Sasuke, still maintaining his habitual cold expression, walked down the bustling streets of Amagakure. Ever since the final great war ended with the victory of the ninja world, true peace had finally arrived.
This peace was evident in the village's atmosphere—laughter and joy filled the air, and everyone seemed to be living and working in harmony.
Especially now, as the village leadership was actively promoting the reintegration of ninjas into the civilian workforce. Many previously challenging infrastructure projects, such as road construction and bridge building, were now easily accomplished with the help of ninjas. As a result, the entire ninja world had entered a period of rapid development.
Thinking about this, Sasuke felt a bit frustrated. In this new era, ninjas proficient in Earth Release and Water Release were in high demand—the former for construction and the latter for agricultural irrigation. However, combat-oriented ninjas like Sasuke felt as if they were out of place, almost unemployed.
There were hardly any missions left. Rogue ninjas and bandits were now few and far between, and even when they did appear, the newly appointed Minister of Finance, Kakuzu, often took care of them himself, leaving no opportunities for others.
Sasuke sighed. No missions meant no income, and without income, how could he revive the Uchiha clan? It was truly disheartening.
Of course, it wasn't as if he had no money at all. After inheriting part of the Sage of Six Paths' power, awakening a Rinnegan, and reaching a level of strength comparable to the strongest Kage, Sasuke was considered a high-value asset. The village provided him with substantial monthly subsidies.
At first, Sasuke was somewhat content with this arrangement. But then… he discovered that man's wealth, and his satisfaction vanished.
As a senior member of Akatsuki, Itachi hadn't intentionally amassed wealth, but his total assets far exceeded Sasuke's. Itachi never flaunted his wealth, but somehow, one day, Sasuke found a secret letter at his doorstep revealing Itachi's true financial status.
Sasuke couldn't determine who had written the letter, and the information might not even have been accurate. But as Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke couldn't tolerate the idea of being outdone by him—even if it was just a possibility.
Determined to surpass his brother, Sasuke worked tirelessly and finally secured a well-paying job. With only a short time left before his appointment, he hurried to ensure he wouldn't be late.
Soon, Sasuke arrived at a large film set bustling with activity. People moved about busily, and a slightly balding middle-aged man sat behind a desk, intently observing two actors performing a scene.
"'As I said, Sasuke,'" one actor, portraying Itachi, spoke solemnly as he placed two fingers on the forehead of another actor playing Sasuke. His voice was low and filled with affection.
"Cut! Cut! Cut!" the balding director suddenly shouted, bringing the scene to a halt. The two actors stopped and looked at him in confusion.
"You! The one playing Itachi—your body language is decent, but your expression is too stiff. It's missing the right feeling," the director criticized.
Then he turned to the actor playing Sasuke. "And you! You're even worse! You're just standing there like a block of wood!"
"Alright, next!"
The two actors, their performance mercilessly rejected, canceled their Transformation Jutsu and walked off the set, looking dejected.
Yes, that's right.
After being "artistically adapted" by Deidara, the stories of Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto had become wildly popular throughout the ninja world in the form of novels, movies, and other media.
Now, if you went to a bookstore or a cinema, more than half of the content available was related to them.
Notable works included Jiraiya's novels, such as The Cold-Blooded Boy of the Uchiha Clan and His Three Snake Princess Sisters and Sweetheart Naruto.
There were also new releases from the mysterious author Radadi, such as The Untold Stories of Naruto and Kurama and Forgive Me, Sasuke.
Even a certain unnamed "shark-like man" had contributed titles like The Truth Behind Itachi's Feelings for His Foolish Little Brother and Shocking: The Real Reason Itachi Tossed and Turned at Night!
In short, Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto were now the biggest stars in the ninja world. Even Koyuki Kazahana, once the most dazzling celebrity, seemed like a relic of the past.
Everywhere you went, you could see classic scenes from these stories re-enacted. Children, in particular, loved to imitate them.
"'Forgive me, Sasuke.'"
"'You're not worth killing… Foolish little brother, if you want to kill me, hate me! Despise me! Survive in disgrace! Run, run, cling to life!'"
"'I'll take your eyes!'"
These lines and scenes, which made Sasuke cringe with embarrassment, made him want to storm into the home of a certain blond-haired man and kill him on the spot.
Worst of all, Sasuke's likeness and name had been used without his permission. His image rights and reputation had been stolen by that blond-haired man, and Sasuke hadn't earned a single coin from the massive profits.
It was infuriating!
So, if you were to ask Sasuke who he hated most right now, that blond-haired man had successfully dropped to second place. His current most-hated person was none other than the clay-loving blond-haired artist.
"Curse you! May you choke on your own clay one day!"
"Yo, young man, you're here!" The balding director's eyes lit up when he saw Sasuke and immediately approached him with enthusiasm.
"It seems that for this film, no one else but you can play Sasuke!"
"Look at those actors over there—they're all so stiff!"
"But you're different. Look at that aura! That posture! And that Rinnegan—it's so lifelike! Amazing!"
Hearing the director's loud praise, the actors trying out for the role of Sasuke looked over in dissatisfaction. But upon seeing Sasuke, their attitudes instantly shifted.
"Indeed, this young man truly embodies Sasuke. We have to admit defeat!" someone remarked.
This was why Sasuke could now walk around openly. Thanks to the countless fans cosplaying as him using Transformation Jutsu, truth and imitation had become indistinguishable. Sasuke could stroll through the streets without drawing attention—everyone simply assumed he was another fan role-playing as Sasuke.
Wait a minute! Was that Kiba?!
The usually composed Sasuke was momentarily startled. Among the actors trying out for the roles of Itachi and Sasuke, two had just canceled their Transformation Jutsu—revealing themselves as Kiba and Akamaru!
Setting aside the absurdity of Kiba using Akamaru to play Sasuke, Sasuke couldn't help but worry about being recognized by someone he knew.
Kiba, curious, approached with Akamaru and even sniffed around Sasuke.
"Wow, your Transformation Jutsu is incredible. I can't detect any flaws at all," Kiba said.
"For a moment, I almost thought you were the real Sasuke. Even the scent matches."
"Haha…" Sasuke replied stiffly. "I put a lot of effort into preparing for this lead role. I even carefully simulated my scent before leaving home. I didn't expect you to notice."
Kiba looked impressed. "I'm convinced. You're so dedicated—it's no wonder I lost this time."
Relieved that he had successfully fooled Kiba, Sasuke quietly sighed. Thankfully, Kiba was the second-dumbest person he knew, right after Naruto. If it had been someone else, his cover might have been blown.
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