Uchiha Kei: Game Dev in the Shinobi World

Unfamiliar. So unfamiliar. Utterly unfamiliar.

In the middle of a long line of people, Uchiha Madara felt an overwhelming sense of strangeness.

New policies, new crowds, massive reconstruction, unfamiliar faces and customs.

Everything felt alien. Nothing resembled the Konoha of his memories.

Even though Black Zetsu and White Zetsu had explained Konoha's changes to him, and he already knew the village had transformed completely…

Seeing it for himself was another matter. Now that he had personally 'joined' this new world, he finally understood just how deep those changes ran.

Technically, Madara could've used White Zetsu's powers to infiltrate Konoha silently. But it had been so long since he'd moved his own body, and a part of him longed for nostalgia—so he disguised himself as a plain old man and strolled in slowly.

And from the very beginning, the unfamiliarity hit him hard.

For an old relic close to the grave, such a feeling was difficult to endure. The older one gets, the harder it is to accept new things—even someone as 'trendy' as Madara couldn't help but feel intense resistance seeing a place he once knew so well become completely unrecognizable.

After all…

This was the village he and Hashirama had built together. Not every memory was pleasant, but to him, that version of Konoha was how it was supposed to be.

A fire of frustration brewed quietly within him.

It was this fire that had flared up earlier when he spotted a disguised Hiruzen Sarutobi. His eyes instinctively filled with killing intent—the classic "I want to cut this guy down" glare he couldn't even hide.

Of course, Madara didn't act on it. After all, he bore the burden of bringing permanent peace to the shinobi world. The once-feared Shura of the ninja world had become a cautious old schemer. There was no way he'd cause trouble at such a delicate juncture just because he was irritated.

So, with a deeply displeased scowl, Madara kept shuffling forward in line, an emotionless and aloof elder completely out of place in the bustling crowd.

At the gate, he handed over his ID: a retired shinobi from the capital of the Land of Fire. Naturally, Black Zetsu had handled the documents—and they were real. At least, the ID was officially registered through legitimate channels.

Though most shinobi from the Land of Fire were from Konoha, there were some exceptions. The feudal lord, for instance, had his own personal ninja.

These ninja weren't part of Konoha, so their records weren't in the village's database—they were kept directly by the daimyo.

Black Zetsu had created Madara's fake identity using this loophole. For someone who'd lurked in the shadows of the shinobi world for centuries, such manipulation was nothing.

Using the completely half-hearted alias 'Radama,' Madara walked into Konoha like he owned the place.

The gatekeepers weren't being lax. His documents checked out, and given his apparent age, it wasn't unheard of—though rare—for elderly shinobi to retire peacefully.

Besides, who would suspect that the Shura of the shinobi world, long presumed dead for decades, was still alive?

Even if someone reversed the name 'Radama' and thought "Madara"… no one would jump to that conclusion—unless they already knew the truth.

"So, Uchiha Madara's just strolling into Konoha in disguise… to attend a new game launch?"

In his home, Uchiha Kei was speechless after hearing the news brought by a panicked White Zetsu.

He had the distinct urge to make a sarcastic comment but didn't know where to begin.

"Madara's really just… an old man with internet addiction now, huh?"

Also, was that shut-in otaku meal plan from the system *that* effective? The guy literally got up from his White Zetsu toilet and went out for a walk!

Though White Zetsu said Madara could move, it was still hard for him to fight. But this much was already proof: Madara was no longer the man he used to be.

Kei fell deep into thought—but he wasn't exactly worried.

Sure, Madara's reappearance was shocking. But the fact that he was sneaking around in disguise rather than making a scene meant he didn't have the strength to start the Eye of the Moon Plan on his own.

More importantly, since the traitorous White Zetsus were reporting everything back to Kei, it meant Madara's every move was visible to him. In a war of shinobi, intelligence was king—and Kei had the upper hand.

If a battle ever broke out, Kei would be prepared. Madara could be ambushed and surrounded. Yes, there would be casualties, but it wouldn't be like the old days when victory seemed impossible.

That mattered. A lot.

Kei found himself marveling at the choice to recruit White Zetsu back then. What had started as a random whim had turned out to be one of his best moves—he now understood the kind of joy revolutionaries must've felt when their gambles paid off.

So yes, he still feared Madara. But not enough to panic. As long as he believed he could kill his enemy, old fears lost their weight.

After confirming that Black Zetsu was still holed up guarding the new base under the Naka Shrine and hadn't followed Madara into Konoha, Kei instructed White Zetsu and the others to continue monitoring Madara's movements.

If the old man was just here to watch the game release, then fine. But if he tried anything, Kei wanted to know immediately.

Although he'd only made basic arrangements, Kei took the situation seriously. This was Uchiha Madara, after all. He even postponed assigning White Zetsu agents to track Danzō and Root. That could wait until after the event.

Once everything was in place, Kei double-checked for loose ends. Finding none, he let it go—he didn't order extra security for Madara's visit.

There was no need.

Today's Konoha was "loose on the outside, tight on the inside"—its defenses were maxed out across the board. Anyone causing trouble would face the full wrath of the village.

Not that Madara had any hostile intentions—yet. But even if he did, Kei could call in Namikaze Minato and the others to crush him with overwhelming force.

A clear message: the times had changed.

With everything ready, Kei headed to the venue ahead of time.

He wouldn't be hosting the event, but as the game's developer and mastermind behind the scenes, his presence was essential.

Meanwhile, in the crowded streets of Konoha, Madara continued to feel out of place.

Decades underground had made the passing of time hit him all at once. He felt abandoned by the era—conflicted, melancholic, even tempted to turn around and retreat back to the safety of his cave and escape into genjutsu games forever.

Only there, in the illusion, could he truly feel young again. Only there could he move like he remembered—even if he kept getting brutally slaughtered by that hidden Fruit Ninja boss.

Speaking of which, he still hadn't played since unlocking his Mangekyō Sharingan… Maybe he could finally beat that damned little monster now?

His thoughts wandered. His gaze grew blank.

Standing at the side of the road, eyes cast forward but mind elsewhere, Madara looked exactly like a lost old man.

And everyone in Konoha knew there was one Uchiha famous for helping old folks—he'd guide grandmas and grandpas across the street, run errands for them, even got punished at the Academy for being late because of it.

Today, that very boy was wandering the streets, looking to help any elder in need.

Given the influx of visitors for the game event, he was sure someone would need help—and he was ready to be their hero.

"Helping lost old folks is my duty!"

That boy was Uchiha Obito.

And just like that, he spotted Madara standing by the roadside, looking confused. His eyes lit up with resolve and he dashed over.

"Grandpa, are you lost? Need any help?"

"You seem new to Konoha. Don't worry—I know this place inside and out! I may be young, but I know every street, every alley. Wherever you need to go, whoever you're looking for—just say the word!"

Obito bombarded him with enthusiastic chatter, beaming brightly as he thumped his chest like a proud tour guide.

He truly did know all the old folks in Konoha, and this man wasn't one of them. No Konoha symbols either. Must be an outsider.

Still, Obito was more than happy to help.

Snapping out of his daze, Madara turned to face the boy.

That cheerful face entered his view—and he recognized him instantly.

Obito was on his shortlist of potential successors. The old man had memorized all their names long ago.

Yet, he didn't reveal himself. He just nodded slightly. "Thank you. I haven't been to Konoha in decades. Seeing it again has brought back many memories."

"Oh! You've been here before?" Obito's eyes sparkled. "Were you a ninja too?"

Back when Konoha was still primarily a military base, outsiders were rare. If someone came here, it was usually a ninja or a mission client. Given Madara's aura, Obito assumed the former.

"Yes," Madara said calmly. "A retired shinobi from the Land of Fire. But not from Konoha."

Obito nodded. Must be one of the daimyo's personal ninja.

Still, a ninja from the Land of Fire was one of their own in Obito's book. He grinned and launched into a wave of praise—thanking Madara for protecting peace, throwing out every flattering line he could muster.

After all, making elders feel good was part of the job.

When he wasn't dealing with Kakashi, Obito was great with words. You could even say he had a passive skill called "Senior Citizen Affinity MAX."

Honestly, even the mighty Madara—disguised or not—couldn't help but feel good hearing Obito's genuine admiration.

It wasn't vanity. It was just that he'd been feeling isolated and out of place, and this boy's kindness cut through that.

For a moment, Madara even felt the world might not be so bad after all.

But he was still Madara. He didn't let those warm feelings sway him. Throughout their conversation, he remained aloof and mysterious—only saying he'd come to Konoha for the game launch.

That alone made Obito's enthusiasm double. The fact that an old retired ninja had traveled so far just to attend—wasn't that proof of how amazing Konoha and the Uchiha were?

What's more, Obito had been assigned a performance role at the event—a live game demonstration. It was his chance to shine!

He wanted to boast so badly—but the info was classified, so he held back.

Instead, he kept chatting with the old man, sharing tips: bring food and water, since it's expensive on-site. Don't forget to book lodging, because the event would run late. And if 'Grandpa Radama' couldn't find a place, Obito had recommendations.

He was determined to show this elder the warmth of the Will of Fire.

Madara felt it.

And he fell silent.

Because the idea that he'd someday cast this bright, warm boy into darkness… made even his hardened heart ache.

Well, just a little.

Then his resolve returned. The shinobi world was too twisted. Only the Eye of the Moon Plan could fix it.

In his heart, Madara remained steadfast:

"My heart and my path are as clear as a mirror. All I do is justice."