Uchiha Kei: Game Dev in the Shinobi World

In the center of the venue, the Hyūga clan's beautiful young girl, Hyūga Ruyan, dressed in an elegant white uniform, and the handsome Yamanaka clan member, Yamanaka Boda, in a stylish black uniform, stood on stage delivering a well-rehearsed script they had practiced many times.

To them, this was a chance—a new experience and an opportunity to shine, proving themselves better than competitors from other clans.

They hadn't been chosen at the start. Instead, they were selected after an internal recruitment and audition process held by the Konoha Game Guild.

Though the auditions were internal, the process was completely fair. Even the Uchiha clan wasn't given special treatment—everyone competed on equal footing.

In the end, the two who stood out delivered beyond expectations. They handled the stage skillfully, driving the press conference's excitement and engagement through the roof.

In terms of presentation, the two clearly outshone Uchiha Kei.

After all, Uchiha Kei wasn't a professional. Back then, he had only hosted out of necessity because no one else could do it.

Compared to Hyūga Ruyan and Yamanaka Boda, Kei came off as rather amateurish.

Still, no one would dare say they were better than Kei. After all, Kei was the *first*. His debut set the benchmark. He gave later hosts a reference point for what to strive for.

As a pioneer of a new industry, Kei wasn't someone to be compared with those who came after.

And so, under the narration of these two who, in another world, might have been Daoist Emperors overcoming tribulations, the audience—already brimming with anticipation—finally learned the name of the new game.

"Ultimate Storm."

In an instant, it all made sense. No wonder the Konoha Game Guild's recent teasers had used phrases like "stirring up a new Ultimate Storm in the shinobi world." Turns out the game itself *was* called "Ultimate Storm!"

Then came the unveiling. A sealing scroll was opened, projecting the game's promotional video.

It showed four unfamiliar characters locked in fierce battle. These were the avatars chosen days ago by four players Kei had roped in for game testing.

This was footage from *that* very session.

But under Kei's masterful editing, what had originally been two pairs playing 1v1 had been reimagined into an epic four-way free-for-all, intense and cinematic.

Each character unleashed a dazzling, powerful move. The video cut smoothly between them, with perfect angles and lighting. The result? A trailer packed with passion and heat.

With the explosive background music, the whole video pumped adrenaline through the crowd. Viewers were fired up—as if their bodies had ignited.

In the back, watching from the staff section, Nohara Rin's eyes sparkled. She clenched her little fists, cheeks flushed—clearly moved by the fiery visuals.

Beside her, Kakashi and Obito also watched, initially fired up themselves… but slowly, a sense of familiarity crept in.

After a long pause, Obito looked suspiciously at Kakashi. "Hey, you smug jerk… doesn't this feel *real* familiar? Aren't those four characters the same ones we used during that game test?"

Kakashi nodded with more confidence. "No doubt about it. The battle shown here, even with the dramatic camera work—it's definitely our match from that day."

He narrowed his eyes. "Also, I *highly* doubt that fight was this epic. Kei-senpai clearly enhanced it with cinematic flair."

Obito scratched his head. "Man… he really did. Kei-senpai made it look insanely intense. I'd never guess that was our match."

Hearing their conversation, Rin's curiosity was piqued. She asked what happened.

Of course, with his goddess asking, Obito spilled everything. Kakashi didn't stop him—after all, by now, the game test wasn't confidential.

Upon learning the full story, Rin was amazed. Especially when Obito grumbled that their original duel was never this exciting—it had been one-on-one, not a brawl—the surprise on Rin's face deepened.

To take footage of simple duels and cut it into such a hype-inducing, epic melee? That level of editing skill was no joke.

And the promo didn't just showcase flashy combat. It revealed each character's identity, their names, and unique combat styles. The visuals were stunning and fierce—each fighter exuded top-tier strength.

To many in the shinobi world, it felt like watching the ultimate battle between titans—something worth dying to see.

Especially powerful shinobi recognized the pressure those characters gave off—that air of dominance usually reserved for the Kage.

As the promo ended, the two hosts returned to the stage to announce the details: this was Konoha's first-ever fighting game. Players would be able to control twelve powerful characters, including the four just shown.

The room *erupted*.

Civilians, shinobi—it didn't matter. Everyone was enthralled.

Because the whole point of playing… was to feel what it was like to *become strong*.

Damn right it got them fired up! This was what it felt like to *be a powerhouse*!

To ordinary people with no jutsu, to shinobi who would never rise to the top, this was a temptation they *couldn't* resist.

The desire for power is hardwired into living beings. Even in a world without chakra, people crave strength. In the shinobi world—where superpowers *exist* and are clearly ranked? That desire burns even hotter.

It was no different from the awe and longing ordinary people in some fantasy realm might feel toward the domineering overlords that ruled them.

No wonder the atmosphere caught fire.

And just as the heat peaked, the hosts unveiled another feature—*Free Mode*.

Via live footage, they explained: the game would allow players to enter combat as *themselves*—to experience what it's like to fight as a true powerhouse.

Of course, this was mainly for civilians and low-rank shinobi. For the elite—jōnin and above—it would likely feel like a downgrade.

But that wasn't something they'd admit at the conference. Only after release would players discover that for themselves.

Still, the crowd was completely sold. Everyone wanted to take the game home and taste the thrill of being a champion.