Koyuki wrapped both arms around Kairen's neck, poked her head out from his shoulder, looked at Miroku behind them, stuck out her tongue, and even made a funny face.
Miroku smiled helplessly and made a funny face back.
The two clowned around as they slowly followed Kairen. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the palace where the banquet had just been held, though now it had lost its former elegance.
The nobles who had been chatting and laughing moments ago were now hanging from the branches, dusty and gray like cured meat.
A general brought several warriors, setting up wooden ladders, preparing to climb up and rescue the Daimyō of the Land of Fire.
Kairen glanced over and snapped his fingers.
The branches above slowly twisted, and in an instant lowered the family of the Fire Daimyō. The other small-nation daimyō and their attendants were also brought down.
Koyuki hopped out of Kairen's arms and immediately dove into the embrace of the Snow Daimyō, Kazahana Daimyō.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
Kazahana Daimyō hugged Koyuki tightly, tears welling up.
"Koyuki, as long as you're safe! As long as you're safe!"
Koyuki pointed at Kairen.
"It was Kairen who saved me. I already promised him—when I grow up, I'm going to be his bride."
Kazahana Daimyō froze, then looked at Kairen beside Miroku.
Judging from the face, he was already an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old young man. By the time Koyuki grew up, he'd already be middle-aged.
This beast—he's been staring at my precious daughter all along? No! I must make sure Koyuki stays far away from this beast.
Kazahana Daimyō forced an overly polite smile as he slowly carried Koyuki closer to Kairen.
"Ninja-sama, I am the Snow Daimyō. Thank you very much for saving Koyuki just now."
"If there is anything you need… I will certainly help."
Kairen read his expression easily and, fully aware of what was on his mind, spoke sincerely:
"Father-in-law, no need for this. We're all one family, there's no need to be so polite."
"This…"
Kazahana Daimyō swallowed all his words. He was already trying to pull the family connection closer. He had never seen someone with such shameless audacity.
Even among ninjas who treated the Nin path as more important than their lives, even a rogue ninja seemed more like a true ninja than him.
Miroku covered her mouth and giggled softly, then added,
"Don't be fooled by his appearance looking like a nineteen-year-old youth—his bone age is actually only ten."
During Kairen's battle with Kakuzu, Miroku watched through the mysterious priestess power inside her body and naturally saw many secrets within Kairen.
"Only ten!!"
Daimyō was stunned. He stared blankly at Kairen and blurted out,
"What kind of feed did you grow up on?!"
Kairen curled his lips and didn't answer. Though he was only ten, he had already ridden a renowned warhorse.
Daimyō glanced at his precious little treasure in his arms. As a girl, she would one day need to find a proper husband.
Kairen was a ninja and not fit for the noble stage, but the world-shattering jutsu he displayed earlier was enough to prove he held the power to break through worldly norms.
And he wasn't that far in age from Koyuki. He could be her husband, and most importantly—he could protect her.
Koyuki kept acting spoiled in the Daimyō's arms.
"I want Kairen to be my husband! You can't drive him away!"
"Alright, alright… my sweet daughter, whatever you say!" Daimyō gently rocked his spoiled little girl.
But his heart ached. This son-in-law was good in every way, except he had just killed the eldest son of the Fire Daimyō. That wasn't a small matter—how would he deal with it?
The Fire Daimyō's family was released.
The general and the soldiers hurried forward and knelt, faces full of uncertainty.
"Daimyō-sama, please forgive our poor protection that allowed you to be frightened."
The Fire Daimyō kicked the general.
"You fool! So you do know your protection was poor—my son is dead, do you understand?!"
"Now I order you—"
His words were suddenly stuck in his throat.
A slug suddenly appeared on his shoulder.
"Daimyō-sama, don't anger Kairen-sama. Even the Hokage can't do anything about him."
The Fire Daimyō's gaze shifted toward Kairen. Kairen's cold eyes swept over—a sharp, icy blade stabbing into one's nerves.
The Fire Daimyō shuddered. That world-destroying power just now—if aimed at the inner city, he could have erased the entire small city in an instant.
Damn it!! How can there be a ninja who plays so outrageously against common sense?!
Once this chaos ends, I must impeach the Third Hokage!
The Fire Daimyō cursed silently.
The Fire Daimyō could endure. But the Daimyō's wife could not. She pointed at Kairen and cursed,
"You bastard, you actually killed my son?!"
"What are you samurai doing—hurry up and seize him for me!"
The general glanced at Kairen. He knew the Senju were strong, but he hadn't expected this strong—or this rule-breaking.
The lord had spoken; he had no choice but to obey. He waved his hand, and roughly a hundred samurai surrounded Kairen and the others.
The Fire Daimyō didn't say another word. He simply watched to see how Kairen would respond—after all, he wasn't the one giving the orders.
Kairen let out a cold chuckle, closed his eyes for a moment, and when they opened, a pair of blood-red eyes swept around.
"Genjutsu: Sharingan!"
"Pa-pa-pa-pa…"
Bodies hit the ground. Everyone who met Kairen's eyes collapsed obediently.
In the blink of an eye, only the general remained standing. He froze, terror filling his heart.
This… this was ninja power. How could ordinary men wielding cold steel ever be opponents?
Kairen walked past the general slowly, leaving him a sentence: "I know samurai are loyal, but you should be loyal to life, not a group of drunken parasites."
A group brainwashed by their monarch—Kairen didn't bother saying more.
Kairen's killing intent suddenly burst out. The general collapsed to his knees uncontrollably, despair filling him.
Kairen slowly walked toward the Fire Daimyō. The Daimyō's eyes showed fear, and he backed away several steps.
The Daimyō's wife rushed out with a fierce expression, pointing at Kairen and screaming:
"What are you doing? Do you want to rebel?!"
"We are the royal family ruling the entire Land of Fire! Ninjas exist to serve us—are you trying to bite your master?!"
Kairen smiled faintly. Murderous intent flickered in his heart, but he let her bark.
He then took out the mission list from his chest and handed it to the Fire Daimyō.
The Fire Daimyō accepted it with trembling hands, as Kairen said:
"Daimyō-sama, regarding the level of protection you've given me… how do you feel?"