Naruto: Yes, Uchiha-sama.

Chapter 152 Hashirama Senju: Makoto, my younger brother Tobirama thinks of you and misses you day and night~
After its release, "Saving Pain" became an instant hit, almost overnight, and became a blockbuster during the New Year's season in the Land of Fire.

According to estimates from industry professionals.

The total box office of "Saving Pain" was a little over 320 million.

This is just the box office revenue within the Land of Fire. If we include the box office revenue from countries outside the Land of Fire, it might approach 500 million.

Considering the current state of affairs
Generally speaking.

Movie tickets in the ninja world are relatively inexpensive, and the main consumers who are willing to spend money to go to the cinema have always been the middle class. This group is not large, while ordinary people who suffer from hunger and cold every day would never be able to afford to buy movie tickets. It is too extravagant for them.

It can be said.
The box office performance of "Saving Pain" can be said to be the ceiling for film box office in this era. Even Makoto Uchiha was very surprised by the expected box office performance of the film, and could even be described as astonished.

Based on past box office figures, the previous highest-grossing film in the Land of Fire only barely broke 3 million, while "Saving Pain" is more than three times that amount.

This is an extremely alarming box office figure.

It was terrifying and somewhat eerie.

Director Shirasawa Akira was overjoyed and, bringing gifts, paid a special visit to Uchiha Makoto.

If it weren't for Makoto Uchiha's support, he probably would have missed this great opportunity. This movie could have propelled him into the ranks of top directors in the ninja world!

"Master Guangying, this is all thanks to your excellent script, as well as the outstanding actors from Akatsuki Village. Their acting skills are superb, and they are brave and daring, ten times better than any martial arts actor I know. And the war that Akatsuki Village and Kumogakure Village fought."

Hakusawa Akira was extremely humble, flattering Uchiha Makoto throughout the entire process, without mentioning his own contributions at all.

However, what he said are indeed real influencing factors.

An excellent film cannot be made without an excellent script and actors with superb acting skills.

The script's excellence goes without saying; it was tested by the box office success of Makoto Uchiha's previous life. Even after many years, the plot remains a classic, and the audience continues to evolve.

The actors who played roles in the movie were actually all Akatsuki ninjas.

For these kinds of war scenes, they don't need to use acting skills at all, because they are just acting out their daily lives.

The film is filled with action scenes. They are daring and fearless, and can do all sorts of dangerous stunts that Shirasawa Akira could not have imagined—and they do it all without a stunt double!

During the filming process, they worked diligently and conscientiously, and completely obeyed the director's filming orders.

With the combination of an excellent script and excellent actors, the director's role is diluted. Directors of similar or even slightly lower caliber would be just as effective.

"You're too modest. You must have contributed to this as well."

Uchiha Makoto smiled and nodded. He admired Shirasawa Akira's attitude; the desire to improve was unmistakable in his eyes.

It's good to want to improve!
The film's box office performance was indeed unexpected for him.

But this was only a few hundred million taels, which was no longer enough to excite Uchiha Makoto.

He hoped that the ninjas in the village could improve.

Simply carrying out traditional missions of killing people is not a promising path. There are many industries in the ninja world that need ninjas to venture into.

This film from Xiaolaiwu has officially brought Xiaoren Village into the art world. What remains is to continue producing films, exporting its ideology, and constantly enhancing Xiaoren Village's influence in the Land of Fire and the ninja world.

"Don't worry, Mr. Guangying, I have many friends in the industry who hope to collaborate with Xiaolaiwu."

Bai Zeming spoke up first.

With its phenomenal box office success, powerful backing, reliable actors, and ample funding, even industry bigwigs are eager to invest in Xiaolaiwu.

Which director doesn't like coal mine owners?
Makoto Uchiha's only request was that the director choose actors from among the ninjas of Akatsuki Village. He didn't even specify the female lead. This kind of investor is exactly what directors love.

The last time that the big directors in the industry collectively rejected Makoto Uchiha was simply because of pressure from the daimyo and nobles above them.

In the last few days.
It seems the winds from above have shifted.

These bigwigs in the entertainment industry have deep ties with the upper echelons of the Land of Fire, and almost all of them have aristocratic backgrounds.

Moreover, they have a keen sense of smell.

Many big names in the industry received the news.

The box office success of "Saving Pain" is certainly due to the film's high quality, but it is also inseparable from the promotion and marketing efforts of the Land of Fire's leadership.

Even if Makoto Uchiha did spend money to promote the movie, those paid online trolls and media outlets might not be able to get things done, and even if they did, they might not do it well.

Sometimes.
No amount of money can compare to the power of a single word from a big shot in the Land of Fire.

After all
It's because the influence and voice of ninjas in the Land of Fire are currently too small.

However, the winds from above have indeed changed now.

The real bigwigs of the Land of Fire have spread the word that they will strongly support Akatsuki and increase Akatsuki's influence in the ninja world. As for the dirty work of belittling Konoha, that can't be said outright. There will be a special organization to plan and carry it out. However, simply raising Akatsuki's status is itself a form of belittling Konoha.

"Perhaps the Akatsuki and the bigwigs of the Land of Fire have reached a reconciliation."

The bigwigs in the entertainment industry were unaware of the power struggle between the Ninja Village and the Land of Fire's higher-ups, and they neither wanted nor dared to get involved in such a dangerous matter.

They are only interested in fame and fortune.

Now that the door has been opened, they will naturally pursue fame and fortune.

"That would be great."

Makoto Uchiha naturally wouldn't refuse resources from the entertainment industry and responded with great enthusiasm.

He needs to gradually bring the ninjas from behind the scenes to the forefront, into the spotlight, and to have Xiaolaiwu cultivate several top celebrities in the entertainment industry, thereby expanding the ninjas' influence in the Land of Fire.

The mindset of ninjas also slowly changes during this process, and in fact, it should have changed somewhat by now, especially among those ninjas who participated in the filming of movies.

When a movie becomes a hit, it inevitably makes its actors famous overnight. It can be said that the Akatsuki ninjas who starred in "Saving Pain" became famous overnight. They would be asked for autographs and photos on the street.

For the traditionally conservative ninja, this was meaningless and constituted suicide.

After all, information asymmetry is a crucial element in ninja combat.

For example, a ninja like Hidan has bizarre and unpredictable ninjutsu that involves synchronized damage. He can twist his own head off and kick it like a ball, but ordinary ninjas can't do that. Nine times out of ten, ninjas who are not familiar with him will die at his hands.

In short, ninjas are ruthless assassins who need to hide in the shadows.

However, Akatsuki Village currently needs ninjas to transition into full-time actors; at worst, they can become full-time actors.

In any case, the world of fame and fortune in the entertainment industry is much more comfortable than the brutal life of a ninja.
Driven by fame and fortune, Akatsuki ninjas would likely seek change. Uchiha Makoto designated all his film roles as D-rank missions, indicating that those ninjas didn't take filmmaking seriously. If they were to truly enter the entertainment industry and become top stars, their earning power would be unmatched by ordinary ninjas.

However, although things are going well for now, what Bai Zeming just said has indeed made Uchiha Sei wary.

He truly hadn't expected that the high-ranking officials of the Land of Fire would be behind the scenes promoting the film.

Logically speaking, they would definitely suppress it behind the scenes.

If it weren't for the fear of Akatsuki's power, this movie probably wouldn't even have been able to get a proper release.

"Could it be that they want to make peace?"

"Or are they plotting something in secret?"

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.

Uchiha Makoto pondered for a long time, but still couldn't fully fathom the thoughts of those insects, so he simply gave up trying.

At least for now, the situation is in his favor. He can't possibly slap someone when they offer a smile and goodwill. If things come to that, he can just deal with whatever comes his way.

Not long after Bai Zeming left.

Uchiha Makoto received a special letter.

That was an invitation from Hashirama Senju.

It was probably inspired by the movie "Saving Pain".

He warmly invited Uchiha Makoto to visit Konoha, to strengthen the alliance between the two villages and to have in-depth exchanges on matters related to peace in the ninja world.

After reading a long string of diplomatic rhetoric.

Makoto Uchiha finally understood Hashirama Senju's intentions—"Makoto, come to my house for dinner! Madara misses you, and Tobirama thinks about you day and night too!"
"Are you inviting me to dinner?"

"Thinking back, I haven't been back to the Uchiha clan since I left."

"Uchiha Madara, this old man is the most unstable factor in the peace of the ninja world. It is indeed necessary to go and see him in person to understand his mental state. At the very least, we should let him stay in Konoha for a longer period of time, so as to buy Akatsuki a few more years to develop."

"If Tobirama Senju is really thinking about me day and night, then he must be thinking about how to kill me."

Uchiha Makoto weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

He needs to maintain close ties with the Uchiha clan, including but not limited to financial assistance and personal relationships. By preserving this bond with the clan, he can ensure that they will provide support to him in Konoha when necessary.

The cannery is now on the right track.

Konoha also needs to send a representative to be stationed at Akatsuki's headquarters. This was supposed to be decided at the meeting with Tobirama Senju after the New Year, but Makoto Uchiha planned to give the Uchiha clan a heads-up in advance. He finally found a legitimate reason to borrow Uchiha clan members to Akatsuki. Once they're here, they won't be able to leave!
And Madara Uchiha
This is something that Makoto Uchiha cares about very much.

Akatsuki Village needs more time to develop; the longer the peace lasts, the more beneficial it will be for the village.

seriously.
no matter what.

Makoto Uchiha did not want the First Shinobi World War to break out; he preferred to develop Akatsuki Village step by step.

Madara Uchiha was a barometer of peace in the ninja world.

Makoto Uchiha always gets secondhand information from Madara Uchiha. It would be best if he could meet Madara Uchiha in person and know his movements.

Based on the normal timeline, Madara Uchiha should have stayed in Konoha for a few more years. However, due to the fluctuations in the ninja world's storyline, no one can predict exactly when he will fall out with Hashirama Senju. If we could understand Madara Uchiha's current mental state, it would be much easier to assess the situation in the ninja world.

After thinking it over again and again.

Uchiha Makoto felt it necessary to accept Hashirama Senju's invitation to represent Akatsuki Village on its first official visit to Konoha at the start of the new year.

Since it is an official visit.

Makoto Uchiha definitely can't meet with Tobirama Senju in private like he used to.

We must make a big show of it.

He wasn't worried about Hashirama Senju's character, but rather about Tobirama Senju.

Could it be that Tobirama Senju, that inherently evil old devil, is planning to cause trouble when they meet?

If anything goes wrong, he can legitimately make a big fuss about it.

He thinks of himself and talks about himself day and night.

That sounds terrifying.

Uchiha Makoto thought it should go something like this: "You born evil Uchiha brat, I'll deal with you right now."

Of course, this is just a precaution.

Uchiha Shin didn't believe that Tobirama Senju would dare to use any underhanded tactics on such an important occasion. At most, he would just secretly take out kunai and try to solidify their friendship.

After getting home~~
Makoto Uchiha told Shizuku Uzumaki about this, as he planned to bring her along as well.

It's also very necessary to maintain good relations between the two women, since Mito Uzumaki and Shizuku Uzumaki are both members of the Uzumaki clan.

Furthermore, we could also find an opportunity to have Mito Uzumaki whisper sweet nothings in Hashirama Senju's ear. Hmm, it seems that if Madara Uchiha were to do it, it would probably be more effective.

Uzumaki Tsubaki Shizuku readily agreed. She had never been to Konoha before and was eager to visit it.

soon.

Uchiha Makoto had made all the preparations, bringing a group of envoys with him to Konoha. He even specially invited the head of the Kaguya clan, Kaguya Masao.

Uchiha Makoto also planned to take advantage of his mission to Konoha to visit the Hyuga clan.

The Kaguya clan and the Hyuga clan have a close relationship, so with him around, visiting each other should be easy.

Anyway.

The Byakugan of the Hyuga clan is a valuable asset.

Ultra-long-range vision
In terms of battlefield functionality, it is even stronger than the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan.

before.

Uchiha Makoto had a lot of things to deal with and couldn't focus on conquering the Hyuga clan for the time being.

This time, we can go and scout ahead first, appealing to their emotions and reasoning with them. At worst, we can tie them up and borrow one or two members of the Hyuga branch clan to bring back to Akatsuki Village.

As long as members of the Hyuga clan come to Akatsuki Village.

Uchiha Makoto has the ability to prevent them from returning, or at the very least, to leave some seeds in Akatsuki Village!
(End of this chapter)