Uchiha Kei: Game Dev in the Shinobi World

The fiery double KO between Kakashi and Obito was so intense it left the entire crowd reeling—and even moved old-timers like Uchiha Madara to reflect on the past.

The sense of déjà vu was overwhelming. To Madara, it was like watching himself collide passionately with his beloved "Hashi-rama," complete with echoing cries of "Hashi-rama!" and "Madara!"—an explosion of manly passion and overwhelming dominance.

And then… he wanted to play.

Desperately.

He *had* to play Ultimate Storm.

This, he thought, was the game he truly wanted. Not some Fruit Ninja knockoff.

What fun was there in hacking away at a pre-scripted NPC girl? Real excitement came from dragging real people into battle.

However, he quickly realized that based on current official gameplay, proper 1v1 brawls were mostly limited to crowded places like arcades—or inviting friends over.

For someone like Madara, hiding out in a lonely underground cave, that meant his only opponent would be AI-controlled game characters.

Had he never witnessed that thrilling clash between Obito and Kakashi, he wouldn't have minded. He would've played in solitude.

But now?

After seeing that raw, explosive battle? There was no going back. He couldn't bear the thought of just sparring with illusions. No matter how realistic genjutsu games were, they couldn't compare to real, living opponents.

It was the same logic behind why 99% of players would rather get stomped in PvP than fight bots, even if the rewards were identical.

True joy in competitive games came from battling real people.

Though such theories didn't exist in the shinobi world, Madara instinctively understood them all.

Excitement. Anticipation. Adrenaline.

The emotions of powerful shinobi like Madara resonated, their collective feeling forming yet another golden spirit through the livestream.

Of course, Madara alone accounted for the majority. The man was truly a golden spirit factory—consistently delivering surprises for Uchiha Kei.

Meanwhile, eliminated players didn't linger in the game. Once defeated, they returned to reality.

Now, Obito and Kakashi sat side by side, experiencing very different emotions.

Obito was frustrated. He'd wanted to beat Kakashi publicly, not end in a draw.

Still… that passionate performance from Kakashi, so unlike his usual stoic self, had dragged Obito into the emotional spiral. Their long-standing love-hate friendship made him respond in kind, yelling and brawling like a lunatic.

Looking over, Obito muttered, "Kakashi… Who knew you had that kind of passion in you. Tch. That arrogant bastard has a side like that? Didn't see it coming."

With a haughty snort, he turned away—tsundere levels maxed.

But then he looked again… and got annoyed.

Because Kakashi was sitting there looking like he wanted to die.

Even with the mask on, Obito could tell something was off. That dead-eyed expression screamed emotional collapse.

"You bastard, Kakashi! What's that look? You mad about the draw or something? You arrogant, insufferable jerk! I'm pissed too, okay?! If you hadn't gotten all fired up and insisted on going toe-to-toe, I wouldn't have gotten swept into it!"

"I'll have you know, if it were a *real* fight, I'd definitely win!"

Kakashi glanced over with lifeless eyes—eyes so hollow, so broken from the shame of his forced over-the-top performance, that Obito instinctively flinched.

"What the hell?! What's with that look?! You wanna fight?!"

"…No," Kakashi replied slowly. "Nothing. You're right."

Obito: "???"

Kakashi looked like he had achieved enlightenment. His gaze was vacant, as if he had transcended all worldly suffering.

After all, after what he'd just done, he was convinced everyone saw him as a loud, unstable lunatic—no better than Obito. His reputation, once built over years, was in shambles. The son of the White Fang had fallen to the same level as Obito the dumbass.

And just as Kakashi was resigning himself to the end of his social life—

Cheers erupted.

"Kakashi! Kakashi! Kakashi!"

"Obito! Obito! Obito!"

The synchronized chants left both boys stunned.

They looked up and saw nearly every audience member screaming their names, praising their battle as a brilliant, unforgettable performance.

Kakashi's imagined public humiliation? Nowhere in sight.

Instead, the crowd was ablaze with admiration and excitement, swept up in the fire they had ignited.

Kakashi sat in stunned silence. Obito, after a moment of surprise, flushed with joy and started waving back enthusiastically.

Both hands.

Like an idiot.

Kakashi instinctively shifted away.

But as he watched the cheering crowd, something stirred inside him.

This was a first for him. Even he couldn't deny the rush—the pounding heartbeat, the rising heat in his chest.

In the end, all that embarrassment melted into a strange warmth.

"It really is as expected of Kei-senpai… So many things that seem random or absurd at first glance are actually calculated. We just don't understand his vision yet…"

Kakashi found himself reflecting—and suddenly understood why even someone like Minato held Uchiha Kei in such high regard.

Because…

Kakashi felt genuinely good. He hadn't felt this secure in a long time. It was like being back when his father was still alive.

And just like that, in the game world, the match between Namikaze Minato and Akimichi Torifu began.

The two, controlling avatars, clashed in a landscape of layered stone, reminiscent of Son Goku's first battle with Vegeta.

At first, they tested each other. Torifu focused on defense, Minato on offense.

That was simply their nature. And logically speaking, Minato—Konoha's legendary Yellow Flash—should've overwhelmed the older man.

Even as avatars, Torifu's strength couldn't compare to Minato's raw genius.

But to everyone's surprise, Torifu relied on decades of combat experience to hold his own. He countered Minato's razor-sharp, multi-angled attacks with calm and precision.

Sometimes, he even landed clean counterattacks.

Though Minato was the aggressor, he looked awkward—like he was dancing to Torifu's tune.

Torifu had the upper hand.

Spectators were shocked. How could the mighty Yellow Flash be losing?

Only the older generation, those who knew of Akimichi Torifu, weren't surprised. They whispered admiration.

Soon, the crowd buzzed with questions: "Who is that guy?"

Those who knew explained eagerly. Torifu was a disciple of the Second Hokage, former clan head of the Akimichi, and a hero of Konoha.

Instantly, his popularity soared—especially among the youth.

Faces lit with awe soon turned to reverence. Torifu's eyes now drew the respect of many from Konoha and the Land of Fire.

People honored him as a warrior who once fought for their peace.

At the same time, whispers spread: was the Yellow Flash about to lose?

Sure, Minato was powerful—but still young. In a real fight, youth beats age. But in a game that leveled the playing field, experience was king.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen and others agreed. Based on the current match, Minato had no hope of victory.

But had Kei truly arranged for Minato to face a battle he couldn't win?

Soon enough, the tide began to shift…