The sudden question caught Uzumaki Kushina off guard. She blinked, then began to think it over.
Namikaze Minato and Kikyo were thinking too, hoping to help.
Both had learned quite a bit of the Uzumaki clan's ancestral fūinjutsu from Kushina. Especially Minato—he had already mastered everything she could teach him. Among the younger generation, his skill in sealing arts was top-tier.
Kikyo, though not as experienced yet, showed natural talent due to her Uzumaki bloodline and inherited sealing techniques. Though still a new ninja, she wasn't far behind in terms of aptitude.
Naturally, with a team of fūinjutsu users brainstorming together, they were bound to outperform Uchiha Kei, who only had surface-level knowledge.
After some discussion and exchanging of theories, Kushina finally concluded, "Theoretically, it's possible. But we'll need to study it carefully."
"If you really want to make it happen, Kei-kun, we can work on it together sometime."
Uzumaki Kikyo immediately nodded. "Mhm! I don't have much knowledge yet, but I can definitely help as an assistant!"
Minato smiled warmly. "My sealing arts aren't as advanced as the Uzumaki clan's, but if you need help, Kei, I'll give it my all."
They were showing their support—not caring why Kei wanted to store a genjutsu-based game using fūinjutsu. They would help regardless.
Seeing this, Uchiha Kei smiled too. Then he explained, "I want to use this method to distribute my game. I want more people to experience my genjutsu game."
"Otherwise, casting it one-on-one using the Sharingan is far too inefficient. It's no way to scale up."
The three of them looked surprised.
Minato: "Kei, you're planning to mass-distribute the genjutsu game? Can that even work?"
Kushina nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a lot of effort. Why go that far?"
Kikyo hesitated briefly, then said with resolve, "I don't know exactly what you're trying to do, Kei-nii, but I'll always support you!"
Classic blind loyalty. Kei couldn't help but laugh, ruffling Kikyo's hair and making the girl blush.
Then he smiled and addressed them. "Don't worry! I'm not doing this for no reason. It actually benefits me immensely."
That piqued their curiosity. All three turned their attention to him.
Kei didn't beat around the bush. "You all know I'm not cut out to be a ninja. Don't sugarcoat it—I've known for years."
He cut off their attempts to encourage him and continued, "But I'm not giving up. I'm just shifting paths after recognizing my limitations."
"Everyone has their own talents, their own calling."
"Ninjas have their skills, chefs have theirs. As for me, my talent is in 'creation'—taking what exists and crafting something new."
"This genjutsu game is my creation. It has limitless potential."
"Once we combine the game with fūinjutsu scrolls, we can start selling it. Set a fair price, and it becomes a product."
"If we can scale it up, even selling a single scroll for a few tens of thousands of ryō would yield enormous profit."
Now the others understood—he wanted to commercialize it. And if it worked like he described, it could make serious money.
But...
"Kei, we're ninjas, not merchants. Are you really planning to switch professions? Is that okay?" Minato asked, clearly concerned.
Kushina looked torn as well. Ninjas and merchants lived in completely different worlds. Officially, ninjas weren't even allowed to be merchants. That rule came not just from the village but from the daimyō and nobles too.
To become a merchant meant giving up being a shinobi. Was Kei giving up on being a ninja altogether?
In the shinobi world, merchants had low social status and little power. Minato and Kushina thought Kei's switch was ill-advised.
Only Kikyo stood firm. Her support was absolute, even if Kei went rogue.
Kei chuckled. "I never said I was becoming a merchant. I just think we should build our own business."
The three blinked, and Kei elaborated. "Sure, it's illegal for ninjas to moonlight as merchants. But think about it—all the big clans in Konoha have industries."
"The Sarutobi clan, for instance, runs many businesses thanks to the Third Hokage's connections."
"The Uchiha clan, being one of the founding families, owns much of the property on the street outside our district."
"The Ino-Shika-Chō trio, the Inuzuka, the Hyūga—they all have side businesses and clansmen who handle trade."
"Heck, my own clan once said I was better suited for business and wanted me to give up being a ninja. I refused."
"Given that reality, would you say they're violating the rules?"
Minato and the others shook their heads. It was true—95% of Konoha's industries were clan-owned. The rest belonged to civilians.
Kei went on. "So I plan to build an industry out of genjutsu games. With the Uzumaki clan's fūinjutsu, we can mass-produce and sell them."
"And I don't plan to hog the profits. I want to share them with you all. You'll be helping, so you deserve a share."
That declaration made their hearts race. Kei was saying he was going to make it big—and he wasn't leaving his friends behind.
He even said he'd share a portion of the profits with others who helped, forming a coalition—a interest group
If the group succeeded, even Konoha's top brass couldn't touch it.
Kei was self-aware. He was still a weak, helpless Uchiha. If he tried to go solo, he'd get crushed.
Only by sharing profits and forming alliances could he create something lasting.
Besides, he had a system to feed. The industrialization of genjutsu games was all about completing system missions and earning more rewards. The money was just a bonus.
Still, even the idea alone was enough to excite the others.
Kikyo, as always, offered blind support—profit or not.
Kushina, though more grounded, was moved. She and Minato weren't wealthy. They lived in a small apartment, not a house.
They weren't greedy, but better finances meant a better life. She wouldn't say no to that.
Only Minato hesitated. He was intelligent and open-minded, but also raised with rigid ideals—he had a hard time breaking the mold.
Kei anticipated this. So he made a direct appeal.
"Other clans can do it—why can't we?"
"Minato, Kushina—you're going to start a family. Is your current income enough? Is your apartment big enough? It's only two bedrooms. If you have a second child, it'll be cramped."
"Remember, Kushina is the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. She can't go on missions and only receives a monthly stipend."
"Minato, even as a jōnin who can handle S-rank missions with ease—your income is nothing compared to clans with industries, or the nobility."
"If you ever want to buy a slightly nicer house, you might need a huge loan."
"I know neither of you care about money. But what about your future kids? Do you want them to grow up poor? Or can't they have the same life as the kids from the great clans?"
That hit the mark.
Both Kushina and Minato blushed. But Kei's words had struck a chord.
For a couple that had always leaned on each other, nothing was more important than family. And they both dreamed of giving their children a good life.
Just like all first-generation entrepreneurs—willing to risk everything for their kids' future.