"If I spread my wings and soar~~

I said I would never come back~~

My destination is that~~

Pure white, pure white cloud~~~

......

Flying toward that blue sky~~

Flying toward that blue sky~~"

Blue Bird ended, and the crowd detonated.

The roar of tens of thousands hit the stage like a wall of sound. Every person standing up there was a legendary shinobi, and even they weren't quite ready for it, especially Kushina Uzumaki, who had been out front as the lead vocalist.

Kushina's face was faintly flushed.

"Everyone! Thank you for your support! I'm Kushina Uzumaki!"

A bow toward the audience.

The crowd lost its mind.

"Whoa! Lady Kushina!"

"Kushina-senpai's hair is so beautiful!"

"Lady Kushina is gorgeous!"

"She really is — and her voice too!"

"If she were my wife..."

"How dare you! That's the Fourth Hokage's woman!"

"I know, I know... but Lady Kushina's singing is just so beautiful!"

"Honestly, madara uchiha's drumming was the coolest thing I've ever seen!"

"Right?! That sharp, icy expression — I want to have Lord Shura's babies!"

"Lord Shura, we love you! Like a mouse loves rice!"

"First Hokage, you're the strongest! First Hokage, you're the best!"

"Fourth Hokage! You'll always be my sunshine boy!"

"Tobirama-sama, you are absolutely captivating!"

"Lord Izuna is the most handsome of all!"

"Mikoto-senpai is so gentle! Look at that smile — oh god, my heart is melting!"

"Lord Mito!"

"..."

One song. That was all they had performed. And already, fan support groups had spontaneously formed across the venue, strangers banding together on the spot to cheer for their idols.

The loudest cheers belonged to lead vocalist Kushina Uzumaki, with madara uchiha coming in a close second. hashirama senju pulled massive numbers too, riding the wave of being the First Hokage.

After them came Tobirama Senju and Izuna Uchiha.

The casual, unhurried way madara uchiha had played the drums had swept up a huge wave of female fans, and those fans had quickly learned that the legendary Lord Shura was unmarried.

If one could spend a night with Lord Shura...

Oh god.

That would be absolutely incredible, wouldn't it?!

Lord Shura was so handsome, so powerful... that side of him had to be...

The female fans who followed that thought to its conclusion became even more frenzied. Some of the most fanatical ones reached inside their clothes, yanked out their undergarments, and hurled them straight at the stage.

Over in the VIP section, the Konoha 11 were losing their minds. Everyone knew this song had been written by Hirofumi Ito, and after watching these legends perform it live, a single shared feeling had taken hold, this song needed to become the Hidden Leaf Village's anthem!

Naruto Uzumaki was practically airborne. He was bouncing between seats, unable to contain himself, a Kushina Uzumaki fan sign held high above his head.

"That's my mom!

That's my mom!

Did you all see that?!

That's my mom!

My mom sings so beautifully!

Dattebayo!"

Up on stage, Kushina spotted Naruto jumping around with that sign and felt something warm bloom in her chest.

My son is so adorable.

Then something came flying out of the crowd.

A small pink garment trimmed with lace arced through the air and dropped directly onto Naruto Uzumaki's head.

He reached up and peeled it off with a slightly dazed expression.

It was still warm. Obviously the work of some fanatical female fan, though she hadn't thrown it quite hard enough to reach the stage, so it had landed instead on the one person bouncing around wildly enough to catch it: Naruto Uzumaki, VIP section, front row.

The instant he figured out what he was holding, he froze completely.

"Oh no~~~~~~~~~~~"

It took a while for the energy in the arena to settle, but the cheers never fully stopped. The stage went dark again, and the legendary shinobi filed back to their seats.

Hirofumi Ito walked out, microphone in hand, and called out loud.

"Is everyone having a good time?!"

The crowd surged again.

"Yes!"

"The Hidden Leaf Village's anthem is incredible!"

"From today on, I am Lady Kushina's most devoted fan!"

"The Lord Shura Fan Club, we love madara uchiha forever!"

"The starlight never questions the traveler! Time will not fail minato namikaze!"

"Lord First Hokage, we love you!"

"..."

Hirofumi Ito watched it all with a grin.

"Save some energy, everyone, this was only the first song of the night!

Tonight is a sleepless night! Tonight is a night of pure chaos!

Get loud!

Now, please welcome hashirama senju and madara uchiha back to the stage!

Bringing you the song, Qiu Fo!"

The two of them walked back out. hashirama senju's face had gone slightly red from excitement. madara uchiha's expression was unreadable as always, but his heart was hammering.

Because the fans had been genuinely terrifying.

After stepping off stage the first time, madara uchiha had nearly been buried alive under a pile of thrown undergarments. More than a few attractive women had been screaming that they wanted to bear his children.

That was way too damn scary.

And in the middle of all that chaos, he had sensed someone grab his hook.

A someone who, based on all available evidence, appeared to be a man.

madara uchiha had come this close to summoning his Susanoo on the spot.

Still, he couldn't deny that he liked it. The feeling of tens of thousands of people screaming for him. It had stirred something. He had even felt the urge to dance.

The DJ version of the instrumental hit without warning.

madara uchiha and hashirama senju looked at each other across the stage. Then hashirama senju stomped one foot down hard.

"Can we, can we, can we ever meet again~

I have prayed before the Buddha for thousands of years~

Willing to trade lives across many worlds for one bond with you~

Hoping it will move the heavens~

Madara!"

He belted out madara uchiha's name at full volume. Sage markings spread across his face. His Chakra detonated.

madara uchiha felt it, and something ignited in him too. His own Chakra surged wild and massive, and the markings of Ryuchi Cave Sage Mode blazed across his face.

"Hashirama!

You want to dance?!

Can we, can we, can we ever meet again~

I have prayed before the Buddha for thousands of years~

Before I cross the Bridge of Helplessness~

Let me kiss your face one more time~"

Fierce DJ beats, two legends, one stage.

They danced like the venue wasn't large enough to hold them, and every one of the tens of thousands of people watching was swept completely off their feet.

"When the moonlight falls upon my face~

I think I am about to change~

There is a soup called gut-wrenching anguish~

Drink it and it grants a wondrous power~

Madara!"

Back and forth they went, singing, dancing, shouting each other's names at full force.

Pillars of Chakra blazed from both of them at once, detonating outward and upward, catching the stage lights and burning brighter and brighter against the dark.

➤ Next: An Excited Kakuzu

Chapter 232 - An Excited Kakuzu

On the stage, hashirama senju and madara uchiha were still belting out the song and dancing with everything they had. The crowd's energy was absolutely electric.

Watching from a distance, Kakuzu's face had gone completely red.

Walkie-talkie pressed to the mouth, screaming into it like a person possessed.

"Itachi Uchiha! Itachi Uchiha! Come in, respond!"

Itachi Uchiha's voice crackled through.

"Itachi Uchiha, copy! Over!"

Kakuzu yanked the walkie-talkie right up, neck straining, and roared.

"Move it, move it! The first song is almost over! Pull up the advertising slot rental list! Zones A-1, A-2, B-1, and B-2 — any ads that only paid for one song's worth of time, yank them down right now! Right now!

Swap them out this instant! Those damn merchants better not think they're getting one free minute out of me! Throw every last one of their billboards out!

Watch the other zones too! The second their time's up, swap the ads! Come in, respond! Come in, respond!"

Itachi Uchiha's reply came shouting back from the other end.

"Itachi Uchiha, copy! Over!"

....................................

From the moment the concert started, Kakuzu had been run completely off both feet, and by now the voice was nearly gone, but as slammed as Kakuzu was, there was a deep, bone-level happiness in it.

Because all of this was pure silver pouring straight in.

The advertising slots and food stall fees had been collected beforehand, sure.

But there were tens of thousands of people at this venue right now.

The company had naturally set up every kind of service imaginable, water, food, support signs, you name it, if it could be sold it was being sold. And after everyone ate and drank, they needed the bathroom, and the toilet paper over there was already running critically short.

Kakuzu had started daydreaming. Once this concert wrapped, how much revenue would the company pull in? How big would the dividend cut be?

And most importantly, this first concert was only a trial run. Not a single ticket sold. Once they took the show to other countries, other villages, and actually charged admission...

Good lord.

How much money would that print?!?!

Just thinking about it sent a jolt of excitement straight through Kakuzu's chest. Without thinking, a hand reached out and took a sip from the water cup nearby.

PFFFT!

"What the hell! Who made me tea?!"

An East Konoha Company employee came sprinting over.

"Manager... that was me! Don't you like it? This is the most famous tea in the Land of Fire! Even wealthy nobles and daimyo love this blend..."

"Of course I know it's good! Do you think I can't taste the difference?!

How many times have I said it? Everyone in this company drinks plain boiled water from now on!

Do you have any idea what this tea costs?! Is the company's money not real money?!

I have said it over and over — treat this company like your own home! Would you waste money like this at home?! Don't you dare treat the company like your personal household!"

After getting all that out, Kakuzu downed the entire cup in one go. Didn't even spare the tea leaves, chewed them up and swallowed them too.

"Remember! Plain boiled water! Everyone! Is that clear?!"

"Yes! Understood, Manager!"

"Is there any tea left?!"

"Yes, Manager... would you like some?!"

BANG!

Kakuzu's fist came down hard on the employee's head.

"Want some?! Are you serious?! Brew every last bit of it right now and go sell it out there!

There are tens of thousands of people at this venue — you're telling me you can't move a little tea?!

Didn't you just say wealthy people all over the Land of Fire drink this stuff?! Half this crowd is loaded. There are definitely people willing to pay!

Tea this premium, eighty, a hundred silver ryo a cup is perfectly reasonable! Now get moving!"

"Yes! On it, Manager!"

The employee hastily wiped the sweat from the forehead and shot off at a dead sprint to go brew tea.

Kakuzu, meanwhile, poured a cup of plain boiled water, swirled it around to rinse the cup, and downed that too in one go.

"Hmm... there's still a faint taste in here. Should be able to rinse it a few more times."

Cup set down, walkie-talkie back up.

"Hidan! Come in, respond!"

"East Konoha Company Security Team Captain Hidan, copy! Over!"

"Hidan! Massive crowd out here. No matter what, you hold that order. Any troublemakers, strip their clothes and throw them out!

This concert is East Konoha Company's event. We represent the boss's reputation. The company's reputation. The Hidden Leaf Village's reputation. And above all, the Hokage's reputation.

Security does not slip. Not for a single second!

Understood!"

"Hidan, copy! Over!"

Done with Hidan, Kakuzu swept a gaze across the tens of thousands filling the venue and gave a slow, satisfied nod.

Audience members?

No.

Every last one of those people was pure silver on two legs.

And so, with a crowd of tens of thousands and Kakuzu running every moving piece, the concert rolled forward in perfect order.

On the stage, hashirama senju and madara uchiha's DJ remix of Qiu Fo was drawing to a close. Both of them looked a little reluctant to let it end, dancing to music like that was just too good a feeling to give up.

The good news was they'd both be back out later. Beyond providing accompaniment, madara uchiha even had other songs to perform.

When Qiu Fo finished, Hirofumi Ito walked back onto the stage.

"Dear audience and friends! Tell me out loud, was hashirama senju and madara uchiha's Qiu Fo incredible or what?!"

The roar that answered him was deafening.

"Incredible!"

"Beyond incredible, Lord Hokage!"

"Can we hear it again?! One more time! One more time!"

"Lord First Hokage!"

"Lord Shura, we love you!"

"..."

Only after the crowd had settled down, at least a little, did Hirofumi raise the microphone again.

"The concert has only just begun! Every single one of you, hold onto that energy! The next two guests about to take this stage, I'm sure many of you already know them well.

These two are not only elite jonin of our Hidden Leaf Village, they also happen to be one man and one woman.

And just recently, the two of them confirmed they're in a relationship.

I think plenty of you already know exactly who I'm talking about.

Give the loudest welcome you've got, Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi, performing a romantic duet: 'Who Is My Groom'!"

➤ Next: Hiruzen Sarutobi Misses Danzō