After its release, Saving Chūnin Pain became an overnight sensation, a blockbuster of the Land of Fire's new year season.
According to industry professionals' estimates...
The total box office for Saving Chūnin Pain was just over three hundred million ryō.
And this was only the domestic box office in the Land of Fire. If the box office from countries outside the Land of Fire was included, it might approach five hundred million.
Considering the current state of the era...
Generally speaking...
The price of movie tickets in the ninja world was relatively low, and the main consumers willing to spend money to go to the cinema were always the middle class. The number of these people was not large. As for the ordinary people who were starving and freezing every day, they would absolutely not spend money on movie tickets... For them, it was simply too extravagant.
It could be said...
The box office of Saving Chūnin Pain was already the ceiling for this era's movie box office. Even Uchiha Makoto was very surprised by the film's expected box office, and it could even be described as astonishing.
Looking at past box office figures, the previous number one film in the Land of Fire had barely broken one hundred million. Saving Chūnin Pain had more than tripled that.
This was an extremely terrifying box office figure.
Terrifyingly strange.
The director, Hakuzawa Akira, was overjoyed. He brought a gift and specially visited Uchiha Makoto.
If Uchiha Makoto hadn't promoted him, he would have probably missed this great opportunity... This movie was enough to elevate him into the circle of top-tier directors in the ninja world!
"Lord Light Shadow, this is all thanks to your excellent script, and that group of excellent actors from Akatsuki Village. Their acting skills are superb, and they are daring and hardworking, ten times better than any martial arts actors I know... as well as the war that just ended between Akatsuki Village and Kumogakure..."
Hakuzawa Akira's attitude was extremely humble, constantly flattering Uchiha Makoto and not mentioning his own contributions at all.
However, what he said were indeed real influencing factors.
An excellent movie first and foremost requires an excellent script and actors with superb acting skills.
Needless to say, the script was excellent. This movie script had been tested by the box office in Uchiha Makoto's previous life. Even after so many years, the plot was still a classic, and the audience was constantly changing.
And the actors who participated in the movie were actually all Akatsuki ninja.
For this kind of war drama, they didn't need to use acting skills at all, because they were just playing out their daily lives.
The movie was full of action scenes. They were daring and hardworking, and all sorts of dangerous stunts that Hakuzawa Akira couldn't even imagine were performed with ease—and without a stunt double!
The filming process was diligent and tireless, and they completely obeyed the director's orders.
With the two necessary conditions of an excellent script and excellent actors, the director's role was diluted... A director of his level, or even a level below him, could have done the same.
"You're being too modest. You certainly had a hand in it."
Uchiha Makoto smiled and nodded. He appreciated Hakuzawa Akira's attitude. The desire for progress in his eyes was unmistakable.
It's good to want to progress!
The box office of this movie did indeed surprise him.
But it was only a few hundred million ryō, which no longer excited Uchiha Makoto.
He was more hopeful that the ninja in the village could progress.
Mindlessly carrying out traditional killing missions had no future. There were many industries in the ninja world that needed ninja to set foot in.
This movie from Akatsukiwood had allowed Akatsuki Village to formally enter the literary and art circle. The rest was to continuously produce movies, export its own ideology, and constantly enhance Akatsuki Village's influence in the Land of Fire and the ninja world.
"Rest assured, Lord Light Shadow, I have many friends in the circle who hope to cooperate with Akatsukiwood."
Hakuzawa Akira took the initiative to speak.
A hit box office, a powerful background, reliable actors, and ample funds... Even the big shots in their circle were flocking to the capital of Akatsukiwood.
Which director doesn't like a rich backer?
Uchiha Makoto's only request was that the director choose actors from among the Akatsuki ninja. He didn't even specify the female lead. Such an investor was a director's dream.
Last time, the big directors of the circle had collectively rejected Uchiha Makoto, only because of pressure from the Daimyō and nobles above.
But in the last few days...
It seemed the wind direction from above had changed.
These entertainment industry bigwigs were deeply involved with the high-level officials of the Land of Fire. Almost all of them had noble backgrounds.
And their sense of smell was keen.
Many of the big shots in the circle had received the news.
The box office success of Saving Chūnin Pain was certainly due to the quality of the film itself, but it was also inseparable from the promotion and support of the high-level officials of the Land of Fire.
Even though Uchiha Makoto had also spent money on promoting the movie, those paid promoters... the newspapers and media, even if they took the money, might not get the job done, and even if they did, they might not do it well.
Sometimes...
No amount of money is as useful as a single word from those major figures of the Land of Fire.
In the final analysis...
It was because the current influence and right to speak of ninja in the Land of Fire was too small.
But now, the wind direction from above had indeed changed.
The real major figures of the Land of Fire had let it be known that they would vigorously support Akatsuki Village and enhance its influence in the ninja world. As for the dirty work of belittling Konoha, that of course could not be said openly. There would be a special organization to plan and execute it. But simply elevating Akatsuki Village's status was in itself a belittlement of Konoha.
"Perhaps Akatsuki Village and the major figures of the Land of Fire have reached a reconciliation."
The entertainment industry bigwigs did not understand the game between the ninja villages and the high-level officials of the Land of Fire. They didn't want to, and they didn't dare to get involved in such a dangerous matter.
They were only interested in fame and fortune.
Now that the opening had been made, they naturally had to pursue fame and fortune.
"That would be for the best."
Uchiha Makoto would naturally not refuse resources from the entertainment industry and gave an extremely positive response.
He needed ninja to slowly step from behind the scenes to the forefront, into the spotlight. He wanted Akatsukiwood to produce several top-tier celebrities and expand the influence of ninja in the Land of Fire.
The thinking of ninja would also slowly change in this process. In fact, there should have been some changes already, especially for those ninja who participated in the filming.
When a movie becomes a hit, it will inevitably make the actors famous. It could be said that the lead actors of Saving Chūnin Pain became famous overnight... the kind where people would ask for their autographs and photos on the street.
For the traditionally conservative ninja, this was tantamount to suicide.
After all, an important aspect of ninja combat is the information gap.
For example, a ninja like Hidan, whose ninjutsu is strange and involves damage synchronization, he can twist his own head off and kick it like a ball, but an ordinary ninja can't. A ninja unfamiliar with him would most likely die at his hands.
In short, ninja need to be ruthless assassins hidden in the shadows.
But Akatsuki Village currently needed ninja to transition into formal actors. At worst, they could just become full-time actors.
In any case, the world of fame and fortune in the entertainment industry was much more comfortable than the cruel life of a ninja.
For fame and fortune, the Akatsuki ninja should be willing to seek change... Uchiha Makoto had marked all the acting missions as D-rank missions. Those ninja didn't really take filming seriously. But if they truly entered the entertainment industry... and became real top-tier celebrities, their money-making ability would be unmatched by ordinary ninja.
However, although good things were happening one after another...
What Hakuzawa Akira had just said did indeed make Uchiha Makoto wary.
He really hadn't expected the high-level officials of the Land of Fire to be promoting the spread of this movie.
Logically speaking... they should have been suppressing it in the background.
If it weren't for their fear of Akatsuki Village's military power, this movie probably would have had trouble even being officially released.
"Could it be that they want to reconcile?"
"Or are they planning something in the dark?"
When something is out of the ordinary, there must be a demon.
Uchiha Makoto thought for a long time, but still couldn't completely guess the minds of those pests, so he simply stopped guessing.
At least the current situation was favorable to him. He couldn't possibly slap them in the face when they were offering a smile... In the future, he would just deal with whatever came his way.
Not long after seeing off Hakuzawa Akira...
Uchiha Makoto received a special letter.
It was an invitation from Senju Hashirama.
He must have been stimulated by the movie Saving Chūnin Pain.
He enthusiastically invited Uchiha Makoto to be a guest in Konoha, to consolidate the alliance between the two villages, and to have an in-depth exchange on matters related to peace in the ninja world.
After reading a long string of diplomatic rhetoric...
Uchiha Makoto figured out Senju Hashirama's intention—Makoto, come to my house for a meal. Madara misses you, and Tobirama thinks about you day and night, always mentioning you~
"Inviting me for a meal?"
"Come to think of it... since I left the Uchiha clan, I haven't been back to see them."
"Uchiha Madara, this old man is the most unstable factor for peace in the ninja world. I really need to go and see him in person, to understand his mental state... At the very least, I need to make him stay in Konoha a little longer, to buy a few more years of development time for Akatsuki Village."
"Hmm... if Senju Tobirama is really thinking about me day and night... he's probably thinking about how to kill me."
Uchiha Makoto weighed the pros and cons in his mind.
He needed to continue to maintain a close relationship with the Uchiha clan, including but not limited to financial aid and personal connections... Maintaining this family bond, at a critical moment, they would take the initiative to provide support for him in Konoha.
And the canning factory was already on the right track.
Konoha also needed to send a representative to be stationed at the head office in Akatsuki Village. This was supposed to be decided at a meeting with Senju Tobirama after the new year, but Uchiha Makoto planned to give the Uchiha clan a heads-up in advance... Finally found a legitimate reason to transfer Uchiha clansmen to Akatsuki Village... Once they're here, don't even think about leaving!
And Uchiha Madara...
This was also a matter of great concern to Uchiha Makoto.
Akatsuki Village needed more time to develop. The longer the peace, the more beneficial it would be for the village.
To be honest...
No matter what...
Uchiha Makoto did not want the First Great Ninja War to break out. He preferred to develop Akatsuki Village step by step.
And Uchiha Madara was the barometer of peace in the ninja world.
Uchiha Makoto always got secondhand information about Uchiha Madara. It would be best to meet him in person and grasp his movements.
According to the normal timeline, Uchiha Madara still needed to stay in Konoha for a few more years, but the plot of the ninja world had already been affected. No one could predict when he would have a falling out with Senju Hashirama... If he could understand Uchiha Madara's current mental state, it would be much easier to judge the situation in the ninja world.
...
After much deliberation...
Uchiha Makoto felt it was necessary to accept Senju Hashirama's invitation and represent Akatsuki Village in its first official visit to Konoha during the new year.
Since it was an official visit...
Uchiha Makoto certainly couldn't be as casual as when he met Senju Tobirama in private before.
It had to be a grand affair.
He wasn't worried about Senju Hashirama... but he was worried about Senju Tobirama.
That naturally evil old ghost of the Senju, Senju Tobirama, wouldn't be thinking of... causing trouble during the meeting, would he?
If anything happened, he could legitimately make a big deal out of it.
Thinking about him day and night... mentioning him.
That sounds scary.
Uchiha Makoto thought it was probably this kind of mentioning: "Naturally evil Uchiha brat, I'll just..."
Of course, this was just in case.
Uchiha Makoto didn't believe that Senju Tobirama would dare to play any dirty tricks on such an important occasion. At most, he would just take out a kunai in private to consolidate their friendship.
After returning home~~
Uchiha Makoto told Uzumaki Tsubaki about this matter. He planned to bring her along.
Spousal diplomacy was also very necessary. After all, Uzumaki Mito and Uzumaki Tsubaki were both from the Uzumaki clan. It was necessary for them to maintain a good relationship.
And he could also find an opportunity to have Uzumaki Mito whisper something in Senju Hashirama's ear... Hmm... on second thought, if Uchiha Madara were to do the whispering, it would probably be more effective.
Uzumaki Tsubaki readily nodded and accepted. She had never been to Konoha and was very curious to see it.
Soon...
Uchiha Makoto had prepared everything. He brought a series of mission personnel and prepared to visit Konoha. He also specially brought along the leader of the Kaguya clan—Kaguya Masao.
Uchiha Makoto also planned to take the opportunity of visiting Konoha to pay a visit to the Hyuga clan.
The Kaguya clan and the Hyuga clan had a deep relationship. With him there, visiting should be easier.
In any case...
The Hyuga clan's Byakugan... that was a good thing.
Super long-range clairvoyance...
In terms of functionality on the battlefield, it was even stronger than the Uchiha clan's Sharingan.
Previously...
Uchiha Makoto had a lot of things to deal with and couldn't spare the time to work on the Hyuga clan.
This time, he could go and scout the path first, move them with emotion, reason with them... At worst, he could tie up... ahem... borrow one or two Hyuga branch family members and bring them back to Akatsuki Village.
As long as a Hyuga clan member came to Akatsuki Village...
Uchiha Makoto had the ability to make them not want to go back... At the very, very least... he had to leave some seeds in Akatsuki Village
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