Every headline imaginable—
Attached to it.
Tickets?
Sold out instantly.
—
"Hokage-sama!"
"Hokage-sama!"
Ren's only task today—
Watch his own film.
With Konoha's upper ranks.
They paid for tickets.
A show of support.
—
Movies weren't unfamiliar to them.
Late-night screenings—
Had their own… educational value.
But this—
Was different.
Ren's film—
Had drawn the entire village's attention.
—
The lights dimmed.
The screen lit up.
Color.
Vivid.
Brilliant.
"…Color film…"
"Incredible…"
The audience leaned forward.
A revolution.
Black-and-white—
Was finally obsolete.
Even certain "special film directors" in the audience—
Had their eyes gleaming.
Ren, of course—
Had plans for that industry too.
If he couldn't produce those films—
He could tax them.
Technology licensing.
Pay—or don't use it.
Simple.
—
The movie began.
War.
Combat.
Explosions.
Taijutsu clashing.
Ninjutsu lighting up the battlefield.
For most civilians—
This was their first real glimpse into shinobi warfare.
Even lesser shinobi—
Were amazed.
These were real veterans.
Real jutsu.
No exaggeration.
—
Applause broke out.
The visuals—
Were breathtaking.
But then—
The aftermath.
Bodies.
Ruins.
Death.
The tone shifted.
Shinobi in the audience—
Fell silent.
They knew.
War wasn't glorious.
—
Then—
The "inserted" scene.
Kumogakure killing civilians.
Even children.
Konoha intervening.
Saving them.
—
"Disgusting…"
"They even kill children…"
"Konoha is different…"
Civilians reacted strongly.
For them—
This wasn't fiction.
It was reality.
They had seen it.
Felt it.
"Doing business in Konoha must be safe…"
"That's where we should go…"
The narrative—
Was working.
—
Then—
The climax.
Jiraiya vs Orochimaru.
Mission—
Or comrade?
Orochimaru chose the mission.
Jiraiya—
Spoke.
"The one who breaks rules is trash."
"But the one who abandons comrades…"
"Is worse than trash."
—
Silence.
Then—
Explosion.
The audience erupted.
Everyone—
Saw themselves as Jiraiya.
Even shinobi.
Even those who knew—
They wouldn't make that choice.
—
Some, however—
Were uneasy.
The daimyō.
The elites.
This—
Challenged the very foundation.
Shinobi as tools.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
But—
It was Ren's film.
No one dared act.
—
The ending came.
Victory.
Return.
Celebration.
Then—
Music changed.
The screen turned red.
Bodies.
Graves.
Memorial stones.
Names.
Endless names.
Letters written.
Families notified.
—
Silence.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Civilians—
Felt it.
Shinobi—
Lived it.
"…They're just children…"
"…and they go to war…"
"Shinobi… are tools…"
"…for the daimyō…"
The message spread.
Slowly.
Quietly.
—
Maybe—
The rules weren't absolute.
After all—
The Hokage himself—
Rewarded Jiraiya.
—
The film ended.
Ren walked out with the others.
The higher-ups—
Deep in thought.
Ren's actions.
His reforms.
His ideas.
…A new path.
—
Onoki sat in a theater in Iwagakure.
Watching.
Silent.
Then—
"…Insidious."
"Konoha just claimed moral high ground."
"…And spent a fortune doing it."
"What is that Hokage thinking?"
Challenge the system?
The daimyō?
Madness.
He couldn't understand.
—
Elsewhere—
A slammed his desk.
"Outrageous!"
"Slandering Kumogakure?!"
"We lost people too!"
"Make a film!"
"Counter them!"
"…We don't have a script."
"Then copy it!"
—
In Sunagakure—
The Kazekage ignored it.
Busy mining gold.
No time for movies.
—
In Kirigakure—
The new Mizukage frowned.
"…This is dangerous."
"Psychological warfare…"
"Far worse than physical."
—
And in a hidden cave—
An old man stepped into the sunlight.
Half-white hair.
Body weakened.
Eyes—
Searching.
Madara Uchiha.
"The Rinnegan…"
"…still not awakened…"
"…Perhaps I should take a break."
He looked at a poster.
"A Hokage… directing a film?"
"…Interesting."
"Very interesting."
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