The area around the podium was thrown into chaos.
The nobles scattered in panic under the protection of their samurai guards.
Each of them wore grim expressions.
The Hidden Stone had gone too far. The Land of Rivers wasn't refusing to buy coal from the Land of Earth—war had simply made the trade routes impassable.
Now, spies hidden within the capital were trying to assassinate the official overseeing the construction of the hydroelectric plant—Lord Kawachi.
After the first four infiltrators, four more appeared, eight in total, charging toward Yagami from two directions.
"Mr. Mikome! Run!" Chisa shouted. "I'll hold off the Stone ninja!"
She rallied the samurai and turned to fight.
Yagami, meanwhile, spun on his heel and went straight for his true assassination targets.
As the craftsmen and workers fled in confusion, White sheep took advantage of the chaos to rush toward the Left Imperial Guard General.
The general's surroundings erupted into turmoil—Sheep seized the opening and attacked.
To avoid revealing his identity, he didn't use the Aburame clan's techniques; instead, he hurled three kunai wrapped with explosive tags.
Three deafening explosions followed, smoke engulfing the general.
One of White Sheep's subordinates leapt into the cloud to finish the job.
At the same time, the area around the Minister of the Palace also fell into disarray.
An ANBU operative threw a kunai with an explosive tag—but one of the samurai discarded his heavy armor and intercepted it midair.
The blast only scorched the armor, leaving the minister unharmed.
The samurai who had thrown off his armor revealed himself—he was a Sand ninja.
Yagami flickered forward with a Body Flicker Technique, closing in on the minister.
During a lull in her own battle, Chisa glanced back—and froze in disbelief as she saw "Mikome's" blade sever the Minister of the Palace's head.
Her eyes widened, her body trembling.
Why?
Why did Mikome kill the Minister of the Palace?
He wasn't some wandering ninja—was he a spy too?
Then what had all his work meant? Her trust? Their nights together beneath the moonlight?
Yagami met her gaze, a trace of conflict in his eyes—then turned away.
"Don't go!" Chisa cried, ignoring the Stone ninja as she ran after him.
"The hydro plant—is it real? Are you real? Who are you really?"
Her voice cracked, raw with pain, tears glimmering in her eyes.
Yagami couldn't answer. He didn't dare to.
He was ANBU. Everything had been for the mission…
But in that moment, the maid standing beside Chisa suddenly drew a kunai and slashed toward her brow.
Her frameless glasses shattered, clattering to the floor—then were crushed beneath the maid's heel.
The maid… was a Stone spy.
The primary target hadn't been Yagami at all—it was the Minister of Finance, Koi Chisa, the woman leading the hydroelectric project.
Yagami's heart trembled as he saw the broken fragments of glass.
Chisa's brow was pierced by the kunai. Before her life faded, she reached a trembling hand toward Yagami—her pale fingers quivering in the air.
He watched as her pupils slowly lost focus, her delicate face twisting in pain, crimson blood pooling beneath her.
Something twisted inside Yagami's chest.
Just this once, for the warmth she had given him—he would bring her back.
He walked slowly toward her lifeless body.
"Captain! We need to go!" White sheep shouted from behind.
The area around the podium was chaos—Leaf ANBU, Sand escorts, Stone spies, all colliding in a storm of battle.
Yagami found the strongest Sand ninja among them and engaged him head-on.
After forcing the man to reveal his techniques, Yagami feigned weakness—allowing the Sand ninja to stab him through the heart.
Another deliberate death—for her.
[Host death detected. Arc of the Moon system activating…]
...
The scene shifted.
Yagami opened his eyes to find himself beneath the same full moon—one month earlier.
He was back in Koi Chisa's chamber.
Bathed in moonlight, she wore her glasses again, her body gleaming white in the soft glow.
Unaware of what was to come, she reached for him, hands sliding around his waist.
Yagami felt her warmth and thought, It's good that she's alive.
[Arc of the Moon activated.
The host may revive once per lunar cycle, returning to the previous full moon's night.
Reward: one random selection.]
1 — Earth Style: Antlion Jutsu (B-rank)
2 — Red Fire Ant Venom Synthesis
3 — Wind Release Chakra Nature
The first—Antlion Jutsu—created a swirling pit of sand and soil to drag in enemies. Too slow for instant kills. Rejected.
The second—Red Fire Ant Venom—was a desert toxin often used by Sand ninja to compensate for weak combat power. Also rejected.
The third—Wind Release Chakra.
Since the coming war was against the Hidden Sand, mastering Wind nature would allow him to better understand their jutsu—know the enemy, know himself.
He chose Wind Release Chakra.
Now, his chakra nature combined: Earth, Water, Wind, Yang, Yin.
Moonlight shimmered on Chisa's glasses, her flushed cheeks, her pale, slender waist.
Half an hour later, Chisa rested against his chest, panting softly.
"Mr. Mikome," she murmured, looking up. "Can I take my glasses off now?"
"No," Yagami said with a faint smile. "I like you better with them on."
Chisa laughed lightly, offering no resistance.
Yagami drew her closer. "My dear Minister," he whispered, "let's talk business for a moment."
She straightened up, wrapping herself modestly in a thin veil and listening intently.
His hands moved idly as he spoke. "Once the Land of Rivers develops hydropower, it'll threaten the Land of Earth's coal trade. I'm worried the Hidden Stone will try to sabotage construction."
"The Hidden Stone?" she frowned. "They're already fighting both the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Rain. Do they even have spare forces?"
"They have the largest shinobi population among the great villages," Yagami replied. "At least three times that of the Leaf. They have spies everywhere."
"Building the dam is only half the battle. Protecting it will be harder."
He brushed her cheek. "Now, my dear minister, you can take off your glasses and get some rest. I'll go look around—see if any Stone spies are lurking nearby."
"Now?" Chisa blinked, then smiled and kissed his chin. "But I can't sleep yet. What should I do?"
"Can't sleep, huh…"
Yagami sighed softly—and had to ready his "blade" once more, savoring that rare mix of intellect and passion.
Half an hour later, Chisa finally drifted into deep sleep.
Yagami dressed quietly and slipped out of her chamber.
Outside, the same maid was waiting in the corridor—the one who had killed Chisa before.
"Lord Kawachi…" she greeted softly.
"Come with me," Yagami said calmly. "There's something I want you to give to Lady Chisa when she wakes."
The maid gave brief instructions to the others to stand watch, then followed him.
Once they reached an empty corridor, she froze—unable to speak or move.
The sealing script had locked every joint in her body.
Yagami reached out and twisted her neck.
"You were a good spy," he said coldly. "Hiding right beside the daimyo's sister."
But what angered him most wasn't her infiltration—
It was that she'd crushed Chisa's glasses.
Killing was one thing. But to shatter those glasses—
to trample the thing he loved most—
How could anyone not love a woman in glasses?
***
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