"Huh? …What does that even mean??"
"Minister Ran, what is 'news' exactly?"
"All right, Inabi," Uchiha Ran said calmly, his fingers tapping against the desk—tap, tap, tap—the steady sound echoing through the office. "You can handle what I asked, right? Don't tell me you're already stuck on the very first step."
"Don't worry, Minister Ran!" Uchiha Inabi replied hastily. "I'll study this plan carefully—seriously—and make sure it's carried out properly!"
Before Ran could say anything else, Inabi grabbed the proposal and hurried out of the office as if his life depended on it.
In truth, Uchiha Ran's public-relations plan wasn't complicated at all.
It was simply something that no one had ever done before.
Step One:
Use creative publicity to gradually improve the Uchiha clan's image in the eyes of Konoha's civilians.
To that end, Ran's first move was bold—and unconventional.
He decided to create a character card game that was fun, engaging, and destined to become the next big topic throughout the village.
Ran planned to place famous figures of the Uchiha clan alongside legendary heroes like Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze, and other shining names of Konoha's history, transforming them into collectible cards within a single game.
To make this happen, Ran first assembled a creative team composed entirely of Uchiha ninja, tasking them with designing the rules, mechanics, and overall gameplay.
According to the plan, the cards would come in three versions:
Standard Edition:A red-bordered design with the Konoha symbol printed at the bottom.
Collector's Edition:To emphasize the Uchiha's unique style, this version used black and crimson as its main colors. Each card was framed with the Uchiha clan's iconic fan crest, while the back featured the clan emblem itself—solemn, dignified, and mysterious.
Commemorative Edition:Featuring both the Konoha and Uchiha symbols together, these cards would be produced in extremely limited quantities.
In Ran's envisioned world, illustrations were the soul of the game.
Each important character would have distinct abilities, strengths, and backstories.
For example—
Uchiha Madara was designed as one of the most powerful characters in the game.
His illustration depicted him clad in Warring States–era armor, his legendary Mangekyō Sharingan blazing in his eyes.
In gameplay, Madara possessed overwhelmingly strong abilities:he could use the power of the Mangekyō to observe his opponent's actions and predict their next move, allowing for superior tactical decisions.
Aside from physical endurance, nearly all of Madara's stats were maxed out—making him the rarest card in the entire set.
Next came the Senju brothers.
They formed another core pair of the game, each with unique abilities.Among them, Hashirama Senju could manipulate terrain and command forests at will. Except for agility, his stats were nearly all maxed—crowd control, healing, damage, sustain—he was a true all-round king card, second only to Madara in rarity.
Then there was Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, who wielded all five elemental natures, excelling at control and sustained damage.
Shimura Danzō, meanwhile, was designed as a mysterious, high-risk character.In addition to control and damage abilities, he possessed a unique Sacrifice mechanic:by sacrificing Danzō's card, all of Hiruzen's attributes would double.
Ran also turned various Uchiha clan members into playable cards, each with their own distinctive skills.All Uchiha cards could form combos, granting powerful bonuses—the only card type in the game with such synergy.
Every character had a personal story and unique abilities, greatly enhancing the game's depth, strategy, and replay value.
This was Ran's true first step.
Not rushing to "wash away" negative public opinion with force or arguments—
but instead letting people naturally learn about the Uchiha clan through play.
As villagers enjoyed the game, they would unconsciously read the characters' backgrounds, abilities, and stories.
And without realizing it—
Ran's objective would already be achieved.
The plan also outlined a series of pre-release promotional events.
Temporary booths would be set up in the village plaza, offering live demos and explanations to passersby.
At the same time, beautifully designed Uchiha-themed merchandise would be prepared as bonuses and rewards for purchasers.
Through this creative campaign, the Uchiha clan's image in the eyes of Konoha's civilians would steadily—and effectively—improve.
And this…
was only the first step.
Once results appeared, the next phase would involve reforming the Uchiha Police Force itself.
"BANG!"
"Evil Uchiha brat!"
"Born-evil Uchiha brat!"
"I knew he was just pretending!"
"Damn it! It's all Hiruzen's fault—he never listens to me, letting Uchiha Ran grow like this!"
In the darkness of Root's underground base, Shimura Danzō slammed his cane against the floor, his fury slowly subsiding.
"Tell me, Crow," Danzō demanded coldly, "what exactly is that Uchiha brat thinking?"
Only after sensing Danzō's anger settle did Crow dare speak.
"Lord Danzō… although Uchiha Ran reported to you immediately after becoming head of the Publicity Department, I still believe his intentions are far from pure."
"Go on."
Danzō shot him a sharp look.
"Uchiha Ran is clearly ambitious," Crow continued. "He feeds you information while also reporting his department's actions openly. He's nothing like the mediocre student he appeared to be at the Academy—he's been hiding his strength all along. His goals are… suspicious."
Danzō neither confirmed nor denied it.
From the moment he first laid eyes on Uchiha Ran, Danzō had known—
this boy was not as gentle as he appeared.
Beneath that calm exterior lay something deep and dark.That was the instinct of someone known as the Darkness of the Shinobi World.
How could an Uchiha truly be gentle, devoted wholeheartedly to Konoha?
Maybe Tobirama-sensei would believe such a thing—
but Shimura Danzō never would.
At that moment, Danzō made his decision.
He would recommend Uchiha Ran to Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, arranging for Ran to become Orochimaru's disciple.
Danzō was convinced—
once Ran witnessed Orochimaru's power and research firsthand, he would not be able to resist the temptation.
And once Ran joined them…
Danzō would have countless ways to control him.
Whether to turn Ran into a loyal hound—
or discard and eliminate him without mercy—
that choice would depend on Danzō alone.
His heart burned with both desire for Ran's potential and fear of the darkness hidden within him.
"Crow."
"Yes, Lord Danzō!"
"Continue spreading unfavorable rumors about the Uchiha clan. This is long-term work—do not stop. And increase surveillance on Uchiha Ran. A man who wears a mask cannot keep it on forever. Sooner or later… he will slip."
"Yes, Lord Danzō!"
In the depths of the Root base, Danzō's footsteps echoed away.
"Hiruzen… I love Konoha more than you do.I'm more fit to be Hokage than you.
If you won't give it to me—then I'll take it myself… by other means."