One week later.
Koyuki Kazahana and Sandayu Asama sat by a small river on the outskirts of Konoha, both wearing troubled expressions.
Their plan had sounded solid enough on paper, but once they actually tried to carry it out, they realized reality was nothing like what they had imagined.
The very first step had stopped them dead in their tracks.
They simply had no way of meeting Yuzuru Uchiha.
Over the past week, they had tried every method they could think of to arrange a meeting with him, only to discover there was no opening at all.
Even though Koyuki was already a household-name superstar across the shinobi world, the highest-ranking person they could reach was merely one of the executives at Konoha Media and Broadcasting.
When they had first arrived in Konoha, that executive had patted his chest and confidently told them that if they ran into any trouble in the village, they could come to him.
But the moment they mentioned that they wanted to find Yuzuru, the man had frozen on the spot.
"You really think too highly of me. Lord Yuzuru isn't someone people like us can just meet whenever we want..."
"I don't know what kind of relationship you have with Lord Yuzuru, but this is beyond what I can help with."
After saying that, the man had left immediately.
And after that, Koyuki and Asama had not even been able to contact him anymore.
In his eyes, if they really had a close relationship with Yuzuru, then they should have had their own way of reaching him. Why would they need his help?
And if they were merely trying to cling to power, then it was all the more reason to stay far away.
If things went well, there was no guarantee of credit. If things went badly, the blame would definitely fall on him...
When it came to matters involving that man, dreaming of soaring to the top in one leap was foolish. The wisest thing to do was protect oneself and stay far from the whirlpool.
"Princess Koyuki, even if we can't meet Lord Yuzuru, we can still protect you with our lives."
Looking at the downcast Koyuki, Asama spoke in a low, steady voice.
Back then, after Dotō Kazahana had murdered Sōsetsu Kazahana and seized the throne, several hundred of them had risked everything to escort Koyuki out of the Land of Snow.
Though after all these years, only a few dozen remained of those original hundreds...
The ones who were left were the most loyal of the loyal, dead men who would gladly throw away their lives for her.
"Forget it. I've earned enough money by now. Maybe I can start a factory and support everyone that way."
"If it works out, then maybe everyone can live under new names from now on instead of spending every day in fear like this."
Koyuki let out a sigh and hugged her knees, sounding as though she had already resigned herself to fate.
That fire all those years ago—she had watched with her own eyes as her father died at Dotō Kazahana's hands.
The memory had left a scar she still could not erase, even now.
Maybe not having to go back and face that man... wasn't such a bad thing after all.
Seeing her like this, Asama opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.
Just as the two sat there, each lost in their own thoughts, a purple-haired kunoichi wearing a cat-faced mask suddenly appeared before them.
Asama immediately shoved Koyuki behind him.
"Princess Koyuki, run!"
The moment he finished speaking, he drew the long sword at his waist and charged straight at the purple-haired kunoichi.
Koyuki bit down hard, a flash of hatred flickering through her eyes, but in the end she still vaulted onto her horse and spurred it toward Konoha.
Only by reaching a crowded place could she survive!
The white horse beneath her galloped at full speed, and all Koyuki could hear was the howling wind in her ears.
She didn't dare look back. She simply kept lashing the reins forward with her whip.
At last, Konoha's front gate came into view.
The sight of the two Konoha shinobi standing guard there filled Koyuki with overwhelming relief.
But just then, the masked purple-haired kunoichi suddenly flashed to her side, running even faster than the white horse beneath her.
"Hyah!"
Koyuki's face drained of color as she struck the horse's flank hard with the whip.
The horse cried out in pain, but instead of accelerating, its legs buckled and it dropped to its knees.
Koyuki let out a startled cry and was thrown clear off the saddle.
The world spun around her.
And in the next instant, she landed in a warm embrace.
"Are you alright?"
A cool, clear voice tinged with faint confusion sounded by her ear. Koyuki looked up and found herself cradled in the arms of the very same purple-haired kunoichi.
She immediately struggled free and shouted toward the Konoha guards not far away—
"Help!"
The two Konoha shinobi rushed over at once.
"What's going on?"
The moment they arrived, Koyuki scrambled behind them like a drowning person clutching at driftwood.
"Save me! She's trying to kill me!"
At her words, the two Konoha shinobi exchanged a glance, both of them looking deeply confused.
They pointed at the purple-haired kunoichi and asked, "She's trying to kill you?"
The purple-haired kunoichi said helplessly, "Yukie Fujikaze, I have no intention of killing you."
After offering a brief explanation, she took the initiative and said, "Kotetsu Hagane, Izumo Kamizuki—here is my identification token."
Kotetsu examined it carefully, then respectfully returned it before turning to Koyuki with a smile.
"Miss, I think there may have been some misunderstanding. This is one of Lord Yuzuru's personal guards."
Koyuki stood there in a daze for a moment before finally realizing she had made a complete fool of herself.
This kunoichi in front of her was not an assassin sent by Dotō Kazahana to kill her.
She was Lord Yuzuru's personal bodyguard.
The moment that truth sank in, Koyuki felt like she wanted to disappear into the earth.
If she hadn't been wearing shoes, she felt like she could've clawed an apartment out of the ground with sheer embarrassment.
They don't think I'm some paranoid lunatic now... do they?
"Um... I'm really sorry. I overreacted just now."
Hearing that, the purple-haired kunoichi replied with a helpless sigh, "At the very least, you should give people a chance to explain."
Koyuki nodded quickly.
"Sorry. I caused you trouble."
The purple-haired kunoichi didn't say much more. She simply spoke in a calm tone.
"I've already informed your manager. Just come with me now."
"Okay."
Koyuki followed behind the purple-haired kunoichi all the way to the Hokage Building.
Looking at the building she had tried every possible way to enter and failed, Koyuki felt her heart grow uneasy.
Why had Lord Yuzuru called for her?
When she finally arrived at the Hokage's office, she saw Yuzuru Uchiha seated in the main position.
Standing to the side was, presumably, the Hokage, Fugaku Uchiha.
And kneeling on the floor in the center of the room was the burly man who had attacked her that day.
Seeing the scene laid out before her, a trace of expectation couldn't help but rise in Koyuki's heart.
She bowed respectfully, her voice trembling slightly.
"My respects, Lord Yuzuru."
A gentle smile appeared on Yuzuru's face.
"Miss Yukie, there are a few things I'd like to confirm with you. I hope you'll cooperate fully."
"First..."
"Is your real name Koyuki Kazahana?"