Chapter 17: The Nine-Five High Platform

Sima Yi asked with a smile, "Have you ever attended a banquet in Konoha?"

"Of course I have, but that kind of banquet—"

Hui seemed to recall some unpleasant scene, his face full of distaste as he said, "If I couldn't avoid it, I wouldn't want to go to that kind of banquet at all!"

"The clan head and elders do the same thing every year—everyone gathers to eat meat and drink, and before they've had two sips they start recounting the Uchiha's past glories, then they start cursing the Konoha leadership, and then a few others stand up to denounce whoever spoke first.

The two sides argue like that, and when things get more and more heated, Clan Head Fugaku stands up to stop them, and everyone finally quiets down, but no one is convinced, so they simply chat about family trivialities."

Going through this once a year had made Hui nearly memorize the whole routine by heart, and the disgust in his eyes was practically spilling over.

Sima Yi was taken aback—does this count as a noble banquet?

Isn't this just a bunch of country bumpkins cursing each other in the street?

It wasn't that he couldn't understand their grievances, but shouldn't this sort of thing be done behind closed doors, with a few people gathered in a small room to curse together?

Such brazenness—he was seeing the Uchiha clan from an angle other than Shisui's for the first time, and there seemed to be quite a few things he didn't know about.

"Has it always been like this, or only since the new clan head took over?"

"I'm not sure, but it's always been this way as far as I can remember. It probably wasn't something that started after Clan Head Fugaku took over."

Hui was explaining when he suddenly realized something and hurriedly asked, "Uncle Yi, haven't you ever attended a banquet?"

Sima Yi replied calmly without changing expression, "I'm an old man not yet fifty who hasn't even awakened my Sharingan—how would I attend a banquet like that?"

Hui suddenly understood and gave an awkward, scratching smile.

"Let's talk about tonight's banquet instead. Arrange it according to this list. Go back and give instructions—tell the clan members to loosen up and chat more with the people around them about things on the battlefield."

After being prompted to this extent, Hui connected it with what Shisui had been doing lately—how could he not understand Sima Yi's intention? He nodded repeatedly.

"Then, Uncle Yi, can I take part in this last activity?"

Hui rubbed his hands together, his eyes full of anticipation.

But unfortunately, Sima Yi decisively shook his head and refused him. If it were any other Uchiha, he would have agreed, but he had still heard things about Uchiha Hui's strength.

"However, you can take part in the exhibition match at the beginning!"

"Exhibition match?"

"That's right!"

"Performing against whom?"

"Shisui."

"."

In the blink of an eye, night had fallen, and the entire camp had come alive. Apart from the ninja on essential duty, tonight's banquet had been announced to every single person, including the ninja who had just arrived to relieve the garrison—they had been invited as well.

The year-end was approaching, yet they had been transferred away from Konoha to garrison here—their grievances were imaginable.

But after receiving the invitation, everyone couldn't help but look forward to it, even if it was just making the best of a bad situation.

At eight o'clock, Shisui finished his patrol and finally returned to camp. Looking at the changes in the camp, his expression paused.

The original stretch of tents had been moved aside, and the cleared ground had been raised by Earth Release ninjutsu into a square high platform.

Stone steps extended from the platform—nine steps per level, five levels in total. Each level was set with tables, chairs, food, and 'wine,' and his seat was on the very top level.

When he saw Sima Yi in a corner making gestures at him, he felt his scalp go numb.

Do I have to sit there? Looking at that lofty position, Shisui felt as if his legs were filled with lead and could barely move.

Sima Yi simply stood in the distance, watching him calmly, without any urging.

For a force to accomplish anything, it needs many conditions, but the foremost and indispensable one is always a lord with resolve and wisdom. Wasn't Yuan Shao surrounded by countless advisors, yet still met such an end?

Though Sima Yi hadn't made the slightest move, he made Shisui feel a mountain-like pressure. Fine sweat dripped from his forehead, and when he steadied himself to look, he saw everyone watching him in silence.

They didn't know the meaning of these steps, but for some reason, in this setting they felt a sense of dignity and pressure, and they stood silent, not daring to make a sound.

After what felt like an eternity, finally, Shisui moved. He even scolded himself in his heart—why hesitate?

From the moment he answered that voice that night, he had made every preparation. For Konoha!

For the Uchiha! He crossed the platform, climbed the steps, and under the gaze of everyone, stood there—stood at the very top. Everyone looked up, and inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

The banquet began!

Everyone took their seats. Whether Uchiha, reinforcements, or the relief force, the selected squad captains filed up the platform in order to their seats.

There were civilian jōnin, special jōnin, chūnin, and ninja who had come from ninja clans—no one knew the basis for this selection.

Koizumi Mayuki was among them as well, though only at a middle level.

The moment they sat down, everyone saw the several hundred ninja seated in a ring below the platform. For some reason, they all straightened their chests, and a strange feeling welled up in their hearts.

Sima Yi did not go up. He sat in a corner below, so as not to draw attention.

After everyone was seated, Shisui slowly rose with his wine cup, his expression solemn as he tried his best to look dignified.

"We have all gathered here for Konoha. The first cup—to Konoha!"

His voice was calm, yet carried a strange power that rippled into every corner of the camp.

When Shisui finished, he drained his cup in one gulp, and everyone on and off the platform rose, raised their cups, and shouted in unison, "For Konoha!"

Someone finished drinking, paused, smacked their lips, looked at the cup in their hand, and made a strange expression.

"The Third Hokage held down Konoha, made a critical appointment, and led us to once again defeat the Four Nations. This cup—to the Third!"

"To the Third!"

"If not for all of you risking your lives in this battle, how could we have today's victory? This cup should be offered to everyone present!"

As his words fell, everyone was moved and couldn't help but tighten their grip on their cups.

"To Lord Shisui!"

Koizumi Mayuki was so激动的 she couldn't help but cry out loud.

The whole camp was stunned for a moment, then erupted in a thunderous roar, shouting in unison, "To Lord Shisui!"

"To Lord Shisui!"

The cheers rolled on for several breaths before slowly fading. Shisui pressed down the surging emotion in his chest and looked down, only to see that among the crowd, quite a few clansmen had lost control and manifested their Copy Wheel Eyes.

Just then, Hui flashed onto the arena with a Body Flicker, looked up toward Shisui, and formed hand seals with both hands.

"Fire Release*Goryu no Jutsu!"

In the blink of an eye, two fire dragons took shape and surged up along the steps.

The ninja on both sides were greatly alarmed, but they saw that though the fire dragons' momentum was fierce, they passed just close enough by their sides without the slightest harm.

Shisui took the cue, clapped his hands together, and formed seals in response.

"Fire Release*Goryu no Jutsu!"

The same ninjutsu—yet Shisui spat out three fire dragons that dove down. Five dragons rose into the air and twisted together in a killing struggle.

Almost in an instant, Hui's fire dragons dissolved into fireworks and scattered, leaving only Shisui's three fire dragons to soar past the arena and dance above everyone's heads.

It wasn't over yet—Shisui formed seals once more!

"Fire Release*Goka Mekkyaku!"

Like a blanket of fire clouds pressing down, even more overwhelming than a sea of fire overturning, the exaggerated flames covered the entire arena and blazed above the crowd, nearly lighting up the whole sky.

That was a power that made them suffocate, that made them despair.

"Is this the power of the Uchiha?"

The whole arena fell silent, staring dumbstruck at that youth—Shisui Uchiha!

(End of chapter)